United Arab Emirates revisited.

 Posted by Tony Hutton

Watching the games from the T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates this week on television has brought back memories from the past when I was a regular visitor to the region during a period when my son and family were living in Dubai. While there was little or no cricket during our Christmas visits, it was often the case that we were there in February, March or April when cricket was in full swing.

The first cricket I saw there was in April 2003 when a four nations competition for the Sharjah Cup was in progress. Sharjah by then already had something of a reputation for match fixing due to the endless series of one day matches being played there, but there didn't seem anything untoward about the games I saw there. All the games were 50 overs per side. Pakistan won an early high scoring match with Zimbabwe, whose star batsman was Dougie Marillier.

He was one of the very first batsman to play the ramp shot over his shoulder to fine leg and certainly upset Australia's Glen McGrath on one occasion. Here he got 59 against Pakistan and 100 in a win against Kenya. Somehow despite the presence of Sri Lanka, for whom Sangakarra scored a century, Zimbawe got to the final to play Pakistan again in front of a huge crowd. This time Marillier failed and Tatenda Taibu, the young wicketkeeper made top score of 74 not out. Pakistan cruised to victory on 172-2 in only 35 overs. Younis Youhana making an excellent 61 not out.

A full house at Sharjah in 2003..

The following year 2004 I was able to see ten matches in Dubai at an ICC six nations competition. The two grounds used for this competition have long disappeared under concrete due to the area's rapid expansion and building programme. This week's action has brought back memories of seeing Scotland, Namibia and the Netherlands in action in this competition, which was won in fact by the USA, fielding a team of West Indians, including Test batsman Clayton Lambert. Other participants were UAE and Canada. Main man with the bat for Scotland in those days was Yorkshire's Gavin Hamilton.

Scotland v USA 2004 - my grandson, in his pram, sees his first cricket.

In 2005 Durham visited Sharjah for a pre season warm up. Unfortunately I have no record of the scores of the game they played against UAE. All I can remember is that very few people turned up to watch and took this picture of the chickens on the terracing who almost outnumbered the spectators.

Chickens watching Durham at Sharjah.

            In March 2006 I had better memories of two very convivial games between United Arab Emirates and the visiting Lord's Taverners' XI. MCC fielded a very strong side, captained by Mike Gatting. The hospitality was excellent, perhaps enjoyed too much by the visitors who managed to lose both games. We were royally entertained by Farook Engineer at our table for lunch with tales of his times at Lancashire. When Taverners won the toss Darren Gough and Andy Caddick were delighted that they could enjoy a leisurely lunch instead of bowling in the mid-day heat.

Lord's Taverners batting in 2006 on another ground now built over in Dubai.

Lord's Taverners' XI in Dubai 2006 with some well known faces.

Early in 2008 I saw a pre-season friendly between Essex and Sussex at Sharjah and then later in the year, just before Christmas saw the Yorkshire Academy in action against Sussex Academy at the wonderful Sheik Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. Where the arrival of four of us by car actually doubled the attendance. Despite being invited inside the pavilion for a right royal lunch we did manage to see some of the cricket with Joe Root and Charlie Roebuck both scoring fifties for Yorkshire.

Abu Dhabi.

The view from the pavilion at Abu Dhabi.

Then onto 2011 by which time my daughter in law was working for the ICC Academy at their headquarters in Dubai, along with Rod Marsh from Australia. Two cricket grounds here where I saw Ireland play Kenya on one and Afghanistan play Canada on the other in front of a large crowd of Afghan supporters.

Dubai Academy ground 1.

Dubai Academy ground 2, complete with Afghan supporters.

However the highlight of this visit was the recently opened Dubai International Stadium, which we had previously seen when a building site. Here we saw Netherlands playing Zimbabwe again in front of only a handful of supporters, very different from yesterday's full house for Pakistan v India. This picture is not one of mine but taken by someone from the ICC soon after it's opening.

Dubai International Stadium.

Netherlands v Zimbabwe inside the Stadium with not a spectator in sight.

A Literary Connection

 posted by John Winn

Dear Mr Ryder                                                                             Oct 26 1967

                        Yes, you are quite right. It must have been 1913 that I paid a visit to my parents in Cheltenham and went to see Warwickshire play Glos on the Cheltenham College ground. I suppose Jeeves's bowling must have impressed me, for I remembered him in 1916, when I was in New York and starting the Jeeves and Bertie saga, and it was just the name I wanted.

                                                      Yours sincerely PG Wodehouse, New York

And sure enough on page 174 of the 1914 Wisden there appears an account of the match between Gloucestershire and Warwickshire, the third and last of three games played in the Cheltenham Festival that year, and which for the first time all ended in victory for Gloucestershire. The Jeeves referred to is Percy Jeeves who did not have a distinguished match, 1 and 0 with the bat and only one wicket to show for 24 overs with the ball. Undistinguished on paper perhaps but good enough to impress one of English literature's greatest humorous writers, Pelham Grenville Wodehouse who as we shall see was a decent cricketer himself.  

Percy Jeeves

The stars of the 1913 match for 'Glos' were AG Dipper with a hundred in the first innings and fifty second time around. The man who did the damage with the ball was left arm spinner George Dennett who took 13 wickets in the match. It is perhaps a little surprising that it was Jeeves who impressed Wodehouse rather than Dennett but conditioned as enthusiasts have been for over 100 years to the name Jeeves conjuring up an image of the great valet 'Carry On, Dennett' does not sound quite right. 

Percy Jeeves was born near Dewsbury in 1888 from where the family moved to Goole and whilst a professional with Hawes in Wensleydale Jeeves was spotted by Warwickshire Secretary Rowland Ryder (the man to whom Wodehouse's letter is addressed) and he began his career at Edgbaston in 1911 but it was not until two years later that he qualified for championship cricket. In that season Jeeves finished top of the bowling averages with 106 wickets, good enough for Wisden to describe Percy as 'an absolute prize' for in addition to his haul of wickets he also scored over 700 runs. 'On the fast side of medium....he makes the ball come off the ground with plenty of life'. 

In 1914 Jeeves was selected for the Players v The Gentlemen at The Oval but played his last first class match during the last week in August 1914 by which time WW1 had been underway for a month.Wisden again sang his praises but as he left the field on August 29th having taken seven wickets in the match to assist Warwickshire to a win over Surrey by 80 runs he must have known that military service lay ahead of him. Just six weeks later he volunteered to join what came to be known as the 15th battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment who in November 1915 were deployed to France. 

Private Jeeves, aged 28, was killed in action on the Somme the following July. His name is on the Thiepval memorial and the Goole Cenotaph. There are also mementoes of his cricketing career, the ball with which he achieved his best analysis, 7 for 34 v Worcestershire in 1913, a match in which he also made valuable runs, is displayed in the Edgbaston pavilion, on the centenary of his death in 2016 a blue plaque was unveiled in Goole and in the same year a tree was planted in his memory at Cheltenham College by his great nephew and Wodehouse's grandson. 

My interest in Jeeves, the cricketer not the valet, has come from a book I have read recently, 'Wodehouse at The Wicket', the first ever compendium of Wodehouse's writings on cricket. The lengthy introduction, perhaps too lengthy, describes Wodehouse's playing career beginning with reference to page 409 in the 1901 Wisden where his name appears in the averages for Dulwich College, bottom of the list of batsmen but fourth among the bowlers. Top of the bowlers is NA Knox later to play for England. Some of the more interesting cricket PGW played was for the Authors' XI which included six games at Lord's and on the main ground, not the Nursery pitch. The authors' opponents included publishers and actors and Wodehouse was captained by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle who one hopes was a mystery spinner. The matches came to an end in 1912 but Wodehouse does appear in Wisden as recently as 1976 when a three line obituary marks his death on Long Island the previous year. Alongside his appearances for Dulwich College he is noted as being a famous novelist and the godfather of Mike Griffith, the former captain of Sussex. There is no reference to Jeeves who almost sixty years earlier had received a much longer obituary in Wisden. 

Nottinghamshire's Bodyline Captain.

 Posted by Tony Hutton

On my visit to Trent Bridge for the last county championship match of the season I purchased a book from the club shop and have just finished reading it. It concerns the controversial Nottinghamshire captain of the 1920s and early 1930s Arthur Carr, who was very much involved in the controversial 'Bodyline' bowling practised by his two fast bowlers Harold Larwood and Bill Voce.

                                           (Picture from the Cricketer Magazine)

As you will see the book was written by Peter Wynne- Thomas, who sadly died in July this year after forty years as the Nottinghamshire county archivist and one of the leading historians of the game. He was a prolific author and this volume must have been one of his last. It tells the fascinating story of a larger than life character who captained both Nottinghamshire and England and whose life story bears many resemblances to that of Yorkshire's Brian Close.

Both had several brushes with the cricket authorities and both were removed from the England captaincy in controversial circumstances. Both were great favourites with their fellow players and county supporters, but not always with committee men, and again both lost their positions as county captains amid controversies. Indeed the similarity continues with both men being keen followers of horse racing and both being rather accident prone drivers.

Arthur Carr captain of Nottinghamshire and England.

As one would expect the book is very well researched with details of Carr's early life. He was born in Surrey as a member of a wealthy stockbroking family. He had a brief stay at Eton but was dismissed for smoking and betting and transferred to Sherborne School in Dorset where his sporting prowess was given full reign. Carr's family moved to Nottinghamshire in 1906 due to his father's interest in horses and the Leicestershire hunting scene.

This made Carr eligible for Nottinghamshire due to residency and he made his first appearance for them in 1910. After service throughout the first world war, Carr, who of course played as an amateur, was appointed county captain of Nottinghamshire for the 1919 season. Unlike other counties they fielded a full team of ten professionals and Carr soon won them over with his adventurous style of captaincy. He remained in that position until the end of his career in 1934.

His dashing style of batsmanship also brought him to the England selectors notice and he was made captain of England for the home series against Australia in 1926. He was taken ill during the fourth test and to his disappointment was replaced by Percy Chapman. He was called up again as captain against South Africa for two tests in 1929, but never achieved his ambition of captaining England in Australia.

He did however lead Nottinghamshire to the County Championship in 1929 thus breaking the monopoly of Lancashire and Yorkshire and of course had much to do with the development of Larwood and Voce as a dangerous pair of opening bowlers. Mention is made of the meeting between Jardine, Carr and the two bowlers in London shortly before the infamous 'Bodyline' tour of 1932-33 when apparently the plans were laid as the basis of dismissing the all conquering batting of Bradman.

Nottinghamshire in Carr's last season of 1934.

Much is then made of the controversies after the tour which ran into county cricket with several counties, particularly Lancashire, threatening not to play Nottingham if such tactics were employed. Carr was at the centre of all this and to some extent it was no surprise that he underwent a heart attack which virtually ended his cricketing career in 1934.

After the second world war he retired to live in Yorkshire near to the racing stables of Middleham. He was not seen at Trent Bridge for many years due to the acrimony of his later years with the county, but eventually did return in the 1950s when most of his adversaries from the past had passed away. He eventually died while clearing snow from his cottage in West Witton in the winter of 1963 at the age of 69.

This is a wonderful book with details of the day to day action of county cricket from the inter-war period and the off field machinations which highlight Carr's contempt for the landed gentry who were running the game. Highly regarded by his professionals, with whom he regularly shared a drink, and a swashbuckling batsman often compared to the great hitter Gilbert Jessop when at his best.

Cricket's last weekend.

 Posted by Tony Hutton

Arthington by Mike Latham.

The Arthington cricket festival came to a close yesterday to bring down the curtain on a most unusual season which has brought with it a series of problems the game has never faced before and hopefully will never see again. The last two games provided quite a contrast with a high scoring encounter on Saturday bringing a bonus of two centurions and action all the way, whereas Sunday's game, although played in wonderful sunny weather, was rather more low key and rather more one sided. No complaints however from the spectators, gathered from far and wide on Saturday and a smaller select band for the last rites on Sunday.

Saturday's spectators included at least three from Lancashire and I understand one or two professional cricket watchers who had made the long journey from the south of England. Sunday's local celebrities included the Middlebrook family, out in force including current first class umpire James. Both he and his father were last seen in action on this ground in 2014 I believe in the Mick Bourne memorial match.

Fellow blogger Mike Latham and friends in the background.

Middlesbrooks father and son guesting for Arthington in 2008.

Saturday's game started badly for the home side when near neighbours St Georges Church from Harewood House dismissed both openers for single figures, which brought together two guest stars in the shape of Daniel Fitzpatrick and Nathan Smith. These two produced an afternoon of big hitting rarely seen here before. Fitzpatrick hit ten fours and seven sixes in 69 balls before retiring on 105 out of a total of 151. His partner in a century partnership Nathan Smith was only 36 not out at that stage.

Smith went on to equal Fitzpatrick's score going to 105 from 57 balls with seven fours and another seven sixes. One of the sixes damaged the windscreen of a car parked carefully behind the wooden pavilion, which proved to be no hiding place today. Arthington's first team skipper and leading run scorer Naveed Andrabi, then made a cameo appearance, scoring only 11. However a man with his record in league cricket this season, which shows 1152 runs in 20 innings, with seven fifties and four centuries, had nothing left to prove.

It looked as though Arthington would make 300 but a rather pedestrian partnership between Andrew Stoddart and Malcolm Barraclough, who at least hit one six and one four, meant that a series of singles in the last over only made the total 295-4, with two men retired. An unhappy day for the men in the field with the exception of the two opening bowlers Simon Timperley and Sam O'Sullivan who both had tidy figures from their eight overs apiece.

Last over coming up, but the 300 mark proved too elusive.

The not out batsmen applauded in.

The visitors innings got off to the worst possible start with two outstanding juggling catches by Nathan Smith at deep mid off from the bowling of Simon Mace He also clean bowled Chatterjee to make it 28-3 and the game likely to finish early. Not the case as the O'Sullivan brothers, Sam and Ryan, encouraged by father Sam who captained the side, both got stuck in and put on a partnership of 116 to apparently give the visitors an outside chance of a remarkable victory.

However, once they had gone, both dismissed by Andrew Stoddart, Sam for 81 and Ryan for 72, things rather fell apart. Geoff Barker made a fairly rapid (for him) 38 not out from only 47 balls but the rest failed to contribute much, obviously intimidated by the size of the two bowlers Stoddart and Vince Greaves-Newell, who finished with admirable figures of 3-22 and 2-15. The last pair defied them to the end so St Georges finished on 220-9 having done so well to extend the game for it's full overs after such a poor start. 

Bright sunshine greeted everyone for the last match on Sunday when Cambridge Road Methodists, with a somewhat different personnel from previous seasons, took to the field a little late with a brief appearance by Steven Bindman, the perennial twelfth man. No big hitting on the scale of yesterday's efforts but a good fifty opening partnership between Stoddart and Nathan Smith set the scoreboard ticking before Stoddart really got into his stride, hitting seven fours and a six before retiring on 60 not out. James Lord gave him good support and was unlucky to be dismissed on 49.

Andrew Stoddart hits out in Sunday's last match.

Best bowler for Cambridge Road was Remy Khan, who perhaps could have been used earlier. His spell of 7-1-29-3 rather controlled the scoring rate until a late flourish from Andy Conboy with a rapid 34 not out at the end of the innings, which ended on 234-4 after forty overs.

No doubt the worst possible start to an innings overtook Cambridge Methodists who progressed from  0-3 to 10-4, then 20-5 and 31-6. Tom Conboy was responsible for most of the damage four of the first five wickets in his opening spell of just three overs and figures of 4-17. Veteran Dennis Nash also chipped in with a couple of wickets, but the score was eventually given some respectability by the combined efforts of Ahtsham Ellahi (40) and Sufyaan Ahmed (46). Nick Briggs and Andrew Conboy with a couple of wickets each then brought the innings to an end on 133 all out in only 27 overs.

The shadows lengthen as the season comes towards its end.

So a rather sad end to proceedings and to the season. Everyone wending their way home to face whatever the winter has in store for us in the hope that we will all meet again next Spring. Rest assured that the blog will continue with cricketing tales from far and wide, past and present, throughout the winter months.

Cricket's simple pleasures prevail.

 Posted by Tony Hutton

The game of cricket at both international and national level seems to be in turmoil, with both the winter's Ashes series and the format of next season's domestic programme still uncertain. However yesterday's October game at Arthington managed to run it's course, despite a weather interruption, and the handful of spectators, as well as the players, could be forgiven for thinking that the game's simple pleasures still prevail.

Autumnal sunshine while black clouds circle Arthington.

The visitors were a recent addition to the Festival fixture list in the shape of the XL or Forty Club, Yorkshire and the North East District. This admirable club, with regional groups throughout the UK, play an incredible number of fixtures mainly in mid-week against school and club sides. As the name suggests players are over the age of forty, some still performing in league cricket and others happy to concentrate on mid-week friendlies.

Looking up some of the visiting players on play-cricket's comprehensive individual playing records was most interesting. For instance skipper Kevin Owens is still playing league cricket for Knaresborough 1st XI and has already scored four centuries and four scores in the 90s for the Forty Club this season. His highest score was 150 not out early in September playing for the Kent & East Sussex Forty Club against British Tamils!

Another celebrity was Dr Chris Stride, a lecturer at Sheffield University, who plays for the University Staff XI as well as the Forty club and has somehow managed an incredible 72 games this season. His batting record suggests he is a bowler, confirmed by best figures this season of 7-97 for Forty Club Eastern District against Sprowston of Norfolk. He is Sheffield Cricket Lovers' first speaker of their winter season later this week and will be talking about 'Cricket Statuary'.

Geoff Barker sets off for the pavilion after being caught behind.

Getting back to yesterday's action saw the home side batting first and guest star Nathan Smith dominated the early scoring in partnership with Geoffrey Barker. Smith went for a polished 32 out of a total of 35 and Richard Spry, captain of Adel's evening league winning side, joined Barker in a partnership of 71. Barker was then caught behind by wicket keeper Freeman (from Addingham) for a well made 41. The afternoon progressed with a mixture of sunny intervals and threatening rain clouds, but no more wickets fell as Spry and James Lord scored almost at will against the change bowlers.

Model forward defensive from Richard Spry.

When the rains finally came the 40 over innings was almost complete and Arthington declared on 212-2 from 37.1 overs. Spry 83 not out, possibly robbed of a century by the rain, and Lord on 53 not out. Arthington's efficient new covers were brought out and protected the wicket well to enable the second innings to take place with a target of 213 required from 38 overs. Notable for bowling the only maiden over of the Arthington innings was Dave Hadley, another Sheffield University Staff player, with a tidy spell of 4-1-14-0. Dave's career record showed he has played for the University Staff since 1990!

The sun breaks through again.

The Forty Club innings started well, apart from Freeman being run out, and Kevin Wan (Spen Victoria) with his highest score of the season (64) and Yufuf Kayat (Mount CC, Batley) who made 26, taking the score to 111-1. However 'Nelson' struck and the innings collapsed something like a pack of cards. The deadly duo of Andy Stoddart (3-20) and Nathan Smith (3-7) reduced the visitors to 144-8 when the overs ran out. By the end of the day the afternoon chill was taking effect but a good time was had by all. Cricket in October is alive and well and weather permitting will continue each day of next weekend with fixtures against St George's Church on Saturday and Cambridge Methodists on Sunday.

One man and his dog in the background.