McGlashan sets a new world mark

MARK TAYLOR/Waikato Times

WORLD BEATER: Northern Districts' Peter McGlashan has set a new cricket world record with his catching haul

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Peter McGlashan found it hard to believe he'd entered cricket world record books here yesterday – despite doing his homework the previous night.

The Northern Knights wicketkeeper took 12 catches over the two innings of his side's Plunket Shield match against the Central Stags at Cobham Oval to record the best haul of catches in one first-class match in cricket history.

McGlashan finished the match one short of equalling the record for wicketkeeping dismissals of 13, held by Zimbabwe's Wayne James, who took 11 catches and two stumpings for Matabeleland against Mashonaland in Bulawayo during the 1995-96 season.

"It felt quite strange, getting patted on the back and congratulated for a world record in a little game in Whangarei," a grinning McGlashan said.

After finishing day two with 11 catches, setting a new New Zealand record, McGlashan admitted he knew he was on the brink of history when day three began.

"I got a few text messages last night, so I had a bit of a look on the web at the record books," McGlashan said yesterday.

"But it's something that I didn't have any control over," he said.

"It's not like a batsman chasing a score or a bowler taking wickets – you just have to rely on the bowlers finding the edge and then doing your job."

McGlashan didn't have to wait long to get dismissal No 12, taking a regulation catch off an edge from Bevan Griggs off Graeme Aldridge's bowling.

"It was nice to get it out of the way."

He came close to equalling James' mark shortly after, but couldn't hold onto a reflex effort going back the other way and low from an inside edge from Ewen Thompson off Trent Boult's bowling.

"It was one of those things – they either stick or they don't," McGlashan said.

James' efforts during his record-setting match are regarded as one of the most freakish individual efforts in cricket history.

He scored 99 with the bat in his side's first innings and took seven catches and two stumpings when his opponents batted.

He then added to the team's tally of dismissals with four catches in the second innings and was stranded on 99 not out in his second knock when the winning runs came from four byes.

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