The Grim Reaper Experience

Based around the Cup and League winning side of 1982, thirteen ex LSWCC players descended on Somerset. They came from all over the world to rekindle a twenty-year-old dream. Tony Turner and Gopal Lalchandanhi came from Hong Kong; Neil Brodie from China and Rizwan Farouq travelled from Bangladesh. Tony Penny started out in New Zealand whilst Gordon Bacon had flown in from Bosnia and Chris Wrigglesworth had come from Moscow via Epsom. The UK based contingent consisted of Geoff Lever, Keith Johnstone, Richard Flood, Dave Gilliland, Malcolm Grubb and Alan Scott. Complimenting the players were wives, sons, daughters and, even, grand children. What was even more surprising and unexpected was the large contingent of ex Hong Kong groupies, not only from Little Sai Wan, that came along to recall their own memories and to share in ours. The earliest tales, tall and true, went back to 1961. One Hong Kong veteran recalled Gopal as a cheeky schoolboy who threw stones and looked up girl's skirts. His old maths teacher, Monica Reeve, remembered he could not differentiate between 10 and a 100. Things had not changed very much.

Aptly named the Grim Reaper Tour, age had taken its toll. Whilst the wives of some of the younger members of the team, Grubb (46) and Brodie (46) etc., had battled to keep alive some spark of fitness, the more mature combatants like Lever (59) and Wrigglesworth (54) had to be carried from end to end between overs (and Lever was the umpire). There were some who still held to the pretence of being in their prime, such as Gopal and Won Lon Pi but the occasional leg rubbing and early morning stretching exercises revealed a more accurate picture of their declining condition. Others, like Turner, whilst outwardly intact, exposed their vulnerability by going to sleep at every opportunity. Along with the countryside sounds wafting on the breeze across the downs, Turners' melodic reverberating snores were heard from the crease particular against the slower bowlers. Afternoon nap syndrome had become a reality. The one person who had appeared to defy all the forces of aging and was seen to do real cricketing things like running between wickets and catching the ball was the oldest person on the park, Dave Gilliland (65).

Although the bodies had succumbed, the personalities, in most cases, had not given way to senility. The quick fire repartee of Johnstone and Scott had not dimmed; the fierce intensity of Grubb and Farouq was still to be marvelled at and the Flood joy for living had got stronger with the passing years. Even Lalchandanhi's jokes and Lever's grumpiness had not improved, thank goodness.

The first day of togetherness, 30th July, was scheduled as a day of watching Somerset vs. Glamorgan county cricket match. However, as Somerset had annihilated Glamorgan on the previous day, there was no match to watch. Trains, golf and indoor nets occupied most of the day, which was crowned by a dinner for all. It was at this dinner that the tour battle cry was coined. If in future years, you are lucky enough to hear the toast "May the fleas of a thousand camels infest the testicles of the opposition" then you will be privileged to have met one of the members of the Little Sai Wan Grim Reaper tour to Somerset in July/August of 2001. Give him respect and pay him homage.

At this early stage there emerged within the tour party an inheritance of the Little Sai Wan spirit displayed through the sons of the team. Riyad Farouq, Richard Grubb, Russell Johnstone and Harry Flood, not only became essential playing members of the tour squad, but got on so well that it was evident they had also acquired what their fathers were fighting to preserve. In-match family rivalry and off-match bar bonding were added bonuses for the tour fathers.

Whilst Jo was a bit too young to bar bond with Grandpa Bacon, the obvious delight of all the rashers together, including daughters Gill and Leslie, added to the family atmosphere in the tour party. Sue Grubb and Ina Farouq were co-opted into scoring once more and their contributions were truly and sincerely appreciated despite the lack of public recognition. Newcomers and "foreigners" Monika and Tanya looked on with incredulous disbelief at how seemingly well adjusted middle age (ahem) men could get so much pleasure in dressing up in white clothes and standing (for the most part) around in a field all day long. Lizzie Grubb and Annabelle Flood made guest appearances to ensure their fathers behaved in a manner that Lizzie and Annabelle could approve.

The opening match on the 31st July was hosted by Tiverton and Heathcote Cricket Club and arranged by Nigel Grandfield, an old (and bearded) friend of Little Sai Wan. The undoing of team's chances of success was arriving in good time for a net and a practice. As the match progressed, it soon became clear that every potential run, dot ball and catch had been used up in the warm up leaving nothing left for the match proper. This and the fact that Grandfield had packed the side with under 25 year old Southern Hemisphere professionals resulted in a resounding defeat. A commemorative plaque and Man of the Match T-shirt and cap was given to the opposition, thanks to the tour sponsor, Zinocki (Gopal Lalchandanhi). "For LSWCC, up and coming youngster, Malcolm Grubb, performed well with both with bat and ball scoring 31 and taking many for not so many. Clearly a star in the making." Author's Note: - This is an extract from sports writer, Malcolm Grubb's copy to his paper.

Our UK host in Somerset was Peter Anderson. Unfortunately, our match on the Somerset ground in Taunton on the 2nd August 2001 was rained off but we managed to be comprehensively thrashed by Plod's team at Seaton on the 1st. Even this insult and the fact that Wrigglesworth dropped him and failed to run him out did nothing to dampen the enjoyment of the day. Wrigglesworth later claimed that the bribes he had received from Plod had been put in the fines bag. The Person of the Match was undoubtedly Sybil (and Jane and Emma) for the after match Cottage Pie and Baked Beans. Flood was seen offering seconds to all and sundry so that he had the excuse to revisit the food table many times. By this stage in the tour, the cricket scores had become irrelevant and so the magnificent 96 scored by Rizwan Farouq was almost immediately forgotten by all (except Rizwan, of course).

Although the tour was about cricket, it was not about cricket. As in the cup winning, league conquering days of yore, each day revealed tales of marriages and divorces, of business successes and failures and of the highs and lows of the intervening twenty years. As in those same days, each listened, shared the joy or the sorrow, and withheld judgement for private consideration. Trivia such as marital relationships, business, politics or cultural differences became incidental to the pursuit of the perfect off-drive.

It is very difficult to put into words the feelings surrounding the Little Sai Wan Cricket Club of the 1970's and 80's; it had been a "United Nations" of sport; a coming together of the West, the East and the Antipodes; a resting place for the rebels and the unwanted. It had also been the home of the finest hours in the lives of many a Hong Kong transient. The source of the inspiration, the Little Sai Wan Cricket Club, had changed beyond the understanding of all but those who remained resident in Hong Kong. The only direct link with the past is the current President of the Club and the organiser of the reunion tour, Tony Turner. We thank him for not only organising the tour but for keeping alive in Hong Kong a precious part of our past.

Of course, we all made the "Let's do it again next year" vow and, who knows, hopefully, the reunion experience may happen again. What can be said, with absolute certainty, was that everybody, from Jo to Geoff, who played a part in the 2001 Grim Reaper experience, would count it as being just as special as their playing days at LSWCC.

Attached is a list, in no particular order, of ex Hong Kong people who shared all or part of the Grim Reaper experience

Gordon Bacon, daughters Gill, Leslie with grandchildren, Jo and Hannah
Gopal and Monika Lalchandanhi
Ian Lacey-Smith
Monica Reeve
David Gilliland
Arthur Ruddock
Bernard Moore
Keith and son, Russell, Johnstone
The Grubbs; Malcolm and Sue with son, Richard, and daughter, Lizzie.
The All Black Tony's; Tony Turner and Tony Penny (Won Lon Pi).
Neil Brodie
Rizwan Farouq, his wife Ina and son, Riyadh
Richard, Bella, Harry and Annabelle Flood
Chris and Tanya Wrigglesworth
Nigel Grandfield
Peter Anderson, his wife, Sybil and daughters Jane and Emma
Geoff Lever
Alan Scott
Ian Stevens