GRACES FOR DINNERS
There have been many Graces that I have delivered at dinners and many could have been included here. Some have appeared in my memoir, 'Boundaries'. One even appeared in the MCC Anthology of Cricket Verse, edited by Hubert Doggart and David Rayvern Allen. Looking through my collection of Graces it became clear that they were a good historical record, providing memories of dinners, events, people and evenings enjoyed. They all reflected the mood and specific happenings of the time, and now they remind me of some memorable occasions. There are, perhaps inevitably, similar themes which recur and rhymes which are repeated.
Whilst making no claims to being a poet, I have enjoyed writing, and at times struggling at the last minute to produce, meaningful Graces with suitable and relevant words.
In each instance I have described, briefly, the background and context to the date and the dinner at which the Grace was delivered. On occasions I have also been reminded of other poignant memories and branched off into a short digression. These Graces have brought back to me emotions and moments from the past in the same way as the music on the radio programme, Desert Island Discs, does to the guests who have chosen their favourite records.
Dinner in Honour of Doug Insole
A dinner in honour of Doug Insole following an MCC Committee meeting. Doug had been cricket captain of Cambridge University and went on to captain Essex for many years. He was one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1956. He was chairman of selectors for England in the 1960s. For his many services to cricket, he was appointed a CBE in 1979. He was an England tour manager, highly influential within Essex, the TCCB and ICC. He later became chairman of the European Cricket Council and helped to build the number of cricket-playing countries in Europe to thirty.
Doug had, for years, turned down invitations by outgoing Presidents to become MCC President. He was eventually persuaded by Robin Marlar, my last President, to accept in 2006-07 and, although sadly it was not during my time as Secretary & Chief Executive, it was thoroughly deserved and a popular decision. I would have relished working closely with Doug. He and Norma, Chris and I used to go to Pizza Express in Dean Street to listen to the jazz. He had been at St Catharine’s College, Cambridge with Peter Boizot, the founder and owner of the chain of restaurants and, whenever we went, Doug would point out and introduce us to the musicians and diners
who were MCC Members, of whom there were several.
Pakistan Touring Team Dinner – 1996
MCC always used to invite the touring party to a lunch or dinner at Lord’s around the time of the Lord’s Test. It was not always welcomed by the players, but it was very much enjoyed by the Members and the Committee who attended. It was a tradition that the Club wished to continue. Some teams were less gracious in accepting the invitation, but the Pakistan team of 1996 were delightful, attended in full touring dress of blazers and contributed thoroughly to the dinner in the Long Room, including a fine speech from their captain who introduced the players.
Long Room Dinner – 1997
Lord Alexander, then an influential Committee member, was keen on bringing together Members, committee members and the staff, and we held this dinner in the Long Room in 1997. It was an Ashes year and England had not played well against the Australians for some years, so there was hope
but not expectation for the season. The England team had just returned from Zimbabwe, the first time that the team had visited that country. They played and lost the three one-day internationals and drew both Tests. The leading Zimbabwean wicket-taker in the ODIs was Eddo Brandes, who was a chicken farmer, which became a joke in the media and made the defeats galling to the professional set-up under the newly-formed ECB. David Lloyd, the coach, was frustrated that his team could not pull off a victory in either Test and both were drawn. He was quoted as saying to the media: “We murdered them. We got on top and steamrollered them. We have flipping hammered them. One more ball and we’d have walked it. We murdered them, and they know it. To work so hard and get so close, there is no praise too high. We have had some stick off your lads. We flipping hammered them.”
The dinner was welcomed by staff and Members.
Dinner in Honour of EW (Jim) Swanton
There have been many dinners to celebrate and honour individuals in the Long Room, probably the most famous room in cricket. The dinner for EW (Jim) Swanton evokes several memories from my links with a man who was an extensive writer and broadcaster, summarising Test matches for years, and who had just celebrated his 90th birthday. He was a member of the Arts & Library Sub-Committee of MCC and never short of advice.
He had acted as one of my referees when I was being interviewed for the position at Lord’s and when Chris and I moved into the Secretary’s House, which had been Sir Gubby Allen’s home before his death, there was a message on John Stephenson’s answerphone, which, as his successor, I had
inherited. It was a gruff message from Jim, asking whether he could stay the night. He came to stay with us, as he had in our Cranleigh boarding house, when he attended a dinner there to speak as an Old Cranleighan.
When I attended one of my early Arts & Library meetings they were discussing the positioning of the portraits and paintings in the Pavilion. Everyone on that subcommittee had views on what should be where. I was, though, momentarily thrown when Jim asked me whether I was joining the ‘hanging committee’. I was aware that Lord’s was sometimes seen as an
intimidating place, but I did not think it had that sort of power over life and death!
One of the most fascinating conversations that I have heard was in 1998 when Jim was asked to interview Mrs Primrose Worthington, the 93-year-old granddaughter of WG Grace, at the launch of an exhibition to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the great cricketer’s birth. She recalled travelling between Beckenham and Croydon to visit him and sitting on his knee
plaiting his beard. When asked how she had travelled, she replied that it was by bus. Jim immediately asked whether it was the number 13, horse-drawn, and she seemed to think it was. It was wonderful to hear two 90-year-old characters chatting.
Melbourne CC Dinner at Lord’s – 1997
After the Ashes Test match at Lord’s or at the MCG we had instituted a match between the two MCCs, Marylebone Cricket Club and Melbourne Cricket Club. This was always a competitive match, although it was mutually accepted that neither team would be boosted by ‘ringers’ brought in to steal a march on the visiting opposition. On this occasion the match was ruined by rain, as the Test match had been. There had been a problem
with intruders on the ground at some matches that season, and all sorts of measures were put in place to catch and eject them. It was proposed by some uncharitable spectators that they should be ejected from the ground without allowing them to return to their clothes, which were generally left with a friend from where they made their dash. We decided that this was definitely not right and would only draw more attention to them, however embarrassing it might be for them to catch a bus or tube to get home.
Cricket Writers’ Club Dinner – 1997
The NatWest Final had been scheduled to be played on Saturday 6 September in 1997, but Princess Diana had died in a car crash on 31 August and her public Funeral Service was to be held on that day. Out of respect the match was postponed until Sunday 7 September. The Cricket Writers held their dinner on what should have been the eve of the match, and John Woodcock, Wendy Wimbush and Patrick Eagar were present in their positions of President, Secretary and Chairman.
Princess Diana Memorial Ball – 1998
In 1998 MCC celebrated the 150th anniversary of WG Grace’s birthday, but the Club decided to stage this match for an additional, very sad reason – the untimely death of Princess Diana, as mentioned in the previous Grace.
On the evening before the match we organised a dinner and dance in the Nursery Pavilion in an attempt to increase the amount of money that the match itself would raise for charity. The two teams were present, captained by Michael Atherton and Sachin Tendulkar. The world’s best players had shown great support and were pleased to have been invited.
The match was a huge success and raised over £1 million for the Princess Diana Memorial Fund. Michael Atherton’s MCC XI scored 261 for four in their 50 overs, Shivnarine Chanderpaul scoring 127 and Mohammad Azharuddin 61 off the bowling of Wasim Akram, Ian Bishop, Chris Cairns, Mushtaq Ahmed and Tom Moody. In reply, Sachin Tendulkar’s Rest of the World XI scored 262 for four with six overs to spare. Sachin himself, who sadly never scored a Test century at Lord’s and therefore missed out on his name being included on the honours board in the dressing rooms, made a magnificent 125 and Aravinda de Silva scored 82 off a star-studded bowling attack of Glenn McGrath, Javagal Srinath, Allan Donald, Brian McMillan, Anil Kumble, Aamir Sohail and Sourav Ganguly. Their presence at the Ball did not seem to affect the performance of the batsmen on the pitch the following day.
West Indies Touring Team Lunch – June 2000
This was the 100th Test match played at Lord’s and, to celebrate, MCC invited a number of former West Indies cricketers to join the teams a couple of days before the match for lunch. It made us all realise how many outstanding quick bowlers had made up their teams over the years.
MCC Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey Lecture Dinner – 2001
The MCC Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey Lecture was first delivered in 2001. Held in the Nursery Pavilion, Richie Benaud was invited to be the first person to share his views on the game as it is, as it was and how he thought it should be. He was given a broad brief as has been the case in all subsequent lectures. He was outstanding, as one might expect from a former Test captain who became one of the best-loved commentators.
The dinner afterwards in the Long Room was also a great success. Several generations of the Cowdrey family were there at the occasion, which had been initiated in memory of Colin who had died on 4 December 2000.
I had, for some time, wanted to create cricket’s equivalent of the Reith Lectures, and this MCC Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey Lecture has become a traditional annual event at Lord’s. One of the guests at the Lecture and dinner was Jimmy Adams, the West Indies captain on the tour to England in 2000 and the first recipient of a Spirit of Cricket award presented by MCC. Apart from the way he handled himself and his team on the pitch, Jimmy had set a marvellous example when caught low to the ground at cover when playing well. The moment that the fielder said he had caught the ball, Jimmy walked off, accepting his
word and not waiting for the umpires to make a decision. MCC wanted to use this as an example of the Spirit of Cricket and respect for an opponent’s word.
Bless the game which brings us together
Throughout the world in every weather.
As England play in climes much warmer
We come to dine with Doug and Norma.
Help our team to play their best,
Especially in the coming Test.
Thanks for the food we shall all soon be eating
Now the Committee has finished its Meeting.
As we now sit down to dine,
LORD, our thanks for food and wine.
All you men from Islamabad and from Lahore,
From Karachi, Rawalpindi, here dining once more,
May we welcome you here as our guests for this week.
Let our Lord bless our food and the words that we speak.
May we wish that both teams can produce of their best?
When, on Thursday, we come back to Lord’s for the Test.
When your team and the English set out on this match
Make your runs, take your wickets and catch every catch.
As we come to the start of the season
And we gather to talk of the past,
We look forward to greeting the Aussies,
In the hope that we’ll beat them at last.
May we all put this winter behind us,
And the comments we’ve read in the press.
One-Day games have been quite disappointing,
Though we murdered the team in the Tests!
Bless the Lord Alexander of Weedon
And the Treasurer here in the chair.
May their words give us all inspiration,
When we’ve tasted the caterers’ fare?
Bless our food and the wine on our tables,
Make us grateful for what we receive.
Bless the staff and the Members attending;
Guide them home when they finally leave.
Bless us all as we sit down this evening,
Here to celebrate ninety great years.
As a batsman approaches his century
He’s assailed by a number of fears:
Should he pace himself throughout the nineties?
Should he look for a six and a four?
Should he take fewer risks than his partner?
We know Jim will go on as before!
May the Lord bless our food at this dinner,
As we show that we’re grateful to Him?
Make us welcoming, charming companions;
And especially for Ann and for Jim.
Lord, bless the Melbourne team, who came
To seek success or failure.
But found the weather spoilt the game
As England and Australia.
Lord, bless us all from MCC
As we sit down to dinner.
We’ll play next time at MCG,
With one of us the winner.
We say our thanks for friendships made
Through tours abroad and cricket.
We pray these links will never fade
In bars and at the wicket.
Lord, bless our food and bless the words
We’ll hear from both the speakers.
Lord, bless our cricket ground at Lord’s,
And keep it free from streakers!
At this time of deepest sorrow,
And the lack of match tomorrow,
May we still enjoy this meal,
Whilst reflecting how we feel.
At the Writers’ annual meeting,
Where there’s drinking and good eating,
We give thanks for food and wine,
As we now sit down to dine.
Wooders, Wendy, Chairman Patrick:
What a most impressive hat trick!
Thank you, Lord, for all these winners,
And the Cricket Writers’ dinners.
We give thanks for the great Grace of cricket,
Who was loathe to surrender his wicket.
We give thanks for the Princess Diana,
Who appealed to the world by her manner.
Now we stand in the Nursery Pavilion
And we aim to raise close to a million.
Bless our food as we offer our prayers,
Joined today by the world’s finest players.
God bless Lord’s where we’ve fitted this match in.
Bless the captains, both Athers and Sachin,
May our game, which for some brings employment,
Bring to all those involved great enjoyment.
Lord, bless all these great men from West Indies,
Who are here for the hundredth Lord’s Test.
Now the players at Lord’s from those islands
Have a chance to show why they’re the best.
Bowlers Ambrose, Walsh, Marshall and Holding,
Garner, Roberts, Croft, Sobers and Hall,
Gibbs and Griffith are names that bring fear.
We give thanks they’re not holding a ball.
We give thanks for Weekes, Worrell and Walcott,
Lara, Kanhai and Greenidge and Haynes.
As we thank you for food at our table,
We are glad that great friendship remains.
God bless our food and bless our wine, at this our Special Dinner,
The Spirit of the Game award and Jimmy, our first winner.
Please bless the Cowdrey family and our friends, who’ve been invited.
Bless Richie and the words he spoke, by which we were delighted.
We give our thanks for all the fun within the game of cricket;
For bowlers and the fielding side, for batsmen at the wicket.
We all await the match this week of England v Australia.
We hope they’ll play both hard and fair, without the fear of failure.
We thank you for the friends we make when playing cricket matches.
As older men we talk again of wickets, runs and catches.
We’ll spread the Spirit of the Game and try not to betray it.
We’ll hope that youngsters learn the game and love to watch and play it.
A Slideshow of Dinner Graces