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Quiz for the MASTER CRICKET BOOK BUFF

Spinksy

Spinksy

Banned
SJS said:
Q1. Is it CLR James? ..... NO
Q2. Is Bradman the writer?.....NO
Q3. Was he a West Indian ?......NO

Q4. Did he ever play international cricket?....YES

Q5. Is it Manly or is it Manley? .... NO - neither :)

Hint No. 1 :-

Laker did me beautifully once at the Oval. He was a chap who would prepare his jokes carefully and I never suspected anything when I got a call to the Oval office to answer the phone. The chap at the other end said he was a member of the French embassy. was very keen on cricket and wanted to know, if he alled up at the Oval, if he might have a few minutes talk with me.

I expressed surprise that a Frenchman should be interested in cricket but he told me a lot of it was played in his province and he was a keen reader of mine in the Sunday Times. I told him that I was pretty busy in the press box but if he called up, I would have a chat with him for a few minutes. He told me his name was Monseiur Bidet.

I spoke to John Arlott on my return and told him I had a surprising call from a Frenchman. When I told John the name he asked me if I knew what a bidet was. I said I did but still did not suspect anything, though John did.

Anon in the afternoon came a knock at our door and a call to me that I was wanted. The looks on the faces of most, who obviously were in on the affair, did not deter me as i went to the door. Sure enough there seemed to be a frenchman who grabbed me warmly by the hand and said he was 'very pleeezed" to meet me. He had on a black French cap, dark glasses and a black pointed beard. It was Laker and .... he had taken me in completely...​
Click to expand...
That didn't help me one little bit.
 
SJS

SJS

Hall of Fame Member
Politics and cricket seem to mix even in seemingly unlikely parts of the world. One of the places cricket helped me was, unbelievably, the White House in Washington. I had flown from New York to Washington after the England trip and met Pierre Salinger, President Kennedy's press secretary, soon after I arrived. Pierre had obviously enquired about me ....*

'I know all about cricket', he told me. I expressed surprise. 'Yes,' said Pierre, ' I used to score for a team in Philadelphia.'

He said it was a pity I hadn't come sooner; the President was holding a press interview that afternoon and any visitor had to be vetted forty eight hours before by security. Still, because of our mutual interest in cricket, Pierre said he would try to get the rule waived. He did the trick - I was admitted but was told I could not ask any questions - details of these had to be submitted first so that the President, who pointed out which questioner he would answer, knew what to expect. A woman journalist in a big hat kept sniping at the President but he treated her kindly. He stood on a well knit podium beneath the words "The President of the USA", looking magnificently fit, well tailored, speaking quickly and musically, needing none of the trappings that seem such a part of American politics. It was the last television interview he gave.​

Name ...
- the book,
- the author and
- the subject matter​
.... for the above excerpt

* I have deviated a bit from the rules by removing the name of the embassy/consulate/high commission where the enquiry was made so as not to give such a big hint at the outset.

Q1. Is it CLR James? ..... NO
Q2. Is Bradman the writer?.....NO
Q3. Was he a West Indian ?......NO

Q4. Did he ever play international cricket?....YES

Q5. Is it Manly or is it Manley? .... NO - neither :)

Hint No. 1 :-

Laker did me beautifully once at the Oval. He was a chap who would prepare his jokes carefully and I never suspected anything when I got a call to the Oval office to answer the phone. The chap at the other end said he was a member of the French embassy. was very keen on cricket and wanted to know, if he alled up at the Oval, if he might have a few minutes talk with me.

I expressed surprise that a Frenchman should be interested in cricket but he told me a lot of it was played in his province and he was a keen reader of mine in the Sunday Times. I told him that I was pretty busy in the press box but if he called up, I would have a chat with him for a few minutes. He told me his name was Monseiur Bidet.

I spoke to John Arlott on my return and told him I had a surprising call from a Frenchman. When I told John the name he asked me if I knew what a bidet was. I said I did but still did not suspect anything, though John did.

Anon in the afternoon came a knock at our door and a call to me that I was wanted. The looks on the faces of most, who obviously were in on the affair, did not deter me as i went to the door. Sure enough there seemed to be a frenchman who grabbed me warmly by the hand and said he was 'very pleeezed" to meet me. He had on a black French cap, dark glasses and a black pointed beard. It was Laker and .... he had taken me in completely...​

Q6. Simms? (have I spelt that right the NZ fellow)....... NO
 
SJS

SJS

Hall of Fame Member
Writing about Robert Menzies, the Prime Minister, he says..

I knew him well, the best friend in high places, I ever had. TRhe game of cricket gave us a bond, of which he was not slow to avail himself when he wanted my opinion on the happenings in the game; in my turn I, as a pressman, used to get background information from him to my great advantage.

Our first real contact was at Trent Bridge, Nottingham .... when I espied him sitting in a special grandstand, just over the ropes. (England's batsmen) were giving us great punishment.

He said my first remark to him was 'G'day.' It may well have been in the off hand manner Australians have, but I remember telling him that if he had any ideas I would be only too happy to pass them on to our skipper........

'Its not ideas you want, my boy,' he said chirpily,'It's a miracle.' How right he was!​
 
SJS

SJS

Hall of Fame Member
Q7. Did he play Test cricket?.....YES

Q8. Was he an Englishman?......NO
 
SJS

SJS

Hall of Fame Member
Q10. Fingleton, I'd imagine.....YES

Twenty points for pasag
:thumbup: :thumbup:

Now the name of the book and the subject matter.
 
SJS

SJS

Hall of Fame Member
Okay here are the points so far. I must mention that there is a bonus of 50% for the first right answer (out of the three asked in each) for each Quiz.

  1. Archie Mac : 60 points [20 + 10 (bonus) + 20 + 10]
  2. Pasag : 30 points [20 + 10 (bonus)]
  3. Tapi : 20 points
  4. Spinster : 10 points
 
SJS

SJS

Hall of Fame Member
Events had occurred during the visit of Lord Harris's team to the Colonies, in the previous winter, which had seriously affected the friendly relations hitherto existing between English and Australian Cricketers. Under the circumstances it was felt that the tour might have been deferred. But besides this, the Australians were so late in deciding to come that most of the principal clubs had already completed their programs when James Lillywhite was authorised to act on their behalf. Derbyshire, Sussex and Glocestershire were indeed the only counties able to arrange matches, for the fixtures with Yorkshire were not under the auspices of the County Club. As it was, the team was not seen at Lord's and it was only at the last moment that matters were arranged for them to appear at the Oval. It was a happy thought for the Surrey authorities to suggest a match against a representative team of England at the end of the season.

To consult Lord Harris was the first step. and the promise of his hearty co-operation removed one of the two principal difficulties. The other was to find a suitable date and here they were again lucky in having the way smoothed for them. The only suitable days were September 6, 7 and 8. and then Sussex had fixed to meet the Australians at Brighton. To the credit of the Sussex committee, be it said, they readily agreed to alter the dates so as to allow England and Australia meeting on the days named.​

  • Book ?
  • Writer ?
  • Subject Matter ?
 
T

Tapioca

State Vice-Captain
I have to say that, unlike the first two questions, there is no "signature" in the passage above and it could be just about any book or article by anybody that mentions the 1880 tour. If there was a "I" somewhere, for instance, it would have made the writing more identifiable.
 
SJS

SJS

Hall of Fame Member
Tapioca said:
I have to say that, unlike the first two questions, there is no "signature" in the passage above and it could be just about any book or article by anybody that mentions the 1880 tour. If there was a "I" somewhere, for instance, it would have made the writing more identifiable.
Click to expand...
Of course. This is done intentionally for reasons I will disclose later :)
 
archie mac

archie mac

International Coach
I have read that before, I am pretty sure that it is WG Grace, but not sure which book?

I will go with 'Cricket'?
 
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