Norman Graham
Encyclopedia
John Norman Graham, born at Hexham
, Northumberland
, on 8 May 1943, was a cricket
er who played for Kent
during the county's years of success in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Graham was a tall medium-fast right-arm bowler and an absolute tail-ender in terms of batting. Having played a few matches for Kent in each season from 1964, he took 104 first-class
wickets in the 1967 season at an average of 13.90 to come third in the national bowling averages. Kent finished as runners-up in the County Championship
and won the Gillette Cup, the county's most successful season for 39 years. Though little more than medium pace, Graham was able to use his height – 2.03 metres or 6 feet 8 inches – to produce the kind of bounce and lateral movement normally associated with faster bowlers.
In 1968, he was picked for the MCC
match against Surrey
at Lord's, an indication that he may have been in the England selectors' thoughts. But though he took five wickets for 54 runs in Surrey's second innings, he alone of the MCC team that match never played for England.
Graham was never again to reproduce the kind of form he displayed in 1967, but he remained a useful county performer for Kent for a further nine seasons, taking more than 70 wickets in 1968, 1969 and 1971. In 1969, he took eight Essex wickets for 20 runs in the match at Brentwood
as the home side was dismissed for just 34. He also became a highly effective bowler in one-day cricket in the early 1970s. He remained with Kent until the 1977 season.
Graham was a No 11 batsman for all of his career. His highest score in first-class cricket was only 23 and in 123 one-day matches he only got into double figures once. His total of first-class wickets comfortably exceeded his total of first-class runs and he never made 70 runs in a season.
After retirement from first-class cricket, he played Minor Counties cricket for his native Northumberland
. His cousin, Peter Graham
, also played first-class and List A cricket.
Hexham
Hexham is a market town and civil parish in Northumberland, England, located south of the River Tyne, and was the administrative centre for the Tynedale district from 1974 to 2009. The three major towns in Tynedale were Hexham, Prudhoe and Haltwhistle, although in terms of population, Prudhoe was...
, Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
, on 8 May 1943, was a cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er who played for Kent
Kent County Cricket Club
Kent County Cricket Club is one of the 18 first class county county cricket clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the county of Kent...
during the county's years of success in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Graham was a tall medium-fast right-arm bowler and an absolute tail-ender in terms of batting. Having played a few matches for Kent in each season from 1964, he took 104 first-class
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
wickets in the 1967 season at an average of 13.90 to come third in the national bowling averages. Kent finished as runners-up in the County Championship
County Championship
The County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
and won the Gillette Cup, the county's most successful season for 39 years. Though little more than medium pace, Graham was able to use his height – 2.03 metres or 6 feet 8 inches – to produce the kind of bounce and lateral movement normally associated with faster bowlers.
In 1968, he was picked for the MCC
Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of...
match against Surrey
Surrey County Cricket Club
Surrey County Cricket Club is one of the 18 professional county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Surrey. Its limited overs team is called the Surrey Lions...
at Lord's, an indication that he may have been in the England selectors' thoughts. But though he took five wickets for 54 runs in Surrey's second innings, he alone of the MCC team that match never played for England.
Graham was never again to reproduce the kind of form he displayed in 1967, but he remained a useful county performer for Kent for a further nine seasons, taking more than 70 wickets in 1968, 1969 and 1971. In 1969, he took eight Essex wickets for 20 runs in the match at Brentwood
Brentwood, Essex
Brentwood is a town and the principal settlement of the Borough of Brentwood, in the county of Essex in the east of England. It is located in the London commuter belt, 20 miles east north-east of Charing Cross in London, and near the M25 motorway....
as the home side was dismissed for just 34. He also became a highly effective bowler in one-day cricket in the early 1970s. He remained with Kent until the 1977 season.
Graham was a No 11 batsman for all of his career. His highest score in first-class cricket was only 23 and in 123 one-day matches he only got into double figures once. His total of first-class wickets comfortably exceeded his total of first-class runs and he never made 70 runs in a season.
After retirement from first-class cricket, he played Minor Counties cricket for his native Northumberland
Northumberland County Cricket Club
Northumberland County Cricket Club is one of the county clubs which make up the Minor Counties in the English domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Northumberland and playing in the Minor Counties Championship and the MCCA Knockout Trophy...
. His cousin, Peter Graham
Peter Graham (cricketer, born 1954)
Peter Colin Graham is a former English cricketer. Graham was a right-handed batsman who bowled right-arm fast-medium. He was born at Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland....
, also played first-class and List A cricket.