My visit August 2013 to Northants became a very mixed fortunes experience with Durham losing in the quarter final of the 20 20 competition and my getting lost in the city centre on return from the game which I nevertheless enjoyed.
I had a quiet day on the Monday August 5th in preparation for my plan to leave the Travel Lodge on the following day around 11- 11.30 taking the train from East Croydon Station to St Pancras, depositing the large case in left luggage and then taking the expensive one station underground train to Euston with the haversack and the sleep apnoea machine and then waiting for the 13.52 to Northampton which cost only £6, booking in at the Travel Lodge, unpacking and making my way to the cricket ground having established that it would be open from 16.00 with ticket collection available from 09.00. From the map the travel lodge appeared to be a short walk from the station and number 1 and 16/17 buses took one to the ground alighting at the Abingdon Pub from the bus station. The following morning I would rise early for the 7.32 back to Euston and the 10.30 from Kings Cross back to Newcastle and South Shields, after colleting the case from left luggage. That was the plan on paper.
I was aware that I would bring with me the heavy computer plus toilet bag and pyjamas bottom together with the information and tickets/bookings folder. There was no capacity to bring a second shirt after I took the decision to obtain a Macintosh type coat as I anticipated it would get cold as the evening went into darkness. I would wear my new suit, more about that in moment and the subsequent need for a second shirt which I did not possess. The alternative was travel in the blue summer trousers, and a soft brown zipped jacket which would go well with the shiny brown shoes and socks. I wanted to wear the suit. Doing what you want against rationality and logic sometimes has a high price and by nature I am not a gambling man.
Although I had expensively dry cleaned the suit before departure I only discovered after returning from my visit to see the film about the later life of Renoir that is remained badly stained giving parts of it a brownish tinge which suggested some adverse chemical interaction. On Monday morning after a breakfast of a ‘pain au choclat’ and a Danish for £1.20 from Sainsbury local with coffee I made the decision to look for an inexpensive new suit, still clinging to the belief that I am able to reduce my weigh to below 15 stone despite the time and challenging of getting below 16.
I first visited Debenham’s across for the closed Alders in the High Street and then found British Home Stores in the Alder’s end of the Whitgift centre, and then went to the Marks and Spencer’s at the far opposite end of the centre, noting the wide range in the price of suits. At M and S I found an excellent mid grey plain suit for £69 with a short leg fitting waist size pair of trousers and a long jacket which I could button and with an attractive blue lining. In the subsequent circumstances it was just as well that I did not purchase something more expensive.
After returning to the Travel Lodge to hang the suit I decided to try out the new Asian Buffet that has opened close to Church and Surrey Street by what was the former entrance of the now closed Alders departmental store. I was the first sit down customer although the number of reserved tables and the arrival of constant stream of diners indicated the popularity of this establishment where one can eat as much as one liked for £4.95 and where commercially supplied soft drinks are kept in a cool cabinet and sold for £1 in or 80 pence to take away.
The range of food is limited with about eight main dishes of chicken and meats, various rice and noodles, some prawn crackers and sauces. There are no sweets or puddings offered. The price goes up £1 after 4pm. I had two large plates of main courses without the rice or other side dishes or sauces and two cans of coke and was very satisfied although the quality and range does not compare to that at the Millennium Dome and which I had considered visiting if there had been something to interest me at the Cineworld or the weather had been such to have attracted a trip on the Emirates Cable Car.
It commenced to rain when I went on walkabout after the meal and became heavier as the evening progressed and I went across to Sainsbury for a sandwich £3 deal. I spent the rest of the day dozing, reading and writing and listened to the Proms on the headphones radio.
It is an appropriate point to confess that after an excellent control of food over the first two days of the trip on Sunday the madness took hold. I crossed over from the station to visit Sainsbury after the disappointment of Lords, assuming that Waitrose would be closed only to note that it was not as I passed by on the other side of road. On the previous two evenings I had purchased a carton of spiced chicken wings from Waitrose together with a carton of grapes and cold drinks. As there was only chicken that required heating up at Sainsbury’s I opted for a two packets of salami deal for £2 and two rather stale ciabatta rolls but which were Ok but then could not resist an inexpensive block of Vienetta type ice cream which melted quickly in heat so had to be immediately eaten at a price of £1 reminding when I had bought a pack of 4 possibly six Cornetto type ices for a similar low price on one the Mansfield visits. That is my admission and it was only after the ice cream did I eat the Ciabatta and salami. It was very enjoyable despite the guilt.
Apart from Sunday morning when I watched the Test Match on the laptop I have kept in touch via the pocket digital radio. It has been a game where Australia appeared in control from winning the toss and electing to bat on a good wicket with captain Clark 187 supported by Rogers 84. Smith 89 and Haddin 63 declaring, in the light of events and the weather too early on 527 for 7 He should have continued and set England an even tougher task to avoid the follow on. The only bright aspect of the first innings was the dismissal of Warner for 5 who it will be remembered was lucky not to been sent home after hitting Root at a night club after what appears to have been a taunt about losing the first Test. When he came to field he had to run the gauntlet of boos but after a subsequent press conference when he again held up his hands (no word play intended) and making everyone laugh he appears to have commenced to win back support for his obvious talent. We shall view with interest his reception at the fourth Test which begins at Chester Le Street, later this morning
England in their first innings demonstrated that they are not as good a side as the media has built up with 3 wickets going for 64 and 4 for 100. Only a brilliant controlled 113 by Pietersen after Cooke 62 and with Bell 60 helped the side to avoid the follow on hence the comment about declaring too early. Given the known weather forecast, Australia’s only hope of keeping the series alive was to bowl England out twice in succession. The next issue was for how long should the Australians bat in their second innings. It was here that Warner did well getting 41 quick runs. After bad light stopped play on the 4th day Australia declared setting England to get over 300 to win. England were 37 for 3 when the rain set in on the final day leading to a draw which means that even if the Australians win the last two Test march at Durham this week and then the Oval, a drawn series means the Ashes are retained. If the game at Durham is won or drawn then England will win the series and thus win rather than retain the Ashes for the third time in succession.
The weather also helped Durham in the Championship table creating draws in the latest round of matches together with the great win of Derbyshire against Sussex Yorkshire retain their first place with 158 from 11 games played and still over 100 points to play for, Sussex with the extra game played are 148 and Middlesex with 11 played on 144 and Durham with six more games to plan and 150 points still to play for on 132.5 and Warwickshire 121 also from 11.
I now focus on what happened on my second only ever remembered visit to Northampton with the first made at night to a car park adjacent to a theatre and an immediate return to my then home in Oxford City afterwards. I bought a couple more of the Danish for £1.30 for breakfast and a king prawn sandwich, orange fruit juice and crisps combination £4.40 in total which I consumed between eight and 10.30 and remarkably not eating again until around 9.30 the following morning. I packed well wearing the suit but not the comparatively thick wind and rain cheater I had purchased the previous afternoon from Hewitts, a store in Church Street selling walking and camping gear as well as school uniforms and sportswear. This was the largest size available for only £12. It reminds that on my walk down to Reeves corner where work of some kind appears to be being commenced at the site of the burned down store although damaged shops and accommodation adjacent appears as before with presumably the legal battles with the insurance company continuing.
I made my way to East Croydon station around 11.00 noting that the rucksack had become heavy because of the computer and wishing I had decided to travel light to the game, returning on the 10.55 train to Euston which arrived at 12.30 and then making my way to Croydon for the night where the room was already paid for and using some fo the money for the night at Northampton on Taxis to the ground and back from the station. Life as one gets older consists of making choices without the information necessary to predetermine that will prove good or bad. The art is to relax and attempt to enjoy experiences irrespective of how the decisions work out. Saying this is easy.
The train between Brighton and Bedford was more than half empty so there was no problem about placing luggage in the rack provided and selecting a six seater space just for me. The guy at the left luggage followed his training instructions to the letter and I was pleased that the cost would be only £9 for the 24 hour holding session, although this was money I could also have saved had I not arranged the overnight stay. I then took the escalator down to the underground station complex for the Northern line noting there was a queue of people to be photographed holding a luggage trolley at the entrance to Platform 9 and ¾ a la Harry Potter books. I arrived at Euston a good hour before departure time collecting tickets by the platforms marked for Watford and Northampton putting in the code for the cricket ticket instead of that for train until checking. Unlike the ticket dispenser for the Cineworld Cinemas the machine is able to offer printing one or both sets of tickets. I managed to find a seat where I watched the travellers come and go as departure platforms were announced. With about 15 minuets before departure I moved position standing below the main departure board rather than the separate area for Watford and Northampton, a good move because in fact the train was listed for a different plat from the designated platforms. During the waiting it was good to see trains for Crew and Chester as well as Birmingham and Manchester reminding of the three years when I lived and worked for the County between 1971 and 1974 over 40 years before.
It had become quickly evident why the difference in available prices for the journey to Northampton where trains appeared to be departing every few minutes. This is because that is the West Midland services which ends at Northampton but which has a variation in stops along the route is less expensive that the trains which go on to Birmingham and further North, Thse while stopping at Northampton only stop at Watford Junction and one or two other stops before their first main destination.
On the outward journey my train which was fairly full but with spare seats made different stops from that taken then following morning when we also stopped at Harrow and Wealdstone after Watford Junction, There were stops at Hemel Hempstead, Leighton Buzzard, Berkhampstead and Bletchley in both directions but only at Overton on the afternoon journey The following morning there were additional stops at Tring and Cheddington. The track is very wide leaving Euston and in parts along the route. A feature of the stations is a double decker car park indicating the extent of commuting. Because of electrification the cross over stairway between platform are exceptionally tall and although here are lifts these were said to be temperamental and a cause of constant complaint by regular users as I was quickly to learn.
I have been to Harrow by train station having parked en route to Wembley. I cannot remember if I have been to Watford for the football but I did visit a computer shop there to acquire the pack which converted my Amstrad green screen 256 to 512. I remembered I had been to Beaconsfield and to Berkhampstead when I lived and worked at Oxford. I have stopped at Milton Keyens during coach rides to London as the stopping place for connections to London Airport. Once to avoid a traffic hold up on the M1 I found myself driving around and around Milton Keynes passing the stadium of the MK Dons, former Wimbledon Team and also stopping at the town centre. I have never been to Bletchley where the Park is famous for the government centre which racked the German code system using the Enigma machine. I have been to a professional managerial annual conference at the County Town of Hertford. The land is pleasant, undulating but which separate character or identity and thus I came to Northampton just after 3pm on Tuesday 6th August with the weather sunny and warm after a dull shower looking start at Croydon.
The tall staircase from the platform looked challenging with the two bags and impossible if the case had been with me as well so I went for the lift which was working although had not been earlier in the morning according the father of the young woman with a pram who had come to meet her off the train. There is considerable work going on at the station entrance but as I was to find out the following morning the road from the Travel Lodge in theTown centre to the station is direct and straight. However this is not evident at the station itself and with a good number of taxi’s in line I decided to take on £3.50 for the journey.
The Travel Lodge is an adapted building on four floors with small ground floor reception. The young lady at the desk mentioned that she caught the 10.50 something train at night home to Milton Keynes where she lived confirming that it arrived at Euston at 12.30. She also explained that the hotel operated an electricity control system requiring you to insert the key card in a slot by the door to bring the lights on. My room was at the back quiet small given that it was a double and overlooking what could have been a former church building but which appeared to be used for something in relation to children. The TV was fixed on the wall above the end of the bed. I unpacked and set up the Sleep Apnoea machine deciding to make my way immediately to the ground after having a quick orientation along the High Street. I quickly saw a sign towards the train station but there was no indication where the bus station was located.
Following the sign to the Train station I enquired about the bus station as the junction which appeared to be a major thoroughfare with a Vue Cinema at the corner. I was directed to the bus station a short distance away which was under a shopping centre. I noted that it would not be a good place to use the under passes at night and reached the station via an entrance leading to the shopping centre. There are bus bays on either side fo the station and I went to the bay (8) for the 16/17 bus where the driver confirmed bus went lose to the cricket ground and that I should alight at the Abingdon Pub.
It was on the bus that with horror I realised that a ball point pen had leaked in the inside pocket of the new suit jacket and that there was significant patch of ink on the blue lining below the pocket and consequently on my white shirt. I removed the jacket hiding the inked shirt with the rain and windcheater in which I placed the pen wrapped in a handkerchief and deposited in the bin by the bus stop. Later I noted a small spot of the ink was visible on the from of the jacket disaster as unlikely to be removable.
Across the road appeared to be a large park with in the distance a number of cars entering and where I remembered from the notes provided on the club site there is free car parking, but where was the ground? An enquiry revealed it was located down a small residential street to the side of the Public House. However this proved to be the Members entrance and I had to reverse steps continue left along the road with the park opposite and then left again until reaching the main entrance of the county ground.
Northants has been a first class county in 1905 but has never won the Championship coming second three times and is one of the oldest if not the oldest clubs commencing in the Minor Counties championship in the 1880’s. It can only hold around 5000 spectators and even with planned developments the ground is unlikely to host major international games. Arriving early and collecting my ticket one of several hundreds booked on line and available at two tables in the car park by the main gates. With the Winchester to hold and with two and half hours before the match commenced there was plenty of opportunity for me to explore the stadium and select the best possible vantage point, There are seats on this side of the ground above the wicket although they are not high backing on to the indoor cricket school building which also houses the club shop. The main stands and pavilions are opposite although as I discovered the main upper view had been taken over by Sky equipment as the stand also features the broadcast and media centre. There were some seats to one side but I decided against as this was the wrong end to get to what I believed was the first bus stop from the ground after game ended.
There was access to the right had side of the upper side but this was area restricted to Chairman and members of the cricket committee. The player and officials pavilion was to the left of this stand while what looked like a members Pavilion below that of the chairman’s area. Below the main part of the stand there appeared to be what would be regarded as a members areas on match days but this was being reserved for seven tables of diners from sponsors. There were stands to the sides and also several outlets for food and drink more than would be normal at Clubs like Durham on 20 20 days with about seven food including burgers and hog roasts, several soft drinks as well as beers. In one corner from the main entrance and nets there was a club pub type with some splendid seating inside and it looked as if they were preparing to also supply food. I selected a seat at the back of what is named the University stand to one side overlooking the wicket, close to the exist and some male toilets. On my walkabout around the ground I considered purchasing some food as I had not eaten anything since well before 11 but as I was not hungry I held off.
I was very impressed with crowd that developed with the overwhelming majority families or people in groups. There was an excitement and realism given that Onions was playing and Collingwood was the Captain, as one parent explained to his son the man had been captain fo teh successful England one day side. They did not expect to win but they had come along in hope and to support. There was a sense of people being part of something special and the Northants Rugby Club had come along en masse to give their support.
Opening the batting for Northants was Kyle Coetzer who showed great promise when at Durham several years ago and who captains the Scotland one Day side that has performed so badly in the 40 40 competition and is not competing next year as a consequence. Another Northants player is the young fast bowler Luke Evans a former member of the Durham academy but who has not made the senior team. The most significant connection between Northants and Durham is that long serving Cricket Coach Geoff Cooke was a long time player for Northants and Wayne Larkins who also played for Durham was a Northants first team played for a decade.
Some of the most well known players for Northants moved on like Monty Panesar and Raman Subba Row was captain 58 to 61 when Northants had become one of the top teams with Freddie Brown playing for Middlesex when he captained England on that famous 1948 last Test at the Oval when Bradman was out second ball and where at the age of 9 I was taken by an older cousin queuing outside the ground for hours among some twenty thousand people. The fast bowler Frank Typhoon Tyson played for Northants as did batsman Colin Milburn plus Allen Lamb are other well known team members who also played for England.
A number of famous International cricketers have played seasons at the club with current side player Matthew Haddin, plus Mike Hussey and David Lilee and from India Capel Dev, Bishan Bede, Anil Kumble and Sourav Ganguly and Curley Ambrose among the West Indies cricketers.
The Northants innings had two distinct phases with Collinwood, Onions and Rushworth opening the bowling for Durham and appearing to contain and restrict the run scoring but with Coetzer and Wiley taking the total steadily to 89. It was the arrival of White who changed the game hitting three successive 6’s in one over and making 52 from only 32 balls and increasing the total from what would have been a par 140 to 160 to 183 for the loss of only 4 wickets.
Stonman who has batted well for Durham in the Championship earlier on had not had good form in a number of 20 20 games failed at 10 and Mustard found run getting very difficult but managed to reach 46. Stokes who is the Durham on form player this season was not out 51 in a total which was always 20 runs behind the pace and ended at 147 which some excellent end of innings bowling by Northants who were worthy winners much to the delight and amazement of their fans.
Northants have been to finals day twice before failing to win their semi final. This time I think they have a very good chance of beating Essex, the other third placed team who gained surprise win at Nottingham in the fourth quarterfinal. In the first quarterfinal, Surrey, my boyhood club beat Somerset which pleased me greatly. While Lancashire are not one of my favoured teams, I dislike Hampshire because of the Finals day experience at the Rose Bowl and because they have reached Finals day in each of the past four years. This proved the best match of 4 with Lancs nearly getting the 200 plus runs required failing with last ball of the over. I will go to finals day hoping for a Northants V Surrey Final and for a Northants win. But a Hampshire defeat of Essex is also a good possibility which could herald an early departure from the ground.
On returning home I checked to find that my ticket should have arrived a week ago and only then noted that the Warwickshire club had resurrected my old customer number from 15 years ago with my former address. immediately telephoned and the sent tickets cancelled. The correctly addressed ticket and car park pass arrived yesterday which is excellent service. Tickets are now only sale to the four clubs involved with only after they have taken up whatever they need will the public have access.
I left the ground as the final over commenced, I had noted only a handful of Durham supporters present and it was locals with children who had decided they and won also went to avoid the comparative rush at the end. The idea of walking into town was not a good one so waited fort eh bus which took over 15 minutes to arrive and takes an almost straight route through shops, eating houses and entertainments before raking off along the one way system into the bus station.
I had no idea how to get out of the bus station and my first effort took me to an area similar to where I thought I had arrived with access to the shopping centre closed and the need to take an underpass and then stairs to a roadside level. There were people moving about across the road and into a car park to I crossed over by found myself not as expected with the town centre shopping in view but at the edge going into residential areas. To admit one was lost at that time of time was potential dangerous but I asked and was sent in what proved the right direction although I thought I recognised a stairway upwards and then found myself in the delivery area of shopping area. Fortunately I remained calm and did not panic even when at one point I found a door into the centre but found progress barred and had to press a release button to get out again. Eventually I retreated the route and eventually a second request for direction go into the town shopping centre but with out a sense of direction or landmarks to say which way I should go for the Travel Lodge. I asked one young woman taking on her phone who sent me in the right way but it was two young girls with coloured streaked hair out on the town who escorted me along to the street which they were also going stopping at a cash machine just before the Travel Lodge. They had been out for the evening and said it would be 3pm before they went home so obviously going on somewhere open at that hour despite it being a Tuesday. We had a great chat about life along the way. I purchased a Fanta orange drink and then watch TV until after midnight setting the alarm for 6 am.
It was 5 when I awoke and 5.30 when I started to pack and got myself ready leaving the Lodge around 6.30 and told by the night staff that the station was straight down from the Travel Lodge in the direction I had taken the previous afternoon.
At the station I was confused because while there were trains to Euston listed on the first platform, the second train departing was at 7.39 whereas my ticket said 7.32. There was nothing for it but to climb up the stairs to go back over the track as I did not fancy taking the lift on my own. The 7.02 departing train was on the platform but as it was a pleasant morning I found a seat and waiting for my train although the cost fo the ticket for both trains was the same at £14, only a pound less than I was paying to return from London to Newcastle. While again I was able to chose six seats to myself by the time the train left Milton Keynes it was filling up with all five other seats taken and people standing as the train reached Euston.
On the way to Northampton we had been held up for a good five minutes just outside the town because of a goods train and while waiting at the station foods trains with container oblong and round with thirty plus travelled in both directions from Germany, Poland, China noted among the main countries of origin.
It was a fine morning so I decided to walk station to station and this proved a good idea as just before St Pancras there is a pavement cafe with just a few seats but an early morning offer of a coffee and large Chelsea bun for £2.50 while the bun on its own usually costs £2.40 and the coffee £2 plus. It was very enjoyable and much needed. There was plenty of time to collect the case and go to the first floor overlooking the departure board where I found a seat at a table shared with a couple who provided the information that the relative they visited who worked at the British Library said that London was being overrun by young visitors and not so young visitors from South Korea.
Although the train was ready to board 20 minutes before schedule we were not allowed to board until ten minutes because of an approaching train on the adjacent platform. I was able to get a table and window sear facing the direction fo travel. I was joined by three men in succession, the first was a table invader not only taking both seat facing but encroaching on my side with his computer and papers.
He was replaced by a very busy businessman who gave his first caller seven minutes as he was expecting a call which he took and then went into the corridor moving i suspect to his first class booked seat where he would seem more in place. He offered to talk to the caller again when he was on the move the following morning. The third table guest was equally busy but less attracting of everyone’s attention.
I arrived home to find everything Ok but there had been a major rainfall at the weekend with some local flooding. There was just a day before the Durham Ashes Test was underway with a ticket for the 5th day and then only a day before my trip to the Midlands for the 40 40 game at Derby and the 20 20 Finals day at Edgbaston Birmingham. I am and then home for a few more days, the games against Surrey and then to Scarborough, Brighton, Derby, London and Worthing in almost quick succession. Phew. I need to add that while my side is better I am still having problems but will try and put off going to see the GP until the travels have ended.
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