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Post by lostinspace on Sept 14, 2015 17:27:53 GMT
passed away today typical "get in there where it hurts player" took some hard hits fielding in some close positions, but just rubbed his leg and "got on with it" Inspiration to get Somerset from just another CC to an emergent team when he came on board.. bless
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brizzle
Lindsay Parsons
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Post by brizzle on Sept 15, 2015 17:13:21 GMT
passed away today typical "get in there where it hurts player" took some hard hits fielding in some close positions, but just rubbed his leg and "got on with it" Inspiration to get Somerset from just another CC to an emergent team when he came on board.. bless The stories of Bryan's bravery were legendary. My favourite story about him was . . . But his whole career, whether with Yorkshire or England (I've deliberately avoided Somerset CCC, for obvious reasons  ) was marked by controversy. He most definitely had a mind of his own, which ultimately didn't do too much for his career, but the thing that I remember him most for is his out-and-out courage . . . and the fact that he always refused to wear a helmet. He said that he didn't feel comfortable in one. And Michael Vaughan is quoted as being told by him ''bat without pads because you'll learn to hit the ball.''RIP Brian. |
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irishrover
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Post by irishrover on Sept 15, 2015 17:25:57 GMT
passed away today typical "get in there where it hurts player" took some hard hits fielding in some close positions, but just rubbed his leg and "got on with it" Inspiration to get Somerset from just another CC to an emergent team when he came on board.. bless The stories of Bryan's bravery were legendary. My favourite story about him was . . . But his whole career, whether with Yorkshire or England (I've deliberately avoided Somerset CCC, for obvious reasons ) was marked by controversy. He most definitely had a mind of his own, which ultimately didn't do too much for his career, but the thing that I remember him most for is his out-and-out courage . . . and the fact that he always refused to wear a helmet. He said that he didn't feel comfortable in one. And Michael Vaughan is quoted as being told by him ''bat without pads because you'll learn to hit the ball.''But this must be the definitive over for courage . . . RIP Brian. Yeah - that is a great story and the one that is most often attributed to him. Might not be true (cricket being a game that pretty much survives on the exaggerated tale!) but who cares, even if it isn't it sums up the spirit of the man perfectly. Close was an unbelievable character. One of the most amazing things I read in relation to him is that he would regularly go to a cricket museum in Connecticut in the US where these group of elderly ex-pat West Indians would treat him like a cricketing god much to his amused bafflement! That famous occasion at Old Trafford won him respect in the West Indian community all over the world. He was definitely a strong willed character but I don't think it's quite fair that he's often categorised in the same kind of 'cantankerous Yorkshireman' bracket as Boycott. I don't think he was anywhere near as divisive as that - he couldn't have been and had that much success as a captain. Played a decent standard of cricket well into his late 70s too. I think he took a village team to Lords (or came close to doing so) in the national village knock out well after retirement. Generally what shines through is his absolute love for the game more than anything else. Utterly screwed over by the English cricket establishment for much of his career as well - there's a good case that he's the England Captain that got away and possibly if he'd been at the centre of English cricket we wouldn't have spent so many years in the wilderness in the 80s and 90s. He knew where the real soul of the game is in this country I think - that's not always been the case for the people that run the MCC or the ECB. |
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warehamgas
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Post by warehamgas on Jun 15, 2016 21:45:36 GMT
Just found this thread. Brian Close was a true cricket great. As a captain his winning record is second to none. As England captain he had one of the best winning ratios against some decent teams. As Yorkshire captain he was also very good but it was as captain in Somerset that he was truly appreciated. Whereas the Yorkshire committee and the England authorities were always undermining him everyone in Somerset adored him and I think he loved playing cricket in Somerset for 7 years. At the start I think he found it different with players having a laid back attitude. I remember several bust ups with AA Jones, our fast bowler. But AA didn't seem to bear a grudge! During this time he played great cricket as a batsman and bowler and he started to captain them after about 2 seasons as a player. Brian Langford was his captain for his first two years (I think, but it might have been 1) and never had any problems with Close. When he became captain (1973 I think) he really did help transform the club. Pre Brian Close Somerset were a mid to lower table county who would threaten in the one day competitions but were never a big team and always seemed to be financially troubled. By the time he left, Somerset were one of the best teams in the country. They had a thriving team with lots of excellent players who were hard playing professionals who knew how to win. This was due to the training, upbringing and influence Close had whilst developing the team. Brian Rose who captained the team post Close said many times that the trophies of the late 70s and early 80s were due to the influence of Close. In 1976 I went to Sophia Gardens to see Somerset needing only to win on the Sunday to win the John Player League chasing 190 odd Somerset were about 90-7 and going to lose by a country mile when we came back to lose by one run on the last ball. We all felt so upset that we didn't win our first ever trophy for him. I remember going to Lords in August 1977 to see the rain delayed Natwest Semi Final v Middlesex. It poured on the Weds and Thursday and by the Friday they had to get a result so they had a 10 over (I think) match. Middlesex batted first and scored a few. Somerset had one of their collapses and scored about 40 and lost by a huge score. After the match, a week or so before he retired, he said the match summed up his career, great moments but ultimately ending in farce!
His last ever match was at Taunton against Gloucestershire in September 1977 which I saw, I think we won but what I do remember was the great reception Taunton gave him. I was in the old pavilion and Close was physically moved by the reaction of the crowd. It was a very moving moment which I remember even now. Incidentally it was also David Shepherd's last match for Gloucestershire and he also received a standing ovation.
When you see Somerset now and remember the team and the ground when Brian Close came in 1971 it is like comparing chalk and cheese! Over my time watching county cricket, since 1964 when I saw Gloucestershire a few times and from 1965 seeing Somerset and as a member since 1969 there have been few players who have transformed a county. Raymond Illingworth did so at Leicestershire from 1969, perhaps Keith Fletcher at Essex from mid 70s but only Brian Close did it in a way that has been sustained. What Close did at Somerset has been sustained and he truly did transform Somerset from a poor, rural county cricket side to the only side currently who competes against test playing, urban counties on a par. It was due to Brian Close that the 1980 test match between West Indies and England had 4 Somerset players, Brian Rose, Ian Botham, Viv Richards and Joel Garner. What he did against the West Indies in 1976 was nothing short of heroic. Can you imagine players today being able to do that? I don't think they should and it is much safer now and better for it but players are cocooned from pressure now, Brian Close lived in a different age and was a player we won't see again. A true cricketer.
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irishrover
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Post by irishrover on Jun 16, 2016 15:28:02 GMT
Just found this thread. Brian Close was a true cricket great. As a captain his winning record is second to none. As England captain he had one of the best winning ratios against some decent teams. As Yorkshire captain he was also very good but it was as captain in Somerset that he was truly appreciated. Whereas the Yorkshire committee and the England authorities were always undermining him everyone in Somerset adored him and I think he loved playing cricket in Somerset for 7 years. At the start I think he found it different with players having a laid back attitude. I remember several bust ups with AA Jones, our fast bowler. But AA didn't seem to bear a grudge! During this time he played great cricket as a batsman and bowler and he started to captain them after about 2 seasons as a player. Brian Langford was his captain for his first two years (I think, but it might have been 1) and never had any problems with Close. When he became captain (1973 I think) he really did help transform the club. Pre Brian Close Somerset were a mid to lower table county who would threaten in the one day competitions but were never a big team and always seemed to be financially troubled. By the time he left, Somerset were one of the best teams in the country. They had a thriving team with lots of excellent players who were hard playing professionals who knew how to win. This was due to the training, upbringing and influence Close had whilst developing the team. Brian Rose who captained the team post Close said many times that the trophies of the late 70s and early 80s were due to the influence of Close. In 1976 I went to Sophia Gardens to see Somerset needing only to win on the Sunday to win the John Player League chasing 190 odd Somerset were about 90-7 and going to lose by a country mile when we came back to lose by one run on the last ball. We all felt so upset that we didn't win our first ever trophy for him. I remember going to Lords in August 1977 to see the rain delayed Natwest Semi Final v Middlesex. It poured on the Weds and Thursday and by the Friday they had to get a result so they had a 10 over (I think) match. Middlesex batted first and scored a few. Somerset had one of their collapses and scored about 40 and lost by a huge score. After the match, a week or so before he retired, he said the match summed up his career, great moments but ultimately ending in farce! His last ever match was at Taunton against Gloucestershire in September 1977 which I saw, I think we won but what I do remember was the great reception Taunton gave him. I was in the old pavilion and Close was physically moved by the reaction of the crowd. It was a very moving moment which I remember even now. Incidentally it was also David Shepherd's last match for Gloucestershire and he also received a standing ovation. When you see Somerset now and remember the team and the ground when Brian Close came in 1971 it is like comparing chalk and cheese! Over my time watching county cricket, since 1964 when I saw Gloucestershire a few times and from 1965 seeing Somerset and as a member since 1969 there have been few players who have transformed a county. Raymond Illingworth did so at Leicestershire from 1969, perhaps Keith Fletcher at Essex from mid 70s but only Brian Close did it in a way that has been sustained. What Close did at Somerset has been sustained and he truly did transform Somerset from a poor, rural county cricket side to the only side currently who competes against test playing, urban counties on a par. It was due to Brian Close that the 1980 test match between West Indies and England had 4 Somerset players, Brian Rose, Ian Botham, Viv Richards and Joel Garner. What he did against the West Indies in 1976 was nothing short of heroic. Can you imagine players today being able to do that? I don't think they should and it is much safer now and better for it but players are cocooned from pressure now, Brian Close lived in a different age and was a player we won't see again. A true cricketer. I think that's absolutely right. I would add that Close had a stunning passion for the game and carried on playing club cricket long after retirement - that's not something that really happens now either unforutnately. |
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warehamgas
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Post by warehamgas on Jun 16, 2016 16:53:05 GMT
I wonder what he would have made of the antics of Kevin Petersen. I think he would have loved the ability and I think he would have sorted him out and KP would have been an absolute pussy that Close would have handled well. I am sure KP would have had total respect and a deal of fear of Close's tongue and would have been no problem.
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) was marked by controversy. He most definitely had a mind of his own, which ultimately didn't do too much for his career, but the thing that I remember him most for is his out-and-out courage . . . and the fact that he always refused to wear a helmet. He said that he didn't feel comfortable in one. And Michael Vaughan is quoted as being told by him ''bat without pads because you'll learn to hit the ball.''