After a week of great weather, the clouds and my mood grew darker as the day progressed. I nearly decided to remain at home dealing with matters that had developed in an unsatisfactory way during the day than attend my first 20 20 cricket match. I had no idea of what the crowd would like on a mid week early, without knowledge of advance ticket sales and the weather so I arrived early and was amazed that at each gate there were two sets of tables so that six individuals could check bags to ensure that no alcohol was brought into the ground. This was nothing to do with tying to limit alcohol consumption as throughout the period before the game commenced everyone was being encouraged to buy pints of the official beer sponsorship of the competition on the basis that tokens were being given for every pint purchased matching numbers placed in three maybe four large containers around the boundary so that if a batsman hit a six directly into one of the containers, I guess about 1 million to one chance, probably 100 million to one, then if there were a thousand tokens or two in the particular cup, and one was yours, you would win £10000.Who is kidding who?
There were also people with change at the entrance of the car parks to ensure everyone was able to buy tickets at the machines which do not give change, more were taking the tickets and there were even police. The crowds did not turn up on the night perhaps because of the weather, perhaps they were not expected and this was a rehearsal for the international match which takes place next week. There was not as much razzmatazz before the game as I had expected. I had chosen to sit behind the wicket as usual but most of the crowd assembled by the pavilion. I was later to find out why. The seats were numbered but it became evident as the evening progressed that you could change areas with the notable exception of the members veranda seats in the pavilion which were almost all take up, not surprising as they were under cover.
The other notable difference was the number of people in the usually vacant sponsors boxes. They had come straight from the office or business so I guess they had food as well as drink provided. Then the game was due to start at ten past six and the razzmatazz commenced. Seven attractive young women in brief tops and briefer shorts, on what was an increasingly cold evening, came out and did a provocative dance to music. These are the Durham All Stars. More on them later. There was then burst of ground level fireworks as the Durham Men in Black took to the field with the visitors deciding to bat first. This was not match between the great exponents of this form of cricket. Durham has the worst record in the competition of all eighteen participating clubs winning just over one in four games and Derbyshire, the visitors, failed to win one of the games played last year.
It was a miserable night for any form of cricket, or any outdoor activity with rain constantly in the air and sufficiently dark for all other form of the game except this one to have been abandoned, There was in fact an interruption for rain during the Derbyshire innings and where although there was one good knock with fours hit here and there, the highlight was the bowling of the new arrival to the club, the South African Shaun Pollock, a world class player who obtained one wicket for 11 runs but his impressive start was eclipsed by Durham and England's Paul Collingwood who took five wickets for 14 runs, which equals the fourth best performance of all time and which would have boosted his moral no end of good.
Then the rains came and for the second time I hurried off into the Member's Pavilion. I had eaten a hot meal at midday and brought with me a flask of coffee which was quickly consumed as was the single sandwich. It was arriving at the Member's lounge that I realised that having changed my trousers from grey to black, I had not transferred my cash and that having bought the programme I had sufficient money for a cup of coffee or a plate of chips, I settled for a plate of chips during the long interruption for rain before Durham could take to the field and respond to the effort of derby which was a poor one of less than 110 runs. The average score of teams in he competition has been 160 and totals of 200 had been reached in the 20 overs- 120 balls bowled.
Eventually after a good value plate of chips for £1.50 with unlimited sauce Durham took to the ground and the function of the Durham All Star lasses was realised and appreciated. During the Derby Performance every time a wicket fell, a few bars of Another man bites the dust, or you have to look on the bright side, were played and every time there was a four, and no doubt if there had been a six some music favoured by the batsman was played as well as a few bars during the intervals between overs. Everything was done at great speed. I found the constant musical interruptions irritating. There were Durham University students before me when sitting behind the wicket who waved cards showing four every time the Derby team scored so I guessed they originated from the County. However every time Durham scored a four and between overs the girls got up and did a dance although with the cold they had covered the short shorts with leggings. However this did not dampen their enthusiasm and provocativeness. They deserve a medal for keeping going as the darkness descended and it got colder. In fact as the night progressed and they performed immediately in front of Members Lounge and seating at the boundary edge it was the only thing I was able to see.
You knew where the scoreboard was on the other side of the ground because lights came on to signal the batsman, fielder and bowler. Nor was it possible to see the ball or what was happening. As the ball is white and the players are opposite black sight screens, I guess the darkness is no disadvantage to the batsman although if the ball was hit hard or high I doubt if the fielders could see it. Durham were in a hurry to get the revised score which became 48 because of the reduction in overs to be bowled and the loss of wickets. I suspect they also knew that more rain was on its way.
A few second after Durham managed the winning hit and the rest of us rushed to our cars it rained hard and continued to do so all way on the drive home.
I immediate got myself a whisky on return and then a hot drink which looks as if did the trick because the expectant cough and chill has not yet happened, Durham earned two points and can look ahead to two away games next week with confidence. I then read on the text that a businessman is putting up ten million pounds for a winner takes all competition in the West Indies where the players in the winning team will each get half a million pounds, the winning officials will also share in the prize money and several million will be divided between the national body of the winning team and the West Indies The two best teams in the English 20 20 will also compete in a world series event in India this year. Money and then big time has arrived but is it Cricket?
There were also people with change at the entrance of the car parks to ensure everyone was able to buy tickets at the machines which do not give change, more were taking the tickets and there were even police. The crowds did not turn up on the night perhaps because of the weather, perhaps they were not expected and this was a rehearsal for the international match which takes place next week. There was not as much razzmatazz before the game as I had expected. I had chosen to sit behind the wicket as usual but most of the crowd assembled by the pavilion. I was later to find out why. The seats were numbered but it became evident as the evening progressed that you could change areas with the notable exception of the members veranda seats in the pavilion which were almost all take up, not surprising as they were under cover.
The other notable difference was the number of people in the usually vacant sponsors boxes. They had come straight from the office or business so I guess they had food as well as drink provided. Then the game was due to start at ten past six and the razzmatazz commenced. Seven attractive young women in brief tops and briefer shorts, on what was an increasingly cold evening, came out and did a provocative dance to music. These are the Durham All Stars. More on them later. There was then burst of ground level fireworks as the Durham Men in Black took to the field with the visitors deciding to bat first. This was not match between the great exponents of this form of cricket. Durham has the worst record in the competition of all eighteen participating clubs winning just over one in four games and Derbyshire, the visitors, failed to win one of the games played last year.
It was a miserable night for any form of cricket, or any outdoor activity with rain constantly in the air and sufficiently dark for all other form of the game except this one to have been abandoned, There was in fact an interruption for rain during the Derbyshire innings and where although there was one good knock with fours hit here and there, the highlight was the bowling of the new arrival to the club, the South African Shaun Pollock, a world class player who obtained one wicket for 11 runs but his impressive start was eclipsed by Durham and England's Paul Collingwood who took five wickets for 14 runs, which equals the fourth best performance of all time and which would have boosted his moral no end of good.
Then the rains came and for the second time I hurried off into the Member's Pavilion. I had eaten a hot meal at midday and brought with me a flask of coffee which was quickly consumed as was the single sandwich. It was arriving at the Member's lounge that I realised that having changed my trousers from grey to black, I had not transferred my cash and that having bought the programme I had sufficient money for a cup of coffee or a plate of chips, I settled for a plate of chips during the long interruption for rain before Durham could take to the field and respond to the effort of derby which was a poor one of less than 110 runs. The average score of teams in he competition has been 160 and totals of 200 had been reached in the 20 overs- 120 balls bowled.
Eventually after a good value plate of chips for £1.50 with unlimited sauce Durham took to the ground and the function of the Durham All Star lasses was realised and appreciated. During the Derby Performance every time a wicket fell, a few bars of Another man bites the dust, or you have to look on the bright side, were played and every time there was a four, and no doubt if there had been a six some music favoured by the batsman was played as well as a few bars during the intervals between overs. Everything was done at great speed. I found the constant musical interruptions irritating. There were Durham University students before me when sitting behind the wicket who waved cards showing four every time the Derby team scored so I guessed they originated from the County. However every time Durham scored a four and between overs the girls got up and did a dance although with the cold they had covered the short shorts with leggings. However this did not dampen their enthusiasm and provocativeness. They deserve a medal for keeping going as the darkness descended and it got colder. In fact as the night progressed and they performed immediately in front of Members Lounge and seating at the boundary edge it was the only thing I was able to see.
You knew where the scoreboard was on the other side of the ground because lights came on to signal the batsman, fielder and bowler. Nor was it possible to see the ball or what was happening. As the ball is white and the players are opposite black sight screens, I guess the darkness is no disadvantage to the batsman although if the ball was hit hard or high I doubt if the fielders could see it. Durham were in a hurry to get the revised score which became 48 because of the reduction in overs to be bowled and the loss of wickets. I suspect they also knew that more rain was on its way.
A few second after Durham managed the winning hit and the rest of us rushed to our cars it rained hard and continued to do so all way on the drive home.
I immediate got myself a whisky on return and then a hot drink which looks as if did the trick because the expectant cough and chill has not yet happened, Durham earned two points and can look ahead to two away games next week with confidence. I then read on the text that a businessman is putting up ten million pounds for a winner takes all competition in the West Indies where the players in the winning team will each get half a million pounds, the winning officials will also share in the prize money and several million will be divided between the national body of the winning team and the West Indies The two best teams in the English 20 20 will also compete in a world series event in India this year. Money and then big time has arrived but is it Cricket?
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