Flintoff’s cricket team

[CaymanClaret]

And @Arise - f you should happen to talk to Reg again, let him know that not only did I play for 30 odd years across 3 different continents, I also sat my ECB coaching badges in the UK in my early twenties and coached the under 15s at my local club as I recognised the importance of coaching at youth level. Very proud to say that despite never making it myself, one player I had in my U15s team went on to play for Warwickshire.

All down to the impact of my time at Lowerhouse.

[beddie]

We watched episodes 2&3 tonight. Really enjoyed them. Thought Freddie did a brilliant job and well done to him for putting a substantial amount of his own money in. Hopefully it will have benefitted those young lads as they progress through life.

[ClaretTony]

Some good news to add to this programme - the young lad from Afghanistan has been granted asylum

[Quickenthetempo]

Not going so well for the team.

https://twitter.com/jimwilkz/status/155 ... kZFAA&s=19

Bowled out for 9 at the weekend.

[TheFamilyCat]

Not going so well for the team.

https://twitter.com/jimwilkz/status/155 ... kZFAA&s=19

Bowled out for 9 at the weekend.

That says Vernon Carus 1st XI. I doubt any of Flintoff's lads were involved.

[Quickenthetempo]

That says Vernon Carus 1st XI. I doubt any of Flintoff's lads were involved.

Yeah, just checked and they have 4 teams playing.

Hardly fits in with notion of nobody playing cricket around there.

Neither does there seem justification in the council spending 150k on the club.

I thought they were restarting the club from scratch.

[TheFamilyCat]

New series has been confirmed.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2022/ ... ond-series

[CleggHall]

Excellent news, a moving first series in which Flintoff more than answered his many critics. A tough task making a cricket team out of urban ruffians but Freddy did it (nearly?)

[arise_sir_charge]

Yeah, just checked and they have 4 teams playing.

Hardly fits in with notion of nobody playing cricket around there.

Neither does there seem justification in the council spending 150k on the club.

I thought they were restarting the club from scratch.

Quite a successful club Vernon’s. Dominated the Palace Shield for decades. Also had some very good players, I think Tom Bailey was registered as an amateur this year. Still do relatively well now.

[TheFamilyCat]

Adnan, who was a member of Freddie's team has made his debut for Lancashire seconds. Chipped in with a few runs and taken a wicket. Good on him.

https://cricket.lancashirecricket.co.uk ... at-crosby/

[ClaretTony]

Adnan, who was a member of Freddie's team has made his debut for Lancashire seconds. Chipped in with a few runs and taken a wicket. Good on him.

https://cricket.lancashirecricket.co.uk ... at-crosby/

Whether he appeared from nowhere as suggested in the programme we'll never know, but it was down to Freddie & his team that he got to Lancs so this is a real good news story.

[TheFamilyCat]

A third series has been commissioned. The story's on a subscription only site, so details are very brief.

https://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/bbc/fred ... 36.article

[jrgbfc]

New series started on BBC1 tonight. Missed the start of it so will have to catch up on iPlayer.

[jrgbfc]

Think he's got his work cut out with some of these Scouse lads

[Stalbansclaret]

Just watched the first episode of this new series ….just brilliant TV . I actually find it quite an emotional watch , the way that Freddie and Kyle bond these kids together through the fantastic thing that is team sport. It’s an object lesson in how people have potential to improve given encouragement and support.

[jlup1980]

It's really good TV and shows what team sports can do for kids. They all start the same way, "too cool for school", and the idea of playing cricket is laughed at. They're all so frightened of embarrassing themselves. However, throw them a bat and ball and watch their whole demeanor change. Suddenly they're exactly who they're meant to be - young boys and girls having a laugh as a group. Yes, the "banter" needs reining in a bit, but the impact is clear. Hats off to Freddie and co., they're trying to make a difference.

[ClaretTony]

I’ve watched the whole of this latest series this week. It’s so good to see these kids becoming teams. It’s positive for cricket but more so to see what can be achieved when they are given an opportunity to come together as a team.

They come across unruly at times but do did the Preston lads initially and now some of them are coming in to help.

Well done Fred and everyone involved.

[burnmark]

Also watched all four episodes this week. Pressley in the Manchester team was such a joyful and positive lad. Him and his mum definitely had a Burnley twang to their accents.

[TheFamilyCat]

Also watched all four episodes this week. Pressley in the Manchester team was such a joyful and positive lad. Him and his mum definitely had a Burnley twang to their accents.

Presley is like a 40 year old man in a 12 year oldest body.

[Darnhill Claret]

Presley talked a good game, even before he knew how to play it.

[ClaretTony]

Presley is like a 40 year old man in a 12 year oldest body.

What a good description

[TheFamilyCat]

What a good description

Even with the typo?

[Marney&Mee]

Presley is like a 40 year old man in a 12 year oldest body.

You’d get sent down for years for that…

[TheFamilyCat]

Just finished watching the series. Absolutely love this programme. Gutted there was only four episodes.

[ClaretTony]

Just finished watching the series. Absolutely love this programme. Gutted there was only four episodes.

That was my one issue. Given they were setting up three teams I thought it needed to be longer than four episodes.

One real positive from it beyond the new teams is seeing players from the Preston team still involved and still playing cricket.

[burnmark]

Also watched all four episodes this week. Pressley in the Manchester team was such a joyful and positive lad. Him and his mum definitely had a Burnley twang to their accents.

I thought so!

https://www.burnleyexpress.net/news/peo ... 04uyuf9ujs

[Big Bri]

Not your lot but did once have the pleasure of opening the batting with you for Jimmy's. Should narrow it down a bit for you

I used to watch up at Jimmys'. I remember a character fondly, he was called Ada Marshall, he used to open the batting as far as I remember.

[Darnhill Claret]

I knew a Pennington from Burnley, sometime between 94 and 99.

[beeholeclaret]

I've been lucky enough to play both school and club cricket in the Burnley area from a Junior despite being particularly average at the sport at best.

There weren't many schools in Burnley that regularly played cricket during the 80's. Fortunately, I attended a secondary school which was a former grammar school. It retained its grammar school connections and had members of the teaching staff who were willing to put in the extra hours that goes along with running school cricket teams. We played against Manchester, Bury, Bolton, Lytham, Hipperholme, Lancaster Grammar Schools amongst others. Those selected for the cricket team were allowed to have Wednesday afternoon off from their studies to play cricket.

Not many schools in the area could boast of an annual week long cricket tour in Somerset. Most of our players were attending the 6th Form Centre at the time.

One of the teams we played was Kings School at Bruton. Their side mainly consisted of Somerset 2nd XI players. Lunch was taken in their enormous Harry Potter style dining room with all the school pupils. It had 8 grass practice nets next to the pitch, the groundsman had his own cottage on the boundary. It was a different world. How we managed a draw there I have no idea. At the end of the game their captain came into our dressing room with a crate of Budweiser and said that we had exclusive use of their swimming pool. Lacking our 'Johnny Weismuller's' we plunged into the deep wearing our cheap Y-Fronts or cricket whites.

The member of staff who ran the tour only turned up on the day for games. The team stayed at a hotel in Weston-Super-Mare whilst the staff member was based with friends a good few miles out of town. It was the responsibility of our captain to organise us all, both on and off the pitch. Nights in Weston were epic, especially for the 3 of us who were only 16 at the time !

How many clubs are there within 20 miles of Burnley ? The Lancashire, Ribblesdale and other local leagues offer cricket for all ages and backgrounds. Some local clubs are running multiple teams at all levels. We are well and truly spoilt in East Lancs.

Best wishes to all local clubs this season. Keep up the good work.

I can tick virtually every box on the list you have created in your text especially the being an average cricketer. Even played at Bruton on the Somerset tour although we played at ‘Sexeys’ school not Kings.

Having avidly followed Lancashire (& Ribblesdale) Leagues as a young teen I was honoured to play alongside and against many of the names I had studied in the Evening Star and Burnley Express.

Even more exciting was making up numbers in the First XI in Lancashire League games I was extremely fortunate to play against a former captain of England and a future Australian captain and alongside one of the greatest Indian test batsman amongst other top professionals.

The friends I made in those distant days will remain friends for the rest of my life.

You are right DG. We were so lucky to have teachers willing to put hours of devotion to the sport and to encourage our participation.

The happiest days of our lives when we look back.

No silver spoon at our house!

[burnmark]

Just spotted Pressley in Burnham Gate McDonald’s and had a chat with him. Just like he was on the programme - such a likeable lad.

[ClaretTony]

Just spotted Pressley in Burnham Gate McDonald’s and had a chat with him. Just like he was on the programme - such a likeable lad.

Is he still playing cricket?

[Claretmisterg]

we used to play in the street when we were kids. Either use chalk to draw stumps on a wall or use an upturned wooden crate. Just need a bat and a tennis ball.

[burnmark]

Is he still playing cricket?

I asked if the team was still going. He said there’s about six of them but the rest just did it for TV. He told me he was dying to say he was from Burnley but they wouldn’t let him because of the context - ‘That’s TV for you!’ was his comment!

[ClaretTony]

I asked if the team was still going. He said there’s about six of them but the rest just did it for TV. He told me he was dying to say he was from Burnley but they wouldn’t let him because of the context - ‘That’s TV for you!’ was his comment!

good that some of them are still playing

[Claretitus]

[quote=burnmark post_id=2623550 time=<a href="tel:1759087426">1759087426</a> user_id=299]
I asked if the team was still going. He said there’s about six of them but the rest just did it for TV. He told me he was dying to say he was from Burnley but they wouldn’t let him because of the context - ‘That’s TV for you!’ was his comment!

good that some of them are still playing
[/quote]

Yes it is, but would be nice, especially for Fred, Kyle, and the rest of the coaches, if they’d all stuck it out and were still teams. Think the girls will go from strength to strength, but maybe Manc and Scouse teams won't? It would be a real shame as the Scouse lads seemed to be really enjoying it, and the Manc lads seemed to have a decent future when they moved grounds.
I know a bit of it is staged, but it was good TV. Very enjoyable.