Christmas Day cricket
Walking up Preston Drove on a snowy Christmas morning (global warming wouldn’t be invented for another 50 years or more!) strange sounds rent the air. Surely that was a “Howzat?” and wasn’t it the sound of ball on bat even if infrequent and rather muffled?
Yes it was! Turning the corner into the Preston Park cricket ground all was revealed. The Christmas Day cricket stalwarts were true to their promise that they would play whatever the weather!
The instigator of this long-running annual Yuletide fixture was one NOEL Bennett, so called of course, because he was born on Christmas Day. He was a well known local club cricketer and had no difficulty in finding players for the then unique event. As good a way as any of working up a good appetite for Christmas lunch!
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The tradition carries on. I regularly umpire in the continuing fixture which will, as usual, take place on Christmas Day next Monday – whatever the weather!
Is that Ian Farrell who lived in Fairfield Gardens?
Fond memories. I played in one or two of the games. I believe that Noel named his team the Yule Logs. Also played cricket with him for Brighton Electricity and his Sunday team which toured the county.
After playing the summer for Middlesex Ground Staff, I received a call from the yull logs to play due to ties with Brighton and Hove. I believe the match took place in Preston Park and a fair number of St Peter’s players were present.
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