England cricket legends visit Bradfield Cricket Club

ENGLAND cricket legends David Gower and Mike Gatting were the star attractions at Bradfield Cricket Club, Southend Bradfield, last week as they attended a match organised by wine company Laithwaites.
Hundreds of spectators showed up to see the pair take on the role of non-playing captains in the annual match between staff from Laithwaites Theale (head office) and Laithwaites Gloucester (distribution centre).
The match was followed by a ‘Burning of the Stump’ ceremony and a barbecue and drinks, before the pair signed autographs, posed for photographs and chatted to fans.
Gower, who is now brand ambassador for Laithwaites, led his Theale side to a 40-run victory – and the former England captain took great delight in gloating over his good friend Gatting.
A smiling Gower said: “The best team definitely won.
“Maybe if Mike had got here on time to give his team talk, the result might have been a bit different, but he was late. I think he needs to take some responsibility for that.”
The match took place just days after England’s 3-0 Ashes victory and one day before the Twenty20 international matches against Australia.
The cricketers spoke about the pinnacle of their careers in the 1980s, when they both captained England to Ashes victory.
Gower said: “That summer in ’85 was still the greatest of my career. To win the Ashes is the dream. It just doesn’t get any better than that, it ticks all the boxes. That was a special time in my life.”
Gatting added: “It is a very special feeling and one that you can’t beat.”
When asked if they ever got the chance to put on their whites for a quick game, Gatting admitted that “unlike a fine wine, I haven’t got better with age. I don’t play much at all any more, apart from the odd game, but my standard isn’t what it used to be.
“There are two things David has introduced to me that I am enjoying into my retirement – wine and the Daily Telegraph crossword. He’s more knowledgeable than me on both though.”
Shifting their attention back to the recent series, Gower praised the efforts of Ian Bell, who equalled his own record of three consecutive centuries in a home Ashes series.
“I like Bell, he’s a very talented player and I don’t mind at all that he’s matched the record. He’s been consistently good over the past five years or so,” he said.
“I remember giving him a bit of a talking to once – a friendly one of course. It was after a friendly against the West Indies when he got left out the team and he was wondering where to go from there.”
Gower and Gatting both believed that England would go into the next series as favourites to retain the Ashes.
Laithwaites Wine, established in 1969, employs 666 people between its centres in Theale and Gloucester.