Saturday, October 27, 2007

Libdemologists Leader: 28:10, 9 Schtum, 16 Dunno


With nominations in for just two candidates and hustings underway only thirty-eight Lib Dems expressed a preference. Not including Man-Witter Cllr John Leech MP who presumably either forgot what day it was or is still too scared to commit in case it interfered with his career as a Mimicster.

The first hustings took place in Rugby. Ah, happy memories. Ish. Some rather famous school playing fields there hosted the Universities cricket final in 1981 or so. Your blogger was scorer for Manchester with Durham the opposition.

Our captain/opening bat Paul Dolphin (front, second from right) and four or five other team members were detained by police, helping calibrate a speed gun, en route from Cambridge where we were "on tour". The season had been wrecked by rain and had overrun.

Durham "kindly" put us in to bat. Our three and four that was. Sometimes it doesn't rain but it pours.

Lancashire U19s Phil Royle opened with DKS Beckett who was a full Lancashire player specialising in the one day game. In fact man of the match in the Roses One Dayer that very year I think with 2-28 and a rapid 30.

Both were quickly out and a strong bowling attack, including one Simon Hughes (no relation) and a Rugby School OB called Jake, who chatted up the umpires like he was their long lost son, quickly skittled another couple.

On the last ball before lunch our left-handed bat Paul Wolff prodded a Jake ball towards leg slip bouncing, we thought, just short of waiting hands. But Hughes claimed the catch theatrically and the umpire raised his finger.

Our stump splitting fast bowler and diplomat's son Abu Rahman smashed a few runs in good time after lunch. But our team were all out for around 115 as I recall.

Durham's opener was Worcestershire and England man Tim Curtis and he patiently, very slowly in fact, amassed the runs losing a couple of partners. Sometimes it doesn't rain but it pours. Sometimes it doesn't rain but there are alas only occasional showers.

Manchester would have won under the Duckworth Lewis method (D/L) at any point until the last run was scored. But sadly the rain held off. Runners up medals. In 1979 rain and D/L had I think helped us win the final. So it goes.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

Miles
If you are so clever how come you don't know Grell has a double L at the end?

Anonymous said...
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Chris Paul said...

Don't want to shut down all anonymous comments my friend. But this is very tedious and I appeal to you to stop it.

Andy Mayer raised the matter at his blog in the hiatus between the original case and the appeal. I don't know why he did that. There is no news at the moment. Nothing has changed. There has been a verdict and there is to be an appeal.

You'll have to ask Mr Mayer. I don't know why Iain Dale followed suit, well I can guess, but you'll have to ask him too.

I'm told that Southwark Lib Dems are tearing their hair out about Mayer's behaviour in buying up the "Miranda Grell" google search and also in covering this matter at all. This is for reasons which I know from those sources but which is well documented. These reasons may well become apparent in due course.

I have made some comments at Mr Mayer's site. I have decided not to make any here on my own blog until there is some real news on the matter. Like the date for the appeal hearing to begin.

Clearly Miranda Grell vehemently protests her innocence of the charges and is appealing the verdict. Any reporting on blogs or elsewhere that does not report that basic fact is running the risk of legal action.

The papers are doing that. And the papers are not covering the matter while there are no developments.

Go and join in the discussion at Mayer's if you want to. But not here.

Anonymous said...

Let's hope that Miranda Grell keeps protesting her innocence - let's hope Leyton Lib Dems start campaigning in her absence.

Vote Nick Clegg!