It is 21 44 Monday 27th June and I have been in the city of Liverpool for 24 hours. It has been a weird period of time.
I am going to work backwards.
18.25 The cricket game ends early because of bad light. I make my way from the entrance of the ground along the road for some fifty yards to the crossing over the dual carriage to the Travel Lodge where I am staying. Before doing so I visit the all day small we sell everything store for a can of cold Pepsi and a bottle of cold Volvic still water for £1.20. This is price paid for just one item in Bar of Toby Carvery or within the ground of Liverpool cricket club.
The crossing is pedestrian controlled in that the more regular pressings of the button the quicker the crossing light changes from red to green. I go first to the car and collect the packet soups, a tin of baked beans, pain au chocolate for the morning, indigestion tablets and liquorice sticks.
In the room I enjoy the can of Pepsi after changing from trousers to track suit bottoms and removing the sandals. I also drink about a third of the water. I prepare the soup using both cups and the have the beans and a pastry followed by some of the black grapes already in the cool bag.
I watch the local news which confirms that although the wicket has a green surface, and which someone sitting next to me, an umpire said is worse that the usual club pitch, it has been passed fit for play despite 20 wickets falling in in the day. The argument being the conditions were special which made the ball swing fiercely. More on the cricket later.
I turn on the computer after leaving it with the plus switched off at the socket so the battery ran out while I was away. I am tempted to watch Spartacus on the ITV player but I have indulged watching the first episode of Mildred Pierce with Kate Winslett. The book was published in 1941 and made into a success film in 1945 with six academy nominations with one win for the leading actress Joan Crawford and Mildred. This film which I remember but cannot recall had a changed story from the book. The present five part mini series is said to be more faithful to the book. I will write about the mini series another time.
9.30 am I leave the Travel Lodge having prepared three salami with olive rolls. These I eat at 11. Noon and 3pm. I do not eat the pastry. I buy a can of Pepsi soon after arriving at the ground for 75 pence and then a bottle of Pepsi for £1.20. Other expenditure is a score Card for 70 pence.
The ground reminds me of that at Hartlepool except the facilities for members are worse. There is an ancient pavilion on three floors with the players on the top floor When I asked if there was anywhere where I could get a drink I was told to go up the stairs by an steward and confronted a sign which just said players and officials. There appear to be an area with drinks in pouring jugs but no one serving. Others that had followed worked out that the bar was across from where we were. It was closed and the stairs to this also appeared closed. Because of the location of the wicket only half the outside seating was available and have been taken up by Lancs regulars who had got there where the ground opened borne of experience earlier in the season.
In front of the Pavilion at pitch side there was a media tent and then a sponsors tented pavilion. Most of the seating was in hard seats and benches located around the boundary fencing. There were three small erected stands. One side on to the wicket and the other two either side of the site screen. I elected to sit on the top row aisle seat of the second. To reach this one had to go through the tennis court behind the site screen. The ground has a pleasant aspect and there are plenty of trees with car parking. In one corner adjacent to the main pavilion there is a similar designed building but smaller which looks like a former players pavilion but the building is now a day nursery with a separate on street entrance. The ground filled as the morning progressed with no spare seats visible by the end of the day. There were good side temporary toilets. There was only one refreshment tent selling beer but with a small area of sandwiches, tea coffee and a chill drinks cabinet. In this respect facilities at grounds such as Stockton, Darlington, Gateshead Fell, Chester Le Street Cricket Club and Hartlepool were better. Only that at the University ground Durham City were as limited. The facilities are inadequate for playing all county games for one season.
I made two outings during the day. Immediately across from the Travel Lodge there is a vehicle MOT centre. There are four eating place . The first is a Chinese take away which offer fish and chips. This was doing a great trade at lunch time and was busy the night before when I arrived. The are two restaurants serving Indian/Asian food. The first is described as basic similar to those in Ocean Road but not offering any special deals. The second is a large up market building and up market prices. However in the midst there is a small British Restaurant with perhaps a dozen simple plain wooded tables and chairs. The starters are around £5 as I assume the puddings with the main courses from around £12 to £25. With drinks I would expect two people to pay £75 to eat a three course meal here. There is also a betting shop, pharmacy and female hairdressing.
At 9.30 as it had been earlier it was scorching hot so after putting on plenty of sun protection I wore just a short sleeved shirt and trousers taking the light summer jacket my had a small carry bag with the food and little else. At 2 the sea fret had arrived with a cold wind and I put on the jacket. At 4.15 during the yea interval I returned my room at the Travel Lodge and made a cup of tea to warm myself. I then replaced the summer jacket with my green lined coat. It remained in the 80’s everywhere else. To morrow it should be cooler and less humid everywhere but sunny after some over night showers.
I had left the Emirates Durham International around 17.30 on Sunday afternoon when the weather continued to scorching hot and sunny. I had travelled no more than a couple of miles when the skies darkened and on coming vehicle showed lights and traces of a rain storm. There was then heavy rain over the next 20 miles during which time I stopped to eat my sandwiches in the car at the Durham service area without going into the facilities. It then brightened up to the same weather conditions of the day. I stopped again for a comfort break at Wet herby and because I was feeling tired. I was not at best alertness for the rest of the journey but OK. The weather over the Pennines was glorious although the incoming low sun was blinding at times and added to driving difficulties. I was OK until reaching the service area above Manchester where I have stayed on previous visits to the city.
I was aware from previous experience that after this service area one has to concentrate even more than usual because of the filers and junctions off the motorway on either side of the carriage way. These go south to Chester and North Wales, to Warrington and Widnes or north to the Lancashire mill towns, to the county town of Preston or to the sandy beaches of Southport. I was OK until seeing signs for the 5080 to places which were not on my list so I kept going to the end of the motorway and sure enough the sign to 5080 was the first on list of three junctions. All was OK until I saw but did not register sufficiently the turning I had to take off the third and final roundabout and end along a road which appeared to be taking into central Liverpool and not the more countrified residential housing I had expected from the guide map. I should have stopped at a service area for a local map book.
I retraced by steps and took what I thought was the correct turning but the road was Aigburth Drive not Road and took along an area of Parkland which I assume borders the river. It seemed to go on for ages and eventually I found someone who correctly guided to Aigburth road from its end in the other direction which I had first intended. This was fine because it meant that the Travel Lodge was on my side of the dual carriage way. The accommodation is basic with not even a cold drinks machine. There is however plenty of free parking and I had passed the entrance to the cricket ground less that 50 yards on the other side of the road. There were some restaurants and a few other outlets across the road. After unpacking I went to the Toby for a cold Pepsi around 22.30. The TV has most of the free digital channels and I commenced to watch Beyonce before going for the drink who put on an hour and three quarters top pf the bill set from 22.00. She is the first female to head the bill on the Pyramid set for a quarter of a decade. I was impressed with her energy and clearly she regarded the event as one of the most important in her life, never having appeared to so many people in one go. I liked the message of her music.
Now to the main event and purpose of the visit, The cricket. On the Sunday afternoon Durham played second in the 20 20 League table Leicestershire. Durham battered first and made 187 runs which was 10-20 short of what I thought would be needed and should have been achieved given the great stated. Gordon Muchall made a solid 65 to anchor the innings. Leicestershire set a cracking pace and appeared to be cruising at 12 an over adding 95 runs for the third wicket after a shaky start. Then as three wickets fell at 113 and two at 125 they batting became more cautious and bowling and fielding tighter and it was evident we were heading for a photo finish with 22 runs required for the last two overs. With 3 runs required off the last ball I thought the radio commentator said that the Durham bowler had caught and bowled the player however this as not borne out by the scorecard.. However Durham bowled well enough to win the game in that last over just. An important result because this puts Durham firmly in the top four although it is still anyone one result except perhaps for Notts at the top with four points clear and 3 wins more than anyone else with 6 games left to play and for Northants at the bottom with only 4 points but with two games in hand and 16 points to play for even they cannot be ruled out from a place.
There were rumblings of discontent about the state of the proposed wicket before the game against Lancashire commenced yesterday morning. There was also surprise when Durham invited Lancashire to bass first after winning the toss. I explained that Durham had been successful by allowing opponents to bat first score up to 250 runs and then batting for the greater part of two days with totals in excess of 400 to gain maximum batting points and then either wining by an innings or having a good draw with having achieved more bonus points which all added up to the end of the season.
However while in fact the scenario worked no one anticipated that 20 wickets would fall during the day and the wicket would be declared a good one which a combination of heat and cloud causing the ball to swing violently on the green pitch. For a time it looked as the conditions would cancel out the dramatic closing of the Lancashire first innings for 84 with 20 of these runs from Harmison who had three of his wides go to the boundary. Thorp 6 for 20 and Onions 2 for 19 did the damage. However at one point Durham were also 60 for 6 and it was former championship winning Benkenstein who was 80 odd not out with support from Onions who took the visitors into a lead of 100 runs. Lancs were into bat again with 9 overs to play and in the day and 20 minutes but bad light led to only one over of more play. Lancashire need a total of 350 plus to give Durham a challenge and void the visitors taking a 25 point lead but with Lancs having a game in hand to play. It still would mean Durham had the championship to lose. Benkenstein with over 1000 runs this season is now the player who has scored the most runs for Durham in the history of first class cricket. The match was nicely poised despite the Durham lead of 100 runs
I am going to work backwards.
18.25 The cricket game ends early because of bad light. I make my way from the entrance of the ground along the road for some fifty yards to the crossing over the dual carriage to the Travel Lodge where I am staying. Before doing so I visit the all day small we sell everything store for a can of cold Pepsi and a bottle of cold Volvic still water for £1.20. This is price paid for just one item in Bar of Toby Carvery or within the ground of Liverpool cricket club.
The crossing is pedestrian controlled in that the more regular pressings of the button the quicker the crossing light changes from red to green. I go first to the car and collect the packet soups, a tin of baked beans, pain au chocolate for the morning, indigestion tablets and liquorice sticks.
In the room I enjoy the can of Pepsi after changing from trousers to track suit bottoms and removing the sandals. I also drink about a third of the water. I prepare the soup using both cups and the have the beans and a pastry followed by some of the black grapes already in the cool bag.
I watch the local news which confirms that although the wicket has a green surface, and which someone sitting next to me, an umpire said is worse that the usual club pitch, it has been passed fit for play despite 20 wickets falling in in the day. The argument being the conditions were special which made the ball swing fiercely. More on the cricket later.
I turn on the computer after leaving it with the plus switched off at the socket so the battery ran out while I was away. I am tempted to watch Spartacus on the ITV player but I have indulged watching the first episode of Mildred Pierce with Kate Winslett. The book was published in 1941 and made into a success film in 1945 with six academy nominations with one win for the leading actress Joan Crawford and Mildred. This film which I remember but cannot recall had a changed story from the book. The present five part mini series is said to be more faithful to the book. I will write about the mini series another time.
9.30 am I leave the Travel Lodge having prepared three salami with olive rolls. These I eat at 11. Noon and 3pm. I do not eat the pastry. I buy a can of Pepsi soon after arriving at the ground for 75 pence and then a bottle of Pepsi for £1.20. Other expenditure is a score Card for 70 pence.
The ground reminds me of that at Hartlepool except the facilities for members are worse. There is an ancient pavilion on three floors with the players on the top floor When I asked if there was anywhere where I could get a drink I was told to go up the stairs by an steward and confronted a sign which just said players and officials. There appear to be an area with drinks in pouring jugs but no one serving. Others that had followed worked out that the bar was across from where we were. It was closed and the stairs to this also appeared closed. Because of the location of the wicket only half the outside seating was available and have been taken up by Lancs regulars who had got there where the ground opened borne of experience earlier in the season.
In front of the Pavilion at pitch side there was a media tent and then a sponsors tented pavilion. Most of the seating was in hard seats and benches located around the boundary fencing. There were three small erected stands. One side on to the wicket and the other two either side of the site screen. I elected to sit on the top row aisle seat of the second. To reach this one had to go through the tennis court behind the site screen. The ground has a pleasant aspect and there are plenty of trees with car parking. In one corner adjacent to the main pavilion there is a similar designed building but smaller which looks like a former players pavilion but the building is now a day nursery with a separate on street entrance. The ground filled as the morning progressed with no spare seats visible by the end of the day. There were good side temporary toilets. There was only one refreshment tent selling beer but with a small area of sandwiches, tea coffee and a chill drinks cabinet. In this respect facilities at grounds such as Stockton, Darlington, Gateshead Fell, Chester Le Street Cricket Club and Hartlepool were better. Only that at the University ground Durham City were as limited. The facilities are inadequate for playing all county games for one season.
I made two outings during the day. Immediately across from the Travel Lodge there is a vehicle MOT centre. There are four eating place . The first is a Chinese take away which offer fish and chips. This was doing a great trade at lunch time and was busy the night before when I arrived. The are two restaurants serving Indian/Asian food. The first is described as basic similar to those in Ocean Road but not offering any special deals. The second is a large up market building and up market prices. However in the midst there is a small British Restaurant with perhaps a dozen simple plain wooded tables and chairs. The starters are around £5 as I assume the puddings with the main courses from around £12 to £25. With drinks I would expect two people to pay £75 to eat a three course meal here. There is also a betting shop, pharmacy and female hairdressing.
At 9.30 as it had been earlier it was scorching hot so after putting on plenty of sun protection I wore just a short sleeved shirt and trousers taking the light summer jacket my had a small carry bag with the food and little else. At 2 the sea fret had arrived with a cold wind and I put on the jacket. At 4.15 during the yea interval I returned my room at the Travel Lodge and made a cup of tea to warm myself. I then replaced the summer jacket with my green lined coat. It remained in the 80’s everywhere else. To morrow it should be cooler and less humid everywhere but sunny after some over night showers.
I had left the Emirates Durham International around 17.30 on Sunday afternoon when the weather continued to scorching hot and sunny. I had travelled no more than a couple of miles when the skies darkened and on coming vehicle showed lights and traces of a rain storm. There was then heavy rain over the next 20 miles during which time I stopped to eat my sandwiches in the car at the Durham service area without going into the facilities. It then brightened up to the same weather conditions of the day. I stopped again for a comfort break at Wet herby and because I was feeling tired. I was not at best alertness for the rest of the journey but OK. The weather over the Pennines was glorious although the incoming low sun was blinding at times and added to driving difficulties. I was OK until reaching the service area above Manchester where I have stayed on previous visits to the city.
I was aware from previous experience that after this service area one has to concentrate even more than usual because of the filers and junctions off the motorway on either side of the carriage way. These go south to Chester and North Wales, to Warrington and Widnes or north to the Lancashire mill towns, to the county town of Preston or to the sandy beaches of Southport. I was OK until seeing signs for the 5080 to places which were not on my list so I kept going to the end of the motorway and sure enough the sign to 5080 was the first on list of three junctions. All was OK until I saw but did not register sufficiently the turning I had to take off the third and final roundabout and end along a road which appeared to be taking into central Liverpool and not the more countrified residential housing I had expected from the guide map. I should have stopped at a service area for a local map book.
I retraced by steps and took what I thought was the correct turning but the road was Aigburth Drive not Road and took along an area of Parkland which I assume borders the river. It seemed to go on for ages and eventually I found someone who correctly guided to Aigburth road from its end in the other direction which I had first intended. This was fine because it meant that the Travel Lodge was on my side of the dual carriage way. The accommodation is basic with not even a cold drinks machine. There is however plenty of free parking and I had passed the entrance to the cricket ground less that 50 yards on the other side of the road. There were some restaurants and a few other outlets across the road. After unpacking I went to the Toby for a cold Pepsi around 22.30. The TV has most of the free digital channels and I commenced to watch Beyonce before going for the drink who put on an hour and three quarters top pf the bill set from 22.00. She is the first female to head the bill on the Pyramid set for a quarter of a decade. I was impressed with her energy and clearly she regarded the event as one of the most important in her life, never having appeared to so many people in one go. I liked the message of her music.
Now to the main event and purpose of the visit, The cricket. On the Sunday afternoon Durham played second in the 20 20 League table Leicestershire. Durham battered first and made 187 runs which was 10-20 short of what I thought would be needed and should have been achieved given the great stated. Gordon Muchall made a solid 65 to anchor the innings. Leicestershire set a cracking pace and appeared to be cruising at 12 an over adding 95 runs for the third wicket after a shaky start. Then as three wickets fell at 113 and two at 125 they batting became more cautious and bowling and fielding tighter and it was evident we were heading for a photo finish with 22 runs required for the last two overs. With 3 runs required off the last ball I thought the radio commentator said that the Durham bowler had caught and bowled the player however this as not borne out by the scorecard.. However Durham bowled well enough to win the game in that last over just. An important result because this puts Durham firmly in the top four although it is still anyone one result except perhaps for Notts at the top with four points clear and 3 wins more than anyone else with 6 games left to play and for Northants at the bottom with only 4 points but with two games in hand and 16 points to play for even they cannot be ruled out from a place.
There were rumblings of discontent about the state of the proposed wicket before the game against Lancashire commenced yesterday morning. There was also surprise when Durham invited Lancashire to bass first after winning the toss. I explained that Durham had been successful by allowing opponents to bat first score up to 250 runs and then batting for the greater part of two days with totals in excess of 400 to gain maximum batting points and then either wining by an innings or having a good draw with having achieved more bonus points which all added up to the end of the season.
However while in fact the scenario worked no one anticipated that 20 wickets would fall during the day and the wicket would be declared a good one which a combination of heat and cloud causing the ball to swing violently on the green pitch. For a time it looked as the conditions would cancel out the dramatic closing of the Lancashire first innings for 84 with 20 of these runs from Harmison who had three of his wides go to the boundary. Thorp 6 for 20 and Onions 2 for 19 did the damage. However at one point Durham were also 60 for 6 and it was former championship winning Benkenstein who was 80 odd not out with support from Onions who took the visitors into a lead of 100 runs. Lancs were into bat again with 9 overs to play and in the day and 20 minutes but bad light led to only one over of more play. Lancashire need a total of 350 plus to give Durham a challenge and void the visitors taking a 25 point lead but with Lancs having a game in hand to play. It still would mean Durham had the championship to lose. Benkenstein with over 1000 runs this season is now the player who has scored the most runs for Durham in the history of first class cricket. The match was nicely poised despite the Durham lead of 100 runs
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