Oh Jimmy Jimmy, Jimmy Jimmy Jimmy Jimmy Anderson- Farewell Test 10 July

[summitclaret]

The Town's greatest ever Sports person.

https://www.skysports.com/cricket/story ... -greatness

[beddie]

You’ve missed a Jimmy out.

[LeadBelly]

You’ve missed a Jimmy out.

Fine attention to detail there for a Monday afternoon beddie. I just sang it to myself and didnt notice the omission.

[beddie]

Fine attention to detail there for a Monday afternoon beddie. I just sang it to myself and didnt notice the omission.

Sing it again.

[ClaretTony]

The time had to come but I still find this strange and there will be some criticism if he turns in a match winning performance.

[CoolClaret]

He could play another two years - took seven wickets in one innings for Lancs the other day, didn't he?

Poor from Rob Key, imo. At least deserved the series.

[ClaretTricks]

still nothing in the town, hopefully after his last test

[expoultryboy]

Mrs thinks I'm going mad , sat here singing the song . There is no ommission , is there ?? Wonderful opening swing bowler , who at times was unplayable .

[ClaretCliff]

Get the Cricket Field Stand to sing it, they could squeeze at least another two Jimmy’s into it in the same length of time.

[LeadBelly]

I never intended to go to this game but there's an extra draw with it being Jimmy's last game. Still a few tickets for Saturday at £150 but given the forecast for bits of rain/drizzle Wed and Thursday + fair bit of rain Fri and Saturday, I might plunge for a cheaper Sunday ticket when the weather looks decent and every chance game will still be on.

[LeadBelly]

The Town's greatest ever Sports person.

https://www.skysports.com/cricket/story ... -greatness

Mentions in there that Mark Vermeulen was Jimmy's first test victim. The Telegraph did an article about Vermeulen this week- quite an interesting read. I think the article is behind a paywall but Ill reproduce here, worth a read for those who enjoy a quirky cricket story.

Mark Vermeulen has become famous for falling to England seamer in 2003, but his own story is just as remarkable

“I still knock out 50 here and there, and I still enjoy it, except for the three to four days after the game, which is how long it takes to recover. So hats off to Jimmy Anderson to still be doing it past 40 as a fast bowler. I’m just a batsman who stands at slip for 50 overs. That’s painful enough, let alone a Test match.”

So says Mark Vermeulen down the line from Plettenberg Bay, one of the jewels of South Africa’s gorgeous Garden Route. At 45, he is still turning out for Plett Pioneers in the South Western Districts Premier League and coaches locally.

Twenty-one years ago, the Zimbabwean Vermeulen became Anderson’s first Test wicket. While Anderson’s story since has been largely linear – almost relentless wicket-taking – Vermeulen’s has been altogether less predictable, taking in an assortment of cricketing bans for everything from accosting spectators to racist social-media posts, a near-fatal blow to the head while batting, an attempt to storm the official residence of Robert Mugabe, burning down Zimbabwe Cricket buildings, contemplating taking his own life, and an unlikely return to Test cricket after more than a decade away.

For all that has happened since, Vermeulen may – via pub quiz questions and TV montages – be best remembered for being Anderson’s first scalp, who will look to claim a few more in his final Test at Lord’s next week.

‘The lunches at Lord’s were amazing’
“It was his first Test and my second, so no one could have predicted all these years later that’s what we’d be talking about, and it was the start of a famous story,” he smiles. “I’ve loved watching him bowl over the years, and in the modern game I can only think of Sachin Tendulkar going on so long, and batting is not nearly as taxing on the body.”

“Just to play at Lord’s was a dream come true,” he adds. “And the lunches were amazing. I was at slip, and I remember England had 450-odd on the board. [wicketkeeper] Tatenda Taibu said how tired he was getting, and I just said to him, take a moment to look around at where we are, all these people watching, how perfect the field is! We both agreed it doesn’t get much better than that.

“We hadn’t seen much of Jimmy, but he could swing the ball late and bowled with good pace. It was only my second Test as well, and in the first innings he bowled a good ball to get me. In the second I batted well to get to 60-odd, then Mark Butcher, the part-timer, swung one away and I nicked off to slip – I couldn’t believe it! However I did take a good catch to get Butcher diving at midwicket after he made a hundred. That was a cool moment, one of the highlights of my career.”

Soon after, Vermeulen started to find trouble. In the second Test at Chester-le-Street, he made a pair. Having played club cricket for Benwell and Walbottle CC in Newcastle, he told team management that he would be meeting some friends for a meal after the game, rather than catching the team bus. They agreed, before changing their mind.

“I thought that was ridiculous, so I went for the meal,” he explains. “The next day they sent me home because I didn’t come back on the bus. I asked for my passport, and went to play Lashings [the legends’ touring team] instead. I was with guys like Jimmy Adams and Richie Richardson, and I tell you – it was much better than getting whipped playing a tri-series for Zimbabwe! I also got paid more for Lashings.”

Earlier in 2003, Vermeulen had suffered his first worrying blow to the head while batting. In 2004, he was hit by India’s Irfan Pathan in Australia.

“The first blow was a fracture to the left side of my skull,” he says. “I adjusted my visor and this one crashed into the right side, and it was a brand new ball. There is 5-7mm between the skull and brain. My skull was fractured by 3-4mm. It could have been disastrous.

“The doctor said I highly recommend you never walk on a cricket field again because if you are hit again you are going to be history. I said I loved cricket so much I don’t mind dying on the field. It was supposed to be out for four months, but I was back within two. At the beginning I couldn’t even put on a helmet because of the scar, so I was playing without a helmet. It was totally crazy.”

The blows, Vermeulen believes, contributed to increasingly erratic behaviour and mental health issues in the years that followed. He suffered from intermittent explosive disorder, so “I would get very ****** off very quickly”.

He was left out of a Zimbabwe squad following an incident in club cricket.

“There were two drunk guys talking rubbish in the crowd,” he says. “I threw the ball at them and it kicked off. I ended up getting tackled by the chairman of my club, who punched me in the head! It was a hectic day out.”

Following his omission, he tried – but failed – to burn down the Harare Sports Club. The next night, he succeeded in burning down the national academy.

“I thought that if they weren’t going to select me then no one should be allowed to play cricket, but I was losing the plot,” he says.

On another occasion, he knocked on President Mugabe’s door demanding an audience to discuss the decline in the national cricket team.

“I wanted to plead with him not to let politics affect sport,” he explains. “The team doing well can boost the morale of the country. I wanted it to be a positive thing, but I got blocked at the gate. They took me to the police station and asked all these questions, wrote it down and then handed him a letter. I never heard back.”

The arson episode resulted in a long criminal trial, at the end of which he was acquitted on the grounds of mental health due to the head injuries he had suffered playing cricket. “They did an EEG scan and found a misfiring in my left hemisphere and I was cleared,” he says.

Slowly, he was readmitted into Zimbabwean cricket, first domestically, then in the international game, including a solitary Test appearance in 2014. However, he would receive another ban a year later for making a racist comment on Facebook.

At his lowest moment, Vermeulen drove to Victoria Falls and was planning to take his own life, but did not. These days, Vermeulen has little to do with Zimbabwe or the country’s cricket team, whose performances he finds “disappointing”. But he has his mental health under control following plenty of medication and has found peace.

“I’m grateful that I never took it that far [suicide],” he says. “I was in the deepest depths.

“I am grateful that I was forgiven and made a comeback for Zimbabwe, once they realised the issues were caused by the impacts from cricket. To go full circle was nice, and to get through the traumas. Now, life is pretty cool, and I am very chuffed.”

[mikeS]

Well done to Jimmy, a Burnley lad in becoming Englands greatest wicket-taker.
Like Truemans life-size bronze in Skipton, he deserves his own statue on St James street bang in the middle of Burnley centre.

[mikeS]

Well done to Jimmy, a Burnley lad in becoming Englands greatest wicket-taker.
Like Truemans life-size bronze in Skipton, he deserves his own statue on St James street bang in the middle of Burnley centre.

[mikeS]

ACA21D9C-58E9-45DB-BFBE-D6116A6DD2B2.jpeg (51.29 KiB) Viewed 2595 times

[jdrobbo]

Mrs thinks I'm going mad , sat here singing the song . There is no ommission , is there ?? Wonderful opening swing bowler , who at times was unplayable .

[TheFamilyCat]

Mentions in there that Mark Vermeulen was Jimmy's first test victim. The Telegraph did an article about Vermeulen this week- quite an interesting read. I think the article is behind a paywall but Ill reproduce here, worth a read for those who enjoy a quirky cricket story.

Didn't Vermeulen get in bother while playing I'm one of the local leagues? Possibly for fighting with a spectator?

[Bordeauxclaret]

Didn't Vermeulen get in bother while playing I'm one of the local leagues? Possibly for fighting with a spectator?

It’s in the article above.

[TheFamilyCat]

It’s in the article above.

I read the incident in the article as being in Zimbabwe.

[LeadBelly]

Not that clear from the article but the incident with spectators was at Ashton-U-L, he was playing there with a club from Oldham. He was banned for 10 years in England. & Wales for that. Interviewed by police but not charged.

[IanMcL]

May it rain a little and then he takes 5 wickets each innings.

Fabulous career.

[TheFamilyCat]

Nice piece on Jimmy from the BBC this morning.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/art ... 4wxye715qo

[Suratclaret]

Amazing career! I’m sure he has more wickets in him yet and at test level. As for mentoring up and coming fast bowlers, this might have been better on the field rather than in the nets.
Maybe our new prime minister will announce a knighthood for Jimmy… he certainly deserves one.

[Clive 1960]

Jimmy as been brilliant for cricket shame he's finishing hopefully on a high for England but he's been a pleasure to watch for Burnley, Lancashire and England...

[IPAclaret]

I said on another thread that Burnley is surrounded by some of England's finest countryside, something we should all be very proud of.

Well here we have one of the Worlds finest cricketers, arguably be greatest ever swing bowler. Something else that we should all be incredibly proud of.

Well done Jimmy lad for putting Burnley on the map in such a positive way.

[ashtonlongsider]

Jimmy is certainly our greatest living fast bowler and I'm super proud that he's from Burnley. I also think, although not his decision that he's bowing out at the right time when he's still got plenty to give. My only disappointment being that he's not been given the Lords test as it's his favourite ground and making his final bow at OT later in the summer against Sri Lanka. A phenomenon that we'll never see the like of again. Arise Sir James.

[criminalclaret]

https://www.bbc.com/sport/cricket/articles/cp4wxye715qo

When his England career ends this week against West Indies at Lord's, a few days off his 42nd birthday, Anderson will be playing for his eighth different Test captain and under his eighth different prime minister.

Consider this. Anderson made his debut before Andrew Strauss, who played 100 Tests and retired in 2012. Later that year, Joe Root made his debut and has won 140 caps. To date, Anderson has spanned the international careers of both men combined.

Those are absolutely mind bending stats! He really has been around! Part of me is annoyed it's not at Old Trafford but he is an England and cricket legend so it is understandable the finale to be at Lords to some degree (though the atmosphere generally dour at Lords for the exhibition matches like these)

[ecc]

Don't mean to imply anything at all but when I listen to him he doesn't seem to have a broad Burnley accent.

[criminalclaret]

[criminalclaret]

Don't mean to imply anything at all but when I listen to him he doesn't seem to have a broad Burnley accent.

I dont think that makes a difference. I know of a couple who left the area 40 years ago to go to Australia. Today, one has a thick East Lancs accent, the other a generic Australian accent.

It just depends which way our brain works when we spend our years with people who we didn't grow up with and subconscious digesting how they speak

[ecc]

I dont think that makes a difference. I know of a couple who left the area 40 years ago to go to Australia. Today, one has a thick East Lancs accent, the other a generic Australian accent.

It just depends which way our brain works when we spend our years with people who we didn't grow up with and subconscious digesting how they speak

No, it doesn't make the slightest difference, criminalclaret.

I just wondered whether I was alone in thinking that.

[wilks_bfc]

Street to be named after him, doesn’t say which street or where though

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c03l95eezn5o

They also hope to“"name a stand at [Burnley Football Club's] Turf Moor potentially after him – or name a cricket field stand,"

[ClaretTony]

Street to be named after him, doesn’t say which street or where though

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c03l95eezn5o

They also hope to“"name a stand at [Burnley Football Club's] Turf Moor potentially after him – or name a cricket field stand,"

As much as I think the town has been really poor in taking so long to recognise him, a stand at the football club would be totally inappropriate.

[wilks_bfc]

As much as I think the town has been really poor in taking so long to recognise him, a stand at the football club would be totally inappropriate.

I agree. He has nothing to do with the Football Club so not sure why they would agree to it anyway.

[bobinho]

Burnley council considering naming a street after the greatest fast bowler the world has ever seen. Wow. Cheers for that…

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/n ... -anderson/

These muppets have absolutely no idea just how BIG this lads achievements have been if they think a street rename cuts the mustard.

Fine, name a street after him, but do something else as well. Something we can see every day, something everyone visiting the town can see. My own personal opinion is a life size, mid delivery statue on a raised plinth in the centre of town. Bottom of Manchester road perhaps? A street naming is simply insufficient.

[Goliath]

Should have been part of the town 2 turf scheme in my opinion.

[Clovius Boofus]

If there is going to be a statue, it has to be outside OT. He's not just Burnley - he's LANCASHIRE.

[bfcjg]

"Labour deputy leader Cllr Sue Graham said: "About Jimmy Anderson, we've already awarded him the Freemanship of the town and we did agree some time ago to name a street after him but that's never happened." ....and that just about sums up our pathetic council. Statue in the town centre in the pedestrian area.

[Sozturf7]

If there is going to be a statue, it has to be outside OT. He's not just Burnley - he's LANCASHIRE.

He's England as well. No way it's outside OT he's the "Burnley Express" it has to be Burnley.

[Clovius Boofus]

Local council taxpayers funded portrait sculptures tend to end up a laughingstock. There's some right horror shows out there. Good ones cost 5/6 figure sums.

[dandeclaret]

Did you actually read the article before you all started firing your bullets…. Selected elements of the article include

* The authority is also to consider what other steps it can take to honour the record-breaking fast bowler.

* "What a career. I don't know what we're going to do in Burnley to honour him and I hope he comes back and teaches our kids how to bowl.

* "I hope we do more than name a street after him.

* "I hope we name a stand at Turf Moor potentially after him - or name a cricket field stand."

Exactly what you were asking for…..

[mikeS]

Statue on St. James street. No other place for it.

[ClaretTony]

If there is going to be a statue, it has to be outside OT. He's not just Burnley - he's LANCASHIRE.

This is supposed to be our town recognising our town's greatest ever sportsman.

A statue at the bottom of Manchester Road would be appropriate and if a road is to be named, and I've suggested it before, why not Manchester Road from the statue at the bottom up to Finsley Gate, taking it past the town hall.

[Dyched]

Naming a stand at the Turf after him would be laughable

[CoolClaret]

Centenary Way to the (Sir) Jimmy Anderson way makes the most sense. Hardly any buildings that will be affected by a name change.

[Clovius Boofus]

This is supposed to be our town recognising our town's greatest ever sportsman.

A statue at the bottom of Manchester Road would be appropriate and if a road is to be named, and I've suggested it before, why not Manchester Road from the statue at the bottom up to Finsley Gate, taking it past the town hall.

Yeah, fair enough. Forget what I said about OT.

Like I said, though. Unless the council commission a world renowned sculptor, we may well end up with something utterly hideous. Perhaps the council could afford to commission a top bod if they sort sponsorship from local, regional and maybe national businesses. Also, the Lottery Fund.

[ClaretTony]

Centenary Way to the (Sir) Jimmy Anderson way makes the most sense. Hardly any buildings that will be affected by a name change.

Another one I wouldn't disapprove of - that or the bottom part of Manchester Road

[CoolClaret]

Another one I wouldn't disapprove of - that or the bottom part of Manchester Road

Something needs to be done (should already be done) and needs to be done ASAP.

As pretty much everyone on this board that's into cricket has said over previous threads, if Jimmy was more of a outspoken Yorkshireman or from down South, there'd have been a Knighthood and a statue (or another type of commemoration) done years ago.

Jimmy Anderson really is a true legend of both Burnley and Cricket. It's so important that we inspire our community by showcasing what can be achieved, even from 'little old Burnley', where that may not always be apparent.

[mdd2]

I think the Coucil should wait until he gets his knighthood which had better be soon; the same time Barry gets at least a CBE too.

[chekhov]

Well done to Jimmy, a Burnley lad in becoming Englands greatest wicket-taker.
Like Truemans life-size bronze in Skipton, he deserves his own statue on St James street bang in the middle of Burnley centre.

Such a shame. Difficult to give an opinion on the statue of Truman from the photo, but the plinth is absolutely horrendous. Maybe they ran out of money…

[chekhov]

Should have added, if they ever erect a statue of Jimmy, hopefully some money and design effort is put into what it stands on and it’s not just a few blocks of reconstituted sandstone slapped together by the local brickie.