We inserted all of them and you can stood in the longest waiting line, to possess Greig’s trademark. Whether or not it is eventually my personal turn, I summoned right up courage and you may informed your, with hook quaver, it absolutely was a beneficial “helluva catch”. A new idol minted around and then. For another a decade, as he went on wide stream, Greig turned out an advisable however, tricky hero – a gold doubloon, never ever entirely shedding its elemental lustre but frequently wanting curative polishing. Over the next few season, We saw your down within Hove in the most common house online game. Rescue for five wickets and you may a quick 93 against Hampshire into the July 1969, I don’t consider him and come up with one significant contribution. But the guy constantly did some thing. A booming defense push otherwise a tow decide to try jumping from the scoreboard to own half a dozen.
Sussex thrashed them, and you will Greig is People of the Match: 54 in the 1st innings, off 199, after which four wickets
Or a good bouncer injudiciously aimed at Mike Procter’s direct, just who upcoming struck your to possess cuatro, cuatro, 6, 4 as he is actually clobbered for over 130 off 20 odd overs. And he constantly finalized autographs. I’d him eight minutes in 2 season. After, the guy also said, “Ach, it’s your once more. I never spotted your deny anyone. I seated under the dispersed boughs of well-known tangerine forest. Robbo regaled all of us throughout the day with reports of viewing Les Ames, Godfrey Evans and you may Doug Wright just like the an effective boy. The middle lamb are a brain package who had set-up an enthusiastic encyclopaedic experience with Kent cricket, also to their unique dad’s obvious satisfaction, just admonished your as he nudged myself and you will mentioned an attractive “popsy” on the group but corrected your as he had some fact or shape wrong.
That was usually. Robbo try never you to to own mathematical outline; it actually was the storyline one mattered. Kent’s illustrious history – whether or not truth otherwise misconception – didn’t assist much on that scorching July time. By the end during the day, both center mutton and you will Robbo himself was demonstrably ce lien smitten. We know you to to be true as the, despite his child away from earshot, my personal sibling no more talked-of new long streak of piss, but regarding “Greigy”.
Greig starred only an assist part one to go out; an easy-fire thirty-six from the Sussex innings as well as 2 wickets, as well as that Kent’s finest scorer, Graham Johnson, trapped because of the Tony Buss away from a lengthy-jump
And Sussex did it once more 36 months later. Gillette Mug quarter-final, August 1, 1973, within Hove. By this time Greig try a freshly centered The united kingdomt player and Sussex chief. Once again, I went with Robbo, and then we practically skipped they. My personal bro got organized the afternoon however when i pitched upwards ticketless on Tate Gates, we had been completely became away. An excellent sellout. The brand new stewards (“bloody nothing Hitlers”) didn’t come with vehicle that have Robbo’s “Get real, it’s the boy’s birthday celebration today.” (It wasn’t.) However,, he was not stopping one effortlessly whenever informed a small warily about how precisely I experienced towards the crushed 100% free with my friends, the next thing We knew I found myself offering my portly buddy a foot-up over the garden wall surface of just one of one’s huge homes you to definitely supported onto the water avoid of one’s floor. To the, buoyed because of the our very own achievements, Robbo’s appeal strike overdrive and he in some way nice-talked the new quicker draconian in-floor ushers very effectively, that individuals wound up from the gangway of your own members’ pavilion, proper beside the players’ balcony. In basic innings We watched since Greig spent some time working his ways compliment of nearly an entire package away from Benson and Bushes, and you may Robbo, the only Kent supporter in our midst, cheered all of the work at just like the their lads chased 264 regarding second. Now a teen, I found myself a little ashamed from this, but thankfully indeed there just weren’t several. Operates, that is. Kent was indeed bowled out getting 135. However, you to definitely failed to count. Once the people endured into outfield and basked in the cheers of ten,000-strong audience, Sussex had won. We noticed as the brief boys in line to find the skipper’s autograph – I was first off you to definitely now – and you can listed you to definitely Robbo got registered all of them. He and you can Greig was basically in the future engaged in moving talk. Both was indeed chuckling, thoughts thrown back, as the waiting line out-of brief boys prolonged, shifting anxiously from base so you’re able to feet. Once what appeared a very long time, they shook hands passionately and you may Robbo patted their the newest pal familiarly on the back. He came bounding back-up the latest pavilion tips, clutching his closed scorecard – “It is into middle lamb,” he lied – and you may beaming from ear-to-ear. “He is a soft great bloke.” The sense it actually was Greig’s Sussex you to definitely claimed the overall game is actually palpable. John Spencer, the fresh new Sussex bowler, explained has just when Greig grabbed more, the entire environment at the a pub “dogged of the backbiting, cynicism and negativity” changed nearly immediately. Greig is a breath from bracing ocean heavens.