STAT ATTACK – ROOT 1000
(writes Andrew Hignell)
Billy Root is closing in on 1,000 runs for Glamorgan’s 1st XI in all formats during 2019.
After his career-best 229 at Northampton, the left-hander currently has a tally of 489 runs to his name in first-class cricket. When adding his 386 runs in the Royal London One-Day Cup, plus his 108 against Cardiff MCCU in the friendly in April at Sophia Gardens, his seasonal aggregate in all 1st XI games currently stands at 983, with Billy set to score his 1,000th runs in all formats for the 1st XI next week at Swansea as Glamorgan entertain Derbyshire at St. Helen’s.
Besides posting a personal best at Wantage Road against Northamptonshire, Billy also reached 1,000 first-class career runs when he reached 43 during Glamorgan’s first innings.
Billy’s record of 489 runs during the first five Championship matches of the summer also bears favourable comparison with other batsmen who subsequently established Club batting records.
In June 1959 Gilbert Parkhouse became the quickest Glamorgan batsmen to 1,000 first-class runs, but his tally after the first five games only stood at 382 runs. In more recent times, Hugh Morris struck a fine 233 against Warwickshire at Sophia Gardens in the opening Championship game in 1997. Hugh then extended his tally to 583 runs after the first five games of what proved to be a Championship-winning summer.