Young Durham cricketer you thought would make it.

I don't follow cricket but when I was at school there was a lad called Mark Turner who used to be really good. He will be about 35 now. Has anybody heard of him? Did he play at professional level anywhere?
 


I don't follow cricket but when I was at school there was a lad called Mark Turner who used to be really good. He will be about 35 now. Has anybody heard of him? Did he play at professional level anywhere?
Played for Durham, Somerset and Derbyshire now back playing club cricket. Was a very sharp bowler, i remember seeing him clock 90mph when he was playing in a televised game for somerset
 
Played for Durham, Somerset and Derbyshire now back playing club cricket. Was a very sharp bowler, i remember seeing him clock 90mph when he was playing in a televised game for somerset

I thought he would end up a pro if he stuck at it. Always stood out as a kid.

Just googled him an he has a wiki page. Should of thought of that before.
 
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I used to play at Whickham with a lad called Michael Urwin. Really good club cricketer but an exceptional junior and at that age tall and fairly rapid for his age. He played for the north v south under 19s in a test match format and it was being used as a trial to select and England under 19 team at the back end of the 70s. He had an outstanding match taking 11 wickets in the game and getting the man of the match award. However when the England team was selected he didn't make the cut with 10 of the 11 being picked from the beaten south side. Made a good club cricketer but could have been much better than he was if he had been with an academy and managed properly as a youngun.
Played against him many a time.

He was a canny player but also a bit of a knob, which wouldn’t go down well with blazers picking a national team
 
Played against him many a time.

He was a canny player but also a bit of a knob, which wouldn’t go down well with blazers picking a national team

:lol: He didn't do himself any favours that's for sure but this was before academies. At 18 he had everything to make a great quick bowler but needed guidance. Ended up settling for bowling 25 over off the belt week in, week out, lesser but reasonable pace and awkward bounce, picking a few arguments, kicking over a few stumps etc.
 
:lol: He didn't do himself any favours that's for sure but this was before academies. At 18 he had everything to make a great quick bowler but needed guidance. Ended up settling for bowling 25 over off the belt week in, week out, lesser but reasonable pace and awkward bounce, picking a few arguments, kicking over a few stumps etc.
All that is exactly correct !
 
Can remember facing Lugsden as 14yo when we were playing for under 15s. Lightening best way to describe it ha. He played in the same team as Nicky Trainer back then for Gateshead Fell who I think went on to play County cricket to iirc. Can remember the likes of Neil Ayre of Whitburm dispatching us to all parts of the ground, Stephen Meek another who was in my age category to. Q Hughes and Robin Weston to for Durhsm city. They all use to enjoy playing us ruff arse Horden lads with our cream chinos for whites and a shared club gear bag :lol:
 
Can remember facing Lugsden as 14yo when we were playing for under 15s. Lightening best way to describe it ha. He played in the same team as Nicky Trainer back then for Gateshead Fell who I think went on to play County cricket to iirc. Can remember the likes of Neil Ayre of Whitburm dispatching us to all parts of the ground, Stephen Meek another who was in my age category to. Q Hughes and Robin Weston to for Durhsm city. They all use to enjoy playing us ruff arse Horden lads with our cream chinos for whites and a shared club gear bag :lol:

Trainor scored a double hundred against the Aussies for Gloucestershire.
 
Nicky Peng occasionally looked special, particularly in the one day game. I recall Graham Gooch selecting him as part of his touring squad for the 01/02 trip to New Zealand IIRC, such was the regard he was held in certain quarters.

At one point, Ian Hunter looked as if he might kick on and be a genuinely quick bowler.
Ian Hunter was genuinely quick. I had couple seasons at Chester with him (I never got the wind) and he was scary sharp.
Remember seeing how far keeper stood back to him first game at Tynemouth and thought he’s in for a surprise of stands that far back to me 😁.
Played with Mark Turner as well who was rapid.
 
Ian Hunter was genuinely quick. I had couple seasons at Chester with him (I never got the wind) and he was scary sharp.
Remember seeing how far keeper stood back to him first game at Tynemouth and thought he’s in for a surprise of stands that far back to me 😁.
Played with Mark Turner as well who was rapid.
Just out of interest who was the best academy batsmen you bowled to and thought " yeah you have got that X factor to make it"
 
Watching Hunter on Sunday league on telly and he was recording 90mph.

Must have been the game I recall too, Bumble was raving about him.

Andrew Pratt looked the part early 2000's but never kicked on. He used to open the batting in one-day cricket to good effect before keeper-batsmen who could whack it were utilised more commonly. Form dropped off fairly quickly though and the Colonel was a cut above.
 

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