Morning all, another bright cloudless morning, so off to water my daughters plants. Tradition tells me that the month of August is the last of the cricket season, and in September the football season begins. Good job that footballers do not spend the summer months playing county cricket anymore.
Some county cricket at the end of September this year. I remember the last of the players who combined playing both professionally...Chris Balderstone, Ted Hemsley, Jim Cumbes etc. They do say the likes of Gary and Phil Neville and Gary Lineker were excellent cricketers as teenagers and I seem to remember playing club cricket against the likes of Frank Sibley and Terry Dyson.
A bit before his time, but Watford can lay claim to a few as well. John Goodall, Frank Mitchell and, I believe, Maurice Cook. Not from my time I hasten to add...
I don't remember John Goodall, but do the other two. Frank Mitchell who was Australian played cricket for Warwickshire, joining them as a 15 year old. He played for Watford from 1952 -1958 having come from Chelsea. Maurice Cook played cricket as an amateur for Hertfordshire. Strangely enough he was also at Watford from 1952-1958.
Think I will go to bed tonight humming White Christmas seeing as Selfridges have opened their Christmas department today.
Not sure he ever made the first team though. Long before him of course better known players like Denis Compton and Arthur Milton played top level pro football. Others, like Freddie Trueman and Brian Close, could have chosen either but opted for cricket. Mike Smith was a very good rugby player early on too. Then there was C.B.Fry who was supposed to be brilliant at pretty much everything!
Afternoon all, been busy today as it has been quite a reasonable temperature to get on. Bad news for those here who like their fish and chips, as the owners of the travelling van have called it a day. I only used it maybe three times a year as it was rather pricey, but it had a bunch of devoted followers, mainly English, but some French who got the taste. It seems that compared to July 2015, sales this July have taken a major hit, probably due in part to people working out how to make their pensions go round. A real pity for the owners who started it in 2008 and worked very hard to build a great little business. I hope that one day it might start again, but rather doubt that it will.
Oh what a shame... I wonder if it was the same van that went to peyrat-le-chateau...... near our vineyard
I didn't go that far back last night - I spent a stirringly patriotic 50 minutes watching Runrig on the Rock from 1991.
Good morning, Mr Dave! It's a balmy day in Hertfordshire. Children's croquet set has just arrived, I'll set it up in a bit. Swingball set up late last night. 8000l paddling pool had puncture repaired, yesterday, needs filling today (takes 6+ hours). Now we need two children who can turn all this into a maelstrom of argument...
