1807 Waking more than the dead

I decided to begin writing last night about Waking the dead but such is my state this morning that I am finding it difficult to concentrate, in part because there is so much I need to do but mainly because of anxiety and uncertainty about aspects of my immediate condition. I therefore will drag myself upstairs to wash and shave and do my hair and then decide whether to immediate tackle the issue that has arisen or get down to some writing before attending to the problem and other things. I like to be in control of my life as most people do and have accepted most of the limitations caused by age, my financial circumstances and living on my own and for most of the time I feel gratitude that my position is better than most. However when I feel my present situation threatened or have little or no control over removing or avoiding a problem I become frustrated, anxious, and indecisive, occasionally overwhelmed.

Returning to Waking the Dead, this was a double episode about the ultimate control freak, a female sadistic killer with exceptional cleverness. We had met her before in a previous programme sometime ago as a senior Prison Officer, how senior I cannot remember, where it emerged she had been killing female prisoners upon their discharge and who had engaged in an intellectual battle of with the character played by Trevor Eve. The character is also clever and with the capacity to think and act outside box but he in contrast to the murderess lacks her ruthlessness and cunning. She enjoys tormenting her victims and she has become expert in getting other people to either help in her elaborately contrived activities or she manipulates them into performing evils acts on others for her gratification.

The new double programme was elaborately constructed but is difficult to fully appreciate without having viewed the previous programme and the impact on Trevor of finding the multiple graves of her victims in a field.
I have also previously referred that Trevor’s fictional character is prone to take the law into his own hands and commits crimes to bring the guilty to justice. In a previous series the relationship with his estranged son is explored, a young man who has become an addict and a petty criminal. Trevor nearly kills the young man with whom the son was having a relationship and who Trevor blames for the condition in which he finds his son. Again it is difficult to fully appreciate the present double episode without remembering or having seen the episode in which he rages about himself, and what happens to his son especially when he learns of the death from a fatal injection.

Out of the blue Trevor is sent the decayed finger of a former female prisoner upon which there is an engagement ring and his first reaction is to send it on to CID and in particular to the former member of the team who found Trevor’s ways too unconventional to cope with. Trevor does this because the finger has been sent by the murderess former prison officer who is incarcerated in a high security psychiatric prison. How did she manage to send the package to him? For once he wants someone else to investigate but the matter is thrown back at him. It is at this point that a chasm of credibility opens because by coincidence at that every moment Sue Johnston who plays the psychologist profiler, who understands Trevor and works to help him survive without becoming the individual he fights against has to go into hospital because of cancer, pretending to Trevor she is attending a conference outside the UK. Moreover the person she arranges to cover for her while she is away, played by our Friends in the North, Gina McKee, has been in contact with the murderess by phone with a view to writing a book about her. Without accepting that such an unbelieving combination of events occurs the plot falls flat irrespective of its cleverness and the strength of the acting.

My own experience of prison, lectures by a forensic criminologist and by others while training, and discussions with psychiatrists while working, confirm the resourcefulness of some criminals when in prison, and of “mental” patients in institutions and I suppose the best cinematic portrayal of such and individual is that of Sir Anthony Hopkins in the Silence of Lambs. In this episode it is the ability to influence and effectively control other prisoners by physical and mental forces and to be able to do likewise with the staff which is to the fore. The popular belief is that former police and prison staff have an exceptionally hard time if they are imprisoned and this may be the position, however there is an aura given to those who the commit worst crimes regardless of who they were and this can lead to respect as well as fear on the part of both staff and other prisoners, and for some there is the urge to get to know them and to try and change them, because of their own fears about themselves. perhaps because of their strong beliefs and convictions about good and evil about human beings and about the nature of their deity.

In this instance the former senior prison officer had formed a relationship with a staff member at a secure psychiatric prison who is devout Christian who works in her spare time with drug addicts and rent “boys.” In facts she kills them to put them out of their misery and it is left open if this was something she was already doing before she worked nine years before with the serial killer or something which developed after they established a relationship and possible as a consequence of the powerful influence of the murderess over her. The latter is more likely because the force of one and the weakness portrayed of the other. It is the latter who has been persuaded to dig up and rebury the body of the prisoner, break off the finger with the engagement ring and send it to Trevor at the Waking the Dead unit.
Why has she done this. We know that there is more to the situation than first appears. It is unlikely that that this is not just a gift to Trevor to prove that the murderess is as clever as he is.

Trevor eventually works out how the missing prisoner came to be killed and buried in the grounds when she is supposed to have been discharged from the prison having recovered from her illness and behaviour to meet necessary conditions and requirements.

The current psychiatrist in charge together with the “do gooding” prison worker had encouraged the relationship between the dead girl and a damaged and disturbed male patient who we learn kills the girl when he believes that she is his mother. The Psychiatrist with the help of the gardener then buries the girl in the grounds and her departure from the prison is faked, The killer of the girl then kills either the Governor or former Psychiatrist and his death is presented as suicide and in turn the killer is provoked into killing the psychiatrist who created the situation in which the first death occurred. Behind all this is of course the former prison officer who has learnt of the original killings from another prisoner with whom she has been allowed to have a sexual relationship and where the prisoner was used to help fake the departure of the dead girl and then witnesses the burial of her body.

If this was not enough stretches of credulity and plot manipulation to grasp towards bedtime it is all part of the overriding master plan in which the former prison officer persuades Trevor to first get her back into her room and association with other prisoners from an isolation cell from which is able to enter the communications and control centre, creating the diversion in which the psychiatrist is killed and then makes her escape, kidnaps both Sue Johnston from her hospital bed and her do gooding accomplice from the prison and takes them to the warehouse used by drug addicts, and in particular where Trevor nearly killed the friend of his son and where his son died. Trevor is then persuaded to go to the location where he is given the choice of administering a lethal injection to put the do gooder out of her misery or letting Sue Johnston be killed. He refuses to do her bidding and with the help of his unit the death of Sue is prevented. Trevor is then unable to prevent the former prison officer from killing herself, something which is at odds which the personality that has been developed over the previous four hours of programme in which she featured. With the absence of the death penalty, further imprisonment would prove no problem for the creature who would quickly regain her authority and power within whatever establishment she was placed and continue to cause havoc, mayhem and death if given the opportunity.

The way I have written this and construct most writing is to be as factually accurate as memory permits and to present the “evidence” before making judgements and reaching conclusions. This contrasts with those who have a view, or belief and then find the argument, the evidence to support their position. I often do not have a position or viewpoint until I have explored the information available.

Yesterday I went to Newcastle having discovered that the Tyneside Film Theatre had decided to show the New York Metropolitan Opera Relay in the classic stalls as well as classic cinema circle and booked for the performance of Aida. I continued to read Summers with Durham by Tom Wellock on the journey. Durham has sent out the information on membership for the 1010 season. There is no change for ongoing over 60’s in the exceptionally modest membership fee of £90 although this will cover two fewer one day games next season. This is because the 50 over Friends Provident Trophy has been abolished and replaced by an extended 40 over contest which will be played on Sundays. There will be two leagues in which 12 matches, 6 home and six away will be played followed by a final at the end. The reason for the reduction of four games a season is the decision to expand the 20 20 format with 8 games played home and away during June July and August followed by the best four in each division playing in knockout round, presumably the top two having home draws and then the remaining four teams participating in the finals days of three games The financial significance of the change is that he clubs are able to charge for the additional 20 20 games whereas the these were previously included in the Membership. Durham as with other clubs have introduced the season ticket for the 20 29 with a substantial discount for from £120 for the eight games to £70 and there is also a discount for those wanting to add on the 6 40 over home games thus a clear division between the Championship pricing and one day and with games played during weekends, early evenings or under floodlights thus maximising the number of games where families and younger people can participate. It is time to turn my attention to other things.

1806 Homeward bound and TV Sport

It is Sunday in South Shields, bright but chilly early morning, mostly cloudy now but warmer and just put a whole chicken in to roast and the used shirts into a wash.

The English cricket season ends today with the Durham visiting Somerset supported by two coaches from the North East and it was a wise decision on my part to resist the temptation to book an extra night at a Travel Lodge and watch the final day of the game against Worcestershire where there was a prospect for a ninth win of season, but in fact it ended in an unsatisfactory draw which would have pleased neither set of spectators. According to the match report Durham looked set to win and then a couple of the bowlers put on a stand of 100 to force the draw,

My only dissatisfaction with returning home on the Saturday was to have been driving in the car during a very pleasant warm and sunny day which could have been used to explore the city and then to watch on BBC 2 Newcastle at Ipswich where the Bobby Robson’s widow and two sons opened a stand renamed in his honour at half time before almost all the players who had been part of his European winning team during his nine years there as manager before taking the position in charge of the English national team

However I had an excellent lunch break in the Midlands comprising two pork chops main course and a coffee.

The journey from South Birmingham to South of Nottingham was trouble free although one does have to pay attention to the overhead signs not to find oneself travelling south or to the northwest. It is getting on for at least two years, if not longer, since major road widening and alteration of banks and bridges commenced over a fifty mile stretch of the M1, and the area has continued to become exceptionally busy and difficult to travel with narrow lanes and speed restrictions.

On reaching to the turn off to Wetherby I decided go into the town rather than the service area for a comfort break just in case one of the many inns and public houses in the town was showing the football game although I did not anticipate people would leave their homes outside the North East and Suffolk to watch the game over a drink with others when they could do so in the comfort of their own homes, and also drink if they wished with then being unable to drive to enjoyed a people without the additional expense. I enjoyed the walkabout in this pleasant town before returning tot he car and listen to game on my way home, knowing I would be able to watch the game on the BBC I player the following day. However it is always good to experience something direct if not live. I had no difficulty in getting Real Radio which used to be Century radio and the level headed professional views of Bob Moncur the former Newcastle Captain who won the European Inter Cities Cup now some 50 years ago.

I became hungry just before the petrol garage approaching the Scotch Corner service area and enjoyed a thick filled sandwich with cheese, pickles, chicken and lettuce followed by a packet of crisps. The match was ending as I drove into the Tesco carpark at South Shields on the Newcastle Road for milk, salads and fruit and it was between 7.30 and 8 in darkness and evening chill when I reached home. There is always a moment of anxiety when I have been away from the house that everything was in order and it was.

I unpacked the basics and checked the post and Internet mailbox before a cup of soup and roll followed later by a carton of grapes and a coffee. I loaded the Luxor game on the desk computer and reached a total of 1300000 where I had been only able to get to 300000 because of being able to use the wireless mouse instead of the built in lap top mouse. I watched 200 X Factor hopefuls reduced to100 after having to sing in groups chosen by the programme editors. In previous years something of the behind the scenes drama was shown but this time the programme concentrated on performance revealing that many had been put through to this level who did not have it them to pass muster, which may one wonder why they had been selected in the first place other that to create the subsequent programme, although it would have given them a couple of days in London. I wondered who paid for this?

The 100 who passed this round were then asked to sing individually before an audience of 4000 after which they were asked to wait in one of four groups of 25, knowing that two groups would be sent home and two would live for another day. The Sunday programme revealed a different format from previous years and before the cut was made without the individuals singing again, but this year they were given the opportunity to sing again so this meant that by the end of the episode we had been reminded of the abilities of the 24 selected in the four groups of male and female under 25, those over 25 and singing in groups where a group is defined as more than one individual. The disappoint affect people the longer they get through eliminations rounds and judges find it difficult to say no to people with talent but where others have the edge of stage presence, looking good on camera and more likely to win over the wider voting audience. Nest week there are also two programmes covering the decision to reduce the 24 to the 12 who will feature in the live programmes from now until just before Christmas so that the winner will dominate the Christmas top of the pops.

Sunday was a good day of sports with England unexpectedly having something to look forward in the second game of the one day international tournament after winning against the odds against Sri Lanka. What happened was even more remarkable in that the team batted like demons and created the second highest score in one day game of some 320 runs with Shah, Collingwood and Morgan all amazing friends and critics alike with their powerful performances. On a pitched designed for run scoring South Africa failed by some 20 runs and one wicket and the result means that England will play in the semi final of the competition although they still have one more game in the preliminaries to play. It will be interesting to see if they go all out for a win or let other members of the party have a game. The game omens well for the Test and One Day two of South Africa over the Winter.

Durham just about won their last game in the Pro 40 over series against Somerset, with only two balls to go. Like Evans the fast bowler joining the first team squad with Borthwick were given a game but were only allowed three overs each after being hit around the ground for ten a over although Borthwick did get two wickets. They still have someway to go before challenging for a regular first team place. Sussex did get their second title oft he seasons although they are relegated to Division two of the championship and Nottingham finished second to Durham in the Championship and Essex and Kent have gained promotion at the expense of Northampton. I may considered going to Essex for the championship game as well as Nottingham and Yorkshire and to the Lords if Durham are invited to play the MCC eleven at the start of the season. I can just see my hat and top of my face in the photo of team against the terracing when the Championship was won. The team also paraded their trophy at the recent Newcastle game against Plymouth with the Australian team also present.

Also on television was the next round of the Motor Racing Grand Prix in which Lewis Hamilton was on the front grid but Jensen Button had a nightmare in qualifying and was 12th with his team mate five places ahead and determined to win the championship. There is dirty work at this crossroads me thinks and the sport has been tarnished for the foreseeable future however much the PR attempts to do convince otherwise. It all ended well with Lewis winning as his team has got his car in good working again and Jenson only lost two points of his lead to his team mate so is still on course for the title.

My attention also went on Sunderland’s Home game in the Premiership against Wolves. This was a curious game in that Sunderland went ahead 2.0 from penalties before giving away a sloppy goal quickly followed by a silly goal so that the teams were 2’s each at the interval. Then Sunderland score three goals in the second half to run out good winners and keep a position in the top half of the table with 12 points and eighth position. They are also in the next round of the league cup.

I also watched in full in the morning the replay of Newcastle’s visit to Ipswich. It was interesting that Lady Robson wore a blue suit, the Ipswich colours whereas a mixed Ipswich and Newcastle scarf had been produced to raise funds for his Foundation charity for cancer research work. There was an excellent crowd although not a sell out and the Newcastle fans and radio commentators had difficulty reaching eh ground because of major delays on the A1. The game was even and scrappy over the first 28 minutes before the extraordinary happened and Newcastle scored three excellent goals within the space of five minutes shell shocking not just the home spectators but also the players. Ipswich have a tradition of not sacking managers as the famous Cobbald family apologised to Robson after his head had been called for by the crowd when success failed during his first couple of years. The odd thing is that is their manager Roy Keane won his first two games at home when taking over at the end of last season and everyone expected he would do what eh did with Sunderland taking them from the bottom into the Premiership during his first season. He bought and sold a large number of players to achieve this whereas Robson was successful at Ipswich with a small squad and using home produced talent. Newcastle went on to score a fourth goal with Kevin Nolan gaining a hat trick. Such is life. Mike Ashley was there and according to one report he has said that if Kevin wins his appeal for constructive dismissal the club will be bankrupt and should this happens the team faces relegation and a loss of points before the season starts.

I enjoyed roast chicken for lunch with the remainder making a sweet and sour chicken dinner on Monday. I did not feel like salad in the evening so had a ready made pasta chicken dish with grapes and a melon for fruit and the last of the prawns in shell. I needed something warm and substantial before facing the next edition of Waking the Dead.

I also played the second Luxor game making over 2300000 points WOW yes 2 million three hundred thousand.

1805 A great view but a terrible stadium and a poor cricket team

Thursday 24th September will be recorded as another memorable day in the history of Durham cricket club. It was also the day I cracked attending cricket at the County ground. I had doubts early on about achieving this objective although I left at eight instead of nine and reached the city boundary about half an hour later, it then took the best part of three quarters of an hour to get to my destination, such was the volume of early morning traffic and this time there was no road works affecting the journey but simply traffic congestion with traffic lights and two heavy streams of vehicle seeking to join in a one lane flow.

I could not resist taking a peak to see if the free parking was full and this lost a further ten minutes turning the vehicle around and rejoining the traffic in the one system around the park. There were about a dozen spaces left in the car park where the charge for the full day was only £3.50. It was also a pleasant walk through the park and across the main road to the ground where only a few spectators had arrived, although I was order number 26 for coffee and a bacon roll costing £4.50 three times that at the Ship and Royal in South Shields. It all reminds that long gone are the days that you would find Durham players sneaking off for a hamburger during a match.

There was considerable difference in the weather with the sun shinning warm and temperature in the seventies. There had been some low lying fog before reaching the city but for the rest of the day until late afternoon there was sunshine and occasional clouds. I decided to sit square to the wicket about three rows from the top below the member’s lounge and quickly found the sun so hot that I had to cover my knees with my coat.

Yesterday Durham bowlers tried hard but found the pitch flat and a Member explained that there had been no rain for a month and obviously the Groundsman had done his best to reduce the impact of the Durham pacemen men as soon as learning that Worcestershire had won the toss and decided to bat. At one point with the total 54 for 2 and again when the total was 120 for four and 197 for six it looked as if the home team would struggle to reach 250 but they fought well to finish the day something like 334 for 9. It took Durham half an hour or so to gain the last wicket in the morning with the Worcestershire total 356. The previous day I had heard a Member forecasting that with the wicket playing so well Durham would still be batting well into Friday. With Durham reaching 100 before lunch without a loss of wicket this mixture of spectating experience and my intuition looked accurate. Having eaten lunch early on and enjoyed a large glass of Pepsi with ice and lemon for £1.60 I crossed back to the car in the interval for my sun hat wishing that I had also remembered the sun cream.

I had excellent chats with two Worcestershire couples during the afternoon session. In both instances what I had to say about Durham proved accurate especially that if you do not dismiss Chanderpaul within first few overs he will score 100 with appearing effortlessness.

Michael Di Venuto continued his spectacular season with another 100 and passing 1500 runs for Durham, the first member of the Durham to achieve this total and also passing the number of runs he had previously scored in first class cricket in a season. I am not certain at this stage if he will surpass the runs scored by Trescothwick.

Coetzer had looked well set but went for 44 and captain Smith played a silly shot to go for 28 and at 207 for 3 thoughts of batting most of Friday until reaching 701 seemed unrealistic and then Chanderpaul was joined by former captain Blenkenstein and they professionally set about the task of breaking the hearts of the young Worcestershire bowlers to end the day undefeated in a stand of over 180 runs with Chanderpaul’s third century in four innings, Benkenstein on 91 and the total 390 for 3. 701 had become a realistic target for Friday and to give the bowlers the opportunity to gain a wicket or two before the final day. For the final session I moved back into the sun behind the wicket and found myself with various members of the Durham Travellers club who are staying at a Hotel in Droitwitch. By the time play ended there were mostly Durham supporters to celebrate the situation and I speculated how many Worcestershire members would come for the penultimate day of cricket in the first division of the championship.

The traffic was at its worst as I made my way to the car standing solid all around the park in three lanes. My first intention was to leave the bag and make my way into the city for a meal but I then saw a McDonalds on the other side of the road so I made this my destination for a McChicken sandwich, fries and a coffee medium size for £3.69. That is less cost than my breakfast. When I commenced the journey home at about 6.45 the roadway had become clear and I was back by 7.30 with the only disappointment that Sainsbury’s had closed the entrance opposite and I was too lazy to go round to car park entrance to see if the rear had close as well. The plan in the morning is to set off even earlier and find somewhere to have breakfast.

The plan nearly misfired as the alarm did not go off but I was able to be away by about half past seven and found my way to the car park with only two minor stops around 8.15, It was a chill walk through the Park and I regretted not putting on my outer coat as I made my way via the underpass into the shopping area up the hill deciding not to explore the Coop store and go on to the full size Sainsbury, but disappointed that there was no café or coffee dispenser. I purchased fruit, croissants and a pack of Eccles cakes as they had not yet filled the shelves with new Danish pastries that I prefer, and made my way back to the vehicle noting that there was a fish and chip shop and a Indian or was it Chinese restaurant but no where for a coffee or afternoon tea, yet two large supermarkets.

I then went over to the McDonalds for a bacon roll, Worcester sauce included plus a large hash brown and a good size coffee for £2.79. Excellent value compared to that at the cricket club. The next task was to prepare two of the rolls as I had only salami left for the third. I had purchased a small carton of Scottish crab which I liberally divided between the two rolls using my finger. It was rapidly approaching 9.30 so it was then time to test out my belief that although I had left my ticket in the case at the travel lodge a duplicate would be issued from this area. Because the alarm had not gone off and I was determined to leave earlier than the previous two days I had rushed out forgetting that I had been keeping the tickets in the case in the room. I was right in my assumption and there was no problem getting a duplicate after giving my name and address. I found myself an aisle seat towards the end of the Graham Hicks pavilion after finding the lift at the back although there is no signing and it not visible unless you go looking. This is because the location of the pavilion entrance up a long flight of steps before the stewards guarding the car park entrance means that anyone could walk to the lift off the street and reach the Tom Graveney Members’ lounge or the players dressing rooms on the floor above. It is without doubt the worst designed Members and players pavilion I have encountered and what do the wives with young children do? It was also a sight seeing the staff including Geoff Cook having to take the gear up the levels of steep steps. Clearly the county had not heard of the Disabled person’s Act when the Pavilion was created and one feels this is a club which struggles to shed its tradition. Oddly they have inserted high gates between the member’s sating below the pavilion and the rest of stadium which includes some areas for members. The annual prices for subscriptions are comparatively high although there is a reciprocal arrangement with Gloucestershire and Somerset and did include Glamorgan before they became a test playing county. The reality is that there is now a Premier division and a championship in cricket in terms of both playing abilities and grounds. Durham is now firmly planted in both

The weather and the cricket did not live up to what I had hoped for. The weather turned overcast and was chilly at times so I had to keep on the inner jacket of my coat for most of the day. It did brighten for brief periods during the afternoon, clouding over again after tea and I needed my outer coat by the time I went over to PC World after the day’s play was over. I upset a Worcestershire member by in response to a greeting from another member met the previous day who commented that I had been right about Chanderpaul. I said the plan for the day was score 701 runs before declaration and for four Durham players to get centuries again given that two had already been achieved and Benkenstein was only a few runs from his. I also added that they had half a dozen overs to get Chanderpaul out or he would bat all day and night.

What happened is that Benkenstein got out and Ian Blackwell and Philip Mustard failed to establish themselves into the fourth century was Liam Plunket getting 52 so Chanderpaul played his natural role and anchored the side reaching 150 and 175 exceptionally slowly scoring only 30 runs in a session and reaching his 200 an hour after tea. Before then Claydon and Davies had caused cheering on the player’s balcony as they gained fours in a message to Chanderpaul to get on with it, but he continued in his own way. Because of this although the team scored over 600 runs, close to 650 they were short of both the club record established against Notts and the 701 target I was convinced they were aiming for. That I was nearly right also upset quite a few of the Worcestershire supporters including the elderly couple behind who explained that it was tradition for the members to have to stand in line half an hour before the official tea time with their backs to the play queuing for their tea and large chunk of tea which they then took on trays to various parts of the stadium including the Members Pavilion where there was also tea but no cake. I advised that for £4.50 at Durham tea comprised sandwiches, cream scones, two pieces of quiche and sausage rolls.

Most of the Worcestershire Members departed before the declaration with those who stayed divided between watching a spectacular unexpected performance but the England one day side against Sri Lanka, winning by six wickets and five overs to spare, or stay and moan about the batting of Chanderpaul. I thought the young Worcestershire bowlers did exceptionally well given the way the pitch had been prepared, the lack of rain over the past month, their relegation and the departure of leading players to other counties offering to pay more.

I had enjoyed my visit to Worcestershire but learnt the lesson that there is a price to pay for keeping a good view.

As the traffic had eased considerably I decide not to repeat the evening visit to McDonald’s but use up the packet soup, beans and rice with the rest of the carton of grapes, and second Eccles cake by way of an evening meal. I had bought a game pad rather than a Joystick at PC World because one was obtained for under £10 with the rest in the region of £30 and then bought for another £10 a copy of Luxor, there was also Zuma and three for two offer was tempting but as Vista was not shown on the DVD case I was cautious. In fact there is no provision to use a game pad with the game and there were no instruction on how to use the various controls on the pad if there had. I will see if my one without a USB connection provides the information. However instead of writing up these notes I did enjoy using the built in mouse with the loaded full screen game and respectable 1 million points with one of the three games includes but had just as much difficulty getting beyond level 2.4 with the same game as on the free edition. It will require some working out as well as the great speed and mobility available with the wireless mouse.

I also watched Rebus and a French film about the government producing a clean bomb which they proposed to District 13 a no go area of area of Paris run by criminals with the schools, hospitals and other public services closed and some two million inhabitants of the capital in the vicinity.

I had watched the new series of Question Time and the Politics Show and a programme about how Brown did in fact provide a solution to the Banking crisis which was better than the American of buying the bad debts. He has also been made international statesman of the year but his popularity within his Party and the country generally does not improved. There is his failure to insist that the Chief Law Office does not retire after her failure to check that an employee had no right to work or stay in the UK although she may well have been set up. There was the allegation that the White House had snubbed the attempts of Brown for public meeting with the President who is hosting the GO in the USA and recently chaired the UN top committee, in advance of condemnation of Iran for operating a second establishment designed to create the fuel for nuclear weaponry as well as energy. One wonders did the info come from al-Gaddafi or through al-Gaddafi hence the release of the Lockerbie man. There are sections of the British media that have become so party politically orientated that they cannot see the wood for the trees but the Telegraph revelations about how and why they got hold of the information about Member‘s expenses is more interesting and relevant. More on all these things over the weekend.

1804 An expedition to Worcestershire Cricket Club

I am writing this having settled into my room at the South Birmingham Travel Lodge in preparation for Durham’s County Cricket Club’s last match of the season. Their task is first not to be defeated thus completing the 16 match season without a defeat. How often this has been accomplished should be mentioned by the media if it is achieved. They would like to win and so have an emphatic margin of points over whoever finishes second. I had anticipated watching behind glass but there has been a major improvement in the weather and it should be dry and warm for the first full day of autumn. They like me treat life as a risk taking adventure which requires hard work and planning to be successful, although as age mounts the assessment of hazard and danger becomes more dominant to an extent than with increasing frequency one becomes reluctant to set off on a new expedition. It is therefore good just to take off sometimes as long one is prepared to face the consequences of doing so and then having to sort out the problems arising from failing to check and double check the preparations.

The day had not got off to a good start as the alarm set for 6 either did not go off or I slept through it. It was 7.17 and meant I had only forty minutes to do everything before loading the car and moving it out of the garage to ensure it was not blocked by neighbours. It was therefore surprising to me that when I set off a little after 8.15am having parked the car on a nearby roadside that I remembered that I had only failed to take sheets of kitchen roll and a bottle of water and that everything else had been thought of. The weather forecast for travel had not been good with high gusting winds and although there was some wind stronger that usual it did not cause a problem and the bonus was the sunshine and it felt warmer than it had been since that last glorious match at the riverside two weeks ago. Having set off well before nine I decided to call in at Morrison’s, Seaburn, for kitchen roll, the single bottle of water and some Danish pastry for later. Having paid the purchases and discovered that they had introduced some self service check outs I made my way to the café for a mug of tea and a read of the Journal and Northern Echo newspapers. The Journal had included a twelve page pull out on the memorial service and both papers featured the service on their front pages as did some national newspapers, especially the Sun.

It was after nine when I set off proper via the Sunderland ring road to the A19 where before Middlesbrough there was a short hold up which appeared to be for traffic congestion rather than anything more serious. Midway on the three hour journey to my midland lunch stop I opened the passenger side window because it had become hot and stuffy inside the vehicle I decided to conserve energy by not switching on the air conditioning and felt the force of the wind, although while travelling the car need not feel that it was being buffeted. I stopped for a comfort break at Blythe where the traffic flow has been significantly changed as a consequence of the A1 by passing the former roundabout.

I had an excellent lunch and two and a half hour break at midday with a two course meal of gammon with egg and chips followed by a chocolate brownie with ice cream, with an apple and Mango drink starter and coffee to finish for £7.25. The sun continued to shine.

The route to the M42 is well sign posted on the M1 with a two lane slip road and from there to south Birmingham, my destination there is continuous motorway although you have to pay good attention as there are several lane switches as the route connects with other motorways.

I have not travelled this was before or at least that I can remember and certainly I do not recall the area of National Forest which appears to continue over an area similar to that at Nottingham. This is not continuous woodland such as the coniferous man made forest around Keilder and has farming and village communities within the large areas of deciduous woodland. I was intrigued by a sign with said Conkers and showed two tree symbols and a building which later from the Internet I learnt was a family attractions centre with tickets under £25 for a couple with two children.

I had made a note that I needed to take the A435 road towards Birmingham where south of Kings Heath the travel Lodge is located off a main roundabout with a Sainsbury on the opposite side of the road. I went passed this in search of a service area for a comfort break and perhaps a hot drink as I was also feeling tired.

The service area is of the latest design off the motorway and providing for traffic in both directions as well as those using the A441 between Redditch and Birmingham. The seating area which contains many comfortable chairs applies to all the various foot and drink outlets which means one can sit and relax, use the free Internet connection without buying anything. It is evidently a good venue to hold a business meeting as three groups of between two and four individuals were noted with the tell tale lap top. I had noted the sign which warned that stays were limited to two hours after which payment was required for parking vehicles, £20 for coaches and heavy Goods vehicles or £22.50 with a meal voucher. Failure to obtain the requisite permit resulted with an instant £80 penalty.

The continuing to the service area and the A441 provided the opportunity to take the road into Birmingham and the cross over to the A 435 coming to the roundabout near which the Travel Lodge is located. All went well until unknowing I went directly across a roundabout along the part of the route travelling west east between the two A roads, instead of swing right to the next junction and ended joining the right road but further north. This would not have been such a time consuming and tiring problem if the traffic had not been at a standstill in both directions. I was to find out the cause of the problem some 15 minutes later as several cars had collided just off a junction ahead. Fortunately it was possible for vehicles to get passed a single line with the help of a member of the public or a driver of one of the vehicles while the police arrived. It did not look as if anyone was seriously injured, fortunately.

I took the right turn here hoping to go right and right again and get back to the A435 in the right direction. I did achieve this although several stops to check the Birmingham A to Z Map were necessary. Having reached the destination roundabout and turned into the Lane as directed I could not immediately see the Travel Lodge and continued along the lane for about a mile before deciding I had somehow missed the building, stopping on the return journey to ask a passer by who explained that it was at the junction corner. The explanation is that similar to the Travel Lodges at Croydon and Brighton the building is located on floors above stores: Subway where a bacon or sausage sub is available for £1.99, a Wilkinson store where I was able to buy three more of the Black display books which I use for my work and a betting shop. The car park is to the rear and is used by shoppers as well as those staying at the lodge. The lodge entrance is a small one with reception on the first floor and my room is directly opposite the Sainsbury store and traffic light controlled roundabout.

The following morning I elected to take the 435 down to the motorway filling up the car with petrol at a garage shortly before. It was only a mile or so to the service area and only a couple of miles to the junction with the 441 which means I had taken an hour the previous evening to travel the five to six minutes of the morning. I would not make the same mistake on the return journey. The road incidentally is called the Hollywood after the nearby village. The morning mistake was not to allow sufficient time for traffic, and in particular road works into the centre of Worcester. I had not studied the map sufficiently either and therefore in the absence of signs relied on passers by to aid in the directions at two crucial moments when had I opted for the wrong turning at the junction I could have easily taken an extra half and hour or more in the conditions. As it was I reached the county ground with only half an hour to go before the match commenced and it was evident from the location that I would have difficulty in find somewhere to park outside but close to the ground. I stopped at the first car park which looked part of the ground and which had the shop to my right but this was for permit holders, and while there appeared to be a public car park beyond there appeared to be no way to enter from this entry point. I was wrong because there ire two large gates which are opened when any vehicle approach to go in or out as this takes you into the ground and is restricted on match days to permit holders with a steward in constant attendance to open as a vehicle approaches to enter or exist.

What I should have done is to temporarily park the car and collect my tickets from the office part of the club shop which has a direct access to the street by which is difficult to work out and appears to be only available once inside the ground!
I got back onto the road and headed passed the public turnstiles located closest to the bridge over the river into the city centre and to the next entrance which stated Members and visitors. Because I could not display a permit or a ticket and did not have a ticket from a player I was warned I had to pay £8 this given the option of retreating and seeking somewhere less expensive, but given the fast approach of the start of play and that the sky was could covered some of which looked rain bearing, I said I was willing to pay and directed to park on a temporary basis in that of the Chairman of the Club, which I considered something of an honour but also reflected that it meant they either knew he would not be coming today or perhaps rarely did!/

I walked back passed the area of the ground on the outside behind the wicket where is located comparatively new Members pavilion with the players dressing rooms above. This is an ugly functional building and the only modern one with the others appearing to be ancient and consequently dilapidated, there is also the small media area, some hospitality boxes and a restaurant with terrace and then the main public entrance from those coming to the ground on foot from across the bridge into the city centre. Unusually there is also the race course close to the other bank of the river which includes the coach park one of two. I could have walked to the shop inside the ground but went outside leaving the explore until later.

I returned to the office part of the shop with both being no more than a temporary square Porto cabin type of building and which houses three desks which comprise the main reception. These are cut off from the other buildings which somehow matched the whole image of the club which despite its magnificent location reflected a playing side which had seen much better days. I was quickly to come across members who bemoaned the fact that the club had yielded to modernity by adding a concrete seating structure at the other end of the wicked blocking out the view to the old scoreboard and famous picnic and parking area adjacent to a large area of what I discovered were school playing fields.

I learnt from one life member that car parking was free to him and from a sign that those buying a half season could also buy a car park permit for £60. I paid £8, deciding to go on an explore on foot later in the day to find parking available for less and within walking distance. I discovered as I went in search of space that these are available all the way to a an area set back where the parking is in rows, and backs on to the separate car park available to the public for half the cost I was paying outside of match days. I found a space at a gate into a field on inspection was a vast area with several rugby and hockey pitches. The gates was close but I checked that it was ok to part in the vacant spaces. I late guessed that perhaps in summer out of term time there was provision for additional car parking.

Worcester Cricket ground is the most traditional of the first class counties and has commanding views of the Cathedral and other church spires set among trees across the river and the very busy traffic dominated city centre. I found a seat behind the wicket against a temporary Sky Camera construction which was a mistake because the black canvass used as a sight screen for the white ball one day games flapped against the back one’s head with the slight wind and meant to avoid the irritation you had to lean forward.

I then made my way to the Graham Hick Pavilion with the member‘s facilities on the first floor and the player’s dressing rooms on the second accessible by one of two levels of steps at either side of the building or through the Member’s area. I learnt that bacon or sausage sandwich/roll costs £3.20 brought to the table and a coffee £1.30, tea £1. Main course cost meals £6-£7 Those seeking a conventional afternoon tea have to queue for entry into the Ladies Pavilion which is to one side. There is an area of three or four car parking spaces close to the entrance marked reserved for tea ladies! This suggests that ladies into do the tea.

At the other end of the ground to where I sat for the greater part of the first two sessions of the day, the media are housed behind glass or at a bench table in the open but covered. Part of this area is open to members who can also use the bench table at the front or in the two rows of seats behind.

There is not one but two shops selling support and memorabilia. One by the club which also housed in the what is described as the main reception. There is also a separate supporters kiosk and display area and where I noticed that the attractive greetings cards of painted Worcester scenes cost less than the same cards in the club shop. There is another kiosk selling books about cricket. There is a similar facility at Headingley within the member’s lounge and where in addition there are separate tables selling second hand books of all kinds outside in the stadium areas. Durham has nothing similar and even less since the Cotton Traders took over the shop but I doubt if there is any profit in it.

In the Member’s Lounge there are large photographs along the walls of the five championship winning sides and of the occasions when they have won other competitions. The last time they won the championship I believe was in 1989. I attempted to check this on the internet when under archives there is an amazing plethora of information including the most comprehensive records that I have come across. It may be somewhere but could I find it so I sent an email and hopefully someone will send the answer or add the information.

Not seeing what is there in one my lifelong problems. Around midday I returned to my car for the bread rolls to which I added salami and stood overlooking the play from a spot near by which was delightful grassed bank under horse chestnut trees (conkers) at which there were two picnic benches. I made two visits for two rolls and then returned to my position in the stadium until the official lunch interval at 12.30. I then returned to the car for a third roll and to my horror could not find the car keys and then found the car unlocked and still could not find the car keys, Next to me a Life Member of the Worcester club had also returned to his vehicle for lunch and we had a chat while I finished my rolls and searched for the keys, eventually finding them on the car floor having slipped of the lowered car seat on going for the food box.

Over the tea interval I decided to go on an explore. Across from the cricket ground the is a park and later on the homeward journey I noted a long stay car park on the other side if the small free area of on street parking I found is not available. It was walking to the area of shops up a gentle hill that I saw the full extent of the playing fields of the Kings school. From the internet my first impression was confirmed in that the schools also has its own cricket square and indoor nets, and plays football. The girls all participate in a sports afternoon once a week and are all expected to play hockey and Netball. Obviously rowing is important, has its own indoor swimming pool as well as facilities for Fencing. There are several tennis courts and in addition to athletics training using the school fields there is use of the city running track and facilities for field sport on the sports afternoons. In addition to their academic records it is evident that the 920 senior pupils with 520 in the Junior schools will become proficient in at least one sport during their school experience. The value of private education! The price by the way is £10500 a year paid in advance by year or term. You can pay by credit card with a 3% surcharge.

I discovered some pavement side free parking across from the cricket ground and school playing fields with space for about a dozen cars. I will try for these tomorrow before the long stay found on the other side of the park in the one way system which goes back over the bridge and by the racecourse before joining the ring road out of town to the M5.

I was tempted to go to Kings Heath for a meal on return but was so tired that I made do with soup, baked beans, rice, and grapes and then fell asleep between 7 and 8 pm. Due to the long day of travel the day before and the autumnal fresh air. I have my camera with me and hope for a brighter picture taking day. I will leave the cricket reporting to another day.

1803 Sir Bobby Robson Memorial Service

It is not the weather for sitting out in the open watching or for doing anything other than going back to bed having dragged myself up and out to put the rubbish bin out of the garage into the back lane for collection. I am continuing with the trip as I felt like this before going to London in August when the weather was better and enjoyed the venture despite the length of the coach journeys and still wonder what happened to the young girl who got off the coach at an almost deserted bus station having missed her stop at Stockton and not realised the mistake even when we reached Hartlepool. Did she get a bus Hartlepool at that time of night? Did the woman help her out. Did the people she was visiting come and collect her? Life is full of not knowing and being unable to do anything about situations.

Take the relaying of the New York Metropolitan Opera Performances throughout the world. The Cineworld contract has collapsed either because of the cost or the company wanted to be selected about the performances which they showed. I discovered that there were being shown in independent cinemas but for some reasons not in the Midlands and the nearest locations were at York closes to where I have booked accommodation. I then discovered that despite the prices of £25 full and £21.50 concessions there were only seats left right in the front row. When I contact Cineworld this morning they clearly realised they had made a mistake and mentioned they were trying to arrange alternatives. I then contacted the nearest independent cinema and discovered that they had received countless cinema enquiries and gave the explanation that they were a small cinema and fitting into schedules was a problem however I believe there may be reconsideration after I mentioned that that the price being charged was £25 for full and £21.50 and therefore they were missing a major commercial opportunity. I will keep looking at the Metropolitan Opera site which lists the countries and locations for the relays around the world.

On the good side of things I have just found out that the BBC is showing the Bobby Robson Memorial service from Durham this afternoon which saves having to go out to St James park for the relay there. I have made myself and undertaken not to go to St James while the present owner remains in charge, although had considered making an exception for this specific occasion. Now it is time to sort out the paintwork on the car. I delayed doing this and the insurance renewal letter arrived at lunchtime which I checked and made a few enquires and there used compare the market.com which has the imaginative advert about not confusing with compare the meerkat.com and which stand with the Orange phone advert which appear at Cineworld cinema and which are genuinely funny and imaginative edition after edition after edition. What was interest is the range of prices quoted from the same vehicle and driver particulars from under £200 to £400 and where my insurance broker has given which is the same or below 80% of the prices quoted. And in relation to those lower the excess requirement is significantly less from existing agent. However whether in reality this is significant will depend on what it cost to undertake event he smallest level of repairs. My present excess is £100 and it will be interesting see how much the paint job costs when I go for a couple of quotes when returning from the trip to Worcester.

The afternoon was taken up with watching the service of remembrance at Durham cathedral for Sir Bobby Robson. An invitation only event for 1000 with a screen in eh centre of Ipswich and at St James Park which appears not to have the level of attendance which the organises had hoped for. The main reason for this is that service and interviews was being carried live on both the BBC and Sky News channels and on Sky sports news although then latter continued show headline at the base of the screen and had a side panel of sporting information. The service was exceptionally well organised with reminiscences from Garry Linekar and Sir Alex Fergusson, the consultant who suggested he assist in the new cancer research centre at Newcastle and his lifelong friend with whom he shared lodgings when a player at Fulham and who was the best man at his wedding. The most impressive contribution was from the Bishop of Newcastle and the service as conducted by the Bishop of Durham which contribution from the family Parish priest and from the Bishop of Jarrow( is there one or at last a senior clergyman from Jarrow. Catherine Jenkins sang, they played the last post which Bobby played at services of remembrance when he was a young man and the three tenors ended with Nesum Dorma for Italia 90. It was a nicely balance service where the spirituality was throughout and there was no clapping with everyone suits. There was applause at St James and in Ipswich but it was heart felt and interestingly the majority of those present shown on camera were in the 40 to 70 age range

In the evening almost all the regional ITV programme was devoted to the services couples with film on his life, the live broadcasts to Ipswich and at St James and outside Durham Cathedral wherein the evening sunshine a rainbow appeared across the sky. The programme was clearly the work of the ITV regional sports commentator who had become involved in the cancer research fund raising activities and received an invitation to be present from the fund organisers. It was best region coverage of one event one persons life I can recall seeing and hopefully it will be available as some DVD tribute. Whereas ITV devoted between 20 and 35 minutes to Sir Bobby, the BBC condense the reporting to 15 minutes and understandable devoted some time to the Great North Run which is one of their great outside broadcasts events and which primarily raises money for charities. There were brief few minutes references on both the BBC and ITV 10 pm news bulletins, with brief references on the ten minutes late night local news shows. The only discordant note was struck by one of his sons who attempted to balance all the praise for the public persona with some insight on the impact of his life and personality on his children and grand children. Thus it is forever so.

I also watched the second part of Waking the Dead which developed into the provision of body parts from those who volunteered but mostly those who were bullied and blackmailed and in two instances killed. It again centres on the unconventional and use of criminal methods to obtain the truth by Boyd and in this episode the team drive away from one the main antagonist who carried out the surgery, knowing he would be killed by his colleagues for effectively closing the enterprise in the UK down for the individual concerned. No doubt other will step on to gill commercial opportunity just as desperate people for a new life will continue to sell their bodies in different ways for what they believe is the opportunity of their lifetime. The programmed was completed on a day when the French government under pressure from the UK moved into to close the encampment at Calais where mainly Afghans congregate hope to find a way across the channel to the promised land of the UK. No doubt the place was also used by terrorist and intelligence services of such is the world we lives.

The closing word in the book by Sir Bobby and quoted at and after the service was about his life being a black and a white one, black from going down the pit and white of the light. Also his love for the black and white of Newcastle and which the Bishop of Newcastle and the other clergy used to emphasis the black and white of life and Christian faith and in Bobby’s own words the belief that there was more light than darkness around. I wish that was true.

1802 The Australians are defeated at Chester Le Street

It was twenty degrees colder than south England overnight and ten degrees colder than the Midlands and not cricket weather. Today England play Australia at the Riverside ground and am I glad I decided to watch the game on the television. The ground looks excellent and will be full after everyone has copes with the travel problems and the security arrangements. Graham Onions although selected for the one day squad gets his first game and Collingwood comes back after being rested. The commentators made the punt that although it was a blue sky bright start it was a chilly morning. England won the toss and elected to bowl which was the right thing for the Durham pitch and Anderson had a wicket before many had taken their seats and then Graham Onions got his first wicket with the total 17 and in the fourth over. More on what happened in the game after I have finished making notes from the books by Tom Moffat and Ralph Dellor

It is only twenty years ago that that the stadium was planned and not until 1996 that the first game was played and the first part of the present main pavilion building completed. Then the new Chairman Don Robson and Treasure Tom Moffat had been tipped off that Geoff Cook the retiring captain of Northants would be the man to help fashion the first team and interested in coming back North where he had roots. He agreed on a sessional and part time basis until the plans for using the six playing grounds over three years and the permanent stadium site and building programme was agreed together with the required funding had been confirmed. All this was pointless without recruiting a playing staff which could perform in the championship then a competition in which all the teams played in one division and playing the other teams at home one year and away the next. No one expected Durham to be immediately successful but equally no one wanted the team to be humiliated.

It is not known who instigated the two big signings which the club made. Dean Jones had come to England before with the Australian touring Test side but was interested in the gaining the experience of batting in English conditions and he did not disappoint scoring 100 in the first official game of the 1992 competitive season, the Sunday 1 day match which Durham won, just. The other was that of Ian Botham, past his best but still the biggest name playing in English cricket. It is also important to put the signing of Botham in context as the Kevin Keegan era was also underway, taking Newcastle back to the then first Division and to the top of the Premiership, 12 points ahead, until the end season collapse to finish second to Manchester United .

Geoff brought to together a mixture of experienced championship players with local individuals who only had experience of Minor County playing conditions. He recruited David Graveney as Captain, the nephew of the legendary Tom, both Gloucestershire men, Wayne Larkins from Northamptonshire, a club with long standing links with Durham, Phil Bainbridge from Gloucestershire, Gary Brown from Middlesex, and Paul Parker of Sussex experienced batsmen, all rounders Simon Hughes who had been to Durham University and Yorkshireman Phil Berry. plus Steve McEwen and Christopher Scott one of two wicket keepers came from Nottingham. The local men included Simon Brown born Cleadon village and playing first class cricket with Northamptonshire, Darren Blenkiron batsman although born Warwickshire was raised in Durham at Bishop Auckland the home of the Prince Bishops, John Glendening from the Boro, James “Jimmy” Daley batsman born Sunderland, Paul Henderson all rounder born Stockton, Stewart Hutton Batsman also born Stockton, Ian Smith all rounder born Chopwell, Gay Wigham all rounder born Bishop Auckland, together with John Wood, “Woody” all rounder born Yorkshire but yet to play first class cricket. Andy Fothergill was born in Newcastle but brought up in Darlington was the second wicket keeper.

Most of the players came together to play in the Minor Counties league in 1991 and this included Geoff Cook scoring 63 in his last game as Captain before David Graveney took over. During the winter preparations for the first season continued with the use of the McEwen Indoor centre. Now the club has indoor facilities at the ground in the adjacent sports centre as well as cricket nets for players and for the public. The team also played in Zimbabwe.

The first game as a first class County was not against Lancashire at the Durham City University Racecourse ground but against Oxford University, when alas rain washed out most of the first day and also severely affected the rest of the game. Durham made 286 for 2 when they declared with Glendening and Paul Parker both making 100, Oxford made 105 for 2. After the euphoria of the opening home match against Lancashire, the team lost to Glamorgan in the first game of the Benson and Hedges Cup. Leicestershire were the first Championship visitors and they won the game by seven wickets. Durham were able to make 164 in their first innings to which Leicestershire replied with 342 with Boon and Smith making 100’s. Durham did significantly better in the second innings with Parker and Ian Botham making centuries. The great adventure had began as it was too continue for over the next decade with defeat after defeat, clawed draws and rare victories. More on what happened in those early years when I find my records but I will use the Tim Wellock book Summers with Durham over the coming week while at Worcester.

What I like about Tom Moffat‘s book is that he has penned notes about those who helped to get Durham into the Championship. He rightly begins with Arthur Austin Chairman of Durham Cricket club from 1975 to 1991. He is said to have been a gentleman with an aura who was nevertheless quiet and kind and with integrity. However it also appears that he saw his role as a narrow one of chairing committee meetings rather than being an activist. His position as Chairman was taken over by Don Robson without whom the dream would not have become a reality. He also had many critics. There have been three concerns over the years. He was foremost a major Party political leader and political party leaders if they are to get things done and survive have to be strong individuals. Secondly there was the debt which reached over £1.5 million at one point and continued to keep the club in the red a long periods, primarily in order to build the and develop the stadium So although the club achieved an operating profit over a year, interest on the debt meant the account was always in the red and this was said to have restricted the room to manoeuvre the development of players. Against this I would say just look at the stadium today and what will happen over the next three years before the Durham is to host an Ashes Test and then a twenty twenty finals day. Having good facilities also encourages the ongoing interest of business and commerce and the inclusion of a major commercial Fitness centre project within the grounds and with balconies overlooking the play was a smart move which brought in additional revenue but also the kind of individuals more at home with corporate hospitality that the Barmy Army area. The third concern is that he was satisfied with achieving first class championship status and the opportunity to watch the best players and best sides without worrying too much about the results and therefore the professionalism, the discipline and the resolve to win became secondary to playing the game. This was ok in the beginning but became a problem when the situation failed to improve.

By 1999 the financial position of the club is reported to have become precarious with Bank insisting on regular independent financial reviews which in turn caused a further drain on Resources. For four years Bill Midgley took over as Chairman. It was during this period that Bill developed the approach of making Durham into a stadium for international matches. The first internationals were 1 day affairs with one cancelled because of rain. The first test was against Zimbabwe in 2003. Mr Midgley became President of the British Chamber of Commerce which indicates something of his national status in business.

Technically the chairman of Durham Cricket Club has been Bob Jackson from 2003 to the present time although his status has been significant reduced by the creation of a holding company as in effect the old Board was wound down. Bill has a seat on the new Holding board as well as being a Member of the English Cricket Board. In 2004 the new holding company and new board was established under the chairmanship of Clive Leach and it is under his leadership that success has come to the club. In the previous writing about the history of how is all began I indicated that in the North East the practice used to be to keeper the dirty linen hidden and to do the washing in private, unless as from time to time it has happened the national media or the judicial authorities have taken an interest, I therefore detect more than what is said by Bill about the taking over by the holding company and the plans led by Clive Leach in conjunction with the ECB to create the best international stadium at Durham outside of London.

The President of a club can be no more than a recognition award and an ambassador for the enterprise without power. It an also be the actual powerhouse albeit often behind the scenes. So much will depend on the individual involved. The First president was Ian Caller and he held the position for 11 years and this would have continued for life had he not suggested that the position become one of recognition and be held for only two years. Without Ian there would have been no first class cricket in Durham as one should not underestimate the good will he generated from the region with the ten years of festivals and that he ploughed back the profits (meeting the expenses) into the development of cricket in the region. Bill Midgley became the first recognition president. He was followed by Harry Banks 1998 2000 an individual who through his building and construction company has financed the development of league and youth cricket and who chaired the working group which promoted the concept of Durham becoming an International cricket ground. The position went to Don Robson 2000- 2002 Malcolm Pratt took the role in 2002 to 2004 and was the former leader of Chester Le Street Council. He faced major opposition to the proposal to build the stadium at the Riverside. I wonder if those involved still have the same view now. The petition was signed by 20000 individuals gives an indication of the strength of feeling which the proposed site aroused and most politicians would have found it difficult to press their support in such a situation. The mystery appointment was that of Lord Stevens QPM who had been Chief Constable of Northumbria 1991 1996 and then of the Metropolitan Police. Tom Moffat himself was made the President over the crucial years 2006-2008 and pens a note on the difficulties of leaving the top table and doing so with good grace. The present President is Ian Mills a distinguished local lawyer whose late wife was Judge Mary McMurray.QC. He has provided legal advice and assistance to club.

Mike Gear was the first Chief Executive Officer 1991 1992, an import from the English Cricket Board and when he left the present CEO David Harker together with Pat Walton PA to the Chairman and CEO took over for two years until what was hoped would be a long term appointment. However Alan Wright who had a background in the media was able to provide a good Media and PR image but the implication for the shortness of his appointment is that he did not have the commercial experience required by the club at that time Mike Canlish 1996-1999 had the industrial and commercial experience and after he left he continued to assist the club for two days a week in relation to the development of International cricket at the Riverside. David Harker was a young man when he was recruited in 1991 as the Finance Officer for the club and obviously was able to learn from all the CEO with whom he worked closely over the decade before the board gave him the position in 2000. That nine years later he is still proves the wisdom the decision.

Geoff Cook was the first Durham appointment made back in 1990 or was it 1991.Between 1995 and 2000 Norman Gifford came in as head coach and Geoff concentrated on the development of young players in the second team and subsequently the academy. He was followed by Martyn Moxon from Yorkshire who Yorkshire wanted back before he could no longer resist the situation mid season in 2006. The brilliant decision then was to ask Geoff not just to caretake but to take on the position himself and a major factor in the recent success is the way Geoff has created a winning team unity. A great deal of credit for the state of play was due to the grounds man Tom Flintoff from North Yorkshire who became Groundsman of the year in 1991 when working for Hampshire. When he returned in 1998 the position was taken by David Messor a local man who was Tom’s Assistant. The issue of continuity with the appointments of Coach, Chief executive and Groundsman has been important in unravelling the Durham success story. Brian Hunt retires this season as Officer Scorer, having been appointed in 1991. He held that position for 17 years with the Minor County side before then. Local Architect Bill Ainsworth was a cricketer under at Stockton under Arthur Austin and was responsible for designing the stadium from its Greenfield site the advantage of retaining one individual and one firm is that development has continued to be integrated even if the process has been gradual. According to Tom Moffat in addition to his design proposals Bill was given the contract because of his known work for the Lord’s Tavernier’s as much as for his architectural standing and experience. Bill accepted the invitation to add the following comment. “To have played cricket as a young man was a civilising process in my life and to have been part of designing a Test match cricket ground and in Durham was beyond a dream.” Someone unknown to me is Joe Sherrington who has been the ground administrator. I assume it has been his job not just to employ and organise the stewards but manage the constructions including the temporary stands used for international tournaments. Among other individuals mentioned by Tom is Maurice Johnson and his wife. Maurice was an assistant secretary with the former Durham Minor County Board who was given the job to help the first class bid. His wife was a qualified secretary. He also gives special mention to Jack Illey the then Secretary and it is interesting that Jack, Arthur Austin and Tom were all wicket keepers. Tom has also included copies of the autograph book of players from visiting teams as well as international touring sides.

So although only watching on TV it was a very special moment to witness England playing Australia at the Riverside and the lunch time interview with Graham Onions held at the Newcastle stadium. After the good start by the English pace bowlers Pointing and Clark appeared to take control although found scoring runs difficult and pit on 79 runs before there was an Australian collapse with spin man Swann looking as if could take a wick with every ball and gaining five for 2.8 off his ten overs. Australia were all out for 176 and when openers Straus and Denly put on 100 runs before a wicket fell it looked as if England would coast to victory in the pleasant sunshine as the day warmed up.. Then there was the continued failure of Bopara, Shah and Prior getting only 33 runs between them . It was left to Collingwood with 13 and Bresnen to get the required runs and in fact the wining run was a no ball. Australia had put out almost their best team and were well beaten due to good bowling on an English wicket which provided some swing and bounce as well as spin. The real winner of the day was the Durham cricket club.

I was able to catch the start of the Great North Run and heard the Red Arrows thunder over heard I also dipped into the Manchester United and City derby in which he city came back three times to draw 3.3 as the final whistle approached. Then former Liverpool. Newcastle and England Strikes Michael Owen who came on as a substitute for United scored the winner in the sixth minute of extra time. In fairness United dominated the second half and the result was a fair one on the play but dubious time keeping. As expected although Murray won his single match the 19 year old who played the final game was overwhelmed and the team is now back in the third division of the Davis Cup. Newcastle Rugby Union club lost away on Saturday with the game shown on RV. At Lunchtime Sunderland were beaten in a game which they dominated against newly promoted Burnley and Newcastle won 3.1 on Saturday afternoon in a game I listened to on the radio.

I enjoyed half a chicken with roast potatoes and a banana for lunch to day followed by mince and mash for tea with rice pudding. I had a cooked breakfast bought as a carton for breakfast. Saturday I enjoyed a butterscotch win in addition to fruit

1300 The Return of the King and Leerdammer

15.15 The Return of the King merits undivided attention, especially after a blank 24 hours, but for some this day I will continue to function at multi levels within several dimensions. Even comparatively simple activities such as spelling testing the last version of Blog of the Day does not go well , nor did transferring to DVD, loading to Internet computer, uploading to MySpace and printing out an edition for my creative records, printing drafts for development sets. Some times there is a technical quirk in that the addition to the copy DVD does not register until I reset the internet computer which adds another 15 mins or so to close programmes and reboot. Loading My Space this occasion I find new messages and new general comments and one Blog comment. The general comment is from a friend I did not know that I had which is interesting. The Blog comment is from a friend who has been trying to find a rental copy of the extended version of the Lord of the Rings. Alas it was not created as a rental edition, at least my edition has a notice at the commencement advising that it is a private sale edition. I buy few DVD’s these days except for those given free with National Newspapers although when I first moved from the video tapes to the DVD I did look out for the special offers which meant being able to buy at a third of the original price, but several years after the release, The Lord of the Rings Extended edition was the exception with orders placed in advance of their official release such was my interest, and having already acquired the cinema theatre editions. I also saw the film on the first weekend morning of its release to a packed auditorium.

15.45 It is also football afternoon. The Boro lost 1.0 to Chelsea but from the little I saw had chances for a draw. Newcastle was losing 1.0 but also had a couple of chances to take the lead, but I turned off the commentary to watch the Cycling World Championship. I have previously written about my joy at getting the cerise bicycle, while still at school and that through use I gradually built up my leg and general body strength so that I achieved a respectable position in the annual school cross country run and was selected to represent the house in the 200 yards in my last year. In part this was due to joining a Catholic cycling club and making trips of 100 miles on a Sundays. Once I got up early to officiate as a marshal in the area of Box Hill in Surrey just after dawn but this was the closest I came to a road racing event. I was never a fan of indoor racing until the British Team commenced to win several medals at Olympic and World events but these championship everything has come together in an exceptional way so my priority this afternoon has been to watch the last day of the event where there will be a re run of the gold winning races

16.10 So far after the wake up coffee I have only felt like a couple of slices of Leerdammer cheese and the last three or four slices of salami followed by a glass of red and a few peanuts. Now I begin to think of an early evening meal of the roast pork joint which will require over an hour perhaps hour and half, so I had better do this now.
14.30 The roast is in and the potatoes will go in in half an hour. I check on the Newcastle at Spurs and amazingly they are winning not 2.1 but 3.1 with goals from Butt, Gerome and Owen. While they back ahead of us in the table I am thrilled with the result really and will watch the game on TV tonight. Martens gets the fourth to remind the away supporters of the days of Keegan’s wonderland. Although I lit the oven and set the timer for the fist half hour before putting in the potatoes I forget to put in the roast so it is another 90 minutes. Silly me.
14.35 On Friday and Saturday morning I took the story of the Return of the King through to the successful defence of Minas Tirith and the defeat of Sauron’s first army with the combined effort of the 6000 horsemen of Rohan and the several thousand Men of the Dead. Given that the six of the Fellowship have been involved in two major battles at Minas and at Helm’s Deep, with Pippin and Merry involved with the destruction of Saruman’s base and several other fights it is understandable that it was difficult to rouse enthusiasms for the battles ahead before the war could be said to have been won. After the death of the King of Rohan Aragorn assumes overall command although he is yet to be crowned King of Gondor. Some of the force are left for the continuing defence of Minas Tirith and 3000 are sent under the Rohirim with command of someone who does not appear in the Peter Jackson film to tackle another of Sauron’s armies. Aragorn suggests that they should attack Sauron’s army holding the Black Gate entrance to Mordor to distract attention from Frodo’s taking the Ring of One to Mount Doom. Aragorn has some 6000 men on foot and 1000 cavalry and the intention is to daw the main Sauron army while Frodo destroys the One Ring at Mount Doom. However when they see the extent of the army, with endless lines of Orcs after the Mouth of Sauron parades Frodo’s protective shirt pretending that he has died after suffering great torture, they become afraid as significantly outnumbered and with the power of the Ring their tasks now looks hopeless. This sin when Aragorn shows his right to be the King and inspires Legolas and Gimli, Gandalf, Merry and Pippin to charge towards their certain deaths but calling the name of Frodo as they do. It is a great moment of honour, comradeship and integrity. It represents those who have gone into battle, on land, at sea and in the air, knowing that they are likely to perish, and many do, knowing what they do is right, even if no one will know of their individual action, especially in situations where the immediately outcome is a triumph for the dark.

17.30 However this is not my most memorable scene from the three films and I join the Director in saluting the scene when the Witch King is about to end the life of Eowyn and she takes off her helmet to reveal her gender and declares, I am no man as she strikes through his face and we all celebrate his shock and terror as he is condemned to hell. On the first morning of the film’s release at Bolden I had gone first thing and succeeded in getting a ticket for a later show that morning and then spent a couple of hours having breakfast and doing some shopping at Asda. I was amazed to witness coachloads of mainly young people arriving and filling the auditoriums, as there were showings of the film on several screens throughout the day, and subsequent days, and weeks. The excited anticipation was palpable and I have not witnessed such audience participation since the days of Saturday morning children’s cinema half a century before. However the greatest cheer was for Eowyn’s strike which probably did more to convince the biologically female that their time had come than all the protesting of the previous century.

(18.00. It is time for my roast dinner which is enjoyable. We did not get that tenth cycling gold medal)

Meanwhile the action sequences of the film are cut in to follow the journey and travels of Frodo and Sam caught up in the complex machinations of Gollum whose purpose throughout is to capture the One Ring for himself. The struggle is a very Catholic one, and of Christian fundamentalism, with its commitment to all life and belief in the possibility of redemption for every soul, irrespective of all that they have done before if the remorse is genuine and the willingness and ability to change is put into immediate practice. In the film Gollum is successful in driving a wedge between Frodo and Sam by destroying food, placing crumbs on Sam’s clothing and claiming he been looking after his own welfare at the expense of Frodo. This enables Gollum to lead Frodo into the lair of the great spider and to Frodo being taken prisoner by the Orcs in a cocooned state and taken into the tower of Cirith Ungul. Sam, who at first accepts being sent home by Frodo, decides to try and find his friend and follows Frodo after his capture, taking temporary possession of the One Ring so that although Frodo is stripped of everything by the Orcs on the orders of Sauron they do not have the Ring, and which Sam restores once he has recovered and in a position to escape while the Orcs fight among themselves over the possession and the body. This however is only the end of the beginning of their ordeal as they have to make their way to Mount Doom. The irony of the situation is that Aragorn has chosen to attack the Black Gate in order to make it easier for Frodo to reach Mount Doom, but their escape is hampered by the thousands of Orcs being moved to the Black Gate and because they are wearing Orc uniform and battle dress they are thought to be stragglers at one point in the extended edition. There are 78 scenes in the extended version third film and of these about 25 are extended and 15 are new but significantly Peter decided to lave the last 10 as they are, perhaps because time ran out, There is already talk of a 21st or 25th celebration edition using existing material as the principal actors will have aged too much make pick ups difficult.

19.30 One scene has the great title I can’t carry it for you but I can carry you which although this refers to the one ring its wider significance is for all those who understand that we all have to carry our individual burdens but the help and support of others can make all the difference. As the film reaches its action climax Gollum who has survived for this moment bites the ring off the finger of Frodo and falls into the fire of Mount Doom, and in that instant the world of Sauron collapses and his armies self destruct.

20.00 The film could have ended at this point proving just the sense of the task completed and that everyone was to have a happy ending. The books, for the story of some of the characters continues after the conclusion of the Lord of the Rings, do reveal than many do have a satisfactory ends to their lives while for others their experience is bitter sweet, but what happens takes place over along period of time and a time of continuing struggle. The endings in the film begins with the reassembling of the Fellowship. Although it became eighth with the death of Boromir it became nine once more through then involvement of Faramir and shortly before their final battle with Sauron and his forces he develops a relationship with Eowyn the ward of the dead King of the Rohans and the fighting heroine of the film. She has realised that Aragorn can never be her man because of his unrequited love for Arwen the daughter of the Elf Lord of Rivendell. As the film ends we know these two will be united. The film has already revealed that Arwen has accepted all that goes with giving up immortality and when Aragon is crowned king by Gandalf, with the acclaim of his people, the Master of Rivendell is there to present his daughter to gibe away his daughter with his blessing. And the Hobbits? Frodo returns to Rivendell once more with the Hobbits and others and Bilbo who has finished his writing passes to Frodo to being his writing of then adventure. Frodo is already being affected by his injuries and the struggle to return the ring to the fire where it was forged. San is shown as the first to settle quickly and is shown as the first to catch the eye of a lass from the shire, to marry and to have family. At his wedding there is also the hint that Pippin and Merry have grown up and will follow Sam. The film ends when the time has come for the Elves to leave the world to Men and for a time to Hobbits, and they take with them Bilbo and Gandalf, and Frodo on the last ship, There may be something in the film about Gimli but I cannot remember, although his story is to continue.

21.00 There are many additional parts and stories to original published work. Aragorn makes Faramir the Steward of Gondor and a Prince of Ithilien. Aragorn and Gandalf set off to find a sapling to replace the dead White Tree of Gondor in the courtyard of the Palace at the highest level. It is Midsummer’s Eve when Elrond, Galadriel and Arwen arrive for the marriage with Aragorn. The company then ride to Rohan to bury Theoden and to celebrate his life with a great feast. They then move on to Isengard where they find that the Ents have replanted the trees but they have released Saruman and Grima Wormtongue out of pity as Sauron has been defeated. Saruman refuses to repent which is a bad omen for what is to come. Galadriel takes Gandalf and the Hobbits back to Lorien and then Gandalf and the Hobbits go to Rivendell to see Bilbo who is aging. They then return to Bree and stay at the Prancing Pony where the news that Strider is Aragorn the King of Gondor has spread and Gandalf leaves the Hobbits to go and see Tom Bombadil, who is a central character of the text whose absence from the film outraged so many fans of the books. The Hobbits return to the Shire to find all manner of trouble and Merry and Pippin help rally the good Hobbits of the Shire against the half Orcs and marauding men of Isengard who have taken over the running of the Shire. The Hobbit’s the find Saruman and Wormtongue are in control of Bag End and that the Shire has suffered much ecological damage from its industrialization created by Saruman. Saruman tries to kill Frodo who is saved by the mithril coat and it is at this point that Grima kills Saruman and Grima Wormtongue is killed by archers, as happens in the film but years after and at the doorstep of Bag End. The imprisoned Hobbits who resisted the darkness over the shire are released and Sam discovers the gift which Galadriel gave him and uses the dust in the box to replant the Shire. It is only after several years pass and Frodo begins to feel unwell that the journey begin again and everyone meets up eventually the elves, Gandalf Bilbo and Frodo set sail. We then know that contrary to what is said in the film the boar returns once more after this for Sam, who has married and has a daughter and then comes to the end of his life, so the boat returns to take him to join Frodo, and the love he showed as the most trustworthy and loyal of comrades is rewarded. Is Sam the real hero, the normal man who does the extraordinary and then gets on with normal living? This only completes nine tenths of the work!

22.00 I watch the football enjoying Newcastle’s win at Spurs and where Barton and Viduka had near miss goals and which all augurs well for the future and makes the forthcoming derby with Sunderland that much more interesting. I also enjoy supper a brown bread sandwich with slices of salami between slices of Leerdammer.

23.00 Tolkien then adds to his book lots of information and guidance giving the background to the Men of Numenor and the development of Gondor. He provides a family Tree for the Hobbits and then the Time periods and then much on Languages Spelling and the writing. Then there is the index with Songs and Verses, Persons, Beasts and Monsters, Places and Things There is also so much more to come in terms of information about what happens to individuals, the making of this final film and the series in retrospective and how participation has changed the lives of the Actors, the creative works and various crews, affected public awareness and interest in New Zealand, and why when I say final film, I mean only for now. And with the coming of the end of March I decided to finish this writing this writing around midnight but with one more day to complete the task of my homage, for now. I will listen to the audio tapes when I convert them to DVD in the future, if I am able to do so.