Storming Norman of Kent

The Stokesley Stockbroker, sober suited, went to the send-off last week. A fellow mourner's tie featured the Invicta of Kent County Cricket Club and the stripes of Northumberland.

Asked to explain himself - or his tie, at any rate - he not only pointed out that it had marked Norman Graham's benefit a quarter of a century previously but that it was Graham who had claimed the pair beyond compare.

Remember Big Norm, a most out of the ordinary cricketer?

He was the 6ft 8in fast bowler from Hexham, Northumberland, who in 186 matches for Kent between 1964-77 claimed 614 wickets at 22.34 but managed just 404 runs - highest score 23, average 3.84.

The Stockbroker remembers him. "Nice bloke, demon bowler, absolutely hopeless with the bat."

No game was more memorable than the rain affected encounter with Yorkshire at Bradford which ended 35 years ago yesterday.

The three day match also embraced his birthday. Clearly possessed of a head for heights, the amiable Graham now lives in a converted farmhouse 1500 feet above sea level near the Durham/Nortumberland border and was 59 on Wednesday.

The match had begun a day and a half late, Yorkshire bowled out for 40, Graham 6-13. The season was to be his finest, 104 first class wickets.

Kent, hoping for similar second innings success, declared at 94-4, Trueman bagging 3-20. Yorkshire had reached 13-2, Boycott gone first ball, when the skies opened once again.

"It took off off a length, he nicked it and it went straight into Knotty's gloves," Graham recalls.

"I think Boycott said 'Fancy you getting me out twice in an innings' as he walked off - words to that effect, perhaps - but I dtstinctly remember Fred Trueman coming into our dressing room calling me all sorts.

"He said he had to change next to the so-and-so all season and his life would be unbearable."

Graham was also a player and commercial manager for Northumberland in the early 1980s and tried to promote a joint County Championship application with Durham.

"Unfortunately Northumberland had a very amateur approach and Durham were very professional, but I'm just delighted that we have first class cricket in the North-East. It doesn't matter who it is."

He's now a mortgage and insurance broker, working from his home - named Ringing Hills. "It's always been called that. The locals said I'd know why as soon as the wind got up."

Though still in touch with the outstanding Kent team of the 1960s and 1970s - they were last together for Sir Colin Cowdrey's memorial service - he watches little cricket.

"It's a totally different game nowadays. I know it's supposed to improve as generations go by but I don't understand in test matches why they don't seem to know where they're bowling.

"Apart from Caddick there seems to be no control over line and length. If someone's giving you the slog, especially in one day cricket, there's only one place to bowl it and that's in the block."

The period between May 6-9 1967 proved eventful in other sporting arenas, too. Cassius Clay was indicted for failing to report for national service, Darlington under Jimmy Greenhalgh were relegated after an unrequited flirtation with the old third division, former Sunderland favourite Nick Sharkey scored twice in Leicester City's 4-2 win over Newcastle United and the International Olympic Committee decreed that future competitors would have to sign a form declaring which sex they were.

Aloft in the North Pennines, big Norman Graham still relishes the day that he really hit the heights: a king pair, if ever.

Former Middlesbrough centre half Bill Gates also celebrated his birthday on Wednesday, but was feeling his 58 years after a "Dads and lads" match in the Cayman islands, where he lives in beachside luxury.

The England youth international - 285 Football League appearances between 1961-73 - had assumed when he accepted the invitation that the bairns would be junior school age.

"When I arrived I thought I must be in the wrong place. There were no small sons, only muscular 20-year-olds.

"I think the youngest in our side was overweight and over 50. Suffice that our keeper hadn't heard the rules had changed to allowhim to carry the ball to the edge of the penalty area."

The ex-Spennymoor Grammar School boy helped keep the score to 3-2 - "but afterwards," he admits, "I could hardly walk for a week."

Another anniversary: Eric Henderson sends the programme from the Durham Benevolent Bowl final 50 years ago today - a match in which he was referee.

Bishop Auckland beat Willington 4-2 with goals from Harry McIlvenny (2), Bob Hardisty and Scottish amateur international Willie Anderson. Bill Larmouth and Eddie Taylor replied for Willington - the crowd at Shildon's Dean Street ground was 4,970.

Lez Rawe, Willington's centre half, spent his working life teaching at Bishop Auckland Grammar School and despite two recent cancer operations remains at 82 a Methodist local preacher and a vigorous tennis player.

"I lost 10-8 in a tie break on Saturday," he reports. "I think my feet will pack up before the rest of me does."

Eric Henderson - then from Blackhill, near Consett but long in Marske-by-the-Sea - became president of the Association of Football League Referees and Linesmen and had charge of four Durham County cup finals in the 1950s, all involving the Bishops.

He's now 80. "That Benevolent Bowl half a century ago," recalls Eric, "was the most sporting of them all."

Every cloud: warned that Co Durham was even colder than usual in May, the Sri Lankan cricket tourists descended on the Meadowhall shopping centre in Sheffield - en route to Chester-le-Street - and bought up the entire stock of thermal long johns. Cold comfort? Our man on the boundary reports that they still looked utterly perished.

In aid of BBC Sport Relief and in memory of the incomparable Harry Dixon, Tow Law's FA Carlsberg Vase final squad from 1998 plays the present team at the Ironworks Ground tonight.

Harry, who died last moth, was club treasurer - and it's secret, vastly munificent benefactor - for 40 years. He was also Tow Law's long serving sub-postmaster.

"He gave so much to the club, it's fitting that we raise money in his memory for such a good cause," says Lawyers' chairman John Flynn.

At least ten of the 1998 squad are available. Keith Moorhead, who didn't play but is remembered for appearing at Wembley the previous day clad only in the club flag, is trying to get out of a previous engagement with their lass.

The evening also includes a barbeque and the end of season awards presentation. Kick off 7.30pm.

After the annual meeting of the FA Cup Final Escape Committee (Backtrack, Tuesday) John Lowes from Bishop Auckland reports that his own committee was also reconvened.

We'd encountered them en route to oblivIon a couple of years back, the only difference that they don't let football of any sort get in the way of a good day's drinking.

This year they went to York, visited 11 pubs without televisions but still celebrated John's winning double - 25-1 on Parlour to score the first goal, 9-2 on Sir Alex Ferguson's horse ("I knew he'd win something this season") to take the 2,000 Guineas.

"Though York was full of skate boarders," adds John, "a good time was had by all."

Former Sunderland favourite Richard Ord secured another little entry in the record books last week - sent off before he even got on.

Forced through injury to retire from full time football, 32-year-old Ord was substitute for Durham City in the Albany Northern League game at Thornaby when the assistant referee drew attention to some of his comments.

"When the referee went over, the player said the same thing to him.

"You could hear it from the other side of the ground," says Harvey Harris, our man on the Teesside terraces.

Harvey's a retired detective chief inspector, accustomed to such things. "You expect it from juveniles," he says. "At 32, you hope they've learned a little bit better."

More travellers' tales: Over 40s League secretary Kip Watson reveals that Barnard Castle Glaxo's result on Saturday was phoned in from Gran Canaria. "Corby Waistell, the Glaxo secretary, had forgotten my number but knew his mate's mobile so rang him instead. His mate rang me from the side of the pool.

"And finally...

The ten foreign nationals who had gained FA Cup winners medals before 1990 (Backtrack, May 7) were George and Ted Robledo of Newcastle United and Chile (1951 and 1952), Bert Trautmann (Manchester City and Germany, 1956), Ossie Ardiles and Ricky Villa (Spurs and Argentina, 1981), Arnold Muhren (Man United and Holland, 1983), Jesper Olsen, (Man United and Denmark, 1985), Craig Johnston, (Liverpool and Australia, 1986), Jan Molby (Liverpool and Sweden, 1986), and Bruce Grobbelaar (Liverpool and Zimbabwe, 1986 and 1989.)

Fred Alderton in Peterlee, who named that lot with such alacrity he could become our foreign correspondent, today invites the identity of the Football League club formerly nicknamed the Black Arabs.

The column returns on Tuesday with a few observations on Tiptree v Whitley Bay, the Albany Northern League's latest attempt to polish off the Vase. Admissions's £10 for adults, £1 for bairns - and very definitely seats in all parts at Villa Park tomorrow.

Published: 10/05/2002