Report by Len Cheston

Fifteen Leyton Orient Walking footballers who also happen to be keen cricketers turned up this Wednesday for the Walking Cricket session that was run by Leyton Orient Trust and Essex County Cricket Club. The morning was spent doing some sporting memories work followed by a game of walking cricket on the Leyton Orient pitch. As the players walked through the Stadium to the Diversity Suite they were entertained by the Leyton Orient first team’s training session and a Joe Widdowson goal (Orient fans will know the meaning of this!).

The sporting memories session opened with the former England, Essex and Gloucestershire left arm spinner John Childs talking about his career and work in the East London area as Head of the Essex Academy. John played twice for England and both occasions were against the then formidable West Indies team.  John demonstrated how he faced the legendary Curtly Ambrose and survived.

The players then went onto the pitch for a game of walking cricket. A hybrid game was played as walking cricket is designed more for playing in an indoor area. The major difference is that the game was played with a small sized football and plastic bat. Overarm bowling proved to be difficult but entertaining for the watching fielders. Sadly some of the old time cricketers could not get away from past habits of trying to sneak a quick single by running. Keith Everett was very vocal in his complaints about the amount of running! For the record the team pair competition was won by Derek Myers and Steve West who both avoided risky shots and dangerous running between the wickets.

After the game the Essex coaches talked about their plans to run further walking cricket sessions at a new cricket centre being developed at the Leyton County ground. They will seek to invite Leyton Orient Walking FC to play a ‘proper’ game of walking cricket when the centre opens, hopefully in September.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable morning. Thanks go to both the Essex coaches for organising the event and to Howard Gould who arranged access to the pitch and provided much welcomed tea and biscuits.

Location

Brisbane Road London E10