Memorable wicket

By Sussex Seaxe
January 20 2022

Sussex seaxe reports on a 1972 Gillette Cup game at Westcliff on Sea. A thrashing, an early finish and what to after. 

Many years ago, I was at school. I know this will come as a surprise to many, but I really was! All good things come to an end, however and in my case it was in the summer of 1972, as I sat in a warm Finchley school hall to take my ‘A’ Level exams. The completion of exams was something to which I was looking forward, not just for obvious reasons but also because on the very next day, Middlesex were to be playing a Gillette Cup match away to Essex. Actually, as I check now, the game was on July 19th which seems rather late for exams, but that’s the way I remember it and why let the facts get in the way of a teenage memory?

I seem to recall that revision was interrupted by checking the weather forecast, as my dad had promised to take me and an old school friend to head east and see the match. Although it was a second round game, for both counties it was their first match, having received byes in the first round. Not that sort of byes, obviously, merely a pass straight to round two. Naturally, being a big game with a full house expected, Essex had scheduled the match to be played at....Westcliff on Sea, home club of one Trevor Bailey.

We travelled expectantly, the 60 over format promising a full day and the opportunity to build an innings and even attempt to see off a threatening bowler. Chalkwell Park turned out to be a small club ground not far from the sea (Thames estuary, surely?) and some temporary seating had been erected. I seem to remember that we found a spot half way up a rickety wooden construction, fairly close to the sightscreen, with our backs to the passing traffic on the main road through town. As the captains, Messrs Brearley and Brian ‘Tonker’ Taylor strolled out to toss, an air of expectancy hung over the capacity crowd. Essex won the toss and decided to field; perhaps they knew something?

At this point, I should perhaps mention that our esteemed moderator complimented me on my memory following a previous article, but kind though he is, I must point out that I have discovered something called ‘Google’ – not sure if anyone else has come across it?

Anyway, on a warm summers day (that is memory – Google doesn’t mention the weather), Eric Russell and Mike Smith strode to the middle. What follows needs to be recalled from behind the sofa. Russell, Radley, Brearley, Keith Jones, Sam Black (yes, him again), Mike Selvey and Dennis Marriott contributed nothing. Marriott might have gone on to make a century, but was left stranded. He probably wouldn’t have though. John Murray did much better, just pipping Extras as top scorer by making 12! The only dismissal I can actually recall was Clive Radley, who played a short ball from Keith Boyce impeccably off the middle of his bat in a downward direction, where it landed in the hands of Graham Saville at short leg, who had stayed admirably low.

The 60 over innings didn’t quite last 20 and we were dismissed for, err, 41. Boyce and John Lever bowled throughout, taking  5-22 and 5-8 respectively. Oh well, obviously a dodgy pitch we thought, we must still have a chance. I suspect that was very much what Mike Brearley said to the team in the quaint pavilion, all of whom would have been highly motivated at the prospect.

Needless to say, despite the future Guardian cricket correspondent having both openers caught behind by Murray, Essex ‘raced’ to victory by 8 wickets in 18 overs. The crowd spilled on to the pitch, lunchtime sandwiches uneaten, to hear the result of what would be the most competitive moment of the day – who would be adjudged Man of the Match? In those days a retired player would usually give his – it was always a man – decision over the public address system. I recall that the adjudicator – was it Freddie Brown? – said that he had called the TCCB to ask if he could make a joint award and was told that he couldn’t. His favour fell upon Boyce, which looks strange from a distance of nearly 50 years, but then I’m not a retired player. Well, I am actually, but at a somewhat lower level. I even played against Keith Boyce’s brother once, but that’s another story.

So, what to do with the rest of the day? Southend Pier is the longest in the country, so that was a good walk and there were always ‘A’ level results and the Munich Olympics to look forward to.