Football/cricket links

I'll probably include an article in the Chelmsford programme about the links between football and cricket with possible words from Elliott Gibbons, who plays through the summer, and Adie Britton, a very keen cricket fan (still need to ring him).

Is anyone aware of any former players who also played cricket at a decent level? I believe Steve Perrin did?

yes, for wilts. and kenny allen and paul gover played for bath, but not sure if it was above club level. must be something about goal keepers, because len beel, who played for us in the 60s, turned out for lansdown for many years.

trying to think of cricketers who may have played against us. botham played for yeovil, but can't remember him in one of our games.

give bas a ring - he'd know...

Peter Trego played for Margate and Chippenham as well in goal. In fact I think he scored for each club.

lansdown had a player called viv richards who played for them in the 70s, having played in world cup qualifiers for the 1974 tournament in W Germany. i think he may have played for the west indies later on in a couple of games...

I once played against Steve Phillips (former goalkeeper for both Bristol clubs and now at Crewe I think).

He smashed it all over the place.

especially off your bowling?

Ken Allen played club cricket in Devon long after his football career ended. If you've ever met the great man you won't be surprised to learn that he was described as a 'character' in the cricketing fraternity. A fearsome fast bowler who didn't take kindly to tail enders scoring fluky fours off his bowling.
IVA Richards mentions in his autobiography that he played a trial game for BCFC

comrade powell wrote:especially off your bowling?

Probably - bizzarely it was an over 40s 20/20 cup game where each side were allowed two under 40 players.

over 40 as in bowling average?

Taking the convesation in a slightly different direction, I played cricket in July against the Havant and Waterlooville keeper.
He played wikkie for a bit - good reactions, dodgy on the high ball. Adie take note!

Beaven? He's about 6'7 isn't he? Thought he'd be ideal for the high ball!

stillmanjunior wrote:Beaven? He's about 6'7 isn't he? Thought he'd be ideal for the high ball!

Ryan Young, just signed from Telford after 367 appearances.

Ah I see. He's an excellent goalkeeper, will do well at Havant.

super goalie - a good acquisition for them.

Re IVA Richards (the world's greatest batsman?) - he never played for City.  He attended a training session up at the Uni - the manager at the time I am 90% sure was Roy Bence.  He (Viv) was absolutely shattered afterwards by his own admission.  I know because my Dad and me gave him a lift up.  I have as a memento the letter saying thanks for coming but Mr Richards didn't quite make the grade!  At that stage of courde he wasnt famous so there was no temptation to do a yeovil and have a 'celeb' 1st teamer to boost the crowd...

that letter would probably be worth a bit in cricketing circles!

I am back in UK/Bath early (ish) 2015. I'll see if I can fish it out - if the club want to put it on display thats fine, though I would like to keep ownership as its a bit of a family heirloom....not sure about the value though - probably worth more to a City fan!!!
Also not sure which biography the orig poster referred to but his first one (co? written with David Foot) spends some time recounting his time in Bath including being chased by the police.... now that never came up on "This is your life"! (Sorry if this should really be on the cricket thread...!)

Dodgycarpet wrote:I am back in UK/Bath early (ish) 2015.  

for our visit to old trafford in the 3rd round!

yep, and anfield for the 4th round.....oh wait, it'll be mansfield away.....

maybe. but however far we go, FGR will knock us out....

Spoke to Adie Britton last night (who played club cricket for a few years). He said the best cricketer he can remember at the club during his tenure was Glyn Garner, who was a very capable club cricketer and supposedly could have gone further with it.