Bunch of Walkers

By Barnet Walking Footballers
May 21 2017

Thanks to Age UK Harrow, a charity close to my heart, there was a Middlesex CCC promotion allowing over 60's and a guest in free for today's play.  Some of my team mates from Barnet Over 50's Walking Football Team took advantage of this. Peter Speroni who goes once every 68 years has shared his thoughts of today, which  has given a regular like me some food for thought.      

Today was only my 2nd visit to Lord's in my 68 years and the first for a County Championship match, this one a derby against Surrey. My first visit was in the 80's or 90's, can't remember, England taking on the West Indies in the days when the fast bowlers started their run up almost at the boundary, since then I've enjoyed the TV and radio coverage but really only test matches and one day, limited overs I really didn't know what to expect.

Four of us were there, courtesy of Age UK (Harrow),the other 3 being a family and regular visitors to Lord's supporting Middlesex. A small crowd (how does the club survive financially?) were spread around one side of the ground opposite the clock. It was a day of ok weather in as much as it didn't rain and got brighter as the day went on. On the pitch, this being the 3rd day of 4, Middlesex were establishing a 98 run first innings lead with just under a day and a half to go, but what struck me was the atmosphere. It was like we were on a beach with all different conversations going on around us. Occasional words came across an in such a way cricket wasn't the topic of any of the conversations, yet they were suspended as a ball was being bowled and shot played and then carrying on talking. Even when wickets were unfortunately being taken and there was a muted cheer and round of applause for the batsman's achievements. We were having our own conversations and everything was, well, cosy.There was no deep involvement, no pasion in the game itself but this is possibly the attraction of going to the game, although the nature of the game itself lends the crowds to function as I've previously described.

When we went upstairs to the President's boxes there were far more single people and also more senior people who seemed to be concentrating more on the game being played without any vocal encouragment.

Best view in the house

All in all I had a very pleasant day good company with a game of cricket as an attractive side issue.Would I go again? Yes, but if I were on my own the game would need to be more captivating to encourage me to stay all day.

For the record, when we left, Surrey were effectively 20 - 2 in their second innings with one day to go