GOOGLIES & CHINAMEN
An Occasional Cricketing Journal
Edition 39
March 2006
Emergency Ward Ten
The England Tour of India has become a shambles before it has really got underway. The catalogue of injuries can have surprised no one who has followed the England team in recent series. Because of the success enjoyed there has been an extreme reluctance to pick from outside the inner sanctum and, therefore, the chosen ones have been selected as long as they could stand unassisted without falling over on the day of the match.
The England set up is now operating on some fundamentally flawed thinking. Central Contracts have led to a relatively small group of individuals forming the nucleus of the England team. They have developed an aggressive form of cricket with big hitting and a four man pace attack which has served them well over the past couple of seasons. However, Fletch and Peg Leg have become increasingly reluctant to include anyone from outside their tight nit circle and have been prepared to go with injured and half fit cronies rather than consider anyone else. When other bowlers are included they are reluctant to bowl them. Flintoff just has to bowl more overs if Jones is unfit (Oval and Pakistan) and there appears to be no replacement for Giles (Batty and Udal). Slow bowling does not fit into their game plan and they have turned Gilo into a negative stock bowler. He never used to bowl like that. It will be fascinating to see who they let bowl if the Indian wickets suit spin. In recent series in India seamers have held sway and so the Indian authorities will be unlikely to ask for similar wickets this time given England’s strength in that department. It is encouraging to see Panesar in the party, but they won’t want to bowl him and how long will it be before we see him operating over the wicket and pitching the ball outside the off stump?
The Indian batting looks awesomely strong at present. Sehwag, Dravid and Tendulkar are all in form and are of proven class. Youvraj Singh, Dhoni and Pathan have all made good scores in Pakistan and there is also Laxman. Their bowling has been less impressive, though, and I suspect that England will score runs as well. So it will come down to the wickets and if they favour Harbajhan and Kumble that will decide matters.
Lets hope that Cook, Shah and Panesar each have a good series and then the England side can start to be selected from a broader group of individuals and not be dependent on far too small a group of centrally contracted players.
Too Much or Too Little Cricket
I don’t buy it that the England team has to play too much cricket. Last season the batsmen played less than twenty first class innings and none of the bowlers bowled anything approaching a respectable load for the likes of Statham, Snow, Titmus or Underwood. After the Ashes series they had two months off before the Pakistan trip. They still arrived ill equipped for the tour and were resoundingly beaten. They have now had another couple of months off and are even less well prepared for the India outing. In what other occupation do you get two months off between assignments?
I think that they actually play too little cricket. The batsmen get virtually no match practice and every innings becomes a crunch one. The bowlers never stretch themselves between series and consequently regularly break down when they have a net in the week before the next match.
I know that this is not the message that the pros would have us believe and in due course there will no doubt be a relaxing of the intense international fixture programme. The obvious solution to this is to drop Zimbabwe and Bangla Desh into an ICC second division. In the meantime they will have to look at extending the central contracts to a larger group of players.
Out and About with the Professor
The Professor, like other correspondents, told me that he will be going out to India to see the Third Test Match at Mumbai. I asked him if he had any thoughts on anything before he departed. He replied:
“Only that Peg Leg has once again pegged out. Collingwood and KP have bad backs and most of the rest have the shits. I look forward to joining them since I have both of the former afflictions already and will doubtless acquire the latter as soon as I get there.”
Wisden Five
Refreshed from his winter break in warmer climes the Great Jack Morgan is making his usual unbiased selection in good time: “Just in case you were wondering about the Wisden Five, I reckon that Shah, Joyce, Richardson and Weekes select themselves and I am giving Scott Styris the nod for the fifth place, just ahead of Ed Smith. Having just written that, I am now wondering why Styris didn’t get his cap when Richardson and Smith got theirs. Was it just that he was absent at the time? Has it been awarded since? Did they just forget all about him? Or did he need that century at the Oval to clinch it for him?”
Does anyone else want to join the Wisden Five debate this year? Remember that the rules are weird. Previous awardees are ineligible and it only seems to be performances in England that count unless they are by Englishmen abroad. Come to think of it I might select a Red Mist Five myself.
The Super bowl Ticket
Ken Molloy thought that you might enjoy this
A man from Pittsburgh had 50-yard line tickets for Super Bowl XL.
As he sits, another man comes down and askes if anyone is sitting in the seat next to him. "No," he says, "The seat is empty."
"This in incredible," said the man. "Who in their right mind would have a seat like this for the Super Bowl, the biggest sporting event in the world, and not use it?"
He replies, "Well, actually, the seat belongs to me. I was supposed to come with my wife, but she passed away. This is the first Super Bowl we haven't been together since we got married in 1987." "Oh....I’m sorry to hear that. That's terrible. But couldn't you find someone else, a friend or relative, or even a neighbour to take the seat?"
The man shakes his head. "No, they're all at the funeral."
Duckworth Lewis Strikes Again In the first One Day International between Pakistan and India in Peshawar, India batted first and scored a commendable and challenging 328. Pakistan had reached 311 for 7 at the end of the forty-seventh over when the umpires decided to take the players off for bad light. Under the Duckworth Lewis rules the match was awarded to Pakistan by 7 runs. As if 17 were not challenging enough from the last three overs with only three wickets left our jovial mathematicians determined that they would have scored 24. You go figure.
The Missing Photo
When I wrote the article on South Hampstead’s appearance at Lords in 1968 I intended to include the team photo taken in the famous Rose Garden. However, when it came to it I couldn’t find my copy. When I spoke with Bill Hart he couldn’t find his either. Bill has now located his copy and has digitally enhanced it for us.
Audrey Hawdon(scorer), Alan Cox, Bill Hart, Terry Cordaroy, John Matthews, Don Wallis, John Tutton, Jim Sharp(12th man)
Harold Stubbs, George Cole, Bob Peach, Len Stubbs, Robin Ager.
You will quickly realize that this photo was taken before the match since there were no smiles afterwards when Hornsey had lifted the Wills Trophy.
The Great Jack Morgan Appreciation Society
The normally assured Great Jack Morgan has been suffering indecision over his usually perfect recall of history. He sent me the following:
“When out for one of my long walks the other day, I found myself wondering about your inclusion of Bunny Hutchinson as a member of the Great Jack Morgan Appreciation Society. It is possible, of course, that he gave me a good report on my performance in that first school match of the season, but it suddenly struck me that it is more likely that the rave reviews came from the warm-up match that we played against the Under15s. That match was played on the pitch by the huts on a weekday afternoon and was watched by two or three masters and refereed by another. It is also possible that other teachers may have seen parts of the match as they went about their business, so Bunny is really just one of a number of suspects... or perhaps there were unanimous glowing reports from all witnesses?”
I was not very sympathetic to this wobble and responded as follows: It is only right and proper that you should review past claims during your perambulations but you shouldn’t worry about Bunny. When I saw him recently he confirmed that he was still your biggest fan and would stand as President of the Great Jack Morgan Appreciation Society in 2006. But there were probably other expert observers who would have been able to confirm his assessment of your skills and would have properly discounted the fact that you were actually only playing against little boys. But who would these sports jacketed individuals have been? And who was the referee? If we can solve these riddles then we can properly elevate your performance to the Du Cane Football Hall of Fame and move on. Would you like me to ask in Googlies if anyone can remember playing in this pre-season warm up match? Perhaps the one legged Adams was performing and, of course, that might help to explain why you stood out? We alternatively or additionally might jog other memories that would lead to new applicants to join the legions of members of the Great Jack Morgan Appreciation Society?
The Fine Seed Pods of Club Cricket In G&C 37 Denis Jones introduced us to The Fine Seed Pods of Club Cricket of which his father was a member. Roy Dodson spoke to me recently and told me that Tiny Day had been a member as well and that he had taken him as a guest to one of their dinners at which David Wylie, the Hornsey umpire, had been inducted as a member. Roy explained that the Seed Pods were a club that invited ex players, umpires and other servants of the club game to join and help maintain the highest standards of the atmosphere of club cricket. Does anyone know anything else about this laudable organisation and does it still exist?
Match Report The following match took place at Beddington Park on Sunday 10th May 1964 between South Hampstead and Beddington.
I had started playing at South Hampstead in July 1963 and scratched around in the seconds and third elevens. This was an early fixture in 1964 and it was during school term time and so I was yet to appear in club cricket. However, I was aware that this was a big match that ranked alongside similar fixtures with other rivals such as Hornsey and High Wycombe. Beddington were strongly associated with the Surrey County club and many of their side were county second eleven players or had appeared in the full county side. My Mum and Dad decided to have a family outing and so George and I traveled with them to see the 1st XI in action.
Bob Peach and Terry Cordaroy opened the batting for South Hampstead against a new ball attack of Neville Griffin and Jake Hall. They added 67 in fifty minutes before Terry was out for 37. Robin Ager joined Bob who was out hit wicket for 40. Len Stubbs went quickly but this brought Ron Hooker to the crease and he struck two sixes in a quick fire 21. The second of these went straight over the sightscreen having scarcely been higher since it left the bat. Griffin returned to trap him LBW and this brought Alvin Nienow in and he added 63 in thirty five minutes with Ager before the latter was run out for 57. John Weale made a brief appearance at the crease and Bruce Tutton was the not out batsman when Alvin was caught for 61 and the declaration came at 231 for 7 after 167 minutes.
Don Wallis made the early breakthrough in the Beddington innings having Tony Brown caught by Hooker and then John Robertson caught by Bruce Tutton. Bill Hart gave way to Roy Phipps who had quick success having Mike Murray caught by Wallis for 49. Wallis then had Parks caught by Nienow and Beddington were 75 for 4. John Weale took over from Don and dismissed Wills and when Phipps had Griffin caught behind by Ager, Beddington had slumped to 80 for 6.
Ron Dolby and Ernie Clifton, the Middlesex understudy to John Murray, dug in and saw off Weale and they also enjoyed a few overs from Bruce Tutton. But Ron Hooker came into the attack with twenty minutes to go and started bowling big away swingers. He immediately had Dolby caught by Ager for 24 and in his next over had Malcolm Reeves LBW. In his third over he bowled Clifton for 40 and Hall, the last batsman, came to the crease at 7.27pm. Peach brought back Bill Hart for the final over and he had Len Watson LBW off the last ball. Beddington were dismissed for 155 and South Hampstead had recorded a famous victory. Wallis took 3 for 28 and Hooker 3 for 6.
I asked several of those who had played in this famous game if they had any recollections
Bob Peach wrote back: “My first ever match for South Hampstead was at Beddington whilst still at St Clement Danes in 1954, I think, under the Clain captaincy. Distant memory suggests we had never won before and we certainly didn’t until 1964. We always saw the Beddington fixture in the third weekend as our first big test of the season against the generally recognised best club South of the river. Like many previous years this match was played on a fine sunny day in front on the usual large and predictably home biased crowd. Memory recalls that our substantial score was based on pretty consistent batting throughout. This was probably the only occasion South Hampstead had batted first in my time. I don’t think that the formidable Beddington batting line-up ever seriously threatened but I remember little of their innings until Hooker’s late spell. It was a highly competitive good quality match between two talented sides. How times have changed.”
Alvin Nienow sent me these notes “To be honest, I can remember little by way of details of the 1964 match. However, I remember the feeling that our victory there engendered. Beddington as a cricket club were very key in my whole development as a cricketer and perhaps as a person. It all began at St Clement Danes, also under the leadership of Peachy. We had a wonderful cricket master, René Amelot, a stalwart of Spencer and a great supporter of the original Wanderers. He invited Bob and I to join the Wanderers as being suitable as cricketers and socialisers, since we often went drinking with many of the masters. I considered this a great honour and one of the earliest games that I played for them was against Beddington, probably in 1957, and I think Bob played too. Again, I don’t remember details but my impression was of a wonderful ground and a superb wicket. We batted first and I couldn’t have got many runs because I don’t remember my innings at all! We got a decent total (over 200 certainly) but we were an old side and Tony Brown, who played a lot for Surrey 2nds and Mike Murray, ditto for Middlesex, opened the batting and duly knocked off most of the runs without breaking sweat. Bob and I were complimented for being very un-Wanderers like for chasing around in the field with great energy and enthusiasm, which, as it appeared to my team mates in my first season at South Hampstead in 1962, was all I did!
Beddington were a real powerhouse and they continued to appear that way after I joined South Hampstead. I don’t remember the games of ’62 and ’63 but I think they must have been draws as we rarely lost and we certainly hadn’t beaten them. To me, they still appeared to be invincible. The game of ’62 was memorable however because it was a beautiful day and I can remember watching from deckchairs outside the pavilion towards the end of the game. Our daughter, Fiona, established her propensity for enjoying alcohol which has followed her for the rest of her life by drinking out of the glasses placed beneath the deckchairs, crawling quietly from one to another!
The team that Beddington put out in 1964 was as powerful as usual, virtually everyone having county first or second team experience, e.g., in addition to Tony and Mike, Norman Parkes and Neville Griffin were both fine middle order bats and medium- fast bowling all-rounders, Norman more a batsman and Neville, a bowler. Mike Reeves was a top class off-spinner and JPK Hall was county quick and played a lot for Surrey 1st. Again, I don’t remember the start of the innings but I do remember that by the time I batted, one of the middle order had to provide that acceleration which was our team approach based on a solid start from Terry and whoever else went in early with him. I had one of my purple patches and clearly remember hitting Mike Reeves over extra cover a couple of times. After that, the field was put back and we ran lots of singles. Finally, I went for everything and I scored a very fast 61, being caught at deep mid-wicket off Norman Parkes. It was a wonderful feeling getting runs off the mighty Beddington.
When they batted, they were never really in the hunt but neither did we look like getting them all out! It was beginning to look like an anti-climax but then Ron Hooker got 3 wickets very quickly and with time running out, Bill Hart got the last wicket. Miracle of miracles! We had beaten the great Beddington. Of course, we all knew that we were a very good side but Beddington were something special and probably the strongest side south of the Thames in those days-or at least of those that we played. The celebrations were long and very alcoholic in the bar afterwards (pre-breathalyser) and I particularly remember talking happily with Norman Parkes. Cricket the way it should be played. Give your all on the pitch and enjoy each other’s company afterwards! I never played against Beddington again but the name still conjures up that beautiful ground, great cricket and a wonderful warm glow!
Robin Ager sent me this: “Much as I would like to help you, I don't remember much of the detail of this game, though I do recall that it was a satisfying victory over an experienced and successful side. Ron Hooker did make an impression as a batsman: I was at the other end when he took on the home spinners (can't remember who), getting down the wicket very effectively. Since you haven't singled him out, I guess Ron didn't get a 50, but he must have been near it. Of the Beddington players, the only one I got to know was John Robertson, arguably the least talented of their batsmen, but good enough to play for the Civil Service Representative XI - though the fact that he was the Treasurer may have had some bearing on this selection.”
Bill Hart recalls overhearing this extraordinary conversation in the Beddington clubhouse after the game: Sycophantic Beddington Supporter (of whom there were always many) "Neville, why didn’t you become a professional cricketer?" Neville Griffin (in a lofty tone) " If I had known how good I was going to be, I would have ".
Bill tells me “Incidentally, like South Hampstead, Beddington have fallen on hard times, and are languishing well down in the lower divisions of the Surrey Championship.”
Guilty Confession Robin Ager decided to get this load off his chest whilst corresponding with me on other matters
While I am writing, and lest I should ever want to run for high political office, I think I should reveal my guilty secret now: I'm going out to watch the Mumbai test, and a couple of one day games, under the auspices of the Barmy Army. Since I am on record as holding very similar views on this organisation to those you expressed in your latest Googlies, I should explain that my son, in a post-Ashes fervour, persuaded me that now was the time to go to India (a long-held ambition of mine), and that the Barmy Army is very much cheaper than any of the other companies. Although I do have misgivings, I'm hopeful that, as it becomes bigger, it will attract older (and more sensible?) members. If not, I'll know where to complain: Nicola Bowes, Russell's daughter, is working for the Army at the moment.
Irritating Trends in Modern Cricket- number 35
Back in the bad old Packer days he introduced an animated duck that trooped across the screen spilling tears when a batsman was dismissed for a plonger. I can’t bring myself to say “duck”. When the scorecard was shown this irritating facsimile appeared in the runs scored column in place of the 0. This persisted for some years but was eventually dropped, sensibly, by the ABC. For no good reason this irritating feature has been reintroduced during the current Australian season. Its one of those things that would even seem out of place in a Twenty20 match let alone a proper test match. It is something that is dreamed up by marketing people who have no knowledge of the game they are trying to popularise. Like nicknames on the shirt. I know…
And while we are at it the England team in India not content with the injury handicaps that they have brought with them will be experimenting with red-tinted contact lenses during the tour. So we can expect additional outbreaks of red mist no doubt.
Strange Elevens Not surprisingly Alvin Nienow detected that last month’s Strange Eleven was compiled exclusively of Old Danes who had played at Shepherd’s Bush. Their Jazz Hat is presumably compiled of a ghastly mixture of greens. Alvin offered to come up with an Alternative Eleven which fitted this category but I am still waiting for him to make his selection. However, the Great Jack Morgan couldn’t resist coming up with a second Bush-Danes side which included himself, presumably as captain:
Phil Matthews (w/k)
Jack Morgan
Frank Foreman
John Adams
Gary Rhoades
Jim Revier
Tony Bennett
Malcolm Rhoades
Steve Caley (one match)
Alan Holley
Arthur Gates
Perhaps Alvin will be able to come up with a third eleven in this illustrious category.
This month the Great Jack Morgan has come up with a more familiar bunch of names, but what Jazz Hat are they entitled to wear?
Alan Jones
Phil Weston
Mark Butcher
John Crawley
Keith Pont
Graeme Swann
Gareth Batty
Alex Morris
Andy Pratt (w/k)
Angus Fraser
Simon Francis
Rangers Matters Whilst the Great Jack Morgan suns himself in warmer climes during the cold days of January his cousin Jim Revier keeps him apprised of developments at Loftus Road. When he returned and read G&C 38 he sent me this
I was amused to read JSCR’s Rangers report which mentions that they “have improved a bit of late” and that they “look more secure at the back” because I had just read his report on the Leicester game. I will spare you the full report, but just sample some of these phrases: “outstanding ineptness”, “relegation form”, “laughable awfulness”, “crass defending”, “more sloppy defending” and “awful, awful, awful”! There is nothing left in the season for the Rangers now: they simply have to make sure that they do not go down. This task may not be so simple, however, following the news that Olly, Tim Breacker and Gary Penrice have all been “suspended” and seem unlikely to return. It looks like Gary Waddock could be in charge, but I hear that Jim Smith has turned down the senior role alongside him. I cannot say that I blame Smith in view of the dodgy people that are running the club, but I wouldn’t be too keen on old dinosaurs returning to the club anyway.
Googlies gets Published
Through the marvels of the Internet I have published the first twenty editions of Googlies & Chinamen in hardback book form. I have left the individual editions exactly as they were originally sent out, warts, errors and all. So those of you who so enjoy pointing out my errors can relive their excitement for a second time. If you would like a copy go onto www.lulu.com and type Googlies into the search box. The cost is $19.41 plus $12.88 postage and packing. If you would like to avoid the p&p I can bring copies to the UK and supply them at £15 each.
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.
Googlies and Chinamen
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An Occasional Cricketing Journal
Edition 39
March 2006
Emergency Ward Ten
The England Tour of India has become a shambles before it has really got underway. The catalogue of injuries can have surprised no one who has followed the England team in recent series. Because of the success enjoyed there has been an extreme reluctance to pick from outside the inner sanctum and, therefore, the chosen ones have been selected as long as they could stand unassisted without falling over on the day of the match.
The England set up is now operating on some fundamentally flawed thinking. Central Contracts have led to a relatively small group of individuals forming the nucleus of the England team. They have developed an aggressive form of cricket with big hitting and a four man pace attack which has served them well over the past couple of seasons. However, Fletch and Peg Leg have become increasingly reluctant to include anyone from outside their tight nit circle and have been prepared to go with injured and half fit cronies rather than consider anyone else. When other bowlers are included they are reluctant to bowl them. Flintoff just has to bowl more overs if Jones is unfit (Oval and Pakistan) and there appears to be no replacement for Giles (Batty and Udal). Slow bowling does not fit into their game plan and they have turned Gilo into a negative stock bowler. He never used to bowl like that. It will be fascinating to see who they let bowl if the Indian wickets suit spin. In recent series in India seamers have held sway and so the Indian authorities will be unlikely to ask for similar wickets this time given England’s strength in that department. It is encouraging to see Panesar in the party, but they won’t want to bowl him and how long will it be before we see him operating over the wicket and pitching the ball outside the off stump?
The Indian batting looks awesomely strong at present. Sehwag, Dravid and Tendulkar are all in form and are of proven class. Youvraj Singh, Dhoni and Pathan have all made good scores in Pakistan and there is also Laxman. Their bowling has been less impressive, though, and I suspect that England will score runs as well. So it will come down to the wickets and if they favour Harbajhan and Kumble that will decide matters.
Lets hope that Cook, Shah and Panesar each have a good series and then the England side can start to be selected from a broader group of individuals and not be dependent on far too small a group of centrally contracted players.
Too Much or Too Little Cricket
I don’t buy it that the England team has to play too much cricket. Last season the batsmen played less than twenty first class innings and none of the bowlers bowled anything approaching a respectable load for the likes of Statham, Snow, Titmus or Underwood. After the Ashes series they had two months off before the Pakistan trip. They still arrived ill equipped for the tour and were resoundingly beaten. They have now had another couple of months off and are even less well prepared for the India outing. In what other occupation do you get two months off between assignments?
I think that they actually play too little cricket. The batsmen get virtually no match practice and every innings becomes a crunch one. The bowlers never stretch themselves between series and consequently regularly break down when they have a net in the week before the next match.
I know that this is not the message that the pros would have us believe and in due course there will no doubt be a relaxing of the intense international fixture programme. The obvious solution to this is to drop Zimbabwe and Bangla Desh into an ICC second division. In the meantime they will have to look at extending the central contracts to a larger group of players.
Out and About with the Professor
The Professor, like other correspondents, told me that he will be going out to India to see the Third Test Match at Mumbai. I asked him if he had any thoughts on anything before he departed. He replied:
“Only that Peg Leg has once again pegged out. Collingwood and KP have bad backs and most of the rest have the shits. I look forward to joining them since I have both of the former afflictions already and will doubtless acquire the latter as soon as I get there.”
Wisden Five
Refreshed from his winter break in warmer climes the Great Jack Morgan is making his usual unbiased selection in good time: “Just in case you were wondering about the Wisden Five, I reckon that Shah, Joyce, Richardson and Weekes select themselves and I am giving Scott Styris the nod for the fifth place, just ahead of Ed Smith. Having just written that, I am now wondering why Styris didn’t get his cap when Richardson and Smith got theirs. Was it just that he was absent at the time? Has it been awarded since? Did they just forget all about him? Or did he need that century at the Oval to clinch it for him?”
Does anyone else want to join the Wisden Five debate this year? Remember that the rules are weird. Previous awardees are ineligible and it only seems to be performances in England that count unless they are by Englishmen abroad. Come to think of it I might select a Red Mist Five myself.
The Super bowl Ticket
Ken Molloy thought that you might enjoy this
A man from Pittsburgh had 50-yard line tickets for Super Bowl XL.
As he sits, another man comes down and askes if anyone is sitting in the seat next to him. "No," he says, "The seat is empty."
"This in incredible," said the man. "Who in their right mind would have a seat like this for the Super Bowl, the biggest sporting event in the world, and not use it?"
He replies, "Well, actually, the seat belongs to me. I was supposed to come with my wife, but she passed away. This is the first Super Bowl we haven't been together since we got married in 1987." "Oh....I’m sorry to hear that. That's terrible. But couldn't you find someone else, a friend or relative, or even a neighbour to take the seat?"
The man shakes his head. "No, they're all at the funeral."
Duckworth Lewis Strikes Again In the first One Day International between Pakistan and India in Peshawar, India batted first and scored a commendable and challenging 328. Pakistan had reached 311 for 7 at the end of the forty-seventh over when the umpires decided to take the players off for bad light. Under the Duckworth Lewis rules the match was awarded to Pakistan by 7 runs. As if 17 were not challenging enough from the last three overs with only three wickets left our jovial mathematicians determined that they would have scored 24. You go figure.
The Missing Photo
When I wrote the article on South Hampstead’s appearance at Lords in 1968 I intended to include the team photo taken in the famous Rose Garden. However, when it came to it I couldn’t find my copy. When I spoke with Bill Hart he couldn’t find his either. Bill has now located his copy and has digitally enhanced it for us.
Audrey Hawdon(scorer), Alan Cox, Bill Hart, Terry Cordaroy, John Matthews, Don Wallis, John Tutton, Jim Sharp(12th man)
Harold Stubbs, George Cole, Bob Peach, Len Stubbs, Robin Ager.
You will quickly realize that this photo was taken before the match since there were no smiles afterwards when Hornsey had lifted the Wills Trophy.
The Great Jack Morgan Appreciation Society
The normally assured Great Jack Morgan has been suffering indecision over his usually perfect recall of history. He sent me the following:
“When out for one of my long walks the other day, I found myself wondering about your inclusion of Bunny Hutchinson as a member of the Great Jack Morgan Appreciation Society. It is possible, of course, that he gave me a good report on my performance in that first school match of the season, but it suddenly struck me that it is more likely that the rave reviews came from the warm-up match that we played against the Under15s. That match was played on the pitch by the huts on a weekday afternoon and was watched by two or three masters and refereed by another. It is also possible that other teachers may have seen parts of the match as they went about their business, so Bunny is really just one of a number of suspects... or perhaps there were unanimous glowing reports from all witnesses?”
I was not very sympathetic to this wobble and responded as follows: It is only right and proper that you should review past claims during your perambulations but you shouldn’t worry about Bunny. When I saw him recently he confirmed that he was still your biggest fan and would stand as President of the Great Jack Morgan Appreciation Society in 2006. But there were probably other expert observers who would have been able to confirm his assessment of your skills and would have properly discounted the fact that you were actually only playing against little boys. But who would these sports jacketed individuals have been? And who was the referee? If we can solve these riddles then we can properly elevate your performance to the Du Cane Football Hall of Fame and move on. Would you like me to ask in Googlies if anyone can remember playing in this pre-season warm up match? Perhaps the one legged Adams was performing and, of course, that might help to explain why you stood out? We alternatively or additionally might jog other memories that would lead to new applicants to join the legions of members of the Great Jack Morgan Appreciation Society?
The Fine Seed Pods of Club Cricket In G&C 37 Denis Jones introduced us to The Fine Seed Pods of Club Cricket of which his father was a member. Roy Dodson spoke to me recently and told me that Tiny Day had been a member as well and that he had taken him as a guest to one of their dinners at which David Wylie, the Hornsey umpire, had been inducted as a member. Roy explained that the Seed Pods were a club that invited ex players, umpires and other servants of the club game to join and help maintain the highest standards of the atmosphere of club cricket. Does anyone know anything else about this laudable organisation and does it still exist?
Match Report The following match took place at Beddington Park on Sunday 10th May 1964 between South Hampstead and Beddington.
I had started playing at South Hampstead in July 1963 and scratched around in the seconds and third elevens. This was an early fixture in 1964 and it was during school term time and so I was yet to appear in club cricket. However, I was aware that this was a big match that ranked alongside similar fixtures with other rivals such as Hornsey and High Wycombe. Beddington were strongly associated with the Surrey County club and many of their side were county second eleven players or had appeared in the full county side. My Mum and Dad decided to have a family outing and so George and I traveled with them to see the 1st XI in action.
Bob Peach and Terry Cordaroy opened the batting for South Hampstead against a new ball attack of Neville Griffin and Jake Hall. They added 67 in fifty minutes before Terry was out for 37. Robin Ager joined Bob who was out hit wicket for 40. Len Stubbs went quickly but this brought Ron Hooker to the crease and he struck two sixes in a quick fire 21. The second of these went straight over the sightscreen having scarcely been higher since it left the bat. Griffin returned to trap him LBW and this brought Alvin Nienow in and he added 63 in thirty five minutes with Ager before the latter was run out for 57. John Weale made a brief appearance at the crease and Bruce Tutton was the not out batsman when Alvin was caught for 61 and the declaration came at 231 for 7 after 167 minutes.
Don Wallis made the early breakthrough in the Beddington innings having Tony Brown caught by Hooker and then John Robertson caught by Bruce Tutton. Bill Hart gave way to Roy Phipps who had quick success having Mike Murray caught by Wallis for 49. Wallis then had Parks caught by Nienow and Beddington were 75 for 4. John Weale took over from Don and dismissed Wills and when Phipps had Griffin caught behind by Ager, Beddington had slumped to 80 for 6.
Ron Dolby and Ernie Clifton, the Middlesex understudy to John Murray, dug in and saw off Weale and they also enjoyed a few overs from Bruce Tutton. But Ron Hooker came into the attack with twenty minutes to go and started bowling big away swingers. He immediately had Dolby caught by Ager for 24 and in his next over had Malcolm Reeves LBW. In his third over he bowled Clifton for 40 and Hall, the last batsman, came to the crease at 7.27pm. Peach brought back Bill Hart for the final over and he had Len Watson LBW off the last ball. Beddington were dismissed for 155 and South Hampstead had recorded a famous victory. Wallis took 3 for 28 and Hooker 3 for 6.
I asked several of those who had played in this famous game if they had any recollections
Bob Peach wrote back: “My first ever match for South Hampstead was at Beddington whilst still at St Clement Danes in 1954, I think, under the Clain captaincy. Distant memory suggests we had never won before and we certainly didn’t until 1964. We always saw the Beddington fixture in the third weekend as our first big test of the season against the generally recognised best club South of the river. Like many previous years this match was played on a fine sunny day in front on the usual large and predictably home biased crowd. Memory recalls that our substantial score was based on pretty consistent batting throughout. This was probably the only occasion South Hampstead had batted first in my time. I don’t think that the formidable Beddington batting line-up ever seriously threatened but I remember little of their innings until Hooker’s late spell. It was a highly competitive good quality match between two talented sides. How times have changed.”
Alvin Nienow sent me these notes “To be honest, I can remember little by way of details of the 1964 match. However, I remember the feeling that our victory there engendered. Beddington as a cricket club were very key in my whole development as a cricketer and perhaps as a person. It all began at St Clement Danes, also under the leadership of Peachy. We had a wonderful cricket master, René Amelot, a stalwart of Spencer and a great supporter of the original Wanderers. He invited Bob and I to join the Wanderers as being suitable as cricketers and socialisers, since we often went drinking with many of the masters. I considered this a great honour and one of the earliest games that I played for them was against Beddington, probably in 1957, and I think Bob played too. Again, I don’t remember details but my impression was of a wonderful ground and a superb wicket. We batted first and I couldn’t have got many runs because I don’t remember my innings at all! We got a decent total (over 200 certainly) but we were an old side and Tony Brown, who played a lot for Surrey 2nds and Mike Murray, ditto for Middlesex, opened the batting and duly knocked off most of the runs without breaking sweat. Bob and I were complimented for being very un-Wanderers like for chasing around in the field with great energy and enthusiasm, which, as it appeared to my team mates in my first season at South Hampstead in 1962, was all I did!
Beddington were a real powerhouse and they continued to appear that way after I joined South Hampstead. I don’t remember the games of ’62 and ’63 but I think they must have been draws as we rarely lost and we certainly hadn’t beaten them. To me, they still appeared to be invincible. The game of ’62 was memorable however because it was a beautiful day and I can remember watching from deckchairs outside the pavilion towards the end of the game. Our daughter, Fiona, established her propensity for enjoying alcohol which has followed her for the rest of her life by drinking out of the glasses placed beneath the deckchairs, crawling quietly from one to another!
The team that Beddington put out in 1964 was as powerful as usual, virtually everyone having county first or second team experience, e.g., in addition to Tony and Mike, Norman Parkes and Neville Griffin were both fine middle order bats and medium- fast bowling all-rounders, Norman more a batsman and Neville, a bowler. Mike Reeves was a top class off-spinner and JPK Hall was county quick and played a lot for Surrey 1st. Again, I don’t remember the start of the innings but I do remember that by the time I batted, one of the middle order had to provide that acceleration which was our team approach based on a solid start from Terry and whoever else went in early with him. I had one of my purple patches and clearly remember hitting Mike Reeves over extra cover a couple of times. After that, the field was put back and we ran lots of singles. Finally, I went for everything and I scored a very fast 61, being caught at deep mid-wicket off Norman Parkes. It was a wonderful feeling getting runs off the mighty Beddington.
When they batted, they were never really in the hunt but neither did we look like getting them all out! It was beginning to look like an anti-climax but then Ron Hooker got 3 wickets very quickly and with time running out, Bill Hart got the last wicket. Miracle of miracles! We had beaten the great Beddington. Of course, we all knew that we were a very good side but Beddington were something special and probably the strongest side south of the Thames in those days-or at least of those that we played. The celebrations were long and very alcoholic in the bar afterwards (pre-breathalyser) and I particularly remember talking happily with Norman Parkes. Cricket the way it should be played. Give your all on the pitch and enjoy each other’s company afterwards! I never played against Beddington again but the name still conjures up that beautiful ground, great cricket and a wonderful warm glow!
Robin Ager sent me this: “Much as I would like to help you, I don't remember much of the detail of this game, though I do recall that it was a satisfying victory over an experienced and successful side. Ron Hooker did make an impression as a batsman: I was at the other end when he took on the home spinners (can't remember who), getting down the wicket very effectively. Since you haven't singled him out, I guess Ron didn't get a 50, but he must have been near it. Of the Beddington players, the only one I got to know was John Robertson, arguably the least talented of their batsmen, but good enough to play for the Civil Service Representative XI - though the fact that he was the Treasurer may have had some bearing on this selection.”
Bill Hart recalls overhearing this extraordinary conversation in the Beddington clubhouse after the game: Sycophantic Beddington Supporter (of whom there were always many) "Neville, why didn’t you become a professional cricketer?" Neville Griffin (in a lofty tone) " If I had known how good I was going to be, I would have ".
Bill tells me “Incidentally, like South Hampstead, Beddington have fallen on hard times, and are languishing well down in the lower divisions of the Surrey Championship.”
Guilty Confession Robin Ager decided to get this load off his chest whilst corresponding with me on other matters
While I am writing, and lest I should ever want to run for high political office, I think I should reveal my guilty secret now: I'm going out to watch the Mumbai test, and a couple of one day games, under the auspices of the Barmy Army. Since I am on record as holding very similar views on this organisation to those you expressed in your latest Googlies, I should explain that my son, in a post-Ashes fervour, persuaded me that now was the time to go to India (a long-held ambition of mine), and that the Barmy Army is very much cheaper than any of the other companies. Although I do have misgivings, I'm hopeful that, as it becomes bigger, it will attract older (and more sensible?) members. If not, I'll know where to complain: Nicola Bowes, Russell's daughter, is working for the Army at the moment.
Irritating Trends in Modern Cricket- number 35
Back in the bad old Packer days he introduced an animated duck that trooped across the screen spilling tears when a batsman was dismissed for a plonger. I can’t bring myself to say “duck”. When the scorecard was shown this irritating facsimile appeared in the runs scored column in place of the 0. This persisted for some years but was eventually dropped, sensibly, by the ABC. For no good reason this irritating feature has been reintroduced during the current Australian season. Its one of those things that would even seem out of place in a Twenty20 match let alone a proper test match. It is something that is dreamed up by marketing people who have no knowledge of the game they are trying to popularise. Like nicknames on the shirt. I know…
And while we are at it the England team in India not content with the injury handicaps that they have brought with them will be experimenting with red-tinted contact lenses during the tour. So we can expect additional outbreaks of red mist no doubt.
Strange Elevens Not surprisingly Alvin Nienow detected that last month’s Strange Eleven was compiled exclusively of Old Danes who had played at Shepherd’s Bush. Their Jazz Hat is presumably compiled of a ghastly mixture of greens. Alvin offered to come up with an Alternative Eleven which fitted this category but I am still waiting for him to make his selection. However, the Great Jack Morgan couldn’t resist coming up with a second Bush-Danes side which included himself, presumably as captain:
Phil Matthews (w/k)
Jack Morgan
Frank Foreman
John Adams
Gary Rhoades
Jim Revier
Tony Bennett
Malcolm Rhoades
Steve Caley (one match)
Alan Holley
Arthur Gates
Perhaps Alvin will be able to come up with a third eleven in this illustrious category.
This month the Great Jack Morgan has come up with a more familiar bunch of names, but what Jazz Hat are they entitled to wear?
Alan Jones
Phil Weston
Mark Butcher
John Crawley
Keith Pont
Graeme Swann
Gareth Batty
Alex Morris
Andy Pratt (w/k)
Angus Fraser
Simon Francis
Rangers Matters Whilst the Great Jack Morgan suns himself in warmer climes during the cold days of January his cousin Jim Revier keeps him apprised of developments at Loftus Road. When he returned and read G&C 38 he sent me this
I was amused to read JSCR’s Rangers report which mentions that they “have improved a bit of late” and that they “look more secure at the back” because I had just read his report on the Leicester game. I will spare you the full report, but just sample some of these phrases: “outstanding ineptness”, “relegation form”, “laughable awfulness”, “crass defending”, “more sloppy defending” and “awful, awful, awful”! There is nothing left in the season for the Rangers now: they simply have to make sure that they do not go down. This task may not be so simple, however, following the news that Olly, Tim Breacker and Gary Penrice have all been “suspended” and seem unlikely to return. It looks like Gary Waddock could be in charge, but I hear that Jim Smith has turned down the senior role alongside him. I cannot say that I blame Smith in view of the dodgy people that are running the club, but I wouldn’t be too keen on old dinosaurs returning to the club anyway.
Googlies gets Published
Through the marvels of the Internet I have published the first twenty editions of Googlies & Chinamen in hardback book form. I have left the individual editions exactly as they were originally sent out, warts, errors and all. So those of you who so enjoy pointing out my errors can relive their excitement for a second time. If you would like a copy go onto www.lulu.com and type Googlies into the search box. The cost is $19.41 plus $12.88 postage and packing. If you would like to avoid the p&p I can bring copies to the UK and supply them at £15 each.
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