Take care of your memories

Hi everyone!

It was gloriously sunny & warm at The Nevill, Tunbridge Wells this year for Day 1 of Kent v Nottinghamshire.

Just like it was for the first game I ever saw:

Saturday 7 June 1958

Kent v Sussex at the Nevill

Dad & I sat - as I have done every year since - at the Railway End between the sight screen & the iconic marquees.

I was 5 years old that Saturday long, long ago.

I'd never heard of Bob Dylan, but I knew he was right!

In the over 60 years since that day I don’t even want to think about how many Risks & Opportunities schedules I have (w) Ritten, Reviewed & Read; let’s agree it has been far too many!

At 58 for 2 the Sussex No. 4 walked down the Pavilion steps.

As I looked out across the ground  I was about to watch my Favourite Player for the very first time.

For me, there was only Opportunity.

Now the thing about Legends is that they Perform when it really matters.

James Michael ‘Young Jim’ Parks took guard at the Pavilion end.

He looked round the field.

Perhaps he spotted the Kent fielder out on the midwicket boundary. John Pretlove, the Kent No. 4 was 5 times UK national singles Rugby Fives champion and a very fine fielder.

But when Jim hit his first ball from Fred Ridgway one-bounce for four into the marquees, John Pretlove didn’t even move before the ball reached the boundary.

Soon into his stride, Jim’s score rapidly reached 30 and then 50 not too long thereafter.

Would he make a Century?

Sitting next to the Dad & me were a mum and her daughter, Sussex fans who had driven up from near Chichester.

As the Tea interval and a Century both approached, the Deal was done: a Century by Tea would lead to the mum giving me a piece of her Carrot Cake - with extra frosted cream cheese!!

With 2 balls remaining to Tea, a wonderful cover drive brought up the Century.

The tradition of Cake at the Nevill was firmly established !!
....

So many games at the Nevill to remember, often involving Sussex.

The first Gillette cup game in May 1963.

Lord Ted, the Sussex captain, put the fielders back on the boundary. The Kent chairman wrote to Sussex saying that their “attitude to the game was diabolical.”

Sussex went on to win the Final at Lords that September.

And the last game I ever watched with Dad in June 1980, 40 years ago next Season.

As for this year’s match, there were indeed some Sussex connections.

For Kent: Ollie Rayner, once of Sussex, now Middlesex & on loan to Kent, made his debut.

For Nottinghamshire: their coach Peter Moores is a former Sussex wicketkeeper and coach, winning Sussex’s inaugural County Championship in 2003.

And Chris Nash – Nashie from Cuckfield - who made a hard fought 67.

Nashie & Ollie

For Kent there was a fine century for young Zak Crawley, who looks an England prospect.

And at the time of writing - end of Day 3 - Kent are well-placed, 319 ahead of Notts with 7 wickets remaining.
All looks set for an exciting last day.
....

But, of course, days at the Nevill are never just about the Cricket.

They're about meeting up with old friends and the telling of those well-loved tales from long ago.

Bish, Chris & Keith

Like me, Bish & Chris are Founders of the Upper Banner Farm Cricket Club.

The UBFCC’s home ground was the field at the top of Farmcombe Road.

Chris, Grev & Graham

From the Skinners’ School Class of ‘64

In truth, when I look back on this year’s game one memory will definitely be my journey to the game on Day 2.

Needing to travel 30 miles South, I left Bickley on the local train to Orpington to catch the connection to Tunbridge Wells at 09.56.

In fact – as I discovered - there was time to catch the 09.50.

It was only as the train had passed through Paddock Wood that I realised catching the 09.50 is a very poor choice if you want to go to Tunbridge Wells ... as it goes non-stop from Tonbridge to Ashford International!!

And so it was that – having planned to be in Tunbridge Wells at 10.28 - by 11.00  and having already travelled 50 miles I was still in Ashford, 30 miles to the East!!

When I did finally get to the ground the Lads were delighted to see me - albeit 90 minutes after they expected to!  

At close of Play Graham Clayton was deputed to chaperone me safely on the train back to Orpington.

And my other Memory?

Well, on Day 1 I sat with the Lambournes: Grandma, Dad, Mum & 8 months old Emily.

It was Emily’s first day at cricket.

I hope that it is the first of many, many more.

That like me Emily will enjoy a Day at Cricket in 60+ years’ time just as much as she did her very first.

 And as for you, dear Reader?

Well, there are plenty of games left this Season, not least as we head into the T20 Vitality Blast fixtures.

Do come and watch with me …

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

Ladies & Gentlemen, we all know that Ric loved Cricket all his Life.

And on today of all days – the day of his Funeral Service – we all know the story that Ric would like told, one that he loved so very much to tell, his favourite story of cricket at the Nevill.

Kent v Sussex at the Nevill, Tunbridge Wells on Saturday 23 June 1951.

Before I ask Sally, Lady Lambourne to Tell the Tale, let me set the scene…

Late on the afternoon of Thursday 21 June 1951 a 19 year old National Serviceman in the RAF gained permission from his Station Commander to play for Sussex on the Saturday.

On the Friday afternoon he was driven to Tunbridge Wells by RAF officer Maurice Fenner, the Kent wicketkeeper. Maurice would go on to become a Group Captain and Kent Secretary between 1977 & 1982.

Meanwhile, on the South Coast Fred & Isabel were in the Saloon Bar of the Queen’s Head in Rye. Shortly before 10 o’clock on the Friday evening they decided to come to the game.

The ingredients were all in place for a day that is never to be forgotten; the Definitive Tale from the Nevill.

 Maurice Fenner & Young Jim

The Nevill, June 1951

Come to my Funeral Service and hear just what did happen!!

I don’t know if Bob Dylan really is a Cricket Fan, never mind that has he ever been to the Nevill!

But just as that little 5 year old knew six decades ago, Bob was right!

As for my Funeral Service, you will come won’t you?

You promised me you would …

But don’t try it without that 10%

Hi everyone!

Captaincy is 90% Luck and 10% Skill.

But don’t try it without that 10%.

Richie Benaud

Captain of Australia 1958-64

Australia did not lose a Test series under Benaud

As the grandfather clock in the hall of 102 Farmcombe Road tick-tocked towards five minutes to six on the evening of Friday 2 May 1969, I tuned the wireless in the dining room to BBC Radio 4.

I heard the weather forecaster say that “In London and the Home Counties it will be a sunny day on Saturday in the mid-60s (Fahrenheit – 20 degrees Centigrade).”

It was Game On for Skinners v Ravensbourne on Saturday 3 May 1969.

My first ever game as Captain.

Exactly 50 years ago today.

I was feeling nervous about how I would fare.

I knew I needed plenty of Luck; and I rather doubted that I had much Skill.

Many years later in 2012 Ed Smith, who is the current England Cricket National Selector, wrote:

 Luck – What it means and Why it matters.

Ed has a Double First in History from Cambridge and played cricket for Kent & Middlesex (where he was Captain) and for England.

He starts with the thesis that:
“each of us makes our own luck by an application of will power, elimination of error, and the relentless pursuit of excellence.”

But Ed only met his future wife entirely by chance -  due to a late-running South Eastern Train !!

He comes to accept that:
 “the role of luck is essential for keeping a sense of perspective, particularly for people who like to claim the credit for all their own success.”

Yes, I certainly would need Luck.

But as for Skill … Who better to get advice from than a former Captain of Sussex.

Founded in 1839 and the oldest professional sports club in the world, in its first 180 years Sussex has had 47 Captains.

We don’t need to waste any time at all deciding who is the most successful.

Sussex has won the County Championship three times, in 2003, 2006 and 2007.

All under Chris Adams.

This is Captain Adams on Skill:

It wasn’t long after six o’clock when Dad arrived home.

He could see I was very nervous.

“Off to The Brecknock, Young Richard !”

As we sat in the pub garden in Bells Yew Green, Dad gave me a piece of paper.

It was words of encouragement from Xenophon.

Dad told me that in about 500 BC when the Greek city states were faced with threats of invasion from Persia, Xenophon wrote about the personal requirements for an elected general.

On one side of the paper was written:

Αν σκέφτεστε, σκεφτείτε τεράστια!

And on the other:

Be ingenious, energetic, of stamina and presence of mind ... loving and tough, straightforward and crafty, ready to gamble everything and wishing to, greedy, trusting and suspicious

I would do my very best to lead the XI with all the Skill I had.

The following morning Dad dropped me off outside the school.

The coach drove through Southborough, Tonbridge & Hildenborough and then along the newly opened Sevenoaks bypass.

As we climbed Polhill, I remember thinking:

I felt as if I was walking with Destiny.

And that all my past life had been but a preparation for this hour and for this trial.

I was sure I should not fail.

[Editor: Ric was indeed thinking this… but then again he had been reading Winston Churchill’s The Second World War !!!]

The Ravensbourne Captain tossed the coin & I called Heads.

It was Tails.

As I would have done, he chose to bat.

I opened with Graham Clayton from the Hayes Road end, with Richard Moreton bowling from the Town end.

After he bowled five overs, I said to Graham: “Have one more over & then have a rest.”

He immediately took two wickets !

I never have known whether to put my decision - and Graham’s response  - down to Luck or Skill !!

He ended with bowling figures of 7 for 48 off 14 overs.

50 years on … Graham still turns out for Harberton village in Devon.

He has never bowled better than he did that Saturday afternoon long, long ago.

With 46 from Tovey and 35 from Towell, Ravensbourne ended their innings on 150.

Skinners’ response relied heavily on Peter Williams – a good friend from primary school days – who top scored with 24.

I was bowled for 4.

If we had had the TV umpire… It looked like a No Ball to me !!

The umpires called Stumps with us on 65 for 9.

A mere 86 to get for a Win … …

We had escaped with a Draw.

The team went on to have a successful season.

The Leopard, the school magazine, reported:

“Success this year was mainly due to team spirit.”

As the school song says:

Floreat Sodalitas. [ Let companionship flourish]

Little matter, well or ill,

Sentiment is more than Skill

I retired from playing (with hindsight, far too early) many a long year ago.

But I still love Cricket as much as – even more than – I did exactly 50 years ago today.

Do come and watch with me …

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

It turned out I would go on to Captain on a rather bigger stage …

After Skinners’ School, I went to Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge (probably, the best college at the best university in the world), where my tutor was Sir Angus Deaton, the future Nobel Prize winner, who was instrumental in me getting a Double First in Economics.

Alongside my academic work, I won three Blues for Cricket, captaining the XI in his final year and playing for Sussex in the Summer vacations.

After qualifying as a Chartered Accountant with Deloitte, I joined the Treasurer’s Department of Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI), then the biggest company by market cap on the London Stock Exchange.

I took a two Summers’ sabbatical to captain Sussex, during which I was selected to play for England.

I led England on the Ashes tour to Australia.

With the series tied 2-2 going into the deciding Test at Sydney, by the final ball of the game England were down to their last wicket and needing three to win. With Phil Edmonds, a friend from school and college at the non-striker’s end, I found himself facing the great Shane Warne bowling from the Pavilion End. 

Warnie bowled a googly (not that I read it !); and I hit it for four, one bounce through midwicket. 

The Ashes were won!!

Retiring from professional cricket, I was knighted by Her Majesty the Queen in front of the Pavilion during the Lords Test.

Returning to ICI, I was successively FD of their businesses in the West Indies, South Africa and Australia & New Zealand.

Aged 41, I was appointed Group FD of ICI. Over the next 15 years, ICI's Return on Capital Employed (ROCE) trebled and I became one of the UK’s best known FDs. 

My faux-anonymous fortnightly column Tales from an Old Dog was a must-read in the FT. I was never sued, well not successfully!

Retiring from ICI, HM Treasury parachuted me in to be Chairman of Lloyds Bank a few months after the disastrous acquisition of HBOS. The Daily Telegraph famously quoted me :
“I do not know whether Victor Blank was personally responsible for the £billions that were lost; but it happened on his watch.”

As Prime Minister Gordon Brown had promised me if I sorted out the mess, I was appointed to the House of Lords.

Indeed it really was Lord Ric !!

I am currently Chairman of AECOM (leading the merger with Atkins to create the world’s largest engineering services company), headquartered in San Diego in California.

I am honoured to also be Chairman of the Trustees of Glyndebourne and a director of Arsenal FC.

Lady Piper & I live in London and West Sussex with Mylo, our  #SpoiltBeyondBelief black labrador.

There is nothing we like better than visits from both our Girls, their families and our friends.

In 2020 - exactly 60 seasons after I first sat with Dad by the sight screen up at the Cromwell Road end to watch our beloved Sussex at Hove – it is the ultimate honour that I  will become President of Sussex.

When – as we regularly do – my Guardian Angel Gigi and I look back over my Life (so far) …

We often wonder (as we imagine you do too, Dear Reader):

Could any of it even possibly be true?

Of course, we do know that Xenophon was absolutely right:

Αν σκέφτεστε, σκεφτείτε τεράστια!

If you are going to think, think HUGE!