Middlesex CCC
150th Anniversary Dinner
In Gus we Trust
By Darren Gosling et al
April 4 2014
Darren Gosling gives a virtual ball by ball commentary of a memorable evening to celebrate our 150th year,followed by some other observations. For those who were there and have a fuzzy recollection of events this is a reminder of what was experienced. For those not there I hope reading this some kind of consolation for missing out.
Welcome & Intro
Host (and Kent President) Bob ‘the Cat’ Bevan welcomed everyone present and then introduced all players past and present in attendance on the day as they made their entrance.
Bob then had a dig at Middx not owning their own ground before introducing Gus to the stage. Gus immediately retorted by saying the rate at which Kent were selling off parts of their ground they would soon join us – 15 all
Gus then spoke of how much Middx meant to him over the years and how determined he was to us win some silverware in our 150th year.
In a tribute to every player to have ever played first class cricket for Middx , Gus had spent considerable time researching the history books to chronologically order the 740 players giving them their Middx appearance number. Gus then explained that the club had produced personalised Caps bearing the players name and their Middx number.
Gus did rattle off a few examples (I can’t remember many) – I do recall that Tom Helm was the 740th and most recent and also quipped that Tuffers was 606 but should probably have been 666.
On a personal note I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
On the one hand I think it is a very honourable and worthy mark of respect for all 740 but on the other hand it is a task I had been doing myself for the last 4 months (and I’m still only up to 1960!). I wish I’d have known Gus - I wouldn’t have bothered.
The Openers – Peter ‘Parf’ Parfitt, John ‘JT’ Murray & John ‘Sport’ Price.
Bob welcomed to the stage three Middlesex legends to join him in conversation and to answer questions like:
“What was your best innings?”
“What do you remember of your debut?”
“If there was one player they could bat with one more time – who would it be?”
Needless to say the names Edrich and Compton came up several times.
Parf recalled his debut when he joined Compton at the crease, an hour and 15 minutes later they had put on a 114 together – Parf adding that he made 6 of them!
It was also mentioned though how notoriously poor a runner Compton was between the wickets. In those days it was customary in Benefit matches for the beneficiary to be given “a single to get off the mark”. In his brother Leslie’s benefit game, Denis ran out his brother for 0.
JT found it hard to recall one match as his best – “you want to know which one?”
“That is why were here”, retorted Bob adding “The general ideas is I ask a question, then you answer it and it would help if you can cooperate”.
JT then claimed to be a bit deaf in one ear and claimed to have not heard Bob’s last remarks.
Sport (so named apparently as he could never remember anyone’s names so called everyone ‘Sport’) then recounted his debut for England in India in 1964. Sport claimed the selectors was loathed to pick him and that they only resorted to giving him his debut as several players were hospitalised with stomach trouble and a call to Henry Blofield has proved fruitless.
Sport added that after day one Mickey Stewart was hospitalised leaving England to play the final 3 days with just 10…
The Openers session then concluded with all three applauded from the stage after being presented with their numbered Middx caps by club president Clive Radley.
Table Draw
The table raffle followed with all that entered being told the winner would be that with the birthday closest to the date Middx were officially formed (2nd Feb).
Barmy Kev (18 Feb) claiming the prize on our table 3 by the closest of margins from SeaxeMan (16th Jan) by a single day.
Middle Order – Mike Brearley, Vince van der Bijl, Norman Cowans & Angus Fraser.
Next up came four legends from the 80’s who joined Bob in conversation.
Norman ‘Flash’ Cowans of his deep respect for Brearley and thanked him for giving him belief in himself when he joined the first XI and was overawed at being in the company of so many internationals.
Bob asked the softly and well spoken Brearley if he ever lost his rag as a captain adding “it is hard to imagine”. Brearley said yes he had but either couldn’t – or didn’t want to remember”. Vince interjected at this point saying “What about Yosser (Simon Hughes)?”. Again Brearley declined to be drawn until Vince told the story….
At the end of a session leaving the field a clearly frustrated Brearley asked Yosser how can you consistently bowl 4 good balls an over and yet always spoil it with two bad ones?”.
“I just can’t bowl 6 good balls in an over” came Yosser’s reply.
At which a thoroughly agitated Brearley screamed “Well then you are never going to make it as First Class cricketer!” (one gets the impression Vince left out several expletives!!).
Vince then explained how he came to play in England, taking six months leave from his teaching job. Hew as also incredibly modest about his own bowling, implying he was a one season wonder and would have been found out had he played a second season.
85 wickets at an incredible 14.72 would surely suggest otherwise of course.
When asked who was the greatest he had played with or against Vince had little hesitation in naming his South African compatriot Barry Richards.
The middle order left the stage to great applause duly accepting their caps from Clive Radley – except Gus who was too modest to order himself one!
Twelfth Man – Geoff Miller.
In a slight change to the batting order – due to another engagement – former National Team selector Geoff Miller took to the stage ahead of the Tail Enders and delivered a thoroughly entertaining performance.
Following the theme of debuts discussed earlier, Geoff told us of his debut for Derbyshire v Lancashire which resulted in one of the heaviest defeats ever recorded in First Class cricket.
Having lost the toss Derbyshire were powerless to stop Lancashire compiling 477 off 100 overs before declaring – Derbyshire responded with 42 all out.
When told by Clive Lloyd to “bat again” Miller joked Derbyshire offered to all bat at once to “save time”. He then said Derbyshire batted ‘twice as well in second innings to record a score of 87 all out, resulting in defeat by an innings and 348 runs!
Geoff then recalled his England debut against the fearsome West Indies attack and how he had dismissed his innings as ‘just a game of cricket’ when visiting his parents after the match. His Dad went spare at the comment saying his mother had been in tears fearful of the damage he might face and his Dad said when Michael Holding got two yards from delivering the ball he had shut his eyes in fear. Geoff added “Dad it must be hereditary”.
Geoff seemed envious of the many back room staff England players these days have at their disposal:
Video Analysts
Psycho Analysts
Masseurs
Dieticians
Batting, bowling and fielding specialist coaches
Strength and Conditioning coaches
Before lamenting that, “At Derbshire we had one man that done all that – Fred Allen, a part time chiropodist from Ilkeston - who in cricketing parlance batted for the other side.”
“If you had busted fingers Fred sorted you out, if you had a groin strain or a problem with your jockstrap you sorted it yourself if you know what I mean”.
Geoff left the stage to hearty applause before the tail-enders took to the stage for the final session.
Tail Enders – Ollie Rayner, Tim Murtagh and Steven Finn.
Gus hosted the final session and their was much banter between him and all three tail enders.
Finn claimed that he and Dawid (Malan) had a theory that Murts picked up so many wickets as he decived the batsmen with ‘late dip’ on the ball.
Murts responded by saying at least he didn’t kick the stumps over when he bowled!
Finn and Gus argued whose first class fifty was better – Gus’s 92 v Waqar Younis and Surrey at the Oval, versus Finn’s 50 v New Zealand against ‘nobody bowlers’ according to Gus.
Finn was then asked about the wine from Alastair Cook, explaining Cook offered him a crate of wine if he could last a whole session and Jimmy Anderson said he would do the same. Having survived the whole session Fnn explained he had the same offer the next session from both and completed two sessions for his 50. Murts dryly adding it was real riveting to watch.
Ollie of course is still dining out on his 15 wickets v Surrey and never missed an opportunity to remind everyone.
When asked who was the most difficult bastmen he had bowled to Ollie replied probably Stuart Law.
Gus baited Murts about his Irish roots claiming he (Gus) was as much Irish as Murts was, “I bet you don’t even know the National Anthem”.
Murts then stunned everyone by singing the anthem backed by many present in the audience. Gus was clearly surprised at Murts calling his bluff.
The session concluded with all leaving the stage to warm applause, though strangely it was noted that Ollie – despite his heroics v Surrey – had yet to be capped…..
Close – Ian Lovett
Our Chairman then closed proceedings by beginning with Mike Gatting’s apologies that he had to miss the event due to being in Abu Dhabi for the MCC match v Durham. He then remarked how strange it was that Sam Robson and Ollie Rayner who played in that match were both present!
Rod Ed
Fozzie
Barmy Kev
My highlight from a comedy point of view was Bob Bevan’s riposte to a guy from the audience who interrupted Brears when he was talking with, “Save your breath mate – your gonna need it later when you have to blow up your girlfriend!”
Personally I was delighted to talk with Norman Cowans. He looked so young. I reminisced with him over some of his classic fast bowling including B&H final against Essex. Also, when the ball nearly hit me in face at Hove when he was batting and he hit a rare 6. Plus how I was rooting for him at home when bowling for England.
For some reason the MTWD table was in the back corner furthest away from the stage. The advantage for me I was closest to a TV screen that was on a loop of memorable moments of our history, which was captivating during odd moments where I wasn’t focusing on what was on stage and the company around me.
Was Seaxe Man there?
HAPPY 150 YEARS MIDDLESEX CCC. LET'S HOPE IT IS A SEASON TO REMEMBER
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014:04:06:22:03:55 by BarmierKev.
Nice report and looks like a fantastic afternoon was had by all.
Adelaide
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014:04:05:17:56:56 by adelaide.
