You know you’re in trouble when 10 Downing Street weighs into the debate. That’s an office that hasn’t really distinguished itself of late! Please, Mr. Sunak.
It's best we leave that there.
I think of my sister at times like this; she would simply say, ‘This is bloody bonkers’.
Her father would have disappeared to the garage to seek solace from his lacrosse scrapbooks.
My brother wouldn’t care one bit. And me, I’m just not sure anymore.
The whole ‘Spirit of the Game’ argument seems so nebulous; there is no definition, and interpretation is arbitrary, and as one Australian pundit described it:
‘The Spirit of Cricket’ is straightforward: "It’s whatever benefits England’s cause."
Ouch!
“Your Ashes” - Allan ‘Ned’ Barden
I digress. On a lighter note, I’m delighted to share the passage below with you as part of our "Your Ashes" series.
Allan ‘Ned’ Barden is a neighbour, a reader, a cricketing tragic, an ex-player, an administrator, a beer investor, a community volunteer, and a writer at the Footy Almanac. Oh, and a ripping Aussie who originates from Swansea, on the East coast of Tasmania. Allan is ably supported by Lorelle, herself a wonderful host.
I asked Allan just two questions:
Which Ashes series shaped your view of cricket?
And, what defines you as a cricket watcher?
Enjoy Allan’s response:
“On reflection, probably the series that stimulated my interest in playing and watching cricket was the 1964 Ashes in England—my Genesis, so to speak.
Back then, my grandfather, a cricket and overall sporting tragic, used to listen to Australia play international cricket series late into the night on my grandparents Kriesler Bakelite wireless.
In 1964, when I was but a very young and likely lad, the Ashes series of that year was the first time I actually stayed up late with ‘Pop’ listening to the cricket, beautifully called by Alan McGilvray.
McGilvray captivated me with his descriptive comments on both the play and the players. With my parents blessing, honest, I continued to listen late into the night with Pop. This became common practice throughout the 1960s, until I moved to finish school and start work in Hobart.
What a series the 1964 Ashes Battle was! Australia won the five-match Test series by the narrowest margin, 1-0, with four matches being drawn.
I can remember the Tasmanian newspapers often reporting that the series was boring, but for me, as a young tyke, it was enthralling, and I loved to be entertained by McGilvray’s commentary.
McGilvray made it seem as if I was there in the crowd at Trent Bridge, Lord's, Headingley, etc. Magical.
The incomparable Fred Trueman
In some cases, I was conflicted. Even though he was English, next to Bobby Simpson, the Australian captain, ‘Fiery’ Fred Trueman became my favourite, as he was with some of my school-mates as well. All at once, I wanted Fred to take wickets but not take wickets—go figure! I fell in love with his antics. He was an entertainer, and I recall some saying back in the day that he was more like an Aussie than a Pom.
Australians loved Trueman as much as their own.
Apart from ‘fiery’ Fred and ‘Simmo, my favourites also included the superb and highly successful Australian opening fast bowling duo Neil Hawke and Graham McKenzie, both of whom had a great 1964 series. I also liked Freddie Titmus, the English spin bowler, and Tom Veivers, the Australian all-rounder. Much to the jibing of my after-school cricket-playing companions.
I used to make out I was both Trueman and Titmus when I bowled while trying to be an opener like ‘Simmo’ or Bill Lawry when I batted. I also became a fan of the great Australian wicketkeeper, Wally Grout. My friends and I played out the 1964 series time and again on Dodge’s Paddock, where we had constructed a pitch among the sheep dung—the ball was always carefully fielded!
The 1964 series was also when Surrey cricketer Ken Barrington became another favourite of mine right up until he retired—what about that nose? In the drawn fourth Test at Old Trafford, I remember McGilvray calling ‘Simmos’ famous 311 and then the double century of Barrington’s. I also remember the 1964 series as being Geoff Boycott’s first Ashes series, as it also was for Australia’s Bob Cowper and Ian Redpath.
Geelong’s Ian ‘Redders’ Redpath
After the 1964 series, I entered a quiz/competition to win one of only a few signed cricket bats by the 1964 Australian Ashes team. One of the treasured items I still have in an old wooden memoir box is a letter from H. J. Heinz Co. Australia Ltd. in Dandenong, VIC, dated October 10th, 1964. It advises Master Allan Barden’ that with his correct and neatest entry in the State, he had won a full-size english willow bat autographed by Australia’s captain Bob Simpson (actually, it was signed by all the Australian team). While I may have gotten all the answers correct with my entry, it was my school teacher, Aunt Berenice, who helped me win by filling out my entry for me in her very, very neat hand writing. I. will always be indebted to her—My father accidentally broke the treasured bat playing cricket, but that’s another story, for another time.
Apart from the 1964 Ashes, my interest in and enjoyment of playing cricket are largely due to my family background.
My ‘Pop’ and all his sons, my father, and his brothers (my uncles) all played cricket and were variously good fast and slow bowlers, batsmen, or both.
My father was a fairly quick left-arm opening bowler who was renowned for his leg-cutters. I used to watch him and my uncles play every Saturday.
In late 1964, I was asked by my Uncle Roger, captain of the local cricket team, to fill in at number eleven for a sick player.
I remember my father making a century in that match, hitting sixes and fours all over the place. He batted down the list and was not a stroke player or very stylish; he was more of a swashbuckling ‘Bazball’ type. England take note.
After fielding quite well (a very scared fielder at that!) and getting 10 runs and carrying my bat at number eleven, I became a regular player in the local men’s team.
In one game, I remember our family and cousins making up the majority of the team. My uncle Roger (captain, first drop, and handy spin bowler), my father (opening bowler), another uncle (the other open bowler), another uncle (medium pace swing bowler), two cousins (wicketkeeper and also a bowler), and me as the young punk at the bottom of the list!
I should add that in my hometown—Swansea—there were three other clubs, so my family did not overwhelm the town’s only cricket club. Honestly!
Thank you, Allan, for sharing those Ashes memories; they are terrific. And, no doubt, you are happy with how the 2023 Ashes stand! Allan played for the Swansea Cricket Club in Tasmania, back in the day. Of course the club has a sister in South Wales, The Mumbles.
Want to share your Ashes memories? No problem, drop me an email and we’ll get a post knocked up. speakingnick@gmail.com
![AUSTRALIAN 1964 TOUR OF ENGLAND].](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd114689d-44d4-44d2-9cbf-76eb65e2e7ef_640x460.jpeg "AUSTRALIAN 1964 TOUR OF ENGLAND].")
