When the Stewarts met Zammak

HWRCC is delighted to announce that Zammak Tughral has been awarded the Jim Laker Spinners Scholarship from Surrey County Cricket Club.

Neither Zammak or the club were entirely sure what this entailed so we lifted this from Surrey CCC website:

"The Jim Laker scholarship aims to improve the technique of existing, talented spinners. Unlike many scholarship schemes, which tend to focus on the development of young cricketers, this is open for any gifted spinners aged from 11 to 35. Pat Pocock and other former Surrey spinner bowlers will provide a twelve-month, one to one, coaching programme for those selected for the scholarship. The Jim Laker scholarship programme is firstly aiming to discover talents for the future of Surrey County Cricket Club".

At a presentation last in the India Suite of the OCS Stand at the Oval last night, whilst Surrey and Somerset slugged it out for Pro40 points, Zammak (plus other spinners from the county) were awarded their scholarships by a party of dignitaries including Micky and Alec Stewart, Lilly Laker (Jim Laker's widow), Pat Pocock, and a few others who I failed to get the names of.

As you can see it was a dream fulfilling moment for Alec Stewart to meet Zammak, and he was later overheard to comment, 'Meeting Tugger is like a dream come true - It's just heart-breaking that I never had the priviledge to keep to him. Although maybe thats a good thing as I hear he has a reputation of making both batsman and keepers look rather silly'.

Before the presentation Zammak, his family, and a few of the Wick boys, including MattyD (who collected a transfer fee rumoured to be the highest ever paid to a club by a professional club), enjoyed the bar and food laid on - on the DBW scale this was a 10. Salmon Bagels, king-prawn sandwiches, homous wraps, and fruit freshly robbed from an African Pygmy, including Pomegranite. Surrey have very kindly offered to give DBW a work-experience placement for the winter, so fingers crossed for next year everyone.

Zammaks nerves finally calmed a little, after some engaging conversation with Mickey Stewart. It was revealed though that Zam had unfortunately failed to do his homework when he commented to Mickey, "I've just been told you are Alec Stewart's father".

Mickey, a bit non-plussed replied: "Well last time I looked I was still Mickey Stewart but yes he does have something to do with me"

Meanwhile, Alec was waiting nervously in the wings to meet his Leg-spinning hero, but MattyD put his mind at rest:

"All you need to know Alec is that he turns it square - FACT"

Congratulations to Zammak on his fanatastic achievement, and hopefully this is further indication that the club is moving towards a very bright future.