This Saturday became a good day, I wanted to write this morning but I did not write well or communicate what I wanted to say. I needed to think through more than the time I allowed myself. I wrote under a self imposed pressure. I had looked forward to day at cricket in the sun but the weather forecast was of rain and cold. It was cold but there was some sun here over the Tyne River mouth but when I checked Riverside play was delayed because of the overnight/ rain with an inspection at 11.30am. There was time to complete the writing, accepting as it was, far short of what I set out to achieve.
I eat lunch, granary rolls, divided, covered with spread, meats and coleslaw, after ironing the hand washed and garage dried shirts and tumble dried tracksuit bottoms I wear in the house. I watched Jenson Button come second in the three stage speed trials of their vehicles. The suspicion is that the Red Bull car had less fuel so as to drive away faster at the start and create a sufficient lead not to lose position when he has to stop to refuel several laps before the two Braun vehicles in second and third position of the grid. The rain affected the games everywhere with the 20 20 match between New Zealand and Scotland restricted to seven overs..
I made my way to Riverside taking coffee and pastry which I consumed on arrival sitting in the coldish sun in corner overlooking the wicket. Durham won the toss and elected to field and for once this proved to be a brilliant decision for with Onions on form an Harmison bowling tight Hampshire lost a wicket and then scored at the rate of one or two an over compared to seven to nine in the 20 20 version. By the time I arrive at he ground Hampshire had lost three more wickets and had been 26 for 4 at one point with Graham Onions claiming three, Thorp the other.
Young Mitch Claydon was brought on and took two wickets with his first two balls. Harmison came on terrifying the lower order in submission taking the last four wicket so that the visitors were all out for 105 with Onion 3 for 22 from 19, Harmison 4 for 43 from 17.4 and Claydon 2 for 20 from 5. Thorp I for 16 from 9. De Vento looked in good touch before he was caught of a big hit straight to a fielder for 7 and then Stone taking the lead with Smith added 70 before Stoneman went for 44 with Durham 2 for 84, only 21 behind and Smith after a shaky start 21. Hopefully tomorrow if the weather is good Smith will overcome the early seam and the strong order to come of Benkenstein, Blackwell and Mustard will be able to take the total into the 300’s.
Having consumed the coffee and pastry on arrival I went for a warm at tea and stayed getting a seat behind glass for the evening session. Attention was diverted from time to time to one of the two TV’s as England were away in a World Cup preparatory league game in Kazakhstan winning 4.0, although they had a poor first half in which the 2.0 lead flattered according to subsequent commentators, but after the Holland humiliation in the 20 20 any kind of a win was a win. However the attention of the many in the lounge was for. On the other screen in which the West Indian Gayle hit 50 of 23 balls including several powerful sixes one out of the ground after hitting the roof of at least 105 metres. There was great delight as they went on to thrash Australia by 7 wickets. To celebrate I enjoyed a cream scone with jam.
Back home I watched Robin Hood before the evening meal of a ham omelette and half the fresh pineapple and coffee. For supper there was a bowl of cereal. The before ten there was the event which made the day memorable form a good. A programme celebrating the life and work of T S Elliot the author of the waste Land, the Four Quartets and the Cocktail Party verse play.
On Sunday although I rose early and started to prepare for the second day at Riverside the focus of my attention was on the Andrew Marr Show and some revealing disclosures by Lord Mandelson, the new First Secretary and effective Deputy Leader and Deputy Prime Minister alongside Harriet Harman the elected Deputy Leader and Leader of the House Commons, but not given the title Deputy by the Prime Minister although she answers Questions in his absence and is in charge of the operation of the House of Commons.
The consequence was that I arrived a little late after play had commenced but was able to get a seat behind glass at the far end of the member’s lounge and with one of the two TV screens at that end of the room . It was cold but sunny when I left the Tyne but within a matter of minutes the skies were full of dark clouds and in the mile leading to the ground it was evident there had been a drenching earlier. It was not the say to sit out in the open if it could be avoided.
Durham followed the pattern of the brief Hampshire Innings concentrating on survival on a difficult wicket with the consequence of an average of two runs an over. What a contrast to the hot sunshine and entertainment of a week ago. It was struggle for the lovers of the game and the knowledge that captain Smith and former Captain Beckenstein were building an innings which could move the game in Durham’s favour. Blenkenstein was out just before lunch for 22 and Durham were 140 for three. After lunch Smith went into his shell as Ian Blackwell, also due a good personal score appeared to take the lead. The defensiveness was his undoing being bowled leg before wicket when he was 80 and the Durham score 191 for 4. Mustard had a short scoring period while Blackwell was steady to his 50 but went when 68 and Durham were 280 for six. Hopes of getting 350 to 400 began to seem distant. Although Claydon made the effort with 10 Durham were all out for 311, some 206 runs ahead on first innings. Although there had been short bursts of sunshine the day remained cold.
At one the Turkish Grand Prix was underway and I missed the start of the race to find that although still on the first lap Jensen Button was in the lead. Whatever plan Sebastian Vettel had been wrecked by him making a silly mistake. He never recovered and finished third to his Red Bull team who came second. His team mate Barichello stalled on the first and then hit another car in his attempt to catch, He retired after 47 laps and the contrast between the fortunes of the two drivers and their respective vehicles is even greater than ever.
As with the previous day there was further distraction on screen. England had to beat Pakistan Africa in their second 20 20 match in order to continue in the competition. However the remaining overs of the day would be crucial if Durham was to win this match. With the first ball Onion had the opening batsman leg before wicket. John Crawley was then out when the total was 13 and one felt the match was over. In fact after a mini recovery and then the wicket fell and then he night watchman also went and Hampshire were again in the more at 52 for four Harmison has added two more wickets, Thorpe I and Onions 1. The England Innings continued.
Bopara was out early, not unexpected as his run of amazing performance could not be expected to continue. Luke Wright continue to make some excellent strokes but he went for 32. It was Kevin Petersen who became the saviour with 58 but he was supported by others with Shah 38 and Collingwood 15, Mascarenhas with 16 and Foster with 14 were not out and the innings closed at 185 for 8.
I had stayed behind with a small group of other members to watch the closing overs while staff packed up around us and cleared the tables also creating an open area in the middle of the lounge. This was for a local brass band to come an practice. I had got into conversation with several new people. It was another good day especially when on returning home Pakistan were unable to get close to the England total and we progressed to the next stage of this competition.
On Monday I also had to hurry to get to the ground but still arrived after the start of play. I elected to pay only for up to four hours. I was amazed that given the uncertainty of the weather and oft he game so many people had arrived before me. There were more members than either the Saturday or the Sunday. In part this suggested that family commitments present members from coming and that the weather had prevented too many individuals prepared to pay the £15 entry for non members, as well as the counter attractions of other major sporting events available on the television.
The game was won within an hour. The reason was the bowling of Graham Onions where the conditions and the wicket suited him and Hampshire did not know how to successfully respond and in were no mood to attempt to bat themselves in over along period when to get the game over meant they could have an extra day back home with their families. Graham finished with the match bowling figures of nine for eighty runs.
This left with the rest of the day unplanned as well as having the extra day or Wednesday. It would give me time to get up to date in writing and other work if I wished. The weather was different within a distance of a few miles. Cloudy and with a chill wind at Riverside and sunny and warm in sheltered areas in South Shields. I stopped at the Washington service station for a copy of the Journal Newspaper and then eat my packed lunch of three rolls filled with meat and coleslaw. There had only been time for coffee at the game before it ended with Durham winning by an innings and 110 runs. It was one of the most comprehensive victories in the championship of the season to-date and would take Durham to the top of the Championship table for a day or two until the other matches involving Nottingham and Lancashire were complete. Annoyingly the BBC refused to update the table just for one result.
There was one more spectacular development to come as Sri Lanka beat the Australians at Nottingham and thus Australia was eliminated from the rest of the competition. This makes the Ashes contest from July that much more interesting as Australia will be hurting, especially if after England’s tricky start they do well.
There were two irritants which spoiled the rest of the day. I could not log on to the internet from lunch time until late into the evening. According to the service provider there was a maintenance problems which affect the whole town through to Whitburn because of a problem at the exchange. Over a thousand subscribers were affected. I was told the problem was likely to last several hours. Later I was told to try rebooting which meant unplugging everything and leaving for several seconds. This sometimes works with Sky. In this instance it did not and at one point I was told to wait until the morning. However I was able to get online again late evening but when I was too tired to do more than print out the information I wanted on the sporting events and the political situation.
The second is that my super digital car radio CD player as a button which switches between whatever one listening to road condition reports. This is ideal when driving some distance and one wants to avoid traffic hazards and prolonged delays. However it is irritating if one is listening to a disk or radio show. I will take time to learn the system. I had this problem with my mobile where I had pressed the wrong key and put the key board into a predictive writing mood. The result was amusing but irritating until I worked out the problem and cancelled the key in question.
I also watched the last episode of Ashes to Ashes in which a police Inspector has been shot in the head and although the bullet was successfully removed she had developed an infection and had been given a dosage of antibiotics which was hoped would stop the infection but the odds were balanced. She was fighting to live for in school age daughter. In this state she found herself transported back in time to 1981 and 1982 and found herself in a real life office back in time in which she was confronted with a situation of corruption. The focus became the Brinks Matt Bullion robbery which took place in 1985 not 1982 in the TV series. Some £26 million in gold was stolen and never recovered, although some criminals involved were arrested tried and imprisoned. The TV series suggested that senior police and other police officers were involved and stole the money from the thieves who they had set up to do the job. This aspect was subsequently covered up by the police. A young constable, in he film that is, having entered the force full of idealism had been blackmailed into helping out the theft by misleading the good cops about the route taken by the bad cops after they left the scene of the crime having killed both the security guards and the gang undertaking the robbery. It is this policeman who summons back the Inspector through the dimensions of time in order to alter what happened to give him peace. The twist is that in order to do this and bring herself back into the conscious awareness of her actual time she develops a relationship with the detecting chief Inspector responsible for unravelling the situation and he intentionally shoots the Inspector thus facilitating her return to the present time. She wakes up and all appears well. However the Detective Inspector having threatened the life of the Inspector after she told him the truth of her position is accused of her murder and attempts to penetrate her present time consciousness in order to persuade her to come back at that time in order to save him thus potentially leaving her daughter in the present. A new series possibility!
I eat lunch, granary rolls, divided, covered with spread, meats and coleslaw, after ironing the hand washed and garage dried shirts and tumble dried tracksuit bottoms I wear in the house. I watched Jenson Button come second in the three stage speed trials of their vehicles. The suspicion is that the Red Bull car had less fuel so as to drive away faster at the start and create a sufficient lead not to lose position when he has to stop to refuel several laps before the two Braun vehicles in second and third position of the grid. The rain affected the games everywhere with the 20 20 match between New Zealand and Scotland restricted to seven overs..
I made my way to Riverside taking coffee and pastry which I consumed on arrival sitting in the coldish sun in corner overlooking the wicket. Durham won the toss and elected to field and for once this proved to be a brilliant decision for with Onions on form an Harmison bowling tight Hampshire lost a wicket and then scored at the rate of one or two an over compared to seven to nine in the 20 20 version. By the time I arrive at he ground Hampshire had lost three more wickets and had been 26 for 4 at one point with Graham Onions claiming three, Thorp the other.
Young Mitch Claydon was brought on and took two wickets with his first two balls. Harmison came on terrifying the lower order in submission taking the last four wicket so that the visitors were all out for 105 with Onion 3 for 22 from 19, Harmison 4 for 43 from 17.4 and Claydon 2 for 20 from 5. Thorp I for 16 from 9. De Vento looked in good touch before he was caught of a big hit straight to a fielder for 7 and then Stone taking the lead with Smith added 70 before Stoneman went for 44 with Durham 2 for 84, only 21 behind and Smith after a shaky start 21. Hopefully tomorrow if the weather is good Smith will overcome the early seam and the strong order to come of Benkenstein, Blackwell and Mustard will be able to take the total into the 300’s.
Having consumed the coffee and pastry on arrival I went for a warm at tea and stayed getting a seat behind glass for the evening session. Attention was diverted from time to time to one of the two TV’s as England were away in a World Cup preparatory league game in Kazakhstan winning 4.0, although they had a poor first half in which the 2.0 lead flattered according to subsequent commentators, but after the Holland humiliation in the 20 20 any kind of a win was a win. However the attention of the many in the lounge was for. On the other screen in which the West Indian Gayle hit 50 of 23 balls including several powerful sixes one out of the ground after hitting the roof of at least 105 metres. There was great delight as they went on to thrash Australia by 7 wickets. To celebrate I enjoyed a cream scone with jam.
Back home I watched Robin Hood before the evening meal of a ham omelette and half the fresh pineapple and coffee. For supper there was a bowl of cereal. The before ten there was the event which made the day memorable form a good. A programme celebrating the life and work of T S Elliot the author of the waste Land, the Four Quartets and the Cocktail Party verse play.
On Sunday although I rose early and started to prepare for the second day at Riverside the focus of my attention was on the Andrew Marr Show and some revealing disclosures by Lord Mandelson, the new First Secretary and effective Deputy Leader and Deputy Prime Minister alongside Harriet Harman the elected Deputy Leader and Leader of the House Commons, but not given the title Deputy by the Prime Minister although she answers Questions in his absence and is in charge of the operation of the House of Commons.
The consequence was that I arrived a little late after play had commenced but was able to get a seat behind glass at the far end of the member’s lounge and with one of the two TV screens at that end of the room . It was cold but sunny when I left the Tyne but within a matter of minutes the skies were full of dark clouds and in the mile leading to the ground it was evident there had been a drenching earlier. It was not the say to sit out in the open if it could be avoided.
Durham followed the pattern of the brief Hampshire Innings concentrating on survival on a difficult wicket with the consequence of an average of two runs an over. What a contrast to the hot sunshine and entertainment of a week ago. It was struggle for the lovers of the game and the knowledge that captain Smith and former Captain Beckenstein were building an innings which could move the game in Durham’s favour. Blenkenstein was out just before lunch for 22 and Durham were 140 for three. After lunch Smith went into his shell as Ian Blackwell, also due a good personal score appeared to take the lead. The defensiveness was his undoing being bowled leg before wicket when he was 80 and the Durham score 191 for 4. Mustard had a short scoring period while Blackwell was steady to his 50 but went when 68 and Durham were 280 for six. Hopes of getting 350 to 400 began to seem distant. Although Claydon made the effort with 10 Durham were all out for 311, some 206 runs ahead on first innings. Although there had been short bursts of sunshine the day remained cold.
At one the Turkish Grand Prix was underway and I missed the start of the race to find that although still on the first lap Jensen Button was in the lead. Whatever plan Sebastian Vettel had been wrecked by him making a silly mistake. He never recovered and finished third to his Red Bull team who came second. His team mate Barichello stalled on the first and then hit another car in his attempt to catch, He retired after 47 laps and the contrast between the fortunes of the two drivers and their respective vehicles is even greater than ever.
As with the previous day there was further distraction on screen. England had to beat Pakistan Africa in their second 20 20 match in order to continue in the competition. However the remaining overs of the day would be crucial if Durham was to win this match. With the first ball Onion had the opening batsman leg before wicket. John Crawley was then out when the total was 13 and one felt the match was over. In fact after a mini recovery and then the wicket fell and then he night watchman also went and Hampshire were again in the more at 52 for four Harmison has added two more wickets, Thorpe I and Onions 1. The England Innings continued.
Bopara was out early, not unexpected as his run of amazing performance could not be expected to continue. Luke Wright continue to make some excellent strokes but he went for 32. It was Kevin Petersen who became the saviour with 58 but he was supported by others with Shah 38 and Collingwood 15, Mascarenhas with 16 and Foster with 14 were not out and the innings closed at 185 for 8.
I had stayed behind with a small group of other members to watch the closing overs while staff packed up around us and cleared the tables also creating an open area in the middle of the lounge. This was for a local brass band to come an practice. I had got into conversation with several new people. It was another good day especially when on returning home Pakistan were unable to get close to the England total and we progressed to the next stage of this competition.
On Monday I also had to hurry to get to the ground but still arrived after the start of play. I elected to pay only for up to four hours. I was amazed that given the uncertainty of the weather and oft he game so many people had arrived before me. There were more members than either the Saturday or the Sunday. In part this suggested that family commitments present members from coming and that the weather had prevented too many individuals prepared to pay the £15 entry for non members, as well as the counter attractions of other major sporting events available on the television.
The game was won within an hour. The reason was the bowling of Graham Onions where the conditions and the wicket suited him and Hampshire did not know how to successfully respond and in were no mood to attempt to bat themselves in over along period when to get the game over meant they could have an extra day back home with their families. Graham finished with the match bowling figures of nine for eighty runs.
This left with the rest of the day unplanned as well as having the extra day or Wednesday. It would give me time to get up to date in writing and other work if I wished. The weather was different within a distance of a few miles. Cloudy and with a chill wind at Riverside and sunny and warm in sheltered areas in South Shields. I stopped at the Washington service station for a copy of the Journal Newspaper and then eat my packed lunch of three rolls filled with meat and coleslaw. There had only been time for coffee at the game before it ended with Durham winning by an innings and 110 runs. It was one of the most comprehensive victories in the championship of the season to-date and would take Durham to the top of the Championship table for a day or two until the other matches involving Nottingham and Lancashire were complete. Annoyingly the BBC refused to update the table just for one result.
There was one more spectacular development to come as Sri Lanka beat the Australians at Nottingham and thus Australia was eliminated from the rest of the competition. This makes the Ashes contest from July that much more interesting as Australia will be hurting, especially if after England’s tricky start they do well.
There were two irritants which spoiled the rest of the day. I could not log on to the internet from lunch time until late into the evening. According to the service provider there was a maintenance problems which affect the whole town through to Whitburn because of a problem at the exchange. Over a thousand subscribers were affected. I was told the problem was likely to last several hours. Later I was told to try rebooting which meant unplugging everything and leaving for several seconds. This sometimes works with Sky. In this instance it did not and at one point I was told to wait until the morning. However I was able to get online again late evening but when I was too tired to do more than print out the information I wanted on the sporting events and the political situation.
The second is that my super digital car radio CD player as a button which switches between whatever one listening to road condition reports. This is ideal when driving some distance and one wants to avoid traffic hazards and prolonged delays. However it is irritating if one is listening to a disk or radio show. I will take time to learn the system. I had this problem with my mobile where I had pressed the wrong key and put the key board into a predictive writing mood. The result was amusing but irritating until I worked out the problem and cancelled the key in question.
I also watched the last episode of Ashes to Ashes in which a police Inspector has been shot in the head and although the bullet was successfully removed she had developed an infection and had been given a dosage of antibiotics which was hoped would stop the infection but the odds were balanced. She was fighting to live for in school age daughter. In this state she found herself transported back in time to 1981 and 1982 and found herself in a real life office back in time in which she was confronted with a situation of corruption. The focus became the Brinks Matt Bullion robbery which took place in 1985 not 1982 in the TV series. Some £26 million in gold was stolen and never recovered, although some criminals involved were arrested tried and imprisoned. The TV series suggested that senior police and other police officers were involved and stole the money from the thieves who they had set up to do the job. This aspect was subsequently covered up by the police. A young constable, in he film that is, having entered the force full of idealism had been blackmailed into helping out the theft by misleading the good cops about the route taken by the bad cops after they left the scene of the crime having killed both the security guards and the gang undertaking the robbery. It is this policeman who summons back the Inspector through the dimensions of time in order to alter what happened to give him peace. The twist is that in order to do this and bring herself back into the conscious awareness of her actual time she develops a relationship with the detecting chief Inspector responsible for unravelling the situation and he intentionally shoots the Inspector thus facilitating her return to the present time. She wakes up and all appears well. However the Detective Inspector having threatened the life of the Inspector after she told him the truth of her position is accused of her murder and attempts to penetrate her present time consciousness in order to persuade her to come back at that time in order to save him thus potentially leaving her daughter in the present. A new series possibility!
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