Harry and Basher's last stand

By Mike Latham

Harry Pilling trudges off after his final innings

It’s a privileged sportsman who ends his playing days on his terms.

In my experience of many years of watching rugby league, football and cricket around 90percent of players don’t end their careers in that way and as a result often harbour disillusion about the sport they served so well.

Injury, loss of form, old age, politics are all among the factors that feature.

I was reminded of this adage the other day when I found lost long photographs that I took of a Second Eleven Championship game 35 years ago.

Way back then I was an articled clerk in Manchester, just about the most boring and pressurised existence on the planet. Bored to death 90pc of your working life, pressurised the remaining 10pc, knowing one examination failure would mean your P45.

Not a great different to playing county cricket.

Somehow, I managed a few hours off work on Friday, 6 September 1985, maybe on the pretence of attending a stocktake or the opening of an envelope. Life as an articled clerk in those un-lightened days was one step up from slavery.

I must have had the presence of mind to pack my trusty Praktica camera on my way to work and a few hours later was finding it useful.

The Second Eleven Championship game at Towncroft, Middleton’s wonderful ground was ruined by rain but finally the clouds lifted and there was a chance of play.

It had been a dreadful summer weather-wise and the previous day I’d attended the finale of the Bolton League’s showpiece game, the Hamer Cup Final. The long-running saga was finally concluded on a bitterly cold but bright evening, originally scheduled for Sunday 4 August at Egerton, finished 33 days later at Westhoughton, Farnworth beating Bradshaw by eight runs.

Incidentally, Rod Tucker, now a renowned international umpire, was Farnworth’s professional that day though it was my mate Phil Hall who was crucial in his side’s victory by eight runs, his miserly off-spin taking 3-4 in a late collapse. Tucker 1-75 off 23. Thanks for coming. Though in fairness he did make 53 earlier, much earlier.

Anyway, back to Middleton. On the Thursday play finally began at 4.30pm, a one-innings game agreed.

Notts struggled against a strong Lancashire attack, David Fraser-Darling the mainstay of their 111 in 37.5 overs. Patrick Patterson, a fast Jamaican bowler already established in the Lancashire first team and on his way to Test honours with West Indies took 4-37. Dane Soren Henriksen, following Derbyshire icon Ole Mortensen into the English game, 4-42.

It was the final game for Basher Hassan, a Notts stalwart, Kenyan born, 332 first-class games, over 14,000 first-class runs, batting three, bowled Henriksen 7.

And on the Lancashire side Harry Pilling, proudly sporting his Lancashire cap and sweater was also bowing out, his services as second eleven captain/coach dispensed with by the committee.

Harry had made his county second eleven debut in 1959, played 333 first-class games, scored over 15,000 runs for the Red Rose, been a hero of their successes in the early years of the one-day game, at 5ft3 one of the smallest first-class cricketers ever, but few had a bigger heart.

As I said earlier, few players finish on their terms, but Basher and Harry both deserved better than this, a rain affected late season second team game watched by the proverbial two men and a dog. Sadly, as I’d set off that day intending to go to work, my dog stayed at home.

Notts had a young Zimbabwe born fast bowler on trial. Name of Hugh Page. 20-years-old, hungry, rapid. After two days cooped up in the finest hotel the Middleton area had to offer, he was unleashed.

On that Friday morning Notts looked inspired, captain Mike Bore, a highly experienced left-arm bowler who’d begun his career with Yorkshire, leading his troops, Chris Scott an impressive wicketkeeper. Young aspirant David Millns, later to take over 500 first-class wickets at a rapid pace reduced to fielding duties, Hong Kong born paceman John Bacon (later three games for Cheshire) opening the bowling with Page.

Page was superb, though the pitch was dubious. My notes refer to balls lifting alarmingly off a length and generous turn afforded to Bore. It was never going to be a long day at the cricket.

Hugh Page to Michael Atherton

Hugh Page to David Hughes

In retrospect the Lancashire top five looks decent, Mark Chadwick and David Varey the openers, Andy Hayhurst at three, David Hughes four, a young Manchester GS product from Woodhouses CC at five by the name of Michael Atherton, two years before his first-class debut and a subsequent stellar Test career, wicketkeeper John Stanworth at six, Pilling at seven.

Michael Atherton lbw Page 11

One by one Page dismantled the early order, Atherton the key wicket, lbw 11.

John Stanworth b Page 0

David Hughes b Page 21

In no time it was Harry’s turn. Batting seven, cometh the hour, cometh the man at 49-5.

A classical cover drive off Bore got Pilling runs.

Harry Pilling lbw Page

But in no time at all, he was leg before Page 4 and trooped off, his wonderful career at an end. Careers rarely end to the adulation of thousands.

Ian Folley survives a chance

Ian Folley came in at no8 and took the attack to Notts, finally caught and bowled by Bore for 39.

Lancashire 95 all out (Page 5-41, Bore 3-31, Bacon 2-23), Notts winners by 16 runs at 1.57pm, thankfully just before the excellent fish and chip shop near the ground closed for business until tea-time.

Page had a good career, later played for Staffordshire and Essex in this country, South Africa Cricketer of the Year 1985, but never reached the heights that day in Middleton suggested he would.

That Notts side, in retrospect, was decent. It included Mike Newell, Kevin Evans and Andy Afford among others, players who gave so much to the county.

In the days long before the internet there was a bush telegraph among Cricket Badgers. And the more enlightened already had a Plan B in place in case of an early finish.

Half an hour later we were at Werneth CC, a Lancashire Cup semi-final between Werneth and Preston, 2.30pm start.

A thrilling game watched by a growing and attentive crowd, boosted by the arrivals from Middleton. Preston’s pro was the Australian Colin Miller, Werneth’s the left-handed West Indies batsman Elvis Reifer.

Werneth CC v Preston 1985

Elvis Reifer hits out for Werneth

Preston 138-8 in 40 overs.

Werneth 139-9 in 40 overs, pro Elvis Reifer 55, the winning runs a bye off the last ball at 7.53pm.

I finally got home at 9pm, a hard day at the office.