THE BARMY ARMY BARMY ARMY SPECIAL THE MAKINGS OF A PHENOMENON. Your free magazine from the makers of ALL OUT CRICKET

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1 Your free magazine from the makers of ALL OUT CRICKET BARMY ARMY SPECIAL THE BARMY ARMY England s Huge Winter: SA and Pakistan previews THE MAKINGS OF A PHENOMENON The Greatest Barmy Moments Everywhere we go How to write the perfect cricket song INSIDE: SIGN UP FOR ENGLAND S WINTER TOURS

2 AOC: The only magazine you need to pack in your kitbag - Jimmy Anderson Subscribe to All Out Cricket for just 26! You d be barmy not to... All Out Cricket and Barmy Army have teamed up to bring you an Asheswinning offer - 12 issues of All Out Cricket for just 26! Offer is 26 for a 12-month subscription by Direct Debit. Credit or debit card payments are 29 for a 12-month subscription. UK only. Offer Closing date is December Go to aocsubs.com/barmy15 or call and quote BARMY15 SAVE 25

3 EVERYWHERE WE GO... Hello, Leafy here, welcome to this special edition of All Out Cricket magazine, Barmy Army style. It s a great time to be involved with English cricket, there s such a buzz around the England team, and we ve got some brilliant tours coming up over the next few winters to keep that buzz alive. And of course, the Barmy Army will be with the lads every step of the way, just as we have been for the last 20 years. What a journey it s been. Back in 1994/95, down in Australia where it all started, there were a lot of football fans there watching the Ashes, and The Barmy Army was actually a football chant. It was a stupid name to have trademarked but I didn t know anything different! But over the years we have changed the meaning of the name to represent something really positive that fans and kids of all shapes and sizes can buy into. Now after 20 years it means the right thing. It is a chant that can come out for whatever situation in the game. Because you can t predict cricket, anyone who thinks they can just needs to look at this current Ashes series! We get behind the boys and they love it. If you have a few hundred people cheering your name when you run into bowl it will add another yard of pace, and that extra yard is so often the difference in cricket. Without a doubt, there is an increase in performance when the vocal England fans are there and supporting, and long may it continue. Thanks to the good folks at All Out Cricket for helping us put this magazine together. We hope you enjoy it, and that we get to see you on tour over the next few months. There s plenty of cricket to be played, and singing to be had! I d just like to say what a genuine pleasure it is to work with the Barmies, and to produce this magazine right here for its battalion. We go back quite a long way together, us and the Barmy Army, combining to produce books and publications over the years as well as AOC providing a home for Paul Winslow s whimsical wordplay. I guess it s because at All Out Cricket we re fans first and foremost, it s how we got into it in the first place, and that chimes with the Army. We stand for similar things, for something good, something unbreakable: for English cricket a love supreme, if ever there was one. In the following pages we seek to capture that spirit, and to bring you a taster of what we do as a magazine. We hope you enjoy it, and I ll see you in Cape Town Phil Walker Editor, AOC Cheers! Paul Burnham Barmy Army founder

4 THE DAY I GOT THE Army All Out Cricket editor Phil Walker knew of the Barmy Army everybody does but he had to travel to Australia, and the hothouses of Brisbane and Adelaide, to truly understand it. Here he recalls that 2013/14 tour of duty, when England got battered but we sang on regardless. So we ve stumbled out of Brisbane. It s the morning after the news has come through about Trotty. We re on the same flight as the England squad, up to Alice Springs in the middle of sweltering nowhere, and various TV camera crews have parked themselves right outside the airport terminal entrance. The cameras will get nothing out of them today, which is probably enough of a story in itself. (Later that week, Dean Jones, the ex-australian batsman turned shock-jock controversy bin, will write that Kevin Pietersen should be banned from listening to music on planes and buses.) It s intended as a break from the piercing hum of an Ashes series, and it does the job. The mayor of Alice announces this visit by the England cricket team to be the most important historical moment for the region since the Queen s visit in No one s in the mood to argue. The squad aren t swamped out here but they re not alone either. The press pack is here, of course, and so is a core division of the Barmy Army. The local media are just as fascinated by the fans as they are with the team. Interviews take place every few minutes. Bill Cooper s worldly trumpet gets an hourly airing; at one point he even pops up on local TV playing a didgeridoo. A 20-over match between a Barmy Army XI and an Indigenous XI gets live ball-by-ball commentary on CAAMA Radio, going out across the whole of the Northern Territories, while a steak-eating contest between a gnarled Army veteran and the undisputed local champ attracts an ABC camera crew: that s right, in Australia, two blokes eating steak in a pub goes national. The Barmy Army are big news over here. As England s two-dayer against the Chairman s XI wends along in the heat, punctuated only by talk of selection options for Adelaide, the stupor is broken by the sudden news that the PA announcer at the ground has been stood down by Cricket Australia for inappropriate conduct. Even though there s absolutely nothing in the claim that he said Monty in a derogatory Asian accent when announcing Panesar s introduction, the man is handed his papers nonetheless. It s a surreal place, is Alice. Adelaide looms immense. Everyone feels it. The Barmy Army rolls into town claiming the place as their spiritual home, the phenomenon having first taken root here two decades back. The newly sexed-up multi-purpose stadium rolls out the velvet for a behind-the-scenes tour, while outside the old romantics who grew up on the grassy banks wrestle with progress. The thinking is clear and right by England. Two spinners, give Ben Stokes his head, win the toss, bat hard and long, get back in the series, but when the coin comes down for Australia and Cook begins with Obviously, we would have liked it s tough, from the press box, to ward off the pessimism. From the coin going up, to Michael Carberry s drop of Brad Haddin on day one, from Cook s twin dismissals to KP s first-innings shocker, Swann s unmanning and the gruesome magic of Johnson and Clarke, Adelaide 2013 will go down as England s worst experience since, well, Adelaide The press-box narrative is set. They re past their best. The captain s knackered. The coach, great though he is, has driven this bus quite far enough. They re running scared, these souls who ve nothing left to give. I wander, in a daze, from the press box, out to find the real people. And in the outer, the chorus has a different take. Their loyalty never wavers. Towards the end of the third day, Good Ol Billy summons one more blast from his defiant trumpet. Considering Australia are effectively at the time, it hits me that this is a pretty good effort. Bill s soldiers start up another chant. For old times! It s a touching little moment. And I m struck again. So it s for this crowd out here, burning up in their shorts, that all this happens. They bring kudos and levity all at once. We ve been here before, says Paul Winslow, Army veteran. And we ll be here again, haemorrhaging money and having a great time. (Talking of money, that night the Barmy Army will raise over five grand for The Broad Appeal charity.) Winslow s right, of course. This is the cycle of sport. Players come and players go, and fortunes heave and sigh to the rhythms of form. And all the while, the chorus just keeps on singing. I think this was the day I finally got the Barmy Army. 4 ALL OUT CRICKET

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6 Raising An Army From a small rebel alliance to an organised army travelling to all parts of the world, the Barmy Army has come a long way from small beginnings, says veteran foot-soldier Paul Winslow. It started almost by accident, certainly not by any intricate design. A chance, throwaway line used by an Australian journalist was picked up on by some cricket fans who printed t-shirts with said line emblazoned across it. The Barmy Army was simply a moniker originally used to describe the England fans on the chaotic Australia tour in 1994/95. It has since become an iconic ingredient of the world cricket recipe. Perennially the back story to any England tour abroad, these fans are loved by the players they support, respected by the opposition and welcomed by the people of towns and cities to which they bring a sense of fun, life and a healthy thirst. If nobody foresaw the coming of a cultural phenomenon, Paul Burnham, Dave Peacock and Gareth Evans were certainly quick to seize on the original opportunity presented. It was they, having already produced t-shirts with the legend We came here with backpacks, you with ball and chain were quick to pick up on the new phrase. They hotfooted it to the printers to create the first Barmy Army t-shirts and, helped out by an unlikely England victory, were so successful the profit paid for most of their trip. On arriving back in Blighty they quickly trademarked the name. It took a few years for the organisation to gradually evolve. Back then the fans that travelled overseas were a small group far removed in volume from the thousands expected to travel to South Africa this winter. But as the years went by the numbers gradually swelled and for many a Barmy Army tour became less once-in-a-lifetime experience and more of a regular trip not to be missed. Faces became familiar, friendships were formed and a strong bond developed between those who shared this love of cricket, travel and a certain type of fandom. By the new millennium The Barmy Army hit South Africa for the 1999/2000 tour that proved hugely popular and also saw the arrival of a new face that would become recognisable around the world. Everywhere we go had long been a staple 6 ALL OUT CRICKET

7 part of the Barmy Army song repertoire (see page 16) but it was on this tour that Vic Flowers (whose likeness to Jimmy Savile was an easy reference until recent revelations) took it upon himself to lead the song. Admittedly he got the words wrong more often than right at first but it was the beginning of a long career as the BA frontman subject to thousands of photo requests as the Army s iconic leader. Four years later the Army recruited another key member of personnel through random means. William Cooper is a professional trumpet player and cricket fan. He took his trumpet with him on the 2004 West Indies tour in order to practise for a big concert he was due to play on his return to England. He had no intention of playing it at the cricket, but fate took a hand. Bill left said trumpet in a taxi at the end of a late night and figured he would never see it again. The next Test was in Antigua and Bill was surprised to hear a trumpet being played badly in the ground. Borrowing some binoculars he ascertained that the trumpet was his (it was blue there aren t many blue trumpets around) and set off to recover the tool of his trade. He was asked to prove it was his and played The Great Escape, for the first of what would be hundreds of times, and as the crowd sang along. Paul Burnham quickly spotted an opportunity to add another recruit with a special talent was another big year for the Army as it made its first official stand on home territory, with blocks of seats allocated for the incomparable Ashes series. The way the series caught the imagination of the nation had a knock on effect and the 2006/07 return series saw almost certainly the biggest invasion force ever assembled head to Australia for what was to prove a pretty miserable tour. Four years later there were happier times and the Army could barely produce shirts quickly enough to sell them as everyone wanted a souvenir from the greatest victory since the Army was formed. While Australia is the spiritual home-away-from-home for the Army it has a close affinity with each Test nation. Terrorism didn t prevent a small force visiting India in 2008 in the aftermath of the Mumbai bombings, Pakistan is a favourite venue for those who have visited while entire towns of New Zealand have pretty much been taken over. South Africa will again attract big numbers this winter, attracted by the beauty of the grounds, the Christmas / New Year timing and the value of the pound against the rand. Wherever England play, the Barmy Army follows by the thousands for the bigger tours and a couple of hundred to somewhere like Bangladesh. On any given tour there is a combination of old hands cofounder Paul Burnham is still a regular tourist a smattering of soldiers with a decade of service under their belt and a bunch of newbies. Everyone is welcome whether they have been around for 20 years or 20 minutes. Similarly there have been songs that have survived the test of time and still retain a place in the songbook, while new ones evolve as new players make their way into the team. Several things remain constant dedication, unwavering support for a team however they are performing and the ability to sing, have a good time and bring life to any Test arena. Far too many Test cricket matches are now being played out in front of a handful of fans where there used to be thousands. Thanks to the Barmy Army, England will never have that problem. AOC BARMY ARMY 7

8 You Had To Be There! Everyone s got their favourite Barmy memories. We asked some celebrated stalwarts from past Army tours for theirs. Bill Cooper, AKA Billy The Trumpet Allan Fairlie-Clarke, AKA Jockolad First tour: Australia, 2002/03 Favourite Barmy Army memories? Cape Town in 2010, with Onions battling out for the draw. Beautiful. The Boxing Day Test at the MCG in 2010 first day carnage, and then the last day when only the England fans were in the ground and the BA rocked the place! The SCG a few days later. For the Mitchell Johnson duck serenaded all the way in to the middle, and then all the way back again. Also for winning the Ashes in Australia finally, as Bill was playing The Last Post. Bill and Vic joining the team in Trafalgar Square for the 2005 Ashes celebrations. Auckland 2013 Matt Prior and Monty battling out for the draw. Drawing is the new winning! The India tour in 2008, post the Mumbai terrorist attack. Hastily rearranged flights and hotels, with the Indians so grateful for us being there, and Chennai resulting in the birth of the Swanny Super Over song, after his first over two wickets in Test cricket. 2008, at the Thirsty Whale in Napier, with each player singing solo in turn, until it came to Monty, who eventually enlisted the help of Harmy to sing God Save The Queen! First tour: West Indies, 2004 Favourite day? It has to be Boxing Day 2010/11 in Melbourne, bowling them out for 98 and then being at the end of the day. That won t be beaten, because the Aussies had been giving us grief, we d lost the Test before in Perth. That was something special, to come back that comprehensively when we d been that rubbish the game before. I was at the 5-0 in Australia in 2006/07, so that makes it extra sweet! Best night? At the end of that same Test, a supposed Aussie Rules Football legend, not that I know anything about it, said, Lads, why don t you come up to my pub, I ll let the Barmy Army take over. So we did. We invited the England boys over thinking they wouldn t turn up and about 11pm two minibuses rocked up with pretty much the whole English team piling out, they d all had a few and that party went on all hours! The English lads were all behind the bar, pulling themselves pints and we were all up having a sing-song. It s the sort of thing as fans you dream of, meeting the players and having that two-way affection. War Stories? After a game in Galle in 2012, we all went out and I had this prototype long fanfare trumpet with me, the sort of thing you see in military parades, and of course it was decided it would be fun to get a shot of me playing it in the sea at three in the morning. Then some big wave comes and takes me out and I lost about two-thirds of the trumpet! That s the most printable one 8 ALL OUT CRICKET

9 andy thomson, AKA Copper Andy KATY COOKE AKA Cookie First tour: Australia, 2002/03 Greatest Night? Without a shadow of a doubt, when we saved the Test in Cape Town in It was the best non-victory, victory party that we ve ever had. It was so spontaneous; it got very messy with people dancing on the bar. When we saved that Test match, it was almost better than a win because we didn t deserve to draw. The DJ was playing songs and they were getting immediately adapted to Barmy Army songs, e.g. Who s that coming over the hill, it s Graham Onions, Graham ONIONS... Everyone was drinking this horrible concoction so we were all smashed. Why the Barmy Army? A lot of it is the people you meet and the friends you make. You might not see someone for a few months then you see them again and you re like brothers and sisters. It sounds like a cliché but it is very much a family. It s inclusive and everybody gets welcomed. First tour: South Africa, 1999/00 Your favourite moment? I went to Bangladesh in 2003, the whole tour, even the warm-up games, and the food was amazing. It s an amazing place to tour. Best night? Cape Town in 2004/05, the fifth day. We knew we were going to lose, Steve Harmison top-scored and we sung our hearts out. It was funny, it was ridiculous, but we took it on the chin and had a great time. The sort of people who make the effort to go to difficult places, where there isn t a bar in every corner, they re the sort of people I want to meet. adje walton, AKA Adje First tour: Australia, 1994/95 First tour? I was there for 1994/95, when it all began. In those days Perth was the last Test and I tagged on at the end. We were 2-1 down and Mark Taylor left us about 480 to win with 4 sessions to go and I remember thinking we ll knock these off. By the end of the fourth day we were But there were more English in there on the last day than Australians, as there always will be. How did it all start? It was basically a bunch of backpackers who got together and started supporting the team. We travel around the world and all the opposition players love it. Now the Fanatics have started for Australia, which is a big compliment. We ve made friends with them and we all have a good time when they come over, they want to be with us. Paul Burnham, AKA Leafy First tour: Australia, 1994/95 Greatest night? Perth 2006/7, when we lost the Ashes. We lost at midday and were still in the ground at the end of the day and Perth that night was amazing. Even though we lost the Ashes, it was an unbelievable night, it just showed that we ll support the team no matter what. The players know that as well. I don t agree when any English player says We need to perform to get the crowd behind us. It should be our job as the crowd to spur them on to play well and then get really behind them. I think we as the Barmy Army have proven that it s very British. It s also about our sense of humour, I think we have the best sense of humour in the world. It doesn t matter if we re losing, we will still support them 100 per cent. That s what I love about the Barmy Army, we only judge them at the end of the Test, not during the day. AOC BARMY ARMY 9

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11 ENGLAND S GREATEST AWAY WINS From the men who were there, we bring you some of the greatest Test victories since the formation of the Barmy Army THE ADELAIDE ASSAULT Phil DeFreitas Australia v England, Fourth Test, Adelaide, 1995 We were on the back foot when I went into bat with John Crawley towards the end of day four. I was very watchful and we managed to get through that evening. The next morning I read a couple of quotes from our coach Keith Fletcher saying that we d do really well to get a draw out of this. I thought that was a bit negative. I decided to play my natural game and that was always to be very positive. Craig McDermott took the second new ball and I decided to go after him. If it was in my arc, it was going. I was disappointed not to go on to make my hundred but I was thrilled with 88. The guys bowled really well and we ended up winning the match. It was a special Test and a great day for me. THE FAMOUS REARGUARD Jack Russell South Africa v England, Second Test, Johannesburg, 1995 Robin Smith had got caught at third-man, which I thought was a bit dumb, and I walked to the wicket about an hour into play on the last day. Athers had that look in his eye that he was going to do it, so I just thought some idiot better hang around at the other end. God knows how I got to 29. I hit a four and I was so angry with myself. When Darrell Hair took the bails off I almost had a go at him; I was so locked up in the situation that I would have been there until midnight if I had to. I got the world record number of dismissals in the same match. I couldn t sleep the night before I got the record. I needed one or two more dismissals the next day and sat up until 4am drinking tea and watching the lightning out of my hotel window. AOC BARMY ARMY 11

12 THE HARDEST HUNDRED Graham Thorpe Sri Lanka v England, Third Test, Colombo, 2001 The innings in Colombo when we beat Sri Lanka was really tough. I got a century and 32* and from a physical point of view it was my hardest hundred and probably my best. Physically that was shattering, the temperatures were hot and we had to win the Test to win the series. There was a lot of shit going on during the game; bad umpires, bad player behaviour and it became a bit of a grudge match. THE MOST FLUENT Michael Vaughan Australia v England, Fifth Test, Sydney, 2003 I was in great form on that tour arguably the best of my life and I just went out there and teed off! Nothing more scientific than that. It was just one of those days when it didn t matter who was bowling at me, they were going. I just smashed it, and kept smashing it to finish with 183. THE JAMAICAN HEIST Steve Harmison West Indies v England, First Test, Jamaica, 2004 This was the individual highlight of my career. We had a small lead on first innings and it looked like it would be a tight game. It was one of those spells where I felt I could get a wicket every ball. I conceded 12 runs in 12 overs and eight of those came in boundaries. This is where it all started. After this series and the West Indies were a decent side at the time we went on a run where we were unstoppable, culminating in the Ashes win over Australia. It was such a good time for English cricket. We had a really good side that was well balanced in terms of youth and experience. We still had Mark Butcher, Nasser Hussain and Graham Thorpe in the team and they helped us through.

13 THE PERFECT DAY Andrew Strauss Australia v England, Fourth Test, Melbourne, 2010 Boxing Day at Melbourne will always go down as the best day s cricket I ve ever played. To bowl them out of 98 and then be at stumps on the central day of the Australian sporting calendar in front of 90,000 Aussies watching their side get battered, that was an incredible day. Then lifting the urn at Sydney was another great moment. All the way through that tour, from the moment we arrived, we just felt there as something special going on. The stars were aligned, things seemed to be going our way, we played well, we were confident, we were comfortable with each other in the dressing room in Sydney thinking, Can anything ever eclipse this? THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN Matthew Hoggard South Africa v England, Fourth Test, Johannesburg, 2005 Taking 12 wickets in the game in Johannesburg to help England secure a series victory over there was pretty special. I have bowled better than that, the first innings I bowled like a shower of shit! It s one of those grounds where you can turn up and it seams all over the shop. I played a couple of times there for Free State and always bowled badly. In the first innings I thought I bowled badly again, but I got in about 50 overs. It was one of those voodoo grounds, everyone s got one, and you think, Well, I won t do well there. But then in the second innings everything seemed to go right, and when Jacques Kallis edged his first ball behind to first slip, I thought it might be one of those days. THE HERO Matt Prior New Zealand v England, Auckland, Third Test, 2013 As an individual that was my best day in an England shirt because I was able to save the game for my mates. That was a very proud moment. Ironically, I stood in the huddle at the beginning of the day and said, Days like today are when heroes are made. You think back to Atherton and Russell at the Wanderers, these are opportunities to stand up and make your country proud, and little did I know that I would be the one at the end of the day with my arms aloft in the air. That meant so much to all of us and I just happened to be the lucky one who had my day. It s the picture I ve got in my gym. When I was going through my rehab, with the dream to play for England again, that picture was always my motivation. That moment, that feeling, was what I always looked at because I wanted it again. That s why I was doing it. Unfortunately, it wasn t to be, but it will always be there. THE FINALE Paul Collingwood Australia v England, Fifth Test, Sydney, 2011 This match just topped everything off. Sydney is a great ground and it was incredible to play my last Test there and go out on such a high. It was a very emotional week. I remember looking up at the English flags as we came out each morning knowing this was going to be my last Test match. The players didn t know at that stage but Reg Dickason, our security officer, was a big factor in me telling them on the fourth morning. I just wanted to go after the match and say thanks very much but he said a lot of people would want to celebrate my career for one last day. I thought that was a good point and to get the reception that I did was absolutely fantastic. AOC BARMY ARMY 13

14 PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES No one underestimates the security issues surrounding a Pakistan tour, but the UAE will never have quite the same allure, writes Paul Winslow. According to Ian Botham, Pakistan is the sort of country to send your mother-in-law to. But ask any Barmy Army member who has been lucky enough to tour there, and you ll get a different opinion. It may not have the infrastructure of other cricket destinations, it might be more of a challenge to get your hands on a glass of alcohol and conditions are generally a little more basic, but it s a thrilling, intriguing and rewarding place to tour.

15 The welcome England supporters receive from cricket fans and the general public alike is hard to get your head around. In a country that doesn t benefit from much in the way of tourism, an influx of white people is something of a novelty and to be a Barmy Army fan in Pakistan is to have a vague idea of what it is to be a global superstar. Questions are asked, photographs are taken and it s quite likely that on leaving a cricket ground you ll get followed by a mob of people. The cricket in Pakistan was rarely without incident, whether it was Shahid Afridi taking advantage of a gas canister exploding to scuff up the wicket while everyone was distracted, or Mike Gatting s famous argument with Shakoor Rana (to say nothing of the diplomatic furore caused by Ian Botham s aforementioned mother-in-law comment). But cricket was put in the shade by the events of March 3, 2009 when the Sri Lankan team bus was attacked en route to the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. For Barmy Army members who had visited the city it was all too easy to picture this took place on a roundabout most of us traversed on foot or by taxi on our way to the ground. Until a recent ODI tour by Zimbabwe no international cricket was played in Pakistan since that attack and while it was heartening to see the game making tentative steps towards re-entry, it s unlikely we ll see England back there any time soon. And so, for the second time, a small contingent of hardened tour pros will make its way to the United Arab Emirates in October. It s a surreal tour as modern stadia built in a country with no cricketing pedigree pay witness to Test cricket with only a handful of people in situ. The sound of ball hitting bat echoes around empty seats that may never be filled. But, such is the strength of England s support, there will be fans who see this as an opportunity to expand their cricketing horizons, whatever the conditions, circumstances or venue. So there will be pockets of atmosphere, but for those who have toured Pakistan a return in the future would be welcome. England v Pakistan fixtures 1st Test Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi, Oct nd Test Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Oct rd Test Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Nov 1-5 1st ODI Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi, Nov 11 2nd ODI Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi, Nov 13 3rd ODI Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Nov 17 4th ODI Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Nov 20 1st T20I Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Nov 26 2nd T20I Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Nov 27 3rd T20I Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Nov 30 AOC BARMY ARMY 15

16 It s a tour where you can see real lions, watch three lions and drink Lion beer. A country of close escapes, dodgy wins and a sense of perspective. The Barmy Army are heading back to South Africa, writes Paul Winslow. While there was a tour of South Africa in 1995/96 it was perhaps the Millennium tour, when the Barmy Army had more solidly established itself, that the love affair with South Africa began. Those fans witness to day one at The Wanderers in 99 would have needed every ounce of their renowned positivity as it famously began with England losing four wickets for just two runs. They lost that Test, drew the next, had South Africa following on in the third at Durban only to concede and draw again, before losing the fourth Test at Newlands. The fifth Test at Centurion gave the travelling fans something to cheer as England won a rain-affected match after both teams forfeited an innings, but looking back now the match-fixing connotations surrounding that affair would probably taint any happy memories of those who were there. Off the pitch this was the tour where Barmy Army stalwart Vic Flowers made his bow. The year of 2005 was one of the greatest for English cricket and it wasn t just the Ashes victory that brought smiles to the faces of the Barmy Army. It began with England s first series victory in South Africa for 40 years. The tour began well in Port Elizabeth where a couple of young lads called Dale Steyn and AB de Villiers made their debuts. Steyn got more centuries with the ball than AB did with the bat in that series wonder what happened to them? England chased down 145 to win for a 1-0 lead but in Durban found themselves in the Boxing Day do-do, bowled out for 139 runs. That game would go on to become remembered as the Bouncebackability Test as England faced a 200-run deficit after the first innings, scored in the second and came within two wickets and some bad light of a famous victory. The truth is none of us should have cared. As this correspondent took his seat after a morning flight from Johannesburg on Boxing Day, I got chatting to a random guy in the seat next to me. Vague news reached us of a tsunami that had affected Sri Lanka, among other places, and it transpired that s where he lived. Neither of us gave it too much thought. It s hard to believe now but 11 years ago people generally kept their phones off while overseas, no one was on Twitter, Facebook wasn t ubiquitous. The severity of the situation was picked up by some and money was raised for the victims on the final day of the Test, but for others there was a cricketing bubble that was only later burst when the true nature of that tragedy became apparent. The Barmy Army would go on to raise money for victims in Sri Lanka, visit schools there, hear eyewitness tales and be present when Galle was reopened for Test cricket in Because of that, a sombre day for humanity would always be linked to cricket for some of us. It seems almost churlish to talk about the subsequent cricket but England lost the next Test heavily at Cape Town before an inspired Matthew Hoggard bowled England to a win in Johannesburg and a rain-affected draw confirmed the series win. So many great memories, but they all seem bittersweet now in a historical context. Ah five-test series remember them? Aside from Ashes series they seem to be a thing of the past and certainly by the time England toured South Africa in 2009/10 the schedule was reduced to just four. Just to rub salt in the wound one of the favourite venues, Port Elizabeth, was the one to be scratched from the itinerary. Anyone who has ever been to PE and Pretoria wouldn t be hard pushed to choose a favourite. If 2005 at Durban was the Bouncebackability Test then the 2009/10 series was the How-the-hell-did-we-get-away-with that Tour as England were completely outplayed but came away with a 1-1 draw. English fans are accustomed to being put through the wringer; the Cardiff Ashes nerve-shredder in 2009 and the Auckland scrape in ALL OUT CRICKET

17 spring to mind. But to bat 96 overs and end up nine wickets down one week and follow up a fortnight later by batting 141 overs for another draw, again nine down, was to challenge the ticker of any fan. The fact these occurrences sandwiched an England victory by an innings and 98 runs at Durban goes to show it s not just the current side who are unpredictable. The England team had always had a soft spot for the Barmy Army but the team at this time were perhaps the most appreciative. As a result the post-durban victory celebration will live long in the memory of all those who were there as every England player hung out of the windows of their changing room with crowds gathered around going through the full repertoire. Graeme Swann and Matt Prior have always been huge fans of the Barmy Army and the first to join us for a beer and the rest of this team were rarely far behind them. Other enduring memories of that tour include the South African and English fans mixing in disbelief at the drama and tension that was unfolding before them at Centurion a real meeting of opposing fans. It turned out that wasn t real tension though as it was ramped up tenfold on a last day at Cape Town, a day known among some as Brutal Thursday and not just because of the consumption of a local delicacy called Brutal Fruits. Talking of consumption, Makhaya Ntini went into that series on 99 Test appearances. To celebrate his 100th Test the kind people at Castle Lager decided they would give everyone a beer when he took his first wicket. I think the idea was that everyone got a single voucher but the promo girls didn t seem that squeamish about handing them out. We grabbed a handful each on day one before watching South Africa bat all day. We grabbed some more on day two and the only England wicket to fall went to Friedel de Wet. The next day was wet of a different kind. Andrew Strauss added two to his overnight score before being bowled by Ntini and that gave us most of the day to make use of the copious amounts of free beer vouchers we d amassed by this stage. The series ended up in heavy defeat at Johannesburg to give South Africa a deserved share of the spoils, but there was a happy ending for a few who managed to grab some playing kit that was given away by players. South Africa is not just about the cricket. Although it s not necessarily the safest destination on the cricketing calendar no one s ever said a walking tour of Johannesburg is a good idea on a day off there are many reason to visit this wonderful country. Sticking with the cricket, grounds don t get much more scenic than Newlands with Table Mountain towering behind it an epic setting for the greatest game. Cape Town itself is a stunning city with the waterfront, Robben Island, Table Mountain and wonderful coastline. Safaris are always a preferred option for time between Tests, but there s also the opportunity to get your wildlife kicks by seeing penguins on a beach or indulging in shark cage diving. The Garden Route is a beautiful drive while the Stellenbosch wine region attracts many to sample its delicious produce. With all that and a history of dramatic and intense cricket to be played, it s easy to see why this is a favourite tour on the calendar and we re already excited about what the next one might have in store. Barmy Army runs organised tours to South Africa that can be tailored to your needs whether you want to do a single Test or all four. See or call for details. England v South Africa fixtures 1st Test Kingsmead, Durban, Dec nd Test Newlands, Cape Town, Jan 2-6 3rd Test New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg, Jan th Test SuperSport Park, Centurion, Jan st ODI Chevrolet Park, Bloemfontein, Feb 3 2nd ODI St George s Park, Port Elizabeth, Feb 6 3rd ODI SuperSport Park, Centurion, Feb 9 4th ODI New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg, Feb 12 5th ODI Newlands, Cape Town, Feb 14 1st T20I Newlands, Cape Town, Feb 19 2nd T20I New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg, Feb 21 AOC BARMY ARMY 17

18 Going for a song Writing a new song and getting it to take off is a badge of honour for any BA member. Principal songsmith Paul Winslow brings us a few that made the grade The Barmy Army Songbook, published in 2012, lists well over a hundred songs that have, to varying levels of success, been belted out at cricket grounds around the world. The number evolves at roughly the same rate as the English cricket team as the songwriting community scratch their heads to make the new arrivals feel welcome. As Adrian Raffill said when interviewed for the Songbook: We can be in some of the best bars, the best restaurants, with the best views in the some of the best locations around the world and you ll find us hunched around a table scribbling on fag packets or napkins. It s very, very sad. There are many songs that don t make it further than a scrap of paper or the back of said fag packet. Others take off to become indelibly etched on the memories of players and fans alike on a given tour. Here s a smattering The standard It s Vic Flowers call to arms that offers everyone the chance to sing, as you don t need to know any words Jimmy: Everywhere we go Crowd: Everywhere we go The people want to know Who we are Where we come from Shall we tell them Who we are Where we come from We are the England The Mighty Mighty England We are the Army The Barmy Barmy Army Ali Cook s Barmy Army Etc Etc The hardy perennial It s been around for 20 years but it shows no sign of losing its allure (to the tune of Yellow Submarine ) In the town where I was born There lived a man who was a thief And he told me of his life Stealing bread and shagging sheep So they put him in the nick And then a magistrate he went to see He said: Put him on a ship, to the convict colony You all live in a convict colony A convict colony, a convict colony You all live in a convict colony A convict colony, a convict colony The surreal What the last verse has to do with anything, we don t know (to the tune of Marching Through Georgia ) I-oh, I-oh We are the Barmy boys I-oh, I-oh We are the Barmy boys We re England s famous cricket fans We travel near and far When we re not singing You ll find us at the bar (Repeat verse one) I-oh, I-oh You couldn t fill a fridge I-oh, I-oh You couldn t fill a fridge Your mother s wearing Tupperware Your father s wearing pants We re all going to a disco dance 18 ALL OUT CRICKET

19 The Deco Song Matt Prior s biggest fan, Deco, never misses a tour and this song, which he brought to the 2008 New Zealand trip, remains a favourite when we can get him to sing it (to the tune of Lord of the Dance ) We sang in the morning at the start of the Test We sang up to lunch then we went and had a rest We came back from lunch then we sang till tea It s fun being in the Barmy Army (Chorus) Sing sing wherever you may be We are the famous Barmy Army And we ll cheer England on wherever they may be And we ll sing them on to another victory Now an Ashes summer makes us all so proud It s fun watching England hit the convicts round the ground We ll sing for our batsmen and our bowlers too Cause they make all our dreams come true (Repeat Chorus) Now our ticket prices don t seem to be fair But look at our faces, do you think we even care? We ve come in our numbers and were gonna see Another famous Ashes victory (Repeat Chorus) At the end of this song, I hope the message is clear We are the fans that will always come and cheer So thanks everybody for singing with me Cos we re all part of the Barmy Army (Repeat Chorus) The back-to-bite-you During England s successful Ashes tour this rang out as England fans took over Aussie stadia and Johnson s game went to pot. Safe to say he got his own back...* He bowls to the left He bowls to the right That Mitchell Johnson His bowling is shite One for the skipper He still wouldn t look out of place in a church choir, but Cook has been an international cricketer for nine years and this was written after his first Test so it s had a bit of airing over the years (to the tune of Give It Up ) You flew out to India When your country needed you Century on debut, what a find Na na na na na na na na na Ali Ali Cook, Ali Cook, Ali Ali Cook Na na na na na na na na na The complete nonsense Even the songwriter (I ll admit it, it was me) thought this wasn t all that when first concocted but it s one of the defining songs of the 2008 New Zealand tour (to the tune of You Are My Sunshine ) We ve got Tim Ambrose Sounds like Ambrosia They make good custard Comes in a tin They make Creamed Rice too That s not important Just as long as England win Location, location, location Sometimes it s where you play and not who you are that can define a song Tim Bresnan made his debut in Bangladesh (to the tune of Those Were The Days ) We ve had a garlic naan We ve had a butter naan We ve had a plain, we ve had a keema too But our favourite naan, is Tim Bresnan All because he hates the convicts too Never let them forget Rumour has it Shaun Pollock used to sing this to himself bowling in the nets. We hope it s true but he never lived his miscalculation down (to the tune of Da Do Ron Ron ) My name is Shaun Pollock and I cannot count One more run run, one more run I miscalculated and we got knocked out One more run run, one more run Oh I had a panic attack Oh and I got the sack Oh we needed one more run One more run run, one more run *Events at Edgbaston after the first draft of this piece as written suggests the song is not dead yet and can still have an effect. AOC BARMY ARMY 19

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22 SANGA S DIARY It definitely reacts very, very differently to the red ball it throws up a huge number of questions and theories about where the game is going Mitchell Starc has reservations about the pink ball to be used in the first day/night Test between Australia and New Zealand in November SANGA S DIARY Hotfooting it from London to Galle and back again, popping over to Wimbledon and scoring runs by the bucketful, it s just another month for our intrepid hero JUNE 22 Back in Sri Lanka for two Tests against Pakistan, and mightily disappointed to lose the first one here at Galle, but there were some very heartening aspects to come out of it, with Kaushal Silva making his second Test century. As for the fanfare around my retirement, it s all been quite low-key so far. I think it might be a bit more intense when India get here next month JUNE 30 Great to see the boys level the series at Colombo. Tharindu Kaushal in particular was outstanding. He gets a lot of turn, has real variety and is a good, solid cricketer. Herath is still our No.1 spinner, and he should be playing as the main man for the next couple of years, but Kaushal has a chance to learn. And in terms of fast bowlers, we have Dushmantha Chameera who came in and bowled 150kph here with great pace and control, which is rare at a young age. It wasn t an easy chase but Angelo Mathews took us home to set it up nicely for the decider. I ll be heading back to Surrey before that one, but I ll be back home in August to face India in the last Tests of my career. JULY 1 It s a transitional time for Sri Lanka cricket, which makes it all the more important that we back these young players and let them find their own way. Sometimes we make the mistake of building a coaching environment where players aren t able to make their own choices in the middle. Players should get all the support they need but then be responsible for what they do in the game situation. We need that in Sri Lanka. A bit of patience, love and support, and then give them a chance to blossom. Thankfully the Sri Lankan public offers genuine support. It s not just about the player, but about the team. So even without me and Mahela, they will be supported. This young team needs that and I know they will get that. At Wimbledon hobnobbing with the great and the Boycs ALL AOC OUT SEPTEMBER CRICKET 2015

23 936 The The number of points achieved by Steve Smith in the ICC batting ratings following the second Test at Lord s the 10thhighest of all time MCC WORLD CRICKET COMMITTEE MCC World Cricket Committee, of which Sangakkara is a member, met at Lord s on July Their official conclusions were as follows: JULY 12 First blood to England then. They clearly made better use of that Cardiff wicket than the Aussies. They were 30-odd for three, but with Joe Root coming in, the innings changed. It would have been easy for him to be tentative after the chance he gave to Brad Haddin second ball, but the way he took the Australian attack on, and the intensity he showed throughout his innings, was great. He s without a doubt one of the best batsmen in world cricket right now. I thought Moeen Ali was also excellent. It s time to stop talking about whether or not Moeen is a genuine spinner. He s England s best spinner, and he s proved that. IT S A TRANSITIONAL TIME FOR SRI LANKA CRICKET, WHICH MAKES IT ALL THE MORE IMPORTANT THAT WE BACK THESE YOUNG PLAYERS AND LET THEM FIND THEIR OWN WAY CRICKET SHOULD BE AN OLYMPIC SPORT The Olympics is a fundamental opportunity for cricket in both the men s and women s game and with a global reach, such a presence would expose the game positively to new markets. THE ICC WORLD CUP SHOULD BE A 12-TEAM TOURNAMENT The organisation of a 10-team ICC Cricket World Cup for 2019 and 2023 is a retrograde step that damages the potential for growth in cricket s developing nations. COMPREHENSIVE SURVEY REQUIRED TO UNDERSTAND WHY SOME ATTENDANCES ARE DWINDLING The committee urged the ICC to conduct a comprehensive survey as to why people are not watching Tests in certain countries, and to consider subsidising tickets in these countries to encourage more people to come into the ground. TEST CRICKET NEEDS A BOOST BUT FOUR-DAY MATCHES ARE NOT THE ANSWER The committee is not in favour of the introduction of four-day Test matches. With the international schedule largely confirmed until 2019, the ICC has an opportunity in the coming months to debate and decide what the context of international cricket looks like post A World Test League should be a major part of that debate, so that there would be something at stake for every future Test series. JULY 14 The MCC World Cricket Committee met at Lord s today. I couldn t make it to the meeting as we were in the middle of the Kent match, but I had the opportunity to put forward ideas before the meet. With Mike Brearley in charge, and Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly and Ricky Ponting being a part of it, it s a great mix of people, all of whom have the best for cricket at heart, and we carry genuine weight. The committee doesn t necessarily want power; but it does need to know that the suggestions we make are taken seriously. A lot of thought, love and passion is behind the suggestions. The future of Test cricket is obviously an ongoing matter of debate. Day/night cricket is coming between Australia and New Zealand this winter and we should try to see how it goes. There have been lots of suggestions, but we need to find a balance between improving Test cricket, and yet retaining all the things that make it special. Day/night cricket is going to be different, and we need to see how that goes before we judge it. JULY 16 A really good win against Kent in the Championship keeps our promotion push alive. For me, it was my first chance to see Arun Harinath bat, and he s mightily impressive. He made two Championship hundreds when I was away [in the match against Glamorgan] and from what I ve seen so far I think he s a fantastic player. I watched him walk out to the middle and we had 22 overs to bat; Arun walked in and it was a good, old-fashioned Sri Lankan brand of cricket, where he just took the attack to the bowlers. He made 70-odd in the end, and he batted with a lot of freedom, but it wasn t loose. He defended and attacked the ball exceptionally I didn t expect him to go and bat like that. And he had a lot of options against spin, both in strike rotation and aggression. It s a shame that he s here in England! I was thinking in my mind what an opportunity it would be for Sri Lanka if he was over there and playing. He is a lovely boy too. Intelligent and articulate. ABOVE: The mightily impressive Arun Harinath: due a tap-up from a certain Sri Lankan cricketer? JULY 17 The other big story from the Kent match was the Curran brothers sharing the new ball. Both brothers are fantastic. Tom s workload has been really high this season and he s still come in with a smile. You need that in county cricket as a fast bowler. He has a great attitude, and he s able to laugh things off and approach everything with a smile. That s really helped us. But little Sam, at 17, has been a revelation. Eight wickets in the match! Also, he s a left-armer, which is a natural advantage. He s very smart in the way he bowls and the way he uses swing, his bouncer and everything else. He s done great for us in T20s and the four-day stuff and I really think that he s a phenomenal all-round cricketer at such a young age. I m just waiting to see what he ll do in a few years. It s a fairytale story to have the two brothers opening the bowling. JULY 20 Australia did what they do best at Lord s. They got ahead early and ran with it. Steve Smith was outstanding, but England stuck to just one plan, the corridor plan of bowling outside off stump to a packed offside field. You need more options against a player as good as Smith. India had relative success against him by bowling a straighter line and having more catchers on the leg-side, even getting a leg-slip in there at times. The point is that you have to change things up as the innings progresses, you can t be static against the really top players. There s been lots of talk about the pitch at Lord s but at the end of the day Australia are capable of taking 20 wickets on any surface. The bottom line is that England will have to do the same to stand a chance of winning the series. They need to forget what happened at Lord s and remember it s still just 1-1. Anything can yet happen. Kumar Sangakkara s diary is in association with Lycamobile AOC BARMY ARMY AOC 23 21

24 Let the experts plan your next pre-season tour Ashley Giles LCCC Sri Lanka defi nitely ticked all our boxes as a touring destination; the hospitality was impeccable, the facilities excellent throughout, the cricket challenging and the scenery breathtaking. Overall, superb value for money - I m certain Lancashire CCC will return before too long. Warren Hegg LCCC Lycafl ysport clearly know the travel business inside out, and everything went like clockwork as a result. Dan and his team are to be commended for their energy, commitment and unfailing good humour in ensuring that Lancashire CC s fi rst tour to Sri Lanka was a great success. Walbrook Building, 195 Marsh Wall London E14 9SG T: E: sportstravel@lycafl y.com

25 in association with GOLDEN SUMMERS In this edition It s 1949 and Walter Hadlee s emerging Kiwis are in town 28 Warne and Buchanan: no love lost 30 Meet Dudley Nourse, burly South African biffer 32 Things we miss: watching cricket on the Beeb Tales and treasures from cricket s glorious past When Bobby Peel got drunk at a crucial stage of the first Test at the SCG, Stoddy simply sobered him up under the shower. His six wickets then got England home by 10 runs David Frith on Andrew Stoddart, miserably overlooked in the 100 years since his death AOC BARMY ARMY AOC 25 83

26 GOLDEN SUMMERS MY GOLDEN SUMMER 1949 New Zealand s performances on the 1949 tour of England signalled the end of three-day Test matches and provided comfort for Rod Edmond during the years of defeats that were to follow. During my childhood in New Zealand in the early 1950s the national cricket team always lost. The nadir was Eden Park, Auckland in 1955 when New Zealand were dismissed for 26, a world-record low to this day. The horror of that collapse stays with me. For a nine-yearold it was almost too much to bear. My comfort during these torrid years was a book about the 1949 New Zealand tour of England, Alan Mitchell s Cricket Companions. I read it over and over, thrilling to the run-scoring feats of the two finest left-handers New Zealand has ever produced, Bert Sutcliffe (2,627 tour runs, average 59.70; 423 runs in the four Tests, average 60.42) and Martin Donnelly (2,287 tour runs; average 61.81, 462 in the Tests, average 77). In those days a tour was a tour, not a visit. The team of only 15 players came by ship, arrived in April, left in September, and played 33 first-class matches as well as four Tests. Alan Mitchell travelled with the team, shared their accommodation, and his Bert Sutcliffe scored 2,627 runs on the tour The New Zealand touring party of 49 who played 33 first-class matches and received daily expenses of 30 shillings THE MIDDLESEX PLAYERS FOR THE FIRST TEST AT LEEDS ARRIVED AT 2AM ON THE MORNING OF THE FIRST DAY HAVING COME HOTFOOT FROM A COUNTY MATCH THAT HAD FINISHED THAT EVENING, A LONG-AGO VERSION OF FLYING IN FROM THE IPL book conveyed the feel of this exhausting itinerary, the camaraderie especially but also the strain. I was gripped by his account of the captain Walter Hadlee fainting in the dressing room after a hectic run-chase against Derbyshire under a burning sun. Re-reading the book almost 60 years on, the consolation and the pride it offered returns as fresh as ever. Every page is familiar. But the tour it describes would be totally unfamiliar to anyone accustomed to seeing half a visiting team fly in from the IPL a couple of days before the first Test, as Brendon McCullum s did this year. The 1949ers were all amateurs: Hadlee was an accountant, Harry Cave a sheep farmer, CC Burke worked in the Post and Telegraph Department. Their cricket at home was limited to Saturday club matches and three three-day first-class fixtures each season. They enjoyed daily expenses of 1, raised to 30 shillings during the tour. Test matches on the tour were limited to three days, something the team resented. It was believed they wouldn t be good enough for anything more, and the counties objected to losing valuable players from Championship matches for any longer than necessary. County cricket had an influence then that has long gone. The Middlesex players for the first Test at Leeds Mann the English captain, Compton, Edrich and Young arrived at 2am on the morning of the first day having come hotfoot from a county match that had finished that evening, a long-ago version of flying in from the IPL. The three-day Tests resulted in four draws, neither side having the bowling to dismiss strong batting line-ups twice. As draw followed draw England included eight bowlers for the final Test at the Oval but with the same result. Hadlee s team ensured that three-day Tests would never be repeated, although the performance of the next New Zealand team to visit, in 1958, provided grounds for bringing them back. Mitchell s cricket companions were indeed just that for my childhood self. There was pleasure and relief in reading of a New Zealand team that didn t lose a Test. In fact the only loss on the whole tour, remarkable on the face of it, was to Oxford University. But university cricket was different in those days. Oxford had several internationals, and New Zealand were caught on a sticky wicket. I hated reading the chapter that Mitchell gave to this

27 John Reid lit up the Oval with a swashbuckling 93 defeat. But the players were the thing. I most identified with the youngest member of the team, 20-year-old John Reid, allrounder par excellence. A middleorder batsman, medium-fast seamer and brilliant fielder, it was his ability as reserve wicketkeeper that had clinched his selection for the tour. Reid went on to captain New Zealand s first-ever Test victory, against the West Indies in 1956, and to become probably the country s finest-ever allrounder. As a student in Wellington in the mid-1960s I used to play at his squash club across the road from the university and inwardly genuflect as he signed me in. But in 1949 he was work-inprogress and only played in the last two Tests. Mitchell s account of my hero s 93 at the Oval was my favourite passage. It was the left-handers, Sutcliffe and Donnelly, however, who most inspired the dogged young left-hander I was becoming. Sutcliffe s tour aggregate remains second only to Bradman. He was a natural lithe, graceful, with exquisite timing in front of the wicket. Cover drives flowed from his bat like a swift-moving river. He was another of the outstanding fielders in the team and a useful left-arm spinner. Years later, when he was 40 and I was 17, I faced him in a club match in Hamilton, too awed to do anything but defend my wicket. But the player who haunted my imagination, who I was never to see let alone play against, was Martin Donnelly. His innings of 206 at Lord s that summer remains the only double-century by a New Zealander in a Test in England, joining centuries he also made at Lord s for the Dominions against England, Oxford against Cambridge, and Gentleman versus Players. While at Oxford he also played rugby for England. And to cap it all, he was born in Ngaruawahia, just a few miles down the road from my home in Hamilton. And yet he was hardly seen in New Zealand. Only 13 of his 131 first-class matches were played at home, and none of his seven Tests. He had come to England with the 1937 team as a 19-year-old after only one first-class match. After war service as a tank commander in North Africa and Italy he went on to Oxford from where he joined the 1949 tour. Having relished Mitchell s account of Donnelly s wonderful summer, the saddest moment of Cricket Companions for me was the description of him standing, a lonely figure on the wharf at Tilbury, when the Rangitata left for home at the end of the tour. This was Donnelly s farewell to New Zealand cricket as well as to his cricket companions. He retired almost immediately and went to live in Australia where he had a successful business career. Donnelly had a twin brother, Maurice, who died as a baby in the Spanish flu epidemic in Looking back I wonder if there might have been Donnellys to join those other distinguished brothers Hadlees, Crowes, Bracewells, McCullums who have graced New Zealand cricket. And so my golden summer (not a single day was lost through rain) is one that I know only through the bliss of a genre now vanished the book of the tour. Today, in 2015, after a series short on the number of Tests rather than days, in which New Zealand s style of cricket was widely praised, I leave the last word on the 1949 tour to Alan Mitchell: Both teams demonstrated that Tests can be played in an excellent spirit, without incidents, and that though the shadow of national prestige may lie heavily over them, these matches can provide a great deal of fun both for players and spectators. GET THE LOOK WALTER HADLEE 1949 JAUNTY HAT! a tilt to non-conformity SCHOLARLY SPECS! for the studious skipper ELEVATED WAISTLINE! keeping things compact ENORMOUS ICE- WHITE PADS! tidy pads, tidy mind ROLLED UP SLEEVES! ready for runmaking AOC BARMY ARMY AOC 27 85

28 GOLDEN SUMMERS VRIVALRIES BUCHANAN V WARNE What could the coach and star player of international cricket s most successful ever side find to argue about? Plenty, writes Jo Harman. If you ve heard Shane Warne commentate on the Ashes this summer or in fact if you ve heard Shane Warne talk, ever you ll know that he loves a hobby horse. Be it Cook s boring captaincy, Beefy s beery BBQs, Clarke s funky fields, crap nicknames with convoluted backstories or his latest poker comp; in Warnie s world, a point s not worth making unless you make it a dozen times. That s all very well when you re retired and spouting off from the comms box but when you re still playing and the hobby horse in question is the pointlessness of the existence of your coach, things start to get a little bit awkward. Shane Warne and John Buchanan were never going to get on, diametrically opposed as they were in almost every sense. A former university lecturer with just seven first-class appearances to his name, Buchanan was appointed as Australia s coach in 1999 having led Queensland to their first Sheffield Shield title in 1994/95. He set about introducing a whole new coaching philosophy to the Australian dressing room and while captain Steve Waugh and later Ricky Ponting bought into it, Warne did not. Data analysis and fitness were two of the central tenets of the new regime and Warne just couldn t see the point. For Warne, a lager-guzzling larrikin whose phenomenal natural talent made his rise to super-stardom inevitable, these were unnecessary complications. Cricket had always been about having a laugh, gobbing off at a batsman, getting him out and then sinking a cold one. But for Buchanan, who d worked his way up to the top coaching job Warne loads his kit bag as Buchanan watches on AFTER A BIT I JUST TURNED TO THE COACH AND SAID: I M WEAK AS P**S, I HATE YOUR GUTS AND I WANT TO GO HOME. YOU RE A D***HEAD WARNE in Australia despite having no playing career to speak of, they were absolutely integral to success. Coaching to Buchanan meant more than batting, bowling and fielding; it meant broadening the horizons of his players and developing them as human beings. He encouraged his players to deliver lectures and recite poetry in the dressing room to build self-confidence, with subjects ranging from Hulk Hogan to the Bee Gees. The English press dubbed Buchanan the Wacky Professor after a team-briefing document was leaked during the 2001 Ashes that drew on the teachings of fifth Century Chinese warlord Sun Tzu. Warne may or may not have used his copy as toilet paper. SHANE WARNE Tests: 145 Wins: 92 Draws: 27 Losses: 26 Win percentage: ALL AOC OUT SEPTEMBER CRICKET 2015

29 IT WOULD SEEM AT TIMES HE DOES NOT PUT THE SAME THOUGHT INTO THESE COMMENTS AS HE WOULD IN EXTRACTING BATSMEN FROM THE CREASE BUCHANAN JOHN BUCHANAN Tests (as Australia coach): 91 Wins: 70 Draws: 11 Losses: 10 Win percentage: 77 Buchanan and Ponting had a strong relationship Other wacky idiosyncrasies included encouraging his players to practise batting and fielding with their eyes shut, announcing his intention to develop a new breed of ambidextrous cricketers in time for the 2007 World Cup, pushing notes addressed to his own players under the hotel room doors of opponents and a multiple-captain theory during his stint with Kolkata Knight Riders which didn t go down too well with incumbent skipper Sourav Ganguly. Tomorrow I can also ask for four coaches, quipped Ganguly. Best of all, there was his decision to hold vocabulary lessons during the 2005 Ashes, the intention being to encourage his players to use a list of polysyllabic words in everyday sentences. If he was trying to wind Warne up, he was doing a damn fine job of it. uchanan lit the touch paper during Australia s 2000/01 tour of India, Bcriticising Warne s fitness after the second Test defeat at Kolkata. It s no secret that Warnie s probably not one of the fittest characters running around in world cricket, he said. Hardly revelatory but it was enough to get the leggie s gander up. Buchanan would later express regret at his comment but for Warne there was no going back. The feud escalated when Warne was forced to cut short his season with Hampshire in 2006 for a pre-ashes military-style camp and described a programme that appeared to be constructed out of his very worst nightmares. Running up and down with water cans for five or six hours, pushing cars, sleeping in a sleeping bag with no tent, no mattress, out in the middle of nowhere. Orienteering through the middle of the night without a compass. There were 6ft kangaroos out there. [The coaches] were hoping we d confront one of them but we didn t actually see one. The bad-blood started to coagulate when Warne was allegedly overheard at a charity do saying: These boot camps are a big waste of time after a bit I just turned to the coach and said: I m weak as piss, I hate your guts and I want to go home. You re a dickhead. Buchanan s methods had incensed Warne but they got incomparable results. Under his stewardship between 1999 and 2007 Australia won 26 Tests series, drew two and lost two, winning three consecutive World Cups to boot. In the years that followed Warne wouldn t miss an opportunity to talk down Buchanan s role in their success the coach is something you travel in to get to the game etc but Waugh and Ponting were quick to point out how pivotal he was. Buchanan eventually stepped down after the 2007 World Cup win but absence did not Michael Clarke on the 2006 military-style boot camp, described by Warne as a waste of time make Warne s heart grow fonder. Later that year Warne launched his most scathing attack yet. I don t think he has made one good point in a long time, actually, he told Sydney s Daily Telegraph. Everything that I have read that he says, he is living in pixieland. It just shows what us players had to put up with. We had to listen to his verbal diarrhoea all the time. He is just a goose and has no idea and lacks common sense, and you can put all that in there. When Buchanan was given a role coaching England s youngsters ahead of the 2009 Ashes, Warne couldn t resist ruffling the goose s feathers once again. I think that s a great move because that means we ve got more of a chance. Hopefully Buck [Buchanan] will be doing his stuff and he ll be working and doing all his things and hopefully over-complicating things. I reckon it gives our chances a big boost and makes our blokes more hungry. For his part, Buchanan remained quietly puzzled by Warne s outbursts. He rarely acknowledged the feud in the media but said in his 2009 book The Future of Cricket: Since Shane and I left the Australian cricket team his critical views about my role have continued. It s disappointing coming from someone like Shane who, on the field, has been a player and a person who has changed the face of the game. It is puzzling that a person of his stature in cricket, someone with iconic status, would continue to criticise me. It would seem at times he does not put the same thought into these comments as he would in extracting batsmen from the crease. In 2013, Mike Hussey floated an intriguing theory about the Warne- Buchanan relationship. I think the way John spoke to and treated and tried to motivate Shane was genius. He almost tried to get into an argument with him or challenge him with things that were a little bit leftfield. So Shane would say, John, you re dribbling rubbish. I ll show you how to do it, and he d go out there and do it. In my mind that s absolutely genius coaching. If Hussey s theory is correct, then Buchanan is even sharper and even wackier than anyone gave him credit for. AOC BARMY ARMY AOC 29 87

30 GOLDEN SUMMERS THE GREATEST ASHES It might be 10 years since 2005, but it s 120 years since the first great Ashes battle a series that was also led by a true hero of English sport, writes David Frith. It was the first great Ashes series. There have been a couple since to match it, but England s triumph in Australia in 1894/95 elevated Anglo- Australian competition to a peak that has simply been sustained as the years have passed. Even Queen Victoria took an interest in the scores as they came through via the new cable service. England s skipper was Andrew Ernest Drewy Stoddart, widely known as Stoddy, miserably overlooked in the 100 years since his death. Having already led his country bravely and thrillingly on the rugby field, and in Australian Rules football matches in Melbourne in 1888, he was the first and still the only man to captain England in three sports. Beloved by cricket followers in both countries, Stoddart put an astounding number of landmark entries into cricket s story. His 485 for Hampstead in a club match in 1886 was for years the highest score in any cricket game. In 1893 at Lord s he became the first captain to declare a Test innings closed. It was also at his home ground at Lord s that season that he became the first batsman since way back in 1817 to score twin centuries in a match AE Stoddart leads the England team out at Lord s THEY WERE LEISURELY TIMES. BETWEEN TESTS THE ENGLISHMEN WENT BUSH, NEVER SHORT OF A HAMPER OF BOOZE, AND SHOOTING ANYTHING THAT MOVED there. That same summer, for Middlesex against Notts, he also became the first batsman to reach three figures before lunch on the opening day of a county match. And, on the ultimate stage, in this 1894/95 Ashes series he was the first England captain to put the opposition in in a Test. It was also a match in which England became the only side in the entire first century of Test cricket to win after having followed on. Stoddart then, at Melbourne, stroked 173, the highest score by an England captain in Australia for the next 80 years. (Mike Denness 188 in 1974/75 was against a weakened attack.) How could such a champion have been airbrushed during the years that followed? It might have had something to do with his suicide in 1915, probably seen by some as shameful. Well might the centenaries of the deaths of WG Grace and Victor Trumper be noted this year, but Stoddy warrants a place on that same pedestal. He took 12 players with him to Australia in 1894/95, nine in the party six footers or more. There were no support staff. When Stod: Greek god Bobby Peel got drunk at a crucial stage of the first Test at the SCG, Stoddy simply sobered him up under the shower. His six wickets on a rain-wrecked surface then got England home by 10 runs this after Australia had run up 586 in the first innings. They were leisurely times. Between Tests the Englishmen went bush, never short of a hamper of booze, and shooting anything that moved. Bill Lockwood had a skinful before coming close to drowning or being taken by sharks in Sydney Harbour. Stoddart s men went two-up at Melbourne, thanks largely to his 173 the century of my career he later stated. Then the series turned. In stupendous Adelaide heat England folded against the roughand-ready new boy Albert Trott (38 and 72, both not out, and 8-43 has there ever been a debut to match that?). If Stoddy had one nice memory from this calamitous match it might have been the cry of a female spectator: Here s that dear Mr Stoddart! (AOC would be keen to hear of any calls this summer along the lines of Here s that dear Mr Warner! ) ALL AOC OUT SEPTEMBER CRICKET 2015

31 So England now led 2-1 with two to play. But Australia levelled at Sydney, a match wrecked by rain on the unprotected pitch, England spilling catches, and all over in two days of play, leaving Stoddy to lament: It s the worst wicket I ve ever seen, absolutely the worst. And not only is it the worst I ve seen but it s miles the worst! Before the pitch was ruined, little Harry Graham had made history for Australia by scoring a century in his first Test at home to go with the hundred he d made on debut at Lord s in That s still unmatched. The decider, at the MCG almost a month later, was a cracking Test match. Archie MacLaren s 120 kept England in the contest, but they were eventually set a stiff 297 to win, ending the fourth day one down for 28. When Stoddart was lbw first thing next day England s hopes seemed shattered. Enter JT Brown of Yorkshire to play one of the most stupendous knocks ever to swing an Ashes Test. Someone played Rule Britannia on a tin whistle while Jack Brown swung his bat at everything. His fifty came in 28 minutes (still an Ashes record: he reckoned it took him only 27), and with Lancashire s Albert Ward providing solid support, they turned the match against helpless Australian bowling. And all the while spectators played their flutes, and the band played Daisy Bell and Sweet Marie. Onward charged Brown, to rapturous applause from the immigrants in the MCG crowd, on to his century, cutting and pulling manically, to 140, when he was caught. His stand with Ward was worth 210 a new overall Test record in only 145 minutes. England were almost home. They did it: 298 in only 215 minutes off 88 six-ball overs: stats worth pondering. The Ashes had been won in a sensational series, the like of which would not come along until And the skipper who steered England through that series? A courteous gentleman, wrote MacLaren, his delight over the success of any member of his side was beautiful to behold. His kindness to me was such that I always felt I could never do enough to make myself worthy of his affection. Drewy Stoddart, who shot himself on April 3, 1915, 100 years ago, England s favourite and finest sportsman, and not even a memorial plaque or gravestone for him a century later. Adapted from Stoddy England s Finest Sportsman by David Frith, recently published by Von Krumm. NEXT PLAYER IN DUDLEY NOURSE NATAL AGE: 24 ROLE: Right-hand middleorder bat WHO THE DICKENS? Son of Dave Nourse, the Grand Old Man of South African Cricket who played 45 Tests between 1902 and 1924 and is still playing professional cricket at the age of 56, Dudley is carving out a fine career in his own right. An aggressive batsman with muscular forearms and the shoulders of a rugby loose-forward, the Durban-born youngster made his Test debut this summer as part of a South African side that secured a first-ever series win in England. He scored his maiden Test half-century, an unbeaten 53, in the draw at Old Trafford. RIPPING YARNS? Curiously, Dudley s name was given to him after a request by the Earl of Dudley, governor of South Australia, when his father made 211 in a state match at Adelaide shortly before receiving a cable announcing his son s birth. Despite his heritage, Nourse is a self-taught cricketer with a technique developed on the streets and park strips of Durban. In fact, Nourse Sr didn t see his son bat until the age of 22, when the two were on opposing sides in a state fixture. Dudley made 105, including runs of his father s bowling. SPIFFING TIMES? While Nourse struggled for runs in this summer s Test series 157 at 26 he displayed his class in the tour fixtures, hitting a pair of hundreds against Surrey before an innings of 148 against Oxford University in his next match. A careerbest, unbeaten 160 against Warwickshire helped him to a tally of 1,681 runs on the tour, second only to Eric Rowan. STICKY WICKETS? South Africa came within a hair s breadth of losing one of its brightest cricketing talents when, at the age of 14, Nourse was set to depart his homeland and start a new life in Australia. Were it not for his mother falling ill and the journey being cancelled, Nourse would more than likely be turning out for Australia in the upcoming Test series against South Africa, rather than the country of his birth. FINAL UTTERANCE: A Nourse, a Nourse, my kingdom for a Nourse, declared England selector Plum Warner after the South African struck three centuries in as many innings this summer. (From the AOC archive, September issue, 1935) AOC BARMY ARMY 31

32 IT S A NUMBERS GAME Rangy Aussie seamer Bill Johnston managed barely 1,100 career runs at an average a touch under 13. Surprising then that he topped the batting averages during Australia s tour of England in Not out 16 times, there were suggestions that fellow members of the bowlers union in the opposition were complicit, with Alec Bedser reportedly bowling wide of Johnston s off-stump in the final match of the tour and advising the tail-ender to leave well alone. Class always tells, said Johnston when asked to explain his rocketing average. THINGS WE MISS ABOUT CRICKET... BBC TV 102 WORDS: PHIL WALKER We miss Tony Lewis. We miss the eyebrows of Tony Lewis. The sprightly, probing, Robin Day-like, If I may say so eyebrows of Tony Lewis. Of Tony Lewis, we miss the asides and the wryness. We miss Tony s slow, drawn exhalations when a thick edge runs down to third-man, and it always goes for fourrrrr We miss the owlishness. The omniscient blazer. The glint, the shoulder lean, the rectitude. We miss the Welshness; for with Tony s demise, went the soul of Welsh TV-presenting heritage, only recently resurrected with the girl off The One Show. We miss him, and his tribe, and all that they stood for. We miss going to Towcester for the 3:55 when Gooch is on 299. We miss nasal Jack and Asif Iqbal, and their proto-stabs at bantership, stuck-in-a-lift laughter, men wrestling their ideas and each other, yet hitched to the code, to the ethics of the mic, to the Beeb, to The Broadcaster: the house of honour. We miss the age of deference. We miss no more than half a dozen cameras at any one ground. Of cameras at one end, always behind the keeper when Holding s running in from the far end. We miss the silence. The drift. Of time elapsing, unfilled by noise, undrenched by colour. We miss white graphics floating about the screen, conveying the necessaries only. We miss provincial insurance companies working out of Guildford, and their white stained logos on the outfield. Whiteness: WE MISS THE OWLISHNESS. THE OMNISCIENT BLAZER. THE GLINT, THE SHOULDER LEAN, THE RECTITUDE. WE MISS THE WELSHNESS; FOR WITH TONY S DEMISE, WENT THE SOUL OF WELSH TV-PRESENTING HERITAGE, ONLY RECENTLY RESURRECTED WITH THE GIRL OFF THE ONE SHOW white helmets, white kits (every match), white sightscreens and off-white suits, and the shared coverage with Jimmy White v Nigel Bond in the UK semis. We miss one-off one-dayers. Knockouts in the shires. Mike Garnham and Peter Such s last-wicket stand, Wasim spangling Surrey, Asif Din s squiggly hundred, Daffy s new ball, Viv s last day. We miss cameras in the dressing room of a late Nineties England team, pyrrhic in victory, its inhabitants cautious, scoping the walls for ghosts and bugs, and The Gaffer at the heart of it, shoulders back, neck straight, going round the room, shaking hands with each and every. Cool Brittania. We miss the sublime, pre-lewis emptiness of the sportless, Kilroyoccupied TV vacuum before 10:50 with no recourse to 24-hour clip cycles. We miss going to the news at the top of the hour, and wondering what arrows have been slung in the interregnum, and returning to the action, and nothing having changed. We miss Jim Laker saying superlative as if he s bent-double over the counter at Boots spluttering into his sleeve. We miss having it on in the background at our gran s. We miss sudden unifying moments, non-fans turning face, bandwagons jumped, national conversations. We miss an alien from another planet saying Morning, everyone and sensing that everyone meant exactly that. That s what we miss. Perspective. And we miss getting it for free. MORE GREAT CRICKET WRITING FROM WISDEN A quarterly collection of essays and longform articles, The Nightwatchman allows contributors the freedom to write at length about a huge range of topics with at least a passing connection to cricket. From journalists to historians to comedians to musicians, the first 10 issues are fit to bursting with brilliant and thought-provoking reading. To find out more take a look at ALL AOC OUT SEPTEMBER CRICKET 2015

33 GREATEST INNINGS NO.1 THE GREATEST 154* ENGLAND V WEST INDIES 1ST TEST, HEADINGLEY JUNE 6-10, AOC BARMY ARMY AOC 33 73

34 GOOCH S MONOLITHIC INNINGS IS NOW RECOGNISED AS THE FINEST IN TEST HISTORY Derek Pringle, Essex and England teammate of Gooch, was at the other end for the captain s masterpiece. The unbeaten 154 made in England s second innings by Graham Gooch against the West Indies at Headingley in 1991 has been hailed by many as the greatest Test innings ever played. Seasoned observers such as John Woodcock and Robin Marlar, writing for the Times and Sunday Times respectively, certainly recognised its significance at the time, though that wasn t the case with everyone. Woodcock said it was probably the finest Test innings played by an England captain while Marlar said its worth was beyond rubies. Those of us in the England dressing room were possibly too close to the action to put it into context during the match. On a tricky pitch against the greatest pace attack in world cricket, possibly of all time, Gooch had applied himself to bat for as long as possible as only he knew how. Out went speculative shots and swishing hooks and in came a mental resolve to play only at that which was necessary, never an easy task against Marshall, Ambrose, Walsh and Patterson. It was Gooch s combination of craft and concentration over eye-catching strokeplay that probably prevented his teammates from recognising the immediate worth of his innings. Although his top score in Tests at Headingley to that point was 68, Gooch had enjoyed a fine record against successive phalanxes of West Indies quicks. We probably took his brilliance for granted. But what we did realise was that his knock had given us a good chance to win, a rare occurrence against the West Indies teams of that era. With a next highest score of 27, Gooch s 154 stands out like an Everest among molehills. I was one of two who managed that second highest score (the other was Mark Ramprakash) ABOVE: Gooch clips the great Malcolm Marshall off his pads LEFT: Pringle survives as West Indian fielder Gus Logie fails to take a catch at short-leg and Gooch and I added 98 for the seventh wicket. While I clung on, playing and missing and working the odd single, Gooch, by then at least, was middling everything in defence and attack. His innings was still a masterclass in attrition though, taking seven hours and 32 minutes with fewer than half the runs coming from boundaries (18 fours). The pitch was not quick but with low cloud present throughout the Test, the ball moved both laterally and, as the match wore on, vertically too as the bounce became less reliable. But while others found mere survival difficult, none of this fazed Gooch. He trained hard for those days when batting became both mentally and physically sapping. He might have been out early on, had mid-off not been so deep and dozing, while West Indies were convinced that he had later got a touch to one down the leg-side. Some refused to applaud his century as a result but when asked about that incident recently, Gooch said he did not believe he had made contact with the ball. When the last man, Devon Malcolm, was out, Gooch could not dwell on his achievement. The West Indies needed 278 to win and he had to marshall his bowlers. Fortunately a disciplined performance saw us dismiss them for 162, a victory impossible without Gooch s monolithic innings, now being recognised as the finest in Test history. England 198 (Marshall 3-46) & 252 (Gooch 154*; Ambrose 6-52) beat West Indies 173 (Richards 73; DeFreitas 4-59) & 162 (DeFreitas 4-59) by 115 runs ALL AOC OUT SEPTEMBER CRICKET 2015

35 GREATEST INNINGS GOOCH HOW THE BOY BECAME THE DADDY Graham Gooch, player of his country s greatest modern Test innings, talks John Stern through his theories of batsmanship and the evolution of his batting from middle-order dasher into England s leading runscorer. Graham Gooch has been at Lord s for hours. In fact he s been here since 7.30am when he was giving his long-standing student, Alastair Cook, the benefit of his wisdom and doubtless his vaunted dog thrower Sidearm gadget. Cook and Gooch might be from quite different social backgrounds but their appetite for batting sorry, run-scoring is matched by precious few others. And Gooch s appetite for talking about his specialist subject is extraordinary. Most interviews last 20 minutes, 30 if you re lucky. An hour-and-a-half of listening to Gooch s life story through the ups and downs of his epic batting career is intense, fascinating, and slightly bewildering. It s like being in a tutorial. He s got such passion, such a well of knowledge, and still this huge appetite after all these years. He s almost evangelical. At various points, he looked AOC straight in the eye to ask questions that seemed at first to be rhetorical but then he s waiting for an answer. BEGINNINGS NOT HOW TO BAT BUT HOW TO SCORE RUNS I was taught the game by my dad and I didn t have any formal coaching until I was 13 or 14. My dad took me to Ilford cricket school and I was coached by Bill Morris, a white Jamaican, who had played a bit for Essex in the 1950s. Apart from my dad, he was the biggest influence on my career. He taught me the knowledge, the intricacies of the game and taught me not how to bat but how to score runs. My first hundred was for Ilford Colts against Brentwood in a 20-over match in about 1967, aged 14. My first game for Essex 2nds was aged 15. It was at Northampton and it felt like Lord s to me. I was picked up by Johnny Welch, the amateur captain of Essex 2nds, in his Rolls Royce. They had me keeping wicket and batting No.11. I was really pissed off because I was batting 11, I thought I should have been at least No.10 before this clubby fast bowler. I was never that successful in the second team. I played a bit in 1973 as an amateur in the Sunday League and then got into the first team when Keith Fletcher was away with England. My big breakthrough innings was 94 against Lancashire followed a month or two later by my first hundred against Leicestershire. I remember hitting Garth McKenzie for six and apologising to him! That set me on my way and I started to be a bit more consistent. I d shown promise and had the belief that I could move forward in county cricket. THE TEST DEBUT I TOOK A HIT MENTALLY I had a good first half of the season in Scored 75 for MCC against Lillee and Thomson at Lord s and was picked to bat at five in the first Test at Edgbaston. I was a young lad with raw talent but not much structure in terms of how to score runs. I could hit the shots but I hadn t learned how to compose an innings. When I first turned up at Edgbaston I was playing with a Who s Who of England cricket, players whose names a decade earlier were part of my make-believe Howzat! games: John Snow, Derek Underwood, Alan Knott, Tony Greig, Dennis Amiss, John Edrich, Keith Fletcher, Mike Denness. I was obviously the odd one out. And I felt a bit like that. I felt like a fish out of water. I was a bit unlucky in the first innings, caught down the leg-side and then got a good ball in the second innings after it rained for two days on an uncovered wicket. Denness resigned, Tony Greig came in and I just don t think he fancied me. I took a bit of a hit mentally. I played a few onedayers in 76 but didn t come really come back until AOC BARMY ARMY AOC 35 75

36 BECOMING AN OPENER IT HAD AN IMMEDIATE EFFECT I didn t play great in 77. I was batting four or five for Essex, while Brian Hardie opened. It hadn t gone great for either of us so Fletcher suggested we swap. Opening the batting made me tighten my game up. In one fell swoop I went from being a talented young player with lots of shots and flair and not much consistency to thinking completely differently about my game. I had to leave the leave ball better and concentrate better. That was the start of the evolution into the player I became. It had an immediate effect, sharpening up the mental side. If your head s not right it s very unlikely you ll succeed. I wasn t the finished article but I got called up for the second Test at Lord s against Pakistan and stayed in the side after that. I made 50 on my return to Test cricket and got 90 in a run-chase against New Zealand I d found my niche. The switch to opener was also when my training regime started. That s when I started running and I used to play amateur soccer in the winter. There was a time when we played a lot at Ilford and I used to run to the ground in the morning from my home in Gidea Park. It was nine miles madness really but pushing myself gave me the longevity, built my character and resilience. Pushing yourself physically rubs off on the other elements of your game. It s quite a simple equation for me. What sort of sacrifice is it? I ve never seen a sportsman become fitter but become a worse sportsman. There are four key factors about scoring runs: attitude, technical ability, knowledge and concentration. If I can t concentrate then I can t score runs. You need a system of concentration, to be able to switch on and off. What directly affects concentration? Fatigue. If you re not fit and in shape, you re likely to fatigue earlier and make mistakes. I developed a system to cut out errors because most of the time you get out because you ve made an error or a bad decision. ABOVE: Gooch trains with the Hammers as part of his fitness regime THE BACK-LIFT I WAS FALLING OVER Not long after becoming an opener, the next major change came my back-lift. My then wife s aunt recorded the highlights from the Australia tour of 78/79. I didn t have a great series [England won the Ashes 5-1] and one decent score at the end probably kept me in the team. I watched these tapes when I got back and thought I can t play like that. I was falling over. I wasn t happy with my whole setup. Bringing the back-lift up felt comfortable, my head was level and instantly I started hitting the ball straighter. It changed my whole game. I began to hit down the ground, one of my signature shots. I had a good summer and did well in the World Cup. That was probably the most important evolution in my game. It fell into disrepair 10 years later I got it back but that style was set and served me well for the rest of my career. Ted Dexter came out with this great comment you move in a bath not a piss pot! What he meant was that in a bath you can only move backwards and forwards, not across, and that s how batting should be. THE YEARS OF PLENTY A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PERCEPTION OF MYSELF My game started to fall into disrepair in 1987 and I didn t play any Tests. For batsmen, faults tend to creep in over time and then you suddenly need to reassess. You need to have benchmark play which is easy now with all the technology but wasn t so easy then. I got Boycs in and he took me back 10 years to how I used to play against the West Indies. He claimed all the credit, of course, and he still does now, but that s Geoffrey. Instantly it came back. The last big evolution in my batting was about to happen and it all stemmed from being asked to be captain. When I look back at the most memorable element of my career, it s being captain of my country. Nothing can surpass that. It s the honour of being asked and trusted with the role, albeit for a brief time. You are a custodian of the game and your country and no personal achievement can top that. I talk to Alastair about this. Being captain of England, or Australia, is more than just being captain of the team. You are captain of your whole country s cricket and what that stands for. You re an ambassador for the whole game and that had a big effect on me. What took me on to the most successful, consistent part of my career was a completely different way of thinking about myself: a much more positive, glass-half-full way of looking at things. So no doubts, no question marks about whether I m going to be successful, which was partly brought on by being captain. From 1989 to about 1994, when I went over the hill a bit, I had a different perception of myself as a player. I had an unwavering belief in my ability and what I could achieve, whereas before I was maybe not quite as solid. The number and size of the hundreds leapt up ALL AOC OUT SEPTEMBER CRICKET 2015

37 GREATEST INNINGS IN THE CONTEXT OF A PARTICULAR GAME, I VE NEVER SEEN A BETTER TEST MATCH INNINGS RICHIE BENAUD, BBC THE GREATEST TEST INNINGS 154 not out (second innings) out of 252 Headingley, 1991 England beat West Indies by 115 runs It s my best innings because of the conditions and the opposition. The 333 was on a good wicket and against slightly lesser bowling. Around that time, Headingley was a wicket well suited to English types of bowlers so it was a good place for us to play. We beat West Indies and Pakistan there. This match was a low-scoring, exciting game with the ball moving around. You have to adopt a resolute defence, not only in terms of technique but in your mind as well. In other words, if you re playing and missing a lot that doesn t mean you re playing badly it can mean you re playing well. If you have good technique, you will play the ball and hold your position. When batsmen nick off they often get there a bit soon, and just slightly follow the ball. If you present the bat with the right timing and hold your position, then if it jags, you will hopefully miss it. It s quite a hard mental skill. Headingley was that type of pitch where there was always a ball with your name on it. I played and missed a lot in that innings but in terms of scoring options, anything short I decided to throw the kitchen sink at, either the pull or the cut. Driving wasn t easy. I remember batting with Pring [Derek Pringle], it was raining a bit and we were offered the light. It was the only time in my career against West Indies that I was offered the light and turned it down! They d bowled a lot and there was no way I was going to let them go off, sit down, rest up and then come back out. It paid off. It s much more satisfying to score difficult runs in bowler-friendly conditions than a big hundred on a shirtfront. Coming up against the best bowlers in helpful conditions, your attitude has to be: This is why I train, this is why I practise, this is why I try to perfect a technique. Put positive thoughts in your head. Getting runs on a low-scoring pitch makes the difference for your team. 20 AOC Gooch gloriously confirmed his standing on the international stage. His decisive, unbeaten 154 in the second innings was the product of seven-and-a-half hours of careful application. Unyielding concentration carried him through three interruptions for rain on the fourth day, and mental toughness enabled him to survive a series of disasters at the other end Wisden Almanack 1992 NO ENGLAND OPENER HAD HIT A CENTURY IN CARRYING HIS BAT FOR 40 YEARS. GOOCH SCORED 20 PER CENT OF ALL THE RUNS SCORED OFF THE BAT IN THE WHOLE TEST BARMY ARMY AOC 37 77

38 COMPETITIONS WIN WIN! A BRAND NEW SPARTAN CG AUTHORITY BAT WORTH 380 QAs part of our greatest innings issue, here are 10 questions on the theme of centuries. Answer them all for a chance to win. TONS OF FUN 1. There were two centurions in the famous Headingley Test of One was Ian Botham. Who was the other? 2. Off which England bowler did Brian Lara hit his 400th run during his record-breaking innings at St John s in 2004? 3. Which two Indian batsmen made stylish (if overshadowed) centuries during the 1990 Lord s Test the game in which Graham Gooch made his merciless 333? 4. Mike Denness was captain, Dennis Amiss was his opening partner but which Sky Sports commentator made an unbeaten 214 against India at Edgbaston in 1974? 5. Against South Africa at Colombo in 2006, the Sri Lankan axis of Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene put together a useful partnership of 624, and their combined total of boundaries for the innings was appropriately lofty. Did they hit a) 49, b) 79 or c) 99 fours and sixes in all? 6. Which England player made a century in the Women s Ashes Test at Wormsley in 2013? 7. Who was up the other end as Michael Vaughan went to a hundred in the Old Trafford Test during the 2005 Ashes? 8. Botham s 118 at Old Trafford, 81. How many balls? 9. Whose debut century helped England to an Ashes-winning Test victory at the Oval in 2009? 10. After a long wait for his hundredth international century, Sachin Tendulkar finally made it in an ODI against which country? To enter, head to alloutcricket.com and click the COMPS tab at the top of the home page. You ll find this quiz along with a host of other competitions to have a go at there ALL AOC OUT SEPTEMBER CRICKET 2015

39 THE AOC CROSSWORD! Send your answers to and you could win a copy of CMJ: A Cricketing Life by Christopher Martin-Jenkins WIN! A SIGNED SIMON JONES BOOK In the summer of the 10th anniversary of the 2005 Ashes, Simon Jones one of the series heroes but who would never play for England again has written his autobiography. The fascinating book written in sections focusing on each Test of the series and drawing out to take in Jones life before and after it is available to buy now. But you could be the recipient of a free copy, signed by the man himself. Just have a stab at the question below for your chance to be one of five winners. Against which country did Simon Jones make his Test debut? 1) Australia 2) India 3) South Africa Head online to alloutcricket.com and click on the COMPS tab. You ll find this competition along with a host of others to have a go at there. The Test: My Life, and the Inside Story of the Greatest Ashes Series by Simon Jones is published by Yellow Jersey, RRP: ACROSS 1. Dublin cricket club, hosts internationals (8) 5. The man in a white coat (6) 8. Kleinveldt, Hamilton-Brown, Burns (4) 9. Speccy Indian leggie, took 16 wickets on debut in the late 80s (7) 11. Instrument of both Brett Lee and Curtly Ambrose (6) 12. Initials of England s Daddy runmaker 13. Joe. Kent opener, formerly Middlesex and England (5) 15. New to the team, probably under the lid (6) 17. Strategy for tricking someone, you can fall into these (4) 19. Good, hard deck. Possibly with cat s eyes on (4) 21. Indian god. Could bat (6) 22. Former England man Sajid and Pakistani allrounder Azhar (7) 23. You ve been struck in front (2) 25. The umpire says you are ok, so you re...? (2) 26. How the Aussies responded to England s post-cardiff offer of drinks (4) 28. Sarwan s nickname and a good snooker player (6) 29. Surname of Middlesex and England leggie with 1,518 first-class scalps (4) 30. To hang up your boots (6) 31. Former Zimbabwean Test opener, son of Ray (6, 7) DOWN 1. Rock-loving umpire, former Test seamer (9) 2. Sir Hutton s first name (3) 3. Dreadlock what? A 10CC hit (7) 4. Buccaneering, moustachioed Indian opener (6) 5. Polly, Indian great ((7) 6. A tight or miserly spell (adj.) (12) 7. Patrick, a photographic titan 10. Your Joeys, your Winstons, your Kennys (8) 14. A famous architectural and practical feature near the Oval (9) 16. Venue for 05 s greatest Test 17. If you pick the seam, you could be called this (8) 18. This protects your leg (3) 20. Screaming Kiwi commentator s first name (5) 24. South African-born, former England barnacle at No.3 (5) 27. Shahid Afridi could be called this after he was anything but toothless with the ball (5) PRINT THIS OUT AND SEND US YOUR ANSWERS AOC BARMY ARMY AOC

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