A Really Good Day Out

The wheel of Heaven turns

Above us

Endlessly

Hi everyone!

I’m very lucky to be able to watch plenty of cricket.

I look forward to all the games.

Some especially: the 1^st game of the season at Hove, the annual trip to the Nevill Ground at Tunbridge Wells.

And in the last week or so: the England v Australia Test Match at Lords & the Restoration Partners’ evening for Surrey v Kent in the t20 at the Oval.

And all season I’ve been really, really looking forward to today’s game: the Saturday of Sussex v Australia at Hove.

After more than two weeks of very sunny weather – like all the Summers were when I was a boy !! – the Met Office forecast was for heavy rain. So John, Anne (on her first ever trip to cricket at Hove) and I were fortunate that we were able to see about two-thirds of the day’s play before heavy rain send us back to Chatsworth Square for an early cup of tea.

The day started with the tourists adding 11 to their overnight score, allowing Steve Smith to reach his century, before declaring on 366-5.

In front of a 7,000 strong-crowd, Sussex soon slumped to 33-3 before Rory Hamilton-Brown with a quick-fire 73 dominated a fourth-wicket stand of 106 with James Taylor (on loan from Nottinghamshire).

Sussex ended the day on 228 for 5, with Taylor on 64 not out (advancing to 121 not out when Sussex declared on Sunday at 368 for 7).

I first saw James play for Shrewsbury against Eton in 2008. 

And have since seen him play several times for Leicestershire, England A & his new county, Nottinghamshire.

It was good news that James & Monty Panesar were recalled into the England squad for this Thursday’s Test Match at Old Trafford.

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As I sat watching I thought of Fred & Jack, my Dad & Granddad, who were at the equivalent match some 65 years ago on Saturday 5^th June 1948.

Dad had called into Barnwell, Horns Cross (near Northiam) for breakfast with Jack & Anne, his father & step-mother.

A proper English, with eggs from Granddad’s chicken.

Just before 9 o’clock they put the picnic in the back of the Land Rover.
Was there a pork pie each? Definitely!!
Was Anne’s picnic up to Mrs Lambourne’s standard?  D’ya know, some questions don’t need to be answered!!

They drove through Staplecross and Battle and then along the A27 to Lewes, over the South Downs into Brighton and along the seafront.

There were many fewer cars in 1948. No parking restrictions and certainly none of the dreaded Brighton & Hove Traffic Wardens. They parked easily in Palmeira Avenue.

By 10.45 they were settled into the deckchairs by the sightscreen at the Cromwell Road end.

Though Fred & Jack were lifelong Sussex supporters, on that Saturday long ago they had come to see Australia bat.

So they were hugely disappointed when the Sussex Captain Hugh Bartlett won the toss & elected to bat.

But the Gods, who watch from high above the sight screen at the sea end, had a twist or two in store that day. For within little more than 45 overs Sussex were all out for only 86, with Ray Lindwall taking 6 for 34.

So it was that not too long after Lunch – when all Good Pipers are usually having a well-deserved gentle snooze – the Aussie openers, Bill Brown & Arthur Morris, came out to bat.

They made a good start, with Brown being first out for 44.

As Brown walked back to the Pavilion to polite applause, he passed the incoming batsman.

Just 5 feet 7 inches tall & almost 40 years old, to the casual observer the new batsman could have been a City Stockbroker playing for his local club on a Saturday afternoon.

But I doubt if there were any casual observers in the ground that day: for the No.3 was the Australian Captain D G Bradman.

The  Don.

The greatest batsman the game has ever known.

As was his normal way, Bradman walked slowly to the wicket, letting his eyes grow accustomed to the sunlight.

He took guard, looked round at the Sussex field placings and – in the version that Dad liked to tell – proceeded to hit the first four balls he faced to the four corners of the ground.

Whatever the precise truth, there is no doubt that Bradman scored a century; out for 109 bowled by Jim Cornford.

I don’t know how many times I heard Dad relate the story of The day I saw Bradman at Hove; let’s agree it was “Lots”!

But every time he would always say that he never saw anyone bat as well as Bradman.

At Close of Play Fred & Jack walked back to the car.

They resisted the temptation of calling in to The Palmeira.

It was for Fred’s son to know of Oscar Wilde’s maxim: “In Life resist everything; except Temptation”.

They drove back across East Sussex, chatting companionably.

On what had been a very warm day, it was a No-Brainer to call into The White Dog at Ewhurst.

The first pint of Harveys slipped down without even touching the sides.

As they sat in the pub garden looking out across the River Rother to Bodiam Castle, Fred & Jack agreed: It had been

A Really Good Day Out

In truth, the second pint was as good as the first.

There was just time – as there always is just time – for One More Round.

“Two Sussex halves please, Mrs D”, Fred said to the barmaid.

They knew each other very, very well.

Fred thought she was a real stunner; he fancied her something rotten.

She smiled; exactly as his son would be, there never was any doubt exactly what Fred was thinking when he fancied someone!!

Fred & Jack finished their beers.
And were soon back at Barnwell.

“Anne, we’re home”, Jack called out. “Sorry we’re a bit late, my Love; heavy traffic near Lewes.”
She didn’t believe him; obviously!
Across the generations the Mrs Pipers have never believed the after-cricket excuses of heavy traffic near Lewes; nor the wrong sort of snow on the line in July!

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A couple of years ago I was at the ground watching Sussex v Hampshire.

At lunchtime I was chatting to an Old Boy. 

“I’m Jim”, he said.

Though he looked a decade or more younger, he told me that in the coming October he would turn 80.
He had seen his first few Sussex games before World War II.

In 1948, as a 16 year old with some chums from Hove Grammar School, he too had seen the Aussies.

Jim’s Uncle Harry was opening for Sussex; but it wasn’t to be his day, out for 4 LBW Sam Loxton.

Over the years, Jim had seen many wonderful batsmen at Hove.

From Compton & Hutton to Cowdrey & May.

Those two quintessential English Lords: Lord Ted & Lord Gower.

The two Richards: Barry & Viv.

And in more recent times, Pietersen & Ponting.

Like Dad, he told me that he had never seen anyone bat as well as Bradman did on that Saturday in 1948.

The following season in 1949 Jim – Young Jim – made his debut for Sussex.  

He would score over 29,000 runs for Sussex, with almost 1,100 catches and 100 stumpings. 

He would play 46 times for England.

This year he is the Sussex President.

I would never claim that Young Jim was the best Batsman – Wicketkeeper the game has ever known, nor even the best I’ve ever seen; Matt Prior, the current England & Sussex wicketkeeper, has a much better batting average.

But for me – just as he was for Mum - Young Jim has always been my Favourite Player.

Never in doubt!

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There are plenty of days left at Hove this year.

I can’t promise you that The Don or Young Jim will be playing.

But I hope that when you come to see me in Hove, you too will have:

 A Really Good Day Out

See you soon!

Lord Ric