Etal: It takes a (cricket) village

Cricket brings us together

Is there any better sight than a village cricket ground?

You Cricket Et Al people really are a nourishing and entertaining lot. It’s often too hectic to engage during matches, but we were excited to receive this image from Geoff below while on a “cycle ride, in Northumberland, in the English summer”.

Dave Sirl dropped in to the thread to say he’d noticed the same “off the A1 when passing a few weeks ago and made a mental note to drop in for this purpose next time”. Tanya Wintringham had been there and abouts, observing it was a “stunning part of the world” and that the local castle needs renovating.

I’d never heard of Etal but I’m fascinated by the cricket ground with its proper covers, sight screens and farm fencing. I’m heading there first chance I get and if you’re looking for me I’ll be at The Black Bull, which is Northumberland’s only thatched pub. Inside looks a bit fancy but I’m up for a pint of bitter at the trestle tables out the front. Hopefully there’ll be just the right amount of mizzle. Maybe it can become our sister village.

The Bull is next to the village hall and not far from “the magnificent Lavender Tearooms”. There’s a bit going on in “the prettiest village in Northumberland” Village Hall, with a Xmas Market tonight and then basket making classes Sunday. Yoga classes recommence in the New Year.

It all sounds so soothing after a week wandering up and down a sweating Vulture St, between our West End haunts and the Gabba.

Gideon is going to be keen to turn out for the Tillside cricket club whose ground I assume is the one in Geoff’s beautifully framed picture. I’ve been deep diving in their socials and was happy to note that the Lavender Tearooms sponsor the junior women’s teams, but McCreath and Son Used Car Specialists are on board for the older side.

For those needing directions the Facebook page says Etal is near Berwick upon Trent. South west of there, apparently.

I have another bit of correspondence I’d like to share (am I showing you things you already know? I’m purloining some of this stuff from the Chats - a seriously good/funny band I was lucky enough to see and interview in Belfast last year) from a section of the website/app.

Hugh Bright sent this image and this note.

“Watching ‘The Boy from Macksville’ and seeing Peter Lalor talk about the ‘bat-off’ in Newcastle in 2009, I was reminded that I took two of my sons to their first Sheffield Shield game that day. We arrived to Phillip Hughes hitting sixes with ease off Jason Krejza. It was spellbinding. Both my boys had recently received new cricket bats, which were quickly covered in NSW signatures, including the star of the day’s play. Neither son wanted to use their freshly inked bats, so I had to replace them both. I’m so glad I did. Not long after that joy at Newcastle, Phillip was doing the same in South Africa. He lives in my memory swatting sixes with ease and taking the time on such an important day to sign my sons’ bats. Thanks for reminding me of that day, Pete.”

Thanks for sharing Hugh. That’s a magnificent thing to have from that day.

Over on Twitter I recieved this from Joshua Duff.

The baskets of balls in Phillip’s old room seemed almost sacred when I was up in Macksville in 2005 writing Phillip Hughes The Official Biography with Malcolm Knox. I remember his mother, Ginny, leading me into his old bedroom and opening the wardrobe where they were stored.

I must have made a copy of the same scorecard in which Josh and Phillip did so well as there’s a reproduction of it in the book.

He really was a special talent. Thoughts with the Hughes’ family as they prepare for another Xmas without him and with all of us who feel such loss this time of year.

See you in the backyard for a game of cricket after lunch.