In reply to Post #45
I remember the '81 ashes was on holiday in Somerset and due to go on a boat trip in Taunton but told the others to go and i stayed at the cottage and watched the cricket i sensed something would happen after Botham's 149 and watched every ball of the last day. What people forget is Botham took 6 wkts in 1st inns then scored 50 then 149 not out following on then Willis took 8-43 incredible to watch.
I remember the '81 ashes was on holiday in Somerset and due to go on a boat trip in Taunton but told the others to go and i stayed at the cottage and watched the cricket i sensed something would happen after Botham's 149 and watched every ball of the last day. What people forget is Botham took 6 wkts in 1st inns then scored 50 then 149 not out following on then Willis took 8-43 incredible to watch.
Good to see Chris Cairns off life support.
In reply to Post #47
Good to see Chris Cairns off life support. Damn right.
For those too young (Duggs) to have experienced the euphoria of the 1981 Ashes series...they aren't called 'Botham's Ashes' for nothing. That said, sadly I feel that Bob's 8 for 43 is often overlooked. I cannot recall a more hostile one-man bowling attack***. At times during his unbroken 15.1 over spell he used five slips and a short leg, which should tell you all you need to know about pace and hostility. Rod Marsh tried to take on the bowling, but he put one down Graham Dilley's throat, which was very apt: don't forget GD's considerable contribution with the bat at Headingley, scoring a vital 56 at one end while Botham scored at will at the other. Old Trafford followed...Nuff said.
And never forget Bob's great commentating style for Sky...And he was a massive Bob Dylan fan, Dylan being one of his adopted middle names. To be alive and watching that series was to experience cricketing bliss, not matched, as far as I am concerned, by any other experience (though maybe the so-called 'Greatest Series' of 2005 should get a look in).
Bit of trivia that some may find fun: There exists a book that is titled 'Not Dark Yet' a homage to one of Dylan's songs. Inside are many chapters also titled with Dylan songs. The book is dedicated to Robert George Dylan Willis. It is the funniest book about cricket I have ever read, not that there are too many of them out there! I thoroughly advise any cricket lover to give it a read:
LINK to Amazon.
*** Actually, I can recall just such an example:
Devon Malcolm - you're dead!
Good to see Chris Cairns off life support. Damn right.
For those too young (Duggs) to have experienced the euphoria of the 1981 Ashes series...they aren't called 'Botham's Ashes' for nothing. That said, sadly I feel that Bob's 8 for 43 is often overlooked. I cannot recall a more hostile one-man bowling attack***. At times during his unbroken 15.1 over spell he used five slips and a short leg, which should tell you all you need to know about pace and hostility. Rod Marsh tried to take on the bowling, but he put one down Graham Dilley's throat, which was very apt: don't forget GD's considerable contribution with the bat at Headingley, scoring a vital 56 at one end while Botham scored at will at the other. Old Trafford followed...Nuff said.
And never forget Bob's great commentating style for Sky...And he was a massive Bob Dylan fan, Dylan being one of his adopted middle names. To be alive and watching that series was to experience cricketing bliss, not matched, as far as I am concerned, by any other experience (though maybe the so-called 'Greatest Series' of 2005 should get a look in).
Bit of trivia that some may find fun: There exists a book that is titled 'Not Dark Yet' a homage to one of Dylan's songs. Inside are many chapters also titled with Dylan songs. The book is dedicated to Robert George Dylan Willis. It is the funniest book about cricket I have ever read, not that there are too many of them out there! I thoroughly advise any cricket lover to give it a read:
LINK to Amazon.
*** Actually, I can recall just such an example:
Devon Malcolm - you're dead!
In reply to Post #48
Totally agree about RGD Willis.
Although 2005 was also an amazing series it was because we hadn't beaten them for years and to give out MBE's was
in my view a bit overkill.
Totally agree about RGD Willis.
Although 2005 was also an amazing series it was because we hadn't beaten them for years and to give out MBE's was
in my view a bit overkill.
In reply to Post #48
I kind of remember that match with the malcolm spell.
It's funny watching old clips, those toothpick bats look comical now. I did love the scoop bats I had as a kid tho
I kind of remember that match with the malcolm spell.
It's funny watching old clips, those toothpick bats look comical now. I did love the scoop bats I had as a kid tho
In reply to Post #50
I had GN Scoop which i bought from the Alf Gover cricket school in wandsworth. I then changed that for a Stuart Surridge Jumbo which was heavy but made me play straight. After that was a Slazenger V12 which i had for quite a few seasons and then i had a Kookaburra Big Kahuna awesome bat. Not many really over 30 years of playing.
I had GN Scoop which i bought from the Alf Gover cricket school in wandsworth. I then changed that for a Stuart Surridge Jumbo which was heavy but made me play straight. After that was a Slazenger V12 which i had for quite a few seasons and then i had a Kookaburra Big Kahuna awesome bat. Not many really over 30 years of playing.
In reply to Post #51
I'm not sure it was the kahuna but my first sh size bat was a kookaburra, I'd had all gray-nics as a kid. Funny tho, my current, little used bat is huge and really flies when you middle it, but is only 2lb 6ish, I have an old bat kicking about at my dad's place, I think it was a sundridge, tiny edges and you really had to commit and middle it to get one to the boundary but weighs well over 3lb
I'm not sure it was the kahuna but my first sh size bat was a kookaburra, I'd had all gray-nics as a kid. Funny tho, my current, little used bat is huge and really flies when you middle it, but is only 2lb 6ish, I have an old bat kicking about at my dad's place, I think it was a sundridge, tiny edges and you really had to commit and middle it to get one to the boundary but weighs well over 3lb
I started with kookaburra and gray nicholls then had a Newbury and then a millichamp and hall when I played; the m&h was a work of art. Also had an SS from a mate, that was like swinging a small hatchback about!
In reply to Post #53
I had a newbery, it was a mates but he dug out a yorker with it before knocking it in properly and put a big split half way through it.
Thing is, after I glued and dowelled it he didn't want it back, but I rehandled it twice, it just kept going.
Slazenger was a brand I couldn't get on with, all that kit I had fell apart
I had a newbery, it was a mates but he dug out a yorker with it before knocking it in properly and put a big split half way through it.
Thing is, after I glued and dowelled it he didn't want it back, but I rehandled it twice, it just kept going.
Slazenger was a brand I couldn't get on with, all that kit I had fell apart
In reply to Post #54
I split my Kookaburra at the bottom with a chunk coming off and saw an advert for bat repairs so sent some photos and he said yep send it up so sent to Wakefield i think it was bat was back within 5 days looking like new and cost 25 quid.
And that was 2015 played 2016 season with it then decided it was time to pack it in as it was becoming more of a chore to turn up.
I split my Kookaburra at the bottom with a chunk coming off and saw an advert for bat repairs so sent some photos and he said yep send it up so sent to Wakefield i think it was bat was back within 5 days looking like new and cost 25 quid.
And that was 2015 played 2016 season with it then decided it was time to pack it in as it was becoming more of a chore to turn up.
In reply to Post #55
I stopped playing regularly in 04 when my daughter was born, played the odd game between then in 2018 I got back into it.
Trouble now tho, I can't bowl anymore and I need lots of nets to play as a batsman. I'll have the odd over if I get riled but it ain't worth the pain when my knee is trying to dislocate itself every ball
I think I'm done now tho, it's so much harder to arrange anything since covid, and it's really a choice between cricket or fishing as both doesn't leave any time for the kids
I quite enjoy repairing bats, and did quite a few alterations for people, usually concaving the backs to get the weight down a bit. I bought a few pressed clefts to copy bats for people too, that's actually pretty difficult as you can perfectly match the shape, get the weight very close but it can feel totally different even when the handle is broken in a bit.
I stopped playing regularly in 04 when my daughter was born, played the odd game between then in 2018 I got back into it.
Trouble now tho, I can't bowl anymore and I need lots of nets to play as a batsman. I'll have the odd over if I get riled but it ain't worth the pain when my knee is trying to dislocate itself every ball
I think I'm done now tho, it's so much harder to arrange anything since covid, and it's really a choice between cricket or fishing as both doesn't leave any time for the kids
I quite enjoy repairing bats, and did quite a few alterations for people, usually concaving the backs to get the weight down a bit. I bought a few pressed clefts to copy bats for people too, that's actually pretty difficult as you can perfectly match the shape, get the weight very close but it can feel totally different even when the handle is broken in a bit.
In reply to Post #55
....then decided it was time to pack it in as it was becoming more of a chore to turn up.
I think the book Not Dark Yet would be right up your street!
....then decided it was time to pack it in as it was becoming more of a chore to turn up.
I think the book Not Dark Yet would be right up your street!
I see England are lacking wood again this week...
In reply to Post #57
Thanks Ken i'm not really a big reader but have got a copy coming.
Thanks Ken i'm not really a big reader but have got a copy coming.
In reply to Post #58
Yeah got a few bowlers out now but it's our batting that's letting us down.
Yeah got a few bowlers out now but it's our batting that's letting us down.