Football world Cup, Cricket, Moror Racing, Tennis in June and July

This is the second catch up writing for the past two months. The main subject is sport. It has been a disappointing summer of sport so far with one exciting development, although this did not include British team or individual representing the UK.

It is fine outside to day Friday July 23rd there is no inclination to watch Durham lose their championship cricket game at the Emirates Riverside. In the event they managed to avoid the follow on and the game ended in a draw which ends Durham’s already dim prospect of a third championship win in succession. It has been a depressing season so far in every respect with humiliation after humiliation in the 20 20 competition with the lowest number of wins, 4, although they also had the highest number of no results because of the weather, also 4. In the Championship Notts strengthened their claim with an impressive win while Yorkshire still second could only draw. Durham have Yorkshire and Notts to play at home as well as Essex and Lancs away and I shall be at all four games. There are at least three other games to play plus the Pro 40 in which Durham has also struggled. There is a 40 40 game on Sunday which clashes with the Sunderland Air Show. The 20 20 finals day is at Durham in 2011, next year so they will have to get their act together next season if this is not to prove the humiliation of all humiliations, especially if we fail to qualify and supporters fail to make the long journey north to support their teams.

I enjoyed watching Australia play Pakistan, especially the second game in which Pakistan removed Australia in their first innings for 88 and then made 2580 and had Australia struggling in their second innings. There was then fine performances with the bat and then ball for Australia who reached 349 runs setting their opponents over 170 runs to win. At one point the Aussi’s were 55 for 2 and then 216 for 6. Pakistan made a great start after losing one wicket early on, with second at 137. The third 137, 146 for 4, 150 for 5, 161 for 6, 179 for 7 with scores tied and the run required following. Pakistan’s first win against Australia for a decade and half having failed to achieve a similar small total to win, although this was in Australia.

England won the first 3 one day series against Australia to clinched the series but lost the next two and against expectation failed to win all three one day games against Bangladesh who had not won any of their international games for yonks and yonks. They had not won against England in any competition since playing commenced in 2000 at the full international level.

I did go out in sunshine to Seaburn, Sunderland where the Airshow is being held tomorrow, having missed the show last year. At the Seaburn Marriott hotel I noted that a summer special trial membership offer of £39 for six weeks and no joining fee if membership is then taken at £55 a month standing order or £47 non peak and an extra month if the whole fee is paid in advance. Which includes a free month. I will give consideration over the weekend and decide one way or the other on Monday.

The event of the summer so far has been a game in which England were not represented, the World Football Cup Final in 3 D. I saw the first England game at the Odeon Metro centre as previously reported and then the first half of the second during a 20 20 game at Emirates Riverside Chester Le Street. The third and successful game was watched at home followed by the disastrous and humiliating quarter final tie with Germany back at the Odeon Metro Centre. I immediately lost interest in the competition and as a consequence failed to note that some Odeon Cinemas and some Cineworld theatres were relaying the semi finals and the final in 3D. I went to purchase a ticket at the Bolden Cineworld when going for the Eclipse, only to find they were not one of the selected theatres, nor was the Odeon Metrocentre. However the Odeon Silverlink was listed.

When I first tested my red Suzuki Wagon purchased from one of the several car sales firms just off the Silverlink roundabout, (the second up from the Tyne Tunnel exit at the junction with the A1058 road from Newcastle City Centre passed the People’s Theatre and the former Wills tobacco factory, now flats, Walsend, and then from the Silverlink junction which continues the A19 to join the A1 from Newcastle onto Morpeth, Alnwick, and on to Edinburgh, and to North Tynemouth (also North Shields)), I had taken the car into the Silverlink store complex at the top end of which is the Odeon plus and the Frankie and Bennies, and a Pizza Hut.

I arrived at 10 to 7 on the Sunday evening, unaware that this was the weekend of the Whitby Jazz Festival held at a hotel close by and also the weekend of the Mouth of the Tyne Festival. I was to the first to arrive followed by three Asian Young men. There were a few more by 7 but with no relay commencing I made inquiries with a pleasant young man who was surprised and was further surprised when it had not commenced by 7.10.

I overheard a conversation between a senior assistant and the projectionist that he hoped to have the relay ready before the 7.30 kick off thus missing all the preliminary chats. In fact I later learned that these relays were organised by FIFA direct, and there was only pictures and stadium sounds without commentaries and also only one commentator during the match rather than the usual pre match build up, half time and after match analysis and replays. There was a good reason for this as I discovered when the broadcast did commence having lost my rag a bit because if the show was not going to commence then there was decreasing opportunity to find somewhere else to watch. However this upset was quickly forgotten.

The 3D showing is better than being present at the live game because first one has the best seat in the house being able to view the action from the Director’s box, or the Manager or the referee, with replays. It has the depth of reality without the usual front of screen extensions with which the 3D feature films are usually packed. The only front of scene activity occurred with the team sheets and the clock and goal tally, if there are any, and with the presentation ceremony at the end. I cannot wait to experience cricket with a one day match broadcast to pubs and clubs during the period. Then there the tennis and motor racing and of course the Olympics in 2012. As for the match itself I enjoyed it and was pleased that Spain one although just as pleased had it been Holland. The TV sets are on the market between £1200 and £3000 just as the wide screen and HD sets, and then when purchases become common the price significantly reduces. In my lifetime we shall see!

The motor racing with the British Grand Prix was a disappointment after the recent success of the two British world champions. Button failed to make the top ten but managed to get himself 4th and Lewis H came second after being 4th on the grid. Although they failed to give the British 1.2 which the home crowd longed for they remain at the top of the driver’s championship but the gap narrows with Lewis on 145 points, Button 133 and Mark Webber 128, resulting in conflict within the Red Bull team as Vettel claimed it was his colleague’s fault that he had to drop back and is on 121 points. Alonso on 98, is not out of the running, nor are Rosberg or Kubica with only 83. As with 25 points for a win on offer although the pure Renault have not shown the speed so far to take on the Red Bulls Renault clearly now ahead of McLaren- Mercedes, and Ferrari improving.

I did not pay much attention to the British Open Golf club after South African Oosthuizen took command and never looked liked yielding his growing lead, finishing on 272. Paul Casey who looked the most likely English challenger was overtaken into third place by a stroke to Paul Westwood who finished on 279.

Do I mention Wimbledon and the Andy Murray performance against Nadal after he had a brilliant start in the competition, despite injury and loss of form. He has now dropped to 4th in the rankings after coming close to being first. Federer’s defeat could mark a change in the natural order’s of things. It is of interest that the next highest ranked Brit is 176 out of 300.

Durham draw at Trent Bridge 2008

As I sat my room at the Trowel Service area on the M1 on Thursday evening I considered returning home a day early, as the weather forecast for the following day was for showers, some strong. I felt a third day at cricket was unlikely to add to my experience of the past week and I was in the mood for city exploration or to go to the pictures. And yet part of me was not ready to return to the life I had been leading although I was not unsettled or disturbed by being away, remembering my discontent during and following previous holidays especially that of 1991. I had food for lunch or evening with the second pasta and fruit salads, and I had bought four rolls and had some salami left from that purchased at Havant. I decided. I would go to the cricket. I made some coffee to take but had no water and decided that I would buy some if required from the well placed coop mini store discovered just across the road from the ticket office to the cricket ground. I needed some more skimmed milk which I would call in for on the way home. I arrived early, knowing the route and deciding to set off once I had made the decision, even if it was to watch Hampshire bat for the greater part of the day

I sat on my own in the same area as on Wednesday. During the morning I was joined by a gentleman from Mansfield who greeted me remembering my presence from the previous visit, who explained that his arrival was delayed because of unexpected visitors. He said that he had woken during the night to a tremendous rain storm and that according to the morning news there had been a thunderbolt strike on houses at Ilkeston with fire engines having to be called out. In fact there was no rain during the day and the sun came out and by early evening I had to move to another part of the ground to escape its intensity. This was at the foot of the latest stand by the new scoreboard building on the second row from ground level and provided an excellent view enabling one to feel part of the game as a boundary fielder. Pity about the exposure to the full sun during the day as this would be an ideal point to view the game in future, close to the entrance, member's pavilion and other facilities.

It was just as well that I felt relaxed, content and sleepy and I am sure that I dozed off more than once especially after Nottinghamshire were all out for two runs more than Durham Several years ago Notts had released batsman Shafayat to a neighbouring county but they had brought him back after which he had rewarded with a succession for first class performances. Today he never looked like being out until he scored his 100 and then through a moment's loss of concentration he was caught behind by the wicked keeper off the bowling of Plunkett.

As with the Durham innings, because of good bowling the run rate was restricted to an average of three an over compared with five to six in one day games and eight to ten in the 20 20. Nottinghamshire were 199 for eight at one point losing four wickets four twenty runs and my companion from Mansfield warned that this was normal and the side would be lucky to reach 200. They went on to 268, two runs more than Durham through a stand of 69 runs and he commented on being wrong and I reminded that we would have become millionaires if we were good at forecasting to which others nearby agreed. I felt that unless Durham scored freely and quickly the game was set on an honourable draw which each side having achieved five bonus point and another four for the draw, The differential between Durham and Notts at the top would be retained but with Durham having a game in hand. It would remain all to play for. There is no outstanding side this season and everyone attempts to quickly adjust to the 20 20 game and the money involved, and to the World Championships and new competitions. At lunch time I visited the cooperative mini market for some water, an ice cream and the Notts evening paper. Back at the stadium I was joined by another gentleman during the afternoon of about my age, possibly older from what he later said. When after discussing the game and the prospects of a result I mentioned that I lived close to the River Tyne he told me of his daughter his daughter who also had a home a home near the river and an office that overlooked in the centre of the city of Newcastle. He then mentioned the name and occupation of his son in law and amazingly it was someone who I had known during my managerial life, now approaching twenty years ago. It once again demonstrated what a small world it is. It was a delightful conversation, the second of the day and I reflected what nice people attend cricket at this level and regretted that I had stopped my travels to other grounds for championship games. It was just as well the company was so convivial as the cricket became exceptionally slow as Durham decided on a stalemate draw scoring 72 runs in 48 overs that is precisely one and a half run an over and a far cry from then eight and nine scored during 20 20 final days with Durham the slowest at seven runs. Clearly Durham feared a loss and not a win, However I was not discontented and the play matched my mood. I called in for the milk on the way to the car and filled up with petrol before journeying back to the lodge where the relaxed mood continued and I decided against packing or writing and watched a little TV commencing with the day at the Test Match. Peterson had done well and then thrown away his wicket just before reaching 100 to the spectacular annoyance of Geoffrey Boycott and it was then Paul Collingwood who everyone agreed and played a courageous innings as he struggled to regain his form as a batsman. He had turned from booed villain to hero with his fifty and then his one hundred greeted with wild enthusiasm. There was the prospect of saving and even winning the game if he continued to bat well with the support of partners the following morning. I watched the Big Brother eviction programme with its lack of people to care about and hope for this season. It would not be a memorable day except for being the last day of a good holiday away from what my normal existence. I had not watched a film for a week or played chess or Hearts. I hoped my home was alright and the plants had not withered through lack of water. I was expecting some deliveries which might have been taken in by neighbours for a change as I usually took things in for them, or kept at the post office or held at the delivery service local office. I was not looking forward to the travelling even though I was on the motorway and the distance would be around 150 miles. Two and half hours drive. I was too relaxed for a hard drive, starting early and knew that with packing first I would stop for food, feel tired and have need of a long break and therefore that the journey would take until the afternoon, following by the unpacking. But I went to bed as soon as I felt tired and to sleep in a mood of contentment.

Duham C C at Trent Bridge

Wednesday 30th July marked a change in the mood of what was becoming a great and likely to be memorable holiday. Breakfast of pan au chocolat, Alpine cereal and coffee. I bought a pasta salad which I mixed with tomatoes and salad peppers brought with me for the trip. I also bought a fruit salad of strawberries, melon, grapes, apple. This was part of a two for £5 deal which brought the price within the reasonable range rather than expensive for my budget. I commenced to write this when I returned to my home on August 2nd and after unpacking and feeling tired I watched a DVD which had also made the same journey of the past week called Déjà vu about the use of as time machine to prevent the blowing up of a car ferry with 500 hundred passengers I am now trying to write a chronicle of my immediate past and my present as quickly as I can in order to bring the two into the same time dimension of ongoing experience. I am also trying to get up to date with everything else. I am visiting Nottingham to day, for Durham playing at the County Ground. I have visited the ground for cricket before. I have visited Nottingham University, the Football Ground and the neighbourhood of the Football ground. However in this situation it is about the present and not the past and previous experience is for another occasion. Before setting off today I completed writing about my journey to Havant and posted on MySpace. This meant I would arrive at the ground before the start of play but I had forgotten that parking could be a problem, unlikely Chester Le Street on County Championship days when the traffic would be normal with limited stops for lights and roundabouts and parking unlimited. There was no one at the Travel Lodge reception, when I was ready to leave, to ask how to get to the other side of the motorway and failing to identify the exit I returned, rang the bell and the assistant explained what I had to do, These roads are intended only for use used by emergency vehicles, staff, and motel guests, so the every effort is made to avoid casual visitors using the facility. It is such a long time since visiting the city, but less than ten years, and I had failed to work out the route and therefore I was driving more in hope of finding the best way, first time of travel, to the cricket ground. As I hoped, soon after entering the outskirts from the motorway there was a sign directing Football and Cricket traffic back out of the city towards a ring road. Then I was unsure of the way and turned back towards the town centre, passing a Park and ride, an out of town shopping centre and the coming by the main railway station where road signs included a reference to Trent Bridge and I was soon turning across the river with the football ground to the left and then saw what are the as yet unused six majestic permanent new floodlight masts at the cricket ground. These are contained within a ring rather than the usual squares and are unique and attractive architectural structures. I turned my vehicle in front of the building and went around another side, and reaching a wide road turned left moving away from the ground until finding a car park with many unused spaces. However the fee for over 3 hours was £20 set intentionally high to prevent use by cricket and football fans. I doubled back and explored the side roads but although parking was not restricted to residents there appeared to be no free spaces. However I found a space within five minutes walk of the ground and crossing over, found the ticket office at the very junction where I had turned the car left into the main road. I had gone a full circle and I work out now in my mind how I did so Usually one can enter the ground at the ticket office but there was some work being undertaken to what I discovered is the extraordinary new all singing and dancing scoreboard. By good fortune I had only needed to walk a couple of hundred yards from the car into the ground. I have lost my prescription sunglasses and had an idea where they might be, so broke off to investigate without success. The opportunity was also taken to close the bedroom curtains. I check emails and then decide to print out the Blogs that have been posted since on my travels. I have been going to sleep early around 10pm and while away waking early around four or five and writing I have then become tired during the day for longer periods that has become custom so I try and stay up but around 11pm I am very tired so leave further writing until the morning. My writing is impressionistic although written as a chronicle and an official report where the emphasise is on fact and accuracy and less on feelings and the intrusions of memories and flights into fantasy, although I encourage the former and disciplines the latter into projections of possibilities rewinding variations in future time options. Do I want this, can I make it happen, can I avoid that happening. I have recovered sufficiently from the night of my return home to break for breakfast and commencing the washing of clothes, but as it is Sunday and there will be no postman or anyone else calling I delay washing and shaving until this first writing has been completed. Inside the ground I am impressed by the visual impact and by aspects of the comprehensive developments since my last visit. There is only one old building at the corner of the ground by the street level ticket office with the entrance I used marking the other end. This is in fact the pavilion so the first aspect to note about the cricket ground is that the wickets are at angle to the pavilion with the site screen comprising white or presumably black blinds to the windows. Members sit in a the small terraced area below the windows and therefore are exceptionally well disciplined. The long room is quite small and when one cannot see the game except by bending down below window level. There are only a handful of tables compared to the vast area at Durham. There is an executive lounged/dining area which I did not explore, but I did find as small TV lounge. I only found this after circulating the ground in search of a cup of tea and in the members lounge cups of tea were being served for £1.20 a side table to the bar, where previously there had been a lunch time roast meal available. There was also a scone with cream for £1.30. There were also the player's dressing rooms and game viewing area. It is a ridiculously small and inappropriate Pavilion for a ground of such importance for international games. Nottinghamshire is the third oldest test Playing ground in the world and a photograph of the original Pavilion area indicates that section have been replaced by the new scoreboard and a hospitality conference suite. The then £7.2 million Radcliffe Road development comprises one of the tallest cricket stands I have experienced with four levels. The pitch side terracing, hospitality boxes level and then the upper terracing and then an even higher level, unused today and I suspect restricted to Internationals and perhaps domestic 20 20 cricket. The building has dept so it contains facilities open to the public and there are a few private business offices at street level, The building contains residential accommodation as well as a host conference and meeting rooms. There are also lifts. I did not explore this area because unlikely any other ground it is not possible to walk round inside the ground although pass outs are freely available if one wants to go to other areas. What I have said is not strictly accurate as I will describe in a moment. The Radcliffe Road stand occupies the widest straight stretch of stand and building inside the ground and I thought this was the new Pavilion at first until advise to the contrary by a Nottinghamshire Member. The new Fox Road stand has what is a described as a state of the art aircraft wing roof which provides shelter to the upper tiers of its 2300 seat capacity. However on my visit I could not get around this stand without going up and then down steps into the stand, until lunch time when I was able to walk on the pitch where spectators are allowed to play during championship games. Opposite this stand there is another recently opened stand with a different kind of wind and rain shield but also only applies to the upper tiers. I was able to get to this stand via one side of the Members Pavilion passing in front of the new super scoreboard in a building which may also house players or media facilities. There is a logic about locating this facility here only if it includes facilities for the players as this is the only area inside the ground for parking cars for club officials and players. However the screen cannot be seen from the Members Pavilion. The other reason is that it would have further obscured the view from the County Council offices that are located in one area of the ground and where the old scoreboard remains. I sat in the Hound Road Lower stand as there is shelter from the sun for most of the day and from the rain by the upper tier. There are hospitality and conference meeting room facilities in between the two tiers. I was on my own at the beginning of the day but when the rain arrived briefly and then as the sun reached the area everyone congregated in the undercover space and this was when I had several conversations with Nottinghamshire members. I arrived just as the third over of the day commenced to find that Durham had won the toss and elected to bat first. Nottinghamshire is an excellent bowling side with Stuart Broad released from Test duty and a first class spinner Patel so Durham took their time playing defensively and awaiting scoring opportunities, a far cry from the approach to shorter one day games. There was a good performance from Will Smith who had played for Notts who had promise but failed to progress and where he has become the most consistent performer at Durham, His 85 runs came from 182 balls in included 13 fours, His partnership with Captain Blenkenstein was crucial in bring stability to the innings although again it was slow cricket with 28 runs from 77 balls, and Chanderpaul Ben Harmison and Mustard also each scored thirty and I was delighted that my advice to Notts players than Durham would bat to the last man was proved accurate as although 204 seven a total of 268 was reached and there was only time for a couple of overs for Notts. There was much interest in the test match with the performance of Vaughan and Collingwood the subject of comment. Collingwood especially it was felt had taken the place deserved by Broad although there was delight that he was playing again for his home club. I was also told that Members usually parked for free at the Notts Forest ground but where amazingly there was a friendly with Sunderland that night so the car park was closed except to football supporters. This explained the number of Sunderland shirts in the ground and as a group of young supporters of both sexes arrived and sat in the seats in front and became lively as the drink took effect. Some move doubt of the shade as the day progressed and two girls were bright red and going to suffer as they left sheltering too late. They were part of a coach party who had booked an overnight stay. I spoke with one local supporters late in the morning when wanting to know where I could buy a cool drink, He disappeared at lunch time, reappeared a couple of hours later and then disappeared again after tea. He clearly did not enjoy a day of the opposition batting. Eventually I found a drink on advice of a gate steward I went into the Squash club bar who were offering a Hoagie roast which is a form of bread and meat, with a pint for £5.50. The Member's bar was serving a Hoagie without the pint for the same price.. In the afternoon a married woman sat nearby and asked if I she was right in saying that I supported the opposition, which surprised me how she knew. She usually came with her husband who was engaged elsewhere fro the day and was a regular member who knew a great deal about the home players which was helpful. She as other longer term members were adjusting to scale changes at the ground but also added about the lack of food for those who did not want to rely on a packed lunch. Later in the day I could not resist advising one of the young men that. I too lived on the Lawe Top which had the effect of stunning the lad which was desire as he had been allowing the drink to govern his mouth. The group, seeking shade and surrounded another older Notts member, a woman sitting on her own and although the banter had been good humoured I could see that she felt overwhelmed and left early, or to move elsewhere. They had explained to her that they were not all from Sunderland and that some were from South Shields and the young man had added the Lawe Top. It is a small world but also underlines that one should always be careful what ones says because one never knows who could be listening. It had been a relaxed day, the kind I needed and I looked forward to a quiet evening at the accommodation getting up-to-date with emails and MySpace writing as well as thinking about the following day when the weather was forecast as poor and I planned to explore the area. I then had difficulty in getting on line which was later a identified as local problem and where the service provided gave me a reference for a couple free days use which will be left until the London trip. I was able to write a little after a good evening meal of soup, the last pasta, and some cake. I was in bed and asleep by 10am.

1446 Durham fail at the Rosebowl

I have experienced several great days of major live sporting disappointment, usually when the anticipation has built up over a period of weeks, months and in a few instances years. The first is a memory which I usually repeat when I meet someone new at cricket. In 1948, I think, I was taken by a cousin on a bus to the Oval cricket ground for England's 5th and final test match against Australia and after queuing for several hours we were allowed into the ground to sit on the grass between the usual boundary fencing and the boundary rope set for the match. This was to be the last Test match played in England of Donald Bradman, later Sir Donald. We all stood up a cheered as he made his way to the wicket and a few seconds later we cheered him all the way back as he was out second ball bowled by Eric Hollis. I thought it was the first. Ray Lindwall, Lindsay Hassett and Keith Miller were other Aussi big guns, of course. Leonard Hutton whose book he autographed for me several years later, Denis Compton and John Edrich with Alec Bedser were British Guns.. FR Brown captain?

It was a few years before I would make my own way to the Oval to watch Surrey play, and Peter May, the Bedser twins, and Locke and Laker but I did watch one day at a Test match at Lords when still at school with Aunty Harriet, my care mother, having acquired a ticket through someone she knew.

Since then I have attended Test Matches at many other grounds Headingley, Trent Bridge, Edgbaston, Old Trafford and the Riverside, but apart from Botham's Test and Petersen and Flintoff in more recent times, the memories are very hazy. I hope I will retain vivid memories of the Rose Bowl until my dying day although there is the major disappointment of Durham failing to perform, of surrendering meekly to the opposition. However it was a glorious day of summer and there were several highlights.

I awoke before the alarm, just as well as it only went off in the evening, something I only confirmed the following evening, continuing for nearly a hour so I assume no one was in the next rooms or the sound proofing is better than usual. I went down and sorted the car around 7.30 buying a bottle of water at the garage opposite and filling one flask, finishing off the bottle. There were two prices for still water in the chill cabinet, 70p and 99p. The assistant said 70p and then after a couple of sentences asking how to get to the A3 for the M 27, I was given only 10p change. I helped myself to the free Newspaper from the tied pile on the step outside in Inn doors with the intention of reading at an outside table in the early morning sunshine but a staff member opened a side door, I had checked that the main entrance door was locked and I therefore enquired if breakfast was available. It was a quarter to eight. And I was advised I could have entered earlier as the staff member had been on duty from 6.30 am. I enjoyed a bowl of grapefruit segments, a fruit juiced, two croissants and a cup of coffee. I wrapped a Danish Pastry in a napkin for later. For the day ahead I had also prepared a flask of coffee and from home, the salad in a sealed container and sandwiches wrapped in foil, a mistake and the a container. The strawberries in the shop carton, large juicy ones but in a firm condition. A weather top for the evening cold and possible rain storm and the small umbrella as I assumed the stadium had been built and I would be sitting under cover, although I nought to have realised the implication that the video was shown under the development section with reference to submitting the plans to the local authority in 2006. I was quickly to discover that it had not been built!

I asked the staff member for the directions and he advised to follow the sign A3 London as it would also show a sign to Portsmouth. AS soon as I was on my way I recognised the same road that I had travelled the previous evening and realised that I gone past the neat the Inn, continuing into Havant and then circling back. Alas I would make the mistake again on the return journey because I did not know that the road would be marked Leigh Park rather than Rowland's Castle. I also forgot to note the name of the junction I needed to take on the return journey Waterlooville, that's my name with recognition given to the Ting Tings, that's my name.
The first surprise was to appreciate the views over the Solent as I reached the junction between the A 3 and the M27. I then had problem reaching junction number 8 and following the signs to Park and ride which led to a large field marked so that vehicles could line up. There was only one line where I was something like car thirty having arrived within half an hour of the centre opening. This was to prove a great significance some thirteen hours later.

I was therefore on the first bus to the ground, a journey of more than the forecast ten minutes, I would say fifteen to twenty but I did not check. At the ground I was given a thorough body check as well as the bag unpacked and every item checked, something which does happen elsewhere. It was reassuring although odd. I then had my surprise as the video of the ground is just that a video ground. A plan of more hope than reality.

The Rose bowl has a fixed inner area of continuous terrace seating and then an upper tier which has been added and with everyone entering the stadium at the second level promenade which as at Sunderland Football club leads to major congestion. There is an attractive Member's Pavilion similar to the new stand at Lords but not as effective and smaller versions for the large hospitality area with first level seating below which remained sparsely filled as many appeared to arrive later or remain at the table serving food and drink. The toilet facilities for the rest of us were diabolical and a scandal for the Test board and English cricket and I will write to Test board accordingly. With a 20000 capacity this is about making money although in fairness I thought the adult ticket of £48 plus £1 booking fee reasonable, especially as children and young people under sixteen could attend for £11, although this would be a very long day for the very young. It was still and occasion for young men drinking excessively and old men wishing they still could but there was a good showing of females and middle aged.

I ought to be used to the prices from the concession with surrounded the perimeter of the ground inside the stadium. £2 for a soft drink £3.50 for a small carton of chips and three fifty for cider four pounds a pint with the drinkers consuming between ten and twenty pints each on the day and with repercussions for a group of Essex supporters behind me. But first the cricket.

The opening semi final between Kent and Essex lived up to expectations except for the absence of sixes. There was a fast outfield and therefore batsmen using the advantage of restricted fielding outside the marked area could reach the boundary with strong and well place shots without the risk of the skied miss hit. The match was a close one with Essex never looking as if they would reach the Kent total after Napier was out early and Shaun Udal and Murali Kartick, spinner restricted scoring in what was a pitch taking spin not usually associated with 20 20 games. This was ominous because Durham lacked world class spin and it was evident that the pacemen could be hit hard at the beginning of the innings and at the end. Early on it was evident that we had a vociferous group of young Essex supporters behind us and as the quantity of alcohol increased their behaviour more loutish. I was befriended by an exiled northerner from Consett who had obtained a social work qualification at Hull after undertaking further education having been a trade union official at the steel works. He had lived in the New Forest area for over two decades working for Probation and Prison Service. His brother a Durham Member had got him the ticket. There was also a young man with whom I had a chat later and who I hope to see at Nottingham. He had come down with a party, perhaps official travel club members staying at a hotel at Heathrow and we had similar views about the ground and merchandising as well as on the Durham Performance.

The less said about the Durham Performance the better in the second semi final. We won the toss and elected to bat such was the confidence and De Venuto was caught early for 0 giving the worse possible start, Mustard quickly followed and although Chandrapaul scored runs with Collingwood and Smith they struggled against the spin that a total of 140 appeared the best possible, inadequate at this level of competition. Pollock did well and Liam Plunkett who came in ahead of Blenkenstein did not have the time to get going. It was a damp squib of a performance, frankly pathetic and it was not surprising that our bowlers were then humiliated. First as after a solid start we were blitzed by. all rounder Tyrone Henderson and Middlesex won the game with ease and Durham departed immediately to their hotel where it would be interesting to learn if they watched the final on TV.

The lighting for the final was the only exceptional aspect of the ground for with six masts compared with the usual four it was possible create a day time effect with ground and crowd brightly illuminated.

Middlesex posted what proved to be a match winning score and although Henderson again scored valuable runs it was Shah to banged away 75 and had he not lost his wicket a score of 200 plus appeared possible, However Kent were not to give up the title easily and hey need three runs of the last ball, but failed. Captain Key produced a solid start with 90 runs on the board before three wickets fell quickly and then there was a stand for 70 which appeared to turn the match.

I felt there was a gulf between Durham and the other three sides but it will have been great experience and hopefully not demoralising as what has happened to Yorkshire.

I must now turn to the issue of drink. On one hand it is up to each adult to drink responsibly and certainly the prices do nothing to encourage excess. The group of young men with one or two young women who were sitting with them or became associated with them for a time as the day progressed drew attention and alienated themselves from the surrounding crowd by the extent of their shouting and the insistence of climbing over seats in order to buy drinks and visit the toilet. There was great delight when Essex lost because it was hoped that the group would depart although I already knew this was not the position because as they had travelled by coach which would only leave at the end of the Final. This took some interest in the second semi final and final, but they passed the time by further drinking. There were notices around the ground which indicated that even the stacking of plastic glasses was an offence. There were three levels of stewarding inside the ground and I only saw a police presence once towards the evening as if t remind that they were there to be called upon if needed. The first level of stewarding had been recruited for the day with the role of helping people to their seats although being new to the ground and possibly to the situation they were given ground charts and appeared to be just as unsure of the situation as the visiting supporters. They were removed from the main circulation level within the stadium when the game commenced to the entrance passages otherwise they would have obscured views. Then there was a second team whose function was clear litter where this was possible. I assume this was to avoid having to do so at the end of the game or the following day but there was also the purpose of preventing the accumulation of material which could be used to throw above and on to the other sections of the crowd. The third group were the green tam designed to watch behaviour and deal with any situation, They functioned as individuals until a situation built up when they acted in number as a organised group, linked with communications including small head level cameras which recorded conversations and actions and which were relayed to the central control point. At what point the young men came under supervision I have no idea but there was a conversation developed about accumulating the plastic glasses to create a stack with a view to be thrown out of the ground. One encouraged another to do this. This talk continued over a period of time but then a male member of the green team approach advised the man collecting the plastic glasses of the regulations, asked him to surrender what he had, warned it could lead to expulsion and when he started to pretend he was no misbehaving and he was given a formal and what was evident to me final warning. When his behaviour continued a senior female member of the team approach and advised more than warned that he had had a good day and not to spoilt the situation for himself and for others. I thought everyone was leaning over backwards to avoid having to act. The final straw came when he left his seat, crossed the main circulation area and collected three or four stacked glasses from under a nearby seat. Shortly afterwards four members of the Green team arrived and asked him to accompany them for a talk outside. It was evident he was quietly being removed, would be taken to a holding area for assessment and possible arrested as being drunk and disorderly. His particulars would be noted and kept by the Test Board his home county and possibly other counties so that if he requested membership or tickets he would refused. His companions who at first considered the whole matter to be amusing then became serious and hostile to officialdom. I had noted that when confronted the young man in question lied about his intentions.

It was evident that leaving the ground and car parks would take several hours unless one left early. Although the outcome of the final was uncertain I decided to leave five overs before the conclusion as I was able to listen to the Sky TV commentary over the radio head set ear piece purchased for £10. I believe these can be used at any ground where Sky is broadcasting a live game, but not otherwise. I was directed the long way round a prepared and market route to where a fleet of buses was waiting bin convoy to take to Park and ride. Another fleet was waiting to take to the other motorway junction site. The vehicle did not leave until it was full which was just as the final over drama was being played. It was the first bus to arrive at the site and there I was in a dark field with several thousand cars. My problem was that although I had been in the first row, other cars had created new rows on both sides and for a moment I had visions of spending hours searching for an unfamiliar vehicle although I the written registration number on a card with me. I decided to back my belief as ton what constituted the first row and went along counting cars and there it was. Getting away to the M27 going East was therefore no problem as well as getting on to the A3 motorway. I decided to come off at the exit after Waterlooville which was the correct thing to do but because there was no sign Havant or Rowlands Castle, I came back over the other side of the motorway and repeated what I had done the previous evening at the Waterlooville junction exit roadways. It was around 11.30 tired but cricket overdosed. Wrapping the sandwiches in tin foil was a mistake and they had to be thrown away but in general I got the food right but should have doubled the water ration at the expense of the coffee.. I had a midnight snack of a soup in a cup with boiling water over the contents of a sachet and then a pot pasta with boiling water over the prepared contents of a small pot, There was also a Danish from reserves.

It had been a great once in a life time experience, not to be repeated unless Durham get to the same position again in my lifetime or my financial position changes and I would try the hospitality route which I would like to do for other sports and events, once. I hope Durham will learn the lessons.