Cricket

Yeah, i mean he basically ruled country cricket for 15 odd years, I suppose you could put him in a similar bracket as Hick and Ramps.

All amazing players that were probably let down by their own sides odd support/selection processes.

I lose count of the English players who fall into Agger's "I was picked for England when I shouldn't have been and then not picked when I should have been" category

Rohit has worked it out. Don't let England chase.

Another 1700 finish.....

Bad review Ben.

Watching a potential thriller at Scarborough instead...

any chance we could actually bat out 50 overs?

Not quite a thriller but enjoying the game at Southport

Getting dangerously close…

yes, nail biting finish with 3 wickets in hand...

^ I was half joking when I wrote that. Should have known better.

Lol

They got closer tbf

What a win

I love county cricket

Unexpected.

Must have been a golden age for watching and playing at both levels!

I grew up in Rochdale with a dad who was a big cricket fan and we were both Lancs CC members in the golden days of the Sunday League. We also went around the Central Lancs and Lancs league grounds. I saw Gary Sobers and Joel Garner play for Littleborough years ago!
https://www.littleboroughcc.co.uk/about/professionals-from-the-past/

Later on, I played myself (not at that level!) and my first serious bat was an SS Jumbo (a Viv tribute) and my last one was a GN Powerspot (early 90's original version) that a few of the Lancs players used at the time (Atherton?) which was wonderful. There was a DF Magnum (Gooch tribute) somewhere in the middle that I didn't really get on with.

I should stop watching more often...

DF Magnum

I think these were the kit bag bats at school. Had a perfectly flat face? Always looked very awkward and unforgiving.

I think I remember reading somewhere that Surridge will remake a new replica of old Turbos and Jumbos, if you send them the old bat?

Love these stories. When Clive Lloyd was at Lancs his son was at our school and I used to see him on the pick up run, never quite lost the star-stuckness of seeing the Super Cat out and about in everyday life.

SS Jumbo is def on the list, but even ropey ones are £200 plus. The Powerspot was Athers, I remember playing Manc Grammar and they all had Powerspots in homage to their old boy. DF made great bats, seriously decent and innovative in their day. A chap was playing with a 3lb 'Attack' on Tuesday, it was a lovely thing.

The grandchildren are still making as Swannack Made and the Jumbo is the Apollo

SS went after Sundridge in India about the SS name, but i think they lost. The Stuart Surridge name was sold to an outfit in Burnley I think and they still do 'make' a Jumbo and a Turbo

LOL, I grew up in Oldham and got to see Joel G play too. Dad sadly wasn't into cricket, but I did get to a fair few games at Heyside (who I played for briefly) and Royton CC.

Moved to London early 90s and played for Battersea Ironsides with my trusty GN Powerspot, which was a terrific bat. Light, but the ball went off it like shit of a shovel. The Ironsides were a bit serious for me, so I ended up playing for a pub side for a few years, which was fantastic.

Mention of Big Joel reminds me he hit dad in the ear in the nets at Taunton (practice during Windies tour 1980). Went forward to what he says was a length ball. But because of Garner's height, it came at him rather higher than expected!

My friend who was at Surrey as a jnr tells a similar story about Waqar Younis, who he batted against quite a lot in the nets. What he didn't realise was that he never bowled off his full run, until one day when Arn drove him out of the nets.

The next ball came off the full run, same length but faster so spat up and clattered him on the helmet. He came too with Alec Stewart telling him he should have watched the ball a bit better after "making Waqar angry".

I think these were the kit bag bats at school. Had a perfectly flat face? Always looked very
awkward and unforgiving.

I seem to remember that the face was flatter than the others, with thick edges. It was also quite heavy and/or the balance wasn't quite right for me.

How fucking good is Finals Day

Holy fuck