Why cricket will always need wise old heads

I got distracted by You Tube last night, and by the time I remembered I should be writing up some kind of report my eyes had given up and the little grey cells had started to shut down. However, better late than never!

Actually, I have to say it’s been a very disjointed season for me and it’s difficult to be accurate sometimes with what I report, as I have a tendency to only hear the last third of a day’s play if it’s on a week day. I can’t listen back to them anymore, so basically I have to rely on my impressions from the other Rampants. That said, I think I may have been amused had I been able to listen in to Surrey’s declaration bowling yesterday morning. It may have been a couple of years since Ramps last turned his arm towards a wicket, and young Harinath even took a turn!

Leicestershire eventually declared on 123-0, and with Surrey forfeiting their second innings there was something there for both sides to go for. I think a lot of credit must go to both teams for setting up the final day’s play the way they did: so often these matches will simply peter into a dull draw where there is little to play for other than to add runs or wickets to personal tallies.

As it turned out a draw did end up as the final result, but there was nothing dull about it! I suppose Leicestershire had the most to lose – and gain – from the result, as they still had an outside chance of sneaking up the table into the second promotion spot, whereas Surrey are trying to scrape themselves off the second from bottom spot. The draw didn’t assist either team but will have basically killed of any hopes Leicestershire had in what has proven to be a dramatic and angst filled season off the pitch.

Still, it wasn’t for lack of effort and gumption on the home side’s part. Smith went lbw for 23 to Cheetham, Boyce made 44 before being bowled by Batty, but the killer partnership from a Surrey point of view was the stand between Du Toit, whose magnificent 122 runs took away any likely chance of a Surrey victory, and the equally brilliant 106 by Paul Nixon. When both men were finally dismissed, and with Taylor going for a first ball duck, there seemed an outside chance of getting the required wickets for a win. New made 2 runs, White 7 and Henderson 3, but it was too late at that point and with Leicestershire finishing 338-8 Surrey will be left wondering ‘if only’. Had Du Toit and Nixon been dismissed earlier in the day then perhaps things would have gone Surrey’s way, but it was not to be.

I have to say I rather like Nixon as a player. I believe he and Du Toit are out of contract at the end of this year: I hope they manage to find new teams.

With so many players moving at the end of the season, due to personal/financial/geographical reasons, it appears to be open season in terms of speculation. Pietersen will need to find a new county. Sidebottom is moving on. Amjad Khan too. Apparently, every one of them is coming to Surrey. At this rate Geoff Boycott’s late granny will be moving to Surrey! Heck, Michael Vaughan’s daughter’s tortoise will be joining Surrey!

So, as the season winds down towards its climax and with less than a month left until the end perhaps it is interesting to note that whilst there are some new young bucks on the scene, like Adam Lyth for Yorkshire, the wise old sages are still doing it for their teams. Dominic Cork, who I never really cared for to start with but who has grown on me somewhat over the past seasons, has had a fantastic season with Hampshire. Ali Brown looks likely to be in the County championship winning side in Nottinghamshire, and has contributed vital runs when required. And of course Ramps continues to score copiously for Surrey. How long these three gentlemen may continue is open for debate, but if they have the hunger and desire to play then hopefully we may see them next year for their respective counties.

You can’t manufacture experience when all is said and done.