posted by John Winn
On Thursday Gloucestershire will entertain Somerset in a championship match at Bristol and with any luck I will be there and with even more luck there will be some play. It will be only my second visit to Ashley Down Road and the first since 1982. Until last month the west country rivals had not met in championship cricket since 2007 and with them holding the top two spots in Division 2 much rides on the game.
The subject of today's posting recalls a match at Bristol that had something of a farcical ending, a match that took place on June 21, 22, 23 1961, and was the benefit match for a representative of that now extinct breed of sportsman good enough to play football and cricket for their countries, Arthur Milton. In a roundabout way I am indebted to fellow blogger Tony for the idea for this posting for many years ago now he introduced me to the quirky writings of Nico Craven who from the seventies onwards self-published on an annual basis 34 books covering his travels in Cumberland and Gloucestershire watching village and county cricket. I recently added to my collection with the purchase of Playing a Supporting Role which covers the 1980 season in which Nico recalls a conversation he had at Bristol with somebody who was present at Milton's Benefit match.
Gloucestershire's opponents sixty years ago were Yorkshire who batted first and were bowled out for 155, skipper Vic Wilson top scored with 53. Gloucestershire built up a first innings lead of 96 and second time around Yorkshire's batting failed, mainly against the spin of David Allen. Gloucestershire claimed the extra half hour and after Mel Ryan bowled Allen 0,18 of the 30 minutes playing time were left during which Yorkshire bowled eight overs and captured two wickets, the second of which was that of Barrie Meyer, bowled Bainbridge 0, this off what would have been the penultimate ball of the day but with a wicket falling at this point, the bails were removed. Craven's version was that the delivery was a full toss bowled to make it easy for Meyer to close proceedings. He missed and 'those most closely concerned had to return on the third and final morning'. (Craven)
One ball sufficed next day which was hit for four by Bernard whose name had been drawn out of a hat to decide who should bat, and Yorkshire could begin their journey to Middlesbrough where they were due to take on Northants the next day. Legend has it that the third day's play was so brief that the pavilion clock had not finished striking eleven before the players had left the field. A nice footnote is that despite this bizarre ending Milton's benefit, which was heavily reliant on the proceeds of this match, raised £3235, enough to pay off the mortgage on the house where he lived for the rest of his life.
Yorkshire finished the season second to Hampshire in the championship table, it was Hampshire's first ever title. Gloucestershire finished a very respectable fifth.
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