Meeting: 2 October 2010
Guest Speaker: Roger Knight OBE
Grace
Andrew Renshaw said grace:
God, whose farm is all creation,
Take the gratitude we give,
Take the finest of our harvest,
Crops we grow that men may live.
Take our ploughing, seeding, reaping,
Hopes and fears of sun and rain,
All our thinking, planning, waiting,
Ripened in this fruit and grain.
All our labour, all our watching,
All our calendar of care,
In these crops of your creation,
Take, O God: they are our prayer
John Arlott (1914-91)
(The congregation at John Arlott’s funeral sang this famous harvest hymn John had written for the BBC.)
Apologies for Absence
Clive Barnett, David Brown, Grayston Burgess, Roy Clarke, Alan Edwards, Bill Enstone, Brian Ford, Alistair MacLennan, Keith Mayson, The Pardoe family
Election of Officers
Douglas thanked Penny for her time and commitment to the Club for over eight years and welcomed the new secretary Lou Allen, who was proposed by the Treasurer and seconded by the President.
Subscription Renewal
The President expressed concern that unless members pay subscriptions by standing order, many are lost. He, therefore, urged members to take up standing orders in the future through the Treasurer to reduce the risk of losing members who had been unable to attend a lunch. However, the President was pleased to see a number of younger faces this year and was keen that these guests would bring other members into the Club. The President had set an example by bringing Robin Brodhurst, grandson of Harry Altham, who was hugely involved with Broadhalfpenny Down. While he and Robin are members of the ‘emailing’ statisticians, they have become everlasting friends.
Prize Draw in support of Youth Cricket at Hambledon Cricket Club
The customary draw raised £310, and after deduction of the prize drawer and speaker’s expenses, £230 was raised in aid of the Club. The winner of the draw prize was Ralph Shipway. Subsequently, a cheque for £750 was sent to the Hambledon Cricket Club to assist in supporting and encouraging their youth programmes.
The Loyal Toasts
The President asked members to be upstanding for the traditional toasts: The Queen’s Mother; The King; The Hambledon Club; Cricket; The immortal memory of Madge. Andrew Renshaw asked members to toast: The President.
Next Speaker on 2 April 2011
Due to business abroad, Sir John Major had to decline the President’s invitation to speak, while conveying his good wishes to the club and its members. The President had also approached Bob Barber and was awaiting confirmation.
The President proceeded by welcoming RDV (Roger) Knight OBE to the Hambledon Club
After graduating, Roger pursued a teaching career that allowed him to play cricket in the summer months and led to his changes of county sides. He taught French and German, did squash and rugby coaching, and was a house tutor.
During his first period with Surrey, he was trying to break into a batting order of Michael Edwards, Graham Roope, Younis Ahmed, John Edrich, Stuart Storey, and Micky Stewart – all capped players. He could not justify a summer break from school to play 2nd XI cricket, so he moved to Gloucestershire where he was offered a place batting at number three. He played with a marvellous side including Arthur Milton and over the years he could always turn to Arthur for advice when things weren’t going too well. Arthur considered Roger’s technique was fine, and his main advice was to get into the nets or on the court with a tennis ball and just smash it. It was the best advice anyone has ever given him but in the modern world, Roger is concerned with the array of coaches offering advice.
From Gloucestershire, he moved to Sussex for two years under Tony Greig and he also learned a great deal from his travelling companion John Snow. Roger believed John was a fantastic bowler, and while he could upset authority, he was a good man to have on your side. Roger had faced him early in his career, and in an earlier game, while playing for Surrey at the Oval, the ball whistled past Roger at head height. John Edrich stayed at the bowler’s end but Les Lenham fielding at short leg said: “well-played son, keep going”. Roger realized that there are always people on the circuit to help you, on both sides.
He returned to Surrey and became captain – one of three Surrey captains to make that journey (Ian Greig and Rory Hamilton-Brown) – and this became the happiest period of his cricketing life although in May 1983 it did include the (in)famous 14 all out at Chelmsford.
There was no play on the first day and when Roger won the toss he invited Essex to bat. They were all out at 5 o’clock for 287 and Roger was content to see how things went – not expecting Surrey to be bowled out in the time remaining that evening. The ball moved extraordinarily, and at 8-8, Surrey was in danger of recording the lowest score in first-class cricket until Sylvester Clarke hit one boundary. Pat Pocock advised caution so Clarke played a perfect forward defensive to a ball from Foster and his off-stump disappeared. Surrey followed on the next morning and lost two wickets quite quickly but the ball was no longer moving and Roger batted through the day scoring 101* and the match was drawn.
A fonder memory was the NatWest Final of the previous season (1982). For Surrey, this was a fourth consecutive year at a Lord’s final but the previous three had been dominated by opposition batsmen Viv Richards, Graham Gooch, and Mike Brearley. This time they met Warwickshire where Roger won the toss, invited them to bat, and Warwickshire was quickly reduced to 74-8. There was a late recovery but Surrey reached their target of 159 for just one wicket and Roger (2-14 in 12 overs) held the trophy aloft – a special moment.
As MCC Secretary, Roger worked closely with one of our members, Brian Ford who was the treasurer of the ECB and responsible for negotiations about staging agreements with the counties for international matches. Roger praised Brian as the voice of sanity recalling that the MCC was able to sit down with him and reach a proper agreement without possible difficulties or threats.
Roger remembered that in his time as captain, Surrey always put out the strongest side possible when playing the touring side, and he is disappointed that today’s players are more reticent – the top players don’t want to play. He remembered two tourist matches in particular. The first was making a century against Pakistan and the second against Australia when Surrey won, but he was caught by Rodney Marsh off the bowling of Dennis Lillee without scoring. (Roger was too modest to mention his 3-36 and second innings top score).
Our President had mentioned Bob Barber’s 70th birthday party in 2005. Roger had played and remembered that he was the youngster running around the covers, and being able to bat and bowl. Roger is very fond of Bob and still works with him in his capacity as Chairman of the European Cricket Council. Bob lives in Switzerland and Roger is trying to help him to resolve certain logistical problems there.
In that context, Roger related a tale of a European indoor match between Italy and Greece. The two countries share a strong antipathy and during this three-day tournament (played on a ship on the Danube) there were lengthy discussions about the spirit of cricket and respect for the opposition. In the match against Italy, a Greek batsman hit the ball and the Italian keeper dived at full length on the hard floor and caught a magnificent catch. The Greek stood there and went through every emotion you could imagine but eventually he started to drag himself off. No one said a word, the umpire had given him out, and after about ten yards he turned around, straightened himself up, and went back and shook the cricket keeper’s hand, congratulated him, and then walked off. At dinner that evening Roger made a point of saying what a marvellous example of the spirit of cricket that was, and the chap sat and beamed.
The following day in the semi-final the same player got a ball that probably hit his side pad but he was given out. This time his reaction was the complete opposite, and while he was probably right, he told the umpire he was wrong and he called the wicket-keeper a cheat, and so the manager had to drag him off. Unfortunately, as a consequence, he was banned from playing in the final. This made Roger wonder whether countries that are not major cricketers perhaps don’t quite understand the spirit of cricket but in 2010 we cannot be so sure of Test-playing countries either.
Roger wondered what is happening to cricket, feeling that if it hadn’t been a lovely sunny day travelling to Hambledon he might have struck a more pessimistic note with cricketers who will apparently do anything for money – bowling a wide or a no-ball, even fixing a match. He added that all these things are hopelessly wrong – but added a note of caution since he was at the Bat & Ball where significant betting took place on cricket almost 250 years ago!
He asked what we should do about our vulnerable game and recalled meeting Lord Condon who introduced himself as the man responsible for the corruption of cricket! He told Roger that he suspected a fair bit was going on because there are people in other parts of the world where betting is unregulated and they bet on every ball, bet on fixed periods, and more – but he believes we will find it very difficult to prove. Roger referred to incidents around the world including Cronje, the death of Bob Woolmer, and the recent case in Essex. He expressed great sympathy for young Pakistan cricketers drawing a parallel between them under pressure in a foreign country and some of his youngest charges in schools that were faced with pressure and coercion from older pupils. He added that this was probably what has happened. The Pakistani lad who has bowled only three no-balls through the whole of the series bowled the incriminating no-ball a foot over the crease. Probably the telling image was his captain Salman Butt at mid-wicket looking at his feet rather than looking at the batsman. Roger added that these are only allegations, and it is easy to sling mud at individuals, but undoubtedly things are going on, and it has gone on, but we have to somehow sort this out and we need everybody to be pulling together.
Roger noted that we have 20,000 overseas cricketers playing club cricket in England and he wishes that more English youngsters could be playing club cricket before going on to represent their county’s academy 2nd XI, and even county cricket, rather than counties opting for the immediate overseas solution.
He praised the current Hampshire side for encouraging youngsters and recalled that Surrey always had the most magnificent conveyor belt producing cricketers like Bob Willis, Mike Selvey, John Emburey, Ashley Giles, and himself, even though they went off to other counties. This does not seem a problem as long as Surrey gets players too from the conveyor belt. But suddenly it seemed to dry up and became easier for Surrey, as well as other counties, to start looking at the older players around the country and around the world. This needs to change.
Roger is really looking forward to the coming Ashes Series and believes that England has a very good chance, especially as we hold the Ashes. Going to Australia is always a very different thing, as found out last time, but the side is properly captained and properly managed by Andy Flower and Andy Strauss. They are really two very good people and there are good people on the side. ‘KP’ is such a talent if he can really be harnessed, because where the others will work at it, they don’t have his natural ability in the same way. Roger wondered whether Swann will obtain quite the same turnout over there, but in any event, he is a great competitor; and while he is delighted to see the selection of Monty Panesar who always seemed a fine bowler, he suddenly started bowling them too quickly. Moving on, Roger said that he is delighted that his wife and he have been invited by the Melbourne CC to the Boxing Day Test, showing that there are people in cricket who don’t forget you when you retire.
He concluded by thanking our Club for the invitation and expressing his pleasure in coming to talk to people who love the game of cricket, adding that it is still a terrific game and we have got to make sure, as the older generation, that people playing it today learn what is so good about it. Through cricket he has made friends all around the world—the most important thing in the game of cricket—people compete, people have fun, but they meet people of like minds who understand the ethos of the game.
Thanks
Through appreciative applause, the President again thanked Roger for coming to speak to us. The President also thanked the management and staff of the Bat & Ball.
Any Other Business
Penny Taylor spoke of the passing of Stan Rudder and informed members of the memorial details. Stan had been a Southern League cricketer for 50 years since coming to Barbados. He played for Hants over the 60s in 2010.
Updates
(1) Stan Rudder’s funeral was attended by some 700 friends, family and fellow cricketers.
(2) The President has confirmed Bob Barber as our next speaker in 2011. Two honours in two weeks for Roger Knight
Date released
5 January 2007
Roger Knight has been awarded Honorary Life Membership of Marylebone Cricket Club – which he served with great distinction, from early 1994 to autumn 2006, as its Secretary & Chief Executive.
During his thirteen years at the helm, the Club’s achievements included a transformation in the facilities at Lord’s, the launch of its worldwide MCC Spirit of Cricket initiative, and the admission of women members.
Roger also laid the foundations for several projects which have come to fruition since his retirement, such as the construction of a video analysis suite in MCC’s Indoor Cricket School and the acclaimed MCC Travelex Ashes Exhibition, which is currently attracting huge crowds in Australia.
It is the second honour for Roger in less than two weeks as he was appointed OBE, for services to sport, at the start of the year.
Commenting on Roger’s inclusion in the New Year’s Honours List, MCC’s Chairman, Charles Fry, said: “Roger thoroughly deserves this award, for his decades of service to cricket – as a player, a captain and, for thirteen years, as an outstanding Secretary & Chief Executive of MCC.” He added: “I am delighted that he has accepted the Committee’s offer of Honorary Life Membership of MCC, which he served so well and for so long.”
Roger has been congratulated on his OBE by members of the Grand National Archery Society, which worked closely with him to ensure that Lord’s will host the archery competition during the Olympic Games in 2012.
Despite retiring from MCC last year, Roger is continuing to serve cricket through his chairmanship, since the autumn, of the European Cricket Council (which, like the Club, is based at Lord’s).