HOW THE 1987 BENSON & HEDGES CUP WAS WON

1987 TRIUMPH
By Richard Watts
February 15 2007

With the 2007 season fast approaching we thought it would be good to look back at Yorkshire's previous triumphs. In the fourth of a series of articles we reflect on the 1987 season. A year where Yorkshire lifted the Benson & Hedges Cup and Jim Love saw Yorkshire home at Lord's in the final.

THE GROUP STAGES

Yorkshire opened their campaign with a trip to Edgbaston to take on Warwickshire who won the toss and batted. Yorkshire made a great start with Paul Jarvis dismissing Andy Moles without a run on the board in only the second over. Warwickshire fought back strongly with Andy Lloyd and Alistar Storie butting on 138 before both were dismissed in the sixties - Lloyd run out for 67 and Storie falling to Peter Hartley for 65. Tight bowling from Jarvis 3-30, Hartley 3-30 and Carrick 0-33 all in eleven overs restricted the home side to a total of 208 for 8. Yorkshire’s reply couldn’t have gone any better, Moxon and Metcalfe crashing the ball to all parts as Yorkshire won by ten wickets. Moxon 93 not out and Metcalfe 94 not to win the Man of the Match award.

Another Man of the Match display from Ashley Metcalfe helped Yorkshire beat Lancashire by 75 runs at Headingley. Batting first Yorkshire’s batting unit performed well, Metcalfe (84) and Blakey (58) put on 97 for the second wicket. There were aggressive innings from Jim Love 47 not out and David Bairstow 36 as Yorkshire totalled 269 for 6. In reply there was only Neil Fairbrother (54) who could handle the Yorkshire attack. Peter Hartley finished with 3-40, Stuart Fletcher 2-37 but the pick was Arnie Sidebottom 9.2-1-21-3 as Lancashire were bowled out for 194.

Next Worcestershire visited Headingley. Phil Carrick won the toss and elected to bat. Fine bowling from Graeme Dilley 10-3-17-2 and Neil Radford 3-35 reduced Yorkshire to 67 for 5. A gritty 64 not out from Kevin Sharp, going in with the score on 11 gave the score some respectability (143 all out). Fine fast bowling reduced Worcester to 27 for 5. D’Oliveria’s 59 threatened to take the game away from Yorkshire but the visitors were dismissed for 131 in 50 overs. Fletcher took 2-21 but the star was Man of the Match Arnie Sidebottom 11-5-15-4.

A seven wicket win over Scotland saw Yorkshire head group B with a 100% record. In Glasgow Scotland were restricted to 164 for 9. Phil Carrick bowled his 11 overs for 12 runs, Stuart Fletcher took 3-34 and Peter Hartley 3-45. Ashley Metclafe was again in fine form with the bat leading the way with 94 to claim his third Man of the Match award of the campaign.

KNOCK OUT STAGES

Phil Carrick won the toss and inserted Hampshire at Headingley in the Quarter Final. More great bowling by the Yorkshire seamers - Sidebottom 8-3-15-1 and Fletcher 3-41 the most notable. Carrick himself bowled his 11 overs for 19. Hampshire’s main man Gordon Greenidge was run out for 13 and there was only David Turner’s 38 that briefly threatened Yorkshire as Hampshire posted 174 for 8. Ashley Metcalfe continued his fine B & H form and picked up his fourth Man of the Match award thanks to a sparkling 93 not out. Richard Blakey made 58 not out as their unbroken stand of 100 brought Yorkshire home by nine wickets in the 46th over.

Yorkshire entertained Surrey at Headingley in the Semi Final. Yorkshire won the toss and batted and clocked up a useful 238 for 7. Martin Moxon’s 97 was the mainstay of the Yorkshire innings. There were also good contributions from David Bairstow 45 and a hard hitting 40 not out from Jim Love. When Surrey batted Yorkshire’s seam attack again came to the fore. Surrey were reduced to 36 for 3 before Clinton (69) and Bullen (33) put on 78. Those two batsmen were the only ones to make double figures as the remaining six wickets went for 48 as Surrey were all out for 162. Jarvis 7 overs 2-21, Hartley 11 overs 1-28, Hartley 3-33 from 10 overs and the pick once more was Sidebottom 3 for 29 from 8.2 overs. Moxon’s 97 took the Man of the Match award.

In the Final at Lords Yorkshire won the toss and put Northamptonshire into bat. Yorkshire couldn’t have had a better start as Cook nicked Jarvis to be caught behind by Blakey to make it 3 for 1. With Fletcher, Hartley and another wicket for Jarvis Northants were reduced to 92 for 4. The game turned thanks to a fine innings of 97 by David Capel. In partnership with Richard Williams (44) they put on 120. A couple more wickets for Paul Jarvis who finished with 4-43 checked Northants in the closing stages as they finished on 244 for 7. The inform Moxon (45) and Metcalfe (47) got Yorkshire off to a great start as they put on 97 for the first wicket. Northants spinners Cook (1-42) and Williams (3-33) got them back into the game. Then came a vital partnership between Jim Love and David Bairstow (24) who put on 63. Love continued to display a wide range of strokes as he dominated the latter part of Yorkshire’s reply. With the last ball to be bowled the scores were level, Yorkshire would win by loosing fewer wickets. Love successfully kept his wicket intact to finish 75 not out to give Yorkshire victory and clinch the Man of the Match award.


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