A common sight in England not so many years ago was the school sports day. As a result of the increasing influence of political correctness in education, particularly in the state sector, competition is generally discouraged. However, in the smallest primary schools and in the private sector you will find that these days are, thankfully, alive and kicking (no pun intended!). I went to my second daughter’s school last week to watch and enjoy their annual sports day. In the morning there were the track and field athletics. Children from the age of 4 to 13 participated with enthusiasm and determination to win yet those who tended to lag behind and were given full support and encouragement by the spectators.

No need for any meddling education authority at this place. The afternoon saw the girls’ rounders team playing against their mothers and sisters and the boys taking on fathers in a cricket match. I had a vested interest in the girls’ game since my younger daughter was playing for the school team and her sister was on the opposing team!

The thrill of watching is more intimate at this level since you know the participants and you are close to the action and not confined by rigid seating arrangements.

I mentioned in my last blog that I went to the 2nd Test cricket match between England and West Indies at Headingley. For those of you that follow cricket you will know that England won the game and indeed won the 3rd Test match at Old Trafford in Manchester. What I want to comment on was the behaviour of certain sections of the crowd. There is one part of the ground at Headingley called the West Stand. It’s an area where many of the spectators like to indulge in drinking copious amounts of alcohol and then proceed to chant, shout, make 50 metre “snakes” with empty plastic beer glasses, in fact anything except watch the cricket! How the players can concentrate with all that noise going on, I don’t know! There were even futile attempts to start Mexican waves, usually a sign of a bored crowd but the cricket was particularly exciting that day so no excuses there.

drunks stop play!

To cap it all I witnessed at least two occasions where drunken spectators ran onto the field of play despite notices being displayed all over the place stating that trespassers will be evicted and prosecuted.

During a drinks break for the players we were treated to a couple of fly passes from a Lancaster World War 2 bomber (or was it a Wellington?). Maybe it should have discharged its’ cargo over the West stand!