The best yet!

There are lots of pictures of the ground available and I could bore anyone by going back over them but the aerial shot recently taken from a helicopter comes near the top of my list. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder but WOW

Blast from the Past - David Shaw

Catching up with ex players is always a pleasure and David Shaw popped down to the ground on Saturday. David was one of those almost players who loved cricket but never quite displayed his true talent. I think it was more his lack of self belief than technical ability but what do I know! He was certainly pleased to see the Shipley ground looking so well and expressed his long held affinity with the surroundings.

David is living near Chevin Golf Club with a move to Allestree imminent. He looks very fit thanks to a strict fitness routine which he shares with his partner.

Don't leave it so long next time.

Farewell Timo

Timo joined us this season whilst on holiday from South Africa. He quickly became a popular member and played in all of the season fixtures averaging 39  with the bat and taking 47 wickets  at 14.85.

His run total of 853 included 2 hundreds and 2 fifties ( one of those was an annoyingly out on 99)

He was well looked after and goes back to SA next week somewhat chubbier than when he arrived. Whether this was the result of the home cooked fare with the Parkins or his exploration of every pub in Derby and Nottingham is questionable.

Well done indeed

The Ghostly Path

The prolonged spell of hot weather has once again highlighted the path that goes across the ground to where ? We do not know!!

There are various theories about the path.

 The mundane suggestion is that it was a wooden rail line linking the Shipley Collieries to the Coppice mine.

More colourful is that it is made by the ghost of Shipley Hall who has walked the path since the 1890's. She wanders in search of her long lost love  in a flowing white robe which touches the ground causing the path to appear. Only appears around midnight  when there is a full moon. 

Said to have been seen by several older members leaving the old Bull & Bush which was tucked into the woods.

Believe what you will !!! I know which I prefer

Perhaps I prefer flowers over cricketers?

Pottering around the Shipley ground has always provided me with a great deal of pleasure. Whether it be a tree planting scheme or attractive borders my belief has always been that a cricket ground must  be more than a wicket and outfield.

The trees around the ground are mostly well matured  and some I planted as saplings have certainly sprung up

                           

In Spring -the tuplips

Lucky heather on the bank

Rowan  ,Buddleia and

Quinces                                               

Autumn mushrooms and conkers

Collecting Punch Cricket Cartoons

PUNCH was a weekly British magazine published ( with a short break) from 1841 to 2002.  It specialised in humour and satire and peaked in the second world war with patriotic themes.
In the earlier years many fine cricketing cartoons were produced and as a true cricket nut I started to collect originals and copies which I framed and together with other cricket pictures adorn most of the walls of my cramped  flat. Most have been hand painted.

Here are a few which I hope you will find amusing, although they are of an age long past,

By clicking on the pictures you can obtain a larger print which makes the wording legible

The first couple are a pair. Enlarge and read what happens to the Squire

                                                        What of the umpires ?
This one's my favourite

Seems the umpire holding stick is a farmer ,anxious to get his cows back th' field in case it rains


                                                            But how bad are we ?

                                                   And how well do we play the game?

                                        

                                               Much better to leave it to the youngsters

       

                       They will play anywhere-with whatever-never mind the problems

           and never argue !

                                                      and accept dismissal gracefully

                                            

Well it's only village cricket

                                         


     

                           
               

Robin Pratt- RIP

I was saddened to learn of the death of Robin Pratt today. We played cricket together in the late sixties early seventies and although he could be quite a handful for any skipper he was a great man to have by your side.

He bowled right arm leg spin before it was in fashion and could score useful runs.

Perhaps the most colourful episode I can recall concerns a friendly game Shipley v Dunstall at their lovely ground . The Squire's son was playing for the home side and was a bit up himself- cravat, multi-coloured cap- and really not wishing to associate with the hoi por loi. Just the sort that would annoy Robin and the two were exchanging words from the start. Robin was bowling all scruffy and beard flowing beating the bat frequently before finally bowling and sending off Son of Squire who made the mistake of calling Robin a scruffy bugger. The next moment Robin had the offenders head under his arm threatening to send him skywards and had to be restrained.
We never played at Dunstall again!

Simon Lacey recalls that Robin decided he wanted to live in the USA and duly got visas and flights and set out for his new homeland. The customs officials took one look at him at Kennedy Airport and promptly shipped him back on the next available plane. His exile had lasted 3 days and he could be found in the pub on his first night back complaining of rights violation.

He suffered ill health in his later years with severe arthritis and breathing problems but treated such misfortunes with light hearted distain.

A lovely, funny man the like of which we are unlikely to come across again. RIP Robin.