Yesterday, I spent the day at the First Test between England and South Africa at Lord's. As a guest of David Morgan, President of the International Cricket Council, I spent a happy day seated among several South Africans who began by telling me that their captain had put England in to bat because he thought we'd be 70 for 3 by lunch. They were fairly silent, and fairly gloomy, when play ended at 6.31pm with the score at 309 for 3. Of course, I don't have the experience of the South African captain, but I did read many years ago, Sir Len Hutton's autobiography, and in it he said if you win the toss, you think about putting the other side in to bat...but having thought about it, you bat.
After the match was over, I joined Mike Catt the England centre, for a drink, and he told me he had to make a big decision in the next couple of weeks as to whether he plays another year for London Irish or goes straight into coaching. He kept repeating that once he gives up the game, he'll be retired for an awfully long time. I think he'd make a brilliant coach, because he's one of those inspirational leaders, who not only has a first-class rugby mind when it comes to both skills and tactics, but he's the sort of person who we need to motivate the next generation of players, if we're ever going to win the World Cup again in my lifetime.
It's always flattering to have someone chase after you and say how much they enjoy your work, but it is doubly so when it's a member of the South African team running out of the Long Room. Mr A B de Villiers, one of our visitors' key batsmen, and tipped to be the next captain of the South African team, talked to me about my work, while I talked to him about his cricket team. Plan A, he told me, was not to spend the entire day in the field, and then asked me if I would be returning tomorrow - no, I said, I'll be back on Saturday to watch the end of the English innings. He had the grace to laugh, but frankly, I doubt if either of us believe it. Let's hope England do as well the second day.
After the match was over, I joined Mike Catt the England centre, for a drink, and he told me he had to make a big decision in the next couple of weeks as to whether he plays another year for London Irish or goes straight into coaching. He kept repeating that once he gives up the game, he'll be retired for an awfully long time. I think he'd make a brilliant coach, because he's one of those inspirational leaders, who not only has a first-class rugby mind when it comes to both skills and tactics, but he's the sort of person who we need to motivate the next generation of players, if we're ever going to win the World Cup again in my lifetime.
It's always flattering to have someone chase after you and say how much they enjoy your work, but it is doubly so when it's a member of the South African team running out of the Long Room. Mr A B de Villiers, one of our visitors' key batsmen, and tipped to be the next captain of the South African team, talked to me about my work, while I talked to him about his cricket team. Plan A, he told me, was not to spend the entire day in the field, and then asked me if I would be returning tomorrow - no, I said, I'll be back on Saturday to watch the end of the English innings. He had the grace to laugh, but frankly, I doubt if either of us believe it. Let's hope England do as well the second day.
4 Comments:
Oh dear...cricket and tea....
Mr. Archer...you do know you have fans in the states too, right?
They are doing better today than yesterday - they might be batting till tomorrow :)
Another one of your wishes comes true....seriously who writes the script of your life!!?
Sorry but didn't know how else to put this question to you Jeffrey!
I've never had the courage to pick up one of your books, but I was finally handed 'Prisoner of Birth'.
It is by far the most rewarding and intelligent book of my life so far. (I'm 30 by the way).
When will you be having a full feature length film or TV drama made of such a rich and clever piece?
Sorry but it's got Film written all over it!
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