Why cricket? Well like most things on this blog site I was introduced to it by my father. Dad loathed football, so no Match of the Day or The Big Match for me. As the FA Cup Final was a really big thing back in the late 60s and 70s I was allowed to watch that, but that was my exposure to football. His sporting loves were Horse Racing, Rugby Union and Cricket. The horses were dull to my young mind, and at the time I couldn’t comprehend a sport where the ball could only be advanced by passing it backwards . Cricket stuck though, I watched, asked questions and learnt.

In 1977 I had a major operation on my right foot, surgery that I found out later to be experimental, but mercifully was a success. A long convalescence over the summer stretched out in front of me. My parents were wonderful about it, and our B&W TV became a colour one. It was an Ashes year, the series where Geoffrey Boycott got his one hundredth hundred at Headingly and a young Ian Terence Botham announced his arrival onto the world scene. The BBC also showed the two one day tournaments, the B&H Cup semi-final between Gloucestershire and Hampshire leaving a life-long impression. Mike Proctor. Gloucester’s all rounder and captain took 4 Hampshire wickets in 5 balls. I have been a Glos fan ever since.

Fast forward, I am off Guernsey, and have been living in London for 15 years. I have just started a job, got into conversation with a new colleague and discovered he was on the waiting list to join the MCC. Just being on this list brings perks, and I spent a decade attending Test matches at Lord’s at a cheaper rate than usually available, access to associate members areas though not the Pavillion. Those days were epic, England were on the road to becoming the best in the world. I saw Kevin Pietersen hundreds, and James Anderson become the bowler everybody hoped he would. I saw all the test nations with the exception of Australia, Steve was able to get a dozen tickets for Bangladesh, but only 2 for Aus. Not unreasonably that ticket went to his longest standing friend.

Those days at Lord’s came to an end when I moved to the North East of Scotland. What is more is that my wife to be had zero interest or knowledge about the game. I did wonder if I had said “goodbye” to something that had become quite precious to me. I shouldn’t have worried, Mrs B would come down on winter mornings to find sunshine being beamed into the living room from India or Sri Lanka. Over the first coffee of the day, she asked questions and has grown to understand and love the “English Game”.

Then came a day I will never forget. I went to The Grange, home of Cricket Scotland. A far cry from Lord’s, temporary stands took the capacity to 5000. No rigorous adherence to etiquette either, which took some getting used to. Scotland made 371-5, which looked a little light when Johnny Bairstow scored 105 in only 59 balls. But remarkably Scotland applied a vice like grip on the game and gained their only victory over England. The roar at the end was quite the thing.

I have sinced joined Cricket Scotland, and have attended many internationals. Scotland play in World Cricket League 2 (there isn’t a WCL1) which includes teams like Oman, USA and The Netherlands. Fortunately quite a few of these have taken place at Mannofield, home of Aberdeenshire CC, a bus ride away. I am due to see Scotland v Namibia at Forfarshire CC in a month’s time.

Talking of Mannofield. I received a marvelous gift from a client. A composite photograph from 1948. Don Bradman’s Australia came to Aberdeen for a two day match against Scotland, 10,000 turned up to see the greatest ever cricketer play his final match on UK soil. A wonderful addition to the Shed of Beer and Plastic.

Outside of Scotland I try to get to either Middlesex or Surrey county championship matches when I am in London. This means Lord’s or The Oval. £20 for a day’s play is amazing value. On the last trip down, I attended Middlesex v Derbyshire. A surprise announcement during the lunch interval invited the small crowd onto the outfield. A dream come true, we were trusted to get quite close to the pitch without damaging it. Truth be told, I was a bit emotional.

The internet has proved to be a boon for cricket fans. County matches are streamed free of charge, the shed constantly alive with the sound of leather on willow.

I am a traditionalist, I much prefer the longer form of the game. It is under threat with the younger generations wrapped up in the more instant gratification that the short T20 format brings. I think I have been present on result day fewer than half a dozen times. It doesn’t matter, it’s the ebb and flow of the game that keeps me intrigued.

There is more to come, Mrs B and I are planning to visit all the Test venues in the next few years for county matches. Days of sunshine, wine, picnics and cricket await. I can think of worse ways to spend retirement.