Over the years, many great players have represented and done yeoman service for Lancashire cricket Club. Let it be the highest wicket-taker in cricket history Murali, the man who seemed like could swing and seam even a orange and take wickets, Akram, the charismatic all-rounder Freddie Flintoff, domineering batsmen like Lloyd and Law, the elegance personified, Very Very Very Special Laxman, great accumulators like Atherton and Fairbrother, bowlers who bowled at the pace of lightning like Holding and Patterson, or the bowler, who made batsmen suffer from amnesia about where their off-stump was, Statham.
Now, one more cricketer can be counted among the pantheon of Lancashire cricket greats and that is Glen Chapple. Over 700 fc wickets, useful runs lower down the order and of course, leading a young team to a CC title after 77 years of near misses in itself is enough for a cricketer to be rated as one of the best to play for Lancashire. Just numbers though, don't tell the whole story of what a great servant Chapple has been for Lancashire cricket club. Let it be on the penultimate day of CC match against Somerset this year, when in-spite of a hamstring injury, he bowled with the heart of a lion and made crucial breakthroughs, or that flamboyant 97 against Hampshire which paved the way for a famous victory on the last day, shows that here is a cricketer, who has a never say die attitude. Chapple may not be a cricketer gift-wrapped with god-gifted natural talent, but if I want to take someone for a war in say World War 3 somewhere in 2021, Chapple would be my man!
If I think about Chapple's early days, I think about early 90's, when he along with the tearaway quick Henderson looked to target the throats and heads of batsmen. (Henderson played a few games in the early 90's, but due to persistent back problems left playing cricket) Those days, he used to come in as a first change bowler after Defraites and Akram yet, was able to sustain the pressure created by Akram. As time went by, there were already whispers in the County circuit of how good Chapple can be and him being a future England prospect.
When Chapple got his first big break to play for England A against India A many of us thought that it was just a matter of time before he would play for England. In-fact, he even troubled the likes of future greats like Dravid and VVS on barren tracks of India. During the ill-fated Ashes series of 94/95, England were ravaged by injuries and there were rumours that Chapple would be on the next plane to Australia, but it wasn't to be. At that time, no one could have even guessed that Chapple won't play a single test for England. If in 95, it was his teammate at Lancashire, Martin who got the chance to play for England against West Indies, then it was Kirtley who was picked ahead of Chapple for the test against the Saffers in 03. Kirtley went onto make a memorable debut against the Saffers in 03 at Trent Bridge by taking a 7-for. After that match, Chapple may have been left wondering, it could have been his moment of glory. In-fact, Chapple should have even played against the touring Indian team in 96, but for some reason he wasn't picked.
I just can't fathom how a bowler like Chapple could have played just one solitary one-day match and that too it was restricted to just four overs of bowling, as he picked up an injury during that match against Ireland. Here was a bowler, who had the stamina of a ox and the heart of a lion yet, the selectors didn't have a look at him. I can't think of too many bowlers, who had a repeatable action or the control of Chapple during those days. Every tom, dick and harry represented England in the 90's, but not Chapple. Even now I feel that Chapple can get a place in a few test sides. I am sure that he won't do worse than some of the Indian bowlers, who played against England this season. When Chapple retires from the game of cricket and looks at names like Simon Brown, Daren Pattinson and Mike Smith in the list of 600 odd players, who have played for England, he maybe left wondering what did he do wrong?
Lack of opportunities to play for England though, didn't deter him from performing for his county, as he kept taking loads of wickets and made useful runs lower down the order. Who can ever forget his match winning spell of 6 for 18 in the Natwest final in 96. In the Championship too Chapple would invariably make early inroads into the opposition ranks. At the dawn of the 20th century though, a few critics were already questioning about Chapple's future, as he had lost a yard of pace, but he more than made it up by bowling with better control.
As Chapple became older though, even I started to have a few doubts over whether he can continue to be successful in the County circuit, but he proved us all wrong by performing wonderfully well. In 2005, he took 47 wickets to help Lancashire make a comeback into the first division. In 07, at the ripe age of 34, Chapple took his career best figures by taking a 7-for against a formidable opponent like Durham. On the downside though, Lancs yet again missed out narrowly on winning the CC to Sussex. In 2008, if it wasn't for Chapple's 47 wickets at just 20.5, Lancs may have even got relegated. I won't forget in a hurry his heroic efforts against Kent during that season as he helped Lancs to skittle out Kent for just 92 by taking 6 for 40 and they were chasing a score of just 163. At the end of 2008 season, Chapple was also appointed as the captain as Law left the team. Chapple himself admitted that he wasn't a natural leader, but hey he hasn't done a bad job as he has led a young team to a County Championship title now!
At the start of this season though, I again had a few doubts over whether Chapple could continue to stay motivated as Lancs had off-field problems and were strapped for cash. The team too wasn't doing well and most of the players were young. Chapple though, like a true gladiator, led the team from front with invaluable contributions. Chapple even suffered a few injuries during the season, but that didn't deter him from taking more than 50 wickets at under 20, or doing well with the bat at crucial times. On the third day against Somerset, Lancs required something special as Warwickshire were closing in on winning the title. As Chapple came into bowl in the second innings, not many expected him to take wickets as he was suffering from a hamstring injury. Chapple though, made everyone's jaw drop, as in-spite of suffering from a injury, he bowled a fiery opening spell and Lancs against all odds went onto win CC.
To be honest, I thought that one-day Bangladesh may win a WC, but Lancs won't win CC. Chapple, the coach Moores and his band of young players though had other ideas. I'm sure most captains would have made an angst-ridden response at what critics kept saying about Lancs cricket team. Chapple and Moores just didn't respond to such criticism and believed they have the players as well as the team spirit to win the title.
So what next for Chapple? he has already confirmed that he would stay for one more season, but fans like me will hope that he can play for a little longer. Even if he retires now, he would be a legend for all Lancashire fans. I for one, surely won't forget Chapple's self accusatory disgust every-time he bowled short and wide, only for him to come roaring back the next delivery by hitting the good length spot and beating the bat. Chapple's contributions to the club is just in-measurable and without him I even feel that Lancs would have been languishing down in the second division by now. So, I take this opportunity to salute a Lancashire great for performing day after day, year after year and of course, he did what others couldn't do for 77 years, lead the Lancashire team to a County Championship title!!!!!
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