Sir Geoffrey Boycott: England Curfews, Yorkshire Cricket and 100th Hundred! | Stick to Cricket EP 60

0:00Michael Vaughan: Before we get started, I'd like to thank our partners, Betfair. Hit subscribe so you don't miss an episode. Enjoy the show. This episode is sponsored by ZocDoc. Have you been putting off a doctor's appointment or need a dentist and you don't know where to start? We've definitely been there and that's why we use ZocDoc. Actually, over the holidays, Michael had a dental emergency and seemingly every office was closed. but we hopped onto ZocDoc, found an in-network dentist, had great reviews, saw real-time appointments available, which was key. It was on New Year's Day and booked an appointment in just minutes.

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2:01Barry, with the remaining 10 seconds of this advert, can you provide some astute analysis?

2:04Phil Tufnell: I think Arsenal are going to win the Premier League. And there you are. For more hot takes like that, watch or listen to Football Weekly wherever you get your podcasts.

2:14Michael Vaughan: I think we might get Phil batting this episode with Geoff Rea. Might get him in. Give us a demo. Ooh, a digester.

2:22Phil Tufnell: Muffins, digestive. it's got a lot of it.

2:27Michael Vaughan: Fill him up with a bit of water. Yeah, yeah.

2:30Phil Tufnell: He needs water.

2:31Michael Vaughan: Yeah, don't worry.

2:34Phil Tufnell: If we're having a drink, I'll have... Little Jefferson's made... Don't go out for coffee, I'll have a tea. Cup of tea. If there is. Can we make tea here?

2:43Michael Vaughan: Dave, do you put your milk in first or...? Second. Second, your tea. Teabag water. Do you go milk...

2:49Phil Tufnell: Second, no. Second. Milk second.

2:52Michael Vaughan: You can see how strong you are, aren't you? Oh, here he is, look how smart he's looking. Absolutely. Look at this, immaculate. Jeff, where is it? He's got his little wash back. So, Jeff, there you go, sir.

3:08We're all moving this way. Be aware of my voice, you know what it's like. You're all right, mate.

3:13Michael Vaughan: Problem. Geoffrey, you're looking mighty fine. It's a problem. You've got a nice tan. Been away? Oh, no. I'm in the garden. Pratt's seen your pudding. Still got that little pudding green in the corner. Yeah. I should sit up. You might know the... Do you want your thing? Do you want your little cushion? You've got a cushion. Where's your cushion? Do you need it? I don't know. Get your cushion. Hey, what do you call these? I've not seen these before. What are they? What are they? They're little cats, aren't they? Cats with blue heart eyes. Are they a squash? I'm looking after a cat. Sheep and a cat.

3:47Get up on that, mate.

3:48Michael Vaughan: Careful there, Geoff. Oh, there you go, Duffelitch. You're looking after a cat?

3:52Phil Tufnell: And some sheep. So he's looking after sheep this week. Next door is farm. They've gone to Spain, so they said, can you look after the sheep? How many sheep have you got? 60. No, there's only 60. Are you herding them? What, you're herding them? Give over. Yeah. No way. It's easy, isn't it? They just come straight to you. You've got food, they're flipping charge-up. What do you go out with?

4:12Michael Vaughan: What do you give them?

4:13Phil Tufnell: A bucket full of... Monkey nuts and stuff. Nuts and stuff. Yeah, nuts. Like it's a mix. It's mix. You go out with a bucket full of monkeys. Yeah, and you've got all the trays. There's four trays all in the field, so I fill them up. And they go piling at you. Kick you up the arse and everything. They knock you red, don't they? Yeah, they knock you red. And there's a cat. The cats, it were found in a barn, so the farmer took it on, and so it needs feeding. I've got to go in and feed it. What's the cat called? Farm cat. Sid. Sid? What? Yeah. Left armour.

4:49Michael Vaughan: Anyway, Geoffrey's here.

4:51Phil Tufnell: Geoffrey, how are you?

4:53Michael Vaughan: You're looking smart. You're always smart. By popular demand, our viewers and listeners demanded that we got you back on. You are at your home. Absolutely. 18th century, is it? Is that all? Well, I got a few for Leeds and practice matches, but just first class, 18. For Leeds? I played for the club. That was the club's idea. Before we get started, I'd like to thank our partners, Betfair. So just hit subscribe so you don't miss an episode. Enjoy the show.

5:34Did you used to go out and get on the lash like all the boys have been doing? You make sure that whatever you drink, whatever you do, that you're ready to play. Next day, 100 % or you're out.

5:48Michael Vaughan: Why didn't they ring up when Phil was out and about? Well, they didn't care about it, did they? They lose the test. Baz McCullum loses the test job. Stephen Fleming's taken over. Ben's gone as Captain Joe's now. Can you summarise the last nine months in your style? It was so bad, wasn't it? It was so bad. McCollum's gone late, but we said after Ashes he should have gone. Rob Kears should have gone. He came up with one word.

6:17Phil Tufnell: He's my favourite cricketer. No. And he's Indian. Yeah. Who is he? Tell him. You've never had it. No, I don't. You were totally useless. I know. You're a soppy captain, Sir Alistair. Sounds like it. LAUGHTER

6:35The grounds changed dramatically from when I first came. Absolutely. Weren't there a slope? The slope's gone, hasn't it? There was slope from Kirsten Lane. Fred bowled at that end.

6:45Phil Tufnell: Fred bowled at that end. Never bowled uphill. And you got a Tony Nicholson who'd come uphill. Fred never bowled uphill. Yeah. But they levelled it off. They did. When the ECB, the English cricket board, gave all the Test Match grounds, half a million, to do better drainage. Yeah. Because if a day of test cricket or internet cricket is rained off, all that money has to go back to people. And it upsets people. They've had a day off work, haven't they? They plan to have a day. They want to see cricket. They don't want the money back. They want a day of cricket. So they did the drainage. We put about£200 ,000 extra in, did all the drainage.

7:23And when they did the drainage, they levelled it off. That's it. I mean, they haven't levelled off that well.

7:29Michael Vaughan: even Steven Finn were calling you know we said I bowl up the hill yeah well it used to be a right use are you from

7:37Phil Tufnell: this end we're in a day and it used to be like that didn't it it was in the

7:41Michael Vaughan: later it was it was it was a bit like capital commentating once it came and they said it was that boring it better that's it I said that's my like you're one of yours Fred from Hull plays for North Ends, Neil Mallinder. That's it. He says, well, there's a lot of great fast bowlers run down the hill and he's not every one of them. He's getting a good mention gas, didn't he?

8:08Phil Tufnell: And he got five feet. It's cruel because he's got five riches. He's a good bowler. It was all right, ghosty. Jeff, what do you think about no ashes here? Crap. Awful. See, we haven't got one at Old Trafford. There's no ashes test match north of Nottingham. You said we, I thought you were a member of Yorkshire. Well, it didn't used to be like that. There used to be an independent body that went to the grounds, system out what they could do and what they could achieve. And then they put it to the ECB that this is what should be allocated to the grounds. They were independent. And that's what happened.

8:47But then Richard Thompson came along, the new chairman, changed it. and he just had the chairman of the international grounds get together with them and carve it up between them what they've forgotten is it's not about making money yes you'll make money when England play they're sold out nearly and when England play well they're all sold out the first thing they should be saying is the England cricket team belongs to everybody right? All over England and Wales. And we want to have cricket played on test match grounds so that everybody in the country has an opportunity to travel not too far to see a test match.

9:29Yep, yep. That's the first thing, not about money. Money comes second to me. The guy up in Durham shouldn't always have to go to London for a test match, right? And when you have one at Cardiff, it means people in Gloucestershire, Somerset, Devon Cormall those could travel not too far They don't have to travel to Manchester or Yorkshire for a test and that was the idea Birmingham's a big area the Midland Lancashire York Club has got the biggest amount of people outside of London. It's a very big populated area So that was right Yorkshire is the biggest counter with more cricket clubs more people playing and so it went on The one thing that happens is I don't think Oval should have a test match every year, guaranteed.

10:14Lords should. It's the Mecca.

10:16Michael Vaughan: I asked them that question last week on the show about is it a must that Lords and the Oval get a test match? These two said absolutely that's right. So where do they live? London, London. Me and Dave were like, well, we're not too sure. Maybe not every year. Correct. This is the point. They're not neutral to decide. No, they're not. And this was the whole point before. There's the neutral people that decided it. Neutral. Now it isn't. The county chairman get together with ECB and carve it up themselves. And also on last week's show, we did the percentage win percentage. I know it's about travelling around, but the five ashes venues next year are England's worst win percentage in the 21st century.

11:03Yeah, well, they're not interested in cricket. They know it's money. They're suits, aren't they? They're councils, they're solicitors. That's all they are all the time. They're so solicitors. They're suits, I call them. They come into cricket and they all run it. I mean, most of them, they haven't a clue. Look at the chairman, Richard Thompson, when England were playing one-day matches in New Zealand before the Ashes last year. He said it was good preparation. I mean, how brainless is that? You should stick to what you know. And of course we need money, men, because we must be in the black, not the red but cricket is what it's all about you only make money to play

11:42Phil Tufnell: cricket oh that's the object but we lose track of the fact in counties that the cricket clubs and we keep getting her certainly at Old Trafford we are a 35 million pound business no you're a cricket club with a turnover of 35 million in a test match year perfect Dave that's how they regard it we have all All these money men, accountants, solicitors, all about money. That's a part of it, but it's not the whole. And that's what's wrong. And that's why Yorkshire haven't got it. They didn't have Yorkshire at the table.

12:17Michael Vaughan: Do you think there's, across the whole game, 18 counties, the ECB, do you think there's a lack of cricket in knowledge on the boards? Yes. Well, you can't calculate what it costs from taking a young lad at 13, 14, 15, and all the training and coaching, and then he plays for England. Look at Joe Root. We hardly see him. He's been the best player in the world for the last two or three years. We've never seen him. Two matches beginning of season, practice. Harry Brooks the same. So whenever you work all that time to get somebody really good, then you don't get them. So they get some money back. And what the ECB doesn't realise, they're only there because of the 18 counties.

12:59And the 18 counties haven't worked it out. If you're unhappy with the ECB, sack them. Get together. They work for you, not the other way around. The ECB, the chairman, and Gold, the chief exec, Thompson, all the people, they think they're God, they run cricket. They don't. They do, because you let them. But the 18 counters are cricket. If they got together and said, no, we're not having you, you've got to go, you've got too many people working for you, you're wasting too much money, there's not enough cricket knowledge, I don't think they've got the balls to do it.

13:35Michael Vaughan: I mean, I think the ECB are trying to streamline the business, aren't they? They're trying to send it out more to the counties. Send what out? Well, I guess the operational side of the game, which has a lot of the time been the central hub. I mean, the 100 is a perfect example. You sell the eight franchises and you let the franchises take over. Some would argue that the ECB should have kept a little bit more control in this initial period, particularly in the ticket selling of the 100, which has been down this year. So I think they are trying to do, in a way... Well, that's only one competition, Michael.

14:12Michael Vaughan: Yeah. Test match cricket is everything to many of us. That is the barometer up there. That makes more money. It'd be over five days if we haven't got wishy-washy some of the test teams who were rubbish and finished in two days, wouldn't it? There'd be a lot more money. Geoff... I know that's... I'm learning, sorry. No, Geoff, when you used to, you know, win a series or win a test match, did you used to go out and get on the lash like all the boys have been doing? LAUGHTER No, I went home. Did you? Yeah. I've never had a pint of beer or half a beer in my life. Have you not? Never. You like your Chardonnay, though, Geoff?

14:56I like the glass, but not the bottle or two. You know, I've had a certain great player I was friendly with and played with to drink two or three bottles. Yeah. But now I like the glass. Now I struggle with my throat. Yeah. What would you say to the boys at the moment? Because there seems to be a bit of, you know, there's another thing that's been in the news and everything. What would you say to them about, you know, you know, we all like to celebrate a victory, don't we? Ooh. But what would you... Well, if they keep going to celebrate... Fine, but, I mean, just don't get in a situation where you finish up in police, have you, in high ends.

15:34I mean, it's balmy. Or you're in a nightclub and... Somebody's going to...

15:38Phil Tufnell: Everybody's going to mobile phone and they're just going to video you. Everywhere you go, there's a mobile phone taking pictures in there. You've got to be smart. And you can't just say, well, I'm a public figure when I'm playing. When I'm not playing, I'm private. I'm sorry, don't worry like that. Just don't get yourself, and look, it might not be their total fault. As soon as you see anything happening, walk away. And actually, my mum used to tell me, if you're out after midnight, you're up to no good. Well, I know that's strictly not true, but what she was saying, wasn't she? Yeah. Get to bed, go and celebrate, by all means.

16:21But do you need to be there at two and three in the morning? Haven't you had enough by then? Don't you need some sleep?

16:28Michael Vaughan: Yeah. Well, we did it on last week's show where there's 30 men's central contracts and just over a quarter of them in the last nine months have been involved in an incident involving alcohol. Yeah, well, I think sporting teams for a long time, There was a feeling that, oh, if you didn't drink, you weren't sort of manly. When I started at Yorkshire, I played in the second team. It was a tough old so-and-so's cricket chairman, Brian Sellers. He'd been captain of the club. He'd won championships, you know, so successful. I was a good man, but he was drinker. And it came one day, early in my second team career, and all the lads to the pub, buying drinks, and got round to me, what do you want?

17:13I said, Orange just plays, Mr Sellers. And, oh, you're a young kid, you go, it's not seen as manly, sort of thing. I disagree with that. Everybody told me I'd drink, everybody told me I'd smoke. I said, no, I won't. I never smoked, I never had a drink of beer. It's... Not everybody's got the strong mind to do that. I wouldn't... And also, if you do that, you stand out, You're liable to not get picked because you're not one of the lads and so forth. But I don't want one of the lads in my team. I don't want everybody to like everybody. I want to win. I want to know, if you're a batsman, can you make runs?

17:59If you're a bowler, can you take wickets? And what you do after end of play, Joe Rupp was right. Act like you've grown up. Do what you want. Go home, see your wife, see the kids. Go out with a girlfriend and have a nice meal. If you want to go drinking, but make sure how much drink you have, that next day you can perform. And there's another story at Yorkshire with that seller. He was a tough old so-and-so. He was. When youngsters came into the team at Yorkshire, and they came from humble beginnings because nobody had much money, that night they'd take him out for a drink. They'd buy the beer.

18:35They thought, this is all right, isn't it? Captains buy me drink. And next morning, throw the ball to him. And they probably didn't bowl so well then. He gave them hell. And he said, listen, you make sure that whatever you drink, whatever you do, that you're ready to play next day 100 % or you're out. And that's the simple thing. If they leave an England player or two out and a few games, let them think about that for a bit.

19:08Michael Vaughan: You think that's the best management style now? It's been an ongoing situation. The best thing to do is leave a player out for a while and just say, look, lads, that's what you're going to get if you're going to behave like that.

19:19Phil Tufnell: Do you not think it's a bit unfair because we're spotlighting individual players, there's a lot of terrific county boys who do the right thing. They look after themselves. Or they're not quite as famous as players. Not quite as famous. And mobile phones. Mobile phones are a killer. And like he said in last week's show, you've got to be smart. You two have been a successful England captain. Your players have to be smart and Roots dead right. When you're finished, just be sensible. Do the right thing. Truffaut was right. It was a lad called Crossley, was his goalkeeper. Yeah, he's a funny guy. Shit's house.

20:03Shit's house. Yeah, he played the League Cup final. And he was in drinking in Barnsley, went home, drinking in a pub like Thursday, I think it was. Cloughy found out and whatever. When he put the team up, he wasn't in. And they didn't have the reserve goalkeeper, his engine. He'd got this 18-year-old kid that's never played in the first team. And he wasn't on the team sheet of reserves. He wasn't there to travel. And they still won. They said, are you? Because people say, oh, Brian, you know, 18-year-old, he'll be fine. And they won. Put the team seats up again next week. He's not in again. Kept putting the team seats up.

20:45He's not in again. He wondered if he's ever going to get picked again to play. After a few weeks, he put him in. Just remember. That's all he had to say. He didn't have to say any more. That's the ultimate sanctum for any player in sport, is not to play. You can't get centuries and doubles if you don't play.

21:08Phil Tufnell: Didn't Fergie do the same at Man United? He knew where the players were. He knew where they were. Well, publicans used to ring him up cos Man United were the best. And Man City wasn't doing quite so well then. Why didn't they ring up when Phil was out and about? Well, they didn't care about it. LAUGHTER I'd unplugged all the phones. No mobiles there, would it? You couldn't get through to him, he's idiot. No, they used to ring Fergie up. He'd be fast asleep. Boss, we've got three old lads here. Fergie's like, what's the time? Well, it's one o 'clock. Put him on the phone. They all ran then, didn't they?

21:48Joe's done the right thing, in my opinion. I've curfews. Grow up. They don't grow up for crying out loud.

21:56Phil Tufnell: Hasn't worked though, has it? Has it gone about United now? Stopped getting caught. I can't watch it. That was a poor start, that, Geoffrey, wasn't it? They've only played once. Listen, I've sitting in South Africa the last two or three years. Man, how nice, I put it on. My housekeeper, she loves football. I go watch, not really, the Passage sideways, backwards. Goals up there, I'm saying, you know. And you watch 20 minutes, it's boring. I might as well Midsommar Murders. I like to watch or something. Yeah, at least that's got a bit of narrative. Yeah, the safety of people getting murdered. Something interesting.

22:32Cloughy was right. I asked his captain, listen, what instruction does he give you? It simply says, listen, get the ball, pass it to somebody with the same coloured shirt... Good start. Try and play on the grass rather than in the sky, and try and play in their half, there's more chance of us scoring. That's it. Get out there. Simple, basic. I mean, all these written notes and what have you, go on, play in their half. If you lose a goal in the last 92nd, 3rd minute or something like Newcastle, play in the other half. Can't score, can you, in Liverpool's penalty area, and score in yours, get up the field.

23:14And there's too much of this. Probably started with Pep. Maybe his players could do it well. Keep the ball, pass it. Give it the goalie. Give it the goalie. But it doesn't... How does it harm anybody? I did a speech once with Jack Charlton. Great man. He had Ireland. Very funny. And I knew him. I used to win it at Sheffield Wednesday. I knew him. Because his friend was Maurice Sesters. Man United. I knew Maurice. Number four. And he said we played England. because they beat England at Wembley, didn't they? And he said... He told his players, listen, when they've got the ball, leave them. It's in their half, they're not hurting them.

23:57Get yourself formated, ready. When we get the ball, we attack fast. And you're not hurting anybody with the ball in your own half, are you? You're not hurting anybody, are you? No. Nothing, you just pass it sideways, backwards. My mum could do that. I mean... Give it the goalie. Just keep giving it the goalie.

24:18Michael Vaughan: Well, it was on the second day of the Test match when I asked you about Man United's signings this year, and you said, oh, they've been sensible. Well, not spent... They spent£87 million on Ante on the wing, and you said that my dog would be a better winger than him. Is he? I mean, I've got a couple of dogs. He's got that. They're nipping. What boots does he wear? Well, they don't need boots. It was a fancy, Danny. Played well in good weather. But weather isn't good in the winter, is it? wind, rain, tolls, snow. No, they've got a long way to go. They've got a long way to go. They'll be all right.

24:51Michael Vaughan: They'll get it right. OK, they will. Stick to Cricket is brought to you by Betfair. So English cricket, the last, oh, let's go, last eight months. We haven't had a chance to speak to you, obviously, since. Go to Australia, lose 4-1. Come back from Australia. semi-final of the T20 World Cup come to the summer New Zealand own win the first test incident after the test curfew, known curfew Ben Stokes gets to Trent Bridge for that last game 1-0 that fourth afternoon Ben decides to retire mid-spell got a wicket next ball open the bat and Emilio Gay goes to 7 then they bat as well as mad as I've seen them bat they lose the test Baz McCollum loses the test job Stephen Fleming's taken over.

25:43Michael Vaughan: Ben's gone as Captain Jones. Now, can you summarise the last nine months in your style? In 30 seconds. I only need two seconds, but the word I'd use, you can't put it on air. You can. You can't. No, it was... I mean, look, McCullum's gone late, but we said after Ashes he should have gone. Rob Keyes should have gone. I don't dislike them at all. It was just so bad, wasn't it? I'm so bad and the chairman of I told you the ECB saying they had good practice by one day as in New Zealand I was stupid that means you know nothing about cricket David knows we talked about it the best tour I went on in Australia was Raymond Ilymouth's four one-day matches of all the first the four states down the eastern side one day matches up country against the districts for four day matches against South Australia Victoria New South Wales Queensland we were ready everybody and even then when we went to Perth for the next test we played one day match four day match against Western Australia then test match there's no excuse for 16 17 players not to have had enough bowling and batting to feel good, an opportunity to state the case for being in the team of the test and these lads think they can just go and have a one day match at Lilac Hill when it bounces about stump-eyed, and beat Australia in Australia.

27:18I mean, never mind what happened, before you go, any cricketer, all the cricketers in England who have ever been on a tour will tell you that was nonsense wasn't it I mean it just and nobody the chairman chief exec the director of cricket coach all thought that was all right in business somebody would have got the sack and in fact in football but doesn't wait long that I got the sack at Christmas halfway through the tour director of cricket and the coach could have got the sack well they don't wait They learn football. If at Christmas one or two teams, they'll get this out. Who will be the first manager to go?

28:02Premier League. Who will be the first manager? You could have a bet now between us. Who would be the first manager to go by Christmas? There'll be a two on that.

28:13Michael Vaughan: Yeah, it usually is, yeah. And all those Christmas matches, certainly if they lose over those Christmas matches, January... Change. ...you're going. Change. At least then you've got three months to have a go at saving your... before Christmas.

28:26Phil Tufnell: Do you think, with the new coach coming in, Fleming, and Joe Root as captain, do you think it'll stabilise? I don't know. I'd like to see the coach here now. I wrote about the fact that he can watch the cricket from New Zealand because cricket's on all over the world. He can see how people play, their footwork. Does he like this guy or what? Could he change this of their technique and help them? What he can't study is the personality. By being in the dressing room, we can understand you as a quieter life. He can get to know the ones that want a little bit of a lift or a kick up the bottom or what have you.

29:10You can only do that by being in the dressing room. You've got to get to know them. Maybe have a beer with them at night. We're not talking about getting drunk, but have a couple of beers. I'll go for dinner. That's why he should be here, to get to know them. You have to understand the people, don't you?

29:26Phil Tufnell: Definitely. And Marcus North has come in and that's been quiet, hasn't it? He's a worthy chap, is Marcus North. So now you've got Root back as captain and he might be refreshed and rejuvenated. Fleming is very well respected in the game but should be here. And Marcus North is quietly going about his business and selecting the team. So there might be a bit of stability.

29:51Michael Vaughan: The word I use is sense. I think there'll be a bit of sense. You've got to test match cricket. It was by the end at Trent Bridge, it was bonkers, let's be honest. It was absolutely crackers. Michael, you've got to get into players in any game, sport, business, what? Self-discipline. Not wait for the coach to tell you. Not wait for yourself. When I was playing, I mean, I'm not playing great. We don't play great all the time. I go to bed at night and think, right, I could do with a long net tomorrow. So I want to be up at so-and-so. I want to finish breakfast. I want to be off. I want to be there at the ground at this time so I can have a long net.

30:33Then I need to get back in time to have half an hour, change clothes, settle down with a cup of tea so I'm ready. And then another time you're playing well. I don't want to get to the ground too early. I just want to have seven or eight minutes loose to get a few. Thank you. I'd work it out myself. I mean, you should work it out yourself, what you need. Not tell all the bowlers after bowl 20 minutes. What do you want to do? What do you want to do? All I want to know, are you ready to play? You, I would never ask you. I might have even picked you. LAUGHTER I'd pick you, darling. Who was your best coach?

31:08Who was your... We never had coach. Did you ever... Mental. ..mentor? Or did you work it out all yourself? I had a coach, Johnny Lawrence. Right. Started when I was nine. And you used him all the way through your...

31:24Phil Tufnell: He had a cricket school, didn't he? Well, it was in the days when Adler and his cricket school had bought an old house at Rothwell near Leeds, and it had a greenhouse of about 35 yards. Greenhouse. Green? What, glass? Yes, all glass. No wonder you had it on the floor all the time. No wonder you had this blog, is it? LAUGHTER And so... He winded us a bit before. No, he had nets in it before. Soft hands. And then he had some rubber with no artificial turf then, just rubber mats. Bitumen. Yeah. No, just artificial, some rubber mats. Turned square, Jackie Berkinshaw, he lived next door but one. So I went there every Saturday morning as a kid.

32:10I caught two buses, got off, walked nearly a mile with my equipment rain snow or what always in the winter because he played for some set in the summer leg spinner and so I learned about leg spinning and balled at me all my life I understood it and that's how I grew up Jackie Birkinshaw

32:29Phil Tufnell: right there but equally that when you used to net here Ralph Middlebrook yeah and George Batty would ball at your morning wouldn't they the pair of them but just bowl i saw ralph the other day ralph ralph a ball medium pace and george a ball leg spin so that's george batty is gareth's dad yeah and yes ralph middlebrook is middlebrook the umpire yeah yeah well i came here when i was 15. i played for aquith little club aquith's first team was equal to barnesley in the big league second team my uncle wanted to stretch me so he took me to That's how I met Dickie Bird and Parkie, about seven years older, like elder brothers.

33:11And I went and this vice president of Yorkshire, Clifford Hesketh, he'd been on the committee, he was a vice president, was supposed to come and have a look at me, see if I was any good. And what Yorkshire did, January, February, March, they had a winter shed over there. You can't see it now, they had a tea room. It was a great big thing. when matches were on, you could buy sandwiches, tea and coffee. And in the winter, they made it into nets. Two nets. And January, February, March, a headmaster cricket club could recommend a young kid who they thought was pretty good in their area. So all these kids got invited.

33:51They used to have two sessions at Leeds, one at Bradford, one at Sheffield, one at Middlesbrough. So they'd covered the whole county. and they paid your expenses, bus fare, train, and you went and then you're under the Yorkshire Hospital and it was a tough upbringing, let me tell you. We stripped in the taverners here, it was known there, nothing like that, they were all just wooden seats, wooden benches, and what you can't see now, there's a running track around, it was called Leeds Cricket Football or the Rugby Athletic Club. There was this running track around, weren't there? Yeah, I do, yeah.

34:30Because I remember when we practised in April...

34:32Phil Tufnell: Yeah. ..and we finished 2 o 'clock till about 4, 4.30, and we went for a cup of tea. Yeah. Closie had this bulldog in his car. And so when he finished, ready to go for a cup of tea, he let the dog out and he went racing round the track in his car, the bulldog after it, it got its exercise for the day. two or three times running like hell around this thing. I mean, I mean, I've seen changes. There was a bowling green behind East Stans. I remember that.

35:04Michael Vaughan: That's where the grounds... There was a house there. Boyce. Boyce used to live just on the gates that we'd park in. There used to be a house just in the corner. That's where you'd live with a bowling green. He used to play.

35:18Phil Tufnell: Bounceman. And Illy, Illy, Closie, Dougie Padgett, Phil Sharp, all them, Johnny Hampshire, Nicholson, Binks and all that. They used a great team, a fantastic side. But they used to argue, like, you could hear them in the next dressing room arguing and shouting, Fred would be in. You used to argue, like, man, didn't you? We used to, well, not argue, but we wanted to win. Debate, debate. Well, it was certainly a... Healthy, healthy, healthy debate. Healthy debate. Lively. And so, picked everybody up. We wanted to win. That was all that mattered. I mean, within the laws, isn't it? No, they were proper.

35:53No, no, they were proper.

35:54Phil Tufnell: They'd argue like mad, and as soon as he'd go on the pitch, the one was respecting, everybody respected what they... Closely... We are, you know, we'd tell him things, he might take another thing on board, but once he said, right, this is what I'd do, Fred, you start and bowl better. LAUGHTER Yeah, but he'd tell him. Well, yeah. Get your act together and, Raymond, you bowl that in. and we'll try and pressurise him or we'll do that. Once he's said that, you follow. You know, as captain, you can have your thing, but once the captain decides, that's it. And if you don't say it, we all follow. Did you two boys, when you were captain, I mean, when I played, we used to have some barnies in the dressing room like that, weren't you, bloody, you're bowling a bunch.

36:35I was with every day. Did you used to do that when you were captain?

36:38Phil Tufnell: They had some flipping barnies. Yeah. I've seen things thrown all over him. Yeah. You sit there and let it go, let it diffuse. So when, let's say England, when you two were captain, you've gone out there, first morning of the Lord's Test, you bowled absolute a pile of pies, did you ever have a go at your team? I wouldn't have had like that. No, what would you...? I reckon try a bit more... No, you'd have discussion in a slightly more polite way, I think. No, we didn't have politely. Listen, when we went to the nets, we went to this indoor school as a kid One winters a night went to grammar school I knew you'd better.

37:22I went to grammar school four o 'clock went home Had a bit of tea quick got changed from the blazer off for school Got some other clothes on caught the bus or the train to leave and I get a little late They didn't mind because they know you had jobs or school So, he's stripped in this room here. I had to walk where these stand is. They had to walk then on this cycling track. This running track. Mind the bulldog. And I had to walk to the indoor net. You could see the light. And I passed this figure. I thought that was Arthur Mitchell, the coach. Dicker. Dicker. Oh. I could see the whites of his behind his overcoat.

38:02Snow on the ground. Overcoat. And I get in there, there's two nets. One's practicing closely, he's batting in one, but nobody's bowling at him. Apparently some young lad had bowled, and he was embarrassed at getting out, so he started slogging and not playing properly. So Arthur Mitchell said, right, give us your bowl to the bowlers. He says, you've got to bat closely, there's a bowl, you can bat on your effing own. I'm going for a wall. Nobody dare bowl at him. Discipline, his net was finished. He's trying to encourage the lads that nobody's daring to ball. Ticker Mitchell, apparently, he used to talk to himself when he was batting.

38:44That's why they called him Ticker. And he used to tick everybody off. You never got him to say, well played. I used to go in his net. And he used to... And he said, just get your elbow up a bit more, not bad. And the lads just said, oh, that's good, you know. And years later, when I'm captain in that little pavilion there, he came, he's retired, and he's watching the match. He came and sat in and told the lads to look after him, get him some lunch, tea. I said to him one day, I said, I think you're a bastard to us. You're real tough. He just laughed. He said, it didn't do thee any harm, did it?

39:20Look where that is. I said, well, is that it? He said, look, my job's to find good cricketers, but also cricketers with character, with heart because we have to win the championship. And he was looking for people to be tough, not soppy like you were saying, could you bowl a bit better? Were you a soppy captain, Sir Alistair? Sounds like it. What was the rivalry like between Lancashire and Yorkshire back in the day? Because obviously it is the roses, but was it fiery or did you... No, it was... When they hated each other in their own danger.

39:55Phil Tufnell: It was full on. In the early 60s, they were miles better than us. And we were, like, fearful of them, because we knew we were going to get a good hiding. Got my first one to do in slacks. Did you? Good then. Then as Yorkshire sort of declined a bit and we got better, you know, we'd get... Ah, you brought overseas players in, cos you weren't the only better than them.

40:24Michael Vaughan: stick to cricket he's brought to you by betfair

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43:12Phil Tufnell: And we would all refer to him as Mr Worthington. That was it, Mr Worthington. He used to have a trilby on and a cravat. Big coat. Pipe on? No, we had Arthur Mitchell. We started next in April, two o 'clock outside. And we come having a cup of tea. and there's Arthur Mitchell got these two young lads in the net, I mean, private. Oh, I see, it's the Earl of Howard. Oh, Howard House. The person of Yorkshire Earl House brought these two lads. Better watch this then, because Ticker's, you know, he's a tough old so-and-so. And he said, before he starts, he says, if you come in again, get your hair cut.

44:01Is that right? Had all these beetle haircuts. As soon as I started, we laughed. It was tough. It was really tough. We got sold in the 90s on the carryouts.

44:11Michael Vaughan: Clean shaving? Yeah, yeah. Oh, yeah. Yeah, clean shaving and shortback and side. Lloyd McLaren! Yeah, yeah. Yeah, we looked a rabble in that India. 92, all sat there.

44:22Phil Tufnell: No, he went there then. Different kit, didn't he? He came after that. Oh, 96. Yeah, well, that's right. I think when you get an upbringing like that, it's better for you. It's not doing you any harm. You know, there's a discipline about it. And if you will, hey, I mean, like Fred would bowl an hour. And of course it was cold in April. An hour? Oh, he'd bowl an hour. And then Fred... Ah, yeah, 11 till 12. Fred started the season overweight. Can't believe it now. They're in the gym doing that. Never saw a gym in his life. Didn't even know where there was one. He started deliberately overweight and he bowled every day for an hour.

45:01Then he'd go inside the pavilion where we had the heaters on because it was freezing. And he'd towel down so he didn't get cold in his back or anything and he'd have a rest with the warmth. And then Arthur would shout it for him to bat. And when he shouted for you, right, I better not be late when he shouted for you. He wanted you in then and then. And Fred would bat and go home. He didn't have anything about running around the pitch or the gyms. He just bowled every day. And then he went to bowl against Cambridge and Oxford. But he started MCC because the season was always on Yorkshire MCC. That's it, yeah.

45:39He bowled there, two innings. Three days, he bowled three days at Oxford, three days at Cambridge. He had nine days of bowling. And he's ready. He lost weight and he's ready. Brian Statham was the same, bowled. And now they're in the gym and everything. I say to young kids, stay out at the so-and-so gym. Go and bowl every day. Bowl. Everything you use for bowling, build it up. That's how Fred was.

46:04Phil Tufnell: I think England have got Troy Cooley now, who's like that. He's looking after all the bowlers, the big Australian guy. He's old school. He's old school. Get some bowling. You've got to bowl. I came here, first time technically. I was 11. in the first season. It was Fred's first Test match. 1952. Against India. Tough as either. No. And second innings... I mean, it was rough. You know, the long sleeve, every time, got him up and black hair back, and it was a tear away. It would have frightened you a bit if you were a bit, you know, ify, like you. HE LAUGHS And it got eight for eight for 40 in the second is it started off none for four no runs forward It's all it better go away get Fred got three in about five balls And we were sat on these benches what best time my life as a hero fast bowling that was heavenly People I played me first game against Yorkshire at Old Trafford and Dougie Padgett threw Fred's bag into our dressing room.

47:20Phil Tufnell: He said he can change in here. He'll be in here more than he is in yours. And he went round our dressing room. So you can imagine who the team... So he's gone and... He said, Noddy, Jeff Puller, opening batter. Good player, Jeff. Played for England. Played for England quite a lot. He said, are you playing, Nod? That's two there. Greeny, are you playing? He said, that's another who's this little boy Harry Pellini oh that's another that stars my first three it comes to me I'm making me first god this is news of this young man David Lloyd is this is David Lloyd is making his debut roses man can you lad can you hook well don't know what you get plenty of fucking practice today

48:01all this thing didn't the best one year he used to just come in dress you just Just walk in. Jack Bannister told me they played Yorkshire at Bradford. Can you get that out, Fred? Played Yorkshire at Bradford. And Fred's got 91 wickets. Now, the papers were full of every match, weren't they? All the averages, where you were, and it's top of the averages. So he wants to be the first one to get 100 wickets. He's never done that. So he's, what, 91 playing warrants at Bradford. Jack wrote to me and told me. And he said, we know he's going to come and spend time in our dressing and doing what he does to everybody.

48:49So they lock the door. And he's coming. No, can't get in. That'll be it. Keep it locked. He comes again. No, no. No, don't let the bugger in. So eventually the tea lady comes with the big tea, She kicks the door, you see, she's got all the tea. Tea, tea. So they open the door, Fred's in straight after her. Quick as a wink. He says, he stands there like John Wayne. He says, now then, you lot, he's got 91 wickets. And his name's the first 100. Now, which one of you is going to be the unlucky one? And he got his 100. Yeah, it was the first one. He just did psychology, didn't he? Yeah, he did.

49:36Michael Vaughan: Stick to Cricket is brought to you by Betfair. Next year is the 50th anniversary. Yes! Your 100th here at Headinley against the Aussies. I'm more intrigued about the 99th 100 you got. So, the week before, you get your 99th in a first-class match against Warwickshire. The Saturday, Monday, Tuesday. Now, is it correct that... Were you the skipper? yes and you batted yourself at number seven in the second innings yes why was nothing in the game we had rain going to be a draw gave others a chance we sent Chris Olden and he actually got the fastest hundred of the season because Warrington there was some penalty for over it one there it's right down so when When I went in, I didn't know that was going to happen, they started bowling batsmen of two yards.

50:39Perfect. And they had these 12th, 13th, 14th men around the boundaries, so went... Chucking it back. Chucking it back as fast as I could. And they were bowling like 22 overs an hour. And Chris keeps walloping it past its 100.

50:53Michael Vaughan: But were you not thinking the week after what was going to happen? No, I didn't even know. No? No, I... My mind was elsewhere because after I got my 98th, my comeback test at Nottingham, we had three days off, I think it was Gillette. And in that three days before I drove Friday to Birmingham for that match, my mother told me she'd got a lump under her arm. Like, how long have you had that? Months. Oh my God, I knew about cancer and I knew about girls, if they get a lump on the breast, they should check it and keep checking your breast because she can save your life, never mind the breast. Oh my God, and so I had to get her to organise people to see her.

51:44And in fact, when I travelled that Friday to Birmingham by car, I got stopped by the I was very pleased for speeding and my mind was all over the place. So playing the match at Morwich, I don't remember a lot. I don't even remember the 100. I know I got 100 but I don't remember anything about it. I just remember ringing Rachel that night, saying, I'm setting off home now. And she said, you've done it now. I said, done what? She said, it's all over the news, everywhere. They all say you're going to get your 100th 100 at Headingley. I went, oh, no. Because, I mean, the pressure I had coming back to test cricket at Nottingham was immense.

52:26I hadn't played for three years. I passed my best, you know what you like. I was 36 and a half. And I got through it. You know, I saw relief as much as anything that I got through all that pressure and everything and showed I could still do it. And then my mum had gone and rock bottomed me. Wow. cancer, a lump, and I was in nowhere to know anything, think about anything. So when she told me, oh, I swore, you know, how so-and-so effing difficult it is to get 100, and against Australia, and heading home ground, and so I didn't know much about the match at all, Michael.

53:11Michael Vaughan: What number were you on? You know, when you get 100, I used to think when I got to about... About 60, I thought, I should get 100. Well, 99. I always felt like I did what I mean, I'll get 100. Not always happened, but that's what... What number were you on that day when you thought, you know, this is on? Very early, actually. Because... Two. Just got off the mark. Look, I've always believed... I'm in. I practised to get a great technique with help from coaches and that. But I always knew that I could strive for perfection, but only occasionally would it happen. But on the way, maybe I could be exceptional.

53:59So all of us have had innings where just everything went. And that morning, I wasn't feeling great because I knew the pressure was on. I mean, two sacks of mail turned up.

54:13Phil Tufnell: People writing letters. People writing letters. And then they were betting six or seven to one. I get it, which is ridiculous. I thought it was a test match. Well, you meant it should have been shorter. No. And then I didn't sleep. I had the guy up at four o 'clock in the morning talking about the air conditioner. I mean, I was just stressed one day. I was late. I got up late, which I was never late. I rushed like hell, I got a taxi. And this taxi driver said, oh, I had your mates in here the other day. I said, who was that? Because the players went by a car. Oh, that Thompson and Pascoe. I told him you were going to get under.

54:59They said, no, he's not. We're going to knock his effing head off. And then I got here. Boyce was taking the nets down. Because he didn't have many helpers then, did he? Boyce and two little kids helping. and he's got to roll the pitch and everything. What time did you have to be in, or did you not have to be in at any time? Well, about an hour before, but I was late. I just overslept. You didn't have, like, a team meeting at 10 o 'clock or something? No. And I was just pleading with him to leave a net up, could have a quick hit. I didn't want us to bat. I hoped Michael would lose the toss and I'd be all right next day, you know, with the rest.

55:32Sunny day, beautiful day, pitch was good. But I was just... Then we won the toss. We walked out, Michael said, do you mind if I take first ball? Well, I didn't, because I wasn't feeling special. So I went down other end and he was out for nought, fourth ball. That woke me up pretty quickly. Michael really? Yeah, it woke me up pretty quickly. But he come back to you, all that, not feeling great, but within no time, my feet were moving beautifully. And I also batted for rhythm. You'll understand that, I do rhythm play. when your hands, your feet are moving perfectly. You've never had it. No, I know.

56:10You were totally useless. I know. Start me dancing. Yes. And everything was just moving. The ball hit in the middle of the bat and it was one of those days it just... And Duncan Fernley made the bat. His brother Michael used to bowl at me in the net. Yeah. Elite bowler, medium pace. And apparently I found afterwards the staff used to sit on the outside seats of that little pavilion Downstairs you remember just sit and he went and sat with him because he was like when I want Coaches and he said I'll tell you whether they're 100 And they watched half an hour. I said not a problem His feet's moving.

56:53I was a rhythm man Everything was okay from that rooms when you're out of rhythm you can but you make 40 you make 30 50 but when you're in real rhythm, everything's going well. You see the ball early, you move beautifully. You're almost moving and waiting for the ball. You see it's quick and it just is.

57:16Phil Tufnell: We had Justin Langer on here not long ago. And he's an interesting guy. And he looked at 20 great players and they were all the same, all 20. Yes. Do you remember? and he said in the stance, in the batting stance, as the ball is running in at release, the bat is tapping on the ground and is on the ground at release. So you were exactly the same. Yes. And so you watch lads now who have 90 % and he talked about standing like that. He said, and that is tight and taut. When you're like that, you're very relaxed. The reason they stood like that now is because the game has changed, certainly from Michael and yours.

58:06He's seen a bit of it. But as soon as 2020 and the IPL came in, I said, it's cricket's answer to baseball. So they all stood like baseball hitters. Somebody's pitching and they're going to hit a home run. So now you're looking for 100 balls, 120 balls. How many fours, how many sixes can I hit? So they stood ready to hit. They're not batting, they're hitting. And that's what has happened. And your former captain, Graham Gutsch, was a guest of mine at Scarbury, where I'm president. And we were talking about batting as we do. Good friends, open together. And he said, the modern-day players are all good at scoring quickly on flat pitches with these big bats.

58:54Once it moves around, they're not very good. They don't wait for the ball. They're going to hit it out there, take it early. They don't wait for it and let it come to you. They can't do that and let it go past off Stum, which you did very well, which you have to do as an opener. I did. You've got to know off Stum where it is. Very good. Well, his record says he's just got to watch him bat. Figures don't tell you everything, but they don't lie either. No. I tell you quite a lot if you like. Well, your average is 4.1. Absolutely. What's your average? 4. something? 9.1, thank you very much. Yeah, I think they must have been off the edge.

59:33I hate to them.

59:34Phil Tufnell: Which is inevitable. That point about tapping the bat here... Just releasing tension. This, he said, all this is relaxed, whereas if you're there, you're tight. So do you think there's a chance that you might get coaches now... Going back to it. would study and try and get a young cricketer, right, we're going to go back to this.

59:55Michael Vaughan: Or will they study Harry Brook-style technique? Which is a new way. Gucci. Gucci's starting it.

1:00:03Phil Tufnell: You come back to what he's just said, that if it's difficult, on a difficult surface, when you have to defend... Change your tap down. You just change. I don't think they can change. Right.

1:00:16Michael Vaughan: It's like having a stinger, isn't it, and links. It is. These great golfers, they can go low when it's in the links. When you're an American, you need high, they can launch.

1:00:25Phil Tufnell: From our era, there were two players who Tony Gregg were like 6 '6", so he would stand upright, and Graham Gooch, who's a big guy, would also stand upright against West Indies. And then it became a bit of a fad, and lots of people started standing upright with the bat there. But I thought Langer was interesting, that he said that it's not relaxed. Look, Greggy is simple while Greggy did it. It's 6 '8". That's it.

1:00:53Michael Vaughan: Geoffrey, let's get you with your bat. Get your bat, Phil. Get your bat. We haven't had it out. When Greggy stood at 6 '8". Geoffrey, get in front of the stumps. We do our demos in front of the stumps. Come on. When Greggy batted from 6 '8", and he's having to bend over like that, because he's bending a long way with a shaw-handled bat, so the eyes are one above the other. you have to have your eyes on the same level so once he stood up like that he could see better he could judge length better for him it was a no brainer because if he stands and Joe Roo, here's a good one Joe Roo started at Yorkshire about 13 Rachel and I saw him in Jersey when we lived in Jersey he came with the under 15s and he's 12th man why was that his kitter got lost Steve Oldham was teaching me about feeling so we knew he could bat played in the other matches he came to our house a couple of times so that's how we first met him so I watched him how he did told him he was really good then in his teens I couldn't tell you what year he had a terrible start to the season he wasn't getting a run he groaned like the tall lad he is now.

1:02:15He wasn't. He was much smaller, runt-like. But he grew up, sprouted up, got sun on him, and he got up and a bit of sun and water and went up. And so, what happened... Runt. ..he was bending over like this. I don't think Gerard can have been called a runt. He was tall, with a short-handled bat, and his eyes... ..he didn't realise that. When he started standing up with a longer handle, his eyes are level. You must have your highest level to focus. No, nothing would have helped. No, no, no, no.

1:02:48Michael Vaughan: Geoff, just before he goes from that, I just want you... So, August 11th, 1977, what were you on? 97, was it? When you hit that on-drive. I want you to play that on-drive. Show us that on-drive. Come on, we saw some nice on-drives. Philip, Philip, can you show it? Greg Chappell, I watched it on the telly. How does he play the on-drive to get to his 100th hundred? What was the key to it, Phil? Yeah, the cap on Geoff, didn't it? Yeah, he did. Who was it mid-on? Who was it? Pascal. Was it someone like a... Rick McCosker or... Who was the bowler? Greg Chappell. Bowling little seamers. Quick, quick.

1:03:23What was the key to it, Phil? And the key to it, well, again, was head, high elbow, which Geoff was excellent at.

1:03:31Phil Tufnell: Trigger movement, trigger movement. Right, right. Back and across. Back and across. Slight. Don't move your head. No, don't move your head. Don't move. Back and across. Okay, sorry. All right. Don't move your head. Back in the cross, don't move your head. There, through there. Oh, God, if I went like that, I'd never imagine. Slezenger bat. Slezenger bat. Then get a celebration. What was a celebration? Slezenger bat. Was it Slezenger bat? Oh, wasn't it? With the green stripe? Oh, was it Duncan? County first. County, that's right.

1:04:02Michael Vaughan: And then the fans came on. Did you take your cap off? Yeah. But one pinched it. I think the lad pinched it off me. I would have pinched it! No way! It shot off, I got it later back. Really? Well, that's ridiculous. I remember that, I watched it on the telly. When you have magical days, just a few times... Geoffrey, your head's a bit... That was it! That was it! That was it! Was that the shot? Yes. I'm taking it from off stump and just working outside the line with my head. You've got to get your head outside to just work it with a straight not with a cross back with a stroke yeah who's who's in that skis well that's a good stance that we got in there do you know will jefferson's in there will jefferson oh that's a nice shot look Look at that, you've caught me well.

1:05:03You always had the biggest helmets ever. Massive, massively. Massive helmet.

1:05:09Michael Vaughan: No, Gunnar Moor used to produce these helmets. They were monsters, like those Open Championship ones. What is interesting about... He's got the... He's got the... This is interesting about batting. The greatest batsman we've ever had by Lighthers is Bradman. Also, I don't think there's a debate by anybody on that. He? He batted with the bat between his feet. Right, yeah. Between his feet, and he picked the bat up at Gully.

1:05:34Phil Tufnell: Yeah. We picked it up about first slip, we loop it slightly and come down straight. He picked it up at Gully, come right round. Here you are. I'll show you. I've got my name. We pick the bat up here, don't we? We pick it up just here. And it looks like it's come down straight. Bradman stood like that between his feet, and picked it up there, and rotating his shoulders as well as that, to come down straight. Oh, it wicket. He is by far the best batsman ever, and nobody teaches his way of batting. Not one person teaches him.

1:06:10Michael Vaughan: Steve Smith is as close as that. He's as close as... Yeah, yeah. But nobody teaches it, and he's the greatest we've ever seen or likely to see. Why is that, then? Well, you asked me how, you asked me. I'm telling you.

1:06:22Phil Tufnell: So it wasn't in the MCC coaching mind-up to do that. He's just pick your bat up straight. He started like that. There it is. I picked it up there and you have to use shoulders to come down. Yeah. We just go there, don't we? He goes up there. Yeah, yeah. And this is... without a doubt. I mean, I've talked to people who bowled against him. Bill Bowers, 6 '4", played for England. He bowled Bradman out first ball in the body line test at Melbourne. Is that rhythm, though? Erm... And he said he just hit it whenever there wasn't a feeling. I said, how do you mean? We all try to do that, don't we? No, he just did it, Geoffrey.

1:07:05He said if you're both slightly short, he pulled it quick as a wing. Down. Poof! And you put it next to mine and it's in the gap there. Well, it's handy for the pool shot. If you go to gully, isn't it? If you go to gully, did you say he was a great puller, Geoff? Well, there you go. Well, if you're like that and you're there... Just go there. We don't go round, you just take it from there.

1:07:28Phil Tufnell: Geoffrey, we had a sort of cultural seminar at Lillyshaw, National Sports Centre down at Lillyshaw. Colin Cowdery was the speaker and asking questions. And somebody said, did you get a mental picture of where the fielders are? And he said, no, I got a mental picture of where they're not. I thought that was a good point. Yeah, where the gaps are. Yeah, I had a mental picture of where there are no fielders. I used to tell our players when they get driving it, if they feel that, I said, what's the point of hitting it and hitting the fielder? Woody used to play some of that. How do you mean? I said, well, right, Lara was brilliant at that.

1:08:08You know where the field is? Yeah. He takes it a little early or a little later. No, he just hit it. I said, no, he can't. If I know the gap's there, I'm going to take it a little early. If it's there, I just hit it there and it slips off there because I took it later.

1:08:24Phil Tufnell: So I saw something you've done recently when you were asked who's the greatest player that you ever played with and it took a long time for you to answer. Who did you say? The greatest player you played with? I can't remember. Ted Dexter. I thought he was very good. In my England team that I played with, he'd be number three. Dexter, yeah. I want, if I'm picking a team, I want people with character as well. Obviously talent, but I want some character. I want some of this. I want some bottle.

1:08:58Michael Vaughan: Stick to Cricket is brought to you by Betfair.

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1:11:26Michael Vaughan: Just on Headinley, Which stand do you want named after yourself? Well, I'll probably get the toilet, won't I? I'll probably name this too. There's nothing in me. It must be. Which stand do we have? Which stand do you reckon, Phil? Well, the... Is there Ali? The best one. Terrace? The best one. Down there. Geoffrey's...

1:11:45Phil Tufnell: So it's the best team you've ever... You've played with. Yeah. So that's from all generations and if you... Well, so... I played it in Sobers. No, with. With. With. That would be with. He played with us. No, sorry, sorry, in your side. One match. In your side. Oh, so he played with us. Oh, he played with us. One match in Bermuda. In. He's in. So you got... You know what happened? He came as a guest when we were going in 64. We went to America Canada Bermuda. And they brought him as a guest in Bermuda. The first match was in Somerset. Right. That team's hot. And... We were five down for note on matting on concrete.

1:12:25The ball is going through like lightning. Whoa! We're five down. And he comes into bat. And this ball bounces at him. He says to the captain, no more bounces. No more bouncing. So I went up at the end of the over. I said, what about me? He says, no more bounces to him too. So we both get 100. I said, I like to bat with you more often. Yeah.

1:12:50Phil Tufnell: Well, he made it. You said Dexter, didn't you? Yes. Dexter. 10 extra at three who are you opening with jeffrey gooch gooch okay yeah yeah if you can't play in

1:13:02Michael Vaughan: your 11 who would you put as gooch's partner if it's not you edrich right edrich ah great temperament fabulous temperament and not even bother about it number four you can come back if you if you You want to say number 11? Who are you ballers? Fred will be in there. Fred's at 11. Fred Truman. Underwood. Underwood, 10. 10. Number nine. Robert Baltham.

1:13:29Phil Tufnell: Both of them at six. He was seven, wouldn't he? Six? You said sorbers. You played once with sorbers. So, where's sorbers going? Five? Four sorbers. There's a batsman out of this world. Not arkin'. Oh, there's a chance of beefy. Beefy's at six. Who's your keeper? Not. Not. Absolutely great.

1:13:49Michael Vaughan: Beef. Who's five? You need another batter.

1:13:54Phil Tufnell: Nice little... Ooh, Barrington. Ooh, brave mate. I like to have a bit of flair as well.

1:13:59Michael Vaughan: I'm going to have a captain here, Brearley. Brearley to captain. No. So you need an eight and nine, you need another... Tony Gregg. Ooh. Ooh. Oh, not a bad shout, Phil. Well done, Phil. Any overseas...? I don't have overseas at York. Oh, what about Closie? Closie about five. Oh, Closie. Billy, Closie. Willis, Bob Willis. Oh, Bob Willis. He's on Snow. Snow, yeah, yeah. Number nine. Good player. Snow. Good bowler. To be fair, you've got four seamers already. You didn't play with SF Barnes, did you, Joe? No, he got deadly in them. I say you've got four seamers already with Sobers and Beef. I've got a left armour.

1:14:37Left armour, varied attack. You can have another.

1:14:40Michael Vaughan: You've got four seamers there, so you can have anyone at eight. You can have five. I've got left at batsman.

1:14:46Phil Tufnell: Five and eight. Five and eight. You've got a spinner unless you want two spinners. Titmuss, Illingworth. Illingworth, Titmuss. Illingworth, I think. Illingworth.

1:14:57Michael Vaughan: Illingworth, skipper. Captain. Illingworth, captain. Right, captain. You need one more batter, Geoffrey, at five.

1:15:04Phil Tufnell: I need a batter. Randall, you play with Randall. Yeah, definite. We run him out. LAUGHTER Oh, he just didn't run fast enough. Not my fault. I think David Gower.

1:15:17Michael Vaughan: Oh, that's a good team. I like that. I always batted well with David. He was, you know, it gives the impression of being, I don't know, a little fit, but actually, when he was batting, he never had a problem running between the wickets or anything. Hey, that's a good start. You put yourself in there with Gucci. That's a good team, isn't it? Yeah, Fred and Snow with a new ball. He's got a great temperament, John Edridge. He play and miss twice and you go down as a partner and say, OK, yeah, fine, well, he just struck it off. If ball went in before, just hit it. 100-100s. Tremendous. Edridge's got 100-100s.

1:15:57Michael Vaughan: Stick to Cricket is brought to you by Betfair. Great to have you on again. We've finished with some community questions. Oh, God. Is there one from them? Rachel bycott. Is there one from her? There isn't one from Rach, I don't think. Can't see that. We'll probably make one up, though. I should have sent one in. There's one for you. Which county would you play for if you couldn't play for Yorkshire? Lancashire. Would you? They've committed to treating me better than Yorkshire committed. Yeah, vice versa these days. It's vice versa. My committee was trying to sack me. Right, here we go. I've had a message sent in from Australia, from Matt in L.

1:16:46Michael Vaughan: Sternwick in Australia. Hell you haven't. Victoria. Go on then. It says, Geoffrey, 99 not out at the WACA. Whose fault was it? Yours for farming the strike badly or the number 11s? Bob Willis. Bob Willis' fault. I came in to bat and we kind of saved the match. I batted all day. Vince Lilly bowed beautifully. And I'm thinking, right, new ball, this and that. Might lose a wicket. I've got to get most of the stride. So I hit this. There were two balls to go in the hole. I hit this for three. just clipped it. It made nobody feel it. Only cover, they're all bloody catching, aren't they? And so off we go, running three and then I'm gonna get the strike.

1:17:38You only got two balls. And I start running third run and ain't running. I'm running on my own and I run back again. I virtually run four and I got two. And then Lily was smart. He brought me a bounce so far over I couldn't reach it and then one fast Yorker down the leg side, I couldn't reach that. End of the over. Jeff Dimmock comes on and balls him in Underwood out in two balls. I said to him at the end of the over, I said, why do you run? I would have got the strike as well, protect you. He said, no, no, Lily, you'll get me out. He faced one ball from Dimmock, he got him out. Jeff Dimmock? Hmm, left arm.

1:18:18You're over it though, aren't you? You're over it, you got over it. No, I'm not. I mean, he was that bad a batsman. He was worse than New England.

1:18:29Michael Vaughan: Oh, you've copped it in this show, Phil. He once went out at... He forgot his bat. Do you remember him going at Edgbaston and he got halfway to the wicket, he forgot the bat, didn't he, Phil? He's going out to Barney Hunt, he got the bat with him. I always took me bat with me, Geoff. It's been a waste of time, man. LAUGHTER Oh, I love it. Here you go, Geoffrey. Geoffrey, who would be in your all-time Manchester United five-a-side team? Duncan Edwards, my dad used to say. Yeah, me and all. Duncan Edwards. Yeah. Duncan Edwards. Bobby Charlton said, I've still got my book, tell them all. I haven't got my book, but sign my Bobby to me.

1:19:04Michael Vaughan: I've got it somewhere, Geoff. Don't worry. I'll get that book. It's coming. So you've got Duncan Edwards. George. George. George Best, Dennis Lowe. Eric. Eric Cantor. Oh, you need one more. You need to go. Go on. You need someone. Smeichel. Smeichel, yeah. Good five that. Favourite county ground? Whenever I got 100. I'm not bothered. Did you ever not get 100 anywhere?

1:19:34Phil Tufnell: Which county ground did you get more summaries at? We've got 18 here. Other than home? Away ground? I don't know. Most places. That'd be quite good, wouldn't it? I got nine against you lot. I got the most heavy. By the way, I got him out twice. No, don't start about it. You got out of it. I looked it up again the other day, and I couldn't get to sleep for it. Twice? Twice. Not once. I did have 140. One time, I did have 140. 139. LAUGHTER

1:20:10Michael Vaughan: Hey, Geoff, this is a good one. I have to say, you're looking great. You are looking mighty fine. It's your 86th birthday on the 21st of October. What advice would you give your younger self?

1:20:26Advice? Hmm. What, about life or about it?

1:20:30Michael Vaughan: Phil, I'm just reading the question.

1:20:36I try not to make the mistakes I've made. Plenty of them. Mistakes, you have to live with them then. I mean, that's what I do. I do know them. I'm aware of them, and I wish they hadn't happened. Biggest one, I should have had three daughters. The one I've got, biggest mistake I made, has been an absolute delight. Never been done for drugs, never been drunk. She likes to drink, she likes to dress up and go out and have dinner.

1:21:08Michael Vaughan: She's still selling wedding dresses. Yeah, got the prize last year. Yeah, best wedding dress shop and the whole of Northwest of England That's in Maccasual. 3000 entries. Yeah. Best business. Three stories. Got men's as well. Women's has got... Men's wedding dress? LAUGHTER It's got dresses for Mother of the Bride. You never know. Yes. Got her own seamstress. Great. No, it's good. Yeah, great. Right, what should we... There we go, we'll finish with this one. Of all the modern players, which is the one that you enjoy watching the most? The modern players? Yeah. So in the last 15 years, you could talk about what we've called the Fab Four.

1:21:53Michael Vaughan: You know, Joe Root, Virat, Kane, Steve Smith. But all right, going to the 21st century, who's the one player? When was that from? 2001.

1:22:02Phil Tufnell: In this programme that you've just done recently, you came up with one word. He's my favourite cricketer. now and he's Indian. Yeah. Who is it? Tell him. Jadeja. Oh, I love Jadeja as well. Bold, beautiful. His feeling is electric. He can bat, gets his head down, he can bat properly. And he's a handsome so-and-so. Oh, is he? Yeah. I met him for the first time recently. Was it last year I went to India? And I met him. I remember I just watched him. I said, am I favourite? He said, no, he didn't do that. I said, definitely. I love him. very handsome in there a nice life yeah just a good trickier doesn't it yeah all-round yeah

1:22:44Michael Vaughan: yeah great by the way Dave I forgot to mention he's a DJ he's got his own show boom radio boom

1:22:53Phil Tufnell: radio it's all nine moves of our age our age group bank holiday Monday 31st 34 which camera 31st 31st of August, 8 till 9 o 'clock at night. DJ Mumble playing some tunes. Yeah, and who do you throw to? Guess who I'll throw to? Emperor Roscoe. Do you remember him, Emperor Roscoe? He must be about 120. And it's live, yeah? Yeah, it's live.

1:23:25Michael Vaughan: Brilliant, Geoffrey, thank you. Thanks for coming. Brilliant. Great to see you.

1:23:37Michael Vaughan: Oh, by the way, quick question. England win the Ashes next year, yes or no? To prepare properly, Australia are ready for the taking. They can't bat. They've only got two batsmen. There you go. That's England to win.

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