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Championships leading wicket taker for an amazing 5
years in a row. He was a big factor in Sussex’s first ever
County Championship title and he also returned to
play international cricket again. He also later became
England’s and Pakistan’s spin bowling coach.
To complete the trio of Pakistan leg spinners is the
charismatic Imran Tahir, he played for 3 clubs in the
North Staffordshire and South Cheshire league and was
for many years just a jobbing overseas professional,
who not many people knew about outside the league. I
first game across him in 2002 when he was playing for
Kidsgrove cricket club. Tahir was only 23 at the time
and we also had a young Indian overseas Pro in
Tejinder Pal Singh. Now we have always got on well
with Kidsgrove and it was a surprise went just a few
overs in, Singh was trying to hit Tahir over the head
with his bat. Tahir had said something to Singh that he
didn’t like and the fact he was from Pakistan set him
off into a furious rage. We managed to calm him down,
but he told me afterwards that he lived on the Pakistan
Indian border and he had to put up with groups of
youths throwing stones at him. To be fair he said, “we
did throw bottles of piss back at them”.
Going back to Tahir he was always a very skilful
bowler with a wicked Googly that was hard to pick. The
first time I faced him he bowled a ball that pitch well
outside off stump, I decided to leave it and suddenly it
spun back in viciously. Luckily for me the ball bounced
and just missed the top of the middle stump. Tahir put
his head in his hands, I smiled and said, “Picked that
Immy, knew it was going over.” Tahir started laughing,
although a few balls later he had me caught at slip.
Tahir is famous for his over enthusiastic wicket
celebrations in international cricket, however in getting
me out he didn’t he even smile. Tahir moved on to play
full seasons for Norton in Hales and Moddershall and
then got his chance in County cricket with Middlesex
and Hampshire. Then amazingly at the age of 32, the
journeyman overseas pro made his Test match debut
for South Africa. Apparently, his wife was South
African, and he qualified on residency.
In one of his final games in club cricket, I actually
umpired him in the semi-final of a mid-week charity
cup. He was playing for Moddershall against Milford
Hall cricket club and Milford were 6 down needing 25
from 2 overs. I was purring, watching Tahir bowl his
variety of Googlies and top spinners. Milford
seemingly had no chance when 40-year-old farmer Pat
Davies walked in. Now Davies was normally a second
teamer, so was just filling in. On paper a soon to be
international leg spinner against a second team club
cricketer shouldn’t have been much of a match up. The
first ball whizzed past Davies outside edge, you could
almost hear the ball fizz. Tahir smiled like a Lion eyeing
up his prey, surely this was only a matter of time. What
followed was simply incredible. The 40-year-old,
dispatched Tahir for 3 sixes and a four, all over long on
into the adjoining woodland. It was an incredible
cameo, unlike anything I had seen before. Davies
treated him like a second team pie chucker and then
strode off into the bar as if it was an everyday
occurrence. Tahir had his head in his hands not
believing what had happened. The next time I saw
Tahir a few months later he was playing in a test match
for South Africa. Pat Davies was back playing for
Milford seconds.
The recent world cup in England was Tahir’s
swansong in international cricket, the Googly master
finishing with 20 Test match appearances netting him
57 wickets, 107 one day internationals with 173 wickets
and finally 63 wickets in 38 matches in T20
internationals. Tahir took the first wicket of the 2019
World cup, bowling Jonny Bairstow for a duck. At 40
years and 64 days old, he became South Africa’s oldest
player in the World cup. Tahir does however hold one
world test record that he would be happy to lose. In a
test match against Australia in 2012 he bowled 37 overs,
gaining the figures of 0-260. Tahir is now a T20
specialist and has played in the Indian Premier league
and Big bash. He was also due back in England to play
in the new Hundred competition, not bad for an old
leggie, the adopted son of Kidsgrove.
For the Full book “Tales of a Dibbly Dobbler” -
contact
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Bake’s Memoirs
by Neil Baker, local sporting legend
N
o doubt what’s on all football fans’ minds at the
moment - The Euros. By the time you read
this, we will know where we have finished in
the group and hopefully who we face in the last 16.
I’m writing this just two days before the start of the
tournament and four days prior to our first game v
Croatia. It’s not the toughest group but every game at
this level is a potential pitfall.
Also the build-up has been messy. Two games
against Romania and Austria have clouded the issue
rather than cleared anything up. Two home games that
we were expected to win and did - but neither
performance was convincing.
In fact the second game v Romania was tepid and
uninspiring so I switched over to watch the cricket,
England v New Zealand on the fifth day at Lords. The
black caps had set us a target to win the game but we
declined the rather generous declaration and settled for
the draw. Having switched over to see the score and
watching Dom Sibley probably batting to save his place
in the team, I decided that I would be better taking the
dog for a walk.
Then I remembered we don’t have a dog! But I’m
sure you get my point.
Gareth Southgate has an impossible job in trying to
please everyone. Well he can’t and he will know that
very well. We all have an opinion on the game and who
he should select in the squad and the team to play
against Croatia. I don’t think he did himself any favours
by picking four right backs in his original squad. We
are well blessed in that position and when probably the
best defender of them all, Wan Bissaka, isn’t selected
then no country in the world can boast that.
Also Walker and James can play at centre half in a
three man defensive set up and Trippier can play at left
back if needed. Chilwell and Shaw provide each other
with good competition on the other side.
My biggest concern and I think it will be most
peoples is how we set up at the back. Against the second
and third tier countries I think he would have played
with a back four allowing himself to pick a side that
would have looked exciting on paper with a holding
midfield player, two attacking midfield players and
three strikers but Maguire’s absence through injury
means a change of plan.
He obviously doesn’t trust anyone in his squad to
play alongside Stones in a back four so will probably
start with three centre backs. There is a real dearth of
top class centre halves in the country just at the
moment and the late addition of White does prove this.
Coady and Mings are in because of injuries to Gomez
and Maquire. Coady is a converted midfield player who
only looks comfortable in the middle of two others and
Mings isn’t up to the level.
So my back five for the opening game would be
James, Walker, Coady, Stones and Chilwell but don’t be
surprised if Shaw plays on the left of the three.
What, I hear some of you say, he has played there
for Man Utd and offers balance to the defence.
(Don’t forget the tournament hasn’t started at the
time of writing so I am only second guessing and
possibly completely wrong!!)
Obviously Pickford will play behind the defence in
the opening game if fit but he is another concern for
me, he makes great saves and is exceptional with the
ball at his feet but prone to the odd error which could
prove costly. Henderson didn’t finish the season well
and lost his place in his club side so is short on
confidence. Johnstone did well against Romania on his
debut and has had a good season at club level despite
his team being relegated, well he certainly had plenty
of practice!
I was disappointed when it was announced that
Pope would miss out due to injury because I rate him
the best keeper we have eligible to play for England.
Midfield is an area that we have struggled in for a
number of years. I would definitely have taken Ward-
Prowse. He has selected only five to play there and one
is Henderson. Rice has improved immensely and is a
definite starter. Philips has had a good season at Leeds
and done OK for the national team but he always leaves
me wanting more. Plays backwards and square to often
just happy to keep possession but we need more, or the
strikers need more. Hit some telling passes, make some
chances, have some shots and score the odd goal please
Kalvin.
Bellingham is an exciting prospect but I would be
surprised if he plays in the opening game and in
particular in a two man midfield but his time will
come.
Also Mount and Grealish could play in there if we
play three.
The three strikers could be Gareth’s biggest
headache despite us having an array of excellent
forwards. I would go as far to say we have the best
attacking talent in the competition.
Kane is an obvious starter when not injured but the
real conundrum is who plays either side of him? Does
the manager go for the pace of Rashford and Sterling,
class with Foden, Grealish and Mount or one of each
either side?
Sancho doesnt come into the equation for me and
again Mount must start so that leaves one place.
Neither Rashford or Sterling have had a great second
half of the season so it’s Foden or Grealish. Grealish has
missed a number of games at the back end of the season
and may have to settle for a place on the bench in the
early group games but if we progress he will be needed.
So my starting team v Croatia is, Pickford, James,
Walker, Coady, Stones and Chilwell. Rice and Phillips.
Foden, Kane and Mount. Be interesting to see how
close it is to the actual team.
One thing I didn’t agree with was the inclusion of
the injured players Maguire and Hernderson on the
assumption they may be ready for the second phase.
One, we might not get there and two, when do they
get match practice? Henderson hasn’t played for
months and Maguire weeks and a few training games
doesn’t prepare them for what will be in effect a
knockout game, if they are selected.
It didn’t work when the same decisions were made
on Rooney and Beckham in previous competitions.
They may be important players but not if they’re
injured!
I think we will qualify from the group but we could
well meet Germany, France or Portugal in the next
round. With our best team on the pitch in a one-off
game we could beat all three of them. Unfortunately we
won’t have our best team out and our defence and
midfield will be tested to the limit. Hopefully the
support and their team spirit will lift them to find a way
to go all the way and bring football home. Here’s
dreaming.
Just before I go. I’m watching former Scotland
manager Craig Brown telling us he thinks that Scotland
can win the Euros!! Now I know he’s getting on a bit
and as we do we get forgetful. He’s obviously been on
the whiskey! Scotland winning the Euros… Doesn’t
bear thinking about and won’t happen…
All the best,
Bake.