Another Sunday in Paradise
Cricket, Canals and “The Fire Within”
I arrived in welcoming Wheaton Aston just as the last strains of “Neptune” by Foals was building once more into its incredible crescendo and I was back once more beside the Shropshire Union Canal and the immediate smiling “hello” of a passer by welcomed me back almost as quickly as the lovely lady who remarked “he comes the man with the orange trainers again!” We probably laughed as I insisted, again, that they were in fact red and I swooned over her beautiful dog before departing for my stroll once more in a little peace of heaven and on another Sunday in paradise.
There are few things guaranteed in this game of life we all play but if you want the cast iron certainty of the human warmth of a simple and cheery “hello” or the smiles from passers by then visit Wheaton Aston.
You can pay me back in magic beans another time.
We now cross live to Wellington and our pitch side reporter covering today’s eagerly awaited clash with local rivals Wolverhampton.
Over to you Tom.
Thanks Bob. Glorious sunny day here in Wellington and the home side have made a very strong start and you join me at quite the appropriate juncture as their opening batsman has just swatted a ginormous boundary clearing 6 over square leg and a continuing celebration of a quite beautiful half century this afternoon. He’s looked in prime form in this first hour of play with many supreme drives, hooks and cover drives for boundary 4’s and looks set for a big innings in some quite beautiful early June sunshine.
After losing an early wicket, Wellington have rattled along to 77–1 after 16 overs and Wolverhampton desperately need a wicket or face being set a monumental total to chase.
Back to you in the studio.
Brewood (pronounced “Brood”) was beautifully in bloom and frankly, she always is. The quaint ancient border town straggling Staffordshire and Shropshire was a hive of activity in the spectacular sunshine with families large and small gathered inside and mostly outside of the “Bridge Inn” and the local church was a picture against the piercing blue skies. I smoked a cigarette on the grounds of the church with my back to the wall of a traffic long forgotten amid wistful memories, an almost cloudless sky, and a head full of scrambled dreams.
Just before the weather report in your region, we just have time to cross back to Tom for the latest from a sunshine filled Wellington.
Tom?
Wonderful timing again Bob as the visitors from Wolverhampton have finally taken their second wicket of the afternoon and it’s the opener and if we thought we’d already seen a scintillating half century well the stylish right hander made hay in the Wellington sunshine by racing to his century via countless boundary 4’s and 6’s and quite simply Bob the ground wasn’t big enough to contain him! He’s just departed for 106 and only after “holing out” chasing further runs to add to his already remarkable century and boy did the visitors need his wicket!
“Lefty” is now partnered by “The Kid” and at 173–2 after just 27 overs, the portents appear writ large for the visitors from Wolverhampton and the chasing of a considerable second innings total for victory. The Kid striped the first ball he received for a boundary 4 and Lefty simply collected runs in the sun alongside his century making partner and at 36 not out looks set for a bagful of runs this afternoon.
Back to you in the studio.
Before the weather in your region here are Foals with “Neptune”, a hearty endorsement for Werner Herzog’s latest incredible documentary “The Fire Within” and a gaggle of self-published books I’m rather proud of. You can find all of these on Amazon should you so desire.
Thanks for reading. I hope this message in a bottle in The Matrix finds you well, prospering, and the right way up in an upside down world.
I want to retire in a houseboat, while I write and occasionally get greeted by ducks. For now, I live vicariously through you.
Beautiful photos as always