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