Strathmore Cricket Union: the first 90 years a history 1928-2018

71 but less enthusiastic about the cold weather and tomorrow’s sore muscles. The concrete wicket beside the score box was covered with a coconut mat and the players would carry out and erect the nets. A new concrete wicket was about to be laid on the cannery (which wasn’t there) boundary. The players would don their heavy canvas studded boots but no whites were worn other than by the professional. The first batsman would put on his tie-on corrugated aluminium box and strap around sausage gloves with the thumb separated from the fingers on a length of 1/2” wide elastic. These were preferred to the green rubber dimple gloves which afforded little protection. A bat – normally a Gunn and Moore Cannon but occasionally an Autograph would be taken from the Club kit and practice would commence with the timing clock set to ring after 10 minutes. Few players other than Club prize winners would possess their own bat. At the end of practice the net would be carried back and stored where the entrance to the park is now. The players would set off home on foot or by bike as very few had cars. With no showers and no bar there was little to detain them. The following morning the players would grit their teeth and with aching muscles raise their arms to pull their shirts over their heads. Mercifully designers were soon to give us shirts which were to be put on like a jacket. Practice would continue Monday to Thursday nights on the same basis with a further chore being a spell pushing the heavy roller as the Club had no jeep or tractor at this time. The first game on the Saturday would see players get together for a 2.30 pm start. The first players would open the shutters and everyone would get into their whites. Cold hands would struggle with fly buttons and their whiteflannelswould inmany cases be supportedby anoldtie knotted round the waist. Flapping white underpants were much in evidence as coloured Y fronts and the brief knickers of today were years away. “Semmits” were standard uniform. A couple of home knitted jerseys would hopefully keep the cold out. In a timed game the captain would declare the innings closed by ringing the ship’s bell which hung at the top of the stairs. The batsmen would get ready without thigh pads or helmets, both unheard of, while the opposing wicket keeper donned a box which had cane protection to cover his lower abdomen. The game would proceed without the players exercising or