T he Main Sport Ground, Hastings is where I very first saw Tony Greig. I would heard a lot about your. My personal cricket chum’s happy description from his first innings when you look at the county cricket earlier about 1967 12 months — 156 with fifteen fours as well as 2 sixes, along with one off Brian Statham, more than a lot more safety — had occupied myself which have greater-eyed awe. I’d merely turned into 10, old enough when planning on taking the newest train by myself. My brother Robin, known as Robbo, met myself on channel. He’d three dbs», when he named them, just who the guy doted for the, plus they towards your, but he’d always need a young buck, and i are more than willing to complete the fresh new surrogate role occasionally.
Sussex’s Alan Oakman was only an inches shorter than just Greig, and you may Kent’s Norman Graham an inch taller, but both of these dudes was indeed English-high and carried the top into the a somewhat ashamed styles, because if apologising towards the present character got considering them
Robbo is my favourite cousin. Regardless if he had been good Kent advocate. Five-foot five in his socks, hairless as the an excellent coot, pot-bellied, with vision actually ever into the lookup-away having resources of amusement, he was a purple-confronted plan of your time and you may enthusiasm. He swore instance a great trooper. A floor was in the center out of town. You showed up straight earlier Woolworths to your high-street and you can towards an eco-friendly retreat, ringed from the backs of sites and you will terraced property, most discolored from the salt from the English Station just a couple of out-of a lot of time places to the south. We grabbed our very own seating within the an effective rickety dated stay — «It’s a bloody cowshed. Both of us wished Sussex manage winnings it and you will bat, very we’d look for Greig at the wrinkle. Me in the hope from an excellent reprise of your own first I might missed; Robbo observe this new «enough time move regarding piss» reduce so you can dimensions by «his» boys.
Sun and rain are muted, a-sea worry hovering less than an apartment gray air, nevertheless when Sussex came onto the pitch, the gangling contour from Greig, with his crown of perfectly combed platinum hair appeared to white right up all over your. The guy indeed are. Six foot seven, imposing over the stumpy Ken Suttle, who struggled to store pace that have him because they produced their cure for the brand new square. Neither Robbo otherwise I was basically not used to extreme members.
Not too Greig. He clearly relished it. Arms tossed back, he was revealing a joke having Ken as he took up his updates at 2nd sneak, and also the voice away from his laughs sent regarding the nevertheless sky across the outfield. Zero very first-year shrinking-violet problem, up coming. He was currently home.
Sussex lost this new place — «Bugger» — and you may carry out pan
They failed to take long getting him and then make a direct effect. Throughout the third more than throughout the day, Brian Luckhurst edged Don Bates really low off and you can Greig, plunge give, stuck out a telescopic arm, and as the guy lay spreadeagled deal with down on the newest yard, boosted the baseball inside the achievement. Luckhurst hesitated before the guy from the a lot of time light coating elevated the hand. Greig stored the fresh pose on umpire’s deliberation, milking as soon as, just before levering themselves right up reduced to recognize new applause of your crowd. «Bloody reveal-pony.» You will find certain grumbling among the many Kent supporters from the cowshed however, immediately after Robbo’s emphatic «If it’s good enough having Syd Buller, it’s sufficient for me personally», most of the grudgingly consented it actually was actually a beneficial hell off a catch. Greig came onto pan and you may Robbo crowed that have pleasure when their favourite, John Shepherd, the west Indian, hit your getting four out-of his 2nd baseball. He looked lifeless fast, although. Far less small because my bowling champion, John Accumulated snow. However. However, quick enough, and you may after a couple of overs We considered convinced enough to express my investigations with Robbo. Strangely, my bro did not behave immediately but proceeded to view intently courtesy his binoculars. The guy in the course of time decreased them and, their look nonetheless focused on the play, lead their judgement: «He isn’t brief. Fast-typical at best. And he sprays it to extreme. And his work at-up’s too-long. And he bends his front leg into beginning and you may will not play with his peak.» Then he added, «However, the guy shifts they. And he’s always on all of them.» Oh. I stood fixed and you will quiet to possess a gap, prior to plumbing up, «Nevertheless, hell regarding a catch.» «Sure,» said Robbo, cheerful, «Helluva hook.» In the lunch, Kent was basically 113 for one and Robbo took me towards the snack caravan to acquire hamburgers (we’d each other currently demolished the package-ups). Robbo is just what he called a beneficial «trencherman» and you can try enthusiastic for me personally, an excellent «slim move from piss», to put particular tissue to your. «Get that off you» the guy said, passageway me just the 2nd hamburger off my life. Hamburgers were the brand new in those times. My very first, regarding an effective Wimpy Bar, had upset. However, it was more. An enormous, oily mouthful from taste. Which have onions. I after that go-off toward club, where my personal brother purchased myself a bottle away from Coca-Cola. A separate reduce. Robbo had a good pint off beer and when however strained it, he come to the yet another before rummaging in his haversack, in the long run proclaiming, «Here, We have got some thing for you» and you can passed me personally a pair Г©pouse Ukrainien mariГ©e of binoculars. He grinned when i seemed all of them over reverently. «Need their pots if you’re planning to view brand new cricket». My own personal binoculars. I found myself however continual «Thank-you, Uncle Robin» while we got our seating to watch Shepherd just take fresh guard pursuing the split.