I always feel a little wistful at the end of a domestic cricket season. Even though we have another Ashes series little more than a few weeks away, there’s something reassuring about the county game.
Watching Warwickshire in the 1970s and early 80s was an integral part of my growing up. In truth, Warwickshire – they were rarely referred to as “The Bears” in those days – gave me little to shout about. Shorn of the West Indies internationals who’d made the team virtually unbeatable at the start of the 70s, Warwickshire were hopelessly underpowered in many of the games I attended. I remember Glenn Turner flaying a bowling attack lacking in variety and penetration for a century before lunch. And Essex, set more than 300 to win in under two sessions, cruising to victory with almost indecent haste.
Warwickshire could bat – Dennis Amiss was still one of county cricket’s most reliable run scorers and Alvin Kallicharran was a formidable force. And then there was the player I loved watching more than anyone. More than Amiss and Kallicharran, more than Gower, more even than Botham. Take a bow, Geoffrey William Humpage.
Geoff Humpage was a batsman/wicketkeeper whose first class career lasted from 1974 until 1990. He averaged a healthy 36 with the bat, more than some who played test cricket in that period. Yet, his international career amounted to three one-day internationals in 1981 when his keeping was condemned as below international standard and his batting wasn’t given a chance to flourish. He batted twice, at number eight – number eight! – and was never seen at the highest level again. A rebel tour to South Africa put paid to that but it’s doubtful he’d have been given a chance to play a Test. Had he played for Middlesex or Surrey, it might have been different.
Geoff Humpage could be an irresistible force at the crease. Never one to hold back, he believed in carrying the fight to the opposition, often in thrilling fashion. Two innings come to mind. In June 1980, Warwickshire were vying with Middlesex for top spot in the John Player League. It was a huge shock – Warwickshire had struggled to win as much as two matches in a row in recent seasons and here they were with a league title in mind. Middlesex arrived at Edgbaston on top and posted a highly competitive 216 in their 40 overs. In reply, Warwickshire were 26 for 2 and then 37 for 3. Normal service was being resumed, except it wasn’t. Geoff Humpage took on the England spinner John Emburey, repeatedly backing away from his stumps to thrash him through the off-side on his way to a match-winning century. Warwickshire went on to win the title.
Three years later, Warwickshire were facing a county championship defeat to Yorkshire at Edgbaston. Bowled out for only 125, with Humpage out without scoring, Warwickshire trailed by 114 runs on first innings and were set 299 on a deteriorating wicket on the final afternoon. Wickets fell steadily – 97 for 4, 136 for 6 and then 180 for 8, still more than a hundred runs adrift. But to the few hundred of us in the ground, it was clear that Geoff Humpage was relishing the challenge. Harbouring the strike, he picked up the tempo and with Norman Gifford offering obdurate support, Humpage took Warwickshire to 238. Then Gifford fell, leaving only Bob Willis to keep our hero company. Little more than an hour later, Humpage hit the last of many memorable boundaries taking his score to 141 and Warwickshire’s to 302 for 9, winners by one wicket.
The record books will tell you that Geoff Humpage’s 254 not out in a world record partnership with Alvin Kallicharran was his outstanding innings but for me, nothing will beat that century against Yorkshire. And no cricketer will ever give me as much spectating pleasure as Geoff.
Duncan Jones
Twitter: @duncanjones64
Blog:http://shesstillmymum.wordpress.com/
Memory added on October 6, 2013
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