Lives in Cricket No 52 - Schooled in Cricket (2nd edition)

18 of that intention and find himself – like countless others – on the long walk back to the pavilion. I won’t here name names but this then young man went on to have a dedicated career as a club secretary for two county clubs. In a Somerset pre-season practice match Mick Hanna was keeping to Johnny’s bowling and a younger player had managed to stay in for a while. Johnny told his keeper in a broad Yorkshire accent: “We’ll get t’ young lad up t’ track in a moment.” He did lure that lad out of his crease and presented his keeper with a relatively easy stumping. Another victim of Johnny’s slowness was Eric Hunter batting for his team, the Halifax-based King Cross against Johnny who was playing for Wakefield. “I was batting at College Grove and decided to try and hit him over mid-on. I did so and scored two. Johnny then moved his fielders, including the mid-on, in – rather than further out – as might have been an expected response – and I thus felt this was an even greater scoring opportunity. I was a very keen young man, 23 at the time. My very keenness and Johnny’s flight caused me to hit the very next ball too soon and I hit the ball only as far as the close-in mid-on and I was on my way. An exceedingly slow bowler … and with a characteristic smile …