LCS Meeting Thursday 3Rd March He Did

LCS Meeting Thursday 3rd March Keith Bradshaw getting his notes ready for the meeting. 3rd March was due to be our final meeting of the winter, for this Keith Bradshaw the MCC Secretary and Chief Executive was the speaker. However owing to the problems we had at the December film night, your committee decided to have another attempt, at showing the Amazing Grace video, about the counties 1998 Championship winning season. This will be an open meeting, there will be no charge on the night for visitors, so please bring along your families and friends. Due to the running time of the video this meeting will start at 19:00. We are very pleased that Jack Birkenshaw, the counties senior coach during the golden 90’s will be at this meeting to answer questions and talk to us at the end of the film. This is a very fitting end to the winter, as Jack had been the very first speaker to address our society way back in November 2002. Keith Bradshaw played his cricket for Tasmania, during the 1980’s as a right hand bat; right arm medium with the ball. Keith told us his bowling average was higher that his batting average. He did play a second XI match for Sussex in 1986. He was appointed as the Secretary & Chief Executive by the Marylebone Cricket Club on 30 January 2006, succeeding the retiring Roger Knight OBE in October 2006. Roger Knight was a guest speaker at the society in 2008, so our links with Lords are still strong. A new face in the front row four... Peter, the guy on the right, uses these photos as proof of his whereabouts!!! Around 90 people were there to hear Keith say this was his first visit to Grace Road, and although being dark when he arrived, he said it looked a beautiful ground and hoped to come back at some point during the season and watch some cricket. He said he was not one of cricket executives who advocated cutting the number of counties, adding that should get me out alive!. Keith told us, that when people heard the Secretary of the MCC speaking with an aussie accent they looked amazed, then even more amazed that he can string more than two sentences together. He told us that he did have some English ancestry on his father’s side; his great, great, great, great, great grandfather went to Tasmania on an all expenses paid trip, courtesy of His Majesty the King, and that his mother was born in Croyden, the same street as Kate Moss, by all accounts. Keith did not want a fee for coming to speak; in which case we ask if the society can make a donation to charity on their behalf. So here Robin is writing a cheque for the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund. In the background are some bats Keith brought with him, to demonstrate some of the items that are sent to the MCC as governors of the Laws of Cricket. To determine their fitness for use. On the right of photo, is one of the Counties new Directors, Roy Bent. Roy was Involved with the first Cricket Society at Grace Rd. He was also the first Chairman of our present society. We have a board member and the counties CEO as LCS members. sorry my phone went off Roy. Another good attendance for the meeting, we have had marvellous support from the members and guests again throughout this winter, it is very pleasing to see that you all enjoy the nights so much. Just like the cricket you have to get to the meetings early to bag a good seat. Keith told us that he is very proud to hold the position he does, to walk into Lords Pavilion every day, to have an office that overlooks the ground, is a dream for anyone and even more so for someone who has played professional cricket. Something he can never take for granted. He went on to tell us about getting the job and how he thought it was closer to home. Keith was phoned about the MCC job whilst living in Hobart, Tasmania. After some time telling us the tale, he said he thought the job he was being told about was at the Melbourne Cricket Club not the other more famous MCC. Howard and Keith ready to start the evening. After giving us a brief history of Lords and the MCC and how much the links between them and Australia are. Keith went on to tell us a tale about one of his gate men. The rule for the Lords gate staff is no pass no entrance, the story goes like this, Seb Coe is the MCC Presidents guest for the day, Coe arrives at gate NO PASS, says to gate man I’m Seb Coe I’m the presidents guest, I’d appreciate if you would let me in. The gate man maintains no pass no in, after this goes on for some time, the gate man says. Sir, if you are who you say you are it won’t take you long to run to the North gate and buy a ticket like everyone else. Keith in full flow and Howard like the rest of the audience enjoying the tales. Half time saw your continued overwhelming support for the raffle. This time your generosity raised another £111 for the society funds. The running total for this winter now stands at a fantastic £806. Margaret sorting out the raffle numbers. Members talking to Keith during the break. Ken Schofield, who does a fantastic job at the start of the evening checking that members have their cards, wanted to thank everyone for their assistance over the winter in doing this. Keith during the Q&A session. Roy Bent gave the vote of thanks to Keith Bradshaw for giving us another view of cricket. Sorry my phone went off Roy On Saturday the 5th March, the LCS took a coach party of 54 members and guests on a trip to the Surrey Oval. This case contained 2005 Ashes Winners Medals. The away dressing room some very famous names on this wall. Thank you for taking the time to look at this brief report. Phil Veasey On behalf of the LCS Committee .

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