21 Years of the Bunbury Festival – congratulations to David and the team you certainly deserve the key to the door!

I was 15 years old back when it all started, just too old for the first Bunbury Festival, not that I would have been good enough!  I do remember being a scorer at an equivalent festival a couple of years earlier – never again!  It made me want to play!  What I do know is that every player who has played in the Festival will remember it with pride.  Those who did not manage to ‘make it’ will be able to say ‘I played with Flintoff or Trescothick’.  All will have made friends and acquaintances they will remember for the rest of their lives. 

The only complaint I have about the Bunburys was back in Chris Adams’ benefit year: the Bunbury six-a-side team lead by Jamie Theakston, beat my adopted team, the Billingshurst Bruisers, in the final under the lights.  Most inconsiderate!

My favourite memory of a Bunbury game is of Lloyd Honeygahn acting as bodyguard for me at mid-off in a game at Cranleigh! I felt very safe.

David English was deservedly honoured a the PCA dinner this year with the ECB Special Award (not quite the same as getting his MBE, I know!) for his unceasing work with cricket, the U15 Bunbury Festival and his wonderful fundraising.  It shows the high regard in which he is held among the whole professional playing community and it is a very small thank you for everything he has done for us.

And of course, the great thing is that every Bunbury day is friendly, humorous, exciting, challenging and above all, fun.

Thank you

Monty