Don't Put Blame On Booze, Just Those Who Abuse It...

Don't Put Blame On Booze, Just Those Who Abuse It...

- Peter Hayter

You’ll have to forgive me if, as you continue reading this week’s column, you notice that the odd spelling mishtake or grammatical error has crept in and past the sub-editors.

Fact is I was at the Professional Cricketers’ Association Annual Dinner in London on Wednesday night and so, as I write this on Thursday morning, I must admit to feeling somewhat emotional and really quite tired.

Recent events outside a Bristol nightclub, the part in them played, allegedly, by England’s Ben Stokes and Alex Hales and the consequences of their actions, both in terms of possible criminal proceedings and disciplinary action by their bosses at Lord’s, have once again caused the spotlight to be directed at the drinking culture of the game in this country, and elsewhere, of course, and rightly so.

But at the risk of over-simplifying the issues, and departing from the specifics of this case, I venture to suggest it is not the culture of drink that is to blame for the madness that appeared to descend on the participants, but the abuse of it.

My earliest memories of the game I adore, and some of my fondest, concern alcohol.

I grew up, in cricketing terms, at Stanmore CC, watching cricketers first play and then drink and, in time, I put the lessons I learned into practice.

When one of those players scored a half-century or took five wickets he bought a jug of beer and poured it into the glasses of teammates and opponents alike. If someone scored a ton he bought two, or if he didn’t, it was duly noted.

When a one-sided game ended early, almost always and almost always automatically, the sides would agree to play a ‘beer match’, normally ten overs per side, with the batting orders reversed and the losing team buying the wining team their beer for the night.