Middlesex CCC
Wales,Leicster,Wales,Grand Tour.
Oh happy days.
By The Diamond Ruled OK
April 2 2012
As a precursor to the season here's Diamond's report on his holiday last year.Warning 7,000 words plus but 9 days of cricket watching in there. Good read on the train down to Taunton or pre bedtime,enjoy.
WELSH DIARY AND BEYOND.
Tuesday 6th.
Up bright and early as usual to pouring rain in West London. The forecast for the next few days is not brilliant but I am rather hopeing for the many that will be making the same trip I am that they are as wrong as they have been most of the summer so far.
With my train booked to Cardifff due out of Paddington at 11:15 it was time for a bit of breakfast. Skies still full of rain and an oversized bag to get into town I decided to press my driver into service. She wasn't too happy about it as I wanted out of the house by 10am, afterall she is a University student and 10am doesn't exist to them unless they have morning lectures.She will get her payback later in the month though when I have to drive her to University for her Masters year. With Loughborough not offering her course to Masters level she has had to relocate Uni's, now as an Andrew Strauss fan I am not unhappy she has choosen to study at Durham, as a father and chauffer I am gutted.
Station concourse was packed with lots of soggy passengers departing for such places as Bedwin,Plymouth and Greenford a fair few for the International service to Cardiff.It was fire alarm testing morning at the station so "Inspector Sands" was doing his rounds. Train called for boarding so off down the platform looking for the reserved seat coach,coach B. Having made the front end of the train you can imagine my suprise to find that there was no coach B, well if there was it was doing a pretty good "Harry Potter" job of hiding between coaches A and C. Turns out the crackly station announcement no one could really hear was that coach B was now coach E . Let's hope Cardiff is still Cardiff or we could all end up in Swansea!
Rundown to Bristol and beyond was as smooth as ever,helped by a can of Strongbow and the bloke with the reserved seat next to me moving across the aisle, wouldn't mind but I'd had a shower this morning. Text from daughter informs me she had found her way home but had missed the postman, ha ha I'm thinking, payback for all those visits to the sorting office while you were at University.Pulling away from Bristol you could see across the Severn more rain though. Today it would seem God is not a Welshman.
Arrive in Cardiff to very little rain,certainly not the deluge predicted by the Met Office. A couple of pints in the Prince of Wales and then it's time to head up the vally to my hosts village.The Echo has been posted through the door and I notice it's the night of the England v Wales game as well as the Rose Bowl ODI v India.Some good home cooking down us and it was pub time for the game. Turned out to be a pretty poor game the 1-0 result was a reflection of this.Came up "home",checked the ODI score,another England win and hit my bed,it's going to be a long week and I need my sleep.
Wednesday 7th
First day of the c c game at Sofia, early up and a good breakfast before heading into the City on the 57 bus.Dry as we left Pentwyn but raining as we got into Cardiff .With other troops making their way down on the trains from London we waited it out by gate number two to meet them.Into the ground to find the covers on and the prospect of play bleak but the bar open and the coffee on. By lunchtime the exodus to the Westgate pub for lunch was on, the food excellent as ever and the Brains bitter superb not to mention a darn sight cheaper than in the ground.Up to the ground again still with no play in prospect,covers well and truely on and some of the players using the indoor nets to practice. David (my Welsh guide) and Seaxeman are deep in discussion about county boundaries and putting the world to rights. Kimmy,Spillage,Beefy and LP are drinking beer from plastic glasses so they can watch the players net,me, I'll have a real glass in the bar typing up my notes.Just before 3pm it is announced that following a further inspection there will be no play today.The joy of cricket in September in Wales.
A retreat to the Goat Major was made for a few beverages and to show Spillage the pictures of the Welsh Regiments mascots on the walls. Various members of our party used the chance to locate their hotels and have a wash and brush up before returning.Hunger got the better of beer and we moved on to Nando's for our evening meal via a pub opposite the Arms Park full of rugby history.Now the players love Nando's,me not being a big fan of chicken I found it ok but give me a Harvester any day of the week (or a decent pub meal).A bus home for Dave and myself leaving the others to try a couple more pubs before hitting the sack.Tired,damp and peed off having seen no cricket but happy after a good day out, a real shame the weather ruined things.
Thursday 8th.
Regroup outside ground at 10:30,all of the seven present.Exchanged yesterdays ticket for a new one for today in the hope of seeing some cricket.Covers all still on and no prospect of play as it was still drizzling. Coffee in the Glamorgan members room a sit and a chat.Popped outside for a smoke and saw the groundstaff working on the square blowing air under the covers to get the dampness off of the square.12:00 and a quick check outside confirms it is still drizzling,that annoying level of rain that isn't enough to really bother anything but enough to have the covers stay on,various players using the indoor nets and the bowling machine all looking rather glum that they can't get out there.
A very good lunch in Y Muchen Du beside the ground and a couple of locally brewed pints then back into the ground as the sun makes an apperance for the second time in three days.Time for a perambulation around the ground sees us meet on the players balcony the England Test captain and AC deep in discussion as to wether it is raining, lads it's Cardiff, of course it's raining. Covers were starting to come off just as it started to spit with rain again, covers back on , all very depressing. Start of play announced as 3:30pm if no further rain.Still raining at 3:30pm with the lads playing football on the outfield. Soon after another shower of rain it is announced that play has been abandoned for the day.
With play called off we headed for Seaxemans front room,well the Beverly hotel out on Cathederal Road then the cricketers opposite after Kimmy had decided she was staying another night but Spillage had to go home.A slow stroll back up into the City,restock on depleted cigarettes (and funds for some of our number) and then a nice evening in the Cottage public house, food once again was excellent.Spillage was seen off to his train in good time and Kimmy rejoined us for the rest of the evening a lot of which was spent debating if the pub had got their sofas off of the London Underground and in which case which line. The way home that late was a bit of a circuit using the 44 bus and a bit of a Welsh hike across town.
Friday 9th.
Another day more rain overnight and the time running against us to get as many points as posssible.Into town to meet with the others,covers coming off and cricket on the cards.Middlesex won the toss and elected to bowl, they then did a job in double quick time on the Glamorgan batsmen with the Iceman taking a six wicket haul.At the start of the innings Glamorgan lost their Captain very early,infact so early my host Welsh Dave was not even in the ground having gone to see to his allotment before coming down, a text telling him he was too late to watch Alvaro bat was sent, no printable reply recieved. Batting for us proved equally as awkward and the fact that Straussie lost his wicket a few runs short of 1,000 runs for the season to the first ball after the rain/tea break was really gauling.Buck and Simmo however saw us into a lead by the close of play. Lower Pav,Beefy,Seaxeman and Kimmy were on their way home so we saw them off and headed back to the bus home for a cooked home dinner.
Saturday 10th.
Saturday dawned as the brightest day of my time in Wales,no breakfast for me as my food intake had reached about maximum in the last few days. Arrival at the ground showed no covers on and an on time start infront of about 100 people. A big shame as this was the home counties last day of their last home game of a very turbulant season.Away support had been drastically reduced by returns to London,reinforcements arrived in the form of Dingy Bags who like a lot of our number was down for his first visit to the Swalec/Sophia Gardens but like the others had been down to Cardiff before for Rugby or football in the city.The match report I leave to our reporter,hang on.....that's me!! Well that's for another place. Lunch saw another inductee into the Cwrw club in the Muchen, Dingy saying it was a very good ale. A dark afternoon with sunny intervals and handshakes all round before 5pm and the game was over. Dingy driving back so we walked with him to the car park before heading back up to the city to get our bus "home". A couple of beers in Dave's local and then home for dinner. Catch up on MTWD activity,last night of the proms for a bit and then bed. Home time tomorrow.
Sunday 11th.
Ten years ago today the world shifted on it's political access. I'm due to shift back up to London at 11:15. Enough time for a bit of breakfast and the chance to watch Wales in action for the second time this week,I do not think their rugby team playing South Africa in their opening game of the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand will get a 1-0 loss as their footballers did against England,a major gubbing by the World Champions is more on the cards.Watched the first half and then off to the station,a lift from my hosts proved rather circituous as the Cardiff 10km run seemed to be using most of our route into the City. Arrived in good time for the train anyway and watched on my mobile SA turn over a good Welsh lead to win by a couple of points.Seat reservations are wonderful things, a whole table to myself(at least out of Cardiff to Newport anyway) power socket but no wifi unless your prepared to pay for it(which I am not),with a good book and a report to write up from yesterday I should be busy enough for the next couple of hours.No gubbing for the Welsh then so the faithful Reds will take heart from their performance.
The weather has improved a lot today,shame it was about five days late.I love Cardiff and everything about it but the weather this time was a real bummer. The company for the four days was superb and the food and ale the same. Now it's home to Ealing with the logistics of the Leicester trip already sorted out bar where I staying overnight on Tuesday. Should be fun,let's hope the weather is kinder to us though.Back to Paddington with little or no sign of rain anywhere.Arrived on the main concourse to find I would have go into Usain Bolt mode to get my connecting train to Ealing Broadway as it was 12 platforms away and leaving in two minutes,smoke and a mouch round and wait for the next one it is then.Home to the good lady wife to be handed a long list of jobs to do.Told her I'd get them done by Monday evening,she was impressed, at least till I told her I was off to Leicester very early Tuesday morning.No pleasing some women is there.
Monday 12th.
Is spent washing kit from Wales trip for reuse in Leicester tomorrow and listening to Day 1 of the game on BBC Radio London's internet link with Kevin Hand. A lot of counties have lost there ball by ball commentary to BBC cutbacks in the last few years, we have not and long may Kevin continue to inform us not at the game of what is happening. A terrific start is followed by a couple of big stands by Leicestershire to jangle the nerves a little more before the bowlers finish them off just prior to close of play.Most of the list of jobs got done and the rest can wait a week or two.
Tuesday 13th.
Up nice and early as I am transport for todays event. Some of our folks are already in Leicester,Ken has arranged to go up with a local mate and the others are primed for an 8am pick up.Nice run round the M25 meant Kimmy and Spillage were picked up early,much to Spillage's dislike as he was still in his pit when I called to say I was running half hour early.
Stright up to Grace Road,parked up outside the ground,had a word with the very helpful gate stewards who pointed us in the direction of cash points papers and breakfast.A smashing full English to set me up for the day and then a womble back to the ground to meet up with the others. Cricket today I will leave to our reporter,needless to say it was a noisy,nervy day.
Kimmy and Spillage are up and down each day,the others mostly booked into the Travelodge so I decided to stay there too.Lower Pav was using the trains and had to leave early today to get back to watch his beloved Chealsea play a European game.A book in via The Cricketers for a top up pint and it's off out for a curry at the Mem Sabee ( opp the hotel). Excellent food and service,I can well recommend it, though the landlord of the pub we visited (The Richard the Third) assaures us it is not in the top 5 curry houses in Leicester, the one to the right of the hotel is though. Early finish it is then........well about midnight actually,doesn't matter about the bed or the road noise from the dual carriageway outside,I'm knackered,good night.
Wednesday 14th.
A rough old night in the Travelodge,the road was busy all night.Up to the ground by bus,Phil decided to walk. Bus dropped us a few yards short of the cafe so breakfast was partaken of once again.On to the ground to reclaim "Vermin Corner" which was the 20/20 dugouts,nicely positioned by the Fox bar and other facilities. Our other members arrived via various modes of transporrt(mainly trains),some from as far away as Bristol in Harvey's case, good job he made it as he was the days match reporter. A nervous days cricket with much pacing not too many beers due to driving back to London in the evening.Solid resistence by Leicestershire was fraying peoples nerves and the knowledge both Surrey and Northanptonshire had won inside three days didn't help either. In the late afternoon Kimmy came up with a plan on how I could do day four and still get to Wales for Fridays ODI.I had driven up in my car and needed to get Womble back to London as he was working Thursday and the car was needed by my daughter for Saturday. Plan became go back,dropping off Kimmy and Spillage on the way through to Wombles then home, explain to the wife her car was going to Wales (via Leicester) and get some sleep for a very early start Thursday.
Thursday 15th.
A very early start to what promised from the off to be a long day.Picked up Spillage and Kimmy at 7am and headed off to Leicester again,this time round it wasn't Spillage that said "Dad can I have a wee please!" , I knew I shouldn't have had that second cup of coffee before leaving home. One bonus was that in the queue for coffee at the services was Richard clutching some of Vinny's cash (they had left Richmond at 6:30 am),well the offer of a brew was too much to knock back on such a day as this. Onwards to the ground,breakfast first of course in our now regular cafe,in in time to watch practice,us playing cricket,Leicestershire kicking a football about. By start of play Vermin Dugout was quite full,usual suspects and a few additions too who had come up for the last day.A couple of early beers due to my afternoon trek to Wales and then on the walking laps due to not wanting to do teas and coffees as there are not many service areas between Leicester and Cardiff. The cricket was tense,the conclusion of play brutal and the celebrations unbounded.Really nice to see so many happy smiling faces knowing that what they set out all those months ago to achieve had come to fruition.
I said my goodbyes to the mob, some of whom I would not be seeing now till next April and got in the car for the trip to Wales. The one good thing about coming in from the North is no Severn Bridge toll,just a long drive through the Midlands motorway network and the M5,M4 at Newport which to be honest was the only place I caught any traffic. I should have known this was likely at around 6pm but had just texted Welsh Dave my arrival time so it was obvious the traffic would snarl up.Low sun in the West appeared to be the main problem and once off of the M4 a quick run into Pentwyn was had(it being on the right side of the City for the M4 exits). A bite to eat with my hosts and then out for a few pints of Brains bitter(much better than Everards), almost falling asleep in the pub even though the radio was on so loud you could barely hear yourself speak let alone the person you were speaking to (old age I hear you say),an earlyish night was had due to the full day Friday would be.
Friday 16th.
None of your 10:30 starts this morning as the game was under lights starting at 2pm.Leisurely journey down into the City to meet up with some of David's ex work mates via a shopping trip into the St Davids Centre,word of advice lads if bringing the wife to Cardiff make sure they never find this place,you won't get them out of there and it will cost you an absolute fortune.Couple of pints in the Prince of Wales meeting up with Derek and Simon who were also going to the game and then walk up to the ground. A lack of golf carts doing the run from the Westgate meant we walked it. Outside the ground is packed with supporters but by booking our tickets with Glamorgan CCC we used gate 2 and went straight in to our seats two rows from the front behind the bowlers arm just behind the Sky ground level camera, an excellent viewing point and right on an end so tidy for beer and loo breaks.
Rain predicted for 2pm arrived at 1:50pm when the heavens opened,the hardest rain I have seen in Wales for years.A short break before play began .Hi Fi bowling from our end performed really well and enjoyed the banter with the Indian supporters,all very good natured.A bit better fielding by some members of Team England and his figures would have looked a lot better. The interval saw more rain which was useful as we had gone back to the Westgate for a meal(who pays £7 for a tray of fish and chips in the ground) the 8oz rump was superb and the delayed start to England's innings meant we were back in our seats in time.
More rain during the innings brought Vera into play and she kept getting tighter towards the close of the innings. Enter young Bairstow who decided to play the game similar to how the Iceman closed our second innings at Leicester. Bang bang a couple of balls in the river Taff later and England had won,dooming the Indians to a whole tour where they didn't win a single game.
Back into town in the rain which started again almost as the game finished to get the bus.We were lucky and the 11pm bus was on the stand so we kept warm and dry before it took us home. A final beer indoors and in bed by midnight,a very tired bunny with an early start for home as the wife wanted her car back to do stuff in the morning.
Verdict on the two weeks.
I'm going back to work for a rest!! A really good time in good company,excellent food and ale as well. The people in Wales and Leicester were most helpful and the cricket was great with the right conclusion for both the Middle and England.Not a cheap holiday (even with free accomodation in Wales) but worth every penny of it.
Next year South Africa visit Cardiff for an ODI, we are not due there in either the CB40 or the Championship,doubtless the 20/20 wll be "zonal" so apart from going to watch them play in a week we are not I will have just a couple of days in the Welsh capital to look forward to.
Thanks to everyone involved for a grea holiday and roll on next season in Division 1 of the Championship.
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Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2012:04:07:12:50:37 by chunkyinargyll.
Can you sticky it for me please. I need retraining.
Your obediant servant,
Chunky.
(go to first post, click on edit post, then the box)
And congrats on putting your first unsupervised match report up Diamond.
Barmy Kev
I'm only here for the tele
A great read and brought back VERY happy memories!!
Kimmy
Always look on the bright side of life... de dum de dum de dum de dum dum
Well done Mr D.
