Which International Cricketers have you met in person?

[BigHewer]

Ok, from the 5000 or so international cricketers from the past 40 years, I’m sure a few of us have met a few of them. What encounters have you had and what was happening? Tell your stories here.

[gummy]

Met John Lloyd.

[BigHewer]

1 minute ago, gummy said:

Met John Lloyd.

Didn’t he pass away in 1910?

[gummy]

3 minutes ago, BigHewer said:

Didn’t he pass away in 1910?

No he was my Brother-in-Law and he played for our Town team against a UK forces team in Frankfurt in 1963. So that makes him an international doesn't it ? 

[BigHewer]

2 minutes ago, gummy said:

No he was my Brother-in-Law and he played for our Town team against a UK forces team in Frankfurt in 1963. So that makes him an international doesn't it ? 

Did they win?

[gummy]

Just now, BigHewer said:

Did they win?

Not sure but he passed away in 2012 so can't ask him and my Sister never did like cricket so can't ask her either . 

[BigHewer]

1 minute ago, gummy said:

Not sure but he passed away in 2012 so can't ask him and my Sister never did like cricket so can't ask her either . 

We’ll assume they did

[Rookiescot]

Didnt actually meet him as such but saw Botham when he was doing his John O Groats to Lands end walk. Was surprised by two things.

1. How many people had turned out to line the roads and donate to his charity (this is Scotland after all).

2. How physically big he was. I didnt watch much cricket back then (actually I didnt watch it at all) and had no idea what professional cricketers actually looked like. I think he could have excelled at almost any sport he chose to do.

[BigHewer]

2 minutes ago, Rookiescot said:

2. How physically big he was. I didnt watch much cricket back then (actually I didnt watch it at all) and had no idea what professional cricketers actually looked like. I think he could have excelled at almost any sport he chose to do.

I am taller and bigger than Ian Botham but I did not really excel at any sport

[Rookiescot]

1 minute ago, BigHewer said:

I am taller and bigger than Ian Botham but I did not really excel at any sport

You just didnt find the right one. I have always been average height and wiry. Fencing was my game. You just gotta be faster and cleverer than the other guy. Being left handed also helped.

[gummy]

6 minutes ago, BigHewer said:

I am taller and bigger than Ian Botham but I did not really excel at any sport

I can beat that as I am no doubt shorter and smaller than either of you and I excelled at absolutely nothing. I was nominated for a piss taking award once but was beaten into second place by my girl friend at that time who got her tits out, huge they were too 

[BigHewer]

2 minutes ago, Rookiescot said:

You just didnt find the right one. I have always been average height and wiry. Fencing was my game. You just gotta be faster and cleverer than the other guy. Being left handed also helped.

Was pushed into basketball but hated it. Loved football but wanted to be a central midfielder rather than a left back. Just never worked out. Was good at rugby without understanding the rules I don’t think I’d have been very good at fencing.

[gummy]

Just now, BigHewer said:

Fencing was my game

Was it Chestnut paling ?

[BigHewer]

2 minutes ago, gummy said:

I was nominated for a piss taking award once but was beaten into second place by my girl friend

Every day on this forum @gummyI mentally nominate you for said award

[gummy]

3 minutes ago, BigHewer said:

Every day on this forum @gummyI mentally nominate you for said award

I appreciate that and will endeavour to live up to your support for me

[Rookiescot]

10 minutes ago, gummy said:

I can beat that as I am no doubt shorter and smaller than either of you and I excelled at absolutely nothing. I was nominated for a piss taking award once but was beaten into second place by my girl friend at that time who got her tits out, huge they were too 

No. They just looked big to your short arse because you was looking up at them 

[gummy]

Just now, Rookiescot said:

No. They just looked big to your short arse because you was looking up at them 

And I was pissed so it looked like 4 of them, but actually it was just the folds of her fat stomach I realised later.

[Marble-eye]

@BigHewer  Do you remember a Yorkshire cricketer named Peter Kippax, he once opened up for Yorkshire with Sir Geoffrey Boycott. I played golf at the same golf club as Peter, he had a cricket bat shop in Guiseley or Yeadon near Leeds. Just googled him and found he died in 2017, RIP.

[BigHewer]

1 minute ago, Marble-eye said:

@BigHewer  Do you remember a Yorkshire cricketer named Peter Kippax, he once opened up for Yorkshire with Sir Geoffrey Boycott. I played golf at the same golf club as Peter, he had a cricket bat shop in Guiseley or Yeadon near Leeds. Just googled him and found he died in 2017, RIP.

Thank you @Marble-eyeand what a great post. Peter Kippax, a true gentleman and also awarded an MCC cap for his final first-class appearance.

R.I.P.

[BigHewer]

Here are a couple of teasers…

Met Waqar Younis and Ijaz Ahmed at a kebab shop in Sydney in 1996.  Very polite, articulate chaps. 

Was behind Sanath Jayasuriya in the queue at Mustafa Department store in Singapore in 2004 and struck up a conversation. Did not want to talk about cricket, but very struck with Singapore sightseeing.

Ran into Joel Garner in 2005 in Barbados and had a beer with him. Possibly the coolest dude I’ve ever met.

[mickkotlarski]

1 hour ago, BigHewer said:

Ok, from the 5000 or so international cricketers from the past 40 years, I’m sure a few of us have met a few of them. What encounters have you had and what was happening? Tell your stories here.

Rodney Hogg, Brett Lee and Jeremy Coney. Saw Matty Hayden from a distance.

Believe it or not Rodney Hogg and I got on really well in Torrens Arms pub. Top bloke and was our best bowler in 2 ashes series.

Now  for the finisher...like yourself BigHewer I met Joel Garner in a fish and chip shop in North Adelaide when I was young. Really nice guy that smiled easily and had good people skills. He was playing for South Australia in the Sheffield Shield and made many friends. Great fast bowler.

I love meeting cricketers. They may seem larger than life when out in the middle but those I met were down to earth fellas.

Excellent topic old boy...don't worry about the beer. Even if I bet against you and was 10 to 0 up I'd gladly shout you to drinks and dinner.

 

[Smithydog]

I was very fortunate at High School playing cricket. One of my maths teacher was Geoff Dymock, an Australian left arm swing bowler who played some tests. He was highly respected by his fellow players.

With his connections, we regularly had State and Aussie Test Players at cricket coaching at school. So I have met a few like Jeff Thomson, Dennis Lillee, Greg Chappell, Alan Border (who visited several times), Greg Ritchie and Rod Marsh. 

Over the years have met quite a lot more. Met Warnie at a function in Melbourne and Merv Hughes at the Gabba. Used to be a member at the Queensland Cricketers Club so always a few of the ex-players there. 

 

[DwizzleyMatthews]

Brian Close in a local pub , I didn’t have a clue who he was but a sports mad colleague, who I was with , knew him and they had a good long chat about Brian’s career.

I didn’t really meet him as such but nodded my head and smiled in all the right places, Brian probably thought I was a lifelong fan !!

Apparently he was a was a local and died in my hometown some 10 years later.

[BigHewer]

Getting quite the response folks, good to see. I think by the end we can name a “Met by Thaiger Talk Members’ XI” - will be a pretty formidable outfit, I would say.

[BlueSphinx]

Sorry to disappoint you, but I never met Buddy Holly nor any of his fellow Cricket-eers...