Summer Sports - Cricket
Ed Smith’s literary career so far has seen him pen four books. Following time spent with the New York Mets, he wrote ‘Playing Hard Ball’, a comparison of cricket and baseball.
‘On and Off the Field’, a diary of the year he played for England, was awarded Wisden Book of the Year. The playwright Simon Gray described his ‘What Sport Tells Us About Life’ as: “an absolutely delightful book. What Smith says about rhythm in batting is also true of writing - poise, balance, etc. - and Smith has it.”
His fourth title, ‘Luck’, hit the shelves this April, and he has created what is, in my humble view, a thoroughly frank and enjoyable account of the role that luck plays in sport and in life, and how sound early foundations can set you on the right path of success in many fields, including turfcare I feel sure.
Skills such as poise and balance arguably could apply equally well to any task. “If a job’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well” may seem a tad trite, but excellence in the detail of a task can in turn create a ‘climate’ favourable to what Smith references as “creating your own luck”, a concept he says top sportspeople appear to subscribe to, but one that, in truth, is difficult to nail down in a form that we can all apply in the context of improving the quality of what we do. Blind faith in our ability to create our own luck may be all we need, in fact. The rest just follows.
In October 2010, Ed also wrote and presented Inside Sport, his first documentary for BBC1 television, then wrote and presented Peak Performance for BBC Radio 3, a series comparing the shared experiences of sportsmen and musicians. He also appears regularly on Radio 4's Today programme.
Following retirement from cricket, Ed wrote the ‘Mind Games’ column for The Daily Telegraph, before joining The Times, first writing leaders then features. He contributes to The Spectator and is a columnist for GQ magazine.
Ed began his career at Kent CCC
when demand falls and the sport suffers.” “Having groundsmen dedicated to
producing high quality playing surfaces is surely the way forward to ensure standards can be maintained well. This all comes down to cost though, and the private sector has the greater pulling power finance-wise to allow them to attract the best out there.” “I don’t want to lecture groundsmen on how to do their job,” Ed is quick to stress. “I don't understand the scientific nature of the trade, but what I will say, from my own experience, is that getting schoolchildren more involved is a sure fire way of them gaining a sense of ownership over the pitch and the quality of it.”
My grandfather Eric used to persuade his pupils to help him on the wicket. I would have gladly pitched in, if I had been asked. If young players know what’s involved, they will care more, which will ultimately be good for cricket. More grounds need to receive the attention and love that those at Tonbridge School did, and still do.”
Selling off playing fields and pitches has become a highly emotive issue, with many vulnerable to what Ed touched on earlier - lack of use for whatever reason and a fall in quality somehow justifying the decision to scrap them in favour of more housing and commercial development. “The best way to protect a playing field is to have it in use all the time. Some might say that much has been done to create new playing fields and spaces for
sport, but this is not always for cricket provision which, of course, requires more space and time to prepare.”
It comes as no surprise to learn that Ed has worked alongside Alex Welsh and the LPFA, which are both active in promoting the preservation of natural turf in the capital. “Alex believes - and I echo this sentiment - that the best way to protect sports pitches is to keep them in use.” ”Having access to the best facilities is something I’ve been lucky enough to experience, and it’s something that leaves a lasting impact, whether that be Tonbridge or Lord’s - a place that certainly still has a special place for me.” I feel it appropriate to end on Ed’s
recollection of cricketing life at the home of the game during his time playing for Middlesex. Sentiments that groundsmen across the country will surely summon up in their own way, on their own terms, about their own patch of green. “A small part of the soul secretly sings, each and every time, as you walk through the Long Room and on to the billiard- table smooth turf of Lord’s. The ground never looks better than in high summer, in the soft yellows of a late-afternoon sun. The grandstand was casting long shadows over perfectly tended grass. As the finest cricket ground in the world, Lord’s is pretty damn sexy.” I for one look forward to Ed’s next book, but I secretly hope that he may apply his logic, analysis and highly approachable, grass-roots style to turfcare some time soon.
A COPY OF ‘LUCK’
We’re giving you the chance to win one of five copies of ‘Luck’, Ed Smith’s insight into how much of our everyday life we have any control over.
All you have to do is answer the question below, then email your answer to
editor@pitchcare.com by the closing date of 12th July, when the winning entries will be drawn, and announced on the website.
How old was Ed when he made his debut hundred for Cambridge University?
You’ll find the answer in the article. GOOD LUCK
66 PC JUNE/JULY 2012
WIN
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