Oh George, where did it all go wrong?

After early retirement Sixties superstar footballer and style icon George Best was in bed with the latest Miss World, having had a good night at the casino, bank notes were spread all around the penthouse suite at a luxury hotel when George decided to ask for a bottle of Dom Perignon from room service. The drink duly arrived with the cart being pushed into the room by an elderly waiter; looking around and then at George the waiter sighed and asked the same question ‘Talking Bails’ was asking after England’s latest defeat in the ICC Cricket World Cup;

‘Where did it all go wrong?’

Some thoughts from ‘Talking Bails’;

-          Not enough flexibility in selection, once you’re in the team, barring injury, you’re in the team

-          Ten team, nine match tournaments are totally different from a standard 5 or 6 match series against the same team and need a totally different approach

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-          Shot selection, big guns blazing is a fine approach against lesser teams

-          Don’t tell us the teams bats all the way down, there’s a reason why players bat at 9, 10 and 11 and not higher. Moeen Ali is a walking wicket at this level, followed closely by Archer and Rashid. That’s fine when top 6 are firing but when not don’t expect them to carry the game to the opposition in the company of the remaining batsman.

-          Archer is the find of the year, but he’s looking weary and needs a rest which is unlikely to happen with England needing to win one or likely two out of two matches left.

-          There is an ability to read the game, the team and management seem totally detached from the on-the-day conditions, the opposition and what is required. This is how we play seems to be the mantra, no matter what.

This could still end in glory. The tournament is still there to be won. Even if England have looked anything but favourites while failing twice to reach 230. The pressure has begun to go up more than a few notches but that will be nothing compared to losing the next match and needing to win the last to progress to the semi-finals.

Jim Horsley Hat Trick / 100th year anniversary

I would formally like to invite you to a small reception to celebrate the 100-year anniversary of Melbourne born and former player, Jim Horsley's hat trick against the touring Australian Imperial Forces XI for Derbyshire CC on July 15th 1919.

I will also be inviting (if I can track them down) the relatives of Jim, I met Len Hall, his grandson at a book launch 10 years ago now and my contact details are either out of date, he has moved or he may have passed away. However, the Derby Telegraph have run a story on the anniversary and the celebration which may unearth them. I am also trying social media etc. At the time, Len did have the hat trick ball which I am hoping someone will still have and bring along.

(NEWS - Len tracked down and attending)

The get-together will be held at the Chip & Pin, High Street, Melbourne DE73 8FG on Monday July 15th, 7pm onwards. I will also be presenting to the land lord of the Chip & Pin, the original (and only one) picture of the Melbourne Derby and District League winning team of 1907 which was left to me recently and has been re-framed. I am also tracking down relatives of that team with some success.

It should be a great cricket together, I am also inviting the local cricket clubs, cricket followers, former players, historians, the League together with current and former players.

I sincerely hope you (and your partners) may be able to attend and should you think of anyone I should invite, please let me know

Best wishes

Andy H

07722 485213

Like many others ‘Talking Bails’ was excited that the ICC World Cup was coming to the UK and greatly looking forward to attending as many matches as the budget would allow. Not many would be the answer as it turns out.

That didn’t reckon with the excruciating and interminable system of buying a ticket via the web site. It’s not just buying them in this country, friends in Australia and elsewhere planning to come over have found the same problems.

Log on, user name, password, re-log on and repeat, onto web site, look at matches, apply to buy and then………….1hour, 2 hours, 3 hours and after 4 hours and a whole morning of my life that won’t return; finally give in.

But that’s not the end, in an effort to make keyboard warriors of us all or alternately increase sales of laptops etc as we throw the at the wall, comes the message;

‘Thank you, we hope you enjoyed your queueing experience’

Really ICC, go on, have a guess at my enjoyment level on a scale of one to ten and also include the figure nought or even better minus.

That’s not the end of the insult as ‘Talking Bails’ switched on the television and saw what looked like rows of empty seats which is because that is exactly what they were, seats with no occupier.

It seems to ‘Talking Bails’ that in an effort to sell cricket to a wider community, the ICC have forgotten that witnessing a game live is the best way to sell any sport and its players, teams, merchandise etc; cricket needs to make itself available, affordable and accessible.

Happy watching, from wherever you may be.

Time to go local on Saturday and switch off with a beer

Available, affordable and accessible……….and always enjoyable

Oh Jimmy, Jimmy

How superb to see England’s Jimmy Anderson playing for his county this week against Derbyshire in the Specsavers County Championship Division 2 encounter where, not surprisingly, Anderson starred taking a total of 6 wickets for Lancashire in the match so far.

It got ‘Talking Bails’ thinking how accessible the cricket stars of the not-so yesteryear were in his formative years and what an impression they were able to make and, in an instant, become role models to imitate, follow and aspire to.

Overseas stars in particular were a target to watch and learn from; Peter Kirsten, John Wright, Michael Holding were but a few to grace the stage at the County ground in Derby and Derbyshire’s England players of the time – Mike Hendrick, Geoff Miller and Bob Taylor. Amongst visiting players to study were the likes of Sir Geoffrey Boycott, Ray Illingworth, Dennis Amiss, Bob Willis, Viv Richards, big Joel Garner and Sir Beefy himself. Club nets or the playground at school were the perfect place to hone the skills that had been on show the day before.

It truly was a time of the 3 aaa’s (not the sponsor); accessible, affordable and approachable. Well maybe not Sir Geoffrey who always had that ‘don’t bother me now’ look as he was no doubt planning his next move in the seemingly endless and years long Yorkshire Cricket civil war.

Moving on to the next generation of young cricketers who, unless they have parents with an ever open cheque book (an ever open payment card doesn’t quite have the same ring to it) will never experience the thrill of watching our top stars live in action and being inspired, motivated and encouraged in equal measures.

There must be a way of allowing the current England players the opportunity to play in the County Championship, one-dayer’s and T20 with the County clubs taking the opportunity to attract families to watch.

To repeat todays’ mantra

‘accessible, affordable and approachable’

If you want to be the best, what better way than to watch the finest in action.