Even as rain ruined the weekend, Darren Stevens found time to take his 800th professional wicket

SAM DALLING: As rain ruined yet another day of this Bob Willis Trophy round, there was time for two very different bowling milestones: Stevens went to his 800th professional wicket, while there was a maiden five-wicket haul for Ian Holland

Whoever you are, 800 wickets in the professional game is remarkable; 27,000 runs is also an impressive haul, and that’s downplaying it.

To hit both, well, that’s quite something. To be doing it in your mid-40s is impossible, right?

Except that we all know that’s not the case. Step forward Darren Stevens.

The 44-year-old allrounder claimed victim No.800 this morning with a piece of bowling that can only be described as “Classic Stevo”.

That angled run-up starting wide of a second strip; the perfect release; an irresistible line and length that left Middlesex skipper Steve Eskinazi with no choice but to prod at. The inevitable nick behind came and Ollie Robinson gathered diving away low to his right.  Beautiful stuff. All in a day’s work.

Rain has restricted this clash to 46 overs across the first two days but that was still enough for Stevens to shine.

Much has already been written of Stevens’ longevity and his quality is there for all to see. The right-hander took a bit of time to get up and running. Were he a car, you’d be thinking more Ford Focus than Ferrari. That’s no bad thing; much like his motor vehicle avatar, it would be a push to find anyone with a bad word to say about the bloke.

Primarily used as a batsman by Leicestershire during his formative years, he debuted in 1997 but took a couple of years to establish himself.

^{Darren Stevens never ceases to amaze}

Once a permanent fixture he was handy enough, sparkling at times in the one-day stuff, but hardly setting the world alight in the County Championship.

Come the end of the 2004 season it was time to move on and he left Grace Road, having appeared for the Foxes on 212 occasions.

His destination was Canterbury and he’s remained there ever since, barring a short loan spell last year at Derbyshire. Fast forward a decade and a half and there’s little doubt that club legend status has been achieved.

He started his Kent career with a bang; 1,277 first-class runs in his first season – a milestone he has passed twice since.

He’s continued to be a thorn in the side in white-ball cricket, and his T20 exploits briefly earned him a couple of stints in the Bangladesh Premier League.

With ball in hand it feels like he’s peaking. In the last decade, he has stepped up a level. It wasn’t until aged 35 that he grabbed his maiden first class five-wicket haul and more than 75 per cent of his wickets have come since the 2011 season. In fact, in Kent’s first season back in the big time he passed the 50-wicket mark.

What comes next no one knows, but despite his advancing years, there’s little sign of a let-up. For five years or so now, he has been on a rolling one-year deal.

Kent tried to pull the plug in 2019 and their man wasn’t having it. There were no verbals and he accepted it gracefully. Instead, he let his performances do the talking. A career best 237 at Headingley with his side in real trouble was backed up with 5 for 20 when Yorkshire batted again. Where do I sign?

If there is no roll-over come October, someone else is likely to hit the jackpot.

^{Ian Holland took six wickets for Hampshire against Surrey}

****

A doff of the cap to Hampshire allrounder Ian Holland today too. Rain again dominated at Arundel but this man will still remember this weekend for a long time to come.

The USA international found his way into cricket’s elite circuit via a reality TV show and today picked up his maiden five wicket-haul in the professional game.

The bulk of the work was done yesterday when he reduced visitors Surrey to 79 for 5 on a shortened day. Towards the end, he trapped Jason Roy in front for his fourth in the match and the 50th of his career, and he was back at the races again today.

Laurie Evans – on loan from Sussex for the Bob Willis Trophy had looked in fine touch but on 65 was the man who gave Holland his five-for.

Holland finished the day with 6 for 36 with Surrey in trouble on 130 for 8. Four of his dismissals were lbw while there was also a bowled for good measure; bowl at the stumps and it’s a simple game.

For unrivalled coverage of the county season, subscribe to The Cricketer and receive four issues for £15