Kentish Express Ashford & District
Cricket mad from an early age
Underwood/Denness era but I find it somewhat sad that we haven’t won the title since 1978 when Alan Ealham was captain, which was 39 years ago. “It’s a long, long time and a lot’s happened since then and now seeing them languishing in the Second Division. “I would love to see Kent back in the First Division and going to big finals at Lord’s.” “I saw Cowdrey play some masterful innings but I often felt he didn’t know how good a player he was. Fred Ridgway was another hero of mine.” He added: “Another underated player was Alan Dixon. I played against him at Tonbridge School and he scooped it to mid-on first ball – I couldn’t believe it. He walked out past me and he knew who I was, and he said ‘That will cost you a winner’ and thank God the horse won the following Saturday. “Also playing that day was Aussie John Inverarity – the ex-coach who was teaching there at the time. “I bowled him a dreadful longhop, he slashed at it and was caught. “It was a gentlemanly Band of Brothers game – nobody appealed or said a word – but he put his bat under his arm and walked off, which I thought was extraordinary. He later told me ‘in games like this I would always walk’, which was un-Australian.” Off-spinner Duval enjoyed a good club cricket career but experienced a huge disappointment at Lord’s. which still lives with him today. He said: “I once bowled Jim Laker first ball in a charity match at Three Bridges, then ended up playing for Hastings and in 1983 we got to the final of the National Knockout Trophy against Shrewsbury. “It was a great thrill but we lost in photo-finish – we needed 32 to win with six wickets standing off nine overs. “I went it at No.11 on a hat-trick, avoided that but then skied one and we lost by two runs. “In our side that day was a good all-rounder, John Coles, father of Matt. When I am at Canterbury, enjoying a third glass of Merlot, I see this youngster running in from the Nackington Road end and can see John back in those days, because they have an identical action – and I think he could be an England player.”