HARTY: On the Worthing Evening Cricket League and Andy Murray
HOPEFULLY, Harty junior didn't take part in a piece of Worthing sporting history on Tuesday evening.
He played for St Mary's against Worthing CC at the Manor Ground in what may have been the final league match in the Worthing Evening Cricket League.
Founded over half a century ago, initially, I believe, as a result of lunchtime in the Bentalls staff restaurant, it looks like the competition might fold as a result of the roster dropping below four teams.
That's a far cry from the heady days of around 20 years ago when the league boasted four divisions.
The legendary "butcher of the Valley", Steve Duffield, supplied me with an impressive list of cricketers who have graced the competition down the years. But, perhaps, the most famous person to turn out in the league was Mark Lawrenson – the finest footballer to have ever pulled on a Brighton shirt. And someone who, but for serious injury, would have proved to be truly world class. He played for Ham Sports back in the late 1970s.
As for the league, I sincerely hope it can find the minimum number of four teams to carry on. There is speculation that a team of local Asian players are thinking about entering, which would certainly give the league a shot in the arm but, until they sign on the dotted line, it is merely speculation.
As for the remaining sides, hopefully the one who wants to drop out will have second thoughts and there will be a league next summer.
But, surely, it would be much more appealing with at least five teams.
After too long a wait, the remaining squad members from the victorious England 1966 World Cup win were finally awarded winners medals at 10 Downing Street, hours before England's emphatic victory against Andorra at Wembley.
Among that number was Worthing's very own Peter Bonetti – without doubt the most famous person to have ever played in the Worthing Football League.
As always, the fountain of all knowledge, Sir Laurie Claydon, informs that "The Cat" played in his early teens for Worthing Catholics reserves at the beginning of the 1960s.
The man is a genuine football legend and deserves recognition from the town where he grew up.
A blue plaque outside the house where he grew up should certainly be considered. At the very least, I think we should honour his medal award with some kind of reception for him and his family at the town hall.
Over to you Mayor Atkins.
The mass euphoria engulfing the nation over Andy Murray put me in mind of my time as a little boy in the 1970s when the England football team weren't good enough to make it to the World Cup finals.
Not once, but twice – 1974 and 1978. So, the whole footballing nation appeared to become Scottish for the corresponding month of June of those respective years.
Clearly, England will qualify for next year's finals in South Africa.
But, if they didn't, and the Tartan army did, times have changed to the point where the World Cup wouldn't attract the same attention it did back in the Three Lions-free 1970s.
Murray has overcome a number of problems in his life. Don't forget he was a pupil at Dunblane in the next classroom on the day of the massacre.
I think he now has potentially more of an affinity with the nation as a whole than Henman ever had.
And, even now, before any possible success, he clearly does a better job of uniting the nation than the other high profile Scotsman working in London.
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Email the Herald: steve.bailey@worthingherald.co.uk
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Weather for Worthing
Tuesday 29 May 2012
Today
Light showers
Temperature: 11 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Light showers
Temperature: 12 C to 19 C
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