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