Reassuring Rain

Monday 13 September

Posted by Peter Davies

Old Trafford for Lancashire v Nottinghamshire - the championship decider probably. Arrived at lunchtime to be greeted by a typically grey and rainy Manchester day. Obviously very annoying but, strangely, there is something reassuring and almost natural about seeing Old Trafford in such a wet state. That's how it often is and how I've seen it so often before.

They'd bowled an over right at the start of the day - Mahmood went for eight runs in these six balls - but during my stay (12.00-2.30pm) there was no play and no likelihood of play. But I enjoyed myself nevertheless. Old Trafford is a special place for me and I like being there regardless of whether there is cricket on or not.

So I kept myself busy: a cup of tea, a visit to the club shop (where I bought a new biography of Jack Bond), a wander round The Point (very swish), a couple of purchases at the Old Trafford second-hand bookshop, and the purchase of two tickets for the Player of the Year evening on Wednesday 22nd.

Sky TV were at Old Trafford and Messrs Allott and Willis were being beamed onto the big screen in the pavilion bar. The bar was very full with folk trying to avoid the rain. For lunch I had a cup of tea and a cheese salad that I'd bought in Sainsbury's on Manchester Piccadilly station.

By 2.30 the writing was on the wall with play unlikely. So I got the tram back into the city centre. I checked my emails in Manchester Central Library (the temporary facility while the St. Peter's Square building is being renovated), had a cup of tea in the Midland Hotel, and popped into the Cornerhouse cinema - one of my favourite places in the world. Here I bought books about Mexican and Brazilian cinema: two of my preferences as a budding World Cinema fan.