They are very few and far between. The only coaching I ever received was out of a book. So I will never know what standard I could have reached with the proper help. When we were young, my brother John and I would try to put some techniques into practice on our own in the nets in Holland Park. I used to watch those selected for the school team (being an all boys school) having coaching, whilst my friends and I played in "the cage".
But my first highlight came when I was about 12 at the Boys and Girls Exhibition at Olympia. There was an enclosed section where a pitch had been set up and some Middlesex cricketers were showing off. One of them then took a bat and offered a jar of Brylcream to whichever boy bowled him out first. None of us got anywhere near. For what must have been my third attempt, I changed from my medium pace to offspin. He might have taken pity on me, but I hit the stumps and the trophy was mine. It stood proudly on our bathroom shelf, until it fell and broke.
When we moved to Braintree, a mixed school, I gained a place in the first eleven. It was always special to board the mini bus with the rest of the team. I opened the batting until too many failures relegated me to number seven. It was there I suddenly found success of a sort. Playing Felsted private school (who produce some county level players), our batting obviously collapsed against two excellent fast bowlers on the first pitch I had played on that was so hard it was crisp. So it didn't take long before I was on my way to the crease. The bowling was so fast that whenever I touched the ball, it skidded off for runs. In the end I top scored with 17. At least it kept me in the team.
As trainees at George Wimpey, we were occasionally given the chance to play for the firm's side when they were short. I avoided this at all costs, as the standard was too good for me. I preferred the third team for Turnham Green. But eventually I had to play. Stuck down the order with no hope of a bowl, the opposition opening partnership was unbreakable. Eventually the ball was tossed to me as they needed to try some alternative spin. I was back in Olympia with some deceptive flight that took our first wicket. I thought that would at least give me a couple more overs. But no, our fast bowler replaced me immediately to take on the new batsman. I never bowled again, nor played again for that miserable lot.
I did enjoy my cricket when I played for Turnham Green, either for the second or third team. We travelled around the outskirts of Middlesex, with teas provided in an assortment of pavilions. I cannot remember a decent score or a proper bowl. But it filled the weekends in the mid sixties. Well, that's about it. As I said, my highlights are few, but being so, are more memorable.
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