After all the excitement of Tuesday evening Wednesday's 40 over game with Somerset was bound to be something of an anti climax. Somerset are an excellent team with former England batsman Marcus Trescothick and they have suffered this season with the injury to Andrew Caddick although he is beginning to play again in the second team. Unsurprisingly the crowd was significantly less although a comparatively good one for an evening night game scheduled to end around 10.45 or so. I quickly realised that the evening was nothing like as warm as the previous day and wondered if the combination of a long sleeve shirt and sleeveless jacket, plus a light wet and wind jacket would be sufficient at we progressed into night.
In the first year as a county I travelled to Darlington on the 2 3 and 4th of June for my first visit to the ground and what became Durham's first home win, having won at Glamorgan previously. The feature of this game was a generous declaration by Somerset when 192 for 6 wickets setting Durham 213 runs in something like 50 overseas which they completed in 39 for the loss of only two wickets with Wayne Larkins scoring 92 and the Australian Dean Jones 79. Young Caddick played in that game and Durham Captain David Graveney became Chairman of the England's selectors. I was at Lords to see Durham well beaten by Middlesex. I travelled with the club travel club to Uxbridge for the one day second round Nat West trophy against Middlesex which we won and then went to Grace Road Leicester where we lost in the next round.
I suspect that I was not alone in think back to previous meetings in a game the club could have done without before Saturday's big day. Nothing prepared any of us for one of the brilliant century knocks of the season by Marcus Trescothick as he hit the ball hard and with great skill. This was not a slog a la Mr Napier but world class batting and it was pleasing to see many in the Durham crowd giving him a standing ovation. Somerset went on to score 286 which in forty overs was a remarkable score and one suspected beyond Durham. As the opening order collapsed to 66 runs for the loss pf six wickets one suspected everyone's mind was concentrated on Saturday, There was however a strong defence by the captain who reached an impressive 50 but when he was out I was no alone in thinking the match was over. We did lose but not before an extraordinary battling once again by Liam Plunkett the bowler who alone with batsman Will Smith are my present choices for man of the season with still half a season to go in the county Championship . He was devastated to be run out as Steve Harmison crashed the ball into the opposite wicket and it went straight to the hand of a fielder who was able to throw down the same wicket with Liam stranded. The determination shown encouraged for Saturday and the loss was not such as bad thing as will make the team more determined and remove any sense of over confidence.
The rest of the day was used to prepare for the weekend. Hampshire has previously been regarded as a typical county with a count ground but over the past decade it has developed its ground in a showpiece cricket stadium which I look forward to seeing as in addition to its contemporary design it features covered standards which is helpful as light rain is forecast on the first day and I have been allocated a seat the upper level of a roofed stand facing the main Pavilion.
There is no Parking available at the club but free park and ride services just off the motorway which passes close to the ground. Everyone will be going to the first of these unless they are staying overnight in the Southampton area. So with the park and ride service operating from 8.30 and staying about 20 mins to half an hour away I would l want to leave no later than 8.15 which just gives time for a fruit juice, bowl of cereal, a croissant and cup of coffee as long as I I have risen early enough, got everything ready including the food and drink for what will be a long day unless play is abandoned because of weather conditions. Should the forecast prove wrong then on Sunday there is the final open day in the dockyard enabling a visit up the Tower adjacent to the Harbour Train station before catching a ferry to the Isle of Wight for a quick reminder tour of the Island visit on holiday as a boy, However the art of good planning and enjoyable travel is flexibility and preparedness for all weathers and circumstances. More of that tomorrow.
In the first year as a county I travelled to Darlington on the 2 3 and 4th of June for my first visit to the ground and what became Durham's first home win, having won at Glamorgan previously. The feature of this game was a generous declaration by Somerset when 192 for 6 wickets setting Durham 213 runs in something like 50 overseas which they completed in 39 for the loss of only two wickets with Wayne Larkins scoring 92 and the Australian Dean Jones 79. Young Caddick played in that game and Durham Captain David Graveney became Chairman of the England's selectors. I was at Lords to see Durham well beaten by Middlesex. I travelled with the club travel club to Uxbridge for the one day second round Nat West trophy against Middlesex which we won and then went to Grace Road Leicester where we lost in the next round.
I suspect that I was not alone in think back to previous meetings in a game the club could have done without before Saturday's big day. Nothing prepared any of us for one of the brilliant century knocks of the season by Marcus Trescothick as he hit the ball hard and with great skill. This was not a slog a la Mr Napier but world class batting and it was pleasing to see many in the Durham crowd giving him a standing ovation. Somerset went on to score 286 which in forty overs was a remarkable score and one suspected beyond Durham. As the opening order collapsed to 66 runs for the loss pf six wickets one suspected everyone's mind was concentrated on Saturday, There was however a strong defence by the captain who reached an impressive 50 but when he was out I was no alone in thinking the match was over. We did lose but not before an extraordinary battling once again by Liam Plunkett the bowler who alone with batsman Will Smith are my present choices for man of the season with still half a season to go in the county Championship . He was devastated to be run out as Steve Harmison crashed the ball into the opposite wicket and it went straight to the hand of a fielder who was able to throw down the same wicket with Liam stranded. The determination shown encouraged for Saturday and the loss was not such as bad thing as will make the team more determined and remove any sense of over confidence.
The rest of the day was used to prepare for the weekend. Hampshire has previously been regarded as a typical county with a count ground but over the past decade it has developed its ground in a showpiece cricket stadium which I look forward to seeing as in addition to its contemporary design it features covered standards which is helpful as light rain is forecast on the first day and I have been allocated a seat the upper level of a roofed stand facing the main Pavilion.
There is no Parking available at the club but free park and ride services just off the motorway which passes close to the ground. Everyone will be going to the first of these unless they are staying overnight in the Southampton area. So with the park and ride service operating from 8.30 and staying about 20 mins to half an hour away I would l want to leave no later than 8.15 which just gives time for a fruit juice, bowl of cereal, a croissant and cup of coffee as long as I I have risen early enough, got everything ready including the food and drink for what will be a long day unless play is abandoned because of weather conditions. Should the forecast prove wrong then on Sunday there is the final open day in the dockyard enabling a visit up the Tower adjacent to the Harbour Train station before catching a ferry to the Isle of Wight for a quick reminder tour of the Island visit on holiday as a boy, However the art of good planning and enjoyable travel is flexibility and preparedness for all weathers and circumstances. More of that tomorrow.
the most comments I have had. It si interesting that I have been communication through a translation service with young women form China duringt eh period of abscence
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