Class is Permanent

Hi everyone!

The wonderful weather of the last few days reminds us that the Cricket Season is fast approaching.

Along with a couple of hundred other Old Boys, sprinkled with a few Ladies, I had lunch today with ‘Lord’ Ted Dexter.

 

Ted, of course, captained England & Sussex in the 1960’s.

He played in 62 Tests, averaging 48.

But Statistics alone only begin to tell you about Ted.

He was playing in the very first game I ever saw at Hove:  Sussex v Yorkshire in May 1960.

He was England captain in 1964 at the Oval when I saw Freddie Trueman become the first ever bowler to take 300 Test wickets.

And on his return to First Class cricket in 1968, I was at the Central Ground, Hastings to see him score 200 & hit Derek Underwood across Queen’s Road into Marks & Spencer.

When I went home with Mum & Dad after that very first game I dreamt that I too would Bat 3 for England & Captain the team.
   Almost 52 years on ... I'm still dreaming !!

After lunch, John Barclay – himself a former Sussex captain & author of Life Beyond the Airing Cupboard, the best cricket book I have ever read   - was the compere.

He gave Ted some gentle questions; tempting half volleys just outside off stump.

Ted turns 77 this May and whilst he looked very little changed from the days of his pomp, his first couple of answers were a bit stuttering.

But whilst Form is Temporary, Class is Permanent & he was soon into his stride, even if - as in all the best anecdotes – some of the facts were not quite what Wisden records.

There were tales of how Ted came to be recruited to Sussex, being managed on England's tour Australia in 1962/63 by the Duke of Norfolk, being struck by lightning whilst commentating on BBC and plenty more.

An hour rushed by and all too soon it was time for a walk round the ground before heading back to Chatsworth Square.

I was very pleased that John Squire was able to join me.

When it comes time for him to give the Eulogy at my Funeral, I know that there will be a story or two about Cricket at Hove.

I hope to see you all at plenty of games this season !!

Lord Ric