Tuesday, 7 June 2016

A World View: 1952 to 2016

Hi everyone!

Will you still need me, will you still feed me
When I’m 64?
Lennon & McCartney

21 June 1952 to 21 June 2016: Still wondering if I’ll ever grow up !!
Lord Ric of Beckley Furnace


Season 2016 has made a good start ...




Relegation at the end of last season to Division 2 of the County Championship has meant that compared to the last few years Sussex are playing some different counties.
So far I have seen Essex, Leicestershire & Derbyshire at Hove.

And as part of my Season 2016 Resolutions to visit some grounds I haven’t been to before, I have made my First Ever Visit to Worcester.

John Squire accompanied me on the train from Paddington.
Once you get beyond Reading and more especially Didcot, it is a lovely journey which wends its way through Oxford (other – much better – Universities are available!) and on through the Cotswolds.
A 10 minutes’ walk and you cross the Severn and are in the ground.

Worcester has a reputation as a very pretty ground.
And as long as you look in the right directions, that is definitely the case.

The view from the Pavilion is wonderful:


John & I were lucky to be invited in to the Pavilion by a couple of Old Boys whom we sat next to who were friends from Primary School and had seen their first game together way back in 1947.

The following season in 1948 they saw the Invincibles: the Aussie team over for the Ashes.
They were there when  Don Bradman played at Worcester. The Don scored a century, as he always does in all the stories that I’ve ever heard from those lucky enough to see him play!

Funnily enough, the other great view is from the Premier Inn:



I popped in for 15 Minutes R&R; just as Mrs (Lady Jane) Kartupelis always asks me to!
#JustFantasising, Jane!!!

There has been time for the first T20 night game at Hove.


Sussex scored a very creditable 222 for 3, with captain Luke Wright hitting a rapid 83 and Chris Nash a majestic 112.
But the highlight was Tymal Mills roaring down the hill from the Cromwell Road end to bowl Chris Gayle, the West Indian superstar playing for Somerset, for a paltry 5.
Sussex won comfortably by 48 runs.

And just last Sunday it was off to Beckenham, just a couple of stations from Bickley, for my annual visit.
I was delighted to be joined by Lady Jane & Rocket Ron.


Kent v Surrey in the RL50. What a game it was....

Surrey scored steadily to reach 255 for 8 in their 50 overs, with Kumar Sangakarra top scoring with 58.

Kent set off well, but when 111 for 1 became 116 for 5 and 147 for 6, Duckworth –Lewis was predicting a straightforward win for Surrey.

But cricket isn’t anywhere near so predictable …
Sam Northeast helped add 72 with Alex Blake. The result was in the balance when James Tredwell was run out from the fourth ball of the final over, bowled by Tom Curran.
 Blake, who recently ended a Championship game with three successive sixes, kept his nerve with a Big 6 over midwicket to seal victory off the penultimate ball.


Looking ahead, it is a demanding schedule over the next few weeks.

There is the Test Match v Sri Lanka at Lords, games at the Ageas Bowl and Arundel and plenty of days at Hove.

On 12 July I am watching cricket at Windsor Castle with the Duke of Edinburgh; Honestly!
Just the one question to ask Phil the Greek. It’s the one Ronald Reagan asked:
Love the Castle, Sir, but why did you build it so near Heathrow Airport!

And then on Sunday 17 July it is off to the Nevill, Tunbridge Wells for Kent v Sussex.

This year it is 65 years since a famous game.
My blog Extra Jelly, Please will be out on Thursday 23rd June to celebrate one of the greatest days of cricket there’s ever been ….


Why not in ink the date into your diary to come and watch with me ?

After all ….
Why read a Lord Ric Cricket Blog, when you can be in one. ©

See you soon !!

Lord Ric of Beckley Furnace

Follow me on Twitter: LordRic52


PS
The Lennon & McCartney song goes on to say:
If I’d been out till quarter to three
Would you lock the door?
Reminds me of the time - just last week - that after a T20 game I got back to Merryfield at about midnight to discover that Lady Piper had bolted the front door …

PPS
OK: There is Dianne’s side to the story … … !!!!

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