Then, with the b getting Kent v Sussex regarding the Gillette Glass during the Canterbury

I registered all of them and stood in the longest queue, to have Greig’s trademark. In the event it try in the end my turn, We summoned upwards courage and you will told your, with hook quaver, it absolutely was a good “helluva catch”. Another idol minted there then. For another years, as he ran towards large circulation, Greig proved a worthwhile but challenging champion – a silver doubloon, never totally shedding its elemental lustre however, apparently trying to find therapeutic polishing. Over the second few seasons, We noticed your down in the Hove for the majority domestic video game. Save your self for five wickets and you can a brisk 93 facing Hampshire inside July 1969, Really don’t think about your and also make one high contribution. However, he constantly did something. A flourishing defense drive or a tow try jumping off the scoreboard to have half a dozen.

Sussex thrashed all of them, and you will Greig is actually People of your own Matches: 54 in the 1st innings, off 199, right after which five wickets

Or a great bouncer injudiciously intended for Mike Procter’s direct, whom up coming hit your tjek mit websted having cuatro, 4, six, cuatro when he try clobbered for more than 130 of 20 odd overs. And he always closed autographs. I experienced him 7 times in two season. Just after, he actually told you, “Ach, it’s you once more. We never noticed him refute people. I seated beneath the distribute boughs of one’s famous orange tree. Robbo regaled united states throughout the day which have reports away from enjoying Les Ames, Godfrey Evans and you may Doug Wright once the an effective boy. The middle mutton are a brain package who’d create an encyclopaedic experience in Kent cricket, also to their particular father’s visible fulfillment, not just admonished him as he nudged myself and mentioned a nice-looking “popsy” in the crowd however, remedied him when he had specific fact or profile incorrect.

That has been tend to. Robbo are never one to to possess analytical detail; it absolutely was the story one mattered. Kent’s illustrious record – if truth or myth – don’t assist far thereon sizzling hot July day. By the end during the day, one another center mutton and you may Robbo himself was demonstrably smitten. I knew that to be real because the, despite his daughter of earshot, my brother no further talked of the fresh long move out-of piss, but out-of “Greigy”.

Greig starred only a help character that day; a simple-fire thirty-six throughout the Sussex innings as well as 2 wickets, as well as regarding Kent’s finest scorer, Graham Johnson, caught because of the Tony Buss off a lengthy-hop

And Sussex made it happen once more 3 years afterwards. Gillette Mug one-fourth-final, August step 1, 1973, at the Hove. From this time Greig are a freshly centered England member and you will Sussex master. Again, I went with Robbo, and now we nearly skipped they. My buddy got organized the day but when i pitched up ticketless on Tate Doorways, we were solidly turned aside. A good sellout. Brand new stewards (“soft nothing Hitlers”) had no truck that have Robbo’s “Get real, simple fact is that boy’s birthday celebration today.” (It wasn’t.) However,, the guy wasn’t stopping you to definitely effortlessly if in case advised a little warily regarding how I got towards ground at no cost with my friends, the next thing I knew I happened to be providing my personal portly buddy a toes-up over the backyard wall structure of 1 of your own larger house you to supported on the sea prevent of one’s ground. Inside, buoyed by the all of our victory, Robbo’s charm hit overdrive and he somehow sweet-talked the quicker draconian for the-surface ushers therefore efficiently, we finished up about gangway of members’ pavilion, correct next to the players’ balcony. Within the earliest innings We watched while the Greig did their method due to nearly an entire package of Benson and you can Hedges, and Robbo, the only real Kent advocate in our midst, cheered every manage just like the their lads chased 264 in the second. Today a teen, I found myself a tiny ashamed through this, however, luckily for us around just weren’t most of them. Works, which is. Kent was indeed bowled aside for 135. But one to did not count. Due to the fact professionals stood for the outfield and basked regarding the thanks a lot of your ten,000-strong crowd, Sussex had claimed. I saw due to the fact short boys in-line to obtain the skipper’s autograph – I found myself first and foremost you to definitely today – and you can listed you to definitely Robbo had entered them. The guy and you will Greig have been in the near future engaged in mobile talk. One another was basically laughing, thoughts tossed straight back, while the waiting line off short boys extended, moving forward anxiously out of legs so you’re able to feet. Immediately following what searched forever, it shook hand passionately and you can Robbo patted their the brand new pal familiarly on the back. The guy emerged bounding support the pavilion tips, clutching his closed scorecard – “It is on middle mutton,” he lied – and you may beaming away from ear-to-ear. “He is a soft big bloke.” The feeling it absolutely was Greig’s Sussex one to acquired the overall game is palpable. John Spencer, the newest Sussex bowler, told me has just if Greig grabbed more than, the whole atmosphere from the a club “dogged of the backbiting, cynicism and you will negativity” altered almost immediately. Greig is an air of bracing ocean heavens.