Malcolm's blog

On this page you will find blogs from Malcolm Lorimer (below) along with links to blogs from our other contributors.

TALES FROM INDIA – Regular contributor Geoff Wellsteed, author of Pavilions In Splendour – the Cricket grounds of Cheshire spent early 2024 in India for the Test series. Click here for Geoff's blog

TALES FROM PAKISTAN – Geoff Wellsteed's blog from Pakistan in 2022. Click here for blog

MALCOLM's BLOG

MAY 2024
LAKER EVENING SUCCESS
We held our first film evening at Emirates Old Trafford in May when we showed the film of the 1956 Test Match at Old Trafford when Jim Laker took 19 wickets in the match.

This was sponsored by the Lancashire Heritage Team, The Cricket Society and The Lancashire & Cheshire Cricket Society.

It was held in the Long Room at Emirates Old Trafford after the first day's play in the Warwickshire county match with over 60 people present.

The author of the book about the match, Vic Rigby, talked about Laker's Match, the historic Fourth Test between England and Australia on 26-31 July 1956 at Old Trafford, when Jim Laker took 19 wickets in the match.

Using accompanying film footage, Vic took a detailed look at the match discussing Laker's performance wicket by wicket and putting the match and Jim Laker's performance in the context of the five-match Ashes series.

This was the first event sponsored by both cricket societies and it is hoped it will be the first of many.

AUGUST 2023
SIR MICHAEL PARKINSON
An icon of British Television and journalism has died.

Michael Parkinson loved cricket and never lost his Yorkshire humour and warmth. Born in Barnsley, it should be proud of also producing Dickie Bird and Sir Geoffrey Boycott and the three always stayed close friends.

I remember growing up reading Michael Parkinson in the papers. He was always funny ridiculing the MCC calling them the Marylebone Clodhoppers Club. He brought to life characters and players he wrote about with great skill and affection. He was well worth reading and then to become the doyen of TV, interviewers, receiving the accolade, 'He was the best'.

We were very proud that Sir Michael agreed to become a patron of the Neville Cardus Archive at Old Trafford. He was a great fan of Neville and loved his writing. He said of him, "I wouldn't have minded being Len Hutton, but I would have sold my soul to have been blessed with Sir Neville's gifts."

Michael was a patron of The Cardus Archive at Old Trafford. I well remember meeting him at the ground with around six of us from the Cardus Archive when he was visiting Old Trafford and we all had coffee with him. It was a magic half-hour as he talked about his love of cricket and especially Cardus and how much he admired him, not for his accuracy but for the way he wrote and brought to life so many cricketers. He told us how he met his hero once when Parky was writing about Wilfrid Rhodes and Cardus didn't disappoint, regaling him with stories about cricketers.

I asked him what his favourite book was and received a very startling answer. It was The Truth about Wilson by W.S.K.Webb. Serialised in the comic The Wizard, the stories portray an enigmatic strange individual in an old-fashioned black running costume, he appeared out of the mists of the Yorkshire moors to shatter athletic records. It was the first book I remember buying and I still have it with its bright yellow cover (by the way a copy today may set you back £100 on e-bay).

That book explains so much about Michael Parkinson and his love for Cardus. Both were romantics and saw much more in cricket than the runs and wickets. They saw the chance to dream and the stories they wrote express their love of the game as well as the characters they brought to life.

Rev Malcolm Lorimer

JUNE 2023
FOUR DAYS OF PERFECTION
Some say that County Cricket is dying or not worth watching. They should have been at Southport over four days of perfect weather in June. The sun was beating down from a cloudless sky and when we did get torrential rain, it was conveniently during the night.

Lancashire were playing Hampshire and the Southport & Birkdale Cricket Club need to be congratulated for making it such a memorable occasion.

Sitting under the trees, members enjoyed watching the cricket as others slumbered in the sun or topped up their sun tan. Older Lancashire members were arrayed in a variety of shorts, there seemed to be a new trend of holding them up with braces!! The gentle ripple of applause sounded around the ground as batsmen scored freely or wickets tumbled, the trains rushing past on their way to Liverpool.

A birthday party was celebrated, with Jack Simmons and Farokh Engineer regaling the listeners with tales of their exploits. Did Farokh really hit Brian Statham over the railway line, the first time Brian bowled to him?

The ice cream van was a 'must visit venue' and even the Lancashire twelfth man could be seen carrying back ice-creams to the dressing room.

For the Southport club it was a team effort with everyone pulling together to make sure the match went smoothly. The Southport cricketers of all ages were on hand to deal with any problem that occurred. (The wind blowing the sun umbrellas over). Wives and girl-friends served in the bars and on what other ground would you find the Chairman's wife manning the car-park?

Or the member whose house backed onto the ground allowing the club to use his electricity for the scoreboard? A very nice touch was the club inviting members of the local Care Home to the match and they had a table in the hospitality tent, greatly enjoying their day.

What was created was a very friendly, welcoming atmosphere and one which celebrated the joys of watching cricket with friends at this wonderful little out ground.

Some say that county cricket is dead, but they should have been at Trafalgar Road Southport in June, they would have enjoyed a very special occasion. One that would last in the memory a long time.

Oh! And by the way! Lancashire won, for the first time this season in the county championship!

MARCH 2022
SONNY RAMADHIN
The funeral took place on Friday (March 18) of one of the legendary West Indian Test Cricketers, Sonny Ramadhin.

The sun shone for him as over 200 people gathered for a service in Oldham. He was carried into the crematorium to the strains of the Victory Calypso written in his honour, 'With those two little pals of mine Ramadhin and Valentine.'

The service paid tribute to this wonderful cricketer who never had any coaching and no-one knew his name, so he was called 'Sonny'.

Tributes were paid from various friends and family. Sonny was such a modest and humble man, never boasting about his achievements. He was a better than average golfer. He made his home in Lancashire and his son-in-law Willie and grandson Kyle Hogg played for Lancashire.

Amongst the congregation were fellow West Indians, Sir Clive Lloyd and Rohan Kanhai (pictured) and the legendary league cricketer Ces Wright at 88 still looking as if he could turn over his arm. There was also a good attendance of former Lancashire cricketers.

The sun shone at the reception afterwards at Crompton Cricket Club where Sonny had met his wife Sharon and played for many years. It was a privilege to attend such a tribute to one of Lancashire's great cricketers and when he died at 92 Lancashire's oldest living cricketer.

JULY 2021
WHO NEEDS THE HUNDRED?
I was fortunate to attend the Royal London Cup match at the beautiful ground at Sedbergh School. Nestling under the magnificent Howgill Fells, Paul Edwards writes of them dating back to the 'Paleoproterozoic Era' – surely a first in a cricket report!

The match swung one way, then the other. Difficult to predict the outcome and with everything seemingly lost for Lancashire at 115-7 with the target of 271 looking as high as the nearby Howgill Fells.

But 'cometh the hour, cometh the man.'

Out steps Danny Lamb from the pavilion who along with Tom Bailey played cautiously then launched the attack scoring 102 from the final ten overs. Sixes rained over the boundary ropes and even into the nearby churchyard. Lancashire unbelievably winning with an over to spare.

Not only was the cricket perfect but also the idyllic ground. Good beer, Lakeland Farm ice-cream, the sun shining and good company, what more could one ask for. For those lucky to be present at the match they would remember it for a long time.

Who needs the Hundred after the match like that – certainly not me!

JULY 2021
A SAD END TO THE ROSES MATCH
Perhaps this could be labelled one of the saddest in the history of Roses matches.

It started so well with a century for Keaton Jennings and Lancashire looking to build a formidable score. Then the torrential rain. No play on the second day and on the third Lancashire continue to build a large score with Wells 97 * and Bohannan 74* going well before tragedy struck at 2.15pm.

The young Yorkshire bowler Dom Leech, making his Championship debut too, moved swiftly round the boundary attempting to cut off a four from Luke Wells. He slipped on the wet grass, crashed into the concrete base supporting the boundary fence, and play was suspended after he suffered a nasty injury to his leg.

There was a twenty minute delay while the medical staff of both teams treated the 20 year-old who was eventually taken off on a stretcher. It was later confirmed that Leech had suffered a dislocation around his knee and was going for a scan to see what damage had been caused.

Play was suspended and eventually abandoned for the day because of the moisture coming to the surface on the boundary. The final day started sunny and dry but the ground was deemed unfit as it had not dried sufficiently. The game was abandoned as a draw.

On a personal note, it was strange for me to enter Headingley again, this time as a Lancashire Vice-President! Born in Yorkshire I had seen my first games on this ground. Now I returned and was entertained in the committee room by Geoff Cope and Sir Geoffrey Boycott. I needn't have worried -I was very much welcomed and with all the rain about it was perhaps appropriate that Dickie Bird made an appearance. Our thoughts are with Dom Leech and hope for a speedy recovery.

Editor's note: Dom Leech did recover from this very nasty looking incident and was able to resume playing for Yorkshire later in the year

MAY 2021
ROSES MATCH & A NICE SURPRISE
What a Roses match to savour. One for the history books as it boiled up to a thrilling climax as Lancashire sought to bowl out Yorkshire in the second innings and for much of the last day it looked like they may hold on.

Four days of clear weather with 2,000 spectators there for the first time and not a raindrop in sight meant a result was going to be likely especially as Yorkshire were quickly reduced to 21-6. They were even spared Jimmy Anderson who was rested by England and bowling in the nets. One could only speculate what Yorkshire would have scored had he been allowed to bowl on a pitch with the ball seaming around early on. But they did rally and a score of 159 brought some respectability. With Jennings dropping anchor after a bright fifty from Davies Lancashire looked set for a big score and didn't disappoint, batting well into the 3rd day for over 500.

By the end of the third day Yorkshire were 85-2 still almost 300 short of preventing an innings defeat. The last day was again hot and sunny as the Lancashire bowlers chipped away at the Yorkshire innings with Mahmood taking two quick wickets. It was a typical roses afternoon as the Yorkshire batsman dug in and gave some hope but with Mahmood and Parkinson on form the tail folded with Mahmood taking his first five-wicket haul of 5-47. It was Lancashire's first win in a Roses match since. 2011 and took them to the top of the table.

A nice surprise! I was awarded the honour of being elected as a Vice President of Lancashire at Friday night's AGM. Not bad for a Yorkshireman! ( I am converted).

Photo courtesy of Luke Adams

DECEMBER 2020
I have just spent four days in one of the snow huts at Dent Railway Station on the Settle & Carlisle line!

Originally built because of the inhospitable conditions and to enable the workmen to shelter from the snow, they have been refurbished and come complete with log burning fire and all the home comforts. It makes an excellent place to spend a few days away from it all and do some writing.

There was snow on the roads and on the hills, and the scenery was breath taking. The village of Dent by the way is four miles from the station! One evening while sitting by the log fire I had a visitor perching on the kitchen sill looking in – a wonderful snowy white Barn Owl.

I was there to write my murder mystery novel. "Murder on the Ribblehead Viaduct" which will be published next year. Why not join me for the launch on the weekend of 25th /26th September at Ribblehead Station – it's already booked. There will be drinks and a few nibbles and you may be lucky and see a steam train!

What is it about railways and their fascination? I really enjoyed my stay with the goods trains rattling past only yards away from the snow hut.

MARCH 2020
COVID CLOSES EVERYTHING DOWN
I was at Lord's on Tuesday 17th March.

The ground had a peculiar air and a sense, not of anticipation of a cricket season shortly to begin, but rather the shutting down of an institution.

I was visiting the MCC Library and that too was closing its doors. The guide was locking up the museum not knowing when it was to re-open. As I drove out through the Grace Gates and they closed behind me, I was reminded of the words of Neville Cardus.

Neville at Lord's in the summer of 1939.

"On the Friday morning when Hitler invaded Poland, I chanced to be in the Long Room at Lord's watching through windows for the last time for years. Though no spectators were present, a match was being continued; there was no legal way of stopping it. Balloon barrages hung over Lord's.

As I watched the ghostly movements of the players outside, a beautifully preserved member of Lord's, spats and rolled umbrella, stood near me inspecting the game. We did not speak of course; we had not been introduced. Suddenly two workmen entered the Long Room in green aprons and carrying a bag. They took down the bust of W.G. Grace, put it in to the bag, and departed with it. The noble lord at my side watched their every movement; then he turned to me. "Did you see, sir?" he asked. I told him I had seen. "That means war," he said.

22nd NOVEMBER 2019
BLACK FRIDAY ARRIVES EARLY

It was a bad day, even a horrendous one but it began well.

I had been ill during the week with some kind of bug and spent three days in bed, not eating anything. I am not usually ill and felt so bad I didn't have the heart to listen to the F.A.Cup replay between Bradford City (my team) and Shrewsbury Town. It didn't even seem to matter-and they lost.

But Friday dawned with the sun shining and I felt a lot better. Off to Manchester in the car to Old Trafford for a meeting with a family to scatter the ashes of their mother, a life-long Lancashire supporter.

As I neared Manchester, I realised things were not well with the car. The engine spluttered and slowed down, and I quickly left the motorway and headed into Altrincham at a slow pace with the engine not responding to anything I tried. Eventually it came to a stop on a main road and I was becalmed. I should have known as the car had been causing trouble over the previous weeks and had been repaired only a few days before; it was on its 'last legs'.

I put on the hazard lights and phoned the A.A. They said it would be an hour before they could get there. The car was causing a problem for other traffic so I decided to get out and try to push it into a side road, hoping that someone would stop and help. I had had only just started when two cars stopped and three good Samaritans including a young girl came up and helped push the car into the side road. There I sat and waited wondering what I would do if I couldn't get to Old Trafford.

An hour later the welcome yellow A.A. van arrived with Colin from Stoke-on-Trent driving. He quickly diagnosed the problem, the car was undriveable! He offered to take me and the car back to Nantwich, to my local garage.

I had a dilemma. What to do? Could I disappoint the family who in a hour's time would be arriving at Old Trafford? I thanked him but said no, but could he drop me off at the Tram Station at Altrincham? No problem, he said as he loaded the car on the back of the vehicle and we were off.

I arrived at Old Trafford in time and met the family who were so grateful and the son so tearful as I conducted the ceremony. Afterwards I had a coffee with them and then headed into Manchester to get the train back to Nantwich. The tram to Piccadilly was fine but when I got to the station the concourse was full and the train would be another hour. I sat and waited. As it got nearer the time of arrival the train was cancelled. There had been a problem between Crewe and Wilmslow with the signals, no trains were running. Everyone had to go to Stoke.

Another half-hour wait. On the Stoke train, people were worried how they were going to get to not just to Crewe but Wilmslow and Wales. We arrived at Stoke. Another hour wait and the board suddenly showing 'delayed' for the train to Crewe. Oh no, this can't be true.

It was now 9'oclock and I had been traveling or trying to travel for five hours. The Crewe train was late by 30 minutes, but at last it arrived and twenty minutes later we arrived in Crewe with my wife there to meet me and take me to Nantwich. Cold, tired and fed up!

So what was positive about the day?

My car had arrived five hours before me in Nantwich. Did I have regrets for the day? You could say I should have gone back home with the car. But then I would never have met the three good Samaritans who pushed the car, Colin the smiling AA man and also helped a family with their grief that was far more important than my personal discomfort.

JUNE 2019
SEDBERGH SHINES
It was an historic occasion last week when Lancashire played at Sedbergh School.

It was the first new home ground that Lancashire have played on for over 30 years and only the 3rd since the second World War.

The ground must be one of the most picturesque first-class grounds in England. It nestles under the Howgill Fells with the scenic town of Sedbergh in the background, the bells of the nearby church ringing out on that first Sunday morning against Durham.

We found out that it is the first time county cricket has been played in a National Park and the ground is exactly 79 miles from both Old Trafford and Durham's home ground at Chester-le-Street.

The school even boasts a school cricket song written in the 1880's and the first cricket match on the ground was in 1841.

"If you've England in your veins,
And can take a little pains,
In the sunny summer weather, when to stay indoors is a sin,
If you've got a bit of muscle,
And enjoy a manly tussle,
Then go and put your flannels on and let the fun begin!"

Photo of Sedbergh (c) Barry Mitchell

Rev. Malcolm Lorimer.