Cockermouth’s left-arm spinner Matthew Siddall can now officially be confirmed as a Cumbria record-breaker.
His effort of taking 14-208 against Buckinghamshire earlier this week is now officially the best match figures by a Cumbrian bowler since Cumberland joined the Minor Counties in 1955.
There had been some doubt because David Halliwell was credited with 14 wickets in 1986 but this had been questioned by Chris Gore, Cumbria statistician and Yearbook editor.
He contacted the Suffolk county club to ask them to check the scores from that game 36 years ago and was sent the relevant information.
Gore said: “It confirms my suspicion that there was a typo in the scorecard section of our yearbook. The Suffolk entry was: N Crame C Halliwell B Lloyd, whereas we had it the other way round.
“In terms of contemporary reporting, we now have the narrative section of our yearbook, and the narrative section of Suffolk’s yearbook confirming match figures of 13/92 (both of which would have been written within six months of the match).
“The Suffolk scorecard confirms the relevant wicket was taken by Lloyd and not Halliwell.
“A Birmingham Mail article online confirms the second innings analysis for Halliwell as 6/51 (from 31 May 1986).
“I can’t see how we can arrive at anything other than there has only been one bowler who has taken 14 wickets in a championship match for the County: Matthew Siddall not David Halliwell.”
Siddall now has 35 wickets in three Championship matches this season and he has taken at least five wickets in each of the six innings, a record by a Cumbria bowler in a Championship season.
