Cricket World County Player Of The Week - David Balcombe

Cricket World County Player Of The Week - David Balcombe

David Balcombe has enjoyed his loan spell with Kent and has 24 wickets at an average of 18 from four matches.

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13 centuries were scored last week in county cricket, including doubles by Jimmy Adams and Andrew Strauss as the county season began to reach its climax. There were also eight five wicket-hauls including a ten-wicket match from Cricket World County Player of the Week David Balcombe.

The 26 year-old from London took a career-best six for 51 in the first innings against Essex at Canterbury and followed that up with four for 51 in the second to bowl the home side to victory and give them their fifth win of the season.

He began his career on the Surrey staff and represented their under-21 side in 2003 and their second eleven in 2004 before being released by the club. His career appeared to have stalled by that stage and he seemed destined to spend the rest of it playing Surrey League and Minor Counties cricket. However, a spell at Durham University at the start of the 2005 season reinvigorated his career and he took five wickets in his third match against Durham and was rewarded with a trial at Hampshire. 

He impressed for their second eleven and stayed on the staff and made his debut for them in the Twenty 20 Cup in 2006 prior to his first-class and list A debuts in 2007. Unfortunately his chances have been limited since then as the likes of James Tomlinson and Chris Wood have leapfrogged him in the queue. 

It is with injury-hit Kent that he has made his mark this year as, on-loan from Hampshire, he has taken 24 wickets in four matches culminating in his 10 for 102 last week, and is now closing in on the 100 wicket mark.

His Hampshire team-mate Jimmy Adams is another who impressed last week and was a contender for the award, making 113 against Scotland in the Clydesdale Bank 40 and 207 against Somerset as Hampshire try to avoid relegation.

© Cricket World 2011