Year v Year

And so, as the year stumbles to conclusion, will 2023 manage to catch those ahead or will it languish in middle-table mediocrity? 

YEAR	POSTS
2020	129
2011	81
2009	69
2019	57
2012	44
2008	37
2013	24
2010	23
2023	22
2022	22
2017	15
2021	14
2014	14
2018	11
2015	11
2016	7

Home of the Hits 2023

 All I can say is... whoever and wherever you are... thank you, thank you, thank you! 

The er... Cricket

You spend a decade (sort of) occasionally adding to your blog, touching on a whole host of topics near and far to/from your heart. All the while, one of the more abiding loves is consigned to the outer reaches and then... 

England win the World Cup with Ben Stokes virtually winning the game single-handedly and then, just six weeks later. With the Urn just about to metaphorically strap itself into a first class Qantas flight from Heathrow to Sydney. Ben Stokes plays one of, if not, the greatest innings of all time. 

Having just managed to struggle into work today after the 2am finish at Headingley, I am still trying to process what I and the rest of the cricket loving world has witnessed. 

• History - without a doubt! 
• Genius - absolutely! 
• Once in a lifetime - I doubt it will ever be matched in my remaining 25+ years!

A report on the game will appear on The Jardine Report in due course but for now, I just need to revel in the joy of keeping myself wedged in to the same sofa space for nearly four hours, whilst constantly playing the opening riff to The Trip (Naz Nomad and the Nightmares version) as a way to ward off the inevitable humbling at the hands of the Ol' Enemy. I also lobbed in the occasional jazz chord to confuse the Aussies but it seemed as though my trusted Fender Telecaster Deluxe (a la Coxon) was not quite up to the trick. 

As soon as Jack Leach (Aka Alan from Accounts) joined Ben Stokes, it was time to get ready for bed. A couple of heroically heaved sixes served only to prolong the agony. The reverse swept six into the Western Terrace was audacious/funny, the lap six against Cummins was a dash of real bravado but surely it couldn't sustain. 

Tim Paine persisted with Nathan Lyon (surely the wrong choice?), another straight six! And then a suicide single, Leach stranded, Lyon must surely... but he didn't. He bloody missed it... Next ball, plumb LBW, missing leg, missing off, hitting middle half way up! But no, the Umpire says no and no referral. Leach nurdles his one run contribution to the 76 run partnership. Cummins digs one shortish, Stokes murders it through the covers and bedlam ensues...

No other sport can do this, no other stupid combination of rules, protocol, physical, spiritual and mental anguish can combine to deliver such sporting perfection. And of course, the ultimate joy is that - nothing has been resolved. We are back to square one. Two matches to go, at a minimum England must win one and not lose any....

The Ashes again...

I love cricket, have done ever since I was introduced to the game by my Mum and Grandad in the early 1970's. That first explosion of awareness was stimulated by the fact that my county, Sussex, supplied the all-rounder Tony Greig (who went on to Captain and then ultimately leave (albeit with some justification) England) and equally importantly the opening bowler John Snow to the national team.

The thought of a local player playing against Australia for The Ashes was almost too much for me to contemplate. If J.A.Snow can do it, then surely so can I! No sooner had I gained a vague grasp of the game than I had also understood the importance of beating Australia. They hated us, for a myriad of not unreasonable reasons - our snobby club tie mentally, our pompous arrogance & the numerous perceived slights that built up over your the years. The Ashes has no real sporting comparison, it is; history, passion, bravery, David v Goliath, competition, sporting behaviour, unsporting behaviour, great wins, terrible defeats... and the list is as long as the narrative of this frustrating, mesmerising and wonderful game. 

This current series is no different. Australia's crushing win in the first test followed by the battle between Archer and Smith at Lords. Magical, compelling and harrowing all at once. Made all the more exciting by the sight of another Sussex man opening the bowling for England. The atmosphere at Lords was electric (very different to the World Cup Final) but electric nonetheless. A true sense of another page of cricket history being written...

Roll on Headingley, long live Test Match Cricket, Long live The Ashes

Spangles

The taste of summer holidays 1976-1979

Burnt Toast

The smell of Breakfast & Tea (1967-1992)

Paraffin 2

The smell of winter 1973-1977

Paraffin 1

The smell of winter 1973-1977

Slow moving

I just popped back in to see how things were looking and there still seems to be a rather healthy appetite for the various different memories, moments and meanderings described here. I'm conscious that I've been ridiculously slow in posting anything new. I blame football, life & the weather.

However, look out for the following over the coming weeks.

• More bands that I wished I'd been in.
• More albums no self respecting gentleman or lady should own.
• Book of the week
• Film of the month
• How to make a million overnight
• The best way to rob a hedge fund
• MP's we have loved (in a series of 3)
• MP's we despise (in a series of 50)
• More strings of desire
• The five best parties ever
• The truth about David Icke
• Britain's favourite boxers
• Salad Cream v HP Sauce
• And a message from our sponsors

...Perhaps

TTIMAE - Favourite Football XI

Over the next twelve months we are running a vote for our favourite football players. Starting with our favourite goalkeeper. Please vote on the panel to the right to register your favourite all time 'keeper!

A thousand runs before the end of May

Whilst the first round of the county championship and the occasional opening friendly against one of the two universities were usual either snowed off or at least buried beneath an avalanche of football results. By the time late May has eased into view everyone has got the hang of the idea - the cricket season has started!

In those early games at least one batsman hits a rich vein of form that propels them onto the back pages and either gets them spoken of as a possible test contender or more often as being on track to beat the end of May cut-off to reach a thousand runs - the batsman's Holy Grail. This year's contender is England tyro Joe Root, who despite a fine century for England at Headingly will fall short as so many do.

Whether someone does manage to make it to 1,000 runs before June appears on the numerous desk calendars of the 18 counties is irrelevant really. The important thing is the game is back. The summer game full of its monotony and exhilaration, with its inevitable rhythm and the occasional jarring interjection (a hat-trick or barrage of sixes), with its long lunches and short spells, hectic run chases and moments of blissful tranquility is back. And thus all is well in the world!

Walmington-On-Sea

It just so happens that I've spent the last month watching daily repeats of the exploits of Captain Mainwaring and the 1st Walmington-on-Sea Home Guard. From the bumptious Captain via the Laconic Sgt Wilson (who reminds me of my Grandfather), Walker (who didn't), Fraser, Jones & Pike through to the wonderful Mr Godfrey. 

Ironically, apart from thoroughly enjoying the actually rather good ensemble acting, I was thinking how good it was that Clive Dunn was still hanging on in there and then the news wires filled with news of his passing.  

Inevitable, I know. But sad all the same!

Things I miss fact: I went to the same school as Captain Mainwaring!

Blur - Hyde Park

 It was a glorious night & I was bloody there!

Highlights: Beetlebum, Tracey Jacks, Under the Westway and The Universal 

+

Massed Mobot, the kiss, Tea Lady, Phil D

 Lowlights: The thought that this really was going to be the last time...

It just does not get much better than this...

Where have all the new posts gone?

Sorry for the delay in anything new. I had to buy a new computer to enable me to use the new version of Blogger. Well, as good as.... Fear not new stuff on the way.

Poetry (in Ocean)

And now the Shipping Forecast, issued by the Met Office on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency at 06.00 hrs GMT today.

Viking
North Utsire
South Utsire
Forties
Cromarty
Forth
Tyne
Dogger
Fisher
German Bight
Humber
Thames
Dover
Wight
Portland
Plymouth
Biscay
Trafalgar
FitzRoy (formerly Finisterre)
Sole
Lundy
Fastnet
Irish Sea
Shannon
Rockall
Malin
Hebrides
Bailey
Fair Isle
Faeroes
Southeast Iceland

Home of the Hits

2000 and rising. Thank you very much!

The Home of a Thousand Hits

Thank you very much!