AN EVENING AT THE CRICKET..

To Canterbury and I`m feeling privileged to have been the guest of a member of Kent County Cricket Club for the game against Gloucestershire at the sainted St. Lawrence Ground last evening.  It was the first T20 game I had attended so it was a new experience - one so much better than just watching it on the television.

As ever with Kent CCC the administration and organisation of the event was admirable given the restrictions imposed by friend Covid and his variant chums and I was again struck by the difference in attitude towards `customers` at cricket - where we were treated courteously and felt welcome - and football, where you really are felt that you should be grateful for being allowed to be there.

It was 20 overs each side;  Kent batted first and did well to reach 183 for 5 despite a faltering start which was rescued by some attractive stroke play by Jack Leaning`s invaluable 81 not out.  In reply, Gloucestershire were within a whisker of winning the game, needing just 10 runs from the last over but were denied by the bowling of unexpected hero Fred Klaassen who took two wickets with his first two balls of the final over which ended with Gloucestershire reaching 178-8 and leaving Kent winning by 5 runs.

We sat in the first row of the Cowdrey Stand, over the boundary ropes at cow corner and had a splendid view of proceedings as you can see from my photo above.  Perhaps the only thing that marred our enjoyment was the constant noise from the loud speakers just above us each time a wicket fell, a boundary was scored or a six cleared the ropes.  I called it noise rather than music because it seemed to consist of up tempo rappy style stuff which was lost on me although I understood the appropriateness of one or two snippets such as `Don`t look back in anger` as a dismissed Gloucestershire batsman trudged wearily back to the pavilion.   

For me and those of my ilk I understand the need to hype up the T20 `experience` with things like that but if they must do it perhaps we - especially in the hallowed Cowdrey Stand - could be serenaded with Mahler`s Adagietto or at least send opposition batsmen on their way with Mozart`s Lacrimosa from Don Giovanni.  That might just put the icing on a very sumptuous and enjoyable cake.

Next up, Essex at Canterbury on Sunday with a 2.30 kick-off - I`ll take my earplugs.