On a gloriously sunny afternoon, I caught up with Stan Cullimore, probably most well known for his time in The Housemartins. Since the chart topping band split up, he has filled his time with many things. Most recently as a travel journalist, zipping here and there and sharing many an amusing story.
Although The Housemartins were famously from Hull, Stan has lived in Bristol for many years and from time to time he has been known to wander along, to watch Gloucestershire in action.
Unlike some of the other interviews that I have posted, Stan isn’t a cricket fanatic. He does though have a lovely take on the game, and what it can offer us. Showing that Cricket isn’t just about Test matches, County games or franchise Cricket. There is a different, simpler, enjoyment to be had. For example, I normally chat about a favourite player that someone has. In Stan’s case I genuinely think that his favourite player is the next one he sees. That could be in the park or at the Seat Unique Stadium. I find that very refreshing.
Thanks for your time Stan.
Hi Stan, what are your first memories of cricket?
Well, this might be a false memory, as they often are. I was born in a tiny village called Stapleford, just outside Cambridge. Funnily enough I was there recently and visited the house that I was born in. I have memories of growing up in that village. We actually moved away when I was 8, or 10. When I was young, we used to go and play on the piles of sugar beets, like some old fashioned image of growing up in the countryside. I think that whilst we were there I saw cricket being played on the Village Green. I’m not going to pretend that I knew anything about it, but since then I’ve always had a nice feeling about the game.
It’s like when you are on a train and your go past a cricket ground. Someone running up to bowl and literally, your heart goes “Ahhhhh!” As I say, I can’t be totally certain, but we used to walk through school through fields and across a steam. So in some ways we had this idyllic countryside village upbringing. So I’m guessing that village cricket would have played a part in that.
Did you play at all as a youngster?
No, we left that there when I was around 10 and moved to Birmingham. When I went to secondary school I had glasses so I was rubbish at batting. But I could bowl because I suppose you didn’t really need to be able to see. You knew where the wicket was. That wasn’t moving! Also weirdly, I was quite good at fielding. But as I say, absolutely rubbish at batting.
My memory is that I really enjoyed playground cricket but I was never picked for the teams. It was a rugby and cricket school, but cross-country running was my thing during those years. I do have another memory though. One of my mates had a fantastic Grandma that we used to go and see. She was brilliant. One of those people who say things like “The country’s going to the dogs. Mind you, it was going to the dogs when I was a little girl. That was a long time ago!”
Anyway, Grandma Maisie lived in a flat that was very near Edgbaston Cricket Ground, maybe even overlooked it. So, we used to go past the ground and you’d hear the clapping and the occasional roar. It was very exciting, but we never went in to see a game. It may be another false memory though. I can’t be sure.
Did anyone in the family play cricket?
No, not that I can remember. We weren’t a sporting family. We were all into music, we had a piano and a guitar in the house, so we all did that.
Would you have watched cricket on TV?
We didn’t have a television until I was quite old. And it wasn’t until I went to university that I saw my first colour television properly. In the first year, we all clubbed together and rented one, as you did then. I remember just sitting there watching snooker in colour, thinking, “Oh my God, this amazing. When they talk about the pink ball, I now know what they are talking about. It suddenly all made sense!
So actually, the thing about cricket for me has always been. My memory is not playing, and not watching a game on TV, or even listening to the Test Matches in those days.
It was that thing of seeing a game being played. My eldest brother was really interested in archaeological remains, so we’d go on these long walks through the countryside, looking for a mound, so accidently coming across a game was great.
I remembered that at school, although I never played for the team, we were allowed to watch it when the school was playing, and I loved it. I used to sit in the shade, watching schoolboy cricket. It was just a gorgeous way to spend the day. You weren’t having to do any schoolwork, as you had Wednesday afternoon off to watch the cricket. I just thought, I want my life to be more like this please.
Thinking about seeing a bowler running in, as you speed past a field on a train, or a bus, or car. I always hope that you get to see ball being bowled, the batter playing their shot. That’s enough. You don’t need to see the whole game. You had watched cricket. You don’t need to know who wins.
Yes, you’ve hit the nail on the head. The whole point of cricket, though it sounds a cliché. It’s not about the winning or losing. Obviously, it’s nice when I watch Gloucestershire playing and they do win. Sometimes it goes down to last ball and they win. Which is great. But even if it comes down to the last ball and they don’t win, it doesn’t break my heart. You’ve seen a good game. It hard to explain but to me it’s a sport where winning is nice, but it’s not the end of the world if you don’t win. You go away thinking, “Well that was a nice way to spend my time.”
I’m exactly in that camp. Unfortunately, as money gets more important, that feels like it’s slipping away.
The past couple of seasons have been pretty dreadful for Gloucestershire, in terms of results. Yet I’ve loved my time watching games. It’s a great place to watch people, The play gradually unfolds in front of you. Your team can go from being in a bad position to a good one over a couple of hours without you really noticing the change that’s taking place.
You’re right. My son has one of those flats that overlooks the ground. If they are playing, he will send me a text saying “Dad they’re playing today, Do you want to pop up?” and if the sun’s shining, I’ll pop up there, sit on the balcony, have a cup of tea. Watch it for an hour or two. Have a bit of a chit chat, some other friends of his come in, you chat with them. People come and go. It’s a really nice background “thing”. Which you can focus on, if you choose to.
Almost a bit like radio in a way. You can have it noodling away in the background, then something will draw you in. Then off you go again. Cricket can be like that. And that’s fine.
Yes.
Is your son more engaged with cricket than you?
Well, he was never a cricket fan before he moved in. Long story! But it is a nice thing, it does draw you in. We watch the Western Storm women’s games and the young cricketers as well. I tell you what, I even enjoy watching the Ground staff dealing with the ground. Watching the various machines, those that water it, those that dry it, all sorts goes on.
Also, liking birds as I do, it’s a great place to watch them, when no game is taking place. All sorts of wildlife uses the place. There are foxes that wander across at specific times. I also love that huge digital clock that you can see from my son’s living room. No need to look at your watch up there.
There was an odd thing recently. My son had been away on holiday with us, a friend stayed in his flat whist we were away. When we got home, we took his bags upstairs and there’s a cricket ball on the dining room table. No sign of how it got there, or of any damage outside from it’s impact. Apparently, the person staying found on the balcony. Not sure if it was from a game or a practice session. A real shame though that he wasn’t there to see it. Maybe even catch it.
It’s still a peripheral thing for him. But lots of his mates are really into cricket and it’s great when they point out something.
To me it’s a game that invites conversation, something that you’ve obviously experienced. There are those though who love to go along a sit on their own all day.
Yes, they’re like fishermen. They have those weird big hats, flasks, and sandwiches. Do you go on your own?
Normally there will be at least 3 of us. Sometimes as many as 12-15 depending on who’s working or on holiday. Those days with lots of people can be fabulous days, lots of chat and laughter. If Glos do manage a win, it’s a nice feeling. Sometimes you are alongside people for a day, have a lovely time and you never come across them again. I think that’s great as well.
It’s an interesting contrast with the people you see leaving the football. They often seem pissed and lairy.
Ah yes, great band name!
Yes, what would their hits be? “My heads sore!”
But the cricket lot, they just seem really nice.
Do you think your involvement with cricket will change?
I don’t think so. I’m happy with way things work at the moment. I’d like more gigs to go on there, and the drone show last Christmas was great. It would be good if they could keep playing in Bristol rather than move out of town
.
(Stan has some money saving advice, from his Housemartins days, for the Glos players when it comes to away games)
But with regard cricket itself, I love just casually catching a game. We were on narrowboat holiday a few years ago up north, stopped and walked into town and there was a cricket ground on the way. So, we just stopped and watched that for a while. It’s a really nice thing to do.
Quite therapeutic
I agree. I think it’s a Mindful thing. Because I’m not attached to the result, I’m just enjoying the experience. And to say again, watching someone run up, deliver a ball, which looks quite relaxed from a distance, though not if you are facing it. I just like it. It’s just a nice thing. All those people around the world that find new ways to be nasty to each other, they should all just play cricket.
Thanks to Stan for popping over and sitting in our house, when he could have been out in the sunshine.
You can catch up with his latest thoughts via his substack page: http://stancullimore.substack.com
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