Winning is better than Losing

Hi everyone!

Winning is better than Losing

But watching a game you love trumps everything

Michael Henderson in The Times, September 2018

Reflections on Season 2018

The Met Office’s statistics show that Summer 2018 was a record-breaking year, with average temperatures in England at 17.1C  slightly ahead of 1976’s 17.0C.

The Summer of 2018 will be remembered for a six-week spell from the end of June to the second week of August when daytime temperatures in parts of the country consistently topped 30C.

The chilly days of April and the occasional rained-off game (of which the Sussex Sharks suffered 4 out of 14 in their T20 Qualification games) have long been forgotten.

It was a really great summer for watching Cricket!!

There were lots and lots of days up in the deckchairs up at the Cromwell Road end at my beloved Hove.

County games, RL50 one day games (including against Australia) and the T20 Vitality Blast, of which more later.

There was also the now traditional KSL Women’s Finals Day.

Of course, there were the regular annual visits to Arundel, Beckenham and the Nevill, Tunbridge Wells.

The Nevill

And to Chelmsford and to Taunton.

To Lords and the Oval for the sell-out crowds of the T20s on Thursday and Friday evenings. 

Jofra Archer hat trick to beat Middlesex

There were enjoyable visits to new grounds: to Eastbourne and to Scarborough.

As for Eastbourne, Alan Ross the cricket correspondent of The Observer in the 1950's and '60s wrote:

At Eastbourne cricket is played to a background of croquet and bowls, old Colonels and straight-backed memsahibs going about their daily ritual, indifferent to the pock of bat on ball and the marauding seagulls.

No too much had changed when I visited in June for the game v Essex !!

Laurie Evans on his way to a 100 at Eastbourne

As for Scarborough, cricket at the North Marine Road Ground - within a 100 yards of the North Sea -  has always been hard fought since Yorkshire started playing there way back in 1878.

On the day I was there in June, Morne Morkel (the former South African fast bowler with 300+ Test wickets) bowling for Surrey took 5 wickets for 39 runs. I was delighted to just be watching from the boundary and not having to face him !!

As Tanya Aldred wrote in The Guardian:

Of course it works best in the sun. Of course it works best when every ball is enthralling. But to watch cricket at an outground, to sit on the worn benches at Scarborough this week and gaze at the red-brick pavilion where so many have unpacked their bags in hope, just a short stroll from the crashes of the North Sea, is one of life’s pleasures. 

Scarborough

As for Sussex, it was a year of mixed fortunes with some encouraging progress under new Coach Jason ‘Dizzy’ Gillespie.

8^th of 9 teams in the Southern division of the Royal London One-Day Cup, with 2 wins and 4 losses was an under-achievement.

By contrast, in the T20 Vitality Blast the Sussex Sharks held their nerve to win the last 3 qualifying games to qualify for a quarter-final which they won against Durham.

Rashid Khan – just 20 years old and already the World’s top ranked one day bowler – was the stand out bowler in the qualification games with 17 wickets at 14.3 runs and an economy rate of only 6.6 per over.

And who knew there were so many people in Sussex who hailed from Afghanistan and who flocked to watch their fellow countryman play!

Rashid Khan & Friends !

In the County Championship – for an Old Boy like me the Blue Riband event - Sussex entered the final rounds of matches fighting with eventual champions Warwickshire and the Old Foe Kent for 2 of the promotion places.

But it was not to be. Sussex’s losses away against Middlesex and then Durham left Warwickshire needing just a Draw at Hove to secure promotion and leave Sussex facing another season in Division 2.

Looking across the whole season, Kent's win – by just 58 runs - against Sussex at Canterbury in May proved crucial, with New Zealander Matt Henry taking 10 wickets in the game and scoring a vital 50 for Kent.

Did Sussex make progress?

Well, 3^rd place was better than 2017’s 4^th.

But 2018 had both fewer points (186 v 196) and fewer wins (6 v 7).

There was a real feeling of much-improved team spirit which bodes very well for 2019 and beyond.

The batting averages were topped by captain Ben Brown (912 runs at 43) and David Wiese (538 at 34). But Ben and David bat at numbers 6 and 7 respectively.

The Top 5 to me always had some fragility; for example, in the match lost against Durham Sussex scored only 257 in the two innings combined, with a top score of only 40.

On the other hand, Sussex gained 32 battings points – albeit 3 fewer than in 2017 - and only Warwickshire with 41 gained more.

The 3 youngsters Harry Finch, Tom Haines and Phil Salt all averaged around 30, with plenty of promise for the many seasons ahead.

As for Luke Wells, after his annus mirabilis in 2017 (1,292 runs at 65), 2018 was a much more modest 607 at 26.

But I remain a massive fan of Luke’s.

I continue to believe that he has the potential to open for England.

This Northern Hemisphere winter Luke will skipper Casey South Melbourne in Australia. The next Sussex captain; well, why not?

As for the bowlers, the Seam Attack  - Archer, Jordan, Robinson & Wiese - would have been at home in Division 1.

Jofra Archer’s 42 wickets at 18 came from just 8 matches. I’m sure England will be looking to see whether they can bring forward his eligibility from the Winter of 2022.

Ollie Robinson's 74 wickets at 19 were the highest number from any England eligible bowler.

Ollie Robinson, Sussex Player of the Season

But more than enough of statistics!!

When I look back on Season 2018 there are 3 games I especially remember.

At Arundel – Sunday Telegraph: one of the most beautiful grounds in the world - for the Championship game against Durham, a victory by an innings and 64 runs in 3 days.

On gloriously sunny days, I was there - sitting up under the old oak tree by Jon Filby’s bookstall – for days 2 and 3.

There were maiden first class centuries for Tom Haines and Phil Salt.

The former only playing because Chris Jordan had been called into the England T20 squad. Tom’s Mum had given him a lift from the Second team game at New Malden!

A game recorded forever by Paul Edwards, my favourite cricket writer:

Then there was T20 Finals Day at Edgbaston in Birmingham, a new ground for me.

There’s a story to tell as to how I got the tickets for Jill & me.

In short, my thanks to Sussex Major Sponsor Boundless!!

Sussex Squad for T20 Finals Day

Helped by captain Luke Wright’s 92 off 53 balls, the highest individual score in Finals Day history, Sussex beat Somerset by 35 runs in the semi-final. 

Luke Wright, Sussex's Best ever T20 player

In the Final after 14 overs Sussex were on track for 180+, but the last 6 overs brought only 36 runs for a total of 157 (Sussex T20 batter of the season Laurie Evans 52).

Going into the 19^th over Worcestershire needed 17 runs. But Jofra Archer began with a 6 no-balls delivery and Ben Cox then scored 6 off the free hit. The next ball went for 4 and Worcestershire had won with 9 balls to spare.

But indeed it is true:

Winning is better than Losing

But watching a game you love trumps everything

A day that started with leaving home just after six in the morning and getting back just after one the next morning – with 3 games of T20 from 11.00 to after 21.30  - will long live in the memory !

Luke Wells leading the Sussex supporters

And so to the Season’s end at Priory Park, Chichester, the final new ground for me.

The match was Sussex v The Duke of Richmond’s XI to celebrate the centenary of the 7^th Duke of Richmond giving Priory Park to the people of Chichester as a perpetual memorial to the fallen of WWI.

They’ve been playing cricket in the Chichester area since the early 16^th century.

And: NO, the Lads & I were not  there back then !

Regular games are recorded from the early 18^th century, with the earliest known ‘Articles’ of Cricket being written in 1727 for the Duke of Richmond.

The 2018 game – as all the best games should – went to the very last ball, with the Duke’s XI  240- 8 beating Sussex 239-6.

As I sat on the grass on the east side of the ground I poured myself a cup of coffee.

Next to me a lady asked that most leading of all questions:

Would I like a Marks & Spencer Iced Bun?

There’s only one answer to that: she can definitely watch with me next Season !!!

----

It has been a tremendous Season.

To all those of you who came along to watch with me … A HUGE Thank You !

Winter well & see you in Season 2019 !!!

After all ….

Why read a Lord Ric Cricket Blog, when you can star in your own. 

Lord Ric of Beckley Furnace

Follow me on Twitter: LordRic52

PS

Next year is the 50th anniversary of a game I played in, in fact the first time I ever captained.

Saturday 3 May 1969: Skinners’ School away to Ravensbourne.

It went to the very last ball …

Come & watch cricket with me and I’ll tell you the tale

You never can tell

Hi everyone!

"C'est la vie", say the old folks,
 It goes to show you never can tell

You never can tell by Chuck Berry

​

Today’s blog is about a game that took place exactly 40 years ago: 

Saturday 2 September 1978

40 Seasons ago Cricket was in crisis.

(Editor: when has Cricket ever not been in crisis?)

The previous season in 1977 The Daily Telegraph no less had accused Sussex of  having “cheapened club loyalty, diluted county identity and created a money market with all the attendant unpleasantness.”

But the player who wanted to leave Worcestershire to join Sussex was well worth fighting for.

The matter went to the Cricket Council where Sussex’s appeal against the Test and County Cricket Board (TCCB) was successful.

Imran Khan was allowed to play in county games later that year.

But this was just a storm in a Spen Cama Pavilion tea cup compared with Tony Greig – captain of Sussex and England – joining Kerry Packer’s Rest of World side to play against an Australia team.

Initially banned from playing Test cricket, Greig went to the High Court to win his claim against the TCCB for an unreasonable restraint of trade.

Greig was re-appointed Sussex captain, but - amidst resignations on the cricket sub-committee and the main committee – he then stood down.

Half way through the season wicketkeeper Arnold Long - who had come to Sussex from Surrey in 1975 – became captain.

In a season of transition, Sussex said goodbye to Greig, Sussex Legend John ‘Snowy’ Snow and Michael Buss.

Imran scored over a 1,000 runs and took 49 wickets and in his first season Javed Miandad topped the batting averages.

Sussex were but a mid-table team in the County Championship, as they demonstrated by losing twice in June to Somerset: by four wickets at Hove and then by an innings and 38 runs at Bath.

But it was better news in the Gillette Cup where an easy win against Minor County Suffolk was followed by a very close game against another Minor County Staffordshire at Priory Road, Stone. Sussex scored 221 (Paul Parker 61), with Staffordshire falling a mere 2 runs short on 219 (Geoff Arnold and Imran both taking 4 wickets).

The Quarter-Final was against Yorkshire at Leeds.

Yorkshire (captained by Geoffrey Boycott) batted first. But rain interrupted and the game had to be replayed on the third day.

In a 10 overs a side game (rather than the usual 60 overs) Sussex scored 68 (Javed 27) and then restricted Yorkshire to 59 (with Arnold and Imran both taking 3 wickets).

It was back to Hove for the Semi-Final against Lancashire.

Having been put in by Lancashire, Sussex’s 277 (Javed 75, Parker 69) looked a big score.

And so it proved as Lancashire (including West Indian captain Clive Lloyd) collapsed to 141 all out, with John Barclay taking  3 for 27, backed up by Arnold, Spencer and Phillipson taking 2 wickets each.

So it was off to the Final at Lords against Somerset - as we've seen - twice winners against Sussex in the Championship earlier in the season.

The Young Man & I got tickets in the Warner Stand, just to the left of the Pavilion as you look out at the ground.

Both lifelong Sussex Supporters, I remember both of us having some qualms for Sussex who were up against what was a very strong Somerset XI.

We weren’t alone in this for ‘From the Sea End: The Official History of Sussex County Cricket Club’ (1839 to 1989) states:

“General opinion had it that Greig was more likely to be elected as the next President of the MCC than Sussex was to win.”

But Chuck Berry was right: You never can tell

Somerset batted first, with their two star batsmen Viv Richards and Ian Botham scoring 44 and 80 respectively in a total of 207 for 7.

Both & Viv

Even Test players get nervous on big occasions. John Spencer recalls:

“I remember Imran’s first over going for 16 runs and thinking that we were going to have a few problems. He was like a cat on a hot tin roof before he settled down.”

Top bowlers for Sussex were John Barclay with 2 for 21 (including dismissing Viv Richards) and John Spencer with 0 for 27, both after 12 overs.

Sussex made a good start, not losing a wicket until they reached 93, with both openers Barclay and Gehan Mendis scoring 44. 
Javed and Imran were out for a duck and 3 respectively and Sussex were in some trouble at 110 for 4.

But, supported by Paul Phillipson’s 32, Man of the Match Paul Parker scored 62 not out to see Sussex safely home - with 5 wickets and over 6 overs remaining - to a Famous Victory.

----

40 years is a very long time …

Life; John Lennon captured it so well as :

For Somerset, both Viv Richards and Ian Botham are now Knights.

Richards was voted one of Wisden’s Five Cricketers of the 20^th Century.

Botham has raised over £12 million from his charity walks for Leukemia Research.

Batting No.3 that day, Peter Roebuck went on to captain Somerset and become an acclaimed journalist and commentator based in Australia. In 2011 he committed suicide.

As for Sussex …

A few weeks ago Imran Khan became Prime Minister of Pakistan.

Paul Parker became Sussex Captain and then for 20+ years taught Classics at Tonbridge School.

John Barclay too became Sussex Captain and then President of the MCC. 

He runs the Arundel Castle Cricket Foundation; over the years thousands of disadvantaged children, many disabled, have come to the beautiful setting of Arundel Castle and learned life skills through the medium of cricket.

@TroutBarclay wrote my favourite book on cricket:

And the Young Man …   

Though we would never have guessed it that Saturday long, long ago… for well over 30 years, he has lived on the far side of the world in Plimmerton, a dozen or so miles north of Wellington, New Zealand.

60+ years after we first met, we remain the Best of Friends!!!

It is always a Special Day when the Young Man is over in the UK & we get to watch together from up at the Cromwell Road end.

Your round 🍺, I think, Young Man !!

And as for me, dear reader?

Well, if Chuck Berry was right, then so too was James Taylor:

I've seen Fire and I've seen Rain
I've seen Sunny days that I thought would never end

I've seen lonely times when I could not find a friend

But I always thought that I'd see You again

Perhaps you’re in your mid 20s – as I was back on 1978 – and the Summer sun is high in the sky.

Or maybe – 40 years on – you’re in your mid 60s and you see the darker evenings approaching.

But wherever you are in  Life ... What are Dreams for, if not to come true!!

So, how about coming and watching some Cricket with me?

I can’t promise you that it’ll be Sunny day.

But I do know we’ll have a really good day out.

After all ….

Why read a Lord Ric Cricket Blog, when you can star in your own. 

See you soon!!

Lord Ric of Beckley Furnace

Follow me on Twitter: LordRic52

PS

I often get asked what it is that I so love about sitting in the iconic deckchairs up at the Cromwell Road end and watching my beloved Sussex play at Hove Actually ….

The Foreword to ‘From the Sea End’ puts it better than ever I could:

For this oldest of first-class sides, the way the game is played matters most of all.

Few would deny that Sussex, even when they are down in the table, are rarely in the dumps. Their cricket shows a remarkable resilience that has survived the most humiliating drubbings to bounce back within a season or two to a whisker of the County Championship.

What's more, even in its worst moments, Sussex is rarely a dull team to play with or to watch, and throughout its whole history has been known as one of the finest fielding sides on the county circuit.

Sussex has played its way through 150 years of first-class cricket without forgetting for one moment that, above all things, cricket is a game, a sport. 
That single sentiment has made its mark on whoever has played for the team or watched from the pavilion, the striped deckchairs, the cowshed or from the sea end.

Sussex is the cradle in which cricket was nursed, and this history of the first 150 years of Sussex County Cricket Club is not simply a bucket of statistics and a record of who did what to make them. It is even more than a celebration of the game. For cricket is part of this land's social history, and Sussex is one of its cornerstones.

Ted Dexter, April 1989

Young Jim & Lord Ted at Hove

--- ---

In a couple of weeks’ time on Saturday 15 September once again Sussex will play Somerset .

This time at Edgbaston in the second Semi-Final on T20 Finals Day.

(And NO !!! I haven’t managed to get a ticket… Don’t even begin to get me started!!!)

No Viv or Both.

No Imran or @BarclayTrout.

But Somerset have Captain Lewis Gregory, James Hildreth & veteran Peter Trego.

Sussex have young Phil Salt, Jofra Archer, Chris Jordan and captain Luke Wright, one of the world’s leading T20 players over the last decade.

It’s going to be a cracking game. 

Just as it was 40 years ago, only the one Winner for me …

Come on The Mighty Sussex Sharks!!!