It has been a hectic start to the summer for everyone involved at New Road, but for one member of the Club, June was capped off by an international call-up!
Eagle-eyed Worcestershire supporters may have noticed there was a notable absentee from recent team sheets, with scorer Sue Drinkwater away at Lord’s after being invited to score the opening Test match of the summer between England and New Zealand.
A long-standing member of the Club, Sue made her first appearance in the scorebox at New Road back in 2008, although that was to officiate on England U19’s against New Zealand.
In the years that followed, Sue covered matches more frequently for the Pears, often scoring in pre-season friendlies, mid-summer touring matches, and other miscellaneous fixtures in a busy calendar.
Balancing the workload with second team scorer Phillip Mellish, Sue took on the mantle full-time for Worcestershire’s First XI in 2020, a position which she has adopted ever since.
Registering over 450 matches across all competitions and formats of cricket since her first recorded match 18 years ago, the recent invitation to Lords for the first test match of the summer was a memory that Sue says she will treasure.
“I had previously scored a game at Lord’s back in 2017, but it is down to the host venue to supply the scorers, so when the chance comes around, they tend to offer opportunities to the scorers at Clubs who are non-test venues.
“Then Lord’s got in contact with me at the start of the summer to let me know I had been selected, which was very exciting, of course.
“I travelled up on the morning of the match, but the untimely tube strikes made my journey slightly more interesting than it should have been!
“The strange thing about scoring England compared to a county side is the lack of communication you have with the on-field umpires.
“So at New Road, for example, we can radio in to the standing officials and ask any questions we may have, whereas during the Test match we are totally separate from the officials and have to go through the fourth umpire.
“That adds another layer of complexity when you are trying to deal with player reviews, extra deliveries, rain delays, etc.
“During the Test, there were 17 player reviews and two umpire reviews, so we had plenty to look out for!”
Having previously worked in the scorebox at Lord’s, Sue was not a total stranger to her surroundings for the duration of the match, despite the fact that it was only her second time as an official scorer.
Worcestershire’s scorer has experienced roles supporting the DLS system amongst a variety of anonymous jobs at the home of cricket, but was honoured to be able to take centre stage at the start of the month.
Unsurprisingly, there aren’t many things Sue hasn’t seen on a cricket field during her career that has spanned almost two decades, but the parting gift she received on the final day’s play was something that caught even her off guard.
“A few things have changed since I was last there, but one thing that really stood out to me was the medal I was awarded on the last day.
“It is a new thing, where the Chief Executive of the MCC comes to the scorebox and personally hands you an engraved medal, alongside a little note to thank you for your contribution to the Test match.
“That was very poignant and is a keepsake I will treasure. As scorers, you are often forgotten, so that was a lovely touch.”
Spending well over half the year sitting in the score box at her “office”, it is safe to say that Sue has become more appreciative than most of the iconic and unparalleled scenery around New Road.
Despite having visited the majority of the first-class county grounds, as well as a handful of Test match venues and quainter out grounds, there is no comparison to the place she calls home.
Her fondest memories, however, centre around two famous days of white-ball cricket in which Sue played her part in Worcestershire cricketing folklore.
“The Blast win in 2018 was special. It was the first time we had got to the final, so to then go on and win it was spectacular.
“I was honoured to score it, and because I had worked with the second eleven, I had seen a lot of the players come through, so I knew a lot of them when they won that day.
“I think Brett is the only player still going now from the original crop of second team players I scored back then. I did manage to get onto the pitch and celebrate, and was swamped by all the players!
“And of course, the Metro Bank One Day Cup win last year was special in its own right, so they are the two moments from my time that really stand out.”
For now, it is back to the Rothesay County Championship for Sue, who will be back in her rightful place at New Road this Friday when the Pears entertain Gloucestershire.
Congratulations, Sue. Keep those pencils sharpened!
