Pretty Boy

Hi everyone !

Joe Frazier passed away just a couple of days ago.

There were plenty of valedictory articles. Most focused on Joe's  3 fights with Muhammad Ali, the third of which was the Thrilla in Manilla.


James Lawton in the Independent was especially evocative:

Ali  saw his last assignment against Frazier as a formality, something to juggle along with a tempestuous affair with the beautiful Veronica Porsche. Ali was the King of the World then, of course, the conqueror of Foreman in the African jungle clearing and it was an authority that seemed to endure its most serious challenge when his wife Belinda, hearing that her young rival was being passed off as the new Mrs Ali, flew into Manila in a fury that made Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew seem like a minor domestic chore.

It was a distraction that Ali realised soon enough might well have carried the most disastrous consequences. 

Precisely, this was in the seventh round when the champion's presumption that he had weathered the worst of Frazier's pressure was shattered by a new wave of attacks. 

Ali gathered Frazier into his grasp and whispered into his ear, "Joe, they told me you were all washed up." 

Frazier replied, "They told you wrong, pretty boy."

I'm not a fan of boxing ; its sheer physical brutality & long term damage to the boxers is not for me.

But I do recognise the brutality of all competition.

It's almost half a century since I first beat Dad at Draughts on a Sunday evening.
It was only when I did it a second & third time the following weekend  that he recognised what a brutal pastime it is.

And just a few weeks ago  - 30 years and more since we began playing - Dianne started to beat me regularly at Crib.
I knew how Dad felt ...

Lord Ric

Fitz: 40 Years On !

Hi everyone!

The long looked forward to College 40^th Reunion Weekend.

The Best College at the Best University in the World .. probably !!

The weekend got off to a gentle start with a couple of pints in the Sir Isaac Newton & (as always) Lamb Passanda at the Maharajah with the Class of ’71.

A cooked breakfast on Saturday morning & it was time for a trip down memory lane.

First Stop:

A tale to be told of The British General Election 1970.

Second Stop:

My first ever Supervision (in the first floor, right hand room) and what I learnt about being unprepared & Nigel Smethers.

Third Stop:

The traffic lights on Magdalene Bridge and the tale of the Queen’s Chaplain in Scotland and the off duty WPC.

Saturday evening: formal dinner in Hall & then a final pint in the College Bar.

A tremendous weekend !

And all back for the Golden Matriculands’ tea in 2021.

Surrey win the CB40

Hi everyone !




At Lord's on Saturday for Surrey v Somerset in the CB40 Final.

A MASSIVE THANK YOU to Andrew Merrifield of Clydesdale Bank who invited me.
    I can really recommend watching from Box A in the Mound Stand !!

Having been 79 for 5, Somerset were rescued by Josh Buttler who scored a very accomplished 86, hitting two sixes and seven fours off 72 balls , before being bowled by Man of the Match Jade Denbach, who took 4 for 30 in Somerset's 214 all out.

Somerset needed early wickets to stand any chance. And, although Murali Kartik crucially dropped Hamilton-Brown before he had scored, they made two breakthroughs around two brief rain breaks, Kirby taking the wickets of both Davies and Roy.

At 46-2 off seven overs, rain then forced the two sides off again, at which point the weather had caused sufficient delay for Duckworth/Lewis to come into play.I can confirm that no-one in Box A knows how the D/L system works ; so no surprise there!

Somerset's revised target was 186 off 30 overs, meaning 140 were needed off 23 overs, at 6 an over.

Although Suppiah had Maynard caught behind, Schofield helped Hamilton-Brown put on 58 for the fourth wicket.

Just when Schofield and Hamilton-Brown looked to be cruising home, Schofield slammed it straight to Trescothick before Hamilton-Brown was run out by a fantastic direct hit from Buttler at mid-on.

Spriegel (24no) and de Bruyn (17no) saw their side home in the 28th over - to complete a memorable week for Surrey, just three days after winning promotion back to the Division 1 in the County Championship.

From Box A you get  a good view of Father Time, turning in the wind high above the Mound Stand:

Just 60 or 70 metres to the Warner Stand from where I sat with Dad on my first visit to Lords 50 years ago for MCC v Australia in May 1961.

Has Life turned out I thought it would as an 8 year old?

    My Blog next year on 21 June will tell you !! 

The last game of Season 2012 and what a season it has been.

The Diamond anniversary of that Never To Be Forgotten match at Tunbridge Wells.


There have been the much looked forward to annual trips to the Nevill, to Southend and to Beckenham.
The evening game at the Oval.
Sitting on the benches in front of the Pavilion at Lords; a special afternoon with Bob Ayers
A first visit to Southgate, a delightful ground.


A first season of being able to walk to the ground at Hove.


And of course The Day I Watched Cricket with Young Jim Parks ... did I ever tell you the story !!!




Thank you to all of you who watched cricket with me in Season 2011.


I look forward to seeing you in Season 2012.


--


I don't want to keep you in suspense over the long Winter months:

That 8 year old did find the Rainbow.


And I know you will too !




Onward !!


Lord Ric 




PS


During the day Alastair Cook popped in to the Clydesdale box:

On the England  tours to the sub-continent over the winter ... I'm sure he will find the couple of tips I gave him about his batting extremely useful !!

Tremendous day at Lords

Hi everyone !


A tremendous day at Lords for England v India.


And a MASSIVE thank you for Michael for asking me.
Thebes entertaining at its very best  : http://www.thebesgroup.co.uk/


Excellent seats in the front row of the Mound stand and a big contingent from the sub-continent made for a wonderful day out.

India started modestly and after 33 overs had only reached 128-4.

But MS Dhoni (78 not out) and Suresh Raina (84) did not panic and rebuilt the innings steadily.

They both cut loose in the final 10 overs, bludgeoning the ball to all parts in scoring 109 in India's 280 for 5.

England's response started badly, with Kieswetter and Cook both falling to RP Singh.

However, with a good 50 from Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara scored a magnificent 96 to guide England to the brink of victory.

But with the rain falling and England needing 11 to win from seven balls under Duckworth-Lewis, a third downpour ended the match.

After some confusion as to just what the Duckworth-Lewis score actually was ... Final Result : Match tied.

At lunchtime Mike Gatting came round to talk to each of the tables.

I asked him about his nephew, Jo Gatting of Sussex.

As any Good Uncle should, Mike knew Jo's latest scores: 70 in the 1st innings against Worecestershire and a maiden Championship century ( 116*) in the 2nd.


And as for Phil Edmonds?
Mike agreed : Phil's biography A Singular Person summed up Phillipe Henri very well !
( I didn't have the courage to ask about Frances Edemonds' book Cricket, XXXX Cricket ... ...)

---------------

Just one match left this season : the CB40 Final at Lords next Saturday.

See you all soon !

Lord Ric

Lions eat Sharks

 Hi everyone !


I finished Dianne's Action List & set off for the Oval for Surrey Lions v Sussex Sharks in the CB40 Semi-final.


Had just got to the ground ... when the rain started.

A mere 3 hours later ... &  we were ready to go for a 24 overs a side match.


Sussex did have by the far the worst of the weather for bowling & fielding.
   But frankly it didn't really make any difference to the result.


Surrey set off at 10 runs an over & maintained that rate throughout their innings, finishing on 228 for 7. 
There was 60 from Maynard &  Zander de Bruyn hit 43 off 28 balls.


Sussex were soon in trouble with Matt Prior out for 7.
Only Joyce & Nash got more than 20 in Sussex's 157 all out.


It was a tremendous afternoon for Chris Adams, Surrey's cricket manager, who led Sussex to so much success *, and Rory Hamilton-Brown, the Surrey captain, who returned to the Oval from Hove.


* 
It all happened for Chris after he sat next to me at the Cricketer of the Year Awards, where I was a guest of Steve Tinton''s
   Probably just a co-incidence !!


The sooner Sussex get him back as their Manager, the better !


On the day the only thing that Sussex won was having the noisier spectators:

The chaps who always sit at the Cromwell Road end at Hove near the beer tent were out in force ; just below the flag in the photo above.
Having made good use of the 3 hours break for rain ... they were in fine voice.
But to no avail !!




So it's onwards to Lords for the CB40 Final : Somerset v Surrey.
I'm meeting Alastair Cook.
I expect he'll be asking for some advice on his batting !!






Lord Ric

From your correspondent; the Pavilion at Lord's

Time erases the details of our lives in favour of something larger. 
                                                                                  Philip Larkin 
Hi everyone !


50 years after my first visit to Lords - for MCC v Australia on Saturday  27 May 1961  - I have finally got to watch from the Pavilion.

Middlesex v Sussex in the CB40. And Sussex members are allowed to sit on the Pavilion !!

I have loved watching cricket all my life.
    Of course for the Cricket itself, but especially for the time spent with Friends.


On this special occasion it was a very real privilege to be joined by Bob Ayres, a MCC member for 30 years, who was able to show me round the Pavilion.
   Thank you so much, Bob !

As I sat on one of the iconic white benches in front of the Pavilion there were so many memories of previous visits to Lord's.


From my first visit 50 summers ago, watching with Dad from high up in the Warner Stand.

Bill Lawry and Norman O'Neill both scoring centuries.
And Young Jim Parks keeping wicket .... did I ever tell you about the day I watched cricket with Jim !!!


Seeing Sussex beat Warwickshire in the 2nd ever Gillette Cup Final in 1964.
And Kent beating Somerset in 1967.
And Lancashire beating Kent in 1971. Jack Bond taking a brilliant catch at deep mid off in the evening gloom to get Asif Iqbal out for 89.


Watching England v India from the Nursery End on my birthday in 1974 with Pete and Peter Williams.
  Centuries from Amiss, Denness & Tony Grieg in England's 629.


And Australia beating Pakistan in the World Cup final in 1999.
  4 wickets for Shane Warne, Pakistan all out for 132. Australia won by 8 wickets.


In 2003 attending Anthony Cuming's retirement party in the Media Centre.
  And after "Sir" Geoffrey, it will be  "Lord" Ric to sum up the last 50 years.
  Well, Aggers  I've loved cricket, but I've always known that "What do they know of Cricket, who only Cricket know ?"
  Best bowler: Shane Warne.
  Best batsman: Must be a Richards, but I couldn't decide between Barry & Viv. 
           ( Of course, I never saw the Don play .... )
  Best captain : Lord Ted  .. naturally !!
  Favourite player : Young Jim ... never in doubt !!!
  Best player I have played with : Dave Green


And Australia winning again.
This time in the First Test v England in 2005. Australia won by 239 runs.
As I trudged up Wellington Road to St John's Wood Tube station I thought the series was likely to be 5-0 to the Aussies, with England lucky to score nil.
Little did I know that 2005 would be one of the greatest Ashes series ever.


And then in 2009 watching from the Mound Stand with his Family as Rory Cox top scored for Eton against Harrow.
His Dad not daring to watch, not able to miss a single ball
And Rory hitting a Big Six  - surely it landed in St John's Wood Road !!
Cox for England the crowd cried; and they were right to.


As my favourite journalist, Simon Barnes, wrote:
"In sport, and more or less only in sport, we can cast our eyes once again over the sepia-tinted heroscape of lost youth."


What can I tell you of the game ?
  Sussex      239 - 5
  Middlesex 240 -3 


But despite a third defeat in a row in the CB40, Sussex secured their place in the semi-finals.
   Come on you Sharks !!


Will it be back to Lords on Saturday 17 September ... I hope so !!
    Mike Yardy lifting the Cup, just as Lord Ted did all those years ago.


Lord Ric


PS 
  And in answer to your question : the Pork Pie tasted wonderful ! Best ever.

Sussex v Kent in the CB40

Hi everyone !


A damp evening at Hove on Tuesday for Sussex v Kent in the CB40.


It was very good to be joined by Steve Tinton & two first time guests in Rachel McKenzie & Nigel Lynn.


With the Seagulls playing - & beating - Sunderland at the Amex Stadium,Brighton and after a very wet day there was only a thin crowd at the County Ground.

Sussex were cruising towards their target of 217 at 76 without loss after 10 overs, before they lost four wickets for seven runs in three overs.

They  missed the chance to qualify for the semi-finals of the Clydesdale Bank 40 at Hove when they were beaten by Kent by 14 runs.

A win would have taken Sussex through to the last four;  but now they will have to avoid defeat to Middlesex at Lord's on Monday to make sure. 

Subject to the Good Mrs Piper's Bank Holiday Action List & the weather on the day I plan to be at Lord's on Monday .. perhaps you can join me ??

Lord Ric 

1000's on the streets; big police presence

Hi everyone !

It was 11.30 & I was on the corner of North Street & West Street in Brighton.

There were 1000's on the streets & a big police presence - dare  I say they had Come Out to show their support:

It was the Brighton Pride Parade.

Only on Brighton would you get the Conservative Party with their LGBT Tory poster:

LGBT: lgbt.co.uk

There was the Oldest Gay in the Village:

Smartly dressed in a blazer & tie !!



It's been a dreadful week for the reputation of Britain around the world.

But in Brighton on Saturday morning at 11.30 .. a couple of steps were taken in the right direction.

Lord Ric

Annual trip to Southend

Hi everyone !


A gloriously sunny Sunday for the annual trip with John Squire to Southend.
This year Essex played Somerset  in the CB40.


There was a good size crowd - bigger than last year.

On a slow wicket, the 2-24 Murali Kartik took from his eight overs was key to Essex being limited to 140-9, a target they never realistically looked like being able to defend.

They had brief hope, however, when Somerset to  47-3.

But Kartik played the ideal innings for the circumstances, mixing watchfulness with aggression as he scored 40 from 53 balls, including five fours and a six.

Nick Compton (grandson of the famous Denis)  put on 66 with Kartik for the fourth wicket and scored the winning run with 10 overs left.

Southend is a very nice ground - and it's great that they let spectators onto the outfield between innings.

And then of course there are the Add-Ons:

• The Rossi ice cream  - Did you know that the business was founded by the Dad of Francis Rossi of Status Quo ?
• The fish & chips on the beach
• And the pint on the pub at Leigh on Sea.

Altogether a very enjoyable day out !

I hope more people will be able to come along in 2012.

Lord Ric 

The day the wicket keeper had a bowl ...

Hi everyone !


BBC reported:
Soon after lunch, Mahendra Singh Dhoni - briefly handing wicket-keeping duties to Rahul Dravid to send down eight overs of medium pace - thought he had removed Pietersen caught behind, but the decision was rightly overturned on review.


Did I ever tell you the story of the day a Friend of mine was keeping wicket, came on to bowl ... & took a wicket straightaway; the only wicket he would ever take.



England v India 5th Test February 1964 at Kanpur: Sardesai c Edrich b Parks 87.





Did I ever tell you about the day I watched cricket at Hove with Young Jim ... I will be !!!


Lord Ric 

TW3

Hi everyone !


What a week it has been ... ....


Wednesday
Sussex v Hampshire at Hove.
Did I ever tell you about the day that I watched cricket with Young Jim Parks ?? !!


Thursday

20/20 Surrey v Kent with Mrs Lambourne & a new cricket companion: Nigel Taunt.
Very close game; just won by Kent.
And a huge crowd, showing the demand for evening cricket in London.
How long can it before Kent bow to the inevitable & move their HQ to Beckenham ?


Friday
Off to the O2 with Auntie Barbara & the Cliffs ( Vicky & Robert; not Cliff himself) and the Johnsons to see James Taylor.
It  turned out it wasn't the James Taylor of Shrewsbury College and Leicestershire and I'm sure one day of England.
No  - it was the James Taylor of Sweet Baby James
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EoNd_maBbY


When the long-awaited favourites take their turn - Sweet Baby James, Fire and Rain, How Sweet It Is, Carolina In My Mind, You've Got a Friend - it's hard not believe that I'm still a young man in my early 20's ... well, hard until I look in the Mirror !! 


And following on Twitter Sussex beat Surrey in the 20/20 at Hove to get through a quarter final at home against Lancashire


Saturday
Off to Leeds Castle with the Lambournes and the Good Mrs Piper.

16,000 in the crowd listening to the Band of the Royal Marines and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
And seeing a Spitfire flying in the Summers skies over Kent.
All rounded off with a firework display.

TW3: That Was The Week That Was


Onward !


Lord Ric

Did I ever tell you about the day I watched cricket with Young Jim Parks?

In sport, and more or less only in sport, we can cast our eyes once again over the sepia-tinted heroscape of lost youth.

Today I met Young Jim Parks & his wife in the Committee Room at Hove.

They were charming hosts on a day I shall remember forever.

What can I tell you about Jim?

The cricket almanacs would say that he turns 80 this October.

He looks 20 years younger; his memory of matches & players 40, 50 60 years ago as detailed and vivid as though they were just a season or two ago.

So many tales to tell of the cricketing heroes of my childhood, even back to watching The Don at Hove in 1948.

Of Sussex’s triumphs in the first 2 years of the Gillette Cup.

And of his sole Test wicket. (England v India 5^th Test February 1964 at Kanpur: Sardesai c Edrich b Parks 87)

Mum loved cricketers who were Cavaliers, both on & off the pitch.

When she heard commentators praise the Comptons and the Dexters, the Bothams and the Gowers, the Richards and the Warnes, Mum would agree that indeed they were wonderful players.

But she would always go on to say that none could compare with Jim Parks, her “Young Jim.”

He always has been Mum’s Favourite Player.

   And mine. 

Out across the Infinity of Eternity ...  I know that Mum & Dad will have been watching the game with Young Jim and me.

At stumps the match was very finely balanced going into the final day, with Sussex 82 for three needing 151 more for victory over Hampshire.

As I sat on that balcony outside the Committee Room I had so many memories of 50 years of watching at Hove.

Of course, there were the familiar ones:  of Dad and of Pete – sadly not too well just recently and not able to take the long flight from NZ to the UK this year.

And of hoping that a goodly part of my Last Day would be spent at the Cromwell Road end.

But as the clock ticked towards 6 o’clock … for the first time it occurred to me that Retirement … well, it wouldn’t be too bad if I could spend more time at the County Ground !!

 (I didn’t trouble the Good Mrs Piper with the thought … wouldn’t want her getting any Ideas !!)

Onward !

Lord Ric

Match Report : North of the River

Hi everyone !


A rare trip North of the River to Southgate for Middlesex v Somerset in the 20/20.


I was accompanied by Jane & Ron.
   And met Dave, Perry & Richard at the ground.


A very nice ground, with trees on 3 sides & a very decent crowd.



Though they were held to a sensational tie by South Group bottom side Middlesex, Somerset are into the last eight of the 20/20.


Middlesex appeared to be heading for defeat when they began the final over needing 18 off the bowling of Kieron Pollard to overhaul a target of 144 to win.
But Ryan McLaren struck sixes off successive balls to take them within four of victory.
He holed out on the midwicket boundary next ball, but Tom Smith scrambled a two and a single off the last two deliveries to bring the scores level.


Southgate : definitely now on the Annual Fixture List !!

PS There is a tremendous cake & ice cream shop on the walk back to the Tube Station !!


regards, Lord Ric