I first came across Neville Cardus's writings in 1948 when I was a wee boy of 12 years.
a lad in our class Harry Wassall had a copy of 'World Sports', when he had read the copy he give it to me in exchange for my school dinners main course and sweet for one week.
In the magazine was a article each month on cricket of Cardus.
What a great writer on cricket he was the doyen of cricket writers.
He was a poor boy who lived in Rusholme, Manchester learned to play cricket on a open space of derelict land near his home.
He was self educated blagged his way to become the professional coach on cricket at Shewsbury School.
Blagged his way to the Manchester Guardian as a writer when the M.G was at it's peak.
Later he had a mental breakdown the editor sent him to rest at Old Trafford and also to report on cricket matches for the paper.
He did it for more than 30 years.
In the winter he was the music critic and this was his first love.
I met Cardus at Old Trafford on the upstairs balcony one sunny afternoon he was old then asleep.
I sat next to him waited for over two hours for him to wake up. talked to him how much I admired him writings.I asked him would he like a drink, anything, his reply a nice glass of water.
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