It's just not cricket

If you want a chuckle you might want to read Quadrant Cricket Club's description of playing Worcester Park Cricket Club recently. It seems as though the hallowed turf of a cricket pitch isn't universally respected in South West London, Battersea in this case:

"There was a fair crowd lining the boundary, too, and the ICC's global committee will have learnt a few things if they had ventured to SW London to witness the cosmopolitan crowd on show. Admittedly, Quadrant had around 20 of its own while the other 100 were soaking up the sun, but they soon knew a game was on when Edmunds and Arbee stroked the ball onto one girl’s back, through sunbathing chicks and then dangerously close to happy families lounging beyond long-on.From here the game turned. Worcester Park’s ‘Uncle’ called a mid-pitch meeting and urged the game to be scrapped – citing a dangerous pitch and safety of the locals – before a compromise was set at 25 overs each"

"Quad had to deal with several unexpected sightings in the field. They might well have been put off by a gaggle of single mums walking their pitbulls and Rottweilers across the pitch as well "

At least I think it was at Battersea...

Quadrant Cricket Club
http://quadrantcc.blogspot.com/2009/06/quadrant-lose-opener.html

Worcester Park Cricket Club
http://www.wparkcc.co.uk/

St Jude's Day

It's not really St Jude's Day as that's supposed to be on October 28th but St Jude is the "patron saint of desperate cases" (aka "lost causes") and I'm sensing his presence particularly closely today, the reason being that I've always seemed to be on the side of the underdog. When I was growing up I lived in Brighton so it was compulsory to support "The Albion" who, apart from an FA Cup Final appearance (which they lost) have never really done anything. At the age of nine I discovered American Football (not discovered in the true sense as other people had known about it for years) and chose the Minnesota Vikings to be my team. Apart from three Superbowl appearances in the 70s (which they lost) they haven't done much and haven't been back to "The Big Game" since then. You can see a trend developing here can't you?

Fast forward the Thursday this week and my friend, and fellow Worcester Park resident, Neil sent me a text:
"Do you want to go and see Southampton play Charlton on Saturday?"
For those who haven't been following the sports news this week Southampton FC's parent company went into administration this week which is a very bad thing for a football team indeed. Neil is A True Supporter™ of Southampton from boyhood days and remembers their seasons in the top echelons of English football but their current financial situation means that they may not make it to the end of the season. My only experience of seeing them play was going to see them in a pre-season friendly at Woking with Neil a few years back. I understand his plight. I empathise entirely. After discussion with Mrs Brinkster I texted back and said "yes". It's what mates do.

That means I'm off to Southampton at lunchtime to see if the faithful can summon the presence of St Jude to rescue their desperate case and, perhaps, even win the game. Time will tell but if they're lucky they'll be around to celebrate the next St Jude's day.

Jude The Apostle
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jude_the_Apostle

Southampton FC
http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/index.php

British pride!

Some of you may not be aware that we've had a fine athlete in our midst for years who, having been born and bred in Worcester Park, followed the path of True Love™ to Cobham earlier this year.

Phil Wicks is a long distance runner and belongs to the Belgrave Harriers athletics club and on Sunday you can either set the Sky+ or watch live on BBC2 from 1pm when Phil is representing England in the 15th European Cross Country Championships taking place in Belgium. He has Olympic aspirations for 2012 and you'll be able to read my interview with him about running and Worcester Park in January's Worcester Park Life.


In the meantime for those who need a chuckle here are a few credit crunch jokes:

Q: How do you define optimism?
A: A banker who irons five shirts on a Sunday.

Q: What's the difference between an investment banker and a large pizza?
A: The pizza can still feed a family of four.

Q: Why have estate agents stopped looking out of the window in the morning?
A: Because otherwise they'd have nothing to do in the afternoon.

Q: What's the difference between an investment banker and a pigeon?
A: The pigeon is still capable of leaving a deposit on a new Ferrari.

A lobbyist on his way home from Parliament is stuck in traffic. Noticing a police officer, he winds down his window and asks: 'What's the hold-up?' The policeman replies: 'The Prime Minister is so depressed he's stopped his motorcade and is threatening to douse himself with petrol and set himself on fire. 'He says no one believes he can get us through the credit crunch. So we're taking up a collection for him.' The lobbyist asks: 'How much have you got so far?' The officer replies: 'About 40 gallons, but a lot of people are still siphoning.'

Latest news: The Isle of Dogs bank has collapsed. They've called in the retrievers.

Q: What do you say to a hedge fund manager who can't sell anything?
A: A Quarter-pounder with fries, please.

Overheard in a City bar: 'This credit crunch is worse than a divorce... I've lost half my net worth and I still have a wife.'

The bank returned a cheque to me this morning, stamped: 'insufficient funds.'
Is it them or me?

A man had an account with RBS and went to his bank manager and said: 'I'd like to start a small business. How do I go about it?' 'Simple,' said the bank manager. 'Buy a big one and wait.'

The race is not to the swift

I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all. Ecclesiastes 9:11

Whew. What a weekend! The Brinkster Clan was at Legoland by 9am on Saturday for a day of Star Wars themed activities and the usual rides and shows and stuff and although the heavens opened in the afternoon our several layers of clothing meant we stayed warm if not exactly dry. The fireworks were spectacular and Mrs Brinkster was debating whether she'd have to give up watching fireworks from now onas it's going to take something really special to top that. After the fireworks we went and saw another show and meandered around but when we got to the car park some time later there were still queues to get out! Fabulous day, even though my coat is still drying out!

The quote at the beginning of this post came back to me when reflecting on the Formula 1 last night. Last night saw me pacing around the house as the Brazilian Grand Prix progressed which the championship contest turning an otherwise dull race into a classic. Having been at Silverstone in the rain to watch Hamilton win earlier in the year watching last night was assorted agonies rolled into one with hope and expectation turning to imminent misery but turned around to sudden exhilaration and celebration. I do feel sorry for Massa and family to have the Championship torn away from them at the last moment, but not enough not to pass this on.


After that there was the new series of Top Gear with the fabulous challenge to the guys to become a trucker and pass a series of challenges. I think I laughed more at this episode than any other and watching Jeremy Clarkson drive his truck into a brick wall at 55mph was the icing on the cake. If you haven't seen it you can watch it on BBC iPlayer or catch the repeat (or download it from the internet no doubt).

Is no news really good news?

What's going on? I went to Google News this morning to do my regular search for Worcester Park news over the last week and there's absolutely nothing, zilch, nada!?!? Other than the opening of Cycle Power being pushed back into September is there really that little going on? I could try and do something with the story about Sutton being London's happiest place, but then you knew that already didn't you.....  Fortunately the latest edition of the Worcester Park Life is available in the usual outlets for your reading pleasure although the PDF version hasn't made it onto the website just yet.

After the excitement of Friday night Saturday saw me taking Brinkster Junior to see the new Clone Wars thing while Brinkster Minor watched Miss Brinkster having a riding lesson. After that we all met up and headed off to Nonsuch Park to amble round in the unusual brightness of a genuinely sunny afternoon and make the most of an unseasonably early start to the conker season.

This led to the discovery by Mrs Brinkster that Mole Valley Orienteering Club (MVOC) are holding some introductory 2km and 3km events at Nonsuch Park on Saturday 27th September between 10am and 11am for the nominal sum of £1 (aged 19 and under) and £3 for adults. I've never professed any great desire to orienteer, if that's the word, but any excuse to spend some time hurtling around Nonsuch Park on what will hopefully be a sunny day can't be a bad thing in my books. For those who can't make that one they're doing another one in October at the Hogsmill, details on the flyers below:




For more info do visit their website.

To change the subject, and tone, entirely I like to think of myself as having a somewhat refined vocabulary so it pains me when there is no option other than to resort to four-letter words, particularly the "c" one but here goes. Over in the Worcester Park Blog there's been some conversation involving the word "chav" and for the benefit of readers all and sundry I thought I'd pass on the link to "Chav Master", a game in which "you enage in the ultimate battle of bad behaviour: compete against your apponents in a no-holds-barred contest to collect A.S.B.O's. To win the Golden A.S.B.O. simply hold onto your electronic tag and prove that you are the ultimate loser!"

I thought the typo was a nice touch.

Anyway, who could resist gawking at the website of a game that describes itself thus:

Strap on your electronic tag, turn down Trisha, and get ready to go head-to-head in the ultimate battle of bad behaviour!!!

3 - 12 players slog it out. Only one will prove themselves worthy of the Chav Master title, and the Holy Grail of Chavdom - The Golden A.S.B.O.

Seven classic party games get a 21st Century kick up the arse. Collect as many A.S.B.O's as you can and hold on to your electronic tag, or you're out of the game!

Here's the link.

Quote of the week

It's only my quote of the week, nobody else's, but I though it might give you a Friday chuckle. This comment about the Olympics choice of host city comes from Dave Garner in Southport, courtesy of the Guardian letters:

I admit, I questioned the wisdom of giving the games to a city with such a poor human rights record - every citizen under surveillance, police executing suspects, people interrogated just for taking a photo in a railway station - but maybe London can rise to the occasion.


If you were looking for something Worcester Park related then I can point you in the direction of the newly formed Worcester Park Rangers, who appear to have their first game away to Battersea Dogs a week on Sunday. I can hardly wait........

Marathon and missing moggy

Buoyed up by a hearty breakfast the Brinkster clan watched the start of the London Marathon on TV and then decided to head into London to watch the end of it. We arrived at Waterloo about the same time as the first huge rain shower and we took refuge in the London Eye to get a good view of both the inclement weather and the athletes on the other side of the Thames. It had stopped raining by the time got off so we found ourselves a perch on the Embankment by Westminster after the 25 mile mark and cheered and clapped anybody that went past. We saw Michel Roux ("chef" emblazoned across his shirt) but failed to spot Gordon Ramsay, who wasn't too far behind him although spotting people in the mass of runners was nigh on impossible once large numbers started coming in. There were lots of people dressed up, including a few Borat "man-kinis"and about eight Fred Flintstones plus the inevitable Batmen Supermen/Girls and the like so the little Brinksters spent the entire time cheering and revelling in the atmosphere.

There were a few injuries where people had obviously slipped in the earlier rain and had their cuts patched up and there were more bleeding nipples in evidence than on an average evening out with Max Mosley. One poor soul we saw had come a cropper just after where we were in the second downpour and was being lifted into an ambulance......... 25+ miles but no finish......... I'd be gutted.

In the masses on the Embankment I didn't manage to spot Worcester Park's own Steve, running with the Logica Flyers, who finished in 4h 14min which is an outstanding effort and if you haven't sponsored anyone you can still support him online. Mrs Brinkster was enthused by the whole occasion and seems to be trying to persuade me to enter to take part next year......... but I'm not convinced........ my only forms of exercise are jumping to conclusions and running out of ideas.....

We got home tired, wet and cold (tho' nothing compared to the runners) but very happy having had a great time so if your only experience of the London Marathon is watching it on TV, like me, then I'd thoroughly recommend that next time you go up to London and join in the fun!!

In news totally unrelated to the Marathon Rachel Lockhart's cat has disappeared and she'd like help getting it back. For those who don't know Rachel runs the "Worcester Park Appreciation Group" on Facebook and reported last night that her moggy (below) has gone missing.

If you do see the cat above looking lost in the Worcester Park area please do get in touch with Rachel at rlockhart[at]hotmail[dot]co[dot]uk.

Whew.... managed to get through that without making any "Mrs Slocomb/Are You Being Served" type jokes.

A marathon challenge

It's nearly that time of year where several thousand (fool)hardy souls pound the streets in that annual event known as the London Marathon. Many do so for charity and the thought of a shiny medal at the finishing line is made even more appealing by the thought that others will be helped because of their efforts. If you'd like to support someone in the marathon but don't know anyone who's running then let me point you in the direction of Worcester Park resident Steve, who was out training yesterday morning while I was out throwing snowballs. He makes up a quarter of the "Logica Flyers" who are aiming to raise £7,000 for the Down's Syndrome Association and if you want to read more about their endeavour and pledge some money then go here.

2016 Olympics bid

With all the fuss about the 2012 Olympics in East London Cheam's bid to host the 2016 Olympics may have slipped beneath your radar. From the website it seems to be much better planned and thought out than the 2012 Olympics and has the map of the proposed transport links, which include expansion of the tramlink through Worcester Park with stops at Sparrow Farm, The Gamecock and Ruxley.

As part of the plan Worcester Park is due to get its own stadium to host the Olympic cricket matches which considering our recent good showing in the ECB Indoor Championship seems only fair.


The list of sports is extensive with the usual sports such as Archery to be held in Nonsuch Park but with the introduction of such typically English sports as Aunt Sally, Croquet, Darts, International Roll-up Smoking, Pimms Tennis (Demonstration sport), Pooh sticks, Punting and Stoolball.

I'd encourage you to endorse the bid by putting their logo with Cheam's most famous resident on your website or blog (if you have one).



"Scariest person of the week" award goes to the person who read every single blog entry I've ever written (plus comments) over a 6 hour period yesterday. Congratulations......... I think.............

Some news, apparently bad

After my earlier post I'm sad to say that Worcester Park 6-a-side cricket team didn't win the ECB Indoor Championship, being bested by last years champions Blaydon. Seems like it was a big competition though so I feel that commiserations and congratulations are due in equal measure for making it to the semi-finals.

In more general news the newspapers today are filled with obituaries to such famous names as Arthur C Clarke, Anthony Minghella, then on to the fabulous Squadron Leader Ken 'Hawkeye' Lee and the like, but I would like to draw your attention to a lesser known name who graced the TVs of 'those of a certain age' for many years......... John Hewer. He trod the stage with the likes of Julie Andrews and his screen credits include The Great Detective and the TV mini-series Nicholas Nickleby but he will always be best remembered for his stalwart role in the-bits-in-between-the-programmes as .......... Captain Birdseye, obituary here. RIP Captain.

Lastly my periodical trawling of the web for all things Worcester Park related turned up this gem of a photo showing how not to drive an Aston Martin DB9, on the green right by Worcester Park station:

Quite how he/she got it on top of those railings I can't imagine...... Likewise I can't imagine what their insurance payments are like now as it's £65K+ to buy a second-hand one.

It definitely IS cricket

Congratulations are due to Worcester Park's cricket team who have made it through to the finals of the ECB National Indoor Championship. The ECB website takes up the story:

Worcester Park became the first side to book their place in the finals of the ECB National Indoor Championships 2008 after beating Canterbury in the South Eastern regional final at Kent CCC's Indoor School at St Lawrence.

The four teams battling it out for the South Eastern berth in the finals at Lord's on March 16 were MK Azad (Bucks) Canterbury (Kent), BT/Waldringfield (Suffolk) and Worcester Park (Surrey) who had progressed to the Regional Finals stage by becoming Champions in their respective county and winning through a play-off round.

The finals are on Sunday so hopefully they'll win it and Worcester Park will become (even more) famous!!