So other than Sunny boy ice blocks, Summer way back in the 70s involved lots of cricket, like every afternoon, straight after home work, all weekend and all school holidays unless we were away. I had a bike but we did not venture that far maybe just to somebody else's place for a cricket match.
Back yard rules and interpretations were serious stuff without hotspot and live replays. I still have my cricket bat, it may not have been my first one every, I seem to remember a size 4 hand me down I got from some where. But this one pictured would have been my first ever new one. A Stuart Sturridge made in England so old now that all the marking have worn off. I think I may have over oiled it as a youngster as it shows signs of fine cracks. It is still in good nic though which proves they do not make things like they used too.
I have no proof but I may have invented taping up a tennis ball to make it swing through the air. My dad was an Electrician so we had tape at home. We were not allowed to use a hard cricket ball because to would break windows and cause too many injuries. But as a bowler you could not do much with a tennis ball except bowl as fast as possible. Everyone just wanted to bat so some where I came up with the idea of making one side of the tennis ball smooth and if you held to ball with tape all on one side it would curve through the air beautifully. So much so I would happily bowl all day long.
At my place there was No "LBW" leg before wicket unless you did not play a shot and if you hit it over the fence it was 6 and out plus you had to get it.
Ah the good old days!
