Episode 35 - New Zealand 'Hall of Fame' and legendary commentator, Jeremy Coney: Part 2

Hello everyone and thank you for joining us again on the Sunday service with Church and Vickers.

Finally, all the talking has stopped, and midweek the test match was underway.

Test match cricket is back, which is certainly a relief.

It's been a busy week in the cricketing stratosphere, and the old man is in the valleys of Wales, aren't you, Churchy?

I'm actually sat talking to you uh inside the fire gardens, and I'm looking out at a fairly damp outfield due to overnight rain.

So Burodar, young Hector.

I think that's good morning in Welsh.

Gareth Edwards, Tom Jones, Gavin, and the other one.

Yes, here I am in the capital of Wales.

Please to report the daffodils are in fine form.

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Sunday service with Church and Vicus.

Oh, yes, we are back, and it has been yet another busy cricketing week in the parish.

England are currently in action against New Zealand, which isn't going so well, I might add, and the second test at the Oval.

England's women keep winning, which is excellent.

We are into the eighth round of county championship matches, and I've been doing some golf and cricket writing and talking as well, as we said farewell to Mr.

Coney, who left the parish for the second test.

How has your week been, Churchy?

Busy young Hector.

I took Archbishop Coney to the home of Henry VIII for some culture, and we spent many an hour in bookshops.

I then ventured to Wales whilst keeping an eye on the test match, and I purchased some new sunglasses with Mr.

Coney, and can I just say he looks like a young Tom Cruise in them, and hopefully this has been noted at the test match.

Because at the moment, Hector, we seem to be noting everything other than what's actually going on out in the middle.

Anyway, what's on today's show, please?

Well, Church has his cricketing sermon in which he talks about the results of the parish's 11's game against the Florist of Little Whining last Sunday.

We have the latest edition of our hard-hitting feature.

What cricket sound is this?

And our guest today is, of course, Mr.

Jeremy Coney, and it is the second part of his interview this week, where he will be talking about his life in the broadcasting box.

And thanks to our friends at Newbury Cricket, we have our competition where you can win one of their magnificent SBS cricket bats, and it is still a beautiful, beautiful, beautiful piece of willow.

And don't forget you can get in touch with us, just email sundayservice.pod at yahoo.com or tweet at Sundayservice22.

Lots to get through, so let's get cracking with the Sunday service.

Hi, Matt Fisher, Surrey in England.

Um, you're listening to the Sunday service with church and vicars.

Good morning, I trust your cricketing week has involved three debutants, five changes, and lots of words being spoken before actual cricket breaks out.

It has been an extremely busy week in the parish.

I will start with Sunday afternoon if you will allow me.

Of course, as I told you last week, the Parish 11 took on the florists of small whining, and I'm delighted to report the Parish 11 1x9 wickets.

Thank you to Mrs.

Bartholomew, who found Reg asleep in his allotment shed after last week's service, got him awake with strong words and strong coffee, escorted Reg to the pavilion, and after we won the Toss and Bowl, Reg proceeded to take career best figures of eight for 35.

In fact, he was like a runaway steam train coming down the slope, and the florists had no answer to his raw pace and flatulence.

The florists were bowled out for just 80, and in the tea break, to a man, they told me how lovely our hanging baskets were outside the pavilion, which was good to hear.

Sexy Rex and Young Ted.

He's actually 75, but we call him Young Ted as it's a clever nickname we feel.

Started our run chase, and they proceeded to produce an opening stand of 25 in 25 overs.

Young Ted was then bowled for 24, but thankfully Biffa Harris was next in and lived up to his name by smashing a quick fire 53 to guide us to our victory target.

Rex finished Nought Not Out, and we all made our way to the Badgers Googly, where a splendid evening was had discussing batting and chrysanthemums.

Monday was parish visits alongside Archbishop Coney, and in the afternoon we visited the castle of Heaver, where we learnt about Anne Boleyn, Henry of the Eighth for variety, and got lost in the maze.

Tuesday was spent buying supplies for the Archbishop, and he made his way around the parish to say goodbye to the parishioners.

There were tears from the Women's Institute.

Because on Wednesday I put him on the Holy Rattler to the Oval Shire for the opening day of the Test match.

I made my way back to Boycott Vicarage and was joined by young Mr.

Vickers as we watched the opening day of England and New Zealand.

Now, there has been much, and forgive me for saying this, words of the hot air variety spoken before the test, and it was a blessed relief when cricket actually broke out.

Wednesday evening, we made our way to the Badgers Googly to watch the England Association football team's opening game in the World Cup against Croatia.

Tension was palpable, and the ladies of the Women's Institute for the first time in a long time were very quiet in the first half until in unison they chanted through the whole of the second half, Thomas Tukal, aren't we loud enough for you?

Which was something of a surprise.

Thursday, I made my way to the Valleys of Wales for Surreyshire's latest championship game against Glamorganshire.

A crucial game for both sides.

Upon arrival, I bowed to the Principality Stadium and made sure I told everyone that Gareth Edwards was still the greatest scrum half of all time, and sung as many songs as I could by the Manic Street Preachers.

I did all of this whilst clutching the good book.

Friday was the opening day at Sophia Gardens, a lovely ground by the River Taff, with a walk from the pavilion to the middle that is so long it requires the incoming batsman to order an Uber to get them there.

And that is where you find me this morning on the third day of the game.

Young Mr.

Vickers is once again in charge of the parish, and I'm delighted to report that his third art class on Friday evening went extremely well.

It was a night for the landscape, and some of the paintings produced of the parish are simply magnificent.

Mrs.

Jackson's depiction of the parish green was a surprise, as I am yet to see a herd of lions and mermaids in the parish pond, but young Mr.

Vickers tells me she allowed her artistic talents to flow.

I am pleased to announce an exhibition of some of the artwork from young Mr.

Vickers' art classes will be displayed in the village hall shortly, and there will be a chance to purchase them, including Mrs.

Watts's live modelling efforts with all proceeds going to the purchase of the parish Burbat.

There is no game for the Parish Eleven this weekend, but young Mr.

Vickers decided to have a net session yesterday morning to prepare them for the next game on Saturday against our local rivals, the Butchers of Bright Bumstead.

It is always a keenly fought game against the Bob Eleven and expect it to be no different this year.

The Butchers, as always, will be providing the meat for the meat raffle in the Badgers Googly on Saturday evening, with all proceeds once again going towards the purchase of the parish Burbath.

In a few moments, the choir will be singing their adaptation and reworking of Fifty Shades of Grey.

And I do not mind telling you I am a little concerned.

But young Mr.

Vickers has assured me he's removed the naughty bits, so it shouldn't last terribly long.

So, my cricketing friends, a week of words from the England camp, most of which told us absolutely nothing, but the mantra of just keep talking and saying the same thing in as many different ways is one to which they are subscribing, and you have to admire their conviction.

As Boyzone wisely once said, you think that I don't even mean a single word I say.

It's only words, and words are all I have to take your heart away.

And I would say those are wise words until your middle stump is knocked out of the ground.

Until next week, may the sun shine down on every shot you play and every ball you bowl, and above all, bat well everyone.

Bat very, very well it's time for our hard-hitting and groundbreaking feature.

What cricket sound is this?

In a moment you will hear a sound, and all you have to do is tell us what cricket sound is this.

Now, last week you heard this particular sound, and the question was, as always, what cricket sound is this?

Well, that was of course it was very distinctive sound.

It was a shot being played in the sorry women's game against the Blades in Beckenham last Saturday with me commentating in the background.

So now it's time for this week's sound and exclusive for you.

This is my first sound of the series, and the question is what cricket sound is this?

If you think you know, email sundayservice.pod at yahoo.com or just tweet at Sundayservice22.

This is Cameron Steele, and you are listening to the Sunday service with church and vicars.

And now it's time for our cricketing guest.

Well, Mr.

Jeremy Coney is, of course, one of the most respected voices in the game and one of the best loved voices in the game.

As you know, Mr.

Jeremy Coney has been staying with me this week, and now it's time for the second part of our chat.

Now, last week he spoke about falling in love with the game of cricket, playing for New Zealand, and family games of rugby.

From there we moved on to his broadcasting career, and we pick up the interview where I asked him the question, What is it like, or what was it like, Mr.

Jeremy Coney, playing against the West Indies, that 1980s West Indies attack in the West Indies, and what preparations did he make?

I think, you know, just just to go back prior to that, I will talk about that.

But prior to going on that tour, and that had happened in eighty-five, again, prior to coming over here, and that was for the first time kind of ever, I looked very closely, because obviously it was a strong side.

How am I going to bat against what's it going to be like?

We'd played them in 1980, beaten them, so there was an element of we're going to get you when you come over here in New Zealand.

So I this is a very much a New Zealand approach to professionalism.

And so I I went and got a paint tin out from the shed and I I cleaned it out, and then I put a whole lot of what we call leadhead nails, which are the ones you put on the roof with a bit of lead around the nail itself, so that it stopped the rain from getting in that.

So therefore they were heavier.

So I put the lead heads into this five-litre, four-litre they were in those days, tins.

And then I went and went down to the the hardware store and bought a broom handle and cut that off, I suppose about a foot l long.

And then I went also while I was there and got a clothesline.

And I attached the clothesline to the handle of the paint tin up and onto my cut-off broom handle.

And I would sit watching television and then I would wind the weight up with my arms out in front of me straight, wind it up, pull it right up to that, and then wind it down again, going the other way.

And I'd do that, you know, for a start for maybe about 20 minutes, and then it would go to half an hour and so on.

So what I would what I found is that I, for these thin little appendages called arms, I found that I was getting quite strong.

And I'd take someone on in a hand wrestle, and I'd they couldn't, they couldn't knock me over as easily as they used to at all.

So what I felt was I think if I could just plan to use a straight bat, if I could handle the short ball against Malcolm Marshall or Garner or whoever it was, then they would, in the end, they would ex they'd get tired of it and they'd want to butt pitch up to me.

And then I could just bunt, hit it straight back, bang, down the ground, because I figured there wouldn't be too many fielders beyond the bowler at that time.

And so it might not go for four, but it would go for two or three.

Three excellent because then you're at the non-striker's end.

And you could watch from there just for a few moments of safety.

Um as far as that, my first innings, I went out uh and I think Malcolm was bowling.

Malcolm was was he got the most wickets against us on that tour, and he was he was awkward.

Good pace, set off usually from the car park, swept into the ground, doing about 40 miles an hour.

And because he was a momentum bowler.

It wasn't as if he had the big gather, big leap, and all that sort of thing.

He ran through the crease and he used his pace to give him pace, you see.

And I looked around and there was no one.

What do you mean?

Where where where are we No mid-off, no cover.

There might have been someone in close just in on the offside.

Uh and there might be someone just in your pocket as well, but no more than that.

And so you thought.

And then you look behind, of course.

And there were lots of people there, you know.

But a long way away.

But a long way back.

You fell on, come and join our game.

And and um I would call out to Wrighty at the other end, yeah.

A few short singles here, writing.

And he's leaning on his back, looking the other way.

Oh, okay.

I'm taking this over.

Um so Malcolm star and yeah, it it was it was a it was a level up in terms of pace.

Um we were lucky in the sense that we played, I think where do we play the first test?

Was it Kingston?

Yeah, it was.

It was Kingston, Jamaica, and and so not Jamaica, that's that's the another one.

Um and so it was a slower pitch.

And we were able to get through that as a drawer, and Paddles and I saved uh we saved the the game in the second innings, and so that was great.

Uh then we went down to St.

St.

George's and w they got about 500, and we got about 480, and that was the end of the game there.

So we had two draws.

And at this stage we were we were looking better.

They certainly had created moments of discomfort.

But uh Martin had got 180 and down in the second test.

Uh, and we'd got 40s and 50s and those sorts of things, and had hung in there long enough, and we'd had tight enough bowling that they couldn't really take us apart.

So then, of course, it got a bit they they they couldn't wait to get us to Barbados, and then of course on to Jamaica, Sabina Park.

And so we lost the toss as it happened, and were cleaned out really, uh, in the first innings, fought hard to get back.

And uh I I think I was sick in that game, so I I came back from a I got an eighty odd, I remember, too, with with Bockey.

Strangely enough.

Bokkey and I batted for quite a long time.

We made it to the fifth day, I think.

Uh, but were beaten, so they were one up.

And then we came to Savinah Park, which was a nasty pitch.

Yeah, horrible.

Yeah.

Yeah, horrible.

And we were beaten there too.

That's how I broke my arm there.

Just you said handle the short ball.

Yeah.

How did you handle the short ball?

Because you knew you were going to get basically beating it the whole time.

So how how how did you handle the short ball?

Um I I would I would get across to my off stump.

And so I knew that my right eye was I could let the ball go.

I'd be careful, particularly of Malcolm, because he tended, if anything, to bowl in swingers.

I didn't want him to come in and I'd and I always covered my off stump.

So I did that.

And if he bowled short at me, I just refused to hook.

Right.

I just got out of the way.

Lots of uncomfortable little moments, perhaps, of whether I stayed stayed up and just swayed.

I used that method.

If I trusted the pitch.

Let's just forget the the the Kingston one, because that was up and down and that made it really tricky.

But but mostly I swayed or I went underneath the ball if it was short enough.

But but Malcolm, he was a very accurate bowler.

I mean, playing here, you jokers had helped them dramatically by allowing them all to play day in and day out.

So they they they're used to bowling English style links.

And so And Richard hadn't helped, really, because yeah, I remember he bowled six bounces and an over to Joel Garner.

Really?

Really, Pad?

Did you have to do that?

So so anyway, um so I you just had to watch the ball.

You you couldn't take your eye off the ball for a moment.

Uppercut.

Ha I'd have that on.

Any width outside there, I'd have a crack.

Right.

Uh because you were getting probably f four and over.

And then as I say, the other two you got, if it was up to me, I could punch it.

I don't know how many runs I score.

I got a few.

Yeah.

Yeah, yeah.

Well, really well.

Well, it was it but that sort of thing worked.

You know, that that that stronger arms and so on actually worked very nicely for me in that in that series.

So um yeah, it was um it was a tiring tour.

They were they it wears you out, you know?

All the time.

And you d and you don't know you know if if the pitch is is if it's keeping low a little bit, that's when it's a wee bit harder for you, because then you're you're in around, you know, the stomach and so on, and up just a bit high the chest area.

And I I wore well of course I had an arm guard on.

Uh so I had and I was wearing a helmet in those days, so that was I had to get used to that actually.

I normally wore I mean c remember Colin Croft hit me on the helmet, and I was wearing these little earpieces that covered kind of your temples, but didn't come in front.

I couldn't get used to that.

No, I couldn't get used to that.

And I remember facing him at Christchurch in that series, that nasty series in 8081, and and he but he was buying the last over of the day.

Jeff had taken Jeff Howard had taken his gloves off at the far end.

And so it was me.

It was me.

And so and I'd got used to facing all the short balls for about a session.

And I I thought he I honestly thought he had let he had held on to the ball.

I didn't see the ball.

Because you get used to looking at a certain part of the pitch as it's coming up to you and w and weaving from there, and I didn't see it.

It didn't bounce there.

Then the ball just hit me on the helmet, just on the front, above above the peak, whacked into my helmet and went through last ball of the day.

And I thought, when I got back into the changing, I thought, wow, two inches lower, that would have hit me clean in the face.

He just beamed me straight through.

Um and as it happened, I was lucky and it it it didn't uh it didn't get me.

So but it it was a nasty thought to put it that way.

But yeah.

Um great task career, great one to international.

career.

How did the co uh the punditry and getting into a commentary box start because you know that there are a huge amount of people you just have to speak and everybody knows it's Jeremy Cody.

So how did oh absolutely you would be you would be amazed at the number of people just the voice they know it's Cody.

They know it's Cody.

Just just I've been around too long.

No no no no it's the voice it's the voice and it's the description and the use of words and having been a teacher and you love language.

How did that start?

How did you end up doing doing radio and punditry after your career?

Well I got an invitation and I thought even when I'd finished I thought uh I don't I'd already been a teacher uh and and taught for maybe ten twelve years at different levels uh primary school and secondary school um and I thought I don't really want to go back to that immediately and I got an invitation from then I think it was the Radio New Zealand it was the it was the sort of the 2YA network so which was the basic kind of network and they said would you like to come and have a go at this and I found that because I'd just come from I'd almost just stepped over the boundary um that I was very much still engaged in what was going on so I could describe the sorts of things that I saw um and it seemed to to go okay.

It seemed to be I mean I s I had to apologise and say look I'm sorry I'm calling calling us we we must start to bowl so and so but now at this stage.

And and and I apologized for that but um it it just went well I remember it was a series against England and um Atherton was there and and so on.

So it was that phase of the game.

And also Crystal CMJ was there.

I remember her in the first test match to me saying and uh and and uh of course the in-swingers you're talking about uh Jeremy Fred Root Fred Root wonderful player and I had no idea in those days I didn't know about the history of the game so well I've come to more more acquainted with it now but but I didn't know Fred Root at all.

And he knew that and he was playing with me you see and I Fred you know Fred Jeremy well not really I said no he's a little older than I am but I knew his brother's arrow and beat very well and so so and and and I got on from with CMJ very well.

Gee he was a good commentator too so um I I enjoyed that that kind of to and fro between the ball by baller and the and the analyst if you like and um and I've tried to always keep that going.

Some people are I find easier to work with than others.

And I I've never really been a TV person.

Not really I I prefer to use the voice and and describe something rather than if they can already see it.

It's a very different kind of skill I think and there are some very good ones around who who who want to point out technical issues and so on and but I like talking about what's happening with the game here and I think that's so important.

Where should the game go?

How's it going to hold our interest and where might the teams go and how will they respond the other team so those are the things that I I'm constantly trying to think about are we wasting time here?

What are we doing?

Why?

And so so though that's the sort of approach I kind of take even to today because even as if as a captain or as a player I think you have a responsibility a first of all to your team and then secondly just to get the game to a position where there's something could happen and that'll hold the team's interest it's much more fun to play that game it's much more fun to play with a captain who's constantly thinking similar along similar lines and and it's fun to f for you for you as a commentator how do you find that I mean don't you think like to think about the possibilities and you're starting to think up in the box about well we've got several options tomorrow to we could we could get this happening that perhaps that we've got some good batsmen situated over there who could respond to this and those it's good going to work then isn't it?

Absolutely and I I think as well for for you with the teaching side of things.

So you love language you love language but I often think a a commentary box is a bit like a classroom.

It is like going back to school at times isn't it but but the teaching side of things as well for you i almost a a progression with that that background as well and well I know for a fact you enjoyed the the teaching side you know I there's one story I do want you to tell because we've we've we've already discussed it but but that that that that teaching side of thing that's been a big part of your part of your life.

Very much it was there was I mean when I left uh Onslow College slightly disreputable institution um uh and but it was but it was fun co-ed and that's why it was fun maybe um but I I got to the point where I was leaving college and I thought what on earth will I do?

I had I wasn't one of those minutely planned this is gonna happen and that and the thought perhaps of three years training and I could grow up a little bit kind of uh you know enthused me somewhat and so I enjoyed going that and then I was I was trained as a primary teacher and then I taught subsequent to that and pr as I say for probably eight nine years various kind of schools around Wellington.

Um and yeah I I like discussing things with the kids and I quite often there might have been a a little you know setting out of the day we'd do this and we'd do that and we'd do that and then we'd but but often that was just thrown to one side.

If someone said something interesting now Bill that's very interesting.

Where did that come from and why?

Wha and why do you think it's interesting?

Oh in a way we would go as a class and it was all often about how you get on in the playground and why kids were w what about the bullying that's going on this who's be how many and we'd start to talk about those things how can we stop that what is bullying and why and so on or whatever the the the discussion was reading something to them and then saying where are we going in this book everybody and and having chats about that and what about that character and why are they thinking like that what what are they thinking and so that that kind of approach I always and it kind of leads on to the game doesn't it it's there's the same sorts of approach yeah hundred percent and and that with the commentary side of things as well and the punditory side of things it's almost like you are stood in front of a class and you're almost explaining to them what's happening.

And it's well they're only my it's only my eyes.

And so it's my view of what what I've explained.

But I think it's also that other people's opinions and as you say discussion and that's what the the the that the fun of the game oh absolutely it is and people's opinions that's that's what makes the game fantastic several times I've walked around around say the oval and I'll find a few people come and say Mr Coney lovely to meet you I totally agree with what you were saying with yesterday and then four yards four paces on what are you talking about Mr Coney?

I don't please explain such and such to me and what you meant when you used this word or whatever it was and so that's that's good too I think absolutely um so so so so so not just obviously sports and coaching but not just cricket you you you you coached your you there were a bit of rugby as well and football and the ones we call it soccer soccer sorry soccer I think you had at one of the schools it was a junior team.

Yeah six year old six year olds got got plenty never a coach no no no uh an organizer organiser manager manager and cars who's taking the cars how many can you fit in see you here it's this ground don't be late but but one particular player of yours that you've told me about who uh who it would it be fair to say didn't really want to be involved in the game but but no but his parents wanted his parents wanted ple please tell us because it is the most lovely story.

Oh it's a it's a true story um we had we were playing in a in a little six year old league and at even at that stage there were some clubs in Wellington that took the game very seriously and there was a team called Miramar Rangers and they were one of the strongest senior men's teams and that obviously this had filtered down through and their parents as they had little Johnny who was six or seven they were want they could see his rise up through the ranks and so they were also very keen for them to do well.

And so they were coached properly and they would set the cones out and so on and they had they would they would at six years old they had all spread out and they were in positions across the field and they they understood and they passed properly using the instep rather than the toe and that was very different from the group that I was taking they they had a range they had a range of kicking skills and and they we were playing them in the first round and we were beaten I think 21 and I remember my little boy Ben who was in the back seat as we were driving him as he was almost in tears he had run he had run and run his face was pulsating and he had tried his heart out and and they'd been beaten by such a large amount and he found it shaming I think he was a bit ashamed.

And I said well played son and um anyway we were meeting them for a second time in the season the and the conditions instead of being a nice grassy surface that was dry and and this one was at Kandala school and it was a very muddy surface we'd had a heavy winter and and it was boggy.

Our kids loved that they loved just sli they started to slide.

They were practicing slides.

We had one leather ball which got so heavy they almost broke their legs the little thin legged thin legged lads and um so they were there having a great time the most important bit of item of equipment was the was the you know the shin pad the very long shin pad that they could have because they just hacked away at it and so they were chasing this ball around very happily and and Miramar Rangers arrived in their tracksuits all in the same and the parents the same and they they all stood together at one end of the ground and and and all our our parents would just line up along the other side.

So we start and I always used to referee the second half which I thought was a smart move as a coach we could even the game up slightly um and I I didn't I've gotta gotta confess I didn't know all the rules quite so well.

The offside rule could be quite tricky because if you're down right by your goal line uh because we were going to defend against this team I could see that and you had one person getting very cold in your team up by halfway was he over halfway was he behind the halfway line I could you couldn't even see the line.

No.

Not in the mud so anyway we got to half half time and it was nil all because the ball of course was as they tried to pass Miramar rangers from one boy to the next the ball would in the mud would slow down and it wouldn't actually reach the intended man it was passed to but our boys were tenacious and they followed in a pack after this ball and so five or six of them would arrive at the same time the as the boy had to run towards the ball and then the hacking would begin again.

And so we were in the game we were in the game nil all at halftime with Jay Cody refereeing the second half second half and the oranges were had that's the best that's often the best part of the match as a as a as a boy.

And so I said boys that's good now here's the plan.

Callum we only had about two boys who could play really and the rest were trying hard and that was great you go and stand by halfway and Ben for anybody else just kick it if you get it and the chance to kick give it a good hoof up to Callum.

Now we also had one other little lad who played for us whose name was Algernon Algernon now Algy he was not in the slight every boy had mud from head to toe at halftime.

Algae looked pristine.

He looked as if he had just put his trousers on and was going to wear them for the rest of the week that's how clean they were they were still pressed you could see the little marks of the iron and his socks were pulled up nicely and his boots they was they were a little bit dirty but he was he had he loved trains.

Algae algae loved trains and so the game didn't interest him in the slightest what the score he wouldn't have known what the score was because what he did was he got the sideline where our parents were standing along and he treated that as the outside track of a train line.

I don't know what the gauge of this particular train was they had been around since the 1870s in New Zealand with Julius Vogel uh in New Zealand and he imagined in his great great imagination and speculation about how long this track was he knew how wide it was exactly because he was a train and he would make train noises as he moved up and down the track which was half of it was the key was the sideline of the game and the other one was in his imagination and I would always say to the and most clubs knew Algae at this stage and I said look Algae's playing and he will be offside quite a lot of the time especially when he's coupling into a new engine and that's usually at Pie Kokariki I'd like to tell you and so they said yeah that's fine okay we won't count him at all I said that I we'll still we'll we'll still count him in the game I said well he's one of the eleven but he won't take part his dear parents they thought they really wanted Algae to be you know an inside left player and whether they had visions of that I don't know but Algy was a winger basically and not moving too far away from the sideline never threw it in never was there at the round the ball really unless it came out of a mealy a hacking going on and it might have come off at an odd angle and bounce near Algie and his dear parents would shout to him Now's your chance Algie and Algie would give them a look of disdain as he turned towards them and then carry on uncoupling making all the noise of and and it would it would it was a wonderful musical kind of accompaniment to the game and it stopped all the parents were quite interested actually at times not the opposition they were shouting usually at me the ref for missing something or a bad tackle or something like that.

So Algie was doing his thing but he came over and said Algie you deserve your orange you've done a lot of miles today and so he had his orange and that sort of thing we turned around played the second half and we kind of it was still nil or with about I reckon four or five minutes to go so this was very exciting for our for our parents along the line they'd started that sideline surge up and down up and down the the line following the ball.

The others over the other side were calling out to us about details of the match that weren't significant I didn't think.

And the ball comes free not to Algae but came out to Ben actually and he he gave it a real clout and a kick up and to to Callum who was waiting and rather cold up at half halfway.

He got it dribbled past one or two and and of course at this stage all the opposition parents were shouting outside offside and umbrellas were going up and down it was raining quite heavily at this time and I I I couldn't see anyway because I didn't I didn't really worry I was way back and it was heavy going I felt like jumping onto one of Algie's trains actually that'd be that'd be rather carriage and and um Callum you know beat a player or two and then scored the goal so we were one nil up two minutes to play and wow that was this is great this was going to be the win of the century boy and you know and so we might have finished maybe a minute early but I I gave it the longest blast I ever have got my parents together because I could start to see the others that were not menacing but moving towards towards me and I said right right lads all in the cut keep your boots on we'll see you in the dairy I'm shouting the cokes and away we all went and shot away one we'll take it we'll take it hard luck miramar oh Algie yeah I hope Algie became a train driver I really do oh bless Algie uh Mr Coney this has been a joy final question to you cricket you've played at the highest level you've captained at the highest level but I also think the wonderful thing about the game is the friendships you make over the years and and for you as well you you've so many friends in the game um how important is that as well and that you know when you you go back to New Zealand when you go another country for another tour that you are going to see people that are friends.

Yeah I'm not gonna say all everybody is but there is that wonderful camaraderie isn't there in the game.

Of course there is and it's not just limited to cricket I would think I'm gets I'm sure that rugby players and soccer and so on.

It's just a great thing to do isn't it?

It's a challenge it's never easy uh you're gonna have some hard you're gonna have lots of failures and cricket is one of those games where you do get lots and so you have to become accustomed to that and working through those moments to try and overcome them.

Um but as far as friendships go of course uh you try not to to to be caught up in some of the heated moments of maybe a game Uh you you try and just hold hold your stance and hold your line and just let let the thing just go for a while just for a moment or two when perhaps you might say something that you regret later.

And so I think there there's some of the lovely things about sport generally in in the end, in the end, you know, come on.

There are those who are a bit special and they they get a lot of pleasure out of knowing that they've been a little bit ahead of everybody else, and that's absolutely fine, and they were.

But for the rest of us who are back in the pack, you know, uh i i it is those games you remember and the fun that you've had in the changing room, the laughter that you've had, remembering incidents, remembering the the foibles of people, being able to see a person emerge from a difficult time and get through it, and be a better person sometimes because of it.

Um they're the things that matter, aren't they?

Um and getting on with an opposition, yeah, you're trying hard to beat that person in the skills department as much as you can.

You're trying to uh overcome that side to beat them.

That's the game, isn't it?

And that's part of the game that you actually enjoy.

But you don't want to ever leave a bad feeling about things.

You need to be able to do it in a way and in a manner that you can still get on and still have a a quiet drink together and and enjoy and have a laugh together.

And those are the things, in the end, you know.

You enjoy and you love about the game.

And you c you you can't you can't create enemies.

I don't think that's a good idea in sport.

So that's what sport provides, gives you the opportunity to do that.

The opportunity's right there in front of you.

How are you gonna play it?

And I I think that's a much better way to approach the whole question.

Mr.

Coney, it's been a joy.

I'm now gonna take you to the pub for a piece.

Hey! Hey, I'm with it.

Thank you.

I'm on.

And all we can both say is thank you, Mr.

Jeremy Coney.

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So there are our friends at Newbury Cricket, and now it is competition time, and thanks to our friends at Newbury Cricket, we have an SPS bat to give away to you all.

And Church, what are your thoughts about the SPS bat this week?

Well, this week I've been wondering when are we actually announcing the winner of the SPS bat?

Because if we don't hurry up, I'm keeping it.

Because I have fallen in love with the SPS.

So if we don't announce the winner soon, I'm keeping the bat.

Because, you know, I've formed a relationship now with the SPS.

A relationship that I would say is built on trust, love, and the feel of the SPS in my hands.

So, Hector, we need to be giving this bat away, otherwise, I'm keeping it.

Okay?

You're in charge of when are we giving the bat away?

Because otherwise, everybody, I am keeping the SPS.

Now, last week's question, and this of course, to win the SPS bat.

Who did Mr.

Jeremy Cody make his first test hundred against?

And the answer: England at the Basin Reserve in 1984, when he made 174 knot out.

So if you emailed in with the word England, your name goes in the hat.

And at some point, very, very soon, Hector, we will be pulling a name out of the hat.

And if your name comes out of that hat, you win the SPS.

But there's still time for you to enter the competition.

So this is this week's question.

Now, James Roo is making his test match debut this week.

His brother Thomas captain the England under 19s in the World Cup this year, as we know, because Hector was there and he interviewed Thomas Roo.

But who did Thomas Roo score a century against in that World Cup?

If you think you know the answer, email Sundayservice.pot at yahoo.com or tweet at Sundayservice22.

And our friends at Newbury have released an official Sunday service discount code.

You can now use the discount code Sundayservice15 and get 15% off goods at www.newberry.co.uk, excluding bespoke bats.

So why not treat yourself to some premium gear and quality willow.

Right, that is stumps for this episode of the Sunday service with Church and Vickers.

We will be back together next Sunday, June the 8th.

That's actually the day after my birthday.

So get that date in your download, Dari.

And don't forget, you can send us your answers to the quiz and to what cricket sound is this.

And you can still get anything you want to off your chest cricket wise by emailing sundayservice.pod at yahoo.com or just by tweeting at Sundayservice22.

So thank you for listening.

If you've liked what you've heard, please rate and review us as it really helps others find the podcast because we want us all to join together and be one big happy Christine family.

Thank you to Mr.

Jeremy Coney for joining us again this week and happy birthday to him, because today is Mr.

Jeremy Coney's birthday.

And of course, thank you to our friends at Newbury Cricket for all their support and their magnificent competition prize, the SPS bat.

It is a beautiful, beautiful, beautiful piece of willow.

Until next Sunday from Durham and Cardiff, this has been a Hector Vickers and Mark Church production.

Have a magnificent cricketing week, everybody, and remember, try not to make five changes for your next game.