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@sandscribble.bsky.social

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Cricket fan, coach, writer Music’s not what it was in my day

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sandscribble.bsky.social @sandscribble.bsky.social · Aug 1

#johnplayer#jpl#cricket
Sunday League was a wonderful competition, fondly remembered 40 years after its demise. My new book is released next year and website has links to pre-order,memories of the competition,YouTube clips & my selections for English and Overseas JPL teams.
www.starsonsundaybook.com

Book cover showing John Player League cricket match in progress at Dean Park, Bournemouth. View towards the pavilion.

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sandscribble.bsky.social @sandscribble.bsky.social · 5h

Waitrose milk…..their volunteers.

sandscribble.bsky.social @sandscribble.bsky.social · 12h

#cricket #lancashirecricket #lccc #johnplayerleague #starsonsunday
Scorecard from 1970 John Player League fixture. Lancashire autographs include Clive Lloyd, Farokh Engineer and David ‘Bumble’ Lloyd

www.starsonsundaybook.com

Front of scorecard with 7 autographs from Lancashire players

Reverse of scorecard detailing competition prize money and playing conditions

sandscribble.bsky.social @sandscribble.bsky.social · 14h

❤️🏏
#cricket #johnplayerleague
Fixture lists from the John Player League, seasons 1972 & 1980.

Personally prefer the earlier version, with the pull-out card which slides across each week to reveal the fixtures.

For more JPL memorabilia and YouTube clips, visit:

www.starsonsundaybook.com

1972 fixture list featuring slide-out card revealing weekly fixtures

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sandscribble.bsky.social @sandscribble.bsky.social · 3d

His 5-29 against Surrey made him the youngest player in JPL history to take a 5 wicket haul (18yrs 234days) and in 1985 Small would become the youngest to 100 wickets in the League when taking 3-36 against Derbyshire at Edgbaston.

Many happy returns, Gladstone

sandscribble.bsky.social @sandscribble.bsky.social · 3d

❤️🏏
Happy 64th birthday to Gladstone Small.

‘Gladys’ burst onto the scene in 1980, helping Warwickshire win the JPL title for the only time, just one season after they had propped up the table.

The 18 year-old finished the Sunday season with 25 wickets, representing a strong debut season

Photograph of Gladstone Small wearing cable knit cricket sweater

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sandscribble.bsky.social @sandscribble.bsky.social · 5d

Fans of the finest limited overs cricket league (John Player Sunday League, of course):

Waterstones promo ends tomorrow…….
#cricket #jpl #johnplayer #ipl #essexcricket #gloucestershirecricket #lancashirecricket #kentcricket #hampshirecricket #vitalityblast #somersetcricket #worcestershirecricket

Waterstones promo code October25 alongside cover of Stars on Sunday book, showing cricket match in progress in front of the pavilion at Dean Park, Bournemouth

sandscribble.bsky.social @sandscribble.bsky.social · 5d

You may like my upcoming book on the history of the JPL: 25% off online at Waterstones until tomorrow!

Waterstones promo offer code October25 next to Stars on Sunday book cover showing match at Dean Park, Bournemouth with pavilion in background

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sandscribble.bsky.social @sandscribble.bsky.social · 9d

💙📚
❤️🏏 #WPreorder #cricket #jpl #johnplayerleague #cricket #sundayleague

Promotion at Waterstones on my upcoming book on the history of cricket’s first one day league. World stars such as Sobers, Lloyd, Richards, and Procter entertained packed crowds every Sunday.

Preorder offer code October25 next to cover of Stars on Sunday book, pavilion of Dean Park Bournemouth with crowd watching John Player League fixture

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sandscribble.bsky.social @sandscribble.bsky.social · 15d

❤️🏏 💙📚💡
A Lancashire legend, I am very grateful to David Lloyd for writing the foreword to my upcoming book Stars on Sunday, the history of the John Player League.
He was the 1st Lancs player to pass 4,000 runs in the JPL (4,[email protected]) and no one skippered them more times.

www.starsonsundaybook.com

David Lloyd batting, eyes following the ball after a cut shot

Cover of the book Stars on Sunday, a scene from Dean Park Bournemouth with pavilion in background and seated spectators in foreground

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sandscribble.bsky.social @sandscribble.bsky.social · 23d

For more JPL memories (including my selections for best English and best overseas JPL sides):
www.starsonsundaybook.com

Next Sunday: JPL Yearbook team of the season for 1974…

Stars on Sunday book

www.starsonsundaybook.com

sandscribble.bsky.social @sandscribble.bsky.social · 23d

Ealham was an ideal 12th man, offering strong batting (285 runs at 40.7) couple with brilliant fielding ability.

Please send your nominations for your best JPL eleven (covering the years 1969-86) to [email protected]

Overall results compiled and chosen team announced in 3 weeks time.

sandscribble.bsky.social @sandscribble.bsky.social · 23d

Cartwright and Lever also gained inclusion because of their ability to contain the opposition. No one was more economical than Cartwright in the 1973 JPL, where his 102 overs cost only 243. Lever combined wicket-taking (20) with economy (3.2)

sandscribble.bsky.social @sandscribble.bsky.social · 23d

given he captured his 15 wickets at 26.1 The batting ability of Engineer gained him the wicketkeeping spot in the side, and once again Underwood was the leading spinner, heading the bowling averages (21 wickets costing 11 each) at an economy rate of 3.2

sandscribble.bsky.social @sandscribble.bsky.social · 23d

Asif Iqbal was a more contentious choice, averaging under 30 with the bat, but his abilities as a back-up seamer and his fielding ability won him a place in the middle order. Procter was once again a simple choice for the selectors, but the inclusion of county colleague Tony Brown more of a surprise

sandscribble.bsky.social @sandscribble.bsky.social · 23d

and the next two slots went to the competition’s top run scorers for the 1973 season, Luckhurst and Hampshire.
Luckhurst’s 9 innings included 2 centuries and 2 half centuries, whilst Hampshire’s 668 runs was, at the time, a competition record.

sandscribble.bsky.social @sandscribble.bsky.social · 23d

BA Richards
GM Turner
BW Luckhurst
JH Hampshire
Asif Iqbal
MJ Procter
AS Brown
FM Engineer
DL Underwood
TW Cartwright
P Lever
(12th man: AGE Ealham)

Boycott (444 runs at 55.5) and Amiss (269 at 38.4) could not dislodge Richards and Turner at the top of the order,

sandscribble.bsky.social @sandscribble.bsky.social · 23d

❤️🏏
JPL TEAM OF THE YEAR: 1973

The John Player Yearbook selection panel remained unchanged from the previous season, as did the chosen openers, Richards and Turner.

sandscribble.bsky.social @sandscribble.bsky.social · 23d

Hit the fastest ever John Player League fifty - from just 22 balls v Northamptonshire at Wellingborough in 1975 (although Glamorgan ended the season propping up the JPL)

www.starsonsundaybook.com

Stars on Sunday book

www.starsonsundaybook.com

sandscribble.bsky.social @sandscribble.bsky.social · 23d

When John Player’s sponsorship of the Sunday League ended after 18 seasons in 1986, it seemed fitting that the bowlers once again had nothing to separate them, with both boasting 344 victims.
Even their economy rates ran parallel, at 3.7

For more JPL memories, visit:
www.starsonsundaybook.com

Derek Underwood releasing the ball in bowling action

John Lever with bowling arm poised to release the ball

sandscribble.bsky.social @sandscribble.bsky.social · 23d

Three seasons later, Lever became the first to 300 JPL wickets, but did so only 15 minutes before Underwood also reached the mark.

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sandscribble.bsky.social @sandscribble.bsky.social · 23d

🏏❤️
📚💙💡
Rarely have 2 bowlers figures tracked so closely as John Lever and Derek Underwood through their John Player League careers.
They were the key wicket-taking bowlers for Essex and Kent respectively through the 1970s, and finished the 1981 season locked together on 261 wickets each.

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sandscribble.bsky.social @sandscribble.bsky.social · 28d

Nicknamed Chilly (C.Old)

sandscribble.bsky.social @sandscribble.bsky.social · Sep 21

Team of 1973 to follow next Sunday…

Select your own team of the JPL era (‘69-86),
E-mail:
[email protected]

Overall results compiled and “Team of the JPL” shared next month.

sandscribble.bsky.social @sandscribble.bsky.social · Sep 21

The selection panel went for Graham McKenzie (27 wickets at 15.1) for his greater experience as well as being the most hostile.
Skipper of the side provoked debate, with Illingworth’s nouse edging him ahead of Brian Close

www.starsonsundaybook.com

sandscribble.bsky.social @sandscribble.bsky.social · Sep 21

Underwood was a clear choice for the spinners berth, 28 wickets at 12.4 and 4 wickets or more on 3 occasions.
Candidates for the final seamer included Tom Cartwright (17 wickets at 19.2) and John Lever (29 wickets at 11.8).