Gary Hulme, one of the most popular players in the Durham Senior League, recently broke Durham City's all-time record for the number of wickets taken by an individual.

Brian Lander held the previous record of 1,979 until Gary took one wicket in the recent cup tie at South Shields and currently he has 1,984 to his credit.

"I suppose it would be nice to reach 2,000 in millennium year but with just four games remaining it is asking a bit too much for me to take another 16.

Nevertheless, I am very pleased to have created a new record and I hope to add a lot more wickets to the total before I retire," said Gary who first joined the club in 1973 when he moved to Durham University from his home in Cheshire.

He became established in City's first team during the 1975 season and in the last quarter of a century has been the scourge of batsmen, renowned for his nagging length and accuracy.

Gary's first game was against South Shields when he failed to take a wicket but by the time he became captain in 1984, he was a regular wicket-taker.

It was in that season that City enjoyed their best-ever results when they won the League championship, Alcan Trophy, Smith Print Trophy and the Coles Crane Trophy.

He has taken over 100 wickets in a season on three occasions, his best performance being in 1984 when he claimed the staggering number of 125 victims.

Gary has claimed over 70 wickets in a season 12 times and has taken four wickets or more in a match on 183 occasions. His best bowling performance was against Horden in 1980 when he returned figures of 8-28, including a hat-trick and his only other hat-trick was in the match with Seaham Harbour a year earlier.

"Durham City has been a great club to play for. I suppose my biggest disappointment was never being selected to play for Durham County.

There was a time when I was playing really well and I thought I might get my chance but it was not to be. If only I had played once it would have been another memory to savour," said Gary who is certainly not regarded as a batsman.

In his 214 innings, he has scored just 314 runs with a highest score of 16 not out