And Now For Something Completely Different!

[Mr B]

It dose involve "The Angle")

I had an interesting day yesterday inspecting a few trees.
Cutting a long story short.
In 2005 Englands cricket team beat there old adversaries the Australians for The Ashes.
Being a cricket fan I thought I would make my little tribute by arranging some tree planting.
Viz..
It was winter 2005, I planted an avenue of Cricket Bat Willows with my pal Tom and enrolled the help of a local friends group in a park to help planting some little native whips too. ( small trees)
The icing on the cake was that I had arranged for Derek Underwood the ex England bowler to plant an oak tree at the end of the avenue on the left, ( he was a left hand top rate bowler for England) and I would plant a eucalyptus tree on the right for the Australians for such a memorable Battle.

It was a cracking day, Derek planted the oak and sighed autographs, along with my Dukes Cricket ball, and then was on his way after a nice chat, with even more autotrophs for many there with a common interest.
A few years went by, but unfortunately Dereks oak got vandalised.
I managed to salvage a small lower section of the trunk and with some pruning thought I would manage it as a scrub oak for the time being. ( they live a long time and could turn into a fine specimen when I'm long gone)
It pulled through and has flourished.
So.... yesterday on my annual pilgrimage, paid my visit..
Took a few photos of the oak and the eucalyptus tree, and a distance shot of one of the Cricket Bat willows ( I have lost a few in the high winds over the last couple of years.
I will be collecting some of the wood to use, for what I don't know yet? no good saying cricket bats.. its a long process)

But..looking at Dereks oak there were a few oak apples on the twigs that I could turn into a couple of Perch/ Gudgeon floats, and a nice looking rod rest growing low, so with carful pruning I took my "Rod rest cutting" and will look forward to whittling one out and using it, knowing it has that little bit of a sentimental pedigree.

Mr B.

[Olly]

We have cricket bat willows grown as a crop on one of our fisheries bordering the Kennet. Every time they are harvested - twice in 30 years mind you -- the clubs anglers are up in arms with the words 'destruction' banded about!

The trees are visited at least twice a year to check their health and to ensure no branches - they are all lopped off! - so straight as a dye trunks.

[RBTraditional]

Wonderful Mark… dreams are made of this stuff

[Mr B]

We have cricket bat willows grown as a crop on one of our fisheries bordering the Kennet. Every time they are harvested - twice in 30 years mind you -- the clubs anglers are up in arms with the words 'destruction' banded about!

The trees are visited at least twice a year to check their health and to ensure no branches - they are all lopped off! - so straight as a dye trunks.

Thats interesting...
A syndicate I belong to has some fine stands of bar willows that are harvested and looked after.
The trunks need to be lifted of side shoots to give knot free cricket bats.
Its so nice trees are grown and still harvested for artisan use and crafts in our day, each type of tree with its different uses and qualities. not a fraction on how it was in years gone bye.
Mr B

[Mr B]

Wonderful Mark… dreams are made of this stuff

Thanks Rob... looking forward to making and using my rod rest and making the floats!

Mark

[Pallenpool]

What a great post

[Wally Roy]

Great Post the2005 series was great too.

[Dave Burr]

Nice one.

[Mr B]

Thanks gents,
I will keep you posted as to the rod rest and floats.. and perhaps a few miniature cricket bats from the bat willow.
WTS. (Watch This Space) over the next season.

Mr B

[Sussex Micky]

Really enjoyed reading this Mark my friend