I know I’ve got a cracking job at the best of times but I’m being spoilt this week.
I love going to Headingley and after a fabulous Test match I’m back today for what promises to be a cracking t20 Roses match.
If it’s half as good as the Test and the first t20 Roses match the other week it should be an absolute belter in front of a packed house.
Headingley is one of my favourite venues in the country. It brings back great memories of the wonderful Yorkshire sides of the past and the club is in a great place at the moment.
From the top, in chairman Colin Graves, they are extremely well run and Jason Gillespie and Martyn Moxon are dealing superbly with the cricket.
I really felt for Colin during the Test with the disappointing crowd. I know there’s a lot on in Yorkshire with the Tour de France coming up but I’d expected better attendances.
There will be plenty going on in the crowd on Friday night and there will be in the commentary box, too.
I’m on with Michael Vaughan who has been telling me how Aaron Finch is going to hit Lancashire’s bowling to Bradford. It’s a good job I’m bringing my eldest lad, Graham, to umpire!
The first game at Old Trafford the other week was made for t20. Packed crowd, lovely night, a great pitch and two top teams, let’s hope for the same tonight. The entertainment carried on after the game as the band Reverend and the Makers were playing to a bumper crowd in the car park. I had a belting time listening and watching the crowd while I waited for the wife to pick me up!
Anyone coming to the game and fancies a pre/post-match pint must head to the Scarborough Taps by the station. It’s a lovely boozer with plenty of real ale and after a re-fit it’s in great shape.
Another of my favourites is Whitelocks Ale House. This is a bit of a hidden gem. It’s an old fashioned pub with porcelain and green and white tiles but serves a cracking pint and there’s plenty of ales to choose from.
I love heading to Whitelocks with Athers while the posh lads in our team go all fine dining. Having said that Strauss comes with us and enjoys a quiet pint as well.
There’s only one place to head for a curry and that’s Nawaab, just down from the station. It’s a superb curry house and there’s always a crowd of us who head there during the Test match, we went four times this week!
Nass always leads the way, he’s the main connoisseur and always orders a nice spicy biryani for the middle of the table for us to dig in to.
Athers and Mikey tag along but we’ve been one down this week. One of our Sky directors James Lawson has been off getting married. I’m starting to think he’s not coming back he’s been off that long, it must be the longest wedding ever!
We’re creatures of habit but there’s no point going elsewhere because they really look after you in Nawaab.
Headingley itself is always a bit more lively but I do enjoy people spotting after a big game. Watching four storm troopers, Elvis and a giraffe leg it for the bus after a day on the sauce is something to behold!
I always knew they liked to sup in Headingley when I worked for Duttons Brewery in the Sixties. Our biggest order for ale in the country was the Skyrack. That’s always lively before and after a game and tonight will be no different!
