Succoured by 'Syd'

The nightmare of facing Syd and Courtney, Gloucestershire's fearsome opening pair

Tonight’s (Thursday) event to raise money for David ‘Syd’ Lawrence’s courageous battle against MND reminds me of my less than courageous attempt to keep Syd at bay. It was mid-summer in the late 1980s, and Angus Fraser and I were taking it in turns to be nightwatchman. I had drawn the short straw for the Gloucestershire match at Lord’s. Their opening attack was Syd and Courtney Walsh. A hiding-in-the-toilet-inducing pair if you’re a member of the tailend community.

So we lost an early wicket on the first evening and I had to go in. The only reason I survived was that they tried to scare me rather than dismiss me. Every ball was shoulder high or higher and nothing hit the target (except the boundary boards a couple of times for four wides.) So I was not out overnight.

I didn’t sleep too well and arrived at the ground early the next morning to prepare for the bumper barrage I was bound to get from Syd and Courtney. ‘Hissing Syd’ was the sort of uncompromising hulk who would have bounced his mother in a charity game. This wasn’t because he was especially malicious, just that he knew nothing else.

So I spent forty minutes in a net wearing full upper-body regalia (chest pad, arm guards etc) while the Fraser brothers Angus and Alastair helpfully (at times sadistically) hurled balls at my head from close range. I survived more or less unscathed and felt confident back in the dressing room before play.

Mickey Stewart, the current England manager, had arrived in the home dressing room to discuss plans for the next Test with the current Middlesex and England captain Mike Gatting. Seeing me padded up he wished me good luck and I realised, having had a decent season with the ball, this was my golden chance to show I could bat as well. Gatting even poured me a cup of sweet tea to give me energy and optimism before walking out to the middle. “Bat till lunch Yoz!!’ he said.

It was a beautiful day and I felt reasonably positive having done my preparation and checked my protection. I took guard surrounded by slips and short legs with Syd close to the pavilion rail poised to run in for the first over. As he approached the wicket I performed my back and across trigger movement I had rehearsed and got down low to duck the expected bouncer. But I forgot that Syd was usually stiff as a board in the early morning until he had warmed up, and his run-up was more of a hobble. He was all out of sync at the crease and sent down a loopy leg stump half volley.

I was so far back and across and already in a semi crouch that I was completely off-balance and could only poke tamely at the ball, resulting in chipping a dolly catch to mid-wicket, the only man saving one on the legside. The next man in – Gatting – had only just got his pads on as I arrived back in the dressing room, and was not best pleased. And the tea was still warm.

It was one of 515 first class wickets Syd took in a 16 year career of unstinting effort and commitment. What an incredible asset he has been to the game.

FORMER GLOUCESTERSHIRE WICKETKEEPER ANDY BRASSINGTON HAS SET UP A JUST GIVING PAGE TO RAISE MONEY TO HELP SYD’S BATTLE AGAINST MND. CLICK THIS LINK TO SUPPORT HIM