Twenty - Weston Creek Cricket Club

Weston Creek, Cricket ClubJim is also a trained painter and decorator - "service withcivility" is his motto. The quality of his workmanship isbeyond question and value for money is his real trademark inthis, as in life. A big problem that came with this job was along suffered back complaint that, at times, severely restrictedhis mobility and forced his non participation, but there can beno doubting his courage. In the twilight of his career, hereceived a nasty blow to the head whilst batting. Undaunted,he donned a batting helmet and continued to bat the only wayhe knew how.It would be impolite (but probably accurate) to suggest thathis batting was agricultural; it may be more appropriate tocall it unorthodox. I have seen Jim send the first ball of thegame steepling back over the bowler's head. I have also seenhim get out very early in an innings. There were manyoccasions when his style paid off, and he always gave thebowlers something to think about.As is often the case, a good fast straight one would often behis undoing. To any who cared to listen, Jim was able torecount many a story about his early days when,as a strappingyoungster, he opened the batting and bowling for his localside. Having seen him turn his hand to many things duringour acquaintance, who am I to question that?.After he started wearing his helmet to practice, all the youngtearaways thought that it would be fun to try and knock thehelmet off his head. It was many a youngster who also hadto face the wrath of one J. Nuttall as he picked the ball upafter being bounced and threw it over the back of the netuttering in that deep northern drawl something about how he"wanted some proper practice and these young buggers couldfetch t' ball for themselves".His bowling style is also one that will live on in my memory.54