Before I had to get a proper job not that I have found one
just yet I had perhaps one of the greatest if not the greatest summer jobs in
the world. Yes it was hard work, yes I worked long hours and yes I stood on my
feet for hours but I was a steward for the MCC at the home of cricket and I
loved every day of it. In the build up to the 2nd Ashes test to be played at
Lords I thought I would give you all an insight into a day in the life of a
Lords steward.
Each day of a test match started the same for me up at around 5:30 to start my commute to the greatest cricket ground in the world. I would leave at 6 from my grandparent’s house and arrive at the ground to be registered before 7 am. Entering the ground via the bicentenary gate first up the body and bag search then onto registration at the head steward’s office to be assigned duties for the day and have the uniform inspected. White shirt, black trousers, shiny black shoes, Lords tie all at the same lengths as they soon became clip on and the either an official Lords blazer or a nice bit of high vis.
After registration it's off to the stands for the stewards I was very lucky when it came to my assignments and spent most of my time in the Tavern lower stand which the majority of the time was a full MCC members only stand. 8 o clock would bring the briefings and security sweep not just of the stands seating areas but of everything around and in the stand. After this it was time for positions as at around half past 8 the gates would open and all the members would rush into the ground to get themselves their chosen seat for the day. On the first day of the Ashes in 2009 watching a very elderly gentleman tuck his walking stick under one arm and his picnic basket under the other as he set off like Usain Bolt to the Warner stand is still something that sticks out in my mind.
The stands slowly fill and the famous Lords buzz becomes louder and louder, something that I have never heard or felt at any other international ground. Of course we all know that play begins at 11 and this is when us stewards really have to switch on to enforce the many wired and wonderful rules:
Each day of a test match started the same for me up at around 5:30 to start my commute to the greatest cricket ground in the world. I would leave at 6 from my grandparent’s house and arrive at the ground to be registered before 7 am. Entering the ground via the bicentenary gate first up the body and bag search then onto registration at the head steward’s office to be assigned duties for the day and have the uniform inspected. White shirt, black trousers, shiny black shoes, Lords tie all at the same lengths as they soon became clip on and the either an official Lords blazer or a nice bit of high vis.
After registration it's off to the stands for the stewards I was very lucky when it came to my assignments and spent most of my time in the Tavern lower stand which the majority of the time was a full MCC members only stand. 8 o clock would bring the briefings and security sweep not just of the stands seating areas but of everything around and in the stand. After this it was time for positions as at around half past 8 the gates would open and all the members would rush into the ground to get themselves their chosen seat for the day. On the first day of the Ashes in 2009 watching a very elderly gentleman tuck his walking stick under one arm and his picnic basket under the other as he set off like Usain Bolt to the Warner stand is still something that sticks out in my mind.
The stands slowly fill and the famous Lords buzz becomes louder and louder, something that I have never heard or felt at any other international ground. Of course we all know that play begins at 11 and this is when us stewards really have to switch on to enforce the many wired and wonderful rules:
·
No fancy dress
·
No flags
·
No banners
·
No musical instruments
·
Beer snakes to be stopped before they are formed
·
No entrance to the stands during the over
·
No talking into mobile phones in the stands
during the match
So if travelling to Lords this week and get a little whispers
in your ear or a tap on a shoulder just remember the steward is only doing his
job. I always found that when play was underway the time would fly rotating
with your colleagues in order to allow breaks from the constant standing on
your feet and even though we were not there to watch the cricket of course
certain positions allowed for some viewing of the game. Well how do you keep an
eye on the spectators without looking out from my favoured position at third
man/ fine leg.
Throughout the days play cricket crowds I found to be very polite and well behaved so the job was more about early intervention to prevent having any escalated issue in the stand. A normal test match will see very few ejections from the stand I honestly can't remember during the many summers I spent their having to have anyone removed from our stand during a test match; of course T20 cricket is completely different as it’s a different crowd that attends.
The lunch and tea intervals are another time when the stewards are key having to make sure people know where they are going and also that come the resumption of play spectators are filtered back into the seats between over’s to make sure that play is not interrupted by any movement.
At the end of play as the crowd mill away after another day filled with memories that will last he ages the stewards job is not complete. The stand must be checked once again a nice stewards sweep all walking along checking for broken seats and lost property, the amount of umbrellas left was always something that surprised me. After this and once for us at least the Tavern members bar was clear we could radio through to be stood down for the day something that would normally occur around 7:30 depending on how the day had panned out between bat and ball and of course the weather.
My view if you ever get the chance to become a steward at Lords and they are always recruiting just after Christmas for each session is to grab it with both hands as its something that your love. I have some great memories from asking the current prime minister to see his ticket, seeing KP score many runs my favourite knock came against South Africa and of course seeing England win an Ashes test match. You will also get to work in a great team and meet some great people I can honestly say I
On the 5 days of this Ashes test in 2013 these men and women stewarding at Lords are the unsung heroes of the test and when your leaving the ground after a great days play just give them perhaps a hand shake or even just a thank you. I loved my time as a steward and wish I could still travel to Lords each summer but my commute would be a little longer now.
If you’re attending Lords this week I hope you enjoy it as Lords is a special place. Throughout this Ashes series I am always asking people to tweet me there top Ashes memories and also to tweet me pictures from the ground each one will get a RT just tweet the over to @TSF_Ashes and most importantly enjoy the cricket.
The Sport Files Ashes
Throughout the days play cricket crowds I found to be very polite and well behaved so the job was more about early intervention to prevent having any escalated issue in the stand. A normal test match will see very few ejections from the stand I honestly can't remember during the many summers I spent their having to have anyone removed from our stand during a test match; of course T20 cricket is completely different as it’s a different crowd that attends.
The lunch and tea intervals are another time when the stewards are key having to make sure people know where they are going and also that come the resumption of play spectators are filtered back into the seats between over’s to make sure that play is not interrupted by any movement.
At the end of play as the crowd mill away after another day filled with memories that will last he ages the stewards job is not complete. The stand must be checked once again a nice stewards sweep all walking along checking for broken seats and lost property, the amount of umbrellas left was always something that surprised me. After this and once for us at least the Tavern members bar was clear we could radio through to be stood down for the day something that would normally occur around 7:30 depending on how the day had panned out between bat and ball and of course the weather.
My view if you ever get the chance to become a steward at Lords and they are always recruiting just after Christmas for each session is to grab it with both hands as its something that your love. I have some great memories from asking the current prime minister to see his ticket, seeing KP score many runs my favourite knock came against South Africa and of course seeing England win an Ashes test match. You will also get to work in a great team and meet some great people I can honestly say I
On the 5 days of this Ashes test in 2013 these men and women stewarding at Lords are the unsung heroes of the test and when your leaving the ground after a great days play just give them perhaps a hand shake or even just a thank you. I loved my time as a steward and wish I could still travel to Lords each summer but my commute would be a little longer now.
If you’re attending Lords this week I hope you enjoy it as Lords is a special place. Throughout this Ashes series I am always asking people to tweet me there top Ashes memories and also to tweet me pictures from the ground each one will get a RT just tweet the over to @TSF_Ashes and most importantly enjoy the cricket.
The Sport Files Ashes
