Talking Cricket: Maybe bingo is the way ahead (20 July 1999)

20 July 1999

Talking Cricket: Maybe bingo is the way ahead

Sybil Ruscoe

I returned to the cricket of my youth last week. Midweek, working-class cricket. Six o'clock start, 20 overs a side. Kids with coke and crisps on the boundary, pensioners parked on their usual benches, the laddish banter as a latecomer scurries into the pavilion, pads, boots, bat and jumper spilling out of the kit bag.

I was at Hetton Lyons, near Durham, filming for last Saturday's Channel 4 Cricket Roadshow. The club have a proud tradition rooted in the Durham mining community and it is a fine example of how cricket can reach today's youth and preserve a sporting heritage that stretches back over 100 years.

Hetton have over 2,000 members and, in addition to their three senior teams, have squads representing all age groups from under-11. Two of the Hetton lads have been picked for England schoolboy teams.

Tom Moody is an ex-Hetton pro and the impressive refurbished social club is the centre of local evening entertainment. All this, an official explained, is financed by - bingo. "It's something for the women and it keeps us afloat," he said.

Perhaps the MCC members could swell the coffers with a bit of bingo in the Long Room next time they're short of cash for a World Cup ticket!

After all we hear about the state of cricket, it was heartening to see the game in such a healthy state in County Durham. It is flourishing at grass-roots level. The university, whose graduates include England captain Nasser Hussain, have had another successful season.

Hundreds of local school-children pitched up at the ECB roadshow. And, lo and behold, to coincide with the visit of our C4 team, Durham won three games in a week.

"One swallow doesn't make a summer," said one of our producers as he re-wrote our programme running order after Durham disposed of Derbyshire on Friday night. But perhaps the "Durham Dream" has turned the proverbial corner and is but a snick away from reality.

Durham's home at the Riverside in Chester-le-Street is the most welcoming county ground I have been to. Apart from state-of-the-art facilities, it is the atmosphere that makes it a great place for watching cricket.

The people of the North-East are globally famous for sporting passion. Where else would you see spectators sitting side-by-side at a cricket match wearing Middlesbrough, Newcastle and Sunderland football shirts?

The Durham members were keen to share their enthusiasm for the region's newest top-class sport. And, rather than grumble about the lack of silverware in the trophy cabinet, they seem willing to be patient and wait for home-grown youngsters to make an impression.

There were 4,500 fans at Riverside for Tuesday's floodlit win against Derbyshire and Friday's play in the County Championship started at 12.30 pm to attract more spectators as they left work.

Floodlights and late starts have got to be good for the game. The excitement on Friday as the sun went down over Lumley Castle, which stands guardian over Riverside in much the same way as Worcester Cathedral does at New Road, was terrific.

Three wins on the trot and the members' bar was buzzing. If Durham can continue winning - a bit like the bingo players at Hetton - the county will be shouting "full house".

Source :: Electronic Telegraph (https://www.telegraph.co.uk)