Radio Memories

Photo © Anne-Marie Minhall

Radio memories.

The fascination with wireless for me began with listening to Test Match Special in the middle of the night. Long Wave. The Ashes. Australia hosting. The commentary was informative, funny & captivating. John Arlott. Brian Johnson 'Johnners', Christopher Martin-Jenkins among my favourites.

Then there would be the TV highlights with Peter West & Richie Benaud. Benaud was the wittiest & most incisive of them all - for me.

The memory of going to see my first Test Match with my father will never leave me. It was at Trent Bridge (anecdotally, Benaud's favourite ground in England). England vs West Indies. 

And there was a bomb scare. We all had to move from the stands onto the pitch.

Nothing happened & play soon resumed but those were the times. I wasn't scared because I was with my father. Nothing bad ever happened when I was with him. 

I loved the thrill of being there, watching the match & the noisy excitement of the crowd.

It was a draw.

The names I recall? For England - Brearley .. Close .. Steele .. Grieg .. Knott .. Hendrick.

For the Windies - Greenidge .. Richards .. (Oh, Richards) .. Lloyd .. Daniel  .. Fredericks ..

Fast forward so many years &, together with my father, I was taking one of my oldest friends, JS, to her very first Test Match with her father. The opposition this time was New Zealand.

JS & me planned the food, though, I was in charge as she was a cricket picnic apprentice. It took some time to put together but what a joy it was. We met early in my kitchen.

Nothing soggy in a sandwich for the cricket like tuna or egg, they'll be a squelchy mess before lunch. No, it should be robust. Ham sandwiches, roast beef cobs, (mustard on both, obviously), a Tupperware box of hardy salad goodies, (radishes, spring onions, cucumber, celery), pork pie (always at cricket), sausage rolls & or a handsome Scotch egg plus some wedges of Cheddar cheese & crisps. 

There was a bit of fruit for tea and the lunch leftovers to be picked at.

There was wine for the ladies & beer for the gentlemen.

A cricket novice, JS asked A LOT of questions once play was underway. 

JS: "Who's batting?"

Me: "We are."

JS: "Who's winning?"

Me: "Well, play's just started, so, too early to call."

*FIVE MINUTES LATER*

JS: "Why do the batsmen wear helmets?"

Me: "Because a ball is coming at them at 80mph."

JS: "Oh."

*THREE MINUTES LATER*

JS: "So, they could die."

Me: "Yes, do you want a sandwich & a drink?"

JS: "Yes please."

*THIRTY MINUTES LATER*

JS: "What time is lunch?"

Me: "One o'clock."

*WICKET*

JS: "What's happened?"

Me: "He's out."

JS: "Why?"

*MORE WINE OPENED*

*BEERS PASSED TO THE DADS*

I was happy to answer these questions from JS for the first hour of a seven hour day.

It was a grand occasion though & both fathers were delighted with the cricket, the company & the feast.

Incidentally, my favourite ever radio quote from Benaud was about a streaker's exploits at a match

“There was a slight interruption there for athletics.”