Spin us a yarn

[Matt79]

Thought it would be a decent idea to have a thread to share great cricket anecdotes as and when we all come across them. Either ones you've read or heard, or ones from your own experience.

I'm reading Ray Lindwall's autobiography at the moment, and it has some rippers. My favourite so far, for what it says about how much international cricket has changed as much as anything else is:
"Before that game I (Lindwall) had clean bowled Vinoo (Mankad) in each of the six innings, including four in the Tests, in which I had met him, getting him out for 67, 22, 0 , 7, 5, and 5, all with yorkers on the off stump.
When we chatted together at the ****tail party after the first day's play in the Third Test Vinoo asked me if I could tell him whether he was doing anything seriously wrong.
In an expansive mood I told him he was coming down late on the yorker and that possibly he would do better with slightly less back swing.
Vinoo thanked me in his usual courteous way - and next day made 116. Several times during his innings he asked me whether he had cut down his back swing sufficiently to suit me!"

Just a lovely story.

 

[Langeveldt]

Probably while padding up, and hearing this huge crack, like a small gun going off.. I ran outside to see what was going on and the batsman was curled up on the ground, screaming like a girl.. His box had been split in two by the ferocity of the delivery.. Didn't forget my box on that day..

 

[Matt79]

Wow - that's encouraging for you as the next guy in... Was he ok?

 

[gettingbetter]

Similar to Langaveldt's story.

A guy in my cricket team keeps borrowing everyone elses gear, as they say, what goes around comesa round and it certainly did for him. He gets hit in the box, but it doesn't split into two, it just splits and his scrotum gets cuaght in between.

Another incident (a little bit more clean) involved another guy in our team. We had our traditional collapse and it was upto Benny to save the innings for us - he's not all that good of a player, but he has more fight than Steve Waugh (ironically, I play for the same club the Waugh brothers did - Panania East Hills [had to plug that ]). So Benny trudges out there as we are in a poor situation; probably 7 down for 60 odd. As benny gets there, the umpire shouts out to us sitting on the sideline to bring Benny's bat out - he was padded up - pads, thigh guard, box, helmet and even an arm gaurd.

But he forgot his bat!

Next innings, Benny is there at the break, one of the blokes in our team grabs his bat and holds it in front of him as he is about to walk out so he does not forget to take out with him. As he and our captain walk out, our captain asks Benny if he is forgetting anything. Benny with wit as dry as the driesy martini replies; "My diginity."

Classic.

 

[pasag]

A fav of mine is the famous one that Archie alluded to recently in the epic match between Gloucestershire and Essex in 1898:

Kortright definitely had a vicious streak. Playing an army side he once took exception to one of the officers taking a stance with a raised left toe. Kortright explained he allowed no-one but WG himself to **** his toe at at him, and ordered the batsman to desist. When he declined, Kortright simply blitzed the offending foot with yorkers until he caught it with a direct hit and broke it.

Grace's ****ed foot might have gone unchallenged, but that was about the only concession Korty allowed, and what followed after lunch at Leyton was the start of a great duel. Kortright ran like fire though the Gloucestershire upper order but he could not shift Grace whom he hit repeatedly on the gloves. His bowling was described as 'absolutely terrific. He was banging ball after ball down with almost reckless virulence, but WG never seemed perturbed...' Grace's response to Kortright's continuous short pitched bowling was to advance down half the length of the pitch to pat the wicket where the majority of his deliveries were aimed, a gesture which did not go unnoticed by the crowd. Grace supported only by Townsend (51) scored 126. Kortright took 5 for 41....

The rowdy section were to have more to shout about during Gloucestershire's second innings. Chasing only 148 to win, their task seemed a mere formality. However they were starting their innings at 5.15pm with an hour and a quarter to bat before close, and by now Kortright was seriously angry...It was quite clear that the man - as opposed to the wicket - in Kortright's sights was WG. Gone was the off-stump line in the first innings. Now he aimed straight at the inviting bulk of the Champion and got him repeatedly. On one occasion he struck him on the stomach, and play was held up while Grace set off on a recuperative hobble round the wicket-keeper, who was standing many yards back...

Grace rose magnificently to the challenge, drawing on his inexhaustible supplies of courage, skill and cussedness. When Kortright was rested, Mead had a spell. At one point, Grace hit what the Essex team was sure was a return catch. So certain indeed that no one appealed, until they saw Grace calmly settling himself for the next delivery. On appeal, the umpire raised his finger only to retract it when Grace roared down the pitch, 'what George?'

If Kortright had been angry before, this drove him to the pitch of homicidal fury and he signed off a day of blood and thunder with a final burst of aggression. His last over consisted almost exclusively of bouncers, one of which Grace tipped into the slips. The chance, such as it was, was not accepted...

Battle was resumed the next morning. Gloucestershire had scored 81 off the 148 they needed, but now the wicket was deteriorating. Kortright, refreshed from a night's rest..tore into the attack. Grace kept him at bay and had inched the score up to 96 when the fast bowler summoned everything for one last fling. He hit Grace's front pad plum in front of the wicket and appealed with the heartfelt relief of a man who knows he has achieved his aim. From half-way down the wicket he watched mesmerised as Grace, through sheer power of personality, willed the umpire to keep his finger down. Kortright snatched the ball and returned to his mark before launching at the himself like a sprinter at the wicket. This time Grace got a snick to the wicket-keeper. Another clamorous appeal, another almost tangible laser beam of authority from the Champion to the umpire. Kortright took the ball in silence and wound himself up for one final, fate-defying attempt. The result was almost certainly the fastest ball ever delivered up to that time. It knocked the middle stump out of the ground and propelled the leg stump several yards.

After a momentary pause - perhaps in the hope of a late no-ball call, but more probably out of pure shock - the great man set off for the pavilion. This gave Kortright the cue for his immortal line: 'Surely you're not going, Doctor? There's still one stump standing.'

Taken from It's Not Cricket by Simon Rae. Sorry for the length.

 

[pasag]

Another incident (a little bit more clean) involved another guy in our team. We had our traditional collapse and it was upto Benny to save the innings for us - he's not all that good of a player, but he has more fight than Steve Waugh (ironically, I play for the same club the Waugh brothers did - Panania East Hills [had to plug that ]). So Benny trudges out there as we are in a poor situation; probably 7 down for 60 odd. As benny gets there, the umpire shouts out to us sitting on the sideline to bring Benny's bat out - he was padded up - pads, thigh guard, box, helmet and even an arm gaurd.

But he forgot his bat!

Next innings, Benny is there at the break, one of the blokes in our team grabs his bat and holds it in front of him as he is about to walk out so he does not forget to take out with him. As he and our captain walk out, our captain asks Benny if he is forgetting anything. Benny with wit as dry as the driesy martini replies; "My diginity."

Classic.

 

[PhoenixFire]

My very 1st match for Ben Rhydding 2nd team last season, when I was 13. I so so nervous that I couldn't stop shaking and hold my bat properly. We won the toss, and we batted first. Bad news for me, since I was going in at number 5. After the 2nd wicket fell, my Mum and Dad came watch me play, bad news also. The number 4 got out after 14 overs and I walked on. I was so nervous you have no idea. First ball was against this fastish medium pacer, and was pitched around middle stump on full length. I can remember thinking 'I really should be blocking balls like this', but my madness overcame my sense, and I attempted to sweep it round to backward-square leg, I missed it totally and was cleaned up comprehensivly. Most embarrasing thing ever. Period.

 

[Dydl]

A fav of mine is the famous one that Archie alluded to recently in the epic match between Gloucestershire and Essex in 1898:

Kortright definitely had a vicious streak. Playing an army side he once took exception to one of the officers taking a stance with a raised left toe. Kortright explained he allowed no-one but WG himself to **** his toe at at him, and ordered the batsman to desist. When he declined, Kortright simply blitzed the offending foot with yorkers until he caught it with a direct hit and broke it.

Grace's ****ed foot might have gone unchallenged, but that was about the only concession Korty allowed, and what followed after lunch at Leyton was the start of a great duel. Kortright ran like fire though the Gloucestershire upper order but he could not shift Grace whom he hit repeatedly on the gloves. His bowling was described as 'absolutely terrific. He was banging ball after ball down with almost reckless virulence, but WG never seemed perturbed...' Grace's response to Kortright's continuous short pitched bowling was to advance down half the length of the pitch to pat the wicket where the majority of his deliveries were aimed, a gesture which did not go unnoticed by the crowd. Grace supported only by Townsend (51) scored 126. Kortright took 5 for 41....

The rowdy section were to have more to shout about during Gloucestershire's second innings. Chasing only 148 to win, their task seemed a mere formality. However they were starting their innings at 5.15pm with an hour and a quarter to bat before close, and by now Kortright was seriously angry...It was quite clear that the man - as opposed to the wicket - in Kortright's sights was WG. Gone was the off-stump line in the first innings. Now he aimed straight at the inviting bulk of the Champion and got him repeatedly. On one occasion he struck him on the stomach, and play was held up while Grace set off on a recuperative hobble round the wicket-keeper, who was standing many yards back...

Grace rose magnificently to the challenge, drawing on his inexhaustible supplies of courage, skill and cussedness. When Kortright was rested, Mead had a spell. At one point, Grace hit what the Essex team was sure was a return catch. So certain indeed that no one appealed, until they saw Grace calmly settling himself for the next delivery. On appeal, the umpire raised his finger only to retract it when Grace roared down the pitch, 'what George?'

If Kortright had been angry before, this drove him to the pitch of homicidal fury and he signed off a day of blood and thunder with a final burst of aggression. His last over consisted almost exclusively of bouncers, one of which Grace tipped into the slips. The chance, such as it was, was not accepted...

Battle was resumed the next morning. Gloucestershire had scored 81 off the 148 they needed, but now the wicket was deteriorating. Kortright, refreshed from a night's rest..tore into the attack. Grace kept him at bay and had inched the score up to 96 when the fast bowler summoned everything for one last fling. He hit Grace's front pad plum in front of the wicket and appealed with the heartfelt relief of a man who knows he has achieved his aim. From half-way down the wicket he watched mesmerised as Grace, through sheer power of personality, willed the umpire to keep his finger down. Kortright snatched the ball and returned to his mark before launching at the himself like a sprinter at the wicket. This time Grace got a snick to the wicket-keeper. Another clamorous appeal, another almost tangible laser beam of authority from the Champion to the umpire. Kortright took the ball in silence and wound himself up for one final, fate-defying attempt. The result was almost certainly the fastest ball ever delivered up to that time. It knocked the middle stump out of the ground and propelled the leg stump several yards.

After a momentary pause - perhaps in the hope of a late no-ball call, but more probably out of pure shock - the great man set off for the pavilion. This gave Kortright the cue for his immortal line: 'Surely you're not going, Doctor? There's still one stump standing.'

Taken from It's Not Cricket by Simon Rae. Sorry for the length.

Wow. Great read.

 

[Isura]

A fav of mine is the famous one that Archie alluded to recently in the epic match between Gloucestershire and Essex in 1898:

Kortright definitely had a vicious streak. Playing an army side he once took exception to one of the officers taking a stance with a raised left toe. Kortright explained he allowed no-one but WG himself to **** his toe at at him, and ordered the batsman to desist. When he declined, Kortright simply blitzed the offending foot with yorkers until he caught it with a direct hit and broke it.

Grace's ****ed foot might have gone unchallenged, but that was about the only concession Korty allowed, and what followed after lunch at Leyton was the start of a great duel. Kortright ran like fire though the Gloucestershire upper order but he could not shift Grace whom he hit repeatedly on the gloves. His bowling was described as 'absolutely terrific. He was banging ball after ball down with almost reckless virulence, but WG never seemed perturbed...' Grace's response to Kortright's continuous short pitched bowling was to advance down half the length of the pitch to pat the wicket where the majority of his deliveries were aimed, a gesture which did not go unnoticed by the crowd. Grace supported only by Townsend (51) scored 126. Kortright took 5 for 41....

The rowdy section were to have more to shout about during Gloucestershire's second innings. Chasing only 148 to win, their task seemed a mere formality. However they were starting their innings at 5.15pm with an hour and a quarter to bat before close, and by now Kortright was seriously angry...It was quite clear that the man - as opposed to the wicket - in Kortright's sights was WG. Gone was the off-stump line in the first innings. Now he aimed straight at the inviting bulk of the Champion and got him repeatedly. On one occasion he struck him on the stomach, and play was held up while Grace set off on a recuperative hobble round the wicket-keeper, who was standing many yards back...

Grace rose magnificently to the challenge, drawing on his inexhaustible supplies of courage, skill and cussedness. When Kortright was rested, Mead had a spell. At one point, Grace hit what the Essex team was sure was a return catch. So certain indeed that no one appealed, until they saw Grace calmly settling himself for the next delivery. On appeal, the umpire raised his finger only to retract it when Grace roared down the pitch, 'what George?'

If Kortright had been angry before, this drove him to the pitch of homicidal fury and he signed off a day of blood and thunder with a final burst of aggression. His last over consisted almost exclusively of bouncers, one of which Grace tipped into the slips. The chance, such as it was, was not accepted...

Battle was resumed the next morning. Gloucestershire had scored 81 off the 148 they needed, but now the wicket was deteriorating. Kortright, refreshed from a night's rest..tore into the attack. Grace kept him at bay and had inched the score up to 96 when the fast bowler summoned everything for one last fling. He hit Grace's front pad plum in front of the wicket and appealed with the heartfelt relief of a man who knows he has achieved his aim. From half-way down the wicket he watched mesmerised as Grace, through sheer power of personality, willed the umpire to keep his finger down. Kortright snatched the ball and returned to his mark before launching at the himself like a sprinter at the wicket. This time Grace got a snick to the wicket-keeper. Another clamorous appeal, another almost tangible laser beam of authority from the Champion to the umpire. Kortright took the ball in silence and wound himself up for one final, fate-defying attempt. The result was almost certainly the fastest ball ever delivered up to that time. It knocked the middle stump out of the ground and propelled the leg stump several yards.

After a momentary pause - perhaps in the hope of a late no-ball call, but more probably out of pure shock - the great man set off for the pavilion. This gave Kortright the cue for his immortal line: 'Surely you're not going, Doctor? There's still one stump standing.'

Taken from It's Not Cricket by Simon Rae. Sorry for the length.

This Grace guy sounds like a jackass.

 

[pasag]

This Grace guy sounds like a jackass.

He was. He was also the best thing to ever happen to cricket, arguably, but I'm sure other people could expound on that greater than me.

 

[archie mac]

Thought it would be a decent idea to have a thread to share great cricket anecdotes as and when we all come across them. Either ones you've read or heard, or ones from your own experience.

I'm reading Ray Lindwall's autobiography at the moment, and it has some rippers. My favourite so far, for what it says about how much international cricket has changed as much as anything else is:
"Before that game I (Lindwall) had clean bowled Vinoo (Mankad) in each of the six innings, including four in the Tests, in which I had met him, getting him out for 67, 22, 0 , 7, 5, and 5, all with yorkers on the off stump.
When we chatted together at the ****tail party after the first day's play in the Third Test Vinoo asked me if I could tell him whether he was doing anything seriously wrong.
In an expansive mood I told him he was coming down late on the yorker and that possibly he would do better with slightly less back swing.
Vinoo thanked me in his usual courteous way - and next day made 116. Several times during his innings he asked me whether he had cut down his back swing sufficiently to suit me!"

Just a lovely story.

Pity he didn't (Mankad) give Bill Brown some advide on how to run between the wickets

Anyway can we expect a book review?

 

[Matt79]

Actually according to Lindwall, Vinoo had warned Brown during a tour match, at which point Brown had thanked him and apologised - but obviously forgot that later on!

 

[Perm]

He was. He was also the best thing to ever happen to cricket, arguably, but I'm sure other people could expound on that greater than me.

Right up there with Ranji as the best thing to happen to cricket IMO.

 

[archie mac]

Actually according to Lindwall, Vinoo had warned Brown during a tour match, at which point Brown had thanked him and apologised - but obviously forgot that later on!

Yes that is true, he also ran him out in that tour match from memory

 

[Matt79]

After a warning though - so nobody had a gripe with what Mankad did.

 

[archie mac]

After a warning though - so nobody had a gripe with what Mankad did.

True, but I am not sure he gave him a warning in the Test

 

[Matt79]

Yeah, but if you still need a warning after its happened to you in a previous match against the same guy, you deserve what you get.

 

[gettingbetter]

I'm glad you found it funny.

That's the thing about the blokes in my cricket team. It's comedy value first and then cricket after. I guess that's why we play B reserves.

 

[archie mac]

Yeah, but if you still need a warning after its happened to you in a previous match against the same guy, you deserve what you get.

Dare I say it?

It's just not ....

 

[SJS]

Dare I say it?

It's just not ....

This is one of the rare occasions that I differ from Archie_Mac.

At a time when we are debating whether putting a squash ball in a glove is 'cheating'/illegal'unfair what-have-you, the question of a batsman sneaking ahead by a few inches or more and not being penalised is strange. What is the batsman doing.

1. Its taking an undue advantage : It takes a fraction of an inch to be run out or to be safe. A start before the ball comes into play gives you a HUGE advantage. Blatantly unfair if it were to be allowed without punishment.

2. Its illegal : The laws of the game are explicit on the matter and well known to every school boy. There is no ambiguity about the batsman breaking the law.

3. Intention is not pertinent : I have heard it said in other fora that the batsman may not have any intention to take an undue advantage and may have just strayed over the line without realising it. Well the bowler who is penalised for straying an inch over the bowling crease has no intention whatsoever to take any undue advantage. In fact, he would have to be a magician to be able to land his foot just an inch this side or that so precisely. But we deny him a wicket he may take with that ball which might mean the match and even the series or the world cup. Why ? No intention is not important. In fact, the batsman at the non strikers end is in somewhat better control than the bowler of where his feet are at the relevant time.

The fact of the matter is that Mankad's running out of the Australian batsman happened half a century ago when the game was played in such a different spirit. No one would have made such a big deal of it for so long had it happened today just as they wouldnt have done with bodyline.

The context has changed.