A Capital Day Out

Posted by John Winn

Early Friday morning saw me on an train from York to London King's Cross. Having booked my ticket in January when snow was still on the ground I blessed my good fortune that the sun shone out of a cloudless sky and there was zero chance of rain.
Large test match grounds are not always the best places to watch county cricket but I have visited The Oval, my choice for that day's action, in each of the last three seasons and found it an agreeable experience. An excellent seat in the Upper Bedser stand cost £10 from where the play between Surrey and Northamptonshire could be viewed from behind the bowler's arm.
Only Middlesex and Derbyshire finished below these two counties in 2010 and Surrey members in particular will be demanding much better this year. Young captain Hamilton-Brown will no doubt have learned lessons from last year and he led from the front top scoring with 74 in their total of 322. Several other batsmen got good starts but nobody seemed to want to play the kind of innings that would have seen them still batting at the close. Northants' attack, even with the experienced Chaminda Vass taking a wicket with his second ball, is not the most frightening and on the usual good Oval strip Surrey will feel they should have done better.It was hard not to feel sorry for Surrey opener Michael Brown, who missed the whole of last season through injury. 2011 began inauspiciously for him when he was lbw first ball.
Northants, who two years ago had a significant South African contingent, are now coached by their local former player, David Capel, and are said to be placing the emphasis on home produced talent, but of the eleven who took the field on Friday, only one, Mal Loye, was born in the county. Contrast that with the Yorkshire side in action at Worcester whose only non-native is Gerard Brophy.
For those with access to smart phones it is possible to be updated constantly with scores from other county matches round the country. It was pleasing therefore to know that Yorkshire were progressing well at New Road and Durham's batsmen enjoying first knock at The Rose Bowl. Perhaps this is an appropriate time to declare 'dual nationality' i.e. Durham born but living in Yorkshire; this coming Thursday at Headingley will present its usual challenge to one's loyalties.
The day at The Oval ended with Surrey all out for 322 and Northants 12 without loss. Just time to get something to eat before catching the 19:30 back to York where we arrived bang on time at 21:20. Capital!