Colin Crosby Heritage Tours

Darren Maddy's Benefit Year

Darren Maddy, the Leicestershire cricketer, has been awarded a benefit year in 2006.

One of the most experienced players in the Leicestershire squad, Darren is also one of the most consistently reliable.

He is a fine batsman who frequently opens the innings, a very useful medium pace bowler and an excellent fielder.

Darren, now aged 31, was born in Leicester. He made his debut for the county in 1994, and played for England in 3 Test matches and 8 limited over internationals.

He has 4 times scored 1000 runs in a season.

His highest score is 229 not out against Loughborough University at Grace Road in 2003, sharing in a massive partnership with Brad Hodge, the prolific Australian who accepted the county captaincy and left to join Lancashire shortly afterwards. His highest in a Championship match is 162 against Durham at Darlington in 1998, and his best bowling is 5 – 37 against Hampshire at Southampton in 2002.

In limited over cricket, his highest score is 162 in the Benson and Hedges against Minor Counties at Grace Road in 1998, and his best bowling is 4 – 16 in the National League against Somerset at Taunton in 2000. He has one Man of the Match award in the Cheltenham and Gloucester, and 8 in the Benson and Hedges (5 of them in 1998).

Darren Maddy, whose father Bill is a long-standing member of the county, is an unusual Leicestershire player in two ways.

He is one of the few players from the county to actually be brought on and into the first team. And he has very much shown his loyalty – other players, both at Leicestershire and elsewhere, would have moved on, especially when passed over more than once for the captaincy as happened to Darren.

He is a very fine cricketer, and a very good and useful member of the Leicestershire team. Everybody will wish him success in his benefit year.