Part lament for English cricket besieged by money men and part appreciation of the England of Larkin and Vaughan Williams. Written by a highly cultivated lover of the game and the arts who has enjoyed friendships in both worlds, it is best read as a celebration of good things by an agreeable pavilion companion, though there's also a slight sense of being drawn into the ranks of disgruntled old buffers. Nevertheless a true appreciation of the game shines through and just now is surely the time for nostalgia.
(Tony Pratt - bwl 97 Summer 2020 ) |
