There is only one place to start talking about Stubbo…the famous Taunton hair cut. What he was thinking of letting Graham Wagg anywhere near his hair with a razor I will never know, but it seemed to do the trick as Steve went out and scored a second innings hundred! Perhaps Waggy should take up
hairdressing…perhaps not.
I remember reading in the Derby Telegraph after that hundred that the great Justin Langer had said it was the best exhibition of leaving the ball that he had ever seen and that he had a bit of a chat to Seve about it afterwards.
That’s it Justin, you use Stubbo to improve your game, you were obviously really struggling without his help! Perhaps Steve could have picked Justin’s brains about all the things he is good at, although the next match might have started by the time they finished chatting.
Anyway, Justin Langer wasn’t a bad batsman was he? But think how much better he could have been if he’d only signed for Derbyshire when we tried to get him ahead of season 2006! Then he could have learnt from our Steve to his heart’s content. Oh well, it’s his own fault. Think how good he could have
been!
When Justin Langer gave him the compliment though, no doubt Steve responded in a positive way; flattered and grateful for the recognition. That’s just Stubbo all over; he is just a really nice, genuine bloke.
I have to admit that I am a little jealous of him though. I’m jealous because the man has been
around for ever, yet somehow, he only just turns 30 this year. How is that possible? Was he still in nappies when he made his debut, using a baby rattle as a bat?
On a serious note though, everybody knows that Steve is Derbyshire’s mister reliable at the top of the order and despite all the changes that have occurred during recent years, Steve Stubbings opening the batting and doing a steady old job has been the one constant feature.
Would you believe that 77 different players have made their Derbyshire first-class debuts since Stubbo made his in 1997, so it’s fair to say that the man has seen some changes. He was a deserving winner of the Player of the Year Award in 2006 scoring 1056 first-class runs and was also a major contributor in one-day and Twenty20 cricket, although I’m not sure how much he enjoyed walking onto the stage to claim it and to face the usual volley of questions from Nick Owen.
I think he was secretly hoping to shake hands, grab the award and disappear off stage, but nobody has managed that yet with our Nick. Despite the fact that he fully deserved the award, he was almost a reluctant acceptor of it, truly humbled to have been chosen ahead of the team mates he values so much. That, again, is Stubbo all over.
Keep up the good work and all the best for your benefit and the rest of your career.
Don Amott
There is only one place to start talking about Stubbo…the famous Taunton hair cut. What he was thinking of letting Graham Wagg... more >
Opening the batting is a tough gig. Desmond Haynes once told me in the Lord's dressing room that opening the batting was the hardest... more >
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