Brown Bread, Toast, Pegged It, Checked Out, etc

There was a really good article in the Times last week about the challenges he had faced in recent years, and now how he was trying to assist others. One of the hardest cutters of a cricket ball you'll ever see.

Back in the day Railway Tavern CC's chairman / organiser / secretary / supremo Dave Winksill was one of Lord's head boundary stewards. He would employ assorted Tavs as stewards. I did several test matches, ODIs and cup finals 95-99. Before I started there was an England v WI test match with assorted Railway Taverners manning the boundary. Robin Smith completed his century. A figure raced out from the Nursery End to shake Smith's hand. It was Cie, the Railway Taverner who collapsed mid-game 83 not out one day in 2002 and died of a heart attack, despite my prolongued attempts at CPR. Chronic heart disease. Nothing I could've done. That test match day Cie ended up being escorted out of the ground (he had to tell the stewards they were taking him the wrong way to the exit). When we next saw him we asked why he'd done it. He said 'I love Robin Smith, man and I told the guys I was sitting with if he got to a hundred I would run on and congratulate him'. We asked Cie what Smith said, if anything. Apparently he said 'cheers, man'.

As well as being a Railway Taverner Cie Malde also somehow ended up playing for Captain Scott's XI, the cricket team formed by Harry Thompsom who was amongst many things the former producer of Have I Got News For You. As a result I have played with and against Harry (just the 1 appearance with - when Cie persuaded me to make up the numbers because he needed a lift to Maldon in Essex for the game).
I've never read Harry's book Penguins Stopped Play. I believe there are references to Cie - and maybe one or two other crossover Taverners - it just came out at the wrong time.
Anyway, Robin Smith's passing just triggered some random memories. Ingo commented that it's a pity it takes people passing to make me recall this shit.
And he's right, it is.

<Columbo mode> 1 more thing...
Marcus Berkmann used to play on the same team as Harry Thompson. Alas Harry took his social cricket VERY seriously, resulting in Marcus and a few others - including Andy Parsons - getting a bit pissed off at never getting to bat or bowl. Marcus broke away and formed his own team - The Rainmen, whom we replaced Captain Scotts with in our fixture list - which was the name of his social cricket book. I did read that one. Whilst I didn't find it 'hilarious', mainly because I recognised pretty much all of the social cricket pratfalls (which I'm certain I wouldn't have in Harry's book about touring various parts of the world with money) Marcus did reference Cie.
www.theguardian.com/books/2006/jul/01/featuresreviews.guardianreview24

Memory flashback aplenty, I didn’t realise Marcus had written a book, subsequently ordered. I have read Harry’s book, given that amount of time thats passed since that day, if you find it I’d suggest you read it, it is well written and I enjoyed it as did H.

If it helps (which I know it doesn't, it's instead triggered what sounds like a pretty horrific memory) you managed to get double death into that one.

Whilst Charlie will always be known round here as The Grim Reaper it appears I've become The Grim Rememberer.

Sometimes I reap fondly too. I'm really a rather cheerful sort of bloke.

We can all heave a scythe of relief.

It’s been a relatively quiet year. Just a couple of neighbours and a brother in law. So far.

Collab with Rave for a December extravaganza.

From the creators of Gammon and Mince - a new comedy: Death And Dave. Follow the antics of the grim reaper and a bloke who likes remembering dead people - with hilarious results!

In this weeks instalment of D&D Charlie, reaper in chief, calls time on Mike Gatting then Rave recalls what a nice fellow he was when he bumped into him whilst on an ill-timed pre-Christmas break in Lockerbie, Scotland.

I was stuck behind him in the queue for the breakfast buffet. What a fucking nightmare.