Celebration of red ball cricket at The Oval - Kia Oval

Essex Faces Top Team In Red-ball Cricket Showdown

Inspired by each other's reminiscences, the two experienced members frequently discussed their cherished memories of attending cricket matches at The Oval.

The wasteful and friendly Jack Hobbs, the creative mastermind Percy Fender attempting to outsmart strong opponents on perfect pitches, the outstanding skill of Herbert Strudwick behind the stumps. And the most exciting part of the season? Nottinghamshire coming to play on the August Bank Holiday weekend – typically at the beginning of the month – when a full crowd was guaranteed, especially if Harold Larwood and Bill Voce were on the team.

Ken Bourdelot remembered how important it was to arrive early if you wanted to attend the event. He spent a large part of his life serving in the Royal Air Force. In the last years of his service, he saved up money so that once he was finished, he could attend every game Surrey played that summer. Luckily for him, it was in 1971 when Surrey won the County Championship for the first time since the 1950s.

The journey included visits to Canterbury, Nottingham, Birmingham, Hove, Sheffield, Taunton, Lord’s (referred to as 'headquarters' by the author), Kettering, and ultimately Southampton, where the important bonus points were earned.

He decided to explore the country he had dedicated himself to for many years, mostly by train, but also hitching rides from kind strangers when they had extra space. He had an enjoyable time during his travels.

His long-time friend Alan Palgrave had a strong connection to Surrey. His father, Louis, had authored a book called "The Story of The Oval and the history of Surrey cricket 1902-1948", one of the club's earliest histories.

After retiring from his job as a civil servant, Alan immediately got rid of his alarm clock. Despite fitting the typical image of a government worker in his blue suit, he didn't necessarily follow all the stereotypes. Instead of reading newspapers like the Daily Telegraph, he preferred to read The Sun. Perhaps it was because of the racing tips, which is why his friend Jim Laker would always stop by before going to the betting office at the racetrack.

They always looked forward to red ball cricket each season. They were used to it until limited overs cricket started in 1963. Many of them weren't big fans of the change. It's hard to say how they would have felt about T20 cricket, but they would have been happy to see the stands full - as long as their usual seats at one end of the Long Room didn't get taken too soon.

Because he doesn't trust soda pop, Ken would definitely support the idea of having a beer festival during a major game of the season.

The County Championship held great importance for him and others in his generation. They had witnessed the glory days of multiple titles, as well as the challenging times when Surrey were not seen as contenders.

Gone are the days, but fans like Alan Palgrave, Ken Bourdelot, and other past members would be delighted to see Surrey celebrating the competition they loved.