The Tale of the Old Dog & the New Trick

Life is a conveyor belt and I’m coming towards the end of it. 
You can’t scramble back along it.

There are very few regrets. I’m happy with what I have achieved.

John Snow, Sussex & England

The Old Dog knew that Snowy was right.

But he wasn’t ready to be a Cuddly Toy just yet.

He wanted to learn a New Trick or two.

A couple of great days in Hove.

On Wednesday it was the final limited overs game of the season: Sussex v Glamorgan in the RL50.

Sussex scored 323 for 3 in their slightly rain affected 48 overs, with Luke Wright top scoring with 127 and young Harry Finch 92 not out.

Duckworth-Lewis kicked in: with Glamorgan set 329 to win.

During the tea interval I was speaking to a couple of Old Boys sitting in  the row behind me.

We all agreed that it would be a wonderful game for Glamorgan to win.

And so it proved.

Glamorgan getting home with 8 balls and 7 wickets to spare, with Jacques Rudolph hitting the highest ever one day score for his County of 169.

And a very warmly-applauded 50 from Murray Goodwin, for so long a Sussex stalwart of the Championship winning sides, now playing for Glamorgan & probably making  his final appearance at Hove.

Would be a good move if Murray was appointed Sussex's batting coach in 2015!

On Thursday evening it was the 175^th Anniversary Dinner of the founding of Sussex County Cricket Club, the oldest first class county.

I was accompanied by John Squire (Yes: he’s booked to do the Eulogy at my Funeral. 20 minutes;focus on my Positives!!).

Plenty of former Sussex captains: from Hubert Doggart who was captain in 1954 through to Mike Yardy who retired as captain a couple of years ago.

Lord Ted

Young Jim

Mike Griffiths

John Barclay
Paul Parker

Chris Adams

And lots of stories to be told: Some new and plenty of the well-loved familiar ones.

Each table had to pick their All-Time Sussex XI.

John & my table came up with:

We got 9 of the 11 chosen by John Barclay in his Dream XI.

He chose CB Fry (rather than Murray Goodwin) & Jim Langridge (rather than Tony Greig).

We’d considered CB; Obviously!!

John Arlott described him with the words: 

"Charles Fry could be autocratic, angry and self-willed: he was also magnanimous, extravagant, generous, elegant, brilliant – and fun ... he was probably the most variously gifted Englishman of any age."

But in these post-Saville days I’m doubtful if his later life would stand up to scrutiny.

But what of the Tale of the Old Dog & the New Trick?

The Old Dog had been watching cricket at Hove for many, many years.

Apart from a few Corporate Hospitality invites to the Boundary Rooms down by the synagogue and the occasional foray into the Pavilion (generally in search of the famous rock cakes), he had always watched from the Cromwell Road end, between the sight screen and Palmeira Avenue; 50 years and more!

A few weeks ago he’d been watching a RL50 game.

And had just finished his pork pie and a pint of Speckled Hen.

He got into conversation with a lady sitting next to him.

Oh yes, he was a regular.

Been watching for years, since Lord Ted & Young Jim were in their pomp.

Always sat at the Cromwell Road end.

Have you ever sat in the Herbalife stand at the sea end?

No, the Old Dog said, perhaps rather too gruffly, for the lady was only asking.

Always sit to the left of the sight screen, ever since I came with Dad for my first game long, long ago in May 1960.

Planning to spend my last afternoon alive just here!!

The conversation moved on, amiability quickly restored …

But the Old Dog was troubled.

How could you know you didn’t like something if you’d never even tried it?

And by the time he was at his next game …

He walked along the Cromwell Road end, past the sight screen and on behind the Pavilion …

And took his seat midway up the Herbalife stand.

 

It turned out … that it was much better viewing than looking from the Cromwell Road end.

And you didn’t have to see the bloody awful flats at the Sea end!!!

The Old Dog smiled to himself.

Don’t think of me as Old.

Plenty of New Tricks to learn!!

See you soon!

Lord Ric of Beckley Furnace

PS

Absolutely No Suggestion that the Old Dog would ever even contemplate having a Cricket Picnic without a pork pie!

#Just Saying!!