Yesterday was Heritage Open Day in King’s Lynn. I had a stewarding commitment at the Pilot’s Office between 10AM and Noon. This post looks back at the day.
THE PILOT’S OFFICE
I arrived at the Pilot’s Office at 9:45 as intended, and had the opportunity as I had hoped to have a quick look around before Heritage Open Day started. Unfortunately the other steward did not turn up, so I was on my own in that regard (fortunately the conservancy board were doing a good job inside the building) until the two stewards for the 12-2 slot arrived. About 130 visitors went into over the course of the time I was there. No one had seen fit to tell me that the conservancy board were being very cautious about how many people they would allow up the tower at any one time, so some people had longer waits than would be ideal, until I realized the problem and started warning people about the issue. The weather was co-operative (weather like we have today would have been a disaster).
The view from the top of the tower, looking towards The Wash.This is on the ceiling of the room at the top of the tower.The frontage of the building on to which the Pilot’s Office was tacked in 1864, the former public baths.
THE NORMAN HOUSE
This is one of my old favourites, and I revisited it as soon as my stewarding commitment ended. It is on King Street and houses a firm of lawyers. The Norman stuff is not readily apparent from the street.
THE LYNN MUSEUM
The Lynn Museum was open free of charge as part of Heritage Open Day. I took advantage of this. There are a number of famous regular exhibits, notably ‘Seahenge’, and at the moment (though not for very much longer) there is also an exhibition about the moon.
This model of the moon is absolutely huge.
HERITAGE OPEN DAYGENERAL
I end this photo dominated post with a few random shots from Heritage Open Day.
An account of yesterday’s match between Manchester Originals and Northern Superchargers yesterday and a photo gallery.
Yesterday’s second match in the Hundred ‘double double header’ was Manchester Originals against Northern Superchargers. In the Women’s match the Originals were already out of the tournament, but wanted to go down with guns blazing.
THE ORIGINALS INNINGS
The Originals won the toss and decided to bat. Laura Wolvaardt and Beth Mooney gave the innings a fine start, scoring 60 together before Wolvaardt was out to the 47th ball of the innings for 26 (21). Mooney went on to play a truly magnificent knock, and her second wicket partner was Kathryn Bryce. They added 67 together in 43 balls, of which Bryce’s share was 13 (21). With ten balls to go in the innings Originals skipper Sophie Ecclestone instructed Bryce to retire and went out to bat herself in the hope of giving the total a final boost. Ecclestone faced five of the last ten balls and scored 6 runs. Mooney was closing on three figures, and found herself facing the last ball of the innings on 98*. She got the ball away and she and Ecclestone went all out for the two, but a direct hit throw ran Ecclestone out, leaving Originals with a final score of 151-3, and Mooney 99*. A crowd of over 12,000 gave Mooney a richly deserved standing ovation for her innings. The only wicket taker was left arm spinner Linsey Smith, who also conceded 32 from her 20 balls. Bryce was recorded as ‘retired out’, and hers was the first such tactical retirement in the Hundred (women’s). Some will consider it controversial, but for me it was perfectly legitimate, and I also note that Ecclestone did not ask anyone else to go into bat in that circumstance – she did so herself.
THE SUPERCHARGERS REPLY
Both openers for Superchargers were out cheaply. First to go was Davina Perrin, caught by Bryce off Kim Garth for 7 (9) to make it 13-1. That brought Phoebe Litchfield to the crease and she was in form from the get go. Hollie Armitage was second out, caught by Wolvaardt off Bryce for 9 which made it 45-2. Litchfield and new batter Annabel Sutherland looked capable of turning things round, but Garth produced a superb ball to bowl Litchfield for 45 and make it 86-3 after 64 balls. The moment that effectively sealed Superchargers fate came on the 80th ball of the innings, when Bryce had Sutherland caught by Eve Jones for 26 to make it 102-4. 50 needed of 20 balls, and the most likely person to score at that kind of rate just dismissed was the equation. Georgia Wareham and Bess Heath did their best, scoring 22 together off balls 81-90, which meant the ask was 28 of the final 10 balls. Off the 91st ball of the innings Heath essayed a reverse sweep against Ecclestone and succeeded only in finding the hands of Dani Gregory to 124-5. That brought Alice Davidson-Richards to the crease, and the next four balls yielded eight runs, meaning that 20 were needed off the last five balls. Ecclestone now decided that rather than give the Superchargers the chance to exploit the extra pace of Lauren Filer she would entrust those five balls to Bryce’s medium pace. Off ball 96 Davidson-Richards edged through to Mooney and that was 132-6. Kate Cross was stumped off ball 97 for a first baller, which meant that Bryce had a hat trick, having taken a wicket with the last ball of her previous set of five balls, and now with the first two of this set. Superchargers 132-7, needing 20 off three balls. Lucy Higham got a single off the 98th ball of the innings, and Georgia Wareham gave Bryce her fifth scalp of the innings, being caught by Fi Morris for 25 (18). That was 134-8 with one ball to go, and Linsey Smith managed a single, meaning that the final margin was 17 runs. Bryce’s final figures were 20 balls, of which 11 were dots, 13 runs conceded and five wickets taken – quite some way to make up for being tactically retired with the bat. Mooney who had followed her 99* with a blemish free keeping performance was named Player of the Match. Full scorecard here.
A look at Trent Rockets v Southern Brave in The Hundred (women’s) and a few other bits, including a photo gallery.
Today has been a ‘double double header’ day in The Hundred, though I have missed a fair amount of the action due having another commitment (it was worth it, as you will be seeing tomorrow). However I got enough of the Women’s match in the earlier double header between Trent Rockets and Southern Brave to feel able to comment (I am currently listening to the closing stages of the women’s match in the second double header, between Welsh Fire and Birmingham Phoenix.
THE TRENT ROCKETS INNINGS
Brave won the toss and elected to field first. Rockets responded excellently to the challenge. The three most significant contributions for them were Natalie Sciver-Brunt, a brilliant 60* (37), Grace Scrivens, 36 (24), and Katie George at the death, whose 8 (3) – four, four, out from the 98th, 99th and 100th balls boosted Rockets past the 150 mark to 155-7. Lauren Bell had three wickets, continuing an excellent campaign for her in that regard, though she would have been disappointed at conceding as many as 36 runs from her 20 balls. Another Lauren, Cheatle, was by the far most economical Brave bowler with 1-13 from her 20 balls. Chloe Tryon and Georgia Adams were the other wicket takers, with one a piece, though both were very expensive.
THE SOUTHERN BRAVE REPLY
Although there was over a third of this innings remaining when I had to leave the final outcome was already highly likely, especially with Smriti Mandhana having lost her wicket for a fine 42 (27). Tryon did her best to make a match of it, scoring 47* (31), but the only other double figure score outside these two biggies was from skipper Georgia Adams whose 27 soaked up 29 balls, which meant that in effect the rest were in the position of chasing 180 rather than the already formidable 155 actually on the board against them. Alexa Stonehouse was the standout Rockets bowler, taking 2-10 from 15 balls. Sciver-Brunt’s batting secured her the Player of the Match award.
AN EMERGING TALENT
Yesterday a 19 year old named Ollie Sykes, born in Wandsworth, playing only his second ever professional innings hit 87* from just 56 balls to boost Surrey past the 300 mark in their Metrobank One Day Cup match against Essex. Surrey defended this total successfully. I hope he is able to build on this fine start. For completeness of detail he is a left handed batter and bowls right arm medium pace.
HERITAGE OPEN DAY NEWS
I received details of the building I will be stewarding at on Heritage Open Day (Sunday 8th September), and it is the Pilot’s Office on Common Staithe Square (relocated there in 1864 having previously been at St Ann’s Fort which is about 200 yards from St Nicholas Chapel). Common Staithe Quay was at the time the town’s main quay, and the new Pilot’s Office was added to the building which at the time housed King’s Lynn’s public baths. The complex is very impressive, and the key feature of the Pilot’s Office is the octagonal tower, which is four storeys high, with topmost storey ringed by windows so that at night it was like a giant lantern. Here is a picture…
A photograph from the quay showing the entire complex.
PHOTOGRAPHS
My usual sign off…
The Pilot’s Office pictures start here (to view the full image of any of them just click on it)……and end here.This an alternative version of the London Underground Map – produced by https://x.com/TubeMapCentral
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