Something completely different

Posted by Tony Hutton

Yesterday saw the return of the sun, despite some cold wind from the north, and after a period of strenuous exercise at the gym, I was tempted by the weather to re-visit the Grammar School at Leeds for their annual match with MCC. The flags of both clubs were flying proudly from the pavilion when I arrived in mid-afternoon with the MCC batting first as is the custom. I was greeted by the ubiquitous pair of Brian Senior and John Taplin on arrival and told of a much longer than normal lunch interval.

The visitors included four Grammar School old boys in the shape of the Jacklin brothers from Collingham, one of them a Cambridge Blue no less, David Syers a professional footballer in the lower leagues and Charles Finan the captain who apparently played for Castleford in the past. The openers Hawley and Foster, who plays for Harrogate, had posted 153 for the first wicket before I arrived, scoring seventy each. After that wickets fell at regular intervals before the declaration came at 226-7. Toby Jacklin made 28 but the others very little between them. The school's best bowler was J.C.M. Dracup with 4-44. He sounds like the grandson of a well known Pudsey St. Lawrence captain of the past, who also boasted three initials.

The MCC flag flies high as Mr Taplin interrogates the players

The tea interval was obviously much shorter than lunch had been and despite the fact that the small band of spectators were invited in for a cup of tea and a biscuit, it still prompted complaints from Mr Senior, who said it was the poorest MCC tea he had ever had as he looked longingly at the disappearing uneaten sandwiches.

MCC going for the runs

The school's reply got off to a horrendous start with the fall of two wickets in no time with the total still on one run. Opening bowler Parker took them both and went on to complete a fine spell of 4-14. The only batsman to put up any opposition was wicketkeeper Litvin, who plays regular first team cricket for Harrogate in the Yorkshire Premier League North. He made a valuable 35 in an hour and a quarter before being out on 43-5, after which it is better to draw a veil over proceedings as only two other batsmen made double figures and the school were all out for 85.