Neil Saker
Encyclopedia
Neil Clifford Saker is an English cricket
er who currently plays for Unicorns
, having previous played for Surrey
. He is a right-hand batsman and right-arm medium pace bowler.
In July 2003 Saker made his first-class
debut against India A, he scored 5 and bowled 15 wicketless overs. In September of the same season he made his county cricket debut against Essex
, his maiden first-class wicket being that of Alastair Cook
. At the end of the season he became the first Surrey Academy player to sign a full time professional contract with the county.
After a season in the second team, Saker was used frequently in the first team in 2005 although twelve of his thirteen appearances came in the one-day format. He was given more first-class opportunities in 2006 and 2007 playing a total of 15 matches, taking 29 wickets at an average of 45.03. After playing a single one-day match in 2008 he was released at the end of the season.
During the 2010 Clydesdale Bank 40
domestic limited overs competition, Saker was added to the Unicorns
squad to play against the regular first-class counties
. The Unicorns were initially made up of 15 former county cricket professionals and 6 young cricketers looking to make it in the professional game.
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er who currently plays for Unicorns
Unicorns (cricket team)
Unicorns is a cricket team in England that was formed in 2010 specifically to play in the Clydesdale Bank 40 limited overs competition. Members of the squad are all players without current full-time contracts with one of the regular first-class counties....
, having previous played for Surrey
Surrey County Cricket Club
Surrey County Cricket Club is one of the 18 professional county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Surrey. Its limited overs team is called the Surrey Lions...
. He is a right-hand batsman and right-arm medium pace bowler.
In July 2003 Saker made his first-class
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
debut against India A, he scored 5 and bowled 15 wicketless overs. In September of the same season he made his county cricket debut against Essex
Essex County Cricket Club
Essex County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Essex. Its limited overs team is called the Essex Eagles, their team colours this season are blue.The club plays most of its home games...
, his maiden first-class wicket being that of Alastair Cook
Alastair Cook
Alastair Nathan Cook, MBE is an English international cricket player. He is a left-handed opening batsman who plays county cricket for Essex and International cricket for England, where he is their ODI captain. Cook played for Essex's Academy and made his debut for the first XI in 2003...
. At the end of the season he became the first Surrey Academy player to sign a full time professional contract with the county.
After a season in the second team, Saker was used frequently in the first team in 2005 although twelve of his thirteen appearances came in the one-day format. He was given more first-class opportunities in 2006 and 2007 playing a total of 15 matches, taking 29 wickets at an average of 45.03. After playing a single one-day match in 2008 he was released at the end of the season.
During the 2010 Clydesdale Bank 40
2010 Clydesdale Bank 40
The 2010 Clydesdale Bank 40 tournament is the inaugural Clydesdale Bank 40 limited overs cricket competition for the England and Wales first-class counties...
domestic limited overs competition, Saker was added to the Unicorns
Unicorns (cricket team)
Unicorns is a cricket team in England that was formed in 2010 specifically to play in the Clydesdale Bank 40 limited overs competition. Members of the squad are all players without current full-time contracts with one of the regular first-class counties....
squad to play against the regular first-class counties
County cricket
County cricket is the highest level of domestic cricket in England and Wales. For the 2010 season, see 2010 English cricket season.-First-class counties:...
. The Unicorns were initially made up of 15 former county cricket professionals and 6 young cricketers looking to make it in the professional game.