Humble all set to earn his 'Corn after hitting the big time

May 2 2010 by Stuart Rayner, Sunday Sun

STEPHEN HUMBLE is no stranger to big cricket occasions and fittingly for a man who sells refrigeration units, he has always been able to keep his cool.

The Hexham-born all-rounder has a Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy man-of-the-match award and a Lord’s winners medal to prove it.

Now the challenge for a man long regarded as one of the North East’s top club cricketers is to hit the same heights on a more consistent basis.

Humble is part of the Unicorns squad of non-contract players who will compete in this season’s Clydesdale Bank 40 competition – the Sunday League to you and I.

The Unicorns face Surrey at The Oval today and Sussex in Hove tomorrow.

“Hopefully I’m not at the end of my career yet, but at 33 it’s a good opportunity to pit my wits against First-Class opposition,” says Humble.

“I’m sure I can fit some good cricket into these last few years, I’ve just got to get through it without falling out with the wife! “It’s going to be tough – it’s their job and they’re practising twice a day – but hopefully we will give some people a fright, if not actually win some games.

“I’ve developed a little bit later than I probably needed to make county standard.

“I’ve had a job since I left school at 16 and I never really kicked on.

“I played for Durham County Board quite a few years ago when Geoff Cook was the manager and did quite well at that standard.