'Gus With The Re-Ups

Sussex 181 for 8 

beat Middlesex 177 for 5 

by 4 runs 

T20 Blast, South Group 

Thursday 8 June 2023 

Played at Lord's 

Hampshire Hawks 164 for 6 

beat Middlesex 159 for 7 

by 5 Runs 

T20 Blast, South Group 

Tuesday 6 June 2023 

Played at Radlett 

Two single digit defeats for Middlesex in short order. As I write, played 8, lost 8. Deary me. Not for the first time, beer saved the evening at Radlett. Courtesy of Vinny & Ted. A bar & bottleshop in Chalfont St Peter. I know Vinny is the geezer. I spoke to him. I think Ted may be his dog. And, I understand Tim Murtagh (current Middlesex player and former Ireland Test player) and Angus Fraser (former Middlesex player & managing director of cricket & former England Test player) are co-owners of Vinny & Ted.

Anyway, Vinny & Ted had a gazebo on the boundary at Radlett. Knocking out three keg craft & a cider. The lager offering was (obvs) Lost & Grounded, Helles. I walked over for one of them for my comrade. But, it'd gone off. Vinny explained;

"We're trying to get another lager sorted, we don't know what it'll be, but it won't be Lost & Grounded."

As I returned along the boundary with aleternatives, two fellas were walking towards me carrying a full keg of the lager replacement swaying between them. (I think it might have been Frontier Lager). One of the keg karriers was Angus Fraser.

Let's recap. A craft beer gazebo on the boundary. Part owned by present & former Middlesex & International players. With Angus Fraser responsible for re-ups. Now. Eight losses out of eight is piss poor. But, looking at it another way, that's how to run a fucking cricket club!!!

Vinny and Ted, The Long Hop, English Hopped Pale Ale on Keg at 4.5%

Brewed at, and in collaboration with Neckstamper Brewing in E10. Cascade and Jester. Nice n Hoppy. Bit of peachy weachy stuff. Bitterness grows, but stays in the easy drinking closet.

Neckstamper Brewing, Vinny's Bitter on Keg at 4%

Maybe that is a venue specific re-badge. Not too sweet. Good whack of nutty stuff. Nice growing bitterness. Not many keg bitters around. Good 'un this.

Ben McDermott drove Hants forward with a 34 ball 47. He was third out at 94 for 3 off 11.3. Middlesex looked to be right back in it. As that triggered 3 wickets for 11. Leaving Hants at 105 for 5. From there, 164 didn't look too bad. Luke Holman took 2 for 12 off 3 overs. 

But, what a fucking start MCCC had. Two for two at the end of two. And those two were both leg byes. Both openers gone quacking. John Turner making his Hampshire debut. Took a wicket with his first and sixth balls. On his way to 3 for 30 off his full four.

But, Max Holden (53) & Ryan Higgins (43) got Middlesex back in it. Hampshire death bowling was superb though. And killed it off.

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Stats 

I have now Blogged from 1,271 games in 3,215 days 

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

I have now Blogged from 951 games in 2,483 days 

Limited Cricket Analysis

Sussex 313 all out 

v Yorkshire 558 all out 

Sussex 38 for none 

County Championship 

Close on Day Three 

Saturday 5 June 2021 

Played at Headingley 

A Pub Day was announced. Apologies for any Blog reader who has come for the insightful cricket analysis. We stayed until lunch. And then got back in time to see the Sussex second innings. The Sussexerers were very watchful in their second dig. Played it exactly the way they needed to. Not many ooohhhs & fewer aaahhhs from the Yorkshire bowlers. Just 38 runs off 23 overs. But, we can all see what's coming. Another 96 to face.

That's all been set up by a big, big score by Yorkshire. And by Dawid Malan in particular. The Carrier Bag Firm hailed him as he walked off at Lunch with 162. He'll be royally pissed off, bowled later by Carson for 199, one short of the big milestone. The end came a bit quick. Duke went at 535 for 7. And they only made 23 after that. But, all the batting points secured. Big lead. Just get the game into the next phase. 

Yorkshire will be able to take the new ball before Tea on Sunday. So, they've given themselves every chance.

Our afternoon was spent in The Arcadia in Headingley. A great beer board as always. Six on cask. Five on Keg.

Ilkley Brewing Co, Alpha Beta, Session IPA on Keg at 4.5%.

That was very drinkable. A bit of rye in it, it transpires. There was some malty rather than fruity sugar. And it was nicely thick & chewy.

Roosters Brewing Co, Strength In Numbers, West Coast IPA on Cask at 7%.

Churlish. But I was a bit disappointed. Not because there was owt wrong with it. Just that I was anticipating a lot more. There was a nice bit of black pepper in the smell. The bitterness just about matched the abv and was tongue tingling. But, there was little of the big hitting pine & resin I'd hoped for.

Which brings us to Outstanding Beer Of The Day.

Double-Barrelled Brewery, Parka, Pale Ale on Keg at 4.5%.

Partly, that looked a bit unappealing. But, because of that, you're thinking - lovely hop stew. And it was. Dry hopped with Citra, there was grapefruit all over it. But not sugary glimpses, deep & rich. Grapefruit up your hooter & down your gizzard. Loved it.

Stats

I have now Blogged from 949 games in 2,482 days 

And How Are You Spelling That?

Sussex 313 all out 

v Yorkshire 272 for 2 

County Championship 

Close on Day Two 

Friday 4 June 2021 

Played at Headingley 

Today's crowd was announced as 1,897. (Reports suggested 2,065 on Day One). Because of Social Distancing and rules for groups etc, seats are effectively allocated at random across the Headingley stands. So, while fearing the worst, the Carrier Bag Firm were somewhat surprised to be greeted by this superb stump to stump view down the pitch.

But, even those seats didn't give us the right view for the seventh ball of the day, Ben Coad's first of the day, and overnight tonner Ben Brown's third ball faced of the day. That was as an edge behind to Yorkshire keeper Harry Duke, with his back to us. Coad, Duke and the slips went up LOUD. The rest of the Yorkshire fielders, no matter how far from the action, thought fuck it - one up all up. Brown pointed with his bat at Duke. Clear implication. That's not carried and/or he's fumbled & grassed it. The umpires gave each other the glances & non verbals they use to ask for help. I think it was Ump Bailey who gave the soon to be a not very happy Ben Brown out from Square Leg. And really, Yorkshire never really lost momentum from there.

The last 4 wickets went for just 17 runs, the last 3 for just 3. But, it's very much worth a shout to Sussex's Danial Ibrahim. (Who must have been looking at his name flashing up on the Headingley screen & seething - it's Danial with a fucking A, not E). Cricket has been around for a very long time. There's been a load of matches played. It's all bastard numbers anyway. So, records get set. And broken. No E Danial became the youngest lad in Cricket County Championship history to get a fifty. Sixteen years and 299 days. And the CBF were there and frankly all over it.

Lyth & Kohler-Cadmore had twenty ish minutes to bat until din dins. Will they do opening pair things? Because, let's have it right, they often don't. And it's frustrating. Because they should. Anyway Lyth's hit the second legit ball of the innings for SIX & we're back in the room.

A, it's an A in Danial Ibrahim came on, you'd think full of confidence, to bowl the 14th. His first arm turning over in First Class Cricket. Two No Balls to start. Are you playing on different length pitches at your school young 'un? Once he was over that, he got Kohler-Cadmore out a bit later.

Opening stand of 83. That'll do. You two - same every week. Of course those have come at 4.9 runs an over. So, we're not in the 18th over yet. Guys - you have to take the opening partnership further. Knacker the bowlers. Stop the fielders chirping. Game'll come at you fast. Adam Lyth also gone after 20.2 overs. Got it hopelessly wrong. Walked around one which sent his leg stump rolling. Did the old - stand at the crease incredulous for far too long - routine. I could act that one myself.

No drama after that mind. Not quite built for Test Cricket, but close, Dawid (yes W not V - what is it with this game?) Malan & one R, but two Ls Gary Ballance took it to close. 177 in the partnership. Put more on that tomorrow. Have a face to face about conventional name spellings. And tomorrow's Blog will be much easier to write.

The Carrier Bag Firm retired to BrewDog Headingley to find out the guest brewery name & take the piss out of how they're spelling it. Mikkeller. See. Not straightforward is it in this "industry".

Mikkeller, Henry Hops, Pale Ale on Keg at 4%.

Nice identikit session pale. Packed with hops. Rather grassy & drying in the mouth. Lacked a bit of late action if I'm honest.

Mikkeller, Japanese Rice Lager on Keg at 5.1%.

I tried that because I'm unlikely to get another shot at it anytime soon. Inoffensive. Slight rice vinegar smell. But, bright & crisp in the taste. Nice dirty sugar in the finish.

And Outstanding Beer Of The Day

Mikkeller, Kaffestout, (Coffee Stout) on Keg at 6%.

Lovely. If a bit full on. What I really liked was that it'd got distinct phases. Sweet black forest gateau up top. Bit of bitterness in the middle. With the Coffee coming late. Loved how it worked.

Stats

I have now Blogged from 948 games in 2,481 days 

Headingley, Next To Last Call

Sussex 267 for 5 

v Yorkshire 

County Championship 

Close on Day One 

Thursday 3 June 2021 

Played at Headingley 

I have the Yorkshire Post to thank for pointing out the absurdity of the County Championship schedule. I mean, we're in June I'll grant you, but only just. Yet, this is highly likely to be the penultimate four day game played at Headingley this "Summer".

It was a game in which dubious texter Ollie Robinson's ex County started very brightly. Patto having won the Toss & invited Sussex to bat on the off chance they feel like going up to win the cup for Sussex by the Sea.

Ben Coad & David Willey with the new ball. Shape. As Rob Key would say. Rather than the heavy ball. As Nasser would say. 38 for 3 after 22.1 overs. Wicket each for Willey, Thompson & Brook. Harry Brook had replaced Jordan Thompson to bowl the 23rd. Odd leg side loosener. Shit first ball. Ali Orr swished at it. Must have got the tip top toppermost top edge & it skied to sub fielder Olivier. Mad game cricket at times.

Although Travis Head went at 68 for 4. The rest of the day belonged to a lovely Sussex fightback. Lead by Skipper Ben Brown (5 foot 8, I looked it up as the Carrier Bag Firm were arguing about his height, sort of thing the CBF are wont to do), ending on 126 not out from just 174 balls. I couldn't even find Danial Ibrahim in Playfair, let alone his height. Turns out the fucker is only 16 & still at school. He's also 37 not out in a stand of 92, grinding Yorkshire's gears.

I managed to negotiate the (I know they've got to do it) bewildering array of impromptu One Way, Keep Left, No Exit signs to see the whites of the East Stand Long Room barman's eyes. As predicted in my Blogs from Manchester, Fortress Headingley had exactly NO CASK ALES ON. Poor.

However. The usual excellent beer board in The Cardigan Arms. For us Beer Tickers, on the Trail for Ale, not many new 'uns. Because the list is stacked with Kirkstall Brewery steady banging winners. One of the West Yorkshire dwelling CBF swears by Kirkstall Brewery, Black Band Porter at 5.5%. I mean they may not know much about breadcakes & Hendos, and cod may be an alien species of fish to them, but fair do - that is a belting pint of porter.

But, Outstanding Beer Of The Day can go to the ooohhh I needed that first pint up:

Kirkstall Brewery, Kirkstall Pale Ale on Cask at 4%.

Just right that. Served West Yorkshire sparkler stylee. Giving it a lovely creamy head. Floral hops running all the way through. Just enough bitterness at the end.

Stats

I have now Blogged from 947 games in 2,480 days 

6 overs from D/L

Middlesex 341-5
v Sussex 26-1 (4 overs)
No Result

Royal London One Day Cup, South Group

Played at Lord's

Thursday 27 April 2017

Twitter @ball_sup

I ended up back on the Marston's 61 Deep, Pale Ale on keg at 3.8%. That felt a bit gratuitous. The weather was cold. There was rain. If you bagged a good seat in the warm, you drank what was to hand.

10 overs to get to Duckworth Lewis in this affair. Fell 6 short. I must admit I'm quite looking forward to the 50 overs in this format. I might end up getting 9 games in three weeks. Middlesex (inserted) certainly got on with it. A little bit of the early season shenanigans at Lord's. The Tavern side boundary was a little short. Stirling buffed the second ball for six. Nine sixes in all, a lot down the order.

Five batsmen got to 40 or more. Three to 69 or more. To an old skooler like me, 341 sounds a big score. We'll see over the next few weeks. Who knows what the plan is. But, once you're at it, getting a good few to 40 or more will work. Stirlo, Franklin, Simpson & Higgins were all better than a run a ball.

Shahzad went for 88 runs off 9.

470/982

Season Over, rejoice

Yorkshire 251 all out
v Sussex 248 all out
Yorkshire 305 all out
Sussex 208 all out
Yorkshire win by 100 runs

LV County Championship Div 1
at Headingley

Friday 25 September 2015

Twitter @ball_sup

Great way to finish the season. Sussex By The Sea fought hard. They lost early wickets. But, were in it a bit. Great send off for Michael Yardy. Playing his last game. Salute fella. Yorkshire won the title in an earlier blog post. Apparently, they have also set records for; number of points, number of wins, number of times the same trophy has been presented. Having had presentations at Lord's & Hampshire, there was another one today in front of the home faithful. I was long gone.

I stayed long enough to see whether I could get a good shot at throwing my Membership Card at Gillespie in disgust, while screaming "RESIGN". Old end of season habits die hard. Even though I sit above & behind him on the Carnegie Balcony, too many people round him at the end. Didn't want to waste the throw unless there was a clear shot.

Done well the fella though, hasn't he. Maybe, I'll get a better chance next year!!!

Patto 5-11 at Worcester. Bairstow & Bresnan setting records at C-le-S. Ryan's ridiculous first over at Lord's. See you all in Dubai & Abu Dhabi. Rumours I'm hearing are that the 4 dayer in Abu Dhabi will be DAY GAME RED BALL.

The Beer

Northern Monk Brew Co. Refectory. All bricks, stones, pillars & exposed pipework. Tables made from planks & benches made from smaller planks. A beer list bulldog clipped (ffs) to a piece of tin (ffs). Like a tick box affair (ffs). Purporting to show which ones are on. I've got two degrees. I am also. None. The. Wiser. Also a board. Which ain't helped.

OK. OK. Regroup. We're here for the Beer. Possibly 10 keg lines. Plus a few duds. Two cask showing. Two turned round. It's a Brewery Tap. Good range that. Start high. No blinking or mumping when I asked to taste. Overall verdict. On the beer range & quality. Get yourself in soon & often.

Northern Monk Brew Co., New World IPA on keg at 6.2%. Surprisingly & definitely on the gold side (of amber) in the glass. Refreshing & effervescent. Slight, but nice bit of toffee in the sweetness. The bitterness starts gentle. Builds. A little bit of acidity enhances the sharpness. Quite chewy in the mouth. Earthy. An awful lot of grapefruit coming in as I get further down it.

Northern Monk Brew Co., Faith US Pale on keg at 5.1%. Great beer. Lovely bittering. Pretty much upfront. Hint of spiciness in the finish. Everything about that is refreshing & inviting. A little icing sugar on the lips later. Reassuringly simple. No messing about in the malt. One great trick. A hint of apple rocking there somewhere in the background.

Northern Monk Brew Co., Monacus Pale Ale on cask at 4.5%. Very clear in the glass. Some upfront sweetness. Leaning towards honey. Tastes nice. But, I'm left underwhelmed by the hops & bittering. There is something lingering there at the end. OK. Pleasant. But left behind by its cousins.

Northern Monk Brew Co., Chennai Export Porter on keg at 5.4%. Black black & latte head. First gulp is glorious. Got lots going on. Very balanced. Sweetness, roast/toast, bitterness. It is sweeter than I'd expected. And, surprised I like that. But I do. Sultana or currant sweet. A richness. Aroma is very neutral. But that belies the taste. Some tobacco in there. Your Nan's fruitcake. With a cup of strong tea thrown over it.

Northern Monk Brew Co., Stranik Imperial Stout on keg at 9%. Tastes it an' all. Almost a rum or whisky cask sweetness. Everything wells up. Serious beer. And, because it's keg & cold & fizzy. You'd get caught out by that. My refined palate (suppresses giggles) can taste the abv "burn". Lots of sweetened red fruits in there. Bordering on Black Forest Gateaux as made by your Nan before she had to flee Germany.

Toss up for Standout Beer of the Day. I'm giving it to the Chennai Export Porter. Ahead of the Faith US Pale.

212/430

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Yorkshire 251 all out
v Sussex 248 all out
Yorkshire 298-9
close on Day 3

LV County Championship Div 1
at Headingley

Thursday 24 September 2015

Twitter @ball_sup

Theatre Reviews

There, you didn't expect that did you? I went down to the East Stand Nets at Lunch to see a play. The Last Match by Colin Philpott & Kit Monkman. Good. I could easily see that working in a normal theatre studio. It uses cricket as the back drop. But, it's not about cricket.

But, what a great hook. Hitler, the fascist bastard, invaded Poland at close on day 2. (Three day cricket in those days). Of the last game of the season. Why couldn't the one balled twat just wait for a declaration.

And, you could fill many theatres with Hedley Verity stories. In this one, I'll paraphrase. Apologies to the Verity family. I mean this in commemoration. And in humbleness.

Verity has done 7 for 9 off 6 overs. Yeah & that's 6 EIGHT BALL OVERS. 1939 was the only year EIGHT BALL OVERS were used in the Champo. Ball-Sup, the Blog that educates.

Yorkshire have cleaned up by 9 wickets. There is, sadly, no record of which Real Ales were supped. Season over. Yorkshire win the title. Hedley becomes Captain Verity & dies from wounds received in action. Much of the play takes place around Verity's bed in the Field Hospital. A nice anti-establishment message in there as well. Poignant & clear, but not over sentimental.

I'll give it 4 stars. Great, great (& true) story pushes it up.

So, while we're on sport based plays. I went to see The Red Lion in the Dorfman Theatre at the National Theatre in early August. Set in & around a lower league football team's dressing room. Written by Patrick Marber. Featuring Daniel Mays & Peter Wright. Peter more famous to my generation as one of the Coppers from Early Doors on the tele. Anyway. I enjoyed it. But, usual thing for me. Too many twisty turny things. Spoiler alert. Ends up with a fella (deliberately) electrocuting himself in the communal bath with an electric iron. Thankfully, offstage.

Over-dramatic at that point. A good story, well told. Then. Oooohhh. We need more twists & a dramatic ending. Essentially, a story about relationships & morals between men & across generations.

I'll give it 3 stars. Good story well told. But all a bit too much.

So, here's a story I don't like. Hamlet. I understand the story & all that. I just don't find it all that interesting. I went to see Cumberbatch in it at The Barbican in late August. I'm giving it 2 stars tops. A boring story, not very well told. Some fencing, no cricket.

Some great set pieces from The 'Batch. And Redchurch Brewery bottles in the Bar, could just push it to 3 stars.

Best thing I've seen recently. By. A. Distance. Daniel Kitson, Polyphony in Edinburgh. Kitson & a collection of iPod Shuffles handed to random audience members. Spellbinding & hilarious. All the ingredients. 5 stars.

The Beer

Leeds Brewery Tap. That's better. Got it all going on. Four of their own on cask. Four guests. Many keg lines. Helpful staff. I've done...

Roosters, Honey & Simcoe on cask at 4.3%. Intriguing. It works well. It has that sort of background woody sweetness you associate with honey. But, the sharpness & citrus style of the hop cuts through that. Lovely laced head.

211/429

Minimum Order

Yorkshire 251 all out
v Sussex 248 all out
Yorkshire 55-1
close on Day 2

LV County Championship Div 1
at Headingley

Wednesday 23 September 2015

Twitter @ball_sup

The Cricket

I was thinking of doing a double header with the SUFC U21s at Hallam. But, Sussex approached parity around Tea. The thought of 250 plays 250. With the out of form Yorkshire top three coming out. Too good a session to miss. And Lo, Lees went for nought at one.

The microcosm was all there. But, Lyth & Ballance got 'em to early close. Toughed it out. Edges aplenty. Into the pads. Toughed it out.

The Drink

So, opportunity to head off to East Of Arcadia. Second visit. Still a great place. A lot of Thornbridge cask n keg on. I asked them why. Maybe recent Tap Takeover. No. They were very keen to get some Thornbridge on. But, had been told to place a minimum order. Hence, lots on. Bastards. World domination attempting Bastards. Wild Horses. Hello Landlord. I'll have anything but Thornbridge. Carling if I have to. Great beer. Shithouse company.

I've gone;

Ridgeside Brewing Co, Whistler Rye Pale on cask at 4.8%
Leeds Brewery, Midnight Bell on cask at 4.8%
Leeds, Pale at 3.8%

and felt good about myself.

Opinion Piece

Right, after yesterday's run at T20. Let's have a go at 50 over white ball. It has very much become the poor relation, least loved, domestic format. Yet, the 50 over World Cup remains the premier flagship ICC event. And there is always hell on when England get binned out. There is a TV deal, but it is just a schedule filler until the next round of Celebrity Monster Truck Racing is on.

As an aside. The travelling distances are much greater in Australia. But, I am intrigued by how they schedule their domestic 50 over. It is played all at once in a "dedicated window". But, it is also played IN ONE LOCATION. So, all the State teams decamp to one State. (It is New South Wales this year). Lots of outgrounds get used. You take the games to the people. Promoted as a Festival Of Cricket. Free to air TV deal.

Imagine Le Cricket Yorkshire. Games in Sheffield, Barnsley, Harrogate, York, Leeds. Anyway .....

I saw Sussex's reaction to the apparent ECB slow down on reducing the Championship. An interesting suggestion. That part of the domestic 50 over could be played overseas as a prelude to the English Summer. Oooohhhh. The Ball-Sup Army will snatch hands off.

All the same point. If we've got a quart & a pint pot. If something has to give. It shouldn't (won't) be the T20 Cash Cow. Nor the Championship. It'll have to be the 50 overs.

One option is to piggy back it. Play it the day after, the day after the 4 Day finishes. Low integrity. The 50 over fixtures are dictated by promotion & relegation in the 4 Day. Not the end of the World.

210/428

Friends Of Ham

Yorkshire 241-7
v Sussex
close on Day 1

LV County Championship Div 1
at Headingley

Tuesday 22 September 2015

Twitter @ball_sup

The Drink

I looked back in horror at what I said at the beginning of the cricket season. That I'd try & get around to a few more places in Leeds. Then I checked the Blog. Felt a bit same old same old. So, last game, don't flag.

But essentially I've shot myself in the foot. I finally made it to Friends Of Ham. Not really their fault. They were good as gold. But, neither did I enjoy it.

My own fault. Too crowded. The staff double as maitre d' & find you somewhere to perch. But even at half six on a Tuesday, it was all too hectic for this old fella. Victim of success. Maybe I got it wrong. Maybe it's table service only. Either way, I got some black looks from punters at the bar as I peered at the Clips.  I felt a bit pressured. (Due to critical mass of punters, not the staff). Didn't ask to taste. And then, when I got back to my perch, it'd basically been given to someone else.

No criticism though. It was just too busy for this lazy afternoon drinker. Should have looked & swerved.

Went for Arbor Ales, Oz Bomb on cask at 4.7%. At first I thought that one has come up a little bit on the sour side of citrus. And maybe a bit thin. But, no, later on it gets there. Indeed, very pleasant. But, let's have it right, I rushed it & got the train.

I counted 4 cask & maybe 10 keg.

The Cricket

I'm going to say it. Batting now lacks application. Long season. Lyth still out of sorts. Went LBW for 3. Bairstow too cocky & aggressive. Trying to play shots on the walk, all bottom hand. At just 106-3. Despite bluster, did one off 18 balls. Pointless.

Rashid was also wristy aggressive. But, at least he connected. But, the general lack of application means that players are  getting to fifty & not kicking on. The Sussex bowlers kept at it. Helped by rests during the stop start rain breaks.

Opinion Piece

The last knockings of what has been a magnificent season for Yorkshire. I'm not going to take the piss and blog a season review. Look forward not back. For the last few months the media, airwaves, and wires have been full of chatter about the domestic structure for 2016.

Here is my knee jerk assessment. In general, I feel we play too much cricket. We start too early in the year. Dark, wet, miserable. We finish too late in the year. Dark, wet, miserable. Games at the mercy of the weather. Results a lottery at times. 1030 starts in September. All that is compounded by mad scheduling at times. One end of the country to the other.

The media chatter has the problems as;

Player burn out. Too many games, too much travelling.
Format switching. Red ball. White ball. 50 overs. 20 overs.
Not enough white ball quality to service ICC World Cups. Where England routinely struggle.
And, the Shiny Thing Syndrome. Everyone else is talking about Australia's T20 Big Bash League. "I want one".

Let's start with T20.

It strikes me that we need to work out how we want to make money from the Domestic T20. Do we want to pile it high? Lots of preliminary games. Hoping to get bums on seats. Selling some burgers & beers. Pulling in the corporate prawn sandwich chompers. One game on subscription tele, with four or five other games the same night at other counties. Easier to qualify than to get knocked out. 18 play, 8 qualify.  Games coming thick and fast. Day in day out.

Or, do we want a more intense, high profile, public attention grabbing tournament. It is not quite as simple as this but, do we want quantity or quality. What Counties lose on gate receipts, they will need to make up by TV rights. That is clearly going to be a difficult ask.

I firmly prefer an 18 County model. But, if it is an 18 County pile it high model, you can't ask or expect paying customers to keep coming day in day out. You can't have the dedicated window model. You must have the Friday Night Lights model.

This year, each County has played 14 T20 group matches. To eliminate 10 Counties. We started on 15 May. We finished on 24 July. Hone down to the T20 issue. Ignore all other formats for the moment. That's 10 weeks. Let's call it three T20 games every fortnight. Or, for your home games. Three a month. Don't sound bad do it? Like football. Like rugby.  People could buy into that.

But, not if you shag the scheduling up. Yorkshire played 15 May. Three week gap. Game. Nine day gap. Two games in 5 days. Two week gap. Two games in 5 days. Ten day gap. Last home game. Longish gaps. Two home games in short order TWICE. That is what you're trying to avoid with the Friday Night Lights model. Crazy. Now, I know they were scheduling other formats in as well. But, take T20 cold. That stop start affair won't pull the punters in.

The basic maths revolves around 18. All play all gives you 17 games. Split into 2 groups of 9. All play all gives you 16 or 8. In 2015, we played unbalanced 2 groups of 9, 14 games. I'm not too fussed if we play unbalanced. It's a Cash Cow, some, but not high, integrity tournament.

The Big Bash is unbalanced. Eight teams. Each plays eight games. The other 7 once. And then "The Marquee" game. So, the Sydney Sixers play the Sydney Thunder twice. The Melbourne Stars play the Melbourne Renegades twice.

I'll rule here. In an English Domestic T20 structure, it is inconceivable that Yorkshire won't play Lancashire at Headingley & Old Trafford. Likewise, Middlesex play Surrey at Lord's & The Oval. You're using the tournament to generate income & galvanise support. Forget promotion & relegation. Forget mixing it up. Forget smaller Counties. Those home & away, traditional rivals games are a MUST. In any model.

So, you could do 2 groups of 9. All play all. Plus one "Marquee Game". Giving you a 10 game T20 group season. Ten games would have to be Friday Night Lights. Not dedicated window.

I'll vote for that. 10 T20 games spread across 10 weeks.

209/427

Bright Beer, Dull Cricket

Yorkshire 494 all out
v Sussex 493-7
close on Day 3
at Hove

Sunday 23 August 2015

Twitter @ball_sup

I love the Long Room at Hove. Those sash windows. That high wooden ceiling. Clean & modern fixtures & fittings in an old building. Pennants, pictures. Proper Club Stewards. That neat little bar in the corner.

Harveys Sussex Best Bitter, gravity cask on the bar at 4%. Although I think that is probably Bright Beer. Bit of a cheat right there. Bright Beer has had the yeast sediment removed and been decanted into a new cask. Strictly NOT REAL ALE. One point deducted.

Anyway, I had Arundel Brewery, Sussex Gold at 4.2%. From a handpull. Lovely & refreshing. A proper cricket ale in a proper cricket Long Room.

The strip was way over our side. The boundary looked very short. There was some substantial rain in the morning. But, as is the way, good covers, good drainage, efficient mopping up - and we’re underway. Only 3 wickets in the (truncated) day. Maxwell & Leaning in the attack. Tons for Michael Yardy & Ben Brown (red ink 106 off 91 balls). Not really poor body language from the Yorkshire Lads. Just, we’re not going to get this done body language.

I am a realist fan of Series & Season cricket. You’re not gonna get it all done all the time. If you need to draw a game (Nagpur) to take the Series, get it done, move on. But, you get seduced by the juggernaut that is this Yorkshire team. So, a perfectly acceptable, but slow, nothing happening day, seems out-of-character.

191/397

Hop Locker

Middlesex 234 all out
v Sussex 33-1

Close on Day 1
at Lord's

Friday 7 August 2015

Twitter @ball_sup

Nice drink today. The Hop Locker. Essentially a stall in the Southbank Centre Market. A street market behind The Royal Festival Hall. A market in the food & drink sense. Six kegs. Bottles and cans.

Cor. People rave about that Mauna Kea don't they. Great beer. But it's the colour & unusual tropical taste that has 'em going. Good bit of marketing by Summer Wine. I've got a slight suspicion that the keg and/or gas were misfiring. Not much carbonation in mine. (And some other beers were Frothy Man).

So, mine ended up looking exactly like a glass of orange juice. Completely & densely opaque. Thick. It is certainly a well balanced beer. Synced. The bitter kick is nice.

Summer Wine, Mauna Kea, Hawaiian IPA on keg at 6.5%.

Moor, Illusion, Session Black IPA on keg at 4.5%.

Another very nice beer. A bit sweet maybe. And the toast, smoke & bitterness all a little subdued for my taste. But, it is billed as Session.

Siren, Half Mast on keg at 2.8%.

I knew what I was up against there. Had it before. I'm a big fan of these low abv, heavily hopped beers. I tried to get Buxton, Jacobs Ladder in The Tap House. But, it wasn't on. Half Mast was lovely. That can have Outstanding Beer of the Day.

I'd certainly recommend Hop Locker if you're down that way.

That felt like a very slow attritional day at Lord's. We've ended up with 270 runs. Fair few LBW shouts in the morning. But not a lot else happening. Intriguingly, this appears to be being played on the same strip as yesterday's 50 over. I'm sure there'll be some technological solution. Maybe the pitch has been "glued". But it could already be said to be a day 2 pitch. Middlesex players were getting starts. But, not pushing on. David Malan was the pick. Out in the 90s.

As always at Lord's, there were plenty of distractions. The Ashes were playing on every TV. And, the scoreboards between the Long Room & Writing Room were testifying to the clatter of wickets at Scarborough.

184/381

Power Hitting & Drinking

Yorkshire Vikings 159-5 beat Lancashire Lighting 138-7

Sussex Sharks 164-4 beat MCC 146-9

Yorkshire Vikings 176-4 beat Sussex Sharks 102 all out

Emirates T20 Tournament - Winners Yorkshire Vikings

The Sevens, Dubai

Friday 20 March 2015

Twitter @ball_sup

My first time at this particular venue & "tournament". Although I've been to both International T20 & Test Matches up the road at Dubai Sports City.

First bit of "silverware" this season for the White Rose. Actually, an insanely large coffee pot. Good luck to whoever has to get that on the plane home & through Customs.

In all 3 matches, the side batting first won. T20 passes by in the blink of an eye doesn't it? My concentration not helped by others participating in the three hour swill at the Premium Buffet With Alcohol. Some serious Power Drinking out there.

What I thought I noticed was that Yorkshire were able to restrict boundaries conceded. That is a good skill to have. In the final, Hodd & Leaning put on 99 to recover from 77-4 (after being 16-3). And then England's Adil Rashid bagged a four for.

Sussex had previously won this tournament four times in a row. Obviously, it's a phoney war. But, "winning is a habit".

There's some intriguing match ups out here. Notably the Openers. Encumbent Alastair Cook. Recent discards Compton & Carberry. New pick Adam Lyth. And widely tipped Alex Lees. All of whom now move on to the four day game in Abu Dhabi. Mouthwatering.

I'm not normally one for stalking players. But, the opportunity to shake hands with & wish well to Nepali Cricket Captain Paras Khadka who was sat behind me was too good to miss. Great that MCC picked him.

OK. So, Friday is the religious day off, weekend in these parts. Expats tell me it is not what it was. But, Friday "all you can eat & drink" buffets are a thing out here. Lots of hotels & restaurants putting out ever more elaborate spreads to outdo each other.

Today, being Friday, for around 70 quid, you could get into the ground and have a 1230 until 1530, 3 hour run at a barbecue & the bar. Read that again, and the bar. Some Troopers were even buying booze for cash money BEFORE open season. And then again after the freebie shutters had gone down.

I've served my time on Power Drinking. And I knew there'd be Industrial International Lager only. (Amstel, Budweiser & Heineken as it turned out). So, I declined. Casualties and Atrocities aplenty. Fisticuffs towards the end of the final.

And now, a bit of KP T20 opinion.

Here's what I can't remember. Retired. Dropped. Sacked. Did Kevin Pietersen retire from International T20? Or was that part of his general, get your P45, sacking?

Because, here's what I don't get. If there is a lifeline back for him. Based on form. As "suggested" by Colin Graves. He surely doesn't have to go anywhere, or play for anyone, to demonstrate his T20 form. That's out there for anyone & everyone to see. He's out there playing in Big Bash & the Circuit.

Test cricket, yes. The Ashes, yes. He needs to play some/lots of First Class Cricket to put himself in the frame for those. But T20 (dare I include ODI). If Graves is wiping the slate clean, the Selectors could just pick him (or not).

102/241