Andrew Jones

MATT ALLIN has become Bideford's leading run scorer of all time.

The opening batsman broke the club record when he reached 51 in Saturday's Francis Clark Devon League match against Barnstaple and Pilton.

Allin went on to score 91 not out as Bideford won the B division derby by seven wickets. It was their first victory of the season.

The record was previously held by Andy Davies, who scored 12,545 runs in senior cricket.

But while it took Davies 811 innings between 1958 and 2006 to reach the mark, Allin has batted just 383 times since 1993.

With 12, 586 runs, he averages 36.58 and has hit 18 hundreds and 74 half centuries, with a highest score of 175.

For Bideford-born Allin, 31, it has been about making the most of his opportunities.

He said: "There's no real secret, I opened from an early age and I've just had a lot of batting.

"I've played senior cricket since I was 13 and I got into the first team when I was 14 or 15.

"Paul Argyle (the club's statistician and archivist) told me when I got close and I knew I needed 51 on Saturday."

Argyle supplied the Journal with Allin's statistics and paid tribute to the batsman's consistency.

He said: "While Matt may have played in an era of batsman friendly tracks, faster outfields and turbo-charged bats, to set a new club record mark in more than 400 fewer knocks than Andy is a remarkable achievement by any standards.

"If you can maintain a very respectable average of 36 as an opening batsman against some very decent bowling attacks, then you can regard yourself as a very good player.

"When he is focused and determined, not only he is hard to dismiss he has the ability to take the game away from opponents quickly and destructively.

"He could play for at least another ten years, by which time I predict his aggregate will exceed 20,000 runs, which will almost certainly never be surpassed."

Allin is the son of former Devon and Glamorgan spinner Tony Allin and older brother of Warwickshire seamer Tom Allin.

He has been a regular feature in the Bideford side, apart from one season with North Devon and a 13-week ban for failing to control his team as captain.

Allin is enjoying his most productive summer to date. He already has more than 1,300, including three hundreds, one of which came off just 67 balls.

He combines opening the batting with keeping wicket — a task that has proved too much for many first-class cricketers.

"I'm on the pitch for the whole game quite often," said Allin. "It is tiring."

Matt Allin (1993-): 384 matches, 383 innings, 39 not outs, 12,586 runs, average 36.58, highest score 175, 18 centuries, 74 half centuries, 29 ducks.

Andy Davies (1958-2006): 887, 811, 203, 12,545, 20.63, 120no, 3, 40, 54.