Brad Spanner
Brad Spanner
Merrion Cricket Club
Merrion Career: 1999 - 2002
Brad's Full Statistics: click here
In his four seasons with Merrion CC, Brad played in 83 LCU senior matches and scored a total of 3722 runs at an average of 60.02. In achieving this Brad was the fastest Merrion player to 1000, 2000 and 3000 runs and has the highest batting average of any player since Merrion went senior in 1926. His highest individual score of 204* and the number of centuries [12 including the double century] are also Merrion records. In July 2000 he participated in a stand of 269 for the third wicket against Pembroke, another Merrion record, and in the same year his total of 1202 was the highest aggregate score for a season in Merrion's history.
As a bowler for Merrion, Brad took 101 wickets with an average of 14.71. In the field he took 43 catches over the four seasons. He did not keep wicket.
During his time in Merrion Brad played on one Leinster Senior league winning sides. It would have been two were it not for having points deducted from us in 2000. In 1999 Brad won a medal as a member of the Lewis Traub Cup winning team and he has three Alan Murray Cup winners medals to his credit. Other notable achievements include runners up in the Conquerer Cup in 2002 and in the Lewis Traub League/Cup in 2001.
In 2001 Brad won the Solomons Cup [individual catches in Leinster] and in 2000 and 2002 the Samuels Cup for best all rounder.
Over the three years that Brad was eligible to play in the Irish cup there were a number of memorable performances, none more so than the brilliant century he scored in the semi-final against North County in 2001.
Brad was club professional in 1999 and from 2000 - 2002 was appointed Youth Development Officer for the club. Over this period Brad played a major role in developing young cricketing talent in the club and his term of office saw Merrion's youth teams achieve their greatest period of success ever.
His achievements in developing young cricketers can be seen from the number of youth inter-provincial and international cricketers produced by the club.
Cricket is not just about winning and achieving representative honours. It is about enjoyment, developing team spirit, taking individual responsibility, playing the game in the right spirit and being competitive. Brad has encouraged these values in the young cricketers in Merrion both directly and through example. He has managed the bridge between coach, mentor and friend.