Five hundredth county wicket for Onions in Benefit Year

Onions claims 500^th in Benefit Year

Durham’s long serving fast bowler, Graham Onions, recently claimed his 500^th first class wicket in what is his Benefit Year.

The Gateshead-born Ashes winner who made his first class debut back in 2004 has come back from several injuries and operations to remain at the top level of the game, and is looking to continue in the same vein till at least 2020.

A far cry from taking his first wicket, against Steven Stubbings in Derby on a wet and windy afternoon back in 2004, not long after he made his Durham debut against the UCCE at Chester-Le-Street.

That moment, for Onions, was one of three special ones in a career spanning fifteen years (he arrived at Durham in 2000 debuting in the Second XI at 18) and now, having taken the magical 500 in the recent match with Yorkshire, taking captain Andrew Gale on Day Two with the visitors falling to a 183-run defeat against the seemingly champions-elect.

The outcome was just another turn in the varied career of the Durham number nine.

“I’m immensely proud to have spent my career playing for the one club and to get 500 wickets with the county that I love is unreal,” began Graham Onions.

“It has been a fantastic ride though and I’ve been here a long time, through a lot of hard work and tears and, although I’ve had a few serious injuries where operations have been needed, the ideal scenario for me is another 4-5 seasons here and go for 650 wickets or more.”

The injuries sustained, leading to operations, were primarily on his back and cartilage around 2010-11 and kept him out of that seasons Ashes tests. He only appeared once more after returning from injury, in the final test against the West Indies and took an impressive 4 for 88.

Although he would like to get back into the England set-up, maybe for one, final swansong, Onions has had a good run at the pinnacle of the game culminating in that 2009 Ashes win against Australia with England winning 2-1 and peaking in the third test at Edgbaston posting 4 for 58 and claiming the wickets of Shane Watson, Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey.

He’s no stranger to taking the big wickets though, that 300^th would put him back in the minds of the England selectors when he dismissed Andrew Strauss (then Middlesex and England captain) twice, leaving his opposite number close to tears. For Onions it was a county best return for three years, posting 6 for 45.

“I do feel I have performed well on the International scene,” Onions continued.

“Australia, South Africa, West Indies, it’s just unfortunate that I hurt my back when I did but I am proud that I’ve represented my country, especially looking back now in my benefit year and being happy with what I have achieved.”

Now, after a fifteen year spell with his home county Onions has been afforded a benefit year where he, his family, friends and colleagues celebrate the career of the three time County champion. Numerous events have been held and, as the current County Championships ebbs and flows towards another conclusion, further events are planned.

It is next month that will see those fundraisers peak with a Golf Day, Charity Cycle ride and, in association with Relentless Promotions, ‘An Evening with Graham Onions, Stuart Broad, Jimmy Anderson and Special Guests’ at the Lancastrian Suite, Dunston.

“We’ve had several, really successful events already and I just want to keep it going throughout the remainder of the year,” Onions added.

“Jimmy, Stuart and I have helped each other throughout our careers and with us being fast bowlers and Ashes winners together it’s great they came on board. There will be a lot of great stories on the night not just from the three of us but we’ll also have Mark Wood and Ben Stokes (two of Onions’ Durham team-mates) there for an event I’m sure will not be forgotten as we raise some good money for some truly amazing charities.”

The four charities in which Graham Onions is raising funds for in his benefit year are the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, the PCA Benevolent Fund, Comrades of Children Overseas (COCO) and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Special Baby Care Unit more information of which can be found on the Graham Onions Official Benefit Year 2015 website.

Tickets for ‘An Evening with Graham Onions, Stuart Broad, Jimmy Anderson & Special Guests’ are available from the venue or by contacting Tracy on 07970485979 or emailing grahamonionsbenefit2015@outlook.com and cost £40 for VIP (which includes a meet and greet with the players and food).

You can read more about the Graham Onions Benefit Dinner at The Lancastrian Suite, Dunston by visiting Relentless Promotions Official website.