Perplexed Behind Perspex

Sussex 313 all out 

v Yorkshire 558 all out 

Sussex 225 all out 

Yorkshire win by an Innings and 30 Runs 

County Championship 

Sunday 6 June 2021 

Played at Headingley 

England 1 v Romania 0 

Friendly  

Sunday 6 June 2021 

Played at Middlesbrough 

I'm not going to go for the clichéd - I was at the wrong game - bollocks. We do what we do. We are where we are. We were at Headingley until Lunch. Sussex were 105 for 2. Still needing 140 to make Yorkshire bat again. And still needing to bat 65 overs for the Draw. And, then we had to leave to get to Middlesbrough for the England game.

As it happens, I don't sing the National Anthem. I'm an Atheist & a Republican. God & being Reigned Over ain't my area. Naturally, many others were belting it out around me at The Riverside. At exactly the same time, the refrains of another anthem - Good Old Sussex By The Sea - were dying 66 miles to the South. And Yorkshire were clearly in a "No Surrender" mood. My phone was pinging, as Sussex lost wickets at 4:55, 4:58 & 5:11 to be reeling at 187 for 7. A bit of chipping away and it appears they got it over the line at quarter past six. Fifteen minutes into the second half at Middlesbrough.

Maybe all of that was improving my mood, but I enjoyed that England game. Maybe not thoroughly enjoyed it.

Mings & Ben White sometimes in a three, sometimes in a four. But, unless I can't see it, not in a five. Shaw & Ben Godfrey getting forward. Sancho & Grealish roaming everywhere. Play being switched with long accurate balls out wide to Rashford. I'm in danger of overplaying it. Obvs. But, I felt there were some elements of all that to enjoy. 

What's the difference between fluid & fluent? Fuck knows. What I'm driving at is that England looked very adaptable & flexible. Without necessarily being all that good at doing it. Defenders & wing backs playing out, but sometimes caught out. Midfielders Looking to do things, but sometimes doing the wrong things. Could have been worse.

If there's another football ground with a sculpture by a Turner Prize winning artist "outside it" I'll be informed. So come at me. Pictured from the back of the North Stand is - Temenos by Anish Kapoor. A 110 metre long by 50 metre high steel pole, wire, circular ring, oval ring thingamajig. Love owt like that me.

The Infant Hercules micropub was the third venue of the day. To celebrate the Double Header wins by Yorkshire & England. Well. Lovely place. Lovely people. I'm going to add - implausibly small. They've clearly had some "one metre plus" Covid experts in. Resulting in flexi perspex screens separating tables & fronting the bar. One knock on is that it's a bit difficult to see people even three metres away. As they would probably have their image distorted by four sheets of plastic.

Add table service only and my insane Negative Bar Presence, and we've got a Cocktail of Chaos. At one stage, my intense staring at the bar, in order to catch someone's eye, and wave, in the hope of moving from Hoppy Pale to Sugary Stout attracted the wrong attention. What was clearly a customer on another table, less obscured by draped perspex, asked me what I wanted!!

"Don't worry, I do work here"

Leaving me Perplexed Behind Perspex.

Although, it also emphasised - lovely place, lovely people.

Four on handpull Cask. (One went off, one came on, adding to the rotation). Firstly, let's deal with:

George Samuel Brewery, Chocolate Honeycomb Milk Stout on Cask at 5%.

I mean, you read the name, you roughly know what you're going to get. And I did like it. But, that was off the scale SWEET.

Crafty Monkey Brewing Co, Moneypenny EPA on Cask at 4%.

Lovely creamy head. Sweet Shop sugar up top. But it developed quite a lot of bitterness. Well put together beer.

Outstanding Beer Of The Day

Ossett Brewery, White Rat, hoppy pale ale on Cask at 4%.

That was very good. As expected. In perfect balance. Lots of hops. Bringing citrus & floral rather than bitterness. And, the finish is very very long.

Stats

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