Cricket / Gloucestershire Cricket
Enjoying cricket free after tea
“Is this free?” a cricket fan confirmed with someone already in the queue for the County Ground soon after 4pm on Friday.
Tea had been taken so entry was indeed free of charge, as it will be for county games all season, with tickets being handed out to those queueing by a security guard.
If it were not for a glorious start to the day’s play from Gloucestershire’s bowlers, I would state with no exaggeration that these free tickets would give you access to see some of the world’s best cricketers in their prime.
is needed now More than ever
But even well before lunch, former England captain Joe Root (2), playing in his first county championship match since 2022, and high-scoring Test star Harry Brook (26), had both returned to the pavilion.
They were spectators for now, joined by paying and not paying punters dotted around the ground known officially as the Seat Unique Stadium.
An MCC-branded cushion and a cool bag were the signs that two seats had already been reserved, their owners eventually returning with a Labrador dog, Benny, wearing a yellow Gloucestershire lanyard who was soon given an ice cream that he finished in just a couple of bites.
There were a few spectators too opposite the pavilion in the block of flats that provide, umm, unique seats at the Seat Unique.
For how much longer this cosy setup will go on for is unknown, with Gloucestershire looking to sell their historic Bristol home to move to a site in South Glos.
An update on this is due to be given at the upcoming AGM. So let’s enjoy first class cricket in BS6 while we still can.
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On his way to 140, Pakistan and Yorkshire captain Shan Masood sweetly struck an off drive and your correspondent picked up the ball which had made its way under the boundary fence to return it to Ollie Price, who said a polite thank you probably due to the accuracy of the throw back over the covers.
Masood was the first wicket after tea, caught by wicketkeeper James Bracey off the bowling of Marchant de Lange. A leg gully was then put in for incoming batsman Matthew Fisher as de Lange managed to get some extra lift out of the wicket; with Zaman Akhter claiming his first five-fer for the Shire.
Yorkshire were bowled out for 326 with Gloucestershire finishing the day on 28 for 2 after the early wickets of Price and Chris Dent.
This may not have had the razmattaz of a T20 but for cricket fans, a couple of hours watching in the sunshine for free made for a fantastic Friday afternoon.
Main photo: Martin Booth
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