Ahem - YERSSS, well, for both cricket fans on TNF, it was like this...W.G. Grace (past top scorer and Man of the Match in these annual Goodwood games
) was out, caught-and-bowled Alain de Cadanet for a magisterial 8 (Dammit
) having previously kept wicket in masterly style throughout the opposing side's innings, missing several stumpings
and dropping a catch
but saving several million runs by interposing self between hard ball and the outfield with lightning reflexes and lionhearted determination - loud oomphs upon impact with the ground and multiple bruising...
Dickie Attwood - W.G.'s skipper - reached the compulsory retirement score of 25 and was cheered roundly all the way back to the pavilion.
Jackie Oliver opened the batting with him.
Derek Bell played for the other side.
Brian Redman hit the winning runs.
The best players are really classic car dealer David Clarke - once with Surrey Colts - and Pink Floyd manager Steve O'Rourke - while Tony Dron batted BRILLIANTLY for W.G.'s side using an 18th century curved bat, which was the only bat long enough for the 6ft 5in tall Drone to wield effectively.
David Leslie - BTCC racer of note - was very unluckily out 2nd ball, played on, but when W.G. pleaded on his behalf that we should call that a dead ball and that he should play on, the umpire at the other end - the Lordly figure of the Duke of Richmond & Gordon himself - said 'No, out's out!' and David had to trail his way back to the pav. Then it struck W.G. that he was playing for the Duke's XI and no mercy was being shown whatsoever to the young Earl of March's team - of which Leslie D. was a member.
We WON! (We won last year an' all). I did tear my calf muscle though (as in 1998 and 2000), which left me umm 'restricted' for the rest of the weekend.
Commentarywise W.G. did actually get a word in edgeways with Simon Taylor - who is REALLY impressive to watch in verbal action - but inevitably much of the garbage gets edited out - quite properly. D. McKinney was there too, keeping the lap charts and us honest.
Meridian TV have two 90 minute Goodwood Revival specials coming up - in addition to today's Channel 4 hour - which will offer more racing...and perhaps more commentary.
W.G.'s not at all bothered whether they broadcast his pearls or not - I don't think he's got an ego problem. (Thinks: I wonder if they've cut the bit after the 275LM is smashed into a ball of scrap when I think I said "It's at times like this when some unsympathetic, insensitive so-and-so comes up behind the owner/driver, slaps him on the back and says "I'll give you thirty grand for it as it stands, lad...")
Thanks for asking, I lervvv the game - just too old and talentless. But on the Sunday I did get to meet the great John Embury, former England bowler of whom fellow cricket fans will know...and that really made my weekend...that and 75 year old Ray Hanna's low-level Spitfire flying display over the cricket pitch at the end of the match. For low read LOW!!!!!!!
DCN
Who else was playing?
