The latest Q&A session is with another Hill stalwart, current chairman and ex first team captain Simon Lunn. This is what he had to say :
Q1. How many years have you been a member at the Hill?
A1. I joined in the Centenary Year in 1983.
Q2. Which other clubs/teams have you played for?
A2. K.O.S.A. CC, Ryton CC and then Benwell CC before seeing the light and joining the Hill. Also played for Newcastle Polytechnic, Northumberland Schools.
Q3. What`s your best performance for the Hill?
A3. 77 v Benwell before K.Shaw ran me out with five overs to go.
Q4. What was your most memorable game and season at the Hill?
A4. By far the toughest setback was losing the old League on the last day of the season v Ashington in the early 90`s. The three occasions when we achieved the Holy Grail of winning the League v Blyth, Newcastle and Backworth stand out. I have special memories of winning a close game at South Northumberland when Chris Craven was on the opposing side-it was a match played in great spirit and we won from nowhere.
Q5. Best player you have played with for the Hill? And elsewhere?
A5. Hard to go past Michael Younger in terms of English players – impossible to split Craven/Zohaib/Shahid as Overseas Pros. If playing with Kyle Coetzer in the President`s Game counts he is definitely the best Scottish player I have played with.
Q6. Best player you have played against?
A6. Batsman : RH - Richie Richardson and LH - Wasim Raja. Bowlers : LA Spinner - Paul Jackson who took over 100 wickets in a season for Tynemouth; Leg Spinner - Rami Verma; Off spinner - Derek Parry; RA Fast - Chris Old; LA Fast - Chris Matthews. Brian Newbold who played for Percy Main got me out every time – no problem.
Q7. Most Feared Opponents?
A7. Not sure about feared but I loved games versus Tynedale and Ashington. Tough opponents – if you won it was doubly sweet.
Q8. Best Grounds played at?
A8. Jesmond and the Hill – not in that order.
Q9. Team you always loved to beat?
A9. Varied over the years but County Club/Newcastle were always up there.
Q10. If you could make one change at the Hill what would it be?
A10. Remove the financial worries so we can properly invest in the facilities for all of the members.
Q11. If you could make one change to the NEPL what would it be?
A11. Keep it simple and play 50 over cricket under International Rules starting at 1.00pm.
Q12. Advice for young cricketers?
A12. It is not a matter of life and death, it is a game, it is to be enjoyed and you will be an old cricketer one day. Make the most of every opportunity.
Q13. All Time Favourite Cricketers?
A13. Batsman : RH - G.Pollock; Bowler - D.K.Lillee; Wicketkeeper - A.P.E.Knott; All Rounder G.S. Sobers
Q14. Best ever Hill X1?
A14. My team is made up of players I have had the pleasure of playng with in the League for the Hill.
1. J.S. Charleton, 2.J.P. Barrett, 3.M.E.Younger, 4.C.Craven, 5.S.C.Dunsford, 6.P.J.Nicholson (wk & c), 7.D.J.Rutherford, 8.L.Crozier, 9. S.Nazir, 10. B.R Evans, 11.S.Allen 12th Men J.B. Windows, D.J.Walder, J.Miller
Q15. Best ever Northumberland Team?
A15. 1.K.Pearson, 2.B.Parker, 3.M.Mohammad, 4.W.Raja, 5.G.R.Morris, 6.K.C.Williams, 7. M.E.Younger, 8. P.J. Nicholson (wk & c), 9. A.Brown, 10. P.C. Graham, 11. K.Norton, 12th Man J.Miller (apologies K.Corby)
Q16. Best ever NEPL X1?
A16. I have gone with a Non Overseas team of 1.A Worthy, 2.S.Birtwisle, 3.J.Graham (c), 4.K.Coetzer, 5.R.Waite, 6.G.Scott, 7.P.Nicholson (wk), 8. D.Rutherford, 9.S.Humble, 10. G.Bridge, 11. L.Crozier
Q17. My best ever England X1?
A17. 1.G.Gooch, 2. M.Trescothick, 3.D.Gower, 4.T.Graveney, 5.K.Pietersen, 6.I.Botham, 7.A.Knott (wk), 8.R.Illingworth (c), 9.J.Snow, 10. D.Underwood, 11. J.Anderson, 12th Man D. Randall
Q18. My best ever World X1?
A18. 1.M. Khan, 2.S.Tendulkar, 3. R.Ponting (c), 4.I.V.A. Richards, 5.A.B.De Villiers, 6.J.Kallis, 7.G.Sobers, 8.A.Gilchrist (wk), 9.S.Warne, 10. D.Steyn, 11. D.K. Lillee
Q19. Desert Island Song and Book?
A19. Song : Forever Young sung by Joan Baez. Book: Brendan Chase by B.B.
Q20. Funniest moments on a cricket pitch?
A20. Playing in a Sunday friendly game against Kings School Old Boys an incredibly tall skinny bloke came to the wicket with pads that just went above his knees with a gap to a hopelessly inadequate thigh pad. Our youthful fast bowler Scott Williamson proceeded to hit him three times in a row on the same boney gap and he eventually went down like a bag of hammers. His team were hysterical, our team were hysterical and the best bit was the batsman did not see the funny side one bit. Makes me laugh 30 years later.
