Hi everyone!
Memories of Season 2019 … Before
it has even begun!
Mylo
& I did pop round to the ground for each of the afternoons of the Sussex v
Kent 2-day friendly game.
But
Season 2019 really begins today: Day 1 of the County Championship match Sussex
v Leicestershire at Hove.
Season
62 for me of supporting the Mighty Sharks & my 60th year of
sitting in the deckchairs up at the Cromwell Road end, Hove Actually.
So
before Season 2019 has even begun,
what Memories will we have when it is
over?
I start
– where else? – with the prospects for Sussex.
We
have an excellent Coach in Jason ‘Dizzy’ Gillespie.
And
a settled squad of players; plenty of competition for places.
The
bowling looks in good shape.
The
seam bowlers – led by Chris 'CJ' Jordan, Jofra Archer (if not absent on England duty) & Ollie Robinson – will be supported until mid July
by left arm Mir Hamza from Pakistan.
George Garton and Abi Sakande - an Oxford Blue following in the footsteps of illustrious predecessors CB Fry and Imran Khan - may get opportunities to play
Danny
Briggs will be the main slow bowler, with Rashid Khan returning for his second
season in the T20. I hope leg spinner Will Beer will also get some games.
As
for the batting …
I’d
like the younger players – Harry Finch, Phil Salt & Tom Haines – to kick on
and move their batting averages up to mid 30’s and above.
Stiaan Van Zyl - the 100th batsman to score a 100 on Test debut - makes a welcome return from major injury and Delay Rawlins is a batsman to look out for, especially in the T20.
Laurie Evans & Michael Burgess will want to play regularly.
If
the two senior batsmen – the Lukes, Wells & Wright – have strong seasons,
the batting will take care of itself.
The
all-rounders – Club captain & wicket-keeper Ben Brown and David Wiese – had very
good seasons in 2018. More of the same, please!
So
where will Sussex end up?
In
the Royal London cup - 50 overs side
games - the last few seasons have been disappointing. Qualification from their
Southern group would represent progress for Sussex.
In
the Vitality Blast T20 season 2018
saw The Sharks get to Finals Day at Edgbaston, one of the best days cricket
I’ve ever seen.
Let’s
go back & win the trophy!
And
so to the County Championship:
anywhere in the Top 3 & hence promotion back to Division 1 will be fine
with me!!
But
when we all look back on Season 2019, Winning will never provide all the
Memories we’ll cherish in the many years ahead.
Winning
is better than Losing
But
watching a game you love trumps everything
Michael
Henderson in The Times, September 2018
As
you may know, Jennifer Aniston (aka
Rachel Green from Friends) is a Cricket Fan:
So,
for me watching Cricket is very much about watching with Friends.
Perhaps
your Memories of Season 2018 will come from joining me on the regular Annual
Visits.
Across
the Thames to Chelmsford or to the Wild West, to Taunton.
New floodlights at
the Cooper Associates County Ground
Sussex will have won long before they need to be
turned on!!
Of
course, you’ll have come along to the Nevill, Tunbridge Wells.
The
Lads will be there, at the Railway End.
The
Bishopp (2 Ps), the Hardwicks (K & P), Dave Green (“the Best cricketer” with
whom I’ve been in the same XI), Ken Fisher (prolific run scorer & wicket
taker across the decades) and Roger Clarke (the CB Fry of his age).
And
Lady Lambourne will be bringing one of her famous picnics.
Steady on the Salad, Sally!!
And
to Arundel too.
Sitting
high on the bank looking south across the Duke of Norfolk’s ground.
Under the old oak tree, with time to browse Jon Filby’s bookstall and open a
second bottle of red!!
Wasn’t
it fun to be at Lords & at the Oval for the big sell out Thursday evening
T20 games?
A Jofra hat trick in the final over to
win the game at Lords
Did
your diary allow you to make some first-ever visits?
To
York, where Yorkshire last played in the 1890s.
Or
across the Solent to Newclose on the Isle of Wight, where Hampshire play a
County game for the first time.
Newclose
Naturally
you’ll have had lots & lots of days - & evenings - at my beloved Hove.
There’ll
have been Memories from bygone times of watching Sussex Legends who are natural
selections for the Sussex Alltime Dream XI: Young Jim, Lord Ted, Snowy, Greigy,
Imran (yes, the one who is the current President of Pakistan!) & Mushie.
And
of other Sussex Legends: such as the never-to-be-forgotten Tony Buss (when he
was fielding at third man by the pavilion did the tea lady really bring him
rock buns & a cup of tea?), Robin Martin-Jenkins and Lewis Hatchett.
Tony Buss
Tony: To the right of Greigy, next to brother Mike
The wicket-keeper looks a pretty decent player to me !!
Maybe
your Memories will be of a famous Win: of Sussex winning the Gillette Cup or
the Championship.
Or
of just a single ball.
Of
Chris Adams – the most successful Sussex Captain … in the first 180 years! –
hitting Shane Warne for 6 high over the pavilion. They say you could hear the
cheer 30 miles away, from Chichester to Hastings !!
Of
Tymal Mills charging in down the hill, bowling Chris Gayle – the greatest T20
batsman the world has ever known.
The Million Dollar
Ball
So,
why not get your diary out & start to make those Memories … …
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
Every
year brings its own decennial anniversaries.
Next year 2020 has three of the very
biggest: Ruby, Gold & Diamond.
But
this Season has the 50th anniversary of a game I played in; the
first time I ever captained.
Saturday
3 May 1969: Skinners’ School away to Ravensbourne.
Look
out for the Blog: “Just don’t try it without
the 10%”
Spoiler
Alert: It went to the very last ball … But you knew that already, didn’t you
!!??
Come & watch cricket with me and I’ll
tell you the tale
