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GOOGLIES & CHINAMEN
An Occasional Cricketing Journal
Edition 248
August 2023
England Supporter No. 1: It was a moral victory.
England Supporter No.2: We thrashed ‘em.
England Supporter No.3: They cheated throughout.
England Supporter No.4: We had the best batters and the best bowlers.
England Supporter No.5: I blame the rain at Manchester on global warming.
England Supporter No.6: I blame the war in Ukraine for Archer’s injury.
Australian Supporter: Despite all this we kept the Ashes without playing very well at any stage. Perhaps England aren’t that good?
Out & About with the Professor
In the end it would seem to have been a missed opportunity. England with home advantage and as good a side as Australia - if not better - somehow managed not to win. But it would be hard to imagine a more exciting series, and one with a perfectly scripted end.
Everyone will have their favoured explanations and “pivotal moments” but the Lyon’s injury presented a huge chance for England after the first match. Some very poor catching and Bairstow’s dreadful wicket-keeping gave victories in the first two matches, both of which England should have won. Add to that a bizarre spell of batting when Cummins put three on the fence at, or behind, square leg, and could hardly have believed it as he watched England batters spend about 90 mins giving them some catching practice. The other three games were pretty much all England …and English rain.
Sport is always full of “what ifs” but in cricket the counter-factual is an almost endless source of debate. What, for example, would have been the outcome at Lord’s without the Bairstow “stumping”? There were only 43 runs in it at the end. Could Bairstow have knocked them off? Would Stokes have batted the way he did if Bairstow had still been there? And what of the effect on Carey? The scores Carey has made since Lord’s: 8, 5, 20, 10, and 28, hardly match someone of his ability. One might even reflect that his wicket-keeping has dropped from his very high standard. It can hardly be too jolly to have 30,000 people chanting that you’re a cheat. Perhaps Carey is one of those rare phenomena: a sensitive Australian. Oh I know they blub when they are indeed caught cheating, but one suspects that the tears are not those of contrition but the result of being found out. Indeed the whole sandpaper incident isn’t mentioned much these days (the two chief blubbers have played in every Test) but what an egregious act it was, and how premeditated; stopping off at B&Q for a couple of sheets of “heavy duty” on the way to the match. I know Atherton underplayed it, but then, of course, he has form in this department. What it was, was a carefully pre-planned orchestrated act of cheating.
Carey didn’t, of course, cheat. Bairstow was out of his ground and the ball had not been called “Dead”…but then it very rarely is. The game would be very different if it was. Bairstow’s scratch behind the line seemed to indicate (to him) that he was leaving his ground safely and it was blindingly obvious that he wasn’t intending to gain any advantage - he was just off for a chat with Stokes. No reasonable person would think that Carey was to blame, but Cummins was. Bairstow was out of his ground and the bails were dislodged but that needn’t compel an appeal. It felt like a grubby bit of cricket…and it was. Broad, I think, was right in his remark to Carey that the stumping is all he will even be remembered for. Who now, for example, thinks of Vinoo Mankad as the fine all-round cricketer he was? His surname has just become a metonym for sharp practice (although a good deal more legitimate, in my view, than a “Carey”).
Criticism of Stokes’s captaincy has tended to focus on the decision (or otherwise) to declare. The first was at the end of Day One. It came as a bit of a surprise but the people in the stand where I was sitting generally regarded it as an attacking move and, obviously, had a wicket fallen, it would have been “a stroke of genius”. Retrospective wisdom is not wisdom. By comparison the decision not to declare in the Third Test has been criticised - just letting Jonny get (very close to) his hundred. It seems a little hard to hold both positions: in both cases a batter was going well and scoring very quickly. In the latter case, the alternative of a declaration would have been made (presumably) when the ninth wicket fell. But there were only eight more overs bowled (and 64 runs scored) and the question is would those overs have made inroads into the five wickets Australia had left at the end. Who knows?
Bairstow leaves the field after his 78 come-back runs at Birmingham
There are always pluses and minuses from a series. I think the key result has been that “Bazball” can stand up to the Australians. All through last season there was the (sometimes unspoken) refrain that while it might be fun against New Zealand, or whoever, what will happen in the Ashes. In the event they were never bowled out for less than 230 and once, of course, almost made 600. Case proved? Well, it still feels like there is a need on some occasions to throttle back and just get the opposition so far behind that victory, for them, is impossible. Both here and in New Zealand there has been a sense that a very strong position has (deliberately?) not been made impregnable by continuing to belt the ball around. For all their attacking cricket, England never really batted Australia out of the game (except at Old Trafford) and thus the series result.
None of this matters, of course, because Stokes is going to carry on in the same way whatever the results.
Perhaps the biggest plus is that Test cricket has become so watchable again.
This & That
In the Somerset v Hampshire match Kyle Abbott reduced Somerset to 80 for 5 before James Rew and Kasey Aldridge added 188 for the sixth wicket and then Dom Bess(Yes him) helped Rew add a further 94 for the seventh wicket. After that a couple more wickets fell cheaply and then Shoib Bashir helped Rew add 108 for the tenth wicket. Rew was last out for 221. He is nineteen years old and also the side’s wicketkeeper. Somerset reached 500 after being 41 for 4. This was his fifth Championship hundred in just five games and he has now passed 1000 runs for the season.
Michael Nesser is in the Aussies tour party but found time to slip off and guest for Glamorgan in their match against Leicestershire where he scored 176 not out. Meanwhile Robert Yates made an unbeaten 228 for Warwickshire against Kent. I noted last month Bell Drummond’s record breaking 300. What I hadn’t appreciated was the oddity that only 100 of his runs were scored in boundaries. No Baz Ball at Canterbury, apparently.
Middlesex earned a draw with Northamptonshire at the OMT’s ground when the scores finished level as Middlesex failed by one run to chase down 323 to win. Sam Robson made Middlesex’ first hundred of the season and finished 126 not out but he batted for six hours and faced 252 balls. Surely there was another single to be had somewhere?
Predictably Middlesex went on to get hammered by Surrey at Lord’s with eight wickets and five hours to spare. But against all the odds they went on to win at Edgbaston after bowling Warwickshire out for 60 on the first morning. Like England, Middlesex favour the older seamer in their sides. Young guns Bamber and Helm are 25 and 29 respectively whilst Murtagh and Roland-Jones are 42 and 35.
In the Pakistan v Sri Lanka test Pakistan were 101 for 5 when Sarfaraz was dismissed but they went on to 461 all out thanks to Shakeel’s 208 not out.
Middlesex’s recent signings, Ryan Higgins excepted, have not worked out well to say the least but the signing of Leus du Plooy, one of the in form players of 2023 looks more promising. He will be available in all formats from the start of the 2024 season.
Whilst the English and perhaps some Australians have been very excited about the Ashes almost certainly a more significant event has been taking place in the USA where the inaugural Major League Cricket tournament has been taking place. Many of the world’s top players performed in this competition which was played before full houses at all venues. It will get bigger and more influential very quickly and the only threat to it becoming a powerhouse is if the Saudis decide to join in and offer even bigger incentives to the players.
Thompson Matters
I am delighted to announce that Steve Thompson has agreed to become a regular columnist
A rare day out at the Home of Cricket - 2nd Test at Lord’s - Day 4
Overheard in Waitro.......Overheard in the Long Room: “Hello Barnaby, how are you? We had lunch with your parents last Sunday, the pate was as good as anything we had in The Loire.”
It had been four years since I last queued around the ground to bag a seat. It’s always reassuring to see a few familiar friendly faces as you begin the walk to the unseen end; this time two cornerstones of Ealing, John Lindley and then Bob Fisher - Thompson c Fisher b Lindley, circa 1974, surely the only historic scoreboard entry in the line.
When you are stationary for up to two hours the quality and perceived longevity of the wait is largely dependent upon the members immediately in front and behind you. As luck would have it the two gents, Peters both, who joined the snake immediately after me at just after seven o’clock would prove to be box office companions; in particular Peter from Northern Ireland. He had with him a regulation carry-on flight bag complete with telescopic handles. However, the contents of the bag were anything but regulation.
Before long the conversation turned to the current Australians and Peter’s efforts on the previous evening to secure their captain’s autograph. This had involved a visit to the team’s hotel and an altercation with security. Clearly Peter was not a man to be easily dissuaded particularly as Cummins’ signature was to augment a piece of A5 card on which were sprawled the autographs of every single Green baggied captain since Benaud, including Graham McKenzie who captained Australia once, Peter confidently stated, against a county side.
Storytelling done, out came the evidence; quite a document and difficult to trump, but Peter could, with an even weightier tomb: The Book of Test Match Cricketers. Page upon page of chapters on immortals almost all accompanied by that player’s signature. There was one of particular note; one to surpass them all - one signature on his chapter photo and one in black alone in the centre of the otherwise empty frontespiece page…D Bradman. This had been secured, Peter recalled, in Adelaide at the Don’s home courtesy of Lady Bradman who had asked Don to sign it on his return from golf. Peter collected it the next day, the second signature a wonderful unsolicited extra. Next, a large A4 in the familiar shape of the Augusta National Golf Club and the autograph of every Green jacket winner from Palmer to Woods.
And there was more: rugby dinners back home with Willie John McBride, Lions tours with Irish greats - Peter may have kissed the Blarney but he certainly made great use of his gift.
There was no sense of trying to upstage his namesake but the other Peter, Home Counties through and through, let it be known that he was over for the duration of the match - from his home in Antigua, rather than his second home in France (it’s the MCC members’ queue remember). Tales of how his golfing partner back home had persuaded the Antiguan PM not to close their golf club during lockdown were eminently believable when you let it slip that your golfing partner is one IVA Richards…. and then suddenly as if called silently to advance the shuffle to Grace began. Had we really been stood for two hours? We had. On another day with other companions it may have felt like four, but not today. We went through bag check security together and after my frisk - I looked back to say, ‘Farewell, enjoy the day,’ to the man with the flight bag but inevitably he was taking slightly longer….
MCC introduced a Q Card system a few years ago to prevent the practice of members queue jumping as the gates opened - who would have thought? I wonder if they are from the same ‘’school’ as those who abused the Australians in the Long Room during the immediate aftermath of Careygate?
There is something undeniably perfect about the 10 am Test Match bacon sandwich served in the Allen Stand. The ketchup and brown sauce bottles on offer were ‘Stokes’ Sauces’ - whoever spotted their availability deserves a notional mention in condiment dispatches.
I overheard a Long Room Steward rather morbidly referring to the line of seats in front of the pavilion’s huge windows, seats which are notionally reserved for members who are over 80, as Death Row.
Having not visited Lord’s for two years I couldn’t fail to be impressed by the new grander Compton and Edrich stands which put the always attractive media centre into a more appropriate, diminutive perspective. MCC rarely errs where ground development is concerned.
Architecturally they may not get it wrong but MCC’s collective judgement on all matters cricket are not, it seems to me, totally without error. It was inevitable that when the Etonian/Harrovian elements of the membership were confronted with, ‘No!’ in relation to the annual match between the schools they would not accept it and it was equally inevitable that they would use their influence to overturn a decision that was not in their interest but in the longer term interest of the game they purport to cherish. Sadly, MCC caved in to that pressure.
I stand very much corrected if I am wrong but I think the last two England Test Cricketers produced by these schools were Nick Compton and Gary Ballance. The latter only a sixth former at Harrow and educated hitherto in Zimbabwe. One needs to go back decades to find another Test cricketer from either establishment. I have no doubt that this will not be a view with which all of the C&G readership will concur but surely in 2023 the game can well do without this archaic prioritisation of privilege over potential. It remains to be seen whether the stay of execution granted by the committee, in the name of history and tradition, becomes just that or whether a wealthy minority with power and influence will once again continue to call the shots however poorly they play them.
There will be few if any C & G readers who will not have had the benefit of cricketing opportunities offered by their schools whatever their status. I for one will be eternally grateful for the opportunities offered to me through the state system. The current crop of state-educated schoolchildren have been increasingly denied this over the past few decades by a combination of deteriorating facilities, fewer committed and qualified staff (in and of itself a function of those deteriorating facilities) and an overly lengthy public examination season. All the more reason for the game’s foremost club to do all it can to actively encourage their potential in every way, however subtly that message is sent.
Morgan Matters
Jack Morgan died in July following a fall in his home. He has been a regular contributor to G&C since Edition 5 after Gary Rhoades, who referred to him as The Great Jack Morgan, put me back in touch with him. He was responsible for creating more than fifty Strange Elevens and reported on Middlesex matches at Lord’s and miscellaneous matches at the Oval until Covid put a stop to it. In recent years he has kept us up to date with critical news items from the sports pages of the Guardian.
I first met Jack Morgan in September 1959 in Jim Purser’s form 2L in the new intake at St. Clement Danes GS. Over the next three years, I captained the U12, U13 & U14 at football whilst Jack captained at cricket. At football we did well with a strong defence and, in Bob Gregory and Bill Edmunds, two talented forwards who scored loads of goals.
At cricket we were serious, enthusiastic but crap. Given the vagaries of the short school season and the recurrent nature of the fixture list we seemed to play and get stuffed by Battersea Grammar each week, since they had some exceptional players including Mike Selvey, Roy Payne and Dave Garrard.
The school years above us weren’t much good either and at the tender age of fifteen Jack and I found ourselves in Mick Cope’s 1st XI, alongside Dick Bond, the Professor, Frank Foreman and Arthur Gates amongst others. We had four years together in the first eleven. After University Jack played at Shepherds Bush CC whilst I was at South Hampstead CC.
Jack in 2011
Those readers who knew Jack over the years will remember his brittle personality which is exemplified by when he reached the peak of his cricketing career in 1974 having scored two centuries opening the batting for Shepherd’s Bush first XI he took objection to the comment of a teammate and promptly retired, never to play again. In 2003, in G&C 5 he updated readers on his then recent activities:
“I took advantage of frantic downsizing at BT and retired on 31 March 1998, and this has been the best thing that ever happened to me. I was a regular at Loftus Road until 3.5.94, which was the last first team game at which one was allowed to stand. I have not seen a first team game since, though I have been an irregular attendee at reserve games until this season when the stiffs were banished to Northwood in order to accommodate Fulham. Having finally given up the Rs, I also decided to give up the Isthmian (Ryman) League stuff that I have been watching in recent seasons and for the first time since the 1954/55 season, I have not seen a game this term. I still try to follow Rangers from afar, of course, but there is so little news coverage when you are in the second (third) division! I do not take any interest in the premier league or in international football and never watch it on television.
I am a life member of Middlesex CCC and attend first and second team championship matches at every opportunity, but I hardly ever go to the one-day stuff. I even go to minor counties matches sometimes. I never go to international cricket in this country: I began to hate the crowds, the drunks, the football chants, the spilt beer, the prices and I saw my last game in 1986.... it was the Mexican Wave that was the final straw.
Since retirement, however, I have taken to dropping in on the England winter tour for a couple of weeks each year. I have now been to South Africa, Sri Lanka, New Zealand and, yes, Australia. I missed JCA (the Professor) as I chose to go to Adelaide and Perth.... two excellent places to visit.... shame I had to watch the cricket really. I tend to avoid the sort of celebrity trips it appears that the Professor was on: you are paying for those boring bastards' free holidays!
The County second elevens and minor counties competitions allow counties to recruit their future first teams and therefore England's future teams; club standards are too far below county standards. However, there is too much emphasis on the national team anyway: I like county cricket for its own sake. Overseas players are necessary to maintain the quality in county cricket with so many players absent because of central contracts.”
Jack stopped watching live cricket when Covid struck and never returned and this left a gap in the Edrich/Compton stands where his naked torso had been a regular landmark for nearly fifty years.
Jack’s funeral will take place on Thursday 17th August at 2.45 at Mortlake. If you plan to attend would you please advise his cousin, Jim Revier, at [email protected]. Unfortunately, I will be in Chicago during August.
Many readers will have known Jack personally over the years and I invite you to submit reminiscences, anecdotes and Morganisms which I will be happy to include in the next edition.
Adelman Matters
Ralph Adelman commented on last month’s edition
With regard to the ICEC report and the prevalence of Public School players. It is to be expected given that they are the schools that haven’t sold off their cricket grounds. Our grandson, aged 13, is on the Surrey Pathway and the Woking Academy as well as playing for Valley End. A large proportion of the boys with whom he plays and who he plays against are from Public Schools. The best pitches that they play on are at Public Schools (Whitgift last week). And those at public schools are more likely to have parents who can afford the substantial costs involved in playing in the pathway at that age. Fortunately for our grandson, his parents are both keen on their cricket and able to afford the costs involved in his cricket journey.
With regard to the Women’s Test overlapping with the Surrey v Middlesex T20. I was also frustrated at the match not appearing because of the continuation of the Women’s Test Match in which I was keenly interested. But the T20 was shown from the start on Sky Sports Mix. The prof must have missed the announcement. I also missed it and consequently missed all the best Surrey bits of that match as the first wicket went as soon as I found out where the match was being shown. But I have an excuse as I was also watching the England Under 21s in the European Championship at the same time and had the sound on that one.
I noted that he had paid £180 for his seat. I get priority access to International Cricket at the Oval and usually get tickets for myself and friends/family for the Friday of the Oval Test. Where we like to sit (best seats excluding the Pavilion and Hospitality) were £150 and we decided that was too much. We are meeting in a pub on the Friday to watch the match there. It’ll give us a good view behind the bowler’s arm, comfortable seating, cheaper and better beer in glasses and plenty of money to spend on our beer. It is nonetheless disappointing to not keep up a long-standing tradition.
The only other thing that I came across which struck as odd was John Hollins being referred to as ex QPR. I was surprised to find that he was there for as long as 4 years as he was at Arsenal afterwards. But he played for Chelsea for 14 seasons in total and was on the management team (ultimately as manager) for another 4 years. All his winners medals came while at Chelsea. So it’s difficult to think of him as anything but ex Chelsea. I saw him as a 17-year-old when first in the Chelsea side and managing us to relegation 25 years later.
Miller Matters
Douglas Miller was on the ball as usual and pointed out: “What’s all this about White? It was Jack Davies who won the match for Middlesex. And it was worth waiting for – the women’s match rightly took precedence.”
Molloy Matters
Ken Molloy adds his wisdom to the great Bazball debate
I think it is time we remember that the main objective of a competition in sport is to try to win. Yes, you can enjoy the game, even the training but at the end of the day a defeat is always painful.
Cast your mind back to the days of Dexter. Great for the crowd for 50, even 70 runs on a good day but his notoriety for failure to convert good starts into 50’s or 100’s that was terrible for England. Baz ball is similar, terrific against weaker opposition, marvellous at the right time in a closer game but not something you can employ in every situation.
England never won the ashes because of a series of innings when at a certain point they lost several wickets cheaply playing Bazball when a more conservative approach would have been a better strategy. Doing so would not have taken away the enjoyment of the Bazball moments and would have given England the victories needed.
I still do not know the result of the final test but win or lose I think England should be disappointed not to have won the series.
County Championship team of the week
The Cricketer reflects on round 10 of the 2023 LV Insurance County Championship season by nominating a standout XI
Lyndon James (Nottinghamshire)
James had a hand in not one, but two Surrey collapses at the Kia Oval. He struck early to remove Jamie Smith and Tom Latham during the hosts' early wobble from 66 for 1 to 70 for 4 before carving up the tail, with a burst of four wickets to finish with a career-best haul of 6 for 74. Fifty off 95 balls at No.8 to help Notts put nearly 400 on the board and completed a fine all-round performance.
King Cricket Matters
King Cricket first published this piece in 2016 and recently reproduced it.
If you have a problem, if no-one else can help, and if you can find him, maybe you can ask Moeen Ali to do the job.
He'll probably say yes.
"Hey Moeen, fancy being an international spin bowler?"
"Yeah, all right."
"Hey Moeen, great bowling. And great batting in the middle order as well - really dynamic. Do you maybe fancy opening in one-dayers?"
"Yeah, all right."
"Cracking stuff. Really cracking stuff. Thing is - and I feel a bit awkward saying this because you've done really well; don't for one minute think this reflects on you - but do you maybe fancy batting at eight? Don't take it as a demotion. It's more that the other guys can't seem to bat at eight. Yeah, I know how that sounds, but it does seem to be the case. And you've been so adaptable - really just coped with whatever we've asked you to do, so...?"
"Yeah, all right."
"Great stuff with the batting at eight, Mo. Great stuff. Now this is a bit of an odd one - we know you've never opened in a first-class match before - but do you maybe fancy opening in Tests?"
"Yeah, all right."
"Fantastic. Absolutely fantastic. And, er, how about going back to seven and eight for a bit afterwards and then maybe we can ink you in at five for the winter."
"Yeah, all right."
"Okay, so obviously we did want to keep you at five for a while, but the thing is there's been a few injuries and things, so in this match could you maybe bat at four in the first innings and three in the second?"
"Yeah, all right."
"Great. I mean really great. We don't want to mess you about or anything. You've really coped admirably with everything we've asked you to do and we know it's not fair to keep messing you about. Ultimately, we want to allow you to get settled in one position. Role definition is very important in this England team. One thing though, er - how are you with spreadsheets? I think I've mucked up one of the formulas in this one and I can't work out what I've done. You couldn't take a quick look, could you? There's also a problem with the central heating at Loughborough if you could check that out at some point? Also, we need someone to make a few hotel bookings."
"Yeah, all right."
"Great stuff, Mo. We really value your ability to uncomplainingly turn your hand to literally bloody anything."
Dates
The next edition of Googlies will be published on 21 September, when I return from Chicago.
Googlies Website
All the back editions of Googlies can be found on the G&C website. There are also many photographs most of which have never appeared in Googlies.
www.googliesandchinamen.com
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An Occasional Cricketing Journal
Edition 248
August 2023
England Supporter No. 1: It was a moral victory.
England Supporter No.2: We thrashed ‘em.
England Supporter No.3: They cheated throughout.
England Supporter No.4: We had the best batters and the best bowlers.
England Supporter No.5: I blame the rain at Manchester on global warming.
England Supporter No.6: I blame the war in Ukraine for Archer’s injury.
Australian Supporter: Despite all this we kept the Ashes without playing very well at any stage. Perhaps England aren’t that good?
Out & About with the Professor
In the end it would seem to have been a missed opportunity. England with home advantage and as good a side as Australia - if not better - somehow managed not to win. But it would be hard to imagine a more exciting series, and one with a perfectly scripted end.
Everyone will have their favoured explanations and “pivotal moments” but the Lyon’s injury presented a huge chance for England after the first match. Some very poor catching and Bairstow’s dreadful wicket-keeping gave victories in the first two matches, both of which England should have won. Add to that a bizarre spell of batting when Cummins put three on the fence at, or behind, square leg, and could hardly have believed it as he watched England batters spend about 90 mins giving them some catching practice. The other three games were pretty much all England …and English rain.
Sport is always full of “what ifs” but in cricket the counter-factual is an almost endless source of debate. What, for example, would have been the outcome at Lord’s without the Bairstow “stumping”? There were only 43 runs in it at the end. Could Bairstow have knocked them off? Would Stokes have batted the way he did if Bairstow had still been there? And what of the effect on Carey? The scores Carey has made since Lord’s: 8, 5, 20, 10, and 28, hardly match someone of his ability. One might even reflect that his wicket-keeping has dropped from his very high standard. It can hardly be too jolly to have 30,000 people chanting that you’re a cheat. Perhaps Carey is one of those rare phenomena: a sensitive Australian. Oh I know they blub when they are indeed caught cheating, but one suspects that the tears are not those of contrition but the result of being found out. Indeed the whole sandpaper incident isn’t mentioned much these days (the two chief blubbers have played in every Test) but what an egregious act it was, and how premeditated; stopping off at B&Q for a couple of sheets of “heavy duty” on the way to the match. I know Atherton underplayed it, but then, of course, he has form in this department. What it was, was a carefully pre-planned orchestrated act of cheating.
Carey didn’t, of course, cheat. Bairstow was out of his ground and the ball had not been called “Dead”…but then it very rarely is. The game would be very different if it was. Bairstow’s scratch behind the line seemed to indicate (to him) that he was leaving his ground safely and it was blindingly obvious that he wasn’t intending to gain any advantage - he was just off for a chat with Stokes. No reasonable person would think that Carey was to blame, but Cummins was. Bairstow was out of his ground and the bails were dislodged but that needn’t compel an appeal. It felt like a grubby bit of cricket…and it was. Broad, I think, was right in his remark to Carey that the stumping is all he will even be remembered for. Who now, for example, thinks of Vinoo Mankad as the fine all-round cricketer he was? His surname has just become a metonym for sharp practice (although a good deal more legitimate, in my view, than a “Carey”).
Criticism of Stokes’s captaincy has tended to focus on the decision (or otherwise) to declare. The first was at the end of Day One. It came as a bit of a surprise but the people in the stand where I was sitting generally regarded it as an attacking move and, obviously, had a wicket fallen, it would have been “a stroke of genius”. Retrospective wisdom is not wisdom. By comparison the decision not to declare in the Third Test has been criticised - just letting Jonny get (very close to) his hundred. It seems a little hard to hold both positions: in both cases a batter was going well and scoring very quickly. In the latter case, the alternative of a declaration would have been made (presumably) when the ninth wicket fell. But there were only eight more overs bowled (and 64 runs scored) and the question is would those overs have made inroads into the five wickets Australia had left at the end. Who knows?
Bairstow leaves the field after his 78 come-back runs at Birmingham
There are always pluses and minuses from a series. I think the key result has been that “Bazball” can stand up to the Australians. All through last season there was the (sometimes unspoken) refrain that while it might be fun against New Zealand, or whoever, what will happen in the Ashes. In the event they were never bowled out for less than 230 and once, of course, almost made 600. Case proved? Well, it still feels like there is a need on some occasions to throttle back and just get the opposition so far behind that victory, for them, is impossible. Both here and in New Zealand there has been a sense that a very strong position has (deliberately?) not been made impregnable by continuing to belt the ball around. For all their attacking cricket, England never really batted Australia out of the game (except at Old Trafford) and thus the series result.
None of this matters, of course, because Stokes is going to carry on in the same way whatever the results.
Perhaps the biggest plus is that Test cricket has become so watchable again.
This & That
In the Somerset v Hampshire match Kyle Abbott reduced Somerset to 80 for 5 before James Rew and Kasey Aldridge added 188 for the sixth wicket and then Dom Bess(Yes him) helped Rew add a further 94 for the seventh wicket. After that a couple more wickets fell cheaply and then Shoib Bashir helped Rew add 108 for the tenth wicket. Rew was last out for 221. He is nineteen years old and also the side’s wicketkeeper. Somerset reached 500 after being 41 for 4. This was his fifth Championship hundred in just five games and he has now passed 1000 runs for the season.
Michael Nesser is in the Aussies tour party but found time to slip off and guest for Glamorgan in their match against Leicestershire where he scored 176 not out. Meanwhile Robert Yates made an unbeaten 228 for Warwickshire against Kent. I noted last month Bell Drummond’s record breaking 300. What I hadn’t appreciated was the oddity that only 100 of his runs were scored in boundaries. No Baz Ball at Canterbury, apparently.
Middlesex earned a draw with Northamptonshire at the OMT’s ground when the scores finished level as Middlesex failed by one run to chase down 323 to win. Sam Robson made Middlesex’ first hundred of the season and finished 126 not out but he batted for six hours and faced 252 balls. Surely there was another single to be had somewhere?
Predictably Middlesex went on to get hammered by Surrey at Lord’s with eight wickets and five hours to spare. But against all the odds they went on to win at Edgbaston after bowling Warwickshire out for 60 on the first morning. Like England, Middlesex favour the older seamer in their sides. Young guns Bamber and Helm are 25 and 29 respectively whilst Murtagh and Roland-Jones are 42 and 35.
In the Pakistan v Sri Lanka test Pakistan were 101 for 5 when Sarfaraz was dismissed but they went on to 461 all out thanks to Shakeel’s 208 not out.
Middlesex’s recent signings, Ryan Higgins excepted, have not worked out well to say the least but the signing of Leus du Plooy, one of the in form players of 2023 looks more promising. He will be available in all formats from the start of the 2024 season.
Whilst the English and perhaps some Australians have been very excited about the Ashes almost certainly a more significant event has been taking place in the USA where the inaugural Major League Cricket tournament has been taking place. Many of the world’s top players performed in this competition which was played before full houses at all venues. It will get bigger and more influential very quickly and the only threat to it becoming a powerhouse is if the Saudis decide to join in and offer even bigger incentives to the players.
Thompson Matters
I am delighted to announce that Steve Thompson has agreed to become a regular columnist
A rare day out at the Home of Cricket - 2nd Test at Lord’s - Day 4
Overheard in Waitro.......Overheard in the Long Room: “Hello Barnaby, how are you? We had lunch with your parents last Sunday, the pate was as good as anything we had in The Loire.”
It had been four years since I last queued around the ground to bag a seat. It’s always reassuring to see a few familiar friendly faces as you begin the walk to the unseen end; this time two cornerstones of Ealing, John Lindley and then Bob Fisher - Thompson c Fisher b Lindley, circa 1974, surely the only historic scoreboard entry in the line.
When you are stationary for up to two hours the quality and perceived longevity of the wait is largely dependent upon the members immediately in front and behind you. As luck would have it the two gents, Peters both, who joined the snake immediately after me at just after seven o’clock would prove to be box office companions; in particular Peter from Northern Ireland. He had with him a regulation carry-on flight bag complete with telescopic handles. However, the contents of the bag were anything but regulation.
Before long the conversation turned to the current Australians and Peter’s efforts on the previous evening to secure their captain’s autograph. This had involved a visit to the team’s hotel and an altercation with security. Clearly Peter was not a man to be easily dissuaded particularly as Cummins’ signature was to augment a piece of A5 card on which were sprawled the autographs of every single Green baggied captain since Benaud, including Graham McKenzie who captained Australia once, Peter confidently stated, against a county side.
Storytelling done, out came the evidence; quite a document and difficult to trump, but Peter could, with an even weightier tomb: The Book of Test Match Cricketers. Page upon page of chapters on immortals almost all accompanied by that player’s signature. There was one of particular note; one to surpass them all - one signature on his chapter photo and one in black alone in the centre of the otherwise empty frontespiece page…D Bradman. This had been secured, Peter recalled, in Adelaide at the Don’s home courtesy of Lady Bradman who had asked Don to sign it on his return from golf. Peter collected it the next day, the second signature a wonderful unsolicited extra. Next, a large A4 in the familiar shape of the Augusta National Golf Club and the autograph of every Green jacket winner from Palmer to Woods.
And there was more: rugby dinners back home with Willie John McBride, Lions tours with Irish greats - Peter may have kissed the Blarney but he certainly made great use of his gift.
There was no sense of trying to upstage his namesake but the other Peter, Home Counties through and through, let it be known that he was over for the duration of the match - from his home in Antigua, rather than his second home in France (it’s the MCC members’ queue remember). Tales of how his golfing partner back home had persuaded the Antiguan PM not to close their golf club during lockdown were eminently believable when you let it slip that your golfing partner is one IVA Richards…. and then suddenly as if called silently to advance the shuffle to Grace began. Had we really been stood for two hours? We had. On another day with other companions it may have felt like four, but not today. We went through bag check security together and after my frisk - I looked back to say, ‘Farewell, enjoy the day,’ to the man with the flight bag but inevitably he was taking slightly longer….
MCC introduced a Q Card system a few years ago to prevent the practice of members queue jumping as the gates opened - who would have thought? I wonder if they are from the same ‘’school’ as those who abused the Australians in the Long Room during the immediate aftermath of Careygate?
There is something undeniably perfect about the 10 am Test Match bacon sandwich served in the Allen Stand. The ketchup and brown sauce bottles on offer were ‘Stokes’ Sauces’ - whoever spotted their availability deserves a notional mention in condiment dispatches.
I overheard a Long Room Steward rather morbidly referring to the line of seats in front of the pavilion’s huge windows, seats which are notionally reserved for members who are over 80, as Death Row.
Having not visited Lord’s for two years I couldn’t fail to be impressed by the new grander Compton and Edrich stands which put the always attractive media centre into a more appropriate, diminutive perspective. MCC rarely errs where ground development is concerned.
Architecturally they may not get it wrong but MCC’s collective judgement on all matters cricket are not, it seems to me, totally without error. It was inevitable that when the Etonian/Harrovian elements of the membership were confronted with, ‘No!’ in relation to the annual match between the schools they would not accept it and it was equally inevitable that they would use their influence to overturn a decision that was not in their interest but in the longer term interest of the game they purport to cherish. Sadly, MCC caved in to that pressure.
I stand very much corrected if I am wrong but I think the last two England Test Cricketers produced by these schools were Nick Compton and Gary Ballance. The latter only a sixth former at Harrow and educated hitherto in Zimbabwe. One needs to go back decades to find another Test cricketer from either establishment. I have no doubt that this will not be a view with which all of the C&G readership will concur but surely in 2023 the game can well do without this archaic prioritisation of privilege over potential. It remains to be seen whether the stay of execution granted by the committee, in the name of history and tradition, becomes just that or whether a wealthy minority with power and influence will once again continue to call the shots however poorly they play them.
There will be few if any C & G readers who will not have had the benefit of cricketing opportunities offered by their schools whatever their status. I for one will be eternally grateful for the opportunities offered to me through the state system. The current crop of state-educated schoolchildren have been increasingly denied this over the past few decades by a combination of deteriorating facilities, fewer committed and qualified staff (in and of itself a function of those deteriorating facilities) and an overly lengthy public examination season. All the more reason for the game’s foremost club to do all it can to actively encourage their potential in every way, however subtly that message is sent.
Morgan Matters
Jack Morgan died in July following a fall in his home. He has been a regular contributor to G&C since Edition 5 after Gary Rhoades, who referred to him as The Great Jack Morgan, put me back in touch with him. He was responsible for creating more than fifty Strange Elevens and reported on Middlesex matches at Lord’s and miscellaneous matches at the Oval until Covid put a stop to it. In recent years he has kept us up to date with critical news items from the sports pages of the Guardian.
I first met Jack Morgan in September 1959 in Jim Purser’s form 2L in the new intake at St. Clement Danes GS. Over the next three years, I captained the U12, U13 & U14 at football whilst Jack captained at cricket. At football we did well with a strong defence and, in Bob Gregory and Bill Edmunds, two talented forwards who scored loads of goals.
At cricket we were serious, enthusiastic but crap. Given the vagaries of the short school season and the recurrent nature of the fixture list we seemed to play and get stuffed by Battersea Grammar each week, since they had some exceptional players including Mike Selvey, Roy Payne and Dave Garrard.
The school years above us weren’t much good either and at the tender age of fifteen Jack and I found ourselves in Mick Cope’s 1st XI, alongside Dick Bond, the Professor, Frank Foreman and Arthur Gates amongst others. We had four years together in the first eleven. After University Jack played at Shepherds Bush CC whilst I was at South Hampstead CC.
Jack in 2011
Those readers who knew Jack over the years will remember his brittle personality which is exemplified by when he reached the peak of his cricketing career in 1974 having scored two centuries opening the batting for Shepherd’s Bush first XI he took objection to the comment of a teammate and promptly retired, never to play again. In 2003, in G&C 5 he updated readers on his then recent activities:
“I took advantage of frantic downsizing at BT and retired on 31 March 1998, and this has been the best thing that ever happened to me. I was a regular at Loftus Road until 3.5.94, which was the last first team game at which one was allowed to stand. I have not seen a first team game since, though I have been an irregular attendee at reserve games until this season when the stiffs were banished to Northwood in order to accommodate Fulham. Having finally given up the Rs, I also decided to give up the Isthmian (Ryman) League stuff that I have been watching in recent seasons and for the first time since the 1954/55 season, I have not seen a game this term. I still try to follow Rangers from afar, of course, but there is so little news coverage when you are in the second (third) division! I do not take any interest in the premier league or in international football and never watch it on television.
I am a life member of Middlesex CCC and attend first and second team championship matches at every opportunity, but I hardly ever go to the one-day stuff. I even go to minor counties matches sometimes. I never go to international cricket in this country: I began to hate the crowds, the drunks, the football chants, the spilt beer, the prices and I saw my last game in 1986.... it was the Mexican Wave that was the final straw.
Since retirement, however, I have taken to dropping in on the England winter tour for a couple of weeks each year. I have now been to South Africa, Sri Lanka, New Zealand and, yes, Australia. I missed JCA (the Professor) as I chose to go to Adelaide and Perth.... two excellent places to visit.... shame I had to watch the cricket really. I tend to avoid the sort of celebrity trips it appears that the Professor was on: you are paying for those boring bastards' free holidays!
The County second elevens and minor counties competitions allow counties to recruit their future first teams and therefore England's future teams; club standards are too far below county standards. However, there is too much emphasis on the national team anyway: I like county cricket for its own sake. Overseas players are necessary to maintain the quality in county cricket with so many players absent because of central contracts.”
Jack stopped watching live cricket when Covid struck and never returned and this left a gap in the Edrich/Compton stands where his naked torso had been a regular landmark for nearly fifty years.
Jack’s funeral will take place on Thursday 17th August at 2.45 at Mortlake. If you plan to attend would you please advise his cousin, Jim Revier, at [email protected]. Unfortunately, I will be in Chicago during August.
Many readers will have known Jack personally over the years and I invite you to submit reminiscences, anecdotes and Morganisms which I will be happy to include in the next edition.
Adelman Matters
Ralph Adelman commented on last month’s edition
With regard to the ICEC report and the prevalence of Public School players. It is to be expected given that they are the schools that haven’t sold off their cricket grounds. Our grandson, aged 13, is on the Surrey Pathway and the Woking Academy as well as playing for Valley End. A large proportion of the boys with whom he plays and who he plays against are from Public Schools. The best pitches that they play on are at Public Schools (Whitgift last week). And those at public schools are more likely to have parents who can afford the substantial costs involved in playing in the pathway at that age. Fortunately for our grandson, his parents are both keen on their cricket and able to afford the costs involved in his cricket journey.
With regard to the Women’s Test overlapping with the Surrey v Middlesex T20. I was also frustrated at the match not appearing because of the continuation of the Women’s Test Match in which I was keenly interested. But the T20 was shown from the start on Sky Sports Mix. The prof must have missed the announcement. I also missed it and consequently missed all the best Surrey bits of that match as the first wicket went as soon as I found out where the match was being shown. But I have an excuse as I was also watching the England Under 21s in the European Championship at the same time and had the sound on that one.
I noted that he had paid £180 for his seat. I get priority access to International Cricket at the Oval and usually get tickets for myself and friends/family for the Friday of the Oval Test. Where we like to sit (best seats excluding the Pavilion and Hospitality) were £150 and we decided that was too much. We are meeting in a pub on the Friday to watch the match there. It’ll give us a good view behind the bowler’s arm, comfortable seating, cheaper and better beer in glasses and plenty of money to spend on our beer. It is nonetheless disappointing to not keep up a long-standing tradition.
The only other thing that I came across which struck as odd was John Hollins being referred to as ex QPR. I was surprised to find that he was there for as long as 4 years as he was at Arsenal afterwards. But he played for Chelsea for 14 seasons in total and was on the management team (ultimately as manager) for another 4 years. All his winners medals came while at Chelsea. So it’s difficult to think of him as anything but ex Chelsea. I saw him as a 17-year-old when first in the Chelsea side and managing us to relegation 25 years later.
Miller Matters
Douglas Miller was on the ball as usual and pointed out: “What’s all this about White? It was Jack Davies who won the match for Middlesex. And it was worth waiting for – the women’s match rightly took precedence.”
Molloy Matters
Ken Molloy adds his wisdom to the great Bazball debate
I think it is time we remember that the main objective of a competition in sport is to try to win. Yes, you can enjoy the game, even the training but at the end of the day a defeat is always painful.
Cast your mind back to the days of Dexter. Great for the crowd for 50, even 70 runs on a good day but his notoriety for failure to convert good starts into 50’s or 100’s that was terrible for England. Baz ball is similar, terrific against weaker opposition, marvellous at the right time in a closer game but not something you can employ in every situation.
England never won the ashes because of a series of innings when at a certain point they lost several wickets cheaply playing Bazball when a more conservative approach would have been a better strategy. Doing so would not have taken away the enjoyment of the Bazball moments and would have given England the victories needed.
I still do not know the result of the final test but win or lose I think England should be disappointed not to have won the series.
County Championship team of the week
The Cricketer reflects on round 10 of the 2023 LV Insurance County Championship season by nominating a standout XI
- Rob Yates (Warwickshire)
- Alex Lees (Durham)
- Tom Westley (Essex)
- Dan Lawrence (Essex)
- Rob Jones (Lancashire)
- James Rew (Somerset)
Lyndon James (Nottinghamshire)
James had a hand in not one, but two Surrey collapses at the Kia Oval. He struck early to remove Jamie Smith and Tom Latham during the hosts' early wobble from 66 for 1 to 70 for 4 before carving up the tail, with a burst of four wickets to finish with a career-best haul of 6 for 74. Fifty off 95 balls at No.8 to help Notts put nearly 400 on the board and completed a fine all-round performance.
- Lyndon James (Nottinghamshire)
- Tom Bailey (Lancashire)
- Kyle Abbott (Hampshire)
- Shoaib Bashir (Somerset)
- Oliver Hannon-Dalby (Warwickshire)
King Cricket Matters
King Cricket first published this piece in 2016 and recently reproduced it.
If you have a problem, if no-one else can help, and if you can find him, maybe you can ask Moeen Ali to do the job.
He'll probably say yes.
"Hey Moeen, fancy being an international spin bowler?"
"Yeah, all right."
"Hey Moeen, great bowling. And great batting in the middle order as well - really dynamic. Do you maybe fancy opening in one-dayers?"
"Yeah, all right."
"Cracking stuff. Really cracking stuff. Thing is - and I feel a bit awkward saying this because you've done really well; don't for one minute think this reflects on you - but do you maybe fancy batting at eight? Don't take it as a demotion. It's more that the other guys can't seem to bat at eight. Yeah, I know how that sounds, but it does seem to be the case. And you've been so adaptable - really just coped with whatever we've asked you to do, so...?"
"Yeah, all right."
"Great stuff with the batting at eight, Mo. Great stuff. Now this is a bit of an odd one - we know you've never opened in a first-class match before - but do you maybe fancy opening in Tests?"
"Yeah, all right."
"Fantastic. Absolutely fantastic. And, er, how about going back to seven and eight for a bit afterwards and then maybe we can ink you in at five for the winter."
"Yeah, all right."
"Okay, so obviously we did want to keep you at five for a while, but the thing is there's been a few injuries and things, so in this match could you maybe bat at four in the first innings and three in the second?"
"Yeah, all right."
"Great. I mean really great. We don't want to mess you about or anything. You've really coped admirably with everything we've asked you to do and we know it's not fair to keep messing you about. Ultimately, we want to allow you to get settled in one position. Role definition is very important in this England team. One thing though, er - how are you with spreadsheets? I think I've mucked up one of the formulas in this one and I can't work out what I've done. You couldn't take a quick look, could you? There's also a problem with the central heating at Loughborough if you could check that out at some point? Also, we need someone to make a few hotel bookings."
"Yeah, all right."
"Great stuff, Mo. We really value your ability to uncomplainingly turn your hand to literally bloody anything."
Dates
The next edition of Googlies will be published on 21 September, when I return from Chicago.
Googlies Website
All the back editions of Googlies can be found on the G&C website. There are also many photographs most of which have never appeared in Googlies.
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