Cricketers reunite at PCA Past Players’ Day

After an enforced hiatus in 2020, the PCA Past Players’ Day returned on Tuesday to bring together 59 former international and domestic players.

With Covid-19 protocols adhered to, the group of PCA members enjoyed a day of anecdotes, catching up and cricket as they were able to come together for the event for the first time in two years.

Guests were treated to lunch, drinks and afternoon tea on the boundary edge of day two of Gloucestershire’s LV= Insurance County Championship fixture against Middlesex at Cheltenham College, as part of the 2021 Cheltenham Cricket Festival.

Despite the forecast, the weather stayed fair throughout the day as host Dave Fulton, formerly of Kent, invited the likes of Duncan Fearnley, Norman Gifford and David Steele to recount some of their most cherished cricketing memories in front of the crowd.

A number of PCA staff, including Chief Executive Rob Lynch, were present as members learned more about the multitude of benefits available to them via the PCA, whilst All Sport Insurance, Mr Adie Britton, Mr Maurice Critchley, Finders Keepers and Mrs Carolynne Hill were all also present and sponsored the event.

Past Players’ Day 2021 provided a breath of fresh air as PCA members were able to get together for the first time in nearly 18 months due to Covid-19, however many former cricketers had been staying in touch throughout lockdown via the Association’s Talk to Teammates campaign.

PCA Chief Executive Rob Lynch enjoyed his first Past Players’ Day since joining the PCA: “We’ve had some great stories from some of our former players and it was great to just get to know them a little bit better from my position as Chief Executive of the PCA.

“We’ve all been under the intense living arrangements of Covid-19 for the last 18 months, so for us to be able to organise events such as this for our members to come together is a really important aspect of what we do. As we come out of lockdown, I hope this is the first of many events that we can put on to get our members together to enjoy each other’s company.”

Former England bowler Fred Rumsey, who was one of the founding fathers of the PCA in 1967, said: “When you start something like the PCA, you hope that it will continue – and it is only a hope. To see it grow the way it has and become a major organisation is wonderful. Events like this are a small part of the PCA’s role, but it’s nice to be here today to talk about the old days.”

List of former players in attendance: John Aldridge, Iain Anderson, Phil Bainbridge, Cedric Boyns, Andy Brassington, David Constant, Nick Cooper, Graham Cottrell, Simon Cusden, Jack Davey, Roger Davis, Kevin Emery, Duncan Fearnley, Jim Foat, Dave Fulton, Peter Gibbs, Norman Gifford, David Graveney, Peter Graves, Jerry Groome, Reuben Herbert, Bud Hill, Bill Higginson, Dean Hodgson, John Jameson, Roger Knight, Tim Lamb, Harry Latchman, David Lawrence, John Lever, Jamie McDowell, Colin Metson, Charlie Mulraine, Alan Ormrod, Derek Pearson, Pat Pocock, John Price, Paul Pridgeon, Clive Radley, Perry Rendell, Bryan Richardson, Fred Rumsey, Ravi Senghera, Mike Smedley, David Smith, Mike Smith, John Snow, Alan Spencer, John Steele, David Steele, Bob Stephenson, Andy Stovold, Bill Taylor, Bob Taylor, Mike Taylor, Ian Thomas, Brian Timms, Roger Tolchard, Alan Wadey.