The 1996 English cricket season was the 97th in which the County Championship had been an official competition. England hosted tours by India and Pakistan, who each played three Tests and three ODIs. Against India, England were unbeaten, winning the Test series 1–0 and the ODI series 2–0. However, against the Pakistanis England lost 2–0 in the Tests, and had to console themselves with a 2–1 ODI series victory.
In Hampshire's game against the Indians just before the third Test, Hampshire's Kevan James took four wickets in consecutive balls and then scored a century. This was the first time this particular "double" had ever been achieved in a first-class match.
The County Championship was won by Leicestershire for the second time (after 1975), and they celebrated their already certain title by defeating Middlesex by an innings on the last day of the season. Leicestershire finished 27 points in front of Derbyshire.
In one-day cricket, the AXA Equity and Law League was won by Surrey on run rate from Nottinghamshire, while Lancashire claimed the honours in both the NatWest Trophy and the Benson & Hedges Cup. The best bowling figures of the season were claimed by Glen Chapple of Lancashire who took 6–18 in the NatWest Trophy final against Essex, in which the southern county were bowled out for an embarrassing 57.
Vince Wells' score of 201 in an earlier round of the NatWest Trophy was at the time only the fourth List A double century to have been scored.
Honours County Championship – Leicestershire NatWest Trophy – Lancashire Sunday League – Surrey Benson & Hedges Cup – Lancashire Minor Counties Championship – Devon MCCA Knockout Trophy – Cheshire Second XI Championship – Warwickshire II Wisden – Sanath Jayasuriya, Mushtaq Ahmed, Saeed Anwar, Phil Simmons, Sachin Tendulkar
Statistical highlights First-class Highest team total: 686 by Lancashire v Essex at Chelmsford, 7–10 June Lowest team total: 67 by Durham v Middlesex at Cardiff, 14 June Highest individual innings: 275* by Matthew Walker (Kent) v Somerset at Canterbury, 15–16 August Most runs in season: 1,944 by Graham Gooch (Essex) Best innings bowling: 9–38 by Cardigan Connor (Hampshire) v Gloucestershire at Southampton, 8–9 August Most wickets in season: 85 by Courtney Walsh (Gloucestershire)
List A Highest team total: 406/5 (60 overs) by Leicestershire v Berkshire at Leicester, 25 June Lowest team total: 48 by Leicestershire v Surrey at The Oval, 16 June Highest individual innings: 201 by Vince Wells (Leicestershire) v Berkshire at Leicester, 25 June Most runs in season: 1,151 by Dean Jones (Derbyshire) Best innings bowling: 6–18 by Glen Chapple (Lancashire) v Essex at Lord's, 7 September Most wickets in season: 56 by Adam Hollioake (Surrey)
Test series India tour
Pakistan tour
County Championship
Sunday League
NatWest Trophy
Benson & Hedges Cup
Averages First-class Batting Qualification: eight innings
English first-class batting averages, 1996PlayerTeam(s)MINO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Sourav GangulyIndia914676213695.2534Saeed AnwarPakistan101911,224219*68.0054Graham GoochEssex173011,99420167.0386Herschelle GibbsSouth Africa A814186718366.6925Adam HollioakeSurrey172961,52212966.1758Inzamam-ul-HaqPakistan9142792169*66.0034
Bowling Qualification: ten wickets
English first-class bowling averages, 1996PlayerTeam(s)BallsMdnsRunsWkts BB Ave 5wI 10wMShahid NazirPakistan2828164124–4313.6600Saqlain MushtaqPakistan1,00143456296–5215.7220Curtly AmbroseNorthamptonshire1,70880717436–2616.6751Courtney WalshGloucestershire3,1591421,432856–2216.8471Phil SimmonsLeicestershire2,188871,021566–1418.2330Dimitri MascarenhasHampshire55221297166–8818.5610
List A Batting Qualification: eight innings
English List A batting averages, 1996PlayerTeam(s)MINO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Peter MartinEngland, Lancashire2912117835*78.0000Dean JonesDerbyshire222141,15114267.7063Andy HayhurstSomerset1410626367*65.7502Michael BevanYorkshire222151,02398*63.9309Robert CunliffeGloucestershire10102479137*59.8722Paul JohnsonNottinghamshire2120776599*58.8407
Bowling Qualification: ten wickets
English List A bowling averages, 1996PlayerTeam(s)BallsMdnsRunsWkts BB Ave 5wI Adam HollioakeEngland, Surrey9984835565–4414.912Owen ParkinGlamorgan3006196125–2816.331Shaun PollockWarwickshire1,11318726446–2116.502Michael BevanYorkshire2773237145–2916.921Dermot ReeveWarwickshire5919356214–2316.950Kevan JamesHampshire6904552316–3517.801
References
External sources CricketArchive – season and tournament itineraries
Annual reviews Playfair Cricket Annual 1997 Wisden Cricketers' Almanack 1997