Head Space Daily Words...

Watching a cricket match requires a very different mindset to that needed to watch a football match, which is my usual sporting pursuit. Whilst football's tribal nature and fierce rivalries invoke a very tense state of attrition, cricket involves a patient sense of expectation and a Corinthian spirit, rarely seen in modern team sport. It is easier to cultivate such a spirit in a non confrontational atmosphere but where else do you spend so much time applauding the opposition? My boys and me saw England beat New Zealand at Lord's yesterday and witnessed an exhilarating end to the match. The final four English batsmen fell and the entire New Zealand team were skittled out in little over three hours - including lunch!! This was my second time at Lord's and the only other cricket ground I have been to is Trent Bridge, where I was flanked by an army of guy's dressed as Star Wars characters, two clowns were ejected from the ground, which I found extremely clownist and we sang to Monty Panesar, who was standing on the boundary, in front of us. It was a good natured, fun day out, fuelled by beer. All other grounds such as Edgbaston, The Oval and Old Trafford, having seen them on TV over the years, would appear to be similar in atmosphere. Lord's though, is a little different. Marelybone Cricket Club moved to St.John's Wood and what eventually became known as Lord's in 1814. Cricket was already well established as an elitist past time, enjoyed by nobility and the wealthy but the plebs were allowed to infiltrate as time went by and a sense of the past still remains at Lord's. Due to being located in a wealthy part of London, it's reverential status as the home of cricket, with it's immense history, Lord's can attract a higher class of clientele. When it comes to wine, I prefer red over white but a guy a few seats down the row from me announced, "I don't drink a lot of Italian wine." As we walked to the exit at lunch, I overheard another guy, whilst he leant over, wine bottle in hand, ask his friends, "a topsy anyone?" Tim Nice but Dim would have been proud. As we sat down in the picnic area to start on our packed lunch, a couple opened their hamper, the padded interior revealing a fine set of cutlery, resting inside pouches, as they took out their parma ham and a host of cheeses. It is one of the few places I have been to where obviously rich, upper class types, mix freely with people that would be considered to be of normal income and social status. In the rather genteel toilet block, a fellow Villa fan had some fan banter with my youngest son who was wearing his Villa top and on the way out a bloke, who I can only assume was a Birmingham City supporter, was less complimentary. So, back to reality but it was good to escape to a different sporting culture for a day...