Making tracks: Hartlepool II batting against Shildon Railway
More cricket – more footy, too – but firstly back home to Shildon Railway, formerly Shildon BR, playing Hartlepool II in the North Yorkshire and South Durham League third tier. Up here it’s simply the NYSD, and an ECB Premier league.
The ground, a childhood haunt, is above the railway line where it runs through an embankment to Shildon Tunnel. Back then the scorebox was in one corner, approximate size of a dog kennel – albeit a fairly big dog kennel – with little doors to which eager urchins attached the tins and were rewarded with a spam sandwich at the close.
Tins shed, the scorers now sit with their laptops in front of the clubhouse while the unmanned scoreboard on the other side of the field is remotely updated, tintinabulation replaced by the gentle hum of empowerment.
More remarkable yet, a few taps on a smartphone will provide ball-by-ball updates anywhere in the world, missing only some wise words of commentary from Mike Atherton.
Further advance, a chap with a long lens the size of a blunderbuss perches on the boundary where once a Box Brownie might have snapped.
The day’s glorious, the welcome no less warm. It’s not half an hour before someone cites as gospel the story common to every cricket ground that runs near a railway line of the huge hit that lands in a truck on a casually passing coal train.
Thus is claimed cricket’s biggest six, the ball ending up at Drax Power Station (or possibly Battersea, subject to geographical amendment.)
These days the hourly service between Bishop Auckland and Darlington sidles by almost unnoticed, not the same stotting a six off the roof of a diesel multiple unit.
Sledging back then was a winter pursuit exercised on Elephant’s Trunk, a bank nearby. These days it’s a summer sport, gently undertaken. Hartlepool’s penultimate batsman walks guardedly to the wicket. “Are you No 10?” asks a fielder. “Number 11 must be absolutely terrible.”
The Railway have totalled 178, dismissing their visitors for 113 to remain top of the division. Throughout the match not a single cuss word has been heard, not one rant at the umpire, self-control helped by an NYSD (and presumably ECB) edict that audibly offensive language results automatically in a two-match ban.
Whatever the sport, whatever the season, what a tragedy that our masters at Wembley – and our match officials – don’t have balls like that.
*Though 50 overs a side are allowed, the game embraces just 73, back in the clubhouse by 6pm. Already ensconced are former Bishop Auckland FC chairman Steve Newcomb and fellow Two Blues supporters – “the posh end, mind” says Steve. Never been the same since promotion, these Bishop boys.
Stewart Alderson, more than 50 years at the heart of West Auckland FC, arrives soon afterwards for his weekly bash at the bingo. All roads lead to Shildon.
*Talk hereabouts of Doggart’s stores – and, indeed, of the Busby Babes – reminded Shildon Railway groundsman and retired head teacher John Brennan of his Ferryhill childhood.
The Doggart’s club collector – one of 800, it’s said – was a chap called Harker. One day in 1957 John, then just five, overheard Harker telling his dad that he had two tickets for the FA Cup final – Aston Villa v Manchester United – and immediately and erroneously assumed they were for father and son.
They were for collector and customer, John obliged to watch the match on his aunty’s little brown television – “we couldn’t afford one.”
United goalkeeper Ray Wood, Hebburn lad, was left unconscious after just six minutes in a collision with Peter McParland who went on to score both Villa’s goals in a 2-1 win.
Back in Ferryhill, young Brennan – still a Man United fan- cried buckets at the final whistle. “It wasn’t because United had lost, it was because I never saw my dad on the telly.”
*Thursday’s blog told of 73-year-old Alex Smith who lives near Durham but who never – well, hardly ever – misses a Stranraer match home or away.
Stuart Green, a reader, reports that they play together in the Meadowfield Leisure Centre over 50s five-a-side team. “I was recruited as part of the youth policy to bring the median age down to a spritely 70-odd.”
Today was one of the biggest games in Stranraer’s history, the home leg of the relegation/promotion play-off with East Kilbride, balanced at 2-2 from the first.
Alex missed it, a family wedding and a three-line whip – “rotten scheduling by some of his relatives who he suspects are secret Queen of the South fans” says Stuart.
They’ll have been dancing thereafter, though. Stranraer won today’s game 3-1 and live to fight another Scottish League season.
*Perhaps aware of the Cumberland gap – per Mr Lonnie Donegan – perhaps being diplomatic, Kendal Town profess themselves “deeply disappointed” at the FA decision arbitrarily to relocate them to the Ebac Northern League. Worse yet, they’d been given no inkling that it might happen. They’ve appealed but may not be holding their breath.
Grass Routes 