Cricket Anecdotes (spawned from the Gavin Robertson thread)

[Guest HariSampath]

Hey Gavin, Howz you mate...been a long time , You are spot on mate, talking doesn't help by itself but a word or two after the proper treatment is meted out doesn't hurt....maybe u know what I am referring to. I saw you last when you made your debut in my home town ground Chepauk. You bowled pretty well in the first inngs and got 4 wkts and Warnie got Sachin cheap. Then in the 2nd effort Sachin and Sidhu took Warnie and you to the cleaners for 200+ runs, remember ? You played pretty well for a 50 1st up, yeah.....2nd time around I remember you got a first ball duck I guess we all can understand where you are coming from....you had seen it from us, right ? But I agree, we need to do just what we did to you, and then...maybe a word or two back like I said...wouldn't hurt us. I case you still don't get what I am saying, I suggest you ask that guy called Len Pascoe what happens when you give someone like Viv Richards the lip....or, let me recount an incident during one Kerry Packer Supertest. On a lightning fast Perth track, Len Pascoe had taken 2 early wickets and was breathing fire, when Viv Richards came in to bat. The first ball was a very quick bouncer which Richards playing as usual without a helmet ducked under. The second too was a bouncer screaming past the nose of Richards which he just managed to sway away from, when Pascoe walked down the pitch and asked " smell the leather Vivi ? " The third ball; Richards walked down the wicket as the bowler was bowling and smashed it a few rows into the longon stands. The fourth ball was again a bouncer and Viv disdainfully smashed over squareleg for another six, walked down the track, patted the spot where the ball had pitched, and as he turned back, waved a forefinger at Pascoe, saying " Lennie maan, I'll slice you like butter maan" So, you see what I mean Gav...Talking by itself is not the job..... but ..er..a word or two doesn't hurt.

[Lurker]

But I agree, we need to do just what we did to you, and then...maybe a word or two back like I said...wouldn't hurt us. I case you still don't get what I am saying, I suggest you ask that guy called Len Pascoe what happens when you give someone like Viv Richards the lip....or, let me recount an incident during one Kerry Packer Supertest. On a lightning fast Perth track, Len Pascoe had taken 2 early wickets and was breathing fire, when Viv Richards came in to bat. The first ball was a very quick bouncer which Richards playing as usual without a helmet ducked under. The second too was a bouncer screaming past the nose of Richards which he just managed to sway away from, when Pascoe walked down the pitch and asked " smell the leather Vivi ? " The third ball; Richards walked down the wicket as the bowler was bowling and smashed it a few rows into the longon stands. The fourth ball was again a bouncer and Viv disdainfully smashed over squareleg for another six, walked down the track, patted the spot where the ball had pitched, and as he turned back, waved a forefinger at Pascoe, saying " Lennie maan, I'll slice you like butter maan" So, you see what I mean Gav...Talking by itself is not the job..... but ..er..a word or two doesn't hurt.

Hahaha..Ah yes the famous, "All day Lennie, bread and butter" incident. By the by Hari do you know that Lennie was a certified loony? Once after being droppe from Aussie team he was so furious that he kept bouncing the skipper Greg Chappell no ends. In his autobiography Viv mentions that(as also the above incident) and why Aussie players are not only hostile towards opponents but towards themselves as well. xxx

[Guest HariSampath]

Hahaha..Ah yes the famous, "All day Lennie, bread and butter" incident. By the by Hari do you know that Lennie was a certified loony? Once after being droppe from Aussie team he was so furious that he kept bouncing the skipper Greg Chappell no ends. In his autobiography Viv mentions that(as also the above incident) and why Aussie players are not only hostile towards opponents but towards themselves as well. xxx

I didn't know that !! But anyone who lips Viv must have been loony !! Speaking of Viv..he was no sledger , but he was never one to mince words, and surely you would have heard of this incident at the Alf Gover school in 1974 if I remember. Viv was at the Alf Gover school nets, when the man Alf Gover himself after watching Viv for a while, felt his technique was all wrong,and after Viv played a shot , told him " See where you front foot is"... to which Viv retorted " See where the ball is, maan" :haha:

[Lurker]

I didn't know that !! But anyone who lips Viv must have been loony !! Speaking of Viv..he was no sledger , but he was never one to mince words, and surely you would have heard of this incident at the Alf Gover school in 1974 if I remember. Viv was at the Alf Gover school nets, when the man Alf Gover himself after watching Viv for a while, felt his technique was all wrong,and after Viv played a shot , told him " See where you front foot is"... to which Viv retorted " See where the ball is, maan" :haha:

Hahaha..Yes I sure have read about that incident. Viv possessed a quick wit(always helps to sledge). Incidentally, and I pretty sure you know this, both Viv and Ian Botham owed a lot to Brian Close, specially in their initial days at Somerset. Now that chap Brian Close was quite a character in himself. Too many stories about him. Maybe we should start a thread on cricketing incidents sometime. xxx

[Guest HariSampath]

Hahaha..Yes I sure have read about that incident. Viv possessed a quick wit(always helps to sledge). Incidentally, and I pretty sure you know this, both Viv and Ian Botham owed a lot to Brian Close, specially in their initial days at Somerset. Now that chap Brian Close was quite a character in himself. Too many stories about him. Maybe we should start a thread on cricketing incidents sometime. xxx

Ian and Viv were very great friends, and in fact you may remember that Ian refused to play for Somerset, when they didn't renew Viv's contract, saying he couldn't see himself in a team which didn't want Viv Richards. Yes, in fact I had been thinking of a thread " Amazing anecdotes", I could chip in with whatever I know from pre war cricket, Bradman, Hammond, Hobbs, Benaud , Sobers, great test matches etc plus also from my own cricket watching of 35 years and personally knowing so many Indian cricketers. Great idea. btw, heard about the time that Wes Hall was drawn dead in his tracks, running in to bowl, when he saw Brian Close dancing down the pitch even before he had bowled. Hall's crucifix had hit him in his own eye. lol

[Lurker]

Ian and Viv were very great friends, and in fact you may remember that Ian refused to play for Somerset, when they didn't renew Viv's contract, saying he couldn't see himself in a team which didn't want Viv Richards.

Ah yes of course. Botham, Garner and Viv were the triad at Somerset before Peter Roebuck made his coup. Oddly enough with such a strong team(players liek Vic Marks, Close etc were also in Somerset) they did not really do as good as they should have. Of the three Garner was the best cook and many a times Viv and Botham would polish off the soup at Garner's home, add water to it and throw in some stones to boot!! I have often thought that eras English team was the most loony ever what with cricketers like Boycott, Gooch, Botham, Lamb, Edmonds, Emburey, Randall playing at different times...all class A madmen!

btw, heard about the time that Wes Hall was drawn dead in his tracks, running in to bowl, when he saw Brian Close dancing down the pitch even before he had bowled. Hall's crucifix had hit him in his own eye. lol

Yes of course. Brian Close was a braveheart. One time he was fielding at short-leg. The batsmen hit a hard shot and the ball, the ball hit Close right on the head and the man was caught at square leg! When the fielders convurged on Close one of them quipped what could have happened had the ball hit 2 inches lower. Close reply was - He would have been caught at short cover then! Which is why I loved today's piece on CI about characters in cricket and how we miss them. Here if you are interested. http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/talk/content/multimedia/314504.html?view=transcript xxx

[Guest HariSampath]

Ian and Viv were very great friends, and in fact you may remember that Ian refused to play for Somerset, when they didn't renew Viv's contract, saying he couldn't see himself in a team which didn't want Viv Richards. Yes, in fact I had been thinking of a thread " Amazing anecdotes", I could chip in with whatever I know from pre war cricket, Bradman, Hammond, Hobbs, Benaud , Sobers, great test matches etc plus also from my own cricket watching of 35 years and personally knowing so many Indian cricketers. Great idea. btw, heard about the time that Wes Hall was drawn dead in his tracks, running in to bowl, when he saw Brian Close dancing down the pitch even before he had bowled. Hall's crucifix had hit him in his own eye. lol

Here is one I just remember off the top of my head..from Sunny Gavaskar. During the Australia Vs Rest of the World series in the early 1970s, The rest of the world team members were met at the airport by Aussie officials come to receive them. Tony Grieg introduced an elderly gentleman to his team mate Ackerman and went away. Ackerman didn't quite get his name and spent a few minutes making some small talk. Afterwards he asked the elderly gentleman to hold his bag while he went to the toilet, and returned. When he came back, he sat down, and since the other man was very quiet, wanted to make some polite conversation with him. He asked him if he was with the Australian board to which the elderly gentleman replied , yes he was. Then Ackerman asked him if he had himself played any cricket in his life to which too the elderly gentleman said Yes. Then forgetting what the man's name was, Ackerman asked him " sorry, but I didn't get your name". The elderly gentleman said " Donald Bradman" lol, can you imagine Ackerman's face ? :haha: he must have felt like sinking into the ground , lol

[Guest HariSampath]

Here's one from test Match special : A john Arlott screamer :-) " There is a streaker at Lord's and the elderly ladies in the crowd are seeing what they have not seen in many years":haha:

[Lurker]

Here is one I just remember off the top of my head..from Sunny Gavaskar. During the Australia Vs Rest of the World series in the early 1970s, The rest of the world team members were met at the airport by Aussie officials come to receive them. Tony Grieg introduced an elderly gentleman to his team mate Ackerman and went away. Ackerman didn't quite get his name and spent a few minutes making some small talk. Afterwards he asked the elderly gentleman to hold his bag while he went to the toilet, and returned. When he came back, he sat down, and since the other man was very quiet, wanted to make some polite conversation with him. He asked him if he was with the Australian board to which the elderly gentleman replied , yes he was. Then Ackerman asked him if he had himself played any cricket in his life to which too the elderly gentleman said Yes. Then forgetting what the man's name was, Ackerman asked him " sorry, but I didn't get your name". The elderly gentleman said " Donald Bradman" lol, can you imagine Ackerman's face ? :haha: he must have felt like sinking into the ground , lol

Hahaha..Yes I have heard this. But for some reason I always thought this was Tony Greig and not Hilton Ackerman.. That John Arlott's comment was hilarious..I hadnt heard that before. :two_thumbs_up: Here's one between two greats Dennis Compton and Don Bradman. In one of the games England were playing for a draw and Compton was staying put. Bradman challenged Compton to play his natural game and go for strokes, Compton replied he would do so if Bradman would attack(read take off defensive field and get more slips and close in-fielder). Bradman did that and Compton promptly sent a few fours crashing. Peeved Bradman went back to Compton with a "I cant let you do that" and Compton went promtly back to taking 1run in 5 overs. At the end of the Bradman quipped to Dennis that thats now how "we" play cricket and Compton replied, "I was not playing for you anyway". :haha: xxx

[zubinpepsi]

Good read Hari & Lurks, Enjoyed reading all those frm yesteryears... and a big THANKS for sharing them here keep it going..:two_thumbs_up:

[Guest HariSampath]

Good read Hari & Lurks, Enjoyed reading all those frm yesteryears... and a big THANKS for sharing them here keep it going..:two_thumbs_up:

While there are ever so many anecdotes about Dr WG Grace, that great grand daddy of cricket, I am immediately reminded of one.it is a really good one ! WG Grace was playing a county game for Gloucestershire, when early in his innings, he edged a ball to the keeper. An appeal was made by the fielding side, and the umpire who was like most others of that era with a great reverential respect for WG Grace ,said " Well if the doctor would prefer to leave, he may do so" ( lol what a way to give a decision :haha: WG Grace said " I can't get out, I won't get out and I Shan't get out" There was a silence for a moment, and no one in the fielding side could dare to say anything, after all it was WG HIMSELF , a law unto himself, even above all cricket apparently ! A moment later, the young wicketkeeper, playing his first season, told WG Grace " But, Dr Grace,you HAVE to get out" WG Grace gave a broad grin, and told the keeper" that's right laddy, there's a rule I guess ", as he walked out. :D

[Guest HariSampath]

Hahaha..Yes I have heard this. But for some reason I always thought this was Tony Greig and not Hilton Ackerman.. That John Arlott's comment was hilarious..I hadnt heard that before. :two_thumbs_up: Here's one between two greats Dennis Compton and Don Bradman. In one of the games England were playing for a draw and Compton was staying put. Bradman challenged Compton to play his natural game and go for strokes, Compton replied he would do so if Bradman would attack(read take off defensive field and get more slips and close in-fielder). Bradman did that and Compton promptly sent a few fours crashing. Peeved Bradman went back to Compton with a "I cant let you do that" and Compton went promtly back to taking 1run in 5 overs. At the end of the Bradman quipped to Dennis that thats now how "we" play cricket and Compton replied, "I was not playing for you anyway". :haha: xxx

Lol...I remembered so many Bradman stories and the prewar games from Farewell to cricket , but I had read it so many years back, and we certainly need to move this section to a new thread then.:D ......and in fact you may be correct that it could have been Tony Grieg to whom Hilton Ackerman introduced the Don, I was maybe misled thinking Griegy must hv known the Don, and not Ackerman, but like I said it was off the top of my head

[Lurker]

Here is one about about that affable Aussie cricketer Dough Walters. He is renowned for his deadpan humour. This particular incident came right at the end of the Underarm Game(the game in which Greg Chappell had asked his younger brother Trevor Chappell to bowl underarm to Kiwi batsmen). As the Aussie crew walked towards the pavillion, all poignant, Doug broke the silence with a "Errrr captain now I understand what my Dad always told me about cricket" "What do you mean?" "He used to say the game is not over till the last ball is thrown!" :hysterical: Just close your eyes and picture that moment..classic!

[Guest HariSampath]

Here is one about about that affable Aussie cricketer Dough Walters. He is renowned for his deadpan humour. This particular incident came right at the end of the Underarm Game(the game in which Greg Chappell had asked his younger brother Trevor Chappell to bowl underarm to Kiwi batsmen). As the Aussie crew walked towards the pavillion, all poignant, Doug broke the silence with a "Errrr captain now I understand what my Dad always told me about cricket" "What do you mean?" "He used to say the game is not over till the last ball is thrown!" :hysterical: Just close your eyes and picture that moment..classic!

Lol...:D I remember a test match in which Doug Walters came into bat after Tea...on the last ball before close, he was batting 94 !! and Bob Willis was bowling, he walked out hit Willis over long on and turned his back, removed the gloves and told the keeper and slips " and that is stumps" :D

[Lurker]

lol Doug Walters..classic character Another favorite one of mine is Keith Miller. By the by Hari do you mind if I ask you who your favorite cricketers(say 5) have been? Actually let me ask you to name yout top XI(right off your head..no need to dig deep really). You obviously know your cricket so this should be fun.

[zubinpepsi]

Mods, possible to make a new thread frm post 14....otherwise it mite get lost ..... will be an awesome thread... i absolutely enjoy these. n hope other wud also like this

[Lurker]

Thanks ZP..Here is one for you. Keith Miller, the famed Aussie all-rounder of 50s/60s, was once golfing with one of his cricket colleagues(who remains unnamed). While golfing the friend drove his ball to the woods. As Miller and the other guy looked for the golf ball the latter came out jumping with a "I think I have a snake in my pants"..Miller asked him immediately to take off his pants and shoes...The player duly obliged. Miller collected it and presented it to a bunch of ladies that were playing golf on the next hole...the poor player was stuck in the woods till possible help arrived.

[zubinpepsi]

Thanks ZP..Here is one for you. Keith Miller, the famed Aussie all-rounder of 50s/60s, was once golfing with one of his cricket colleagues(who remains unnamed). While golfing the friend drove his ball to the woods. As Miller and the other guy looked for the golf ball the latter came out jumping with a "I think I have a snake in my pants"..Miller asked him immediately to take off his pants and shoes...The player duly obliged. Miller collected it and presented it to a bunch of ladies that were playing golf on the next hole...the poor player was stuck in the woods till possible help arrived.

:hysterical: Many Thanks Lurks.. but wondering frm where or how do you guys get these...

[zubinpepsi]

Thanks Mods.:two_thumbs_up:

[Lurker]

:hysterical: Many Thanks Lurks..but wondering frm where or how do you guys get these...

Books ZP. I love reading and am guessing Hari does too. They are specially good when it comes to reading about oldies. I mean new media(read internet) concentrates on modern era but old books shall give you lot of gems. Like that former Australia leg spinner Arthur Mailey who was a very down to earth and humble guy. Once he was invited to the Queen's house in London and was introduced. He is reputed to have told her, "Nice house Maam..I was here about 5 years earlier". "Oh really? Whom were you visiting?" "Actually I was here to fix the water pipes back then". How can you not love such nonchalance :two_thumbs_up: