What do I know?
When I first was approached to write for the Rust I raised the question of reporting accuracy. We are not a national newspaper where facts are checked and copy ‘leagled’. I was concerned I might make some factual error. The editor told me not to worry as firstly it’s unlikely that anything I wrote will be read by more than 30 people and secondly he could not differentiate between fact and fiction in copy and sometimes wonders if his writers could either. Nonetheless the former professional man in me aspired to attention to detail.
In my first draft of the report on the first day of Kent v Sussex game I referred to Sussex spin bowler Paul Beer not having assistance from the pitch. In fact Will Beer was not playing and I confused him for a Paul Beer who I knew as a “rainmaker” in firm of accountants. This reminds me that once my late father in meeting a distinguished American actor Harold Gary who was starring in a Arthur Miller play in London referred to the lady he accompanied as Mrs X, X being the name of the role Gary played. The lady was bewildered as she was not married and certainly not to Gary and was being greeted by a name she did not recognise. I digress. More seriously, in terms of copy, I forecast that the game had draw “written all over it” and Sussex batters would fill their boots. In fact I was significantly wrong as Kent won handsomely by 147 runs and Sussex batting collapsed in the first innings. That they made any sort of overall total was due to a flurry of runs in the second innings down the order principally from Vernon Philander.
Yesterday I planned to go the England v South Africa ODI with Doug Heath. Given that rain was forecast, there nothing to play for and I felt the worse for wear after dinner with my heavy drinking neighbours, I was more than relieved when Doug in the morning suggested bailing out. I was even more relieved when I saw that England staggered to 22-6 and South Africa won comfortably. Still we won the series and this bodes well for the ICC Champions Cup about to start.
In the afternoon I watched the Championship play off final billed as the £200m game. I was rooting for Huddersfield as I did not care for Reading’s tactics in the semi finals against Fulham. They were soon up to their old tricks of playing the match at the margins of acceptability . With his eyes set so close and bald skull manager Japp Stam looks so intimidating and this seems to reflect they play with midfield Rottweilers like Danny Williams. Huddersfield should have wrapped it up in the first half but soon the Terriers difficulty in maintaining their high level of pace and Reading ‘s tough tactics led to a tighter game eventually determined by penalties. With a German manager, David Wagner, and three Germans in the penalty roster Huddersfield were always likely to triumph. Pargie had recommended I place my tenner on Huddersfield to be promoted.
Which of the three promoted clubs will survive? Newcastle must be favourites to do so but my boys Brighton and Huddersfield will struggle. My main concern is not whether Brighton survive but if they start getting tonked 3 or 4 nil that the fans and board remember that Chris Hughton more than anyone ensured our poromtion and I really hope that faith in him overrules fickleness.