I try and cheer myself on a miserable Monday morning cold and wet with The Entertainer Chris Barber and his band Down home Rag; Baby won’t you please come home, The Entertainer, New St Louis blues, Ory’s Creole trombone; Bourbon Street Parade; High Society/When the Saints; Stevedore stomp; The Sheik of Araby; Georgia Cakewalk Li’l Liza Jane; Burgundy street blues, On the Sunny side of the Street; when the saints go marching in featuring Pat Halcox Monty Sunshine Lonnie Donegan Micky Ashman Ron Bowden and Ottile Paterson also Eddie Smith Dick Smithy Graham Burbage, Edmond Hall, Hank Duncan, Hayes Alvis Joe Marshall and, Ian Wheeler
I have recovered just about from Durham‘s bad defeat at the Rosebowl on Sunday evenings in 20 20 quarter final. The first game on Saturday evening was great with both teams scoring over 200 runs. Kent appeared unbeatable as Mahmood scored 91 and Van Jaarsveld 63 not out reached 203 for 3 setting a rate of 10 runs an over for Leicestershire with Paul Nixon celebrating his 40th birthday and last home appearance before retiring capped a home side performance as the team stood up at the plate and kept the score within reachable distance with McDonald 53, young and diminutive Taylor England hopeful scoring a quick 21 and Nixon himself just missing out on the making the winning strike with a creditable 31 off 17 balls. In this high scoring and entertaining game Kent scored 6 sixes 21 fours while Leicestershire 7 sixes and 23 fours reaching 206 with 4 balls left. At the end of the game Nixon was chaired off by the delighted crowd which had packed the small home side ground and he rose to the occasion showing his unbridled joy and joining in the fun. It was the first of the midlands/north clubs to win.
It was inevitable that Sunday would prove an anti climax as Somerset came from behind to beat Notts at an almost full Trent Bridge. Hales never to be forgiven for standing on the rope and claiming catch out made 78 to give the home side a chance with a score of 169 scoring 3 sixes and six fours, When Trescothick was out for 3 runs it seemed as if it was going to Notts day but Kieswetter 49, Pollard 47 of 25 with 4 sixes and 2 fours and Buttler saw the away team reach their second finals day in two years.
The less said about the Durham performance the better after losing the toss and Paul Collingwood staying home with a continuing bad back, Durham started well as Afridi was run out on the first ball by Borthwick who caught hold of a high pitching ball and through down the stumps and when Vince was caught of a high level shot from Onions with the total 26 and then another magnificent run out saw Adams go with the total 24 but then a bad over from young Borthwick. Who went 4 for 34 in the end and Benkenstein and Breese also unable to control the scoring rate to less than 5 an over, It was Blackwell who go the ball to spin missing the stumps to the side and just over several times but who also yielded runs going from two overs for 7 to 4 for 26 which meant that the home side reached what everyone said was going to be an impossible target of 154. I hoped they would make a better fist of it but were all out for 99 in the 19th over shattering hopes and dreams. The draw for finals day takes place this evening after the floodlit game between Sussex and Lancashire but it be that three of the most successful I day sides of recent year will again make the finals day another memorable occasion alas without the presence of Durham
I enjoyed Durham’s home championship game against Nottingham at the riverside last week although a draw always appeared the likely result as rain throughout the third day was forecast and proved accurate. Durham won the toss and decided to bat with Di Venuto scoring and excellent 132 but was later injured and did not bat in the second innings. It is understood he has a badly bruised finger. Captain Mustard made an excellent 88 runs not out as the home side reached a total of 351 runs and four batting points. Collingwood was out to Adams for 0 and Stokes making only 6. He still has pins in his broken finger which remains strapped and makes it difficult for him to hold the bat and he will not bowl for the rest of the season a double blow.
Although for Notts Voges 80 and Chris Read 133 runs not out the rest of the team failed to add more so that at 261 Durham had a useful lead rather than a commanding one given the extraordinary start where Notts lost four wickets with the total 21 and both Onions and Thorp on hat tricks.
Because of the interruption for the rain Durham decided to declare at 181 for 3 on the fourth day setting Notts total of 250 with 60 overs which seemed a risk taking challenge. At 37 for 2 the risk appeared to being paying off but the wicket offered little and Notts were not in the mood to lose the three points for the draw and the matched ended with a handshake 172 for 5 with only 6 overs to go. In form Voges scored another match save 68 runs not out.
Durham still lead the championship with 183 point from 12, Lancashire have six points less, Somerset now in third are 12 behind while Warwickshire who have played a game less are on 168. Notts look comfortable next with 134 and out of the relegation battle between Yorkshire and Worcestershire who are 17 points behind Yorks but with two games in hand.
The Championship and League football season also was underway this weekend and I was delighted to see that the first game of Wimbledon back in the League was being televised, As a school boy and young man my local club was Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park three stations away from Wallington or a couple of bus rides both via Croydon. In the opposite direction, a little further away was the other South Greater London club of Wimbledon Plough Lane via Sutton and Kingston, Whereas Selhurst Park was a natural Amphitheatre easily adapted to become a First division club with a capacity of 25000 Palace rivals were always Brighton and Hover Albion on the South Coast and Millwall and not Wimbledon.
I was not surprising therefore that when Wimbledon had to leave its Plough Lane site it ground shared with Crystal Palace for twelve years until 2002. The Club then moved to Milton Keynes as the MK Dons with the majority of supporters deciding to form their own club from scratch finding their own ground which they purchased and getting promotion five times in 9 years in order to enter the league this year. I have abiding memories of visiting the Plough Lane Ground when I went to purchase a ticket for a home game and was invited into the office where a seat ticket was taken out of the safe. This entitled not only a seat in the main and only stand but to the club where it was possible to possible to eat and drink at reasonable prices and watch the TV including re run of the match at the end. The second was to get a Cup final ticket in 1988 when they beat Liverpool 1.0 in the FA cup. Whereas Crystal Palace never made the Premiership, Wimbledon did. Unfortunately they lost their opening game 2.3 at home as did West Ham ion their return to the Championship. Meanwhile Brighton who like Wimbledon faced years of seeking permanent home and who now have a new stadium won their first game.
I have recovered just about from Durham‘s bad defeat at the Rosebowl on Sunday evenings in 20 20 quarter final. The first game on Saturday evening was great with both teams scoring over 200 runs. Kent appeared unbeatable as Mahmood scored 91 and Van Jaarsveld 63 not out reached 203 for 3 setting a rate of 10 runs an over for Leicestershire with Paul Nixon celebrating his 40th birthday and last home appearance before retiring capped a home side performance as the team stood up at the plate and kept the score within reachable distance with McDonald 53, young and diminutive Taylor England hopeful scoring a quick 21 and Nixon himself just missing out on the making the winning strike with a creditable 31 off 17 balls. In this high scoring and entertaining game Kent scored 6 sixes 21 fours while Leicestershire 7 sixes and 23 fours reaching 206 with 4 balls left. At the end of the game Nixon was chaired off by the delighted crowd which had packed the small home side ground and he rose to the occasion showing his unbridled joy and joining in the fun. It was the first of the midlands/north clubs to win.
It was inevitable that Sunday would prove an anti climax as Somerset came from behind to beat Notts at an almost full Trent Bridge. Hales never to be forgiven for standing on the rope and claiming catch out made 78 to give the home side a chance with a score of 169 scoring 3 sixes and six fours, When Trescothick was out for 3 runs it seemed as if it was going to Notts day but Kieswetter 49, Pollard 47 of 25 with 4 sixes and 2 fours and Buttler saw the away team reach their second finals day in two years.
The less said about the Durham performance the better after losing the toss and Paul Collingwood staying home with a continuing bad back, Durham started well as Afridi was run out on the first ball by Borthwick who caught hold of a high pitching ball and through down the stumps and when Vince was caught of a high level shot from Onions with the total 26 and then another magnificent run out saw Adams go with the total 24 but then a bad over from young Borthwick. Who went 4 for 34 in the end and Benkenstein and Breese also unable to control the scoring rate to less than 5 an over, It was Blackwell who go the ball to spin missing the stumps to the side and just over several times but who also yielded runs going from two overs for 7 to 4 for 26 which meant that the home side reached what everyone said was going to be an impossible target of 154. I hoped they would make a better fist of it but were all out for 99 in the 19th over shattering hopes and dreams. The draw for finals day takes place this evening after the floodlit game between Sussex and Lancashire but it be that three of the most successful I day sides of recent year will again make the finals day another memorable occasion alas without the presence of Durham
I enjoyed Durham’s home championship game against Nottingham at the riverside last week although a draw always appeared the likely result as rain throughout the third day was forecast and proved accurate. Durham won the toss and decided to bat with Di Venuto scoring and excellent 132 but was later injured and did not bat in the second innings. It is understood he has a badly bruised finger. Captain Mustard made an excellent 88 runs not out as the home side reached a total of 351 runs and four batting points. Collingwood was out to Adams for 0 and Stokes making only 6. He still has pins in his broken finger which remains strapped and makes it difficult for him to hold the bat and he will not bowl for the rest of the season a double blow.
Although for Notts Voges 80 and Chris Read 133 runs not out the rest of the team failed to add more so that at 261 Durham had a useful lead rather than a commanding one given the extraordinary start where Notts lost four wickets with the total 21 and both Onions and Thorp on hat tricks.
Because of the interruption for the rain Durham decided to declare at 181 for 3 on the fourth day setting Notts total of 250 with 60 overs which seemed a risk taking challenge. At 37 for 2 the risk appeared to being paying off but the wicket offered little and Notts were not in the mood to lose the three points for the draw and the matched ended with a handshake 172 for 5 with only 6 overs to go. In form Voges scored another match save 68 runs not out.
Durham still lead the championship with 183 point from 12, Lancashire have six points less, Somerset now in third are 12 behind while Warwickshire who have played a game less are on 168. Notts look comfortable next with 134 and out of the relegation battle between Yorkshire and Worcestershire who are 17 points behind Yorks but with two games in hand.
The Championship and League football season also was underway this weekend and I was delighted to see that the first game of Wimbledon back in the League was being televised, As a school boy and young man my local club was Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park three stations away from Wallington or a couple of bus rides both via Croydon. In the opposite direction, a little further away was the other South Greater London club of Wimbledon Plough Lane via Sutton and Kingston, Whereas Selhurst Park was a natural Amphitheatre easily adapted to become a First division club with a capacity of 25000 Palace rivals were always Brighton and Hover Albion on the South Coast and Millwall and not Wimbledon.
I was not surprising therefore that when Wimbledon had to leave its Plough Lane site it ground shared with Crystal Palace for twelve years until 2002. The Club then moved to Milton Keynes as the MK Dons with the majority of supporters deciding to form their own club from scratch finding their own ground which they purchased and getting promotion five times in 9 years in order to enter the league this year. I have abiding memories of visiting the Plough Lane Ground when I went to purchase a ticket for a home game and was invited into the office where a seat ticket was taken out of the safe. This entitled not only a seat in the main and only stand but to the club where it was possible to possible to eat and drink at reasonable prices and watch the TV including re run of the match at the end. The second was to get a Cup final ticket in 1988 when they beat Liverpool 1.0 in the FA cup. Whereas Crystal Palace never made the Premiership, Wimbledon did. Unfortunately they lost their opening game 2.3 at home as did West Ham ion their return to the Championship. Meanwhile Brighton who like Wimbledon faced years of seeking permanent home and who now have a new stadium won their first game.
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