West Cumbrian cricketing brothers Jordan and Graham Clark have been celebrating a remarkable double at County Championship level.
Jordan’s Surrey have retained the First Division title despite defeat today when main rivals Essex were heavily beaten by bottom side Northants.
Durham had already celebrated winning the Second Division championship and Graham Clark had scored a fine 119 before completing an innings victory against Leicestershire.
Both brothers started their cricketing career with Cleator where another sibling Darren is a leading player.
Jordan, 32, who was educated at Sedbergh School and after three matches for Cumberland he joined the Lancashire Academy in 2008, going on to sign his first professional contract in 2011.
Highlights of his time with Lancashire include becoming only the fifth player to hit six sixes in an over in a professional game, playing for the 2nds at Scarborough against Yorkshire in 2013.
In 2018 he took a hat-trick for Lancashire in the Roses Championship game with Yorkshire – removing England captain Joe Root, Mew Zealand captain Kane Williamson and England batsman Johnny Bairstow with successive balls.
He then joined Surrey for the 2019 season and when they won the County Championship last season he was awarded his county cap.
Graham Clark, 30, has enjoyed his best Championship season after only making first team appearances in white ball cricket last year. He has earned a regular place in the senior side and has been a key batsman for Durham in their title-winning campaign.
Graham had made his Championship debut for Durham as an opener, but it was after the club’s relegation in 2017 that he was given the chance to claim a regular place in the middle order.
A solid response included maiden List A and first-class hundreds, as he became a first-choice pick across the formats. The 2019 summer was a struggle, however, as he lost his place in the Championship side and managed just two white-ball fifties.
He has been a regular white ball performer and has blossomed in the Championship this season – landing a title to go with the one won by big brother Jordan.
Their dad Ian is still playing regularly alongside Darren in the Cumbria League.
