I moved to Gloucester when I was 9 and it was then I became interested in cricket. I used to go with my dad to matches at Gloucester - there were a couple of these each year at what was otherwise a club ground.
We sat on very basic wooden benches right on the boundary. Crowds were good and so was the entertainment - Gloucestershire had a wonderful team with several overseas Test cricketers, a couple of top-class spinners and there was even a chap who played rugby in his spare time. Amazingly, even the Indian touring team played there in 1974 and I started off an autograph collection including Bishan Bedi.
As I was at school, we usually went to the 40 over John Player League games on a Sunday. The most memorable performance I saw was from the great South African all-rounder Mike Procter. Arms whirring away in his delivery stride, he took 5 for 8 against Middlesex, including the wicket of the England captain Mike Brearley, which produced a huge roar. Unfortunately, the game was abandoned due to rain.
I still follow Gloucester from a distance, though I have made it to Lord's for two victories in the one-day cup. I also make sure I raise my feet off the ground if I'm watching a game and the team batting move on to 111 - the traditional unlucky number and brought to a wider audience by David Shepherd, who was a great county stalwart.
Memory added on July 4, 2021
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