Men’s second XI scorer Andy Bateup

Andy Bateup has been recording runs and wickets since he was eight years old and still enjoys the challenge which requires concentration and dedication for seven hours a day, writes Peter Burrowes.

The men’s second XI scorer said: “To be a successful scorer you have to be something of a statistical anorak as well as understanding what’s taking place on the field of play every minute of the match despite all the distractions going on around you.

“It’s important to be well organised and keep calm in all circumstances.”

Andy, and Kent’s first team scorer Lorne Hart speak regularly about matches and he recently deputised for Lorne at the Specsavers County Championship match between Worcestershire and Kent at New Road which he enjoyed immensely.

Andy travels the country with the Kent Second XI during the season and has had some challenging experiences at a few of the venues with club scoreboards that either do not exist or don’t work, and to even being able to watch the game properly from the facilities provided.

“I was in Wales for a one day game between Glamorgan and Kent and could only see the playing area from square leg to the boundary.

“It actually rained all day and there was no play so I did not have to relocate to a different vantage point.”

Andy took an interest in scoring at a young age when he went to watch his father Les playing for their Kent village team, Horsmonden.

“I would sneak into the scorebox and ask if I could enter the details of the game in the book and that is how it all started.”

Andy later played for the club as a batsman and wicketkeeper and then became their official scorer.

To become fully qualified he went on a course at Meopham Cricket Club one night a week run by his predecessor Cliff Booth, and Paul Parkinson who was Essex Second XI’s scorer recently when the two teams met at Polo Farm.

Andy started scoring for the Kent under-17 boys in 2009 and then helped Cliff out before taking over from him in 2012.

“There is a bond of friendship between scorers as we have to work closely together during matches, which can be quite stressful at times. We help each other out as the match progresses.”

As modern technology has advanced, the old style scorebook has gone out of fashion and at matches Andy uses his laptop and a linear sheet of paper which makes it easier to follow play over by over.

He also supplies scorecards to members of the public attending games and he has built up a rapport with a number of Kent members whom he has got to know.

He also uses his laptop to load the running scoreboard on to the Total Cricket Scorer App which can be accessed by supporters on their phone, laptop or tablet.

Scorers also have to be fully appraised of the vagaries of the Duckworth-Lewis scoring system, which comes into operation when matches are curtailed by the weather, and which most supporters still struggle to understand the workings of.

“Although it might seem complicated to many fans, it is the fairest system as it takes into account the different aspects of the match and is based on the number of runs scored and wickets taken.”

The winter period is almost as busy for Andy as the summer although there is no cricket. As well as entering every match played off his linear sheet into his big scorebook to record all the averages and records broken during the season.

This information is passed on to the coaches as well as providing all the collated information for publication in the ECB Second XI annual and the Kent Annual.

“Although I feel pretty tired at the end of a day’s play I still really enjoy scoring, watching the players out in the middle and meeting so many cricket friends along the way.”