1806 Homeward bound and TV Sport

It is Sunday in South Shields, bright but chilly early morning, mostly cloudy now but warmer and just put a whole chicken in to roast and the used shirts into a wash.

The English cricket season ends today with the Durham visiting Somerset supported by two coaches from the North East and it was a wise decision on my part to resist the temptation to book an extra night at a Travel Lodge and watch the final day of the game against Worcestershire where there was a prospect for a ninth win of season, but in fact it ended in an unsatisfactory draw which would have pleased neither set of spectators. According to the match report Durham looked set to win and then a couple of the bowlers put on a stand of 100 to force the draw,

My only dissatisfaction with returning home on the Saturday was to have been driving in the car during a very pleasant warm and sunny day which could have been used to explore the city and then to watch on BBC 2 Newcastle at Ipswich where the Bobby Robson’s widow and two sons opened a stand renamed in his honour at half time before almost all the players who had been part of his European winning team during his nine years there as manager before taking the position in charge of the English national team

However I had an excellent lunch break in the Midlands comprising two pork chops main course and a coffee.

The journey from South Birmingham to South of Nottingham was trouble free although one does have to pay attention to the overhead signs not to find oneself travelling south or to the northwest. It is getting on for at least two years, if not longer, since major road widening and alteration of banks and bridges commenced over a fifty mile stretch of the M1, and the area has continued to become exceptionally busy and difficult to travel with narrow lanes and speed restrictions.

On reaching to the turn off to Wetherby I decided go into the town rather than the service area for a comfort break just in case one of the many inns and public houses in the town was showing the football game although I did not anticipate people would leave their homes outside the North East and Suffolk to watch the game over a drink with others when they could do so in the comfort of their own homes, and also drink if they wished with then being unable to drive to enjoyed a people without the additional expense. I enjoyed the walkabout in this pleasant town before returning tot he car and listen to game on my way home, knowing I would be able to watch the game on the BBC I player the following day. However it is always good to experience something direct if not live. I had no difficulty in getting Real Radio which used to be Century radio and the level headed professional views of Bob Moncur the former Newcastle Captain who won the European Inter Cities Cup now some 50 years ago.

I became hungry just before the petrol garage approaching the Scotch Corner service area and enjoyed a thick filled sandwich with cheese, pickles, chicken and lettuce followed by a packet of crisps. The match was ending as I drove into the Tesco carpark at South Shields on the Newcastle Road for milk, salads and fruit and it was between 7.30 and 8 in darkness and evening chill when I reached home. There is always a moment of anxiety when I have been away from the house that everything was in order and it was.

I unpacked the basics and checked the post and Internet mailbox before a cup of soup and roll followed later by a carton of grapes and a coffee. I loaded the Luxor game on the desk computer and reached a total of 1300000 where I had been only able to get to 300000 because of being able to use the wireless mouse instead of the built in lap top mouse. I watched 200 X Factor hopefuls reduced to100 after having to sing in groups chosen by the programme editors. In previous years something of the behind the scenes drama was shown but this time the programme concentrated on performance revealing that many had been put through to this level who did not have it them to pass muster, which may one wonder why they had been selected in the first place other that to create the subsequent programme, although it would have given them a couple of days in London. I wondered who paid for this?

The 100 who passed this round were then asked to sing individually before an audience of 4000 after which they were asked to wait in one of four groups of 25, knowing that two groups would be sent home and two would live for another day. The Sunday programme revealed a different format from previous years and before the cut was made without the individuals singing again, but this year they were given the opportunity to sing again so this meant that by the end of the episode we had been reminded of the abilities of the 24 selected in the four groups of male and female under 25, those over 25 and singing in groups where a group is defined as more than one individual. The disappoint affect people the longer they get through eliminations rounds and judges find it difficult to say no to people with talent but where others have the edge of stage presence, looking good on camera and more likely to win over the wider voting audience. Nest week there are also two programmes covering the decision to reduce the 24 to the 12 who will feature in the live programmes from now until just before Christmas so that the winner will dominate the Christmas top of the pops.

Sunday was a good day of sports with England unexpectedly having something to look forward in the second game of the one day international tournament after winning against the odds against Sri Lanka. What happened was even more remarkable in that the team batted like demons and created the second highest score in one day game of some 320 runs with Shah, Collingwood and Morgan all amazing friends and critics alike with their powerful performances. On a pitched designed for run scoring South Africa failed by some 20 runs and one wicket and the result means that England will play in the semi final of the competition although they still have one more game in the preliminaries to play. It will be interesting to see if they go all out for a win or let other members of the party have a game. The game omens well for the Test and One Day two of South Africa over the Winter.

Durham just about won their last game in the Pro 40 over series against Somerset, with only two balls to go. Like Evans the fast bowler joining the first team squad with Borthwick were given a game but were only allowed three overs each after being hit around the ground for ten a over although Borthwick did get two wickets. They still have someway to go before challenging for a regular first team place. Sussex did get their second title oft he seasons although they are relegated to Division two of the championship and Nottingham finished second to Durham in the Championship and Essex and Kent have gained promotion at the expense of Northampton. I may considered going to Essex for the championship game as well as Nottingham and Yorkshire and to the Lords if Durham are invited to play the MCC eleven at the start of the season. I can just see my hat and top of my face in the photo of team against the terracing when the Championship was won. The team also paraded their trophy at the recent Newcastle game against Plymouth with the Australian team also present.

Also on television was the next round of the Motor Racing Grand Prix in which Lewis Hamilton was on the front grid but Jensen Button had a nightmare in qualifying and was 12th with his team mate five places ahead and determined to win the championship. There is dirty work at this crossroads me thinks and the sport has been tarnished for the foreseeable future however much the PR attempts to do convince otherwise. It all ended well with Lewis winning as his team has got his car in good working again and Jenson only lost two points of his lead to his team mate so is still on course for the title.

My attention also went on Sunderland’s Home game in the Premiership against Wolves. This was a curious game in that Sunderland went ahead 2.0 from penalties before giving away a sloppy goal quickly followed by a silly goal so that the teams were 2’s each at the interval. Then Sunderland score three goals in the second half to run out good winners and keep a position in the top half of the table with 12 points and eighth position. They are also in the next round of the league cup.

I also watched in full in the morning the replay of Newcastle’s visit to Ipswich. It was interesting that Lady Robson wore a blue suit, the Ipswich colours whereas a mixed Ipswich and Newcastle scarf had been produced to raise funds for his Foundation charity for cancer research work. There was an excellent crowd although not a sell out and the Newcastle fans and radio commentators had difficulty reaching eh ground because of major delays on the A1. The game was even and scrappy over the first 28 minutes before the extraordinary happened and Newcastle scored three excellent goals within the space of five minutes shell shocking not just the home spectators but also the players. Ipswich have a tradition of not sacking managers as the famous Cobbald family apologised to Robson after his head had been called for by the crowd when success failed during his first couple of years. The odd thing is that is their manager Roy Keane won his first two games at home when taking over at the end of last season and everyone expected he would do what eh did with Sunderland taking them from the bottom into the Premiership during his first season. He bought and sold a large number of players to achieve this whereas Robson was successful at Ipswich with a small squad and using home produced talent. Newcastle went on to score a fourth goal with Kevin Nolan gaining a hat trick. Such is life. Mike Ashley was there and according to one report he has said that if Kevin wins his appeal for constructive dismissal the club will be bankrupt and should this happens the team faces relegation and a loss of points before the season starts.

I enjoyed roast chicken for lunch with the remainder making a sweet and sour chicken dinner on Monday. I did not feel like salad in the evening so had a ready made pasta chicken dish with grapes and a melon for fruit and the last of the prawns in shell. I needed something warm and substantial before facing the next edition of Waking the Dead.

I also played the second Luxor game making over 2300000 points WOW yes 2 million three hundred thousand.

1804 An expedition to Worcestershire Cricket Club

I am writing this having settled into my room at the South Birmingham Travel Lodge in preparation for Durham’s County Cricket Club’s last match of the season. Their task is first not to be defeated thus completing the 16 match season without a defeat. How often this has been accomplished should be mentioned by the media if it is achieved. They would like to win and so have an emphatic margin of points over whoever finishes second. I had anticipated watching behind glass but there has been a major improvement in the weather and it should be dry and warm for the first full day of autumn. They like me treat life as a risk taking adventure which requires hard work and planning to be successful, although as age mounts the assessment of hazard and danger becomes more dominant to an extent than with increasing frequency one becomes reluctant to set off on a new expedition. It is therefore good just to take off sometimes as long one is prepared to face the consequences of doing so and then having to sort out the problems arising from failing to check and double check the preparations.

The day had not got off to a good start as the alarm set for 6 either did not go off or I slept through it. It was 7.17 and meant I had only forty minutes to do everything before loading the car and moving it out of the garage to ensure it was not blocked by neighbours. It was therefore surprising to me that when I set off a little after 8.15am having parked the car on a nearby roadside that I remembered that I had only failed to take sheets of kitchen roll and a bottle of water and that everything else had been thought of. The weather forecast for travel had not been good with high gusting winds and although there was some wind stronger that usual it did not cause a problem and the bonus was the sunshine and it felt warmer than it had been since that last glorious match at the riverside two weeks ago. Having set off well before nine I decided to call in at Morrison’s, Seaburn, for kitchen roll, the single bottle of water and some Danish pastry for later. Having paid the purchases and discovered that they had introduced some self service check outs I made my way to the café for a mug of tea and a read of the Journal and Northern Echo newspapers. The Journal had included a twelve page pull out on the memorial service and both papers featured the service on their front pages as did some national newspapers, especially the Sun.

It was after nine when I set off proper via the Sunderland ring road to the A19 where before Middlesbrough there was a short hold up which appeared to be for traffic congestion rather than anything more serious. Midway on the three hour journey to my midland lunch stop I opened the passenger side window because it had become hot and stuffy inside the vehicle I decided to conserve energy by not switching on the air conditioning and felt the force of the wind, although while travelling the car need not feel that it was being buffeted. I stopped for a comfort break at Blythe where the traffic flow has been significantly changed as a consequence of the A1 by passing the former roundabout.

I had an excellent lunch and two and a half hour break at midday with a two course meal of gammon with egg and chips followed by a chocolate brownie with ice cream, with an apple and Mango drink starter and coffee to finish for £7.25. The sun continued to shine.

The route to the M42 is well sign posted on the M1 with a two lane slip road and from there to south Birmingham, my destination there is continuous motorway although you have to pay good attention as there are several lane switches as the route connects with other motorways.

I have not travelled this was before or at least that I can remember and certainly I do not recall the area of National Forest which appears to continue over an area similar to that at Nottingham. This is not continuous woodland such as the coniferous man made forest around Keilder and has farming and village communities within the large areas of deciduous woodland. I was intrigued by a sign with said Conkers and showed two tree symbols and a building which later from the Internet I learnt was a family attractions centre with tickets under £25 for a couple with two children.

I had made a note that I needed to take the A435 road towards Birmingham where south of Kings Heath the travel Lodge is located off a main roundabout with a Sainsbury on the opposite side of the road. I went passed this in search of a service area for a comfort break and perhaps a hot drink as I was also feeling tired.

The service area is of the latest design off the motorway and providing for traffic in both directions as well as those using the A441 between Redditch and Birmingham. The seating area which contains many comfortable chairs applies to all the various foot and drink outlets which means one can sit and relax, use the free Internet connection without buying anything. It is evidently a good venue to hold a business meeting as three groups of between two and four individuals were noted with the tell tale lap top. I had noted the sign which warned that stays were limited to two hours after which payment was required for parking vehicles, £20 for coaches and heavy Goods vehicles or £22.50 with a meal voucher. Failure to obtain the requisite permit resulted with an instant £80 penalty.

The continuing to the service area and the A441 provided the opportunity to take the road into Birmingham and the cross over to the A 435 coming to the roundabout near which the Travel Lodge is located. All went well until unknowing I went directly across a roundabout along the part of the route travelling west east between the two A roads, instead of swing right to the next junction and ended joining the right road but further north. This would not have been such a time consuming and tiring problem if the traffic had not been at a standstill in both directions. I was to find out the cause of the problem some 15 minutes later as several cars had collided just off a junction ahead. Fortunately it was possible for vehicles to get passed a single line with the help of a member of the public or a driver of one of the vehicles while the police arrived. It did not look as if anyone was seriously injured, fortunately.

I took the right turn here hoping to go right and right again and get back to the A435 in the right direction. I did achieve this although several stops to check the Birmingham A to Z Map were necessary. Having reached the destination roundabout and turned into the Lane as directed I could not immediately see the Travel Lodge and continued along the lane for about a mile before deciding I had somehow missed the building, stopping on the return journey to ask a passer by who explained that it was at the junction corner. The explanation is that similar to the Travel Lodges at Croydon and Brighton the building is located on floors above stores: Subway where a bacon or sausage sub is available for £1.99, a Wilkinson store where I was able to buy three more of the Black display books which I use for my work and a betting shop. The car park is to the rear and is used by shoppers as well as those staying at the lodge. The lodge entrance is a small one with reception on the first floor and my room is directly opposite the Sainsbury store and traffic light controlled roundabout.

The following morning I elected to take the 435 down to the motorway filling up the car with petrol at a garage shortly before. It was only a mile or so to the service area and only a couple of miles to the junction with the 441 which means I had taken an hour the previous evening to travel the five to six minutes of the morning. I would not make the same mistake on the return journey. The road incidentally is called the Hollywood after the nearby village. The morning mistake was not to allow sufficient time for traffic, and in particular road works into the centre of Worcester. I had not studied the map sufficiently either and therefore in the absence of signs relied on passers by to aid in the directions at two crucial moments when had I opted for the wrong turning at the junction I could have easily taken an extra half and hour or more in the conditions. As it was I reached the county ground with only half an hour to go before the match commenced and it was evident from the location that I would have difficulty in find somewhere to park outside but close to the ground. I stopped at the first car park which looked part of the ground and which had the shop to my right but this was for permit holders, and while there appeared to be a public car park beyond there appeared to be no way to enter from this entry point. I was wrong because there ire two large gates which are opened when any vehicle approach to go in or out as this takes you into the ground and is restricted on match days to permit holders with a steward in constant attendance to open as a vehicle approaches to enter or exist.

What I should have done is to temporarily park the car and collect my tickets from the office part of the club shop which has a direct access to the street by which is difficult to work out and appears to be only available once inside the ground!
I got back onto the road and headed passed the public turnstiles located closest to the bridge over the river into the city centre and to the next entrance which stated Members and visitors. Because I could not display a permit or a ticket and did not have a ticket from a player I was warned I had to pay £8 this given the option of retreating and seeking somewhere less expensive, but given the fast approach of the start of play and that the sky was could covered some of which looked rain bearing, I said I was willing to pay and directed to park on a temporary basis in that of the Chairman of the Club, which I considered something of an honour but also reflected that it meant they either knew he would not be coming today or perhaps rarely did!/

I walked back passed the area of the ground on the outside behind the wicket where is located comparatively new Members pavilion with the players dressing rooms above. This is an ugly functional building and the only modern one with the others appearing to be ancient and consequently dilapidated, there is also the small media area, some hospitality boxes and a restaurant with terrace and then the main public entrance from those coming to the ground on foot from across the bridge into the city centre. Unusually there is also the race course close to the other bank of the river which includes the coach park one of two. I could have walked to the shop inside the ground but went outside leaving the explore until later.

I returned to the office part of the shop with both being no more than a temporary square Porto cabin type of building and which houses three desks which comprise the main reception. These are cut off from the other buildings which somehow matched the whole image of the club which despite its magnificent location reflected a playing side which had seen much better days. I was quickly to come across members who bemoaned the fact that the club had yielded to modernity by adding a concrete seating structure at the other end of the wicked blocking out the view to the old scoreboard and famous picnic and parking area adjacent to a large area of what I discovered were school playing fields.

I learnt from one life member that car parking was free to him and from a sign that those buying a half season could also buy a car park permit for £60. I paid £8, deciding to go on an explore on foot later in the day to find parking available for less and within walking distance. I discovered as I went in search of space that these are available all the way to a an area set back where the parking is in rows, and backs on to the separate car park available to the public for half the cost I was paying outside of match days. I found a space at a gate into a field on inspection was a vast area with several rugby and hockey pitches. The gates was close but I checked that it was ok to part in the vacant spaces. I late guessed that perhaps in summer out of term time there was provision for additional car parking.

Worcester Cricket ground is the most traditional of the first class counties and has commanding views of the Cathedral and other church spires set among trees across the river and the very busy traffic dominated city centre. I found a seat behind the wicket against a temporary Sky Camera construction which was a mistake because the black canvass used as a sight screen for the white ball one day games flapped against the back one’s head with the slight wind and meant to avoid the irritation you had to lean forward.

I then made my way to the Graham Hick Pavilion with the member‘s facilities on the first floor and the player’s dressing rooms on the second accessible by one of two levels of steps at either side of the building or through the Member’s area. I learnt that bacon or sausage sandwich/roll costs £3.20 brought to the table and a coffee £1.30, tea £1. Main course cost meals £6-£7 Those seeking a conventional afternoon tea have to queue for entry into the Ladies Pavilion which is to one side. There is an area of three or four car parking spaces close to the entrance marked reserved for tea ladies! This suggests that ladies into do the tea.

At the other end of the ground to where I sat for the greater part of the first two sessions of the day, the media are housed behind glass or at a bench table in the open but covered. Part of this area is open to members who can also use the bench table at the front or in the two rows of seats behind.

There is not one but two shops selling support and memorabilia. One by the club which also housed in the what is described as the main reception. There is also a separate supporters kiosk and display area and where I noticed that the attractive greetings cards of painted Worcester scenes cost less than the same cards in the club shop. There is another kiosk selling books about cricket. There is a similar facility at Headingley within the member’s lounge and where in addition there are separate tables selling second hand books of all kinds outside in the stadium areas. Durham has nothing similar and even less since the Cotton Traders took over the shop but I doubt if there is any profit in it.

In the Member’s Lounge there are large photographs along the walls of the five championship winning sides and of the occasions when they have won other competitions. The last time they won the championship I believe was in 1989. I attempted to check this on the internet when under archives there is an amazing plethora of information including the most comprehensive records that I have come across. It may be somewhere but could I find it so I sent an email and hopefully someone will send the answer or add the information.

Not seeing what is there in one my lifelong problems. Around midday I returned to my car for the bread rolls to which I added salami and stood overlooking the play from a spot near by which was delightful grassed bank under horse chestnut trees (conkers) at which there were two picnic benches. I made two visits for two rolls and then returned to my position in the stadium until the official lunch interval at 12.30. I then returned to the car for a third roll and to my horror could not find the car keys and then found the car unlocked and still could not find the car keys, Next to me a Life Member of the Worcester club had also returned to his vehicle for lunch and we had a chat while I finished my rolls and searched for the keys, eventually finding them on the car floor having slipped of the lowered car seat on going for the food box.

Over the tea interval I decided to go on an explore. Across from the cricket ground the is a park and later on the homeward journey I noted a long stay car park on the other side if the small free area of on street parking I found is not available. It was walking to the area of shops up a gentle hill that I saw the full extent of the playing fields of the Kings school. From the internet my first impression was confirmed in that the schools also has its own cricket square and indoor nets, and plays football. The girls all participate in a sports afternoon once a week and are all expected to play hockey and Netball. Obviously rowing is important, has its own indoor swimming pool as well as facilities for Fencing. There are several tennis courts and in addition to athletics training using the school fields there is use of the city running track and facilities for field sport on the sports afternoons. In addition to their academic records it is evident that the 920 senior pupils with 520 in the Junior schools will become proficient in at least one sport during their school experience. The value of private education! The price by the way is £10500 a year paid in advance by year or term. You can pay by credit card with a 3% surcharge.

I discovered some pavement side free parking across from the cricket ground and school playing fields with space for about a dozen cars. I will try for these tomorrow before the long stay found on the other side of the park in the one way system which goes back over the bridge and by the racecourse before joining the ring road out of town to the M5.

I was tempted to go to Kings Heath for a meal on return but was so tired that I made do with soup, baked beans, rice, and grapes and then fell asleep between 7 and 8 pm. Due to the long day of travel the day before and the autumnal fresh air. I have my camera with me and hope for a brighter picture taking day. I will leave the cricket reporting to another day.