I have a cunning plan.......

.....................I am hurriedly typing this as I feel the need to go out and mow the lawns in the extensive grounds of the Chateau, The Deer Park is starting to get long and so needs to be cut back and as it is dry, I am hoping to be out their by 8.30am. I know this will annoy my neighbours but to be honest after being woken up by their domestics in the early hours, more times than I care to remember, I sort of don't care!

There is washing in and the beds are stripped and will be remade before 10.am, as I will have everything done by then ready to sit down and prepare to watch 'My boys' down at Trent Bridge.

I am about to prepare my lunch and dinner and then the day is all mine.


Well after the mother of all hangovers yesterday I managed to get quite a lot done!
And even had a visit from Francesca and Lucky, but only after she felt that she was legal to drive.
I thought it might be an early night for I, Lady Lainey but sadly I turned into 'party girl' and crawled into 'mon lit' after midnight!



I can tell that the next two days will involve me working up at sweat before 10.am and then doing nothing for the rest of the days.
Well who cares??

not me this is cricket and more importantly , this is Yorkshire!.


Just an update on the poorly coccyx.
I have less pain and the instructor at the gym suggested that I try ( carefully ) to do some squats and lunges.

Well to say that my legs and 'derriere' feel as if they are on fire is an understatement .
However no pain, no gain and I now have a series of exercises to strengthen up my very badly weakened back.

I'll be fighting fir in no time!


OK its time for me to head out into the jungle extensive grounds


COME ON YORKSHIRE!!!!!!



BOOOOOOOO  8.33am and it has started to rain!!! No grass cutting it would seem!

Wooohoooo it's the weekend!!!

Yeay!!!!!! it is the weekend and it's a long one too!


Already this morning the dishwasher is on, the washing machine is on the spin cycle and I am about to set to with the hoover, since the cleaning fairies still haven't shown up.
I may even 'treat' myself and wash the windows!!

Ah yes Lady Lainey the domestic goddess!

Well actually....... last night besty friend Francesca came round to the Chateau to give me an Indian Face massage ( did I look 10 years younger..................well no, but did I really want to look like my 11 year old self????), and I prepared , Crispy tempura vegetables and thai flavour samosas!
All those years in Mrs Parkins domestic science class and at Merchant Taylors have certainly paid off!!!

It was very nice. even though I say so myself!.

What is not so nice is the banging headache that I have this morning, due to us downing a lot of Prosecco! ( I have found 3 empty bottles this morning and their are 2 full ones in the fridge)

Prior to the 'drink fest', yesterday was full on busy at Super Swanky Lady Lainey office as I was swamped with requests for O & M manuals!!!!  So I was trying to get them put into order of importance ( i.e which company will scream the loudest first) and then settled down to copious amounts of coffee to get me through the day.
I was counting down until 4.30pm so that I could leave it all behind.


I did however have a bit of TBTV viewing at lunchtime, what is it with these Yorkshire boys being filmed in their  undies??????!!!

Its was like 'knickergate' (5/4/13) all over again as the camera panned onto His Royal Ryanness lying prostrate on the physio bed hooked up to electrodes ( I would like a set of those for the office, I could electrocute the office boys at lunchtimes!).

 Well that sort of cheered me up until I had to get back to the job(s) in hand and it all went downhill.


Today 'My Boys' will be at Trent Bridge having a bit of a practice before the 'kick off' tomorrow.

I now have to go to the sorting office and the Post Office and then to the housework..............................maybe!!!

It's F(ryan)day and Bank Holiday Weekend!!

To say that I am glad it is F(ryan)day is an understatement.
Its been a rollercoaster of a week and I am ready for a long weekend!

What will I be doing?
Well if the frost and wintry showers persist, I will be tucked up in blanky, reclining on the Chaise Longue knitting and watching my Tykes at Trent Bridge!


There looks to be little chance of mowing the lawns in the extensive grounds of the chateau, although since the cleaning fairies failed to turn up I think that I will be steam cleaning floors, washing windows and  doing general housework.

I am trying very hard to put the upset of  the last couple of days behind me and focus on what is really important..............................My Boys.

They need to win against Nottinghamshire which will put me in conflict with besty crickety mates  Fun Sophe and El Tel.

They will be willing their beloved Notts onto a win. and will be there watching the match.

yesterday was full of drama from start to finish as I got my dramas with the lodge 'sort' of sorted and huge thank you for the wonderful person who shouted up on behalf of all the Yorkshire supporters who stay there.

A much deserved cake will be delivered for your enjoyment at the Surrey game.

After witnessing an 'incident' on the A1 on my way home which involved a homeless man  who had been wandering up and down the hard shoulder, I finally got back to the Chateau and closed the blinds on the day.

I am hoping that today is less eventful

 I have however  been awake since 3am and now pose the question,

who wakes the birds up?
At 4.12am they all starting chirping their merry heads off........................and then at 5am fell silent, they are barely flexing their vocal cords now!!!

and so without further ado I will head of to super swanky Lady Lainey office to be serenaded by the boys ( AKA castrated cat choir) and have my meat free sausage sarnie!

I know how to push the boat out.

don't forget to add some pennies to the pot of The Chairman of Yorkshire CCC in his bat and ball challenge against Liam Plunkett

https://yorkshireccc.com/news/view/4653/yorkshire-chairman-to-swap-suit-for-cricket-whites

I am sure that there will be a full report by TBTV on the event!

I feel like its raining down on me!

As most of you know this is the view from my most favourite hotel in the world. Well it looks as if I will be staying there no longer!!!! ( I am wiping tears from my eyes as I type).
If you remember on my last visit I had to park out from the stadium parking that they advertise goes with the rooms. Well yesterday I received a letter saying that this was going to be permanent.

So I had to have a long hard think about this.

1. I book all my seasons stays at the Lodge ( which I do as soon as the fixtures are released)

2. Being a lone female  I like the security of being in the ground and being able to come and go in my car, with the car park being a teeny tiny step from the hotel.

3. I love the staff who are a credit to Leeds Rugby and Yorkshire Cricket.

4. Now I have to park in Car Park F and if I want to  go out in my car, I have to walk to the bottom of St Michaels Lane to get it and then walk back up to the hotel when I drop it off later. ( I'm not saying that Headingley is dangerous but  as a woman, you don't take chances)

5. I am very sad that I am having to look for alternative accommodation, in fact I am heart broken.
Especially as I am booked in for at least another  10ish nights over the season.

Looks like I will not be seeing this view again!

Oh well that's life I suppose.
I hope I  find somewhere else to stay soon. ( not easy now that the season is here!!!!!!)


Right down to other things, the weather was again taking its toll at Chester le Street and  after  numerous 'Umpire inspections' they decided to have a look at the outfield!!!!!! ( OK its an old joke but believe me this morning I am struggling to write anything let alone anything witty!!! ).
The match was abandoned at 3pm and declared a draw as only 14 balls had been bowled  in the day.

El Presidenti and The First Lady  started to wend their way home earlier than expected.
I am now gearing myself up to meet up with them again at Scarbados!!!!


My Boys  managed to get out to play at Birmingham and it all ended up a draw, the weather being a bit cruel to everyone this week.

And now the Yorkies will be getting ready to trundle into  Trent Bridge on Sunday.

I meanwhile am not sure what is going to happen in the next week or so. I should be at Headingley on Sun8th  & Monday 9th May but if I cannot find an alternative hotel ( and it's not looking promising)...........................well not sure.

Right I am off to adjust my mascara ( massacre more like) and  head off to the office.

All I need is more snow to make my day/week complete, and believe me with a thick frost this morning it is white outside!!!!!

Until tomorrow

back to a full day in the office

Oh well I am back to the three full days in the office!
Its not too bad as next week is a four day week as its Bank Holiday weekend coming up.
Yes a weekend full of promises to do amazing things in the Chateau...................which will still be waiting at August Bank Holiday!

And due to snow, rain, hale and everything else, the lawns in the extensive grounds of the chateau still remain in need of their first trim of the season.

However that is all to come.

So yesterday in Durham, well snow stopped play as a blizzard hit The Riverside Ground. What the 'Donald Duck' is going on???
I, Lady Lainey was enveloped in every form of warm attire I possessed,   even down to my cable knit pom pom hat! Not very Ladylike and difficult to fit on over my tiara, but if I hadn't put it on  my ears could have been in danger of developing frost bite!
Snow did in fact put paid to the day for the teams

I tell you I have never experienced coldness in the cricket season like this, not in all my '21 years'!

I also got a tad cross when Captain Colleywobble tweeted to the ECB to play April matches in Dubai!!!
So take the cricket to the UAE for a month still charge the members a fortune  for tickets, for even less cricket, that makes sense!!!!

The ECB have already deprived us of 2 matches next season so should the old duffers decamp to the UAE for April I can see that  The County Championship will cease to exist in a few years ( as if we have rain in May, the 'Colleywobbles' of cricket will want an extra month in Dubai!)

I get to see limited CC matches with working full time ( well tipping up in the office and looking pretty),  I still have to pay full price for my membership as there are no concessions for 21 year olds! Taking, possibly,another two matches abroad will not help the cause in the UK although it will help the coffers of the ECB and SKY!!!!!!!

I am getting heartily sick of  all of this talk, can no one see sense!
We have had a cold spell, this is England and this is April!!!!!!!!!

Right before I get into major ranting mode I will talk about His Royal Ryanness who limped off the field yesterday morning.

He had injured his ankle and was being assessed most of yesterday.
I am awaiting more news!!!

My Boys  managed to put on 379 runs but just missed out on full batting points.
Warwickshire put on 205  by the time they wrapped up ( being the operative word) the  days play, and Rashid had managed to remove 'the man with no lips'.
Ttoday Chopra  and Trott are the two scalps that they need.

COME ON YORKSHIRE!!!!!

And so I head off to Super Swanky Lady Lainey office, I will however be keeping abreast of what is going on in Brum.

Its wet and rather cold today ( the temperature is currently -1!). So I am guessing thermal long johns will once again be the order of the day!

oh, before I forget, there is a big showdown going on at Headingley in a couple of weekends time, when the Chairman  Steve Denison faces the bowling of Liam Plunkett, it's all for  charity and more info can be found here
https://yorkshireccc.com/news/view/4653/yorkshire-chairman-to-swap-suit-for-cricket-whites

raid your piggy banks for a great cause.


and forgot to say Alan Donald has been appointed as Australian Bowling coach so now can everyone leave our Dizzy alone!!!!


A tout a l'heure

How lucky am I?

What is it that make the world go round?
Is it really money?
Well I think not, I personally do not believe that money makes you happy it just makes life easier, although we might think that this is what we want, is there more to life?

The last few years  have shown me that in my life friends and family are what makes my world go round.

In the past few days I have been treated like royalty ( which is nearly right as I am a Lady!) by my oldest and dearest friends Harry and Blossom Latchman, I have been welcomed into the fold of the upper echelons  of Middlesex CCC , and one of the executive committee was  even giving me updates on my beloved Yorkshire. They all knew where my loyalties lie, and were kind enough to  put that to one side and be very welcoming. From the President, to the Chairman and the Committee, they made sure that I was OK!

It looks as if its going to be fun in Scarbados and also at Lords in September!!

Once again I have met up with an Old Merchant Taylor, who spoke fondly of his years at the school ( as did one of the Yorkshire committee when he found out that I had worked there with Harry).

I will also add that when I was invited to be a guest of the Middx President at Headingley last year I was welcomed in the same way, by the Yorkshire committee and will always have very fond memories of those few days.

For me this is worth more than money and believe me money cannot buy it!

Now back to yesterday, in a day when we had all four season  ( and no Vivaldi!) the poor Southern boys were struggling with the cold, as Durham put on some runs, Mark Stoneman being on 139 no out over night.


Over in Birmingham rain caused a delayed start and when it did Ballance and TLJL set up their 100 partnership only for TLJL to fall shortly afterwards! I nearly cried!
an amazing knock by tail ender Steve Patterson  helped to pile on the runs and with a career best score of  62, I am guessing the beers were on him last night.

COME ON YORKSHIRE!!!

Today I am looking at 'bluey/ grey ' skies and believe me it was chuffing cold here last night but I am hoping that the weather is good to my boys in Birmingham .

I am having one last visit to The Riverside to see 'The Middlesex Massive', although we are now all focusing on Scarbadoos when we will meet again, this time it is WAR!!!

news form former besty county in the South , Hampshire is that they have signed Tino Best. Reinforce the windows and lock up your daughters!

Wrap up warm this morning, it really is more Winter than Spring

To work, or not to work.....

Well it's Monday and the sun is shining although the sky looks a bit 'heavy', so the decision is ' Do I take the full day off or do I just head off up to Chester le Street  at lunchtime?'.

Well I am up and dressed so I might as well go and crack the whip for 3.5 hours and then go and meet El Presidenti and The First Lady after that.


Yesterday Middlesex  were batting and  lost Sam Robson before I really had time to digest my ginger biscuits and coffee, he make a quick 26 but was back in the pavilion pretty sharpish, which, on a very cold Sunday, was probably the place to be. However  half centuries from Gubbins, Malan, and Voges  put the visitors in a strong position going into day 2.
I had a wander around the ground with The President and First Lady and then retired back to the warmth of the Pavilion with them, leaving Mr Funky to freeze on the boundary with Janey and Mick.

By tea the sun had come out and it was (only) slightly warmer.

Today I will be well wrapped up I can tell you!

More importantly over in Edgbaston, Warwickshire and Yorkshire had a coin toss and Galey was on form  and elected to bat.

Not a great start for them as they slumped to 85-4 and I slumped further down under my blanket!
 However Gary Ballance and TLJL hit half centuries to put Yorskhire in a stronger position.
Ahh yes that was great news...........................and then they went off for rain!

And then they came back out again.......................... and then there were off for bad light.

They did however end the day  having racked up 177-4.

Today I would love to see TLJL hit a century!

'Come on my Yorkshire boys!'

'Sad' news filtered through that 'He who must not be named in the blog' had torn a  muscle, surprisingly not the one in his 'biltong hole', but one in his calf.
And then twitter was flooded with pictures of him in a wheelchair!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WTF!!!!!!!!!!!

When His Royal Ryanness tore his calf last year in the opening match of the season, he limped off, and then came bat to bat with a runner!!!!

What a flipping drama queen that SA is!!!!! Anything for publicity!!!!

And now I am off on a rant, so looks like the office boys are going to be in for it this morning, they will be glad to see the back of me at Midday!.


Happy Monday


YORKSHIRE ,YORKSHIRE, YORKSHIRE!!!!

It's another cricket Sunday!

Oh yes it is another cricket Sunday but sadly for me I am not in Birmingham, although 'my boys' are, after being safely transported  ( I hope) by their top chauffeur Mark Boyle. ( top boy and he reads the blog so he deserves a mention)

I will be picked up by my personal chauffeur Mr Funky in the big blue 'Funky bus' and delivered to The Riverside ground where we will be joined by 'The Middlesex massive' AKA El PResidenti and The First Lady ( no not Barack and Michelle!)

An talking about them, we had a wild night out in Durham last evening, when we headed off to Zen, to partake in some food, and drink. There was however much more mirth than my sides were used to and I can honestly say they are aching this morning.

It was great to relive the days when El Presidenti and I used to oversee the under 15's cricket tours( he as Manager, me as Assistant manager/white washer/ packed lunch maker).....................which involved some  matches for the boys and some serious drinking in the evenings for the 'grown ups' Harry ( AKA El Presidenti) was always prepared at breakfast with ibuprofen and I would  make the 'virgin Mary's, which somehow got us through the morning.

Ahh yes!!! We also reminisced about  the evenings when Harry and I would meet up at the cricket pavilion of Merchant Taylors and partake in 'over proof' rum and diet coke. I tell you that rum was a cure for everything, including blocked sinus's if you drank it neat ( I have first hand experience of this!).
We decided that when I head off to Lords in September for  the match between 'my boys' and 'his boys' we will be partaking of  Sloe Gin Martinis ( with my homemade sloe gin).
Its a tough job being besties with El Presidenti..............................but someone has to do it!!!

I have everything packed ( including a good a goodie bag for El Presidenti) and just have to throw myself into the shower and then I will be ready to go.

I will be keeping on top of what is going on in Birmingham, I expect His Royal Ryaness   to be on 711 wickets by close of play ( if they decide to bowl)

Will I be impartial at today at the match between Durham and Middlesex.........................well what do you think!

Come on you Southern Softies!

The scene of some serious run drinking !

St Georges' Day

It is St Georges' Day, a day that should see all English people wave flags and  celebrate, sadly 90% off the English are still nursing hangovers from celebrating St Patricks' day!!!

St George was a Roman soldier who was born in ( what is now) Turkey, he grew up in a wealthy Christian family.
It was announced that  all Roman christian soldiers should denounce their faith, which George refused and was beheaded on 23rd April 303
Did he ever slay a dragon? sadly not.
He was adopted as the patron Saint of England in 1327 by King Edward III.
a patron saint did not have to be form the country they were adopted by, just embody the characteristics the Country wanted to portray to the outside world.
In this case a devout Christian.

sadly St Georges' Day often slips by unnoticed  although he is also the patron saint of other countries too, including Portugal, Malta, Ethiopia and The Palestinian Territories.

I hope that all the English readers will raise a glass to the  dragon  slayer (not) tonight.

It is also the birthday of William Shakespeare, the man who struck fear into the heart of many schoolchildren, but  transported me away  in a flurry of words.

I studied some of the best and the worst ( in schoolchildren land) plays including, A Midsummer Nights dream, Julius Caesar, Coriolanus, Macbeth, &  A Winters Tale. And spent many happy weekends in Stratford upon Avon visiting his birthplace and the theatre.

I loved school! yes really I did!.



Today has dawned bright after torrential rain overnight, so already there is washing on the line and the dishwasher is on.

I have lots to do before I head off to meet Middx CCC President and First lady  ( it will be like the visit of The Obamas but without the body guards!).


'My boys' are heading off to Birmingham in preparation for their 4 day game.
I am hoping that His Royal Ryanness is in full wicket taking mode and that TLJL gets another crack at batting.

And now I am off to throw myself into the shower and sort out the orange birds nest.

Happy St Georges' Day

It's a very sad F(ryan)day

It is F(ryan)day and I am  should be so glad, I have only worked 3 days this week ( I could get used to that!!!) and to be honest it was three days too many!

However its a mean to an end, I go to work earn pennies, buy the odd tiara, and shoes and handbags, pay the mortgage and then spend the rest on cricket, cricket and more cricket.

it is however a very sad day and to be honest it has been a very sad week in the celebrity world.

Firstly on Wednesday  we heard that the multi talented Victoria Wood  had passed away and then last night as I got home from work, I heard the news that Prince had died!!!!

Ironically I had been listening to the soundtrack of 'Under the cherry moon' on the way home, and then to hear that he has died was just too much to take in.

A huge talent, Prince had released an album every year of his musical career, although a somewhat reclusive and very private person, his appeal was never lost to his fans.

A huge hole in the music world after the loss of David Bowie, got even bigger yesterday.

Please no more sad news, I am not sure we can take any more!

You will be able to spot me today as I will be wearing purple!


And now I  am gearing myself up for the last 7 hours of the working week, until freedom and a weekend in the company of the Middlsex CCC family.
It all kicks off tomorrow when I will be hitting the town with El Presidenti and the First Lady.

news filtered through that the injury sustained by Fidel Edwards on Wednesday at Headingley is a broken leg. this occurred when he was taking part in the now obligatory footy match at the end of the warm up session.
I have often questioned as to why they need a footy game which often looks reckless.

Is it because a lot of cricketers are frustrated footballers?
What next?
Pre match golf tournament for the frustrated golfers in them?

Team badminton?


Keep the warm up to cricket is my motto.
After all Australia lost Glenn Mcgrath the same way at Edgbaston!

right I am off to don my purple.

It's F(ryan)day so  'Lets go crazy', don your 'Raspberry beret' and rev up the 'Little Red Corvette'

Princes Rogers Nelson RIP

Thursday part 2 someone has a birthday!

Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday Uncle Rob
Now that you are really really really old!!!


Hello it is I, Bryan Leftarmer Captain of the Gentlemen of Tykeshire, the roaming  Gnome cricket team.

I have high jacked the blog of Lady Lainey ( AKA The lady from the big house), to wish our Uncle Rob of Flicx UK a very happy birthday.

The Lady says he is 'well old' ( and often 'well oiled' from all accounts!). So we thought that we would send him our best wishes.
Uncle Rob is the maker of our amazing roll out cricket pitch ( as seen half way up Mt Kilimanjaro), he made this just for us and 'gnome' one else!

What a flipping top old bloke  he is.

We hope that you have a wonderful birthday, Uncle Rob and we have notified your local fire brigade just in case you decide to put candles on your birthday cake.

You share your birthday with Her Majesty the Queen.......................................are you the same age as her?
That is 'well old'!!!!

I am sure the Big lady will raise a glass to you tonight ( OMG!!! any excuse for her!)

Have  a fab day and there is 'gnome' excuse to not get tiddly!

Thursday!

Yes it is Thursday and my second day back in the office, already I am shuffling dates around in my diary, bugging the life out of the ladies at the Headingley Lodge and  thinking about how much washing I have to do.

It is  also the second day of trying to clear my desk. As I have documented many times, when I am not cracking the whip, the boys do very little, however they still manage to leave mounds of paperwork on my desk in the hope that it looks as if they have been busy!

I spent yesterday morning tuned into the radio so that I could hear what was going on at Headingley, and to be honest Hampshire have been having a bit of a nightmare.
Their players are dropping like flies and with a squad of only 18 players to pick from it was not looking good as they lost Fidel Edwards.
It was that bad the even coach Dale Benkenstein took to the field, goodness me its a good job Terry the dressing room attendant wasn't with them, He might have been donning super white, whites too.

Hampshire really made Yorkshire earn their crust, and even with so many injuries, managed to hold the hosts to a draw.
Which I am happy with!
Alex Lees was once again out for very little, but Captain Gale put on 46 and TLJL hit 18 before being out after hitting a s**t shot ( very technical cricket term).

All in all it was probably not a result that Gillespie the Gallant would be happy with, but its early days!

I will now have a few quiet days in which to get myself turned round before the next match.

I had a chat with El Presidenti of Middx CCC last night and we are meeting on Saturday evening, for some food and a night on the town in Durham, before it all kicks off at Chester le Street on Sunday.

I will be seeing both El Presidenti and the First Lady quite a lot over the season (again) and to say that I am looking forward to it is an understatement! especially when I head off down to Lords in September

I am in full cricket mode now and am even managing to get the dates firmly planted in my head as to where I will be for the rest of the season

But first I have 14 working hours to complete before the weekend.

Have a good day y'all

Day 3 in the big Yorkshire house!

Well yesterday dawned with sunshine and as I ventured out to the car in short sleeves I guessed we would be having a good weather day!
As I went to take  up residence on the boundary, I was approached by John Frobisher whom I had never met but had 'tweeted' a lot..
It was wonderful to finally meet him even though he gave me some very sad news.
At Scarbados a couple of years  ago a lovely couple sat with me and  I spent a wonderful afternoon with them. sadly the lady, Valerie passed away in January. so very sad and a lovely, lovely lady too.
however her wonderful husband came over to talk to me  and  we swapped many memories of a few hours we all spent together.

And then Craig, whom I met at a very drunken 'Melanoma UK' event ,you  may  remember that in a haze of free wine I smacked Jack Brooks on the bottom!!!! came over to join me.

 We had been in contact since the event and he thought that due to work schedules he would struggle to get to any matches, so imagine my surprise when  he turned up very unexpectedly yesterday. We passed a great and very cheery afternoon , basking in the sun and willing Yorkshire to take some wickets!
.
Nice camera by the way Craig !!

And then there was the cricket. well we waited a long time for a wicket and the pitch was not playing in Yorkshire's favour.. By close of play Yorkshire had still not bowled Hants out  and they passed the 'magical' 444 number to avoid the follow on.
So I was in a quandary did I cancel everything try to blag a bed at the lodge and stay one more day.

Lots of things were egging me on to doing this, however kiss of death was the fact that work, O & M's and all sorts of other 'boring', 'get in the way of cricket' things eventually won!


Will Yorkshire come out  in a full wicket taking frenzy this morning?

I chuffing hope so!

His Royal Ryanness is now sporting a 'hair do' VERY similar to that of I, Lady Lainey, I tell you, put him in a skirt, throw on some slap, and he could be me!!! ( and shave off his facial hair!)

Now I am in a tizzy as to whether I venture to Trent bridge in 2 weeks time, I  have been offered a bed for the night courtesy of Sophie and Terry and Jess, but I will have to  think long and hard as I have lots of cricknit orders to fill and not a lot of time to do them in!

OOOhhh!!! before I forget, I am currently reading ' The Good Murungu' by Alan Butcher ( I told you I read a lot), this is a brilliant book and a real insight into cricket in Zimbabwe.
I am over halfway through it  and loving it loads. if you haven't bought it, then do!!!


And so today I revert to 'office dragon' mode and  head off to sort out the mess that the boys will have made whilst they have been left to their own devices!

it's a crap job but someone has to do it!!!!!

Yorkshire, day 2 and someone has a birthday

As if it could get any better...............................

well it did,

 Yesterday dawned windy and overcast however this was no deterrent to Jonny Baistow, who went out and  hit his double century and  his highest ever FC score of 246.

I am guessing there were some tears of joy in a certain area of the ground, from Mummy Bairstow, I know there were some tears over by the 'Book Stall' which is where I was when it happened!

Liam Plunkett joined him and hit his century and his highest ever FC score  126.

 and most of this scoring was before lunch!!!  sadly  both  were out not long after that, too much plum crumble and custard?

It did however put my boys well and truly in the driving seat. To say that Hampshire looked to be bowling poorly is an understatement, they also looked a little  bit jaded by 2.15pm!

I watched most of this from the warmth of my hotel room, but to be honest it was the best place to be and as I watched Michael Carberry down on the boundary looking as if he was freezing, I think that I had the right idea.

Yorkshire declared on 593

And it didn't stop there, oh no!!

I had no sooner got settled back into my window seat with a cup of coffee and a couple of ginger nuts, then His Royal Ryanness only chuffing well took a wicket.
And by close of play he had figures of 2-15 and a FC wicket haul total  of 708.

Liam Plunkett also had a good day with the ball with figures of 2-31.

I tell you these boys were on fire and at stumps Hampshire were 141-5.

Regular readers will know I have a love of Hampshire, when I lived in the south I used to head off to Southampton to see them play .
I remember when their Director of Cricket, Giles White was just starting out in the 2nd's!!!


I had a quick wander up into Headingley after close of play and then bumped into wonderful guide dog Queenie and her 'other half'. After a quick pat ( Queenie) and chat I headed off 'up the wooden hill to Bedfordshire', I was exhausted, I felt like I hit a century!

 And today????

Well it is my last day here today and I am expecting great things. Hants have to score 444 to avoid the follow on.........................


................and finally



today is the birthday of Gillespie the Gallant, yes he is celebrating his '21st' birthday!

And it's 10 years since he hit his double century!!!!

Happy Birthday coach, I am expecting that the boys make you smile a lot today!

Yorkshire, Yorkshire, Yorkshire......

Well I set off bright and early yesterday and should have been at Headingley in plenty of time................little did I realise that Collingham would be at a standstill due to traffic lights and then when I got to the ground they made me park in Bradford ( well car park F which in my mind was nearly in Bradford!).

However  I got checked in at the best hotel in the world and then got my seat on the boundary and as there had been ice on the outfield ( yes ICE), play started at 11.30 am, really they were waiting for me to get myself sorted!!!!!

Well it all went a bit bandy before lunch, when they were  3 down, so I nipped round to see Dave Callaghan in the comms box with some cakes, bumped into the Chairman and had a chat and then hotfooted it back to the hotel  to   scoff my lunch and  get warmed up a bit.
The sun might have been shining but it was a bit brass monkey!

After lunch it all started to happen.

Long story short.

Lythy hit a century

Captain Gale was out for a duck ( boo that Maclaren the Hampshire bowler)

TLJL only managed 1 run before he was heading back to the dressing room ( boo that Wood the  Hampshire bowler )

Jonny Bairstow hit a century and will still be batting today with his partner Adil Rashid.

A good afternoon for the boys.

Hampshire are wearing very WHITE , whites ( well they were at start of play). They look rather odd when put up next to Yorkshire's cream, whites.

I tell you, bring back flannels and woolly pullies!! Proper jumpers are still the way forward.

Today has dawned cloudy and a tad windy although for me it doesn't really matter I might stay up in my room until after lunch and then venture out until tea.

I will be able to catch up with some of my Yorkshire friends.


I have set up camp for the next few days at the Headingley Lodge, luckily I am not in The boycott Room ( again) but I am on my second visit to the Matthew Hoggard room.
 No picture of Hoggy in here!!!

And now I am going to have a cup of coffee , gaze out of my window and watch the groundsmen do there stuff.

Until tomorrow!

Off on my holibobs!

I am up showered, barnet washed and limo packed ready to head off on my holibobs!

I  was even going to  wash and hover the limo yesterday, however after a sunny start, we has snow, sleet and torrential rain so I scrapped the idea!

Yes the day that I have waited nearly 6 months for, is finally here.

By the time most of you read this I will be checked into my hotel and (hopefully) getting settled on 'my' seat at the ground, ready to cheer my boys on.


Let the championship commence!

true to form, my case is now unpacked on the dressing room floor, it was all sorted last night but I just had to check it again.................

How can you get wrong, jumpers, jumpers and more jumpers!!!!
Throw in some thermals and there you have it!

I know I will not be off on a jaunt with Canadian Rugby boys this time! Ahhh yes end of last season was a corker!!!

I can't wait to 'set up camp' in my room at The Headingley Lodge, hopefully not the 'Boycott' room again!!! that room scared the 'beejeeezus' out of me!


Well this is a super short one today as I need to set off on my roadtrip to my other home.

have a great day if you are going to watch cricket, I am even taking my sunglasses, well it is always good to be optimistic!

Yorkshire, Yorkshire, Yorkshire

#strongunit!

Busy day at the Chateau

sooooooo.................................
I wake up at my normal time,stupid o'clock, go down stairs put the kettle on, faf around in the kitchen packing up my lunch, make my breakfast, come back upstairs, switch on the computer and open the blog. See yesterdays entry and  realise it is Saturday!!!!

Go back to bed and sleep for another hour.

get up go downstairs make coffee and come back to start my blog!

Yes its going to be a busy old day here at the Chateau as I get the house in order before I head off down the A1 tomorrow.
The washing is in ( some things never change!) The sun is shining after yesterdays monsoons and I am full of the joys of cricket!.
however there is a lot to do before I set off tomorrow.


In cricket news Greame Hick has been named as Assistant Australian Coach for the one day series in June, he will stand in along side justin Langer whilst Darren Lehmann takes a break.
This made me sigh with relief as this was a post that Gillespie the Gallant was rumoured to be in line for! PHEWWWW!!!

'Big' Luke fletcher, the man mountain bowler from Notts has been 'loaned' to Derbyshire for a month. This made me both sad and happy.
Lukey didn't really get a run out for Notts last season, although he did tip up at Chester le St as 'water boy', when I was doing a spot of 'proxy stalking'.

Hopefully he will see some action at Derbyshire

I have lots of action to see today, so best to head off into the war zone ( thats the sitting room, bedroom and kitchen to the uninitiated).

lots to do and champions to see tomorrow.

Super excited!!!!

Wooohooo it be F(ryan)day!!!!

Oh my dog!!!!! It is F(ryan)day and it is 7 hours until the start of the weekend...............................and then I am 'orf' to Headingley!!!

I am now so chuffing excited that I can hardly wait for the day to be over!!!!
But first I will have to go and crack the whip in Super Swanky Lady Lainey office and  get some work out of the office boys as next week they will be talking football, have wind breaking competitions and eating Mc Donalds for breakfast everyday that I am away. ( probably with a loan from Petty Cash!).

Not that I really care as I will be basking in sunshine in Headingley.........................hopefully!!!!

In crickety news we were told  that Reece Topley had broken his hand , its has now been announced that he will be out of action for eight weeks.
this is not good news for the Hampshire debutante and newly capped England player, but its to be hoped that he heals soon.

The man with no lips has retracted his statement regarding ' his eye being on an England place'and is now saying that his century against Hampshire was not  to impress the England selectors.
Is it because he knows that the team that is starting to gel together has no place for him?.
Personally I think that he should just be playing out his time and let the youngsters shine for England.

It was also announced that the lovely Jonny Bairstow was named one of Wisdens five cricketers of the year, as was 'temporary Tyke' Kane Williamson.
I am sure that Mummy Janet Bairstow  is a very proud ( and rightly so) lady!.

After the shock news on Wednesday about James Taylor, yesterday the brave young man posted a picture on Twitter of himself arriving at hospital in an ambulance.
What an amazing  inspiration person he is.
I wish him well with his operation and recovery, and I am sure that Fun Sophe and El Tel will see the little chap at Trent Bridge over the season.

well it is that time again, however there are only 7 working hours  ( well make that 2.5 WORKING hours if I am pushed), and then FRRREEEEEDDDOOMMMMMM!!!!!!

I just cannot wait.

Oh and the Yorkie boys are all having their pictures taken today, it'll be like school photos all over again.
Mum spitting on her hankie and wiping your face and smoothing your hair down.............................

If you only read one book this year..............................

read this one!.

I heard all about this book when Dr Dean Allen was on TMS during the lunch break on the last day of the  Boxing Day Test.

I was  instantly hooked, listening to him talking about the history of cricket in South Africa in the late 19th century, a wonderful Victorian village which still stands, intrigue and more.

I made enquiries about buying the book and found out that I would be able to meet Dr Allen in person as he was  giving talks about the book  at a couple of Cricket Society meetings  in the North East. and North Yorkshire

I was lucky enough to catch up with him giving a talk  at Chester le Street a few weeks ago.

I came home with a signed copy of the book  and not enough hours in that evening to read as much as I wanted to!

I am not going to give the 'story ''away.

What I will say is  that I  found myself transported into Victorian South Africa, both  before and after the Boer War.

I read about names that were familiar to me  from cricket, most especially Lord Hawke. ( well there should be a 'Yorkshireman' in every good story)

The mixture of Cricket and politics,  money making,  and social climbing,  is enough to power any work of fiction, this however is all true!
Some evenings as I put the book down, I had to remind myself that it really was all fact and fascinating fact too!!

It really is a rags to riches tale of a young Scottish railway worker who became part of South African and cricket history

This is not  a review of the book, more a total recommendation.


More information about Dean Allen the author can be found on his website and also how to purchase the book.

http://www.deanallen.co.za


Buy it!!!! It is one of the best books I have read so far this year!!! ( and I read a lot!).




spot Lainey!

Shock news

It was very hard to take in the news yesterday that James Taylor the teeny batsman for both England and Nottinghamshire, would be retiring forthwith!

He announced that he had been found to have a serious heart condition and that he would not be able to continue playing cricket and would be having an operation in the next few days.

The strength of this young man shone through as he had to let the cricket world know what was happening in his life.
His bravery is commendable.
I take my hat off to him and he will be sadly missed on the circuit.

Get well soon James, I genuinely think that there is not one member of the cricket family who does not wish you well and a speedy recovery.

The shock news at Trent bridge was not helped by Surreys Harinanth hitting a century . they lead by 76 runs.

Rain washed out the match yesterday at Yorkshire and was also not great in Lady Laineyville where I 'popped' out at lunch time looking 'ladylike' and returned looking like I had been dragged through a hedge backwards.
There has been little let up in the rain over night and I suspect that my boys may not get out on to play today either.
Durham were also blighted by the weather.

The start of the season is not being helped by the weather but it is early days, and summer is just around the corner.

I have ordered wall to wall sunshine next week, I don;t care if it is on the cold side as long as the sun is out and there is cricket being played. I am packing a hot water bottle and my blanky for good measure!


So now I am doing the sou'wester and wellies and preparing to head out into the monsoon like conditions that we are experiencing.

until tomorrow...............