GOOGLIES & CHINAMEN
An Occasional Cricketing Journal
Edition 26
February 2005
Serial Victors
Winning is the best habit to develop in any sport and Googlies salutes another fine series win by the England team in South Africa. After the critical fourth test win in Johannesburg I emailed George and the Professor: “Are we all ecstatic? Another good win when they did enough during the match to lose several tests.”
The Professor replied: “Yes - a stunning effort. What is good about the side is that while there may be some poor cricket, most often somebody (but not the same one) has an excellent match. While this has worked for the last year or so, it seems a thinish thread to hang by, I rather think we will need more solidity in the summer. The Australians seem to have fewer instances of players doing almost nothing in the match - like Thorpe this time. I follow the game on the Wisden-Cricinfo site. Some chap does a ball-by-ball write-up with his own little quirks and phrases. I don't know what is more desperate, him doing it or me following it.”
George replied but was less euphoric: “Well jolly pleased anyway. Test cricket is extremely absorbing, even on ceefax: it reminds me that I watched the last but one Ryder cup on ceefax too.”
Its time these guys buried their prejudices and turned onto the comprehensive and excellent Sky coverage
The Googlies Mailbag
Richard Crawshay sent me this:
“I do agree entirely with your reservations when comparing the Pommies man-to-man against the Aussies. I still believe that the Australian side is a class above the rest in every department. The series against a lackluster Pakistan side demonstrated this above all. As you inferred, on the rare occasion where the Australians were in trouble they recovered effortlessly- and look at Gilchrist’s stunning century in Sydney. But then they are paid so well nowadays. It took my breath away when I read that the West Indies were jacking up their wages. In 1960 the Middlesex Young Amateurs all signed papers with Middlesex, and a chosen few were then offered contracts. Mike Brearley did not take one up as he was off to university, but Mike Smith did. The job was for ‘ground staff’ at Lords. The wage was six pounds a week, but, get this, that was for the summer only. He had to go and find another job for the winter. I think he got a job at the Finchley indoor nets. Of course he then went on to become a Middlesex opening fixture, but almost didn’t, as the ‘professional’ offer was so paltry. Can you imagine the current professional accepting such ludicrous conditions?”
Mike Smith did indeed coach a number of us at the indoor school in the early sixties. After he retired from the game he became the Middlesex scorer through the nineties until last year when he sadly died after the end of the season.
He then sent me some more:
“By the way I’ve been watching the England v South Africa matches and cannot help wondering what’s happened to footwork and a straight bat. Trescothic is a prime example. Even though he got runs there were so many occasions when his feet weren’t in line nor near the pitch of the ball that I’m sure he’ll be vulnerable to a seaming ball. But it almost doesn’t seem to be important any more - don’t they teach the importance of footwork, or do they have a magic replacement? Have a look at Michael Clarke’s use of his feet at the crease and you’ll see the difference.”
To which I replied:
Tres is being forgiven all at present (It was the day after he had scored 180 at the Wanderers). But next summer he won’t get 250 all series against the Aussies when McGrath, Gillespie & co will know what line to bowl to him. It’s strange that the two English heroes of 2004 have reversed their roles. Flintoff is now a bowling hero but can't get a run whilst Harmison is now a batter who can't get a wicket.
Andrew Scott sent me this:
“I do recall playing against you when you skippered South Hampstead and I was playing at Ickenham in the late seventies with Richard Hayward. In 1983 I moved to Ealing and have been working my way down the sides ever since. I am now in the best company with Bob Fisher and John Lindley who together with Alan Price celebrated 50 playing seasons at Ealing in 2004. Bob is captain of the 4th XI and I have gone full circle as he was captain of the club when I joined in 1983. Lindley is completing 38 years as fixture secretary and he retired to Dorset in 2002 and now travels up each weekend to play. He is chasing 4000 wickets for the club but with 140 to go and anno domini creeping up (64 in April) it will be touch and go if he gets there. If he does reach his target it will be a good excuse for a party but not this year.
Your recent picture of the Middlesex YC side reminded me of Graham
Higgs who was at Loughborough with me. In 1975 when he arrived we did not know much about him and he ended up playing for the 3rd XI in the UAU at Keele in early May. He scored 150 after thirty overs and the team declared in a limited overs game with 400
on the board. He played for the 1sts after that because he was a very
good player but there were twenty county schools players there so they couldn't all play in the ones. The first team in my first year
included Graham Barlow, Andy Stovold, Paul Phillipson, Peter Booth,
Alan Wilkins and the fixture list was mainly the Midland County's 2nd
XIs. Graham Barlow was the stand out all round sportsman in my time there and I was quite friendly with him as I had played a few 1st XV games in my first year as well. Playing in the same team was Fran
Cotton which was fairly awe inspiring. I remember in my first senior
game this massive fight broke out and the students with Cotton to the
fore did not take a step back (except me who had been playing school
Rugby, I quickly had to learn though). Barlow introduced me to Brentham CC where I played just one game. The following year I ended up living in a house with some lads, one of whom played for Ickenham and so I ended up playing there”.
And I received this from Bob Fisher:
”Andy Scott has forwarded to me a copy of Edition 25 which I enjoyed reading, in particular the report on our cup final in 1969. Happy memories. You will no doubt recall that we met again in 1970 in the final of the same competition at Hornsey. Those were great days. I am not one of those who always insist that things were better in their day than they are now but I am certain that the friendships that we established in those days are something that is not happening now. I will be going to the Brentham Dinner in a months time as a guest of Brian Reid and know that the likes of Tony Colbeck, Laurie Allan, Terry Woram, Tim Howard, Dave Perrin etc will be there, friendships that have stood the test of time. I have forwarded a copy of this edition onto John Lindley who, like Alan Price and myself, is still playing at Ealing. John and I are in the fourth team and Alan mainly in the 3rds but also in the 2nds on occasion. He is still a fine player.
At the foot of the Professor’s Bed My Christmas stocking contained Nasser's "autobiography", "with Paul Newman"(what does the "auto" bit of that word mean?). Not a choice I would have made myself, but that's Santa for you. Amid the usual self-justification (and self-pitying, in Nasser's case) was the comment that "we always seem to have bad luck before the Ashes series". The last set of bad luck in 02/03 involved: Thorpe, Flintoff, Gough, Simon Jones, Giles, etc, etc. But as a general observation it seemed to have some weight.
Getting ready for the Ashes It is worrying that Matthew Hayden has been out of the runs in recent matches and indeed was rested by Australia for a couple of games. I fear that he is saving his runs for the summer. Michael Clarke has burst onto the scene as an exciting class act and after a gestation period at Glamorgan Michael Kasprovicz is looking an accomplished international performer.
From England’s point of view Graham Thorpe is becoming a decided liability in the field since he can’t catch and concedes one for his throw wherever he is stationed. The captain continues to drop straightforward catches and it seems we are going to persevere with a continental style goalkeeper wearing Teflon gloves behind the stumps.
The Great Jack Morgan sent me this: “I tend to agree with your view that England players are inferior to their Aussie counterparts and may have been over-rated in certain quarters. I am also a supporter of Langer’s, but Strauss has had a truly extraordinary start to his Test career (fourth quickest Englishman to 1,000 runs) and I do not see that it is necessarily an unrealistic view to suggest that Andy could have just as big an impact on the series as Justin; it is certainly a more defensible view than some I have seen put forward. Langer can’t have scored “nearly twice as many as Strauss” in 2004 can he? He would have to have scored nearly 2,000. Andy played fewer Tests in the year and has a better average hasn’t he?”
The Way it is now If you asked James Anderson what he thinks of county cricket the chances are that he would reply, “I’ve no idea, I’ve hardly ever played it”. In his career he has only played 34 first class matches in four years of which over half are tests. He was plucked from the Academy before he had established himself in the Lancashire side and has had a central contract ever since. Unless he gets released from his contract the chances are he will never play county cricket.
So what’s wrong with that? Well he doesn’t play test cricket now either. When called upon to play at the swinging Wanderers ground he sprayed it around like Harmison of old and shelled any catches that came his way. Fortunately he wasn’t required to don the pads in anger. The word was that he had looked good in the nets! Well who hasn’t? Centrally contracted players who are not first choices for the side lead a strange existence in the modern era. A system will have to be developed for them to get match practice. In theory Anderson could play less first class cricket in 2005 than the seven games he played in 2004.
Crackpot of the Month There was only one serious candidate for this award. Andre Nutter Nell’s extraordinary performance at Centurion Park gained him all round condemnation for the most ridiculous exhibition of phony belligerence seen for many a long year. In his first over he was snorting and growling before he had anything to be angry about. He went onto combine Afrikaans sledging with physical intimidation by following through right up to the batsman. Bob Willis described him aptly as the Pantomime Villain whilst back in the Sky studio the Welsh Wizard noted that the lift didn’t reach the top floor in his case.
Presumably Clive Lloyd, the Match Referee, spoke to him at lunch on the third day as he reduced the histrionics in the later sessions and ended up with a six-wicket haul. It can be no surprise that he suffers injury since he bowls chest on with his left leg splayed out. It is a mystery how he gets through a spell without damaging ankle, knee or hip. Perhaps the boiling blood coursing through his veins dulls the pain.
Paddington Matters Denis Jones, the President of Paddington, updates us on developments
At our AGM, in November, all officers were re-elected, with Tim Miles remaining as Captain, Chris Bunning continuing as Secretary, and 'Colonel' Fred Pryke once more ensconced as our esteemed Chairman.
Martin Leigh has for many years done an excellent job as our Fixture Secretary, apart from being a regular, well-respected Umpire. He is still juggling a couple of dates for the coming season, but our only new fixture is Welwyn Garden City, whom we look forward to visiting in June. We are also revisiting Horsham, where we played for the first time last year, enjoying some good cricket, and a welcoming atmosphere, on the County Ground.
Perhaps symptomatic of the problems faced by Martin is that we have lost our fixture at Old Emanuel, where we have played for some years, because they will be concentrating on league cricket for any Sundays that they play next year. I understand that for some clubs, this sort of decision is very suitable, but I do hope that there will still be ample opportunity, within Sunday cricket, for other clubs to play a game that is competitive for its own sake, rather than for points, and a position in a league table, which, at the end of the season, could be of little consequence, and, moreover, has not necessarily improved the enjoyment, and sociability, that players, and other club members, seek from their weekly cricket. I am surprised that in a world that is so frenetic, and stressful, that clubs may choose to add to these pressures by opting for a weekend of unremitting league cricket.
Please do not misunderstand my point on this. I played league cricket for several seasons, and thoroughly enjoyed the 'buzz', and extra edge that, when properly harnessed, this brings to the players, and the match, overall. However, as Sunday cricket also moves more towards trophy-hunting, we are disenfranchising those cricketers who just want to enjoy the game, and not be bothered about promotion, relegation, bonus points, etc. Many clubs, facing the dilemma of an apparent vital Sunday fixture, will ponder drafting in a Saturday player to bolster the team, and will then need to bear the repercussions, both internally and externally, if the wrong choice is made. We also need to be aware of the impact for those clubs, who invariably go through the peaks and troughs of success, but may suddenly find it impossible to recover from a trough, because of the increasing trend for better players to migrate to high profile, and more regularly successful clubs. Undoubtedly, this trend will be exacerbated if league cricket takes a firm hold on Sundays as well as Saturdays. There will be more situations akin to the Football Premiership, where only a few clubs have any real chance of winning the title (be it a Saturday, or a Sunday), and the rest, without the presence of a generous benefactor, are in constant danger of sliding into obscurity.
On a more positive note, Dave Bunning texted me a few days back, to advise that weekly net practice is now taking place. I do not think it was a request for my attendance, because, even if I could find my gear, it would not stretch over the extra inches that, sadly, I have acquired in all the wrong places. I intend to continue with my tough pre-season training regime though, by aiming, from each mid-day onwards, to keep a pint of beer within easy reach, whilst I watch the cricket from South Africa.
Over Rates
Over rates in international matches have got back to the level that Clive Lloyd introduced in the seventies with his four fast men rotation. If you want an uncomfortable reminder of those painful days then just remember that Wayne Daniel used to come on for light relief whilst Malcolm Marshall, Joel Garner, Colin Croft and Michael Holding were getting a second wind. All the commentators are up in arms about the current over rates although so few games go the whole distance these days that it rarely impacts on whether there is a result or not. But the paying public does get shorted since the requirement to complete the minimum overs for the day does not gain priority over going off for bad light. It is not uncommon for the rate to fall to twelve an hour and the teams don’t seem to mind being fined.
Googlies has the easy answer to this hitherto insoluble problem. The ICC should set the minimum requirement, say fifteen overs per hour. The match referee should then monitor progress, which should be displayed on the scoreboard. The new ball would only be eligible after eighty overs if the over rate was at least that minimum required. Since the preponderance of fast bowling is what makes the rate fall then the fielding sides would have to utilise some slow bowling or fast bowling off shorter run ups to improve the rate when it started to fall behind.
An inability to take the new ball would have an immediate impact on the progress of the game and would be an effective penalty to the offending side. They would only be able to progress to the new ball when they increased their bowling rate to the required minimum. If they chose to maintain a slow rate they would have to continue with an increasingly battered ball until the end of the innings.
Red Mist
Our old pal Shahid Red Mist Afridi almost made a game of the VB one-day match in Hobart against Australia in January when he scored a trademark 56 from just 26 balls. This was reminiscent of his one-day international debut in 1996/7 when he scored a 37 ball hundred against Sri Lanka. In this innings his total of eleven sixes remains a one day record.
Incidentally, Freddie has a long way to go to catch the leading six hitters in one-day international cricket. Top six hitter is Srinath Jayasuriha with almost 200. Red Mist is just behind him with 180 odd. Freddie’s total of some 85 is modest by comparison.
Dream Team
Following Bill Hart and Steve Thompson’s dream teams from the sixties and seventies at South Hampstead, Bruce Tutton has selected his side from the fifties:
“I started at South Hampstead in 1951 when I was seventeen. I played in the thirds under Ossie Pipe before moving up to the seconds that year. I was a leg break bowler and took 100 wickets in each of my first two seasons. I did National Service in 1953/4 and restarted in 1955. I was picked for the 1stXI as a batsman in 1956. The 1975 Centenary Brochure noted that I scored over 10,000 runs and took over 500 wickets for the club. I played for a couple of seasons in the Wednesday side after I stopped playing at the weekend in 1966. In 1969 I moved to the Luton area.
This is my selection for the Fifties side:
Douglas Malcolm
Bob Peach
Henry Malcolm
Ron Hooker
John Weale
Roy Huntley
Colin Marson
Alan Huntley
Norman Cooper
Roy Phipps
Len Berry
I also considered the following players when making my selections: Bill Western, Dougie Pragnall, Bruce Mitchell, John Tutton, Don Wallis, Roy Martin and Norman Robertson.I think that my side is well balanced and would give any team a good game.”
Bruce didn’t nominate a skipper for his side and it would be a bold man to suggest that either Henry or Bob had the better credentials
Sorry skip, its just not my day We all know that that bowling is much harder than batting because the bowlers always tell us so. Those of us who have captained sides have heard an extraordinary range of excuses why our bowlers have not produced their best form on any particular day. Here is a selection of them:
1. I can’t bowl to a 7-2 field
2. I can’t bowl to a 6-3 field
3. I can’t bowl to a 5-4 field
4. I can’t bowl to a 4-5 field
5. I can’t bowl to a 3-6 field
6. I can’t bowl to a 2-7 field
7. The slips are too far back
8. The slips are too close
9. I always have the keeper standing up
10. I must have the keeper standing back
11. Mid off keeps taking the piss out of my bowling action
12. I’m having a bad hair day and its affecting my sense of gravity
13. I think Chris Broad is in the pavilion
14. I must have slept awkwardly on my shoulder last night
15. My girlfriend keeps making me try out new positions and now I’ve lost my bowling rhythm.
16. I’m normally OK after fifteen pints of light and bitter the night before.
17. I was talking to John Tickner before play started.
18. I call the long hop my mystery ball.
19. I always bowl at the other end on this ground.
20. The wind is blowing the wrong way.
21. I’m just testing the batsman with half volleys.
22. He was a sucker for the full toss last year.
23. This batsman always holes out on the boundary.
24. I can never control a Kookaburra ball.
25. The wicket keeper keeps shouting “Nice shape” and I’ve no idea what he means.
26. My jock strap is too tight; I think I must be wearing someone else’s.
27. I thought we were bowling for a declaration.
28. At my last club we always had a Long Stop.
29. I thought that it had to pitch off the strip to be a wide.
30. The Umpire keeps coughing each time I am about to bowl.
31. I’ve never bowled a no ball in my life; they must have put the white line in the wrong place.
32. I think the wicket keeper must have moved my marker in the last over.
33. I think that you will find that this chap’s bat is more than the regulation width.
So who was that then?
Bob Peach sent me this disturbing vignette
In addition to the South Hampstead Re-union another significant landmark in Middlesex club cricket was the early season commemoration event to celebrate the feat or punishment of Bob Fisher, John Lindley and Alan Price each playing for fifty years at Ealing. Many old acquaintances were renewed or went unrecognised; and some, as I experienced, were a bit of both.
Having met Brian Janes from High Wycombe after a gap of 30 years and swapping enjoyable memories of Wallis and Hart for over half an hour we went our respective ways. Some ten minutes later Janes bumped into my wife with the greeting “Hello Di, is Peachy here?” A clear case of both his advanced mental senility and my dramatically ageing appearance.
Match Report
The following match took place at Milverton Road between South Hampstead and Bishop Stortford on Sunday 26th July 1976
In the seventies we started to change our Sunday fixture list at South Hampstead in favour of teams from the northern Home Counties rather than those that necessitated a crawl across Vauxhall Bridge and then hours round the South Circular. The new fixtures were fairly easily accessed up the A41, A1, A11 etc. One feature of the new fixtures was that the opposition didn’t seem to travel well. When you played on their ground they would field a side stuffed with Minor County players, but when you entertained them there would be a lot of second team replacements. However, on this occasion Bishop Stortford traveled well and fielded a strong side.
It was a two o’clock start and the visitors won the toss and elected to bat. Ossie Burton and David Simpson started with four maidens that gave no hint of the run fest that was to follow. Although Ossie took the first wicket at 2.30 with the score on 17, he and David gave way to Don Wallis and Terry Cordaroy and it was the latter who dismissed the other opener at 2.54pm with the score on 51. When Steve Doughty, the sixth bowler tried, had Brown LBW for 54 with the score on Nelson it seemed that we were probably nearly through them.
However, Skingle and Ettridge then added 116 in 55 minutes and when the former was out for 65 at 4.33pm with the score on 227 the declaration was expected. But the innings continued and Ettidge was out for 74 at 4.38pm. Still no declaration. Indeed it was only when Ossie took the seventh wicket at 4.55pm that the innings was finally declared closed on 256.
This was an enormous score for a half day game at that time and I doubt whether we remotely thought that we stood much chance of getting anywhere near the visitor’s total. John Anderson opened the batting for South Hampstead with Terry Cordaroy and he had different ideas. Anderson was a slightly built Australian who played very correctly and I don’t remember him slogging any shots during this innings. What I do remember is the ball being driven with immense power up against the Milverton Road fence.
The innings started at 5.14pm and Anderson was out at 6.59pm having scored 142 out of 218, and we were only in the thirty-first over of the innings. He hit 22 fours and two sixes in an immaculate display of timing. Paul Sundberg, another Australian, joined Cordaroy and the latter was bowled for 87 with the score on 240. This brought Steve Doughty in to see the victory secured in the forty-fifth over. It had taken Bishop Stortford fifty-four overs to reach their score.
Interestingly, this was probably one of the strongest batting sides fielded by South Hampstead in the seventies. After the first four those who didn’t get to the crease that day were: John Chitty, Steve Thompson, Keith Hardie, David Simpson, Jim Sharp, Don Wallis and Ossie Burton.
Rangers Reminiscences
Denis Jones wallows in more Rangers nostalgia
Although born in Paddington, my first memories are of days living in Shepherds Bush, and attending Ellerslie Junior School. Whilst staying with us over the recent Christmas period, my mother reminded me that I first went to see the Rangers when I was seven years old, and that I went on my own! Apart from this self-incriminating evidence of parental negligence, which has obviously scarred me for life, I really have no recall of this, but, if true, it would put me standing in the children’s enclosure, at the Loftus Road end, sometime in 1956.
It is surprising, therefore, that my rather bizarre collection of Rangers programmes starts with one from 1946, then has some from the early 1950's, sporadic mid-50's matches, and then nothing until 1961. However, from the programme for March 5th, 1956, I can confirm that Rangers played an All Star Managers XI, in a Benefit Match for Harry Brown, and Conway Smith. Listed to play amongst the All Stars were Walley Barnes, John Carey, Joe Mercer, Raich Carter, and Stanley Matthews. At that time, according to the Match Programme, Conway Smith had made over 170 appearances, with over 80 goals. It would seem from this that the memory of the Great Jack Morgan can still be relied upon, and he should not doubt himself as to whether he witnessed Conway Smith in Rangers colours during 1955/56. I think that it was around that time that the R's forsook their familiar hooped shirts for a while, and maybe that is what is blurring the Great Jack's memory.
It was pleasing to see him also make mention of Bert Addinall in his reminisces. Although not a close friend, Bert was an acquaintance of my father. Possibly they knew each other from time spent socialising in the Paddington area, as Bert's brother, Bill, played cricket for Essendine, who played at the Paddington rec, and my father had attended Essendine School. One episode, famous within the Jones family annals, occurred when Bert Addinall, sometime well after his playing days, was with the crowd that my father invariably brought home following a Sunday lunchtime drinking session. It must have been a particularly lively crowd, because some music was put on, and in no time the smoky atmosphere was reminiscent of the bar departed from a little beforehand. In those days, my parents had a 'radiogram', with a veneered wooden finish, and pull-down front, designed to look like an item of furniture, rather than the old 'Dansette' style of record players. Their record collection, stored within the radiogram, consisted mainly of the old 78's, with just an occasional 45. Unfortunately, the pull-down front, when it was opened, rested at about the same height of a seat. Mistaking it for a chair, Bert Addinall’s fairly generous backside sank onto the lid and managed to break many of my parents’ records, depriving me of the musical inheritance that would surely have come my way. Bert was suitably apologetic, and I do not recall any histrionics from either of my parents as the records smashed to pieces. Maybe they were pleased to be rid of some of the records anyway, and maybe it was coincidence that I do not recall Bert Addinall visiting my parents’ house again!
Irritating trends in modern cricket-number 25 Bob Willis is universally acknowledged to be cricket’s most boring man, but he can’t help that. What is more disturbing is that he uses his privileged position to air his screwball ideas. During the Johannesburg test he was so upset that the players went off for bad light that he came up with this Willis Mumbo Jumbo. Anyone would think that he had to pay for his own ground admission. He proposed that the use off floodlighting become standard on test grounds and that to allow play to continue when the flood` lights were the predominant light source that a white ball should be used. This in turn would necessitate coloured clothing and black sightscreens. And he saw nothing wrong with this. This guy is a menace. Personally I would rather see the players go off for bad light even if there was broad daylight.
Strange Elevens
Last month’s tripartite quiz included teams made up exclusively of gong holders. Team A: CBEs; Team B: OBEs; Team C: MBEs. Congratulations to Robert Boswell who rightly identified the appropriate Jazz Hats. A sweaty third hand I Zingari cap is winging its way to you.
The Great Jack Morgan has put together this bunch of mercenaries for you to ponder this month:
Alan Butcher
Steve James
John Steele
Matthew Maynard
Keith Newell
Nigel Cowley
Tom Cartwright
Colin Metson (w/k)
Robin Hobbs
Mike Selvey
Allan Jones
All you have to do is discover what qualifies them for a special Jazz Hat.
Earlier Editions
I will be please to email you a copy of the earlier editions of Googlies & Chinamen, if you missed or have mislaid them. If you received this edition through a third party, please send me your email address to ensure that you get on the main mailing list for future editions.
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An Occasional Cricketing Journal
Edition 26
February 2005
Serial Victors
Winning is the best habit to develop in any sport and Googlies salutes another fine series win by the England team in South Africa. After the critical fourth test win in Johannesburg I emailed George and the Professor: “Are we all ecstatic? Another good win when they did enough during the match to lose several tests.”
The Professor replied: “Yes - a stunning effort. What is good about the side is that while there may be some poor cricket, most often somebody (but not the same one) has an excellent match. While this has worked for the last year or so, it seems a thinish thread to hang by, I rather think we will need more solidity in the summer. The Australians seem to have fewer instances of players doing almost nothing in the match - like Thorpe this time. I follow the game on the Wisden-Cricinfo site. Some chap does a ball-by-ball write-up with his own little quirks and phrases. I don't know what is more desperate, him doing it or me following it.”
George replied but was less euphoric: “Well jolly pleased anyway. Test cricket is extremely absorbing, even on ceefax: it reminds me that I watched the last but one Ryder cup on ceefax too.”
Its time these guys buried their prejudices and turned onto the comprehensive and excellent Sky coverage
The Googlies Mailbag
Richard Crawshay sent me this:
“I do agree entirely with your reservations when comparing the Pommies man-to-man against the Aussies. I still believe that the Australian side is a class above the rest in every department. The series against a lackluster Pakistan side demonstrated this above all. As you inferred, on the rare occasion where the Australians were in trouble they recovered effortlessly- and look at Gilchrist’s stunning century in Sydney. But then they are paid so well nowadays. It took my breath away when I read that the West Indies were jacking up their wages. In 1960 the Middlesex Young Amateurs all signed papers with Middlesex, and a chosen few were then offered contracts. Mike Brearley did not take one up as he was off to university, but Mike Smith did. The job was for ‘ground staff’ at Lords. The wage was six pounds a week, but, get this, that was for the summer only. He had to go and find another job for the winter. I think he got a job at the Finchley indoor nets. Of course he then went on to become a Middlesex opening fixture, but almost didn’t, as the ‘professional’ offer was so paltry. Can you imagine the current professional accepting such ludicrous conditions?”
Mike Smith did indeed coach a number of us at the indoor school in the early sixties. After he retired from the game he became the Middlesex scorer through the nineties until last year when he sadly died after the end of the season.
He then sent me some more:
“By the way I’ve been watching the England v South Africa matches and cannot help wondering what’s happened to footwork and a straight bat. Trescothic is a prime example. Even though he got runs there were so many occasions when his feet weren’t in line nor near the pitch of the ball that I’m sure he’ll be vulnerable to a seaming ball. But it almost doesn’t seem to be important any more - don’t they teach the importance of footwork, or do they have a magic replacement? Have a look at Michael Clarke’s use of his feet at the crease and you’ll see the difference.”
To which I replied:
Tres is being forgiven all at present (It was the day after he had scored 180 at the Wanderers). But next summer he won’t get 250 all series against the Aussies when McGrath, Gillespie & co will know what line to bowl to him. It’s strange that the two English heroes of 2004 have reversed their roles. Flintoff is now a bowling hero but can't get a run whilst Harmison is now a batter who can't get a wicket.
Andrew Scott sent me this:
“I do recall playing against you when you skippered South Hampstead and I was playing at Ickenham in the late seventies with Richard Hayward. In 1983 I moved to Ealing and have been working my way down the sides ever since. I am now in the best company with Bob Fisher and John Lindley who together with Alan Price celebrated 50 playing seasons at Ealing in 2004. Bob is captain of the 4th XI and I have gone full circle as he was captain of the club when I joined in 1983. Lindley is completing 38 years as fixture secretary and he retired to Dorset in 2002 and now travels up each weekend to play. He is chasing 4000 wickets for the club but with 140 to go and anno domini creeping up (64 in April) it will be touch and go if he gets there. If he does reach his target it will be a good excuse for a party but not this year.
Your recent picture of the Middlesex YC side reminded me of Graham
Higgs who was at Loughborough with me. In 1975 when he arrived we did not know much about him and he ended up playing for the 3rd XI in the UAU at Keele in early May. He scored 150 after thirty overs and the team declared in a limited overs game with 400
on the board. He played for the 1sts after that because he was a very
good player but there were twenty county schools players there so they couldn't all play in the ones. The first team in my first year
included Graham Barlow, Andy Stovold, Paul Phillipson, Peter Booth,
Alan Wilkins and the fixture list was mainly the Midland County's 2nd
XIs. Graham Barlow was the stand out all round sportsman in my time there and I was quite friendly with him as I had played a few 1st XV games in my first year as well. Playing in the same team was Fran
Cotton which was fairly awe inspiring. I remember in my first senior
game this massive fight broke out and the students with Cotton to the
fore did not take a step back (except me who had been playing school
Rugby, I quickly had to learn though). Barlow introduced me to Brentham CC where I played just one game. The following year I ended up living in a house with some lads, one of whom played for Ickenham and so I ended up playing there”.
And I received this from Bob Fisher:
”Andy Scott has forwarded to me a copy of Edition 25 which I enjoyed reading, in particular the report on our cup final in 1969. Happy memories. You will no doubt recall that we met again in 1970 in the final of the same competition at Hornsey. Those were great days. I am not one of those who always insist that things were better in their day than they are now but I am certain that the friendships that we established in those days are something that is not happening now. I will be going to the Brentham Dinner in a months time as a guest of Brian Reid and know that the likes of Tony Colbeck, Laurie Allan, Terry Woram, Tim Howard, Dave Perrin etc will be there, friendships that have stood the test of time. I have forwarded a copy of this edition onto John Lindley who, like Alan Price and myself, is still playing at Ealing. John and I are in the fourth team and Alan mainly in the 3rds but also in the 2nds on occasion. He is still a fine player.
At the foot of the Professor’s Bed My Christmas stocking contained Nasser's "autobiography", "with Paul Newman"(what does the "auto" bit of that word mean?). Not a choice I would have made myself, but that's Santa for you. Amid the usual self-justification (and self-pitying, in Nasser's case) was the comment that "we always seem to have bad luck before the Ashes series". The last set of bad luck in 02/03 involved: Thorpe, Flintoff, Gough, Simon Jones, Giles, etc, etc. But as a general observation it seemed to have some weight.
Getting ready for the Ashes It is worrying that Matthew Hayden has been out of the runs in recent matches and indeed was rested by Australia for a couple of games. I fear that he is saving his runs for the summer. Michael Clarke has burst onto the scene as an exciting class act and after a gestation period at Glamorgan Michael Kasprovicz is looking an accomplished international performer.
From England’s point of view Graham Thorpe is becoming a decided liability in the field since he can’t catch and concedes one for his throw wherever he is stationed. The captain continues to drop straightforward catches and it seems we are going to persevere with a continental style goalkeeper wearing Teflon gloves behind the stumps.
The Great Jack Morgan sent me this: “I tend to agree with your view that England players are inferior to their Aussie counterparts and may have been over-rated in certain quarters. I am also a supporter of Langer’s, but Strauss has had a truly extraordinary start to his Test career (fourth quickest Englishman to 1,000 runs) and I do not see that it is necessarily an unrealistic view to suggest that Andy could have just as big an impact on the series as Justin; it is certainly a more defensible view than some I have seen put forward. Langer can’t have scored “nearly twice as many as Strauss” in 2004 can he? He would have to have scored nearly 2,000. Andy played fewer Tests in the year and has a better average hasn’t he?”
The Way it is now If you asked James Anderson what he thinks of county cricket the chances are that he would reply, “I’ve no idea, I’ve hardly ever played it”. In his career he has only played 34 first class matches in four years of which over half are tests. He was plucked from the Academy before he had established himself in the Lancashire side and has had a central contract ever since. Unless he gets released from his contract the chances are he will never play county cricket.
So what’s wrong with that? Well he doesn’t play test cricket now either. When called upon to play at the swinging Wanderers ground he sprayed it around like Harmison of old and shelled any catches that came his way. Fortunately he wasn’t required to don the pads in anger. The word was that he had looked good in the nets! Well who hasn’t? Centrally contracted players who are not first choices for the side lead a strange existence in the modern era. A system will have to be developed for them to get match practice. In theory Anderson could play less first class cricket in 2005 than the seven games he played in 2004.
Crackpot of the Month There was only one serious candidate for this award. Andre Nutter Nell’s extraordinary performance at Centurion Park gained him all round condemnation for the most ridiculous exhibition of phony belligerence seen for many a long year. In his first over he was snorting and growling before he had anything to be angry about. He went onto combine Afrikaans sledging with physical intimidation by following through right up to the batsman. Bob Willis described him aptly as the Pantomime Villain whilst back in the Sky studio the Welsh Wizard noted that the lift didn’t reach the top floor in his case.
Presumably Clive Lloyd, the Match Referee, spoke to him at lunch on the third day as he reduced the histrionics in the later sessions and ended up with a six-wicket haul. It can be no surprise that he suffers injury since he bowls chest on with his left leg splayed out. It is a mystery how he gets through a spell without damaging ankle, knee or hip. Perhaps the boiling blood coursing through his veins dulls the pain.
Paddington Matters Denis Jones, the President of Paddington, updates us on developments
At our AGM, in November, all officers were re-elected, with Tim Miles remaining as Captain, Chris Bunning continuing as Secretary, and 'Colonel' Fred Pryke once more ensconced as our esteemed Chairman.
Martin Leigh has for many years done an excellent job as our Fixture Secretary, apart from being a regular, well-respected Umpire. He is still juggling a couple of dates for the coming season, but our only new fixture is Welwyn Garden City, whom we look forward to visiting in June. We are also revisiting Horsham, where we played for the first time last year, enjoying some good cricket, and a welcoming atmosphere, on the County Ground.
Perhaps symptomatic of the problems faced by Martin is that we have lost our fixture at Old Emanuel, where we have played for some years, because they will be concentrating on league cricket for any Sundays that they play next year. I understand that for some clubs, this sort of decision is very suitable, but I do hope that there will still be ample opportunity, within Sunday cricket, for other clubs to play a game that is competitive for its own sake, rather than for points, and a position in a league table, which, at the end of the season, could be of little consequence, and, moreover, has not necessarily improved the enjoyment, and sociability, that players, and other club members, seek from their weekly cricket. I am surprised that in a world that is so frenetic, and stressful, that clubs may choose to add to these pressures by opting for a weekend of unremitting league cricket.
Please do not misunderstand my point on this. I played league cricket for several seasons, and thoroughly enjoyed the 'buzz', and extra edge that, when properly harnessed, this brings to the players, and the match, overall. However, as Sunday cricket also moves more towards trophy-hunting, we are disenfranchising those cricketers who just want to enjoy the game, and not be bothered about promotion, relegation, bonus points, etc. Many clubs, facing the dilemma of an apparent vital Sunday fixture, will ponder drafting in a Saturday player to bolster the team, and will then need to bear the repercussions, both internally and externally, if the wrong choice is made. We also need to be aware of the impact for those clubs, who invariably go through the peaks and troughs of success, but may suddenly find it impossible to recover from a trough, because of the increasing trend for better players to migrate to high profile, and more regularly successful clubs. Undoubtedly, this trend will be exacerbated if league cricket takes a firm hold on Sundays as well as Saturdays. There will be more situations akin to the Football Premiership, where only a few clubs have any real chance of winning the title (be it a Saturday, or a Sunday), and the rest, without the presence of a generous benefactor, are in constant danger of sliding into obscurity.
On a more positive note, Dave Bunning texted me a few days back, to advise that weekly net practice is now taking place. I do not think it was a request for my attendance, because, even if I could find my gear, it would not stretch over the extra inches that, sadly, I have acquired in all the wrong places. I intend to continue with my tough pre-season training regime though, by aiming, from each mid-day onwards, to keep a pint of beer within easy reach, whilst I watch the cricket from South Africa.
Over Rates
Over rates in international matches have got back to the level that Clive Lloyd introduced in the seventies with his four fast men rotation. If you want an uncomfortable reminder of those painful days then just remember that Wayne Daniel used to come on for light relief whilst Malcolm Marshall, Joel Garner, Colin Croft and Michael Holding were getting a second wind. All the commentators are up in arms about the current over rates although so few games go the whole distance these days that it rarely impacts on whether there is a result or not. But the paying public does get shorted since the requirement to complete the minimum overs for the day does not gain priority over going off for bad light. It is not uncommon for the rate to fall to twelve an hour and the teams don’t seem to mind being fined.
Googlies has the easy answer to this hitherto insoluble problem. The ICC should set the minimum requirement, say fifteen overs per hour. The match referee should then monitor progress, which should be displayed on the scoreboard. The new ball would only be eligible after eighty overs if the over rate was at least that minimum required. Since the preponderance of fast bowling is what makes the rate fall then the fielding sides would have to utilise some slow bowling or fast bowling off shorter run ups to improve the rate when it started to fall behind.
An inability to take the new ball would have an immediate impact on the progress of the game and would be an effective penalty to the offending side. They would only be able to progress to the new ball when they increased their bowling rate to the required minimum. If they chose to maintain a slow rate they would have to continue with an increasingly battered ball until the end of the innings.
Red Mist
Our old pal Shahid Red Mist Afridi almost made a game of the VB one-day match in Hobart against Australia in January when he scored a trademark 56 from just 26 balls. This was reminiscent of his one-day international debut in 1996/7 when he scored a 37 ball hundred against Sri Lanka. In this innings his total of eleven sixes remains a one day record.
Incidentally, Freddie has a long way to go to catch the leading six hitters in one-day international cricket. Top six hitter is Srinath Jayasuriha with almost 200. Red Mist is just behind him with 180 odd. Freddie’s total of some 85 is modest by comparison.
Dream Team
Following Bill Hart and Steve Thompson’s dream teams from the sixties and seventies at South Hampstead, Bruce Tutton has selected his side from the fifties:
“I started at South Hampstead in 1951 when I was seventeen. I played in the thirds under Ossie Pipe before moving up to the seconds that year. I was a leg break bowler and took 100 wickets in each of my first two seasons. I did National Service in 1953/4 and restarted in 1955. I was picked for the 1stXI as a batsman in 1956. The 1975 Centenary Brochure noted that I scored over 10,000 runs and took over 500 wickets for the club. I played for a couple of seasons in the Wednesday side after I stopped playing at the weekend in 1966. In 1969 I moved to the Luton area.
This is my selection for the Fifties side:
Douglas Malcolm
Bob Peach
Henry Malcolm
Ron Hooker
John Weale
Roy Huntley
Colin Marson
Alan Huntley
Norman Cooper
Roy Phipps
Len Berry
I also considered the following players when making my selections: Bill Western, Dougie Pragnall, Bruce Mitchell, John Tutton, Don Wallis, Roy Martin and Norman Robertson.I think that my side is well balanced and would give any team a good game.”
Bruce didn’t nominate a skipper for his side and it would be a bold man to suggest that either Henry or Bob had the better credentials
Sorry skip, its just not my day We all know that that bowling is much harder than batting because the bowlers always tell us so. Those of us who have captained sides have heard an extraordinary range of excuses why our bowlers have not produced their best form on any particular day. Here is a selection of them:
1. I can’t bowl to a 7-2 field
2. I can’t bowl to a 6-3 field
3. I can’t bowl to a 5-4 field
4. I can’t bowl to a 4-5 field
5. I can’t bowl to a 3-6 field
6. I can’t bowl to a 2-7 field
7. The slips are too far back
8. The slips are too close
9. I always have the keeper standing up
10. I must have the keeper standing back
11. Mid off keeps taking the piss out of my bowling action
12. I’m having a bad hair day and its affecting my sense of gravity
13. I think Chris Broad is in the pavilion
14. I must have slept awkwardly on my shoulder last night
15. My girlfriend keeps making me try out new positions and now I’ve lost my bowling rhythm.
16. I’m normally OK after fifteen pints of light and bitter the night before.
17. I was talking to John Tickner before play started.
18. I call the long hop my mystery ball.
19. I always bowl at the other end on this ground.
20. The wind is blowing the wrong way.
21. I’m just testing the batsman with half volleys.
22. He was a sucker for the full toss last year.
23. This batsman always holes out on the boundary.
24. I can never control a Kookaburra ball.
25. The wicket keeper keeps shouting “Nice shape” and I’ve no idea what he means.
26. My jock strap is too tight; I think I must be wearing someone else’s.
27. I thought we were bowling for a declaration.
28. At my last club we always had a Long Stop.
29. I thought that it had to pitch off the strip to be a wide.
30. The Umpire keeps coughing each time I am about to bowl.
31. I’ve never bowled a no ball in my life; they must have put the white line in the wrong place.
32. I think the wicket keeper must have moved my marker in the last over.
33. I think that you will find that this chap’s bat is more than the regulation width.
So who was that then?
Bob Peach sent me this disturbing vignette
In addition to the South Hampstead Re-union another significant landmark in Middlesex club cricket was the early season commemoration event to celebrate the feat or punishment of Bob Fisher, John Lindley and Alan Price each playing for fifty years at Ealing. Many old acquaintances were renewed or went unrecognised; and some, as I experienced, were a bit of both.
Having met Brian Janes from High Wycombe after a gap of 30 years and swapping enjoyable memories of Wallis and Hart for over half an hour we went our respective ways. Some ten minutes later Janes bumped into my wife with the greeting “Hello Di, is Peachy here?” A clear case of both his advanced mental senility and my dramatically ageing appearance.
Match Report
The following match took place at Milverton Road between South Hampstead and Bishop Stortford on Sunday 26th July 1976
In the seventies we started to change our Sunday fixture list at South Hampstead in favour of teams from the northern Home Counties rather than those that necessitated a crawl across Vauxhall Bridge and then hours round the South Circular. The new fixtures were fairly easily accessed up the A41, A1, A11 etc. One feature of the new fixtures was that the opposition didn’t seem to travel well. When you played on their ground they would field a side stuffed with Minor County players, but when you entertained them there would be a lot of second team replacements. However, on this occasion Bishop Stortford traveled well and fielded a strong side.
It was a two o’clock start and the visitors won the toss and elected to bat. Ossie Burton and David Simpson started with four maidens that gave no hint of the run fest that was to follow. Although Ossie took the first wicket at 2.30 with the score on 17, he and David gave way to Don Wallis and Terry Cordaroy and it was the latter who dismissed the other opener at 2.54pm with the score on 51. When Steve Doughty, the sixth bowler tried, had Brown LBW for 54 with the score on Nelson it seemed that we were probably nearly through them.
However, Skingle and Ettridge then added 116 in 55 minutes and when the former was out for 65 at 4.33pm with the score on 227 the declaration was expected. But the innings continued and Ettidge was out for 74 at 4.38pm. Still no declaration. Indeed it was only when Ossie took the seventh wicket at 4.55pm that the innings was finally declared closed on 256.
This was an enormous score for a half day game at that time and I doubt whether we remotely thought that we stood much chance of getting anywhere near the visitor’s total. John Anderson opened the batting for South Hampstead with Terry Cordaroy and he had different ideas. Anderson was a slightly built Australian who played very correctly and I don’t remember him slogging any shots during this innings. What I do remember is the ball being driven with immense power up against the Milverton Road fence.
The innings started at 5.14pm and Anderson was out at 6.59pm having scored 142 out of 218, and we were only in the thirty-first over of the innings. He hit 22 fours and two sixes in an immaculate display of timing. Paul Sundberg, another Australian, joined Cordaroy and the latter was bowled for 87 with the score on 240. This brought Steve Doughty in to see the victory secured in the forty-fifth over. It had taken Bishop Stortford fifty-four overs to reach their score.
Interestingly, this was probably one of the strongest batting sides fielded by South Hampstead in the seventies. After the first four those who didn’t get to the crease that day were: John Chitty, Steve Thompson, Keith Hardie, David Simpson, Jim Sharp, Don Wallis and Ossie Burton.
Rangers Reminiscences
Denis Jones wallows in more Rangers nostalgia
Although born in Paddington, my first memories are of days living in Shepherds Bush, and attending Ellerslie Junior School. Whilst staying with us over the recent Christmas period, my mother reminded me that I first went to see the Rangers when I was seven years old, and that I went on my own! Apart from this self-incriminating evidence of parental negligence, which has obviously scarred me for life, I really have no recall of this, but, if true, it would put me standing in the children’s enclosure, at the Loftus Road end, sometime in 1956.
It is surprising, therefore, that my rather bizarre collection of Rangers programmes starts with one from 1946, then has some from the early 1950's, sporadic mid-50's matches, and then nothing until 1961. However, from the programme for March 5th, 1956, I can confirm that Rangers played an All Star Managers XI, in a Benefit Match for Harry Brown, and Conway Smith. Listed to play amongst the All Stars were Walley Barnes, John Carey, Joe Mercer, Raich Carter, and Stanley Matthews. At that time, according to the Match Programme, Conway Smith had made over 170 appearances, with over 80 goals. It would seem from this that the memory of the Great Jack Morgan can still be relied upon, and he should not doubt himself as to whether he witnessed Conway Smith in Rangers colours during 1955/56. I think that it was around that time that the R's forsook their familiar hooped shirts for a while, and maybe that is what is blurring the Great Jack's memory.
It was pleasing to see him also make mention of Bert Addinall in his reminisces. Although not a close friend, Bert was an acquaintance of my father. Possibly they knew each other from time spent socialising in the Paddington area, as Bert's brother, Bill, played cricket for Essendine, who played at the Paddington rec, and my father had attended Essendine School. One episode, famous within the Jones family annals, occurred when Bert Addinall, sometime well after his playing days, was with the crowd that my father invariably brought home following a Sunday lunchtime drinking session. It must have been a particularly lively crowd, because some music was put on, and in no time the smoky atmosphere was reminiscent of the bar departed from a little beforehand. In those days, my parents had a 'radiogram', with a veneered wooden finish, and pull-down front, designed to look like an item of furniture, rather than the old 'Dansette' style of record players. Their record collection, stored within the radiogram, consisted mainly of the old 78's, with just an occasional 45. Unfortunately, the pull-down front, when it was opened, rested at about the same height of a seat. Mistaking it for a chair, Bert Addinall’s fairly generous backside sank onto the lid and managed to break many of my parents’ records, depriving me of the musical inheritance that would surely have come my way. Bert was suitably apologetic, and I do not recall any histrionics from either of my parents as the records smashed to pieces. Maybe they were pleased to be rid of some of the records anyway, and maybe it was coincidence that I do not recall Bert Addinall visiting my parents’ house again!
Irritating trends in modern cricket-number 25 Bob Willis is universally acknowledged to be cricket’s most boring man, but he can’t help that. What is more disturbing is that he uses his privileged position to air his screwball ideas. During the Johannesburg test he was so upset that the players went off for bad light that he came up with this Willis Mumbo Jumbo. Anyone would think that he had to pay for his own ground admission. He proposed that the use off floodlighting become standard on test grounds and that to allow play to continue when the flood` lights were the predominant light source that a white ball should be used. This in turn would necessitate coloured clothing and black sightscreens. And he saw nothing wrong with this. This guy is a menace. Personally I would rather see the players go off for bad light even if there was broad daylight.
Strange Elevens
Last month’s tripartite quiz included teams made up exclusively of gong holders. Team A: CBEs; Team B: OBEs; Team C: MBEs. Congratulations to Robert Boswell who rightly identified the appropriate Jazz Hats. A sweaty third hand I Zingari cap is winging its way to you.
The Great Jack Morgan has put together this bunch of mercenaries for you to ponder this month:
Alan Butcher
Steve James
John Steele
Matthew Maynard
Keith Newell
Nigel Cowley
Tom Cartwright
Colin Metson (w/k)
Robin Hobbs
Mike Selvey
Allan Jones
All you have to do is discover what qualifies them for a special Jazz Hat.
Earlier Editions
I will be please to email you a copy of the earlier editions of Googlies & Chinamen, if you missed or have mislaid them. If you received this edition through a third party, please send me your email address to ensure that you get on the main mailing list for future editions.
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