Paul Prichard
Paul Prichard (born 7 January 1965) is an English cricketer who played for Essex County Cricket Club. He is a right-handed batsman and a right-arm medium-pace bowler. He is best known for spending seventeen years as a batsman for Essex at first-class and List A level where he was club captain from 1995–1998. After playing for Essex, Prichard spent the last three years of his playing career at Berkshire.
Prichard first played for Essex Schools at the age of nine, and was nurtured at the Hutton club by his father, a prominent Hutton player, and Doug Pont. He graduated from the Essex Schools sides to England Schools, and moved to the more prominent Orsett and Thurrock club.
He played in five Youth Test Matches and 4 Youth One-Day Internationals between 1981 and 1983. His first Test for England Young Cricketers against India alongside team-mates such as Steve O'Shaughnessy and Tim Boon.
On the Essex staff from the age of 16, his first team debut came in 1982, when he played in a 40-over League match, however, he neither batted or bowled during this match, batting lower down the order than was required, and not being called in to bowl at any time. He competed in the Benson and Hedges Cup for the next twelve years, and later in his career in the C&G trophy.
His maiden first-class century came in his debut year, 1984, at Old Trafford against Lancashire. As a schoolboy he was a decent wicket-keeper, but it was as a batsman that he excelled, although his fielding also won him much praise.
He won his Essex cap in 1986, was the club captain 1995–98, and was awarded a benefit year in 1996.
For some years he played grade cricket in Australia and coached at the Chelmsford Indoor School.
He played in the Minor Counties Championship Western Division extensively between 2002 and 2006, for Berkshire.
Sources
- David Lemmon, The Book of Essex Cricketers (1994, Breedon Books)