30/10/2017 Inside Out East Midlands


30/10/2017

Similar Content

Browse content similar to 30/10/2017. Check below for episodes and series from the same categories and more!

Transcript


LineFromTo

Hello from Melton Mowbray

in Leicestershire.

0:00:010:00:04

It's been more than a year

since Rosie Ayliffe heard

0:00:040:00:06

the worst news imaginable.

0:00:060:00:08

Her 20-year-old daughter,

Mia, had been killed

0:00:080:00:11

while backpacking in Australia.

0:00:110:00:13

Tonight though is about

what happened next.

0:00:130:00:17

Rosie's been to Queensland to see

the hostel where Mia

0:00:170:00:20

was stabbed to death.

0:00:200:00:22

She fought for her life

until the very last minute,

0:00:220:00:26

by the sound of it.

0:00:260:00:27

She got on her feet

and she ran for safety,

0:00:270:00:29

what she thoguht was safety,

to a bathroom where she could lock

0:00:290:00:32

herself in and then she was still

fighting for her life.

0:00:320:00:35

And she's gone, and it's

tough to be here.

0:00:350:00:39

I knew it would be but I'm so glad

I came because I feel

0:00:390:00:44

like I owed it to Mia.

0:00:440:00:46

We'll have the latest

on the campaign to protect

0:00:460:00:48

young backpackers.

0:00:480:00:50

We don't know who the labour

contractors are, we don't know

0:00:500:00:52

which farms they're working on,

we don't know which towns

0:00:520:00:55

they're living in.

0:00:550:00:57

Six on the trot's a world record.

0:00:570:00:59

And he's done it!

0:00:590:01:02

And welll look back at the days

when you could bump

0:01:020:01:04

into a cricketing legend

at the local pub.

0:01:040:01:08

To go home on a Saturday night

and say, I saw Gary Sobers,

0:01:080:01:14

I spoke to Gary Sobers,

I had a drink with Gary Sobers.

0:01:140:01:19

And I shook his hand when I left.

0:01:200:01:23

What memories.

0:01:230:01:26

What memories.

0:01:260:01:30

The stories that matter,

closer to home.

0:01:300:01:32

I'm Lukwesa Burak and this

is Inside Out for the East Midlands.

0:01:320:01:36

First tonight, when 21-year-old

Mia Ayliffe-Chung was stabbed

0:01:470:01:51

to death at a backpackers' hostel

in Queensland, her mum thought

0:01:510:01:55

she'd been in the wrong

place at the wrong time.

0:01:550:01:58

But Rosie Ayliffe soon

learned of a dark world

0:01:580:02:01

where some backpackers trying

to extend their visas

0:02:010:02:05

are exploited, threatened

and even risk their lives.

0:02:050:02:09

Now, as Rachael Gilchrist reports,

Rosie's campaign to protect young

0:02:090:02:14

people is being heard right

around the world.

0:02:140:02:18

I'm so glad I'm here.

0:02:260:02:28

This is a story of

journeys and of loss.

0:02:280:02:33

I am dealing with some quite

interesting emotions as I approach

0:02:330:02:37

the place where Mia

spent her last few days.

0:02:370:02:41

Of a dark world uncovered.

0:02:430:02:46

This is extortion.

0:02:460:02:48

People are making huge amounts

of money out of our backpackers.

0:02:480:02:55

And of a campaign

that continues.

0:02:550:02:57

I've got to get the story out there.

0:02:570:02:59

But above all it's a story of love.

0:02:590:03:03

If Mia walked into a

room, she lit it up.

0:03:030:03:09

This is a room I've

dedicated to Mia.

0:03:120:03:19

I've known Rosie

for more than a year.

0:03:190:03:23

I was at her daughter's funeral

reporting for BBC Radio Derby.

0:03:230:03:27

She always wanted to travel

since she was tiny.

0:03:270:03:29

She loved going abroad.

0:03:290:03:31

I suppose I was at my happiest when

I was travelling and so was she.

0:03:310:03:35

When Rosie said she wanted

to go back to Australia,

0:03:350:03:38

to the Queensland hostel where Mia

died, she invited me to tell that

0:03:380:03:41

story and I went with her.

0:03:420:03:48

It's a journey in Mia's footsteps

to see where she visited.

0:03:540:04:02

I don't know which way

it will go but

0:04:030:04:05

I'm hoping it will help me to come

to terms with her death.

0:04:050:04:09

It was at the backpackers hostel

where she was living

0:04:110:04:13

that she was attacked.

0:04:130:04:15

The attacker was a 29-year-old

French national.

0:04:150:04:19

Mia's murder was reported

round the world.

0:04:190:04:22

This was Mia just a few days ago

on her way to work on a farm.

0:04:220:04:27

Tom Jackson died after trying

to save her from Smail Ayad's knife.

0:04:280:04:33

To extend their Australian

visas for another year,

0:04:330:04:36

Mia and Tom joined

the 88 days scheme run

0:04:360:04:39

by the Australian Government.

0:04:390:04:42

If you want to stay longer

than a year on a working holiday

0:04:420:04:46

visa in Australia, then you need

to do 88 days, three months,

0:04:460:04:50

of work in agricultural or various

other industries in remote regions.

0:04:500:04:57

Mia came to Home Hill on the promise

of work at nearby farms.

0:04:580:05:03

I think the crop that we're

passing is sugar cane.

0:05:030:05:09

When you see how tall

it is an imagining Mia

0:05:090:05:12

working in that field,

that was way over her head.

0:05:120:05:17

So, that is all I am thinking

about is Mia in those fields, you

0:05:170:05:21

know.

0:05:210:05:22

It is pretty hot out there.

0:05:220:05:25

At Home Hill hostel, Mia shared

a small room with her killer.

0:05:260:05:31

Burdekin Memorial Hall.

0:05:310:05:36

Pink building on the left.

0:05:360:05:42

Which I think may well

be Home Hill hostel.

0:05:420:05:49

That must be Home Hill hostel

because I can see hostellers.

0:05:490:05:55

Here we are, bright blue

sky, beautiful day, two

0:05:550:05:59

little trees in a park.

0:05:590:06:04

A pink building which is like

the pictures I've seen in the press.

0:06:040:06:12

The hostel owner has

refused to meet Rosie.

0:06:140:06:17

But she will allow her inside later.

0:06:170:06:22

She's brought plants for a memorial

garden to Mia and Tom.

0:06:220:06:25

A couple of backpackers

offer to help.

0:06:250:06:29

What's your opinion of this

88 days of farm work?

0:06:290:06:33

When you talk about that, we have

had backpackers, they say a lot

0:06:330:06:37

of stories because everybody has a

story.

0:06:370:06:40

About the 88 days,

about the working in the farm.

0:06:400:06:45

A load of stories.

0:06:450:06:46

Bad stories, yeah?

0:06:460:06:47

Yes.

0:06:470:06:51

Rosie's almost 10,000 miles

from home and the last few steps

0:06:530:06:57

of this journey she has

to make alone.

0:06:570:07:03

But she is wearing a microphone.

0:07:030:07:05

Some viewers may find

what happens next upsetting.

0:07:050:07:09

I've been brought to

the place of Mia's death.

0:07:110:07:16

I'm sitting in the cubicle

where Mia died.

0:07:160:07:23

And apparently she fought

for her life even with chest

0:07:230:07:27

injuries, even with a blow

to the heart.

0:07:270:07:29

Mia was still fighting for her life.

0:07:300:07:33

And Tom tried to save her.

0:07:330:07:37

I just feel destroyed really.

0:07:400:07:46

It was always going to be hard.

0:07:460:07:47

But, you know.

0:07:470:07:51

Just the thought of my girl

lying her dying in a toilet...

0:07:520:07:56

It's not easy.

0:07:560:08:00

I'm going to say the Lord's prayer.

0:08:000:08:07

Our father who art in heaven.

0:08:070:08:08

Hallowed be your name.

0:08:080:08:12

Your kingdom come, your will be

done, on earth as it is in heaven.

0:08:120:08:16

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our trespasses,

0:08:160:08:21

as we forgive them that

trespass against us.

0:08:210:08:24

For thine is the kingdom,

and the power, and the glory,

0:08:240:08:28

for ever and ever.

0:08:280:08:31

Amen.

0:08:310:08:37

That's what comes to you isn't it,

in your darkest moments.

0:08:410:08:45

You revert to the faith

of your youth and that's what I did.

0:08:450:08:49

And she's gone,

and it is tough, it is

0:08:490:08:53

tough to be here.

0:08:530:08:54

I knew it would be but I am

so glad I came because I

0:08:540:08:57

feel like I owed it to Mia

0:08:570:09:01

In the hostel, the Queensland police

gave Rosie the full details

0:09:010:09:04

of her daughter's last moments.

0:09:040:09:09

She fought for her life

until the very last minute

0:09:090:09:12

from the sound of it.

0:09:130:09:17

She got on her feet and ran

to what she thought was safety

0:09:170:09:20

to a bathroom where she could lock

herself in and then

0:09:200:09:23

she was still fighting

for her life minutes afterwards.

0:09:230:09:25

Knowing what I know, it is going

to put it to rest, I hope.

0:09:250:09:28

Because I now know everything.

0:09:280:09:33

My conscious and unconscious mind

has been searching for answers

0:09:330:09:38

to what happened that night and now

I've had the police account

0:09:380:09:42

and I can't do any better than that.

0:09:420:09:49

Rosie's journey has become two-fold.

0:09:530:09:55

To retrace her daughter's last

steps and to campaign

0:09:550:09:59

against the conditions

some backpackers face.

0:09:590:10:04

What in particular did you find out

about the farm work scheme and how

0:10:080:10:11

young people like Mia,

like her friends are being

0:10:110:10:13

possibly exploited by it?

0:10:130:10:15

When I first came to Australia

to pick up Mia's body

0:10:150:10:18

I started to hear stories

from other young people

0:10:180:10:22

who were involved in the same

government programme that Mia

0:10:220:10:25

was involved with.

0:10:250:10:26

Frankly, I was shocked, I was

horrified at some of these stories

0:10:260:10:30

and some of the messages that came

to me through social media

0:10:300:10:36

in the subsequent weeks

suggested mass exploitation.

0:10:360:10:40

So I decided to look into it more.

0:10:400:10:45

I arrived here three weeks ago...

0:10:450:10:49

One of those to contact Rosie

is Djuro Vukotic who also did

0:10:490:10:53

farm work for his visa.

0:10:530:10:56

It gets mentally disturbing to sit

every day doing nothing.

0:10:560:10:59

The treatment is very, very bad.

0:10:590:11:02

The language that is being

spoken toward backpackers

0:11:020:11:06

is non-acceptable.

0:11:060:11:07

And I've seen instances where people

have been denied water,

0:11:070:11:11

denied going to the toilet

and just being fired

0:11:110:11:14

for no particular reason.

0:11:140:11:20

There's lies going on.

0:11:200:11:22

Like, I mean, the hostel owner

will tell you there's work.

0:11:220:11:25

He makes you travel

a destination of 2000km.

0:11:250:11:29

When you come there you realise five

weeks has passed and he hasn't given

0:11:290:11:33

you the work that he promised.

0:11:330:11:35

We're speaking about people

working in 40 degrees,

0:11:350:11:37

some of them are 18,

19 years old.

0:11:370:11:40

People collapse mentally,

they just break down.

0:11:400:11:42

It was almost like being in prison

rather than being in Australia.

0:11:420:11:49

Rosie is ruffling feathers out here.

0:11:500:11:52

She's meeting influential people

and finding out more about

0:11:520:11:55

the exploitation of backpackers.

0:11:550:11:59

If it's raining for two weeks, as it

often does in tropical Queensland,

0:11:590:12:03

there's no work so the backpackers

are getting further in to debt.

0:12:030:12:09

That when we see practices

like seizures of

0:12:090:12:12

passports, seizure of

laptops, things like that.

0:12:120:12:16

In order to stop

people from leaving.

0:12:160:12:19

It's been quite a journey.

0:12:200:12:22

I have met young, so-called

backpackers, who have

0:12:220:12:25

encountered quite harsh conditions

in the field and who have had

0:12:250:12:30

experiences which, you know, I don't

think people back home would be

0:12:300:12:34

happy about.

0:12:340:12:37

I have got to get

the story out there.

0:12:370:12:40

I have to do my best to do

something to stop what is

0:12:400:12:45

happening here.

0:12:450:12:50

Back home in Cromford,

Rosie's efforts are reaping rewards.

0:12:560:13:00

Three Australian states are now

looking at regulating labour hire

0:13:000:13:04

and her online campaign continues.

0:13:040:13:07

In the last year 1,500 people have

signed up to her Facebook page.

0:13:070:13:12

And now a website has been set up.

0:13:120:13:15

One of the first to tell

Rosie their story was backpacker

0:13:150:13:18

Joy Lakin from Derby.

0:13:180:13:21

We kept being picked up

in the middle of nowhere, dropped

0:13:210:13:24

off in the middle of nowhere.

0:13:240:13:25

Being told we had work then

suddenly we don t have work.

0:13:250:13:28

Being made to work for

accommodation, and put down

0:13:280:13:31

money for equipment and put down

money for board and then realise you

0:13:310:13:35

can't actually afford any money

for food or to have a good time,

0:13:350:13:39

which is the whole point

of travelling anyway.

0:13:390:13:44

This is our Tom and Mia's

legacy group page.

0:13:440:13:49

And then the actual website,

88 days and counting.

0:13:490:13:56

Basically, you can search

for different areas in Australia.

0:13:560:14:00

Hopefully, guiding people

from the worst places

0:14:000:14:04

and towards the best places.

0:14:040:14:05

There's quite a lot of advice.

0:14:050:14:08

If you'd had something like this

when you were doing your 88 days

0:14:080:14:12

would it have been useful?

0:14:120:14:14

It would have been

such a difference.

0:14:140:14:16

It's great to have something

so wonderful come from such

0:14:160:14:18

a tragic experience

to make sure that other

0:14:180:14:22

mothers won't have

to feel like this.

0:14:220:14:24

I can't say enough about how

well Rosie has done.

0:14:240:14:28

She really has made it easier

for everybody to feel a bit more

0:14:280:14:31

safe and hopefully,

Mia's name will live

0:14:310:14:34

on in a more positive light.

0:14:340:14:38

I was winding down, I was looking

forward to Mia settling down.

0:14:430:14:48

She wanted to have

kids earlier rather

0:14:480:14:50

than later because she

wanted a big family.

0:14:500:14:53

That is heartbreaking.

0:14:530:14:56

What I can do is to

carry on trying to

0:15:010:15:05

bring kids like Mia home in one

piece and also having had the time

0:15:050:15:10

of their life, which is

what travelling is all about.

0:15:100:15:13

I want to feel we have

made a start, we

0:15:130:15:16

definitely have made a start.

0:15:160:15:19

What an amazing film

and I am with Rosie now.

0:15:250:15:29

It has been a few weeks since

we spoke to you, making that film.

0:15:290:15:32

What in particular has been

happening regarding the website?

0:15:320:15:36

Well, I wake up in the morning

and the first thing I am greeted

0:15:360:15:39

with is stories from young people

who are often in trouble

0:15:390:15:42

and some of it can

be quite harrowing and difficult

0:15:420:15:46

to deal with.

0:15:460:15:47

Stories of young people working

on equipment that aren't

0:15:470:15:51

properly manned, where they are

losing digits, which seems to be

0:15:510:15:56

quite a frequent hazard.

0:15:560:16:00

When they are injured

in the workplace they

0:16:000:16:03

aren't taken to hospital,

they aren't treated well.

0:16:030:16:05

They are sacked.

0:16:050:16:07

This kind of thing.

0:16:070:16:08

Young people arriving

in a hostel and finding them

0:16:080:16:13

is no work, all of this.

0:16:130:16:15

Being thrown out of a hostel

in the middle of the night and

0:16:150:16:18

ending up on the streets

at 2am in the morning.

0:16:180:16:20

There is no regard for their safety.

0:16:200:16:24

But there is a growing body

of people who want to help.

0:16:240:16:27

You're coordinating

all that from the UK.

0:16:270:16:29

That can't be easy.

0:16:290:16:31

No.

0:16:310:16:33

It seems just ironic

that young people

0:16:330:16:35

are saying to me, you

are our only port of call.

0:16:350:16:39

You are the only person we can

turn to because there

0:16:390:16:42

is nothing out here.

0:16:420:16:44

What has the reaction been

like from Australia?

0:16:440:16:47

Some of those farmers

can't be happy.

0:16:470:16:49

I am ruffling feathers,

I am aware that is the case.

0:16:490:16:55

What sort of things are they saying

to you as a comeback?

0:16:550:16:59

If I tell you some of the messages

I have received you will be

0:17:000:17:03

horrified, to be honest.

0:17:040:17:05

Just that kind of internet

barracking that you might expect.

0:17:050:17:12

Trolling, almost.

0:17:120:17:13

There is some trolling and some

of it is quite personal as well,

0:17:130:17:17

as you can imagine.

0:17:170:17:19

I've just got to be brave

because I am speaking on behalf of

0:17:190:17:23

young people who don't have a voice.

0:17:230:17:25

I've just got to do it,

I've got to bite the bullet.

0:17:250:17:28

What about in the UK?

0:17:280:17:30

What kind of moves have been made?

0:17:300:17:32

The UK High Commission, which is

based in Canberra, have taken up

0:17:320:17:35

the batton with this and I am really

happy that they now have

0:17:350:17:38

advice for travellers, who may be

doing their 88 days, on their

0:17:380:17:43

website.

0:17:430:17:44

They say for example,

make sure you take copies of your

0:17:440:17:47

passports, don't hand

your passport over.

0:17:470:17:49

They have got a reporting

line which I report

0:17:490:17:52

to on a regular basis,

0:17:520:17:53

which I am encouraging young

people to report to.

0:17:530:17:57

It's not the natural place

to look for advice when you

0:17:570:17:59

are going to Australia.

0:17:590:18:02

Where you would look

for advice would be on the

0:18:020:18:04

Australian immigration

website and that is where

0:18:040:18:06

these links need to be.

0:18:060:18:08

That is the missing

link, if you like.

0:18:080:18:10

You have been talking to some pretty

influential people, you made

0:18:100:18:12

a speech recently at the Gangmasters

and Labour Abuse Authority.

0:18:120:18:16

What happened?

0:18:160:18:17

How did it go?

0:18:170:18:19

My aim was to raise

awareness of the issues

0:18:190:18:22

and to make the connection

between what happens

0:18:220:18:25

to immigrant workers in the UK

and what is happening

0:18:250:18:29

to our own young

people in Australia.

0:18:290:18:33

Because I don't think the majority

of people in that room would have

0:18:330:18:37

recognised that their own young

people were in danger from the same

0:18:370:18:41

effects as the vulnerable

workers in this country.

0:18:410:18:47

You don't see young,

UK travellers as vulnerable in the

0:18:470:18:53

same way as you would recognise that

among central Europeans over here.

0:18:530:18:57

Our young people are made vulnerable

by their hopes and dreams

0:18:570:19:02

for a better life in Australia.

0:19:020:19:04

Rosie, have you done enough now?

0:19:040:19:07

The objective of the campaign

was to get the message out

0:19:070:19:10

there to the Australian population

and to people in the UK.

0:19:100:19:15

So, yes, I have reached

that objective.

0:19:150:19:19

It is in the bag really.

0:19:190:19:22

But the issue is, I am still that

main point of contact that

0:19:220:19:28

that conduit for information to the

British and Australian authorities.

0:19:280:19:33

In all honesty, I can't stop now.

0:19:330:19:37

To me, it shouldn't be me

who is losing sleep over this.

0:19:370:19:42

Somebody else is responsible

and somebody else needs

0:19:420:19:45

to take over where I leave off.

0:19:450:19:49

This is Tom and Mia's legacy.

0:19:490:19:51

It is about keeping

our young people safe.

0:19:510:19:55

That is the bottom line.

0:19:550:19:57

Thank you very much indeed.

0:19:570:19:59

Thank you.

0:19:590:20:01

Finally tonight, the clocks may have

gone back, but we'd like to remind

0:20:030:20:06

you of those long summer days,

the scent of freshly mown grass

0:20:060:20:10

and the sound of leather on willow.

0:20:100:20:13

This country has undoubtedly

produced some cricketing legends,

0:20:130:20:17

and none were bigger

than Sir Garfield Sobers

0:20:170:20:20

who captained Nottinghamshire

in the twilight of his sparkling

0:20:200:20:24

international Test career.

0:20:240:20:26

But what you might not know is that

Garry Sobers had a huge impact

0:20:260:20:30

on local league cricket

in the Midlands.

0:20:300:20:33

Rebecca Wood has taken a step back

in time to revisit a golden era.

0:20:330:20:37

Trent Bridge cricket

ground in Nottingham.

0:20:430:20:45

A regular host of international

cricket and star players.

0:20:450:20:49

But back in the 1950s

and '60s, even small

0:20:490:20:52

local cricket clubs attracted big

names and big crowds.

0:20:520:20:59

And here in Norton

in Stoke-on-Trent,

0:20:590:21:01

thousands of local fans were treated

to a close-up view of the greatest

0:21:010:21:04

cricket player in the world

when the legendary

0:21:040:21:07

Sir Garfield Sobers signed up

for their local league club.

0:21:070:21:12

Sobers is arguably the greatest

all-rounder the game has ever seen.

0:21:120:21:17

Six on the trot,

it is a world record.

0:21:170:21:20

And he has done it!

0:21:210:21:22

He has done it.

0:21:220:21:24

His six sixes in one over is one

of the most famous moments in

0:21:240:21:27

sporting history.

0:21:270:21:29

Six on the trot.

0:21:290:21:30

Goodness gracious.

0:21:300:21:32

Sobers, finest

cricketer in the world.

0:21:320:21:36

He could bat, he could

bowl at pace, he could

0:21:360:21:40

bowl spin, either

orthodox spin, leg spin.

0:21:400:21:44

He was so athletic he

moved like a panther.

0:21:440:21:47

He got everything.

0:21:470:21:50

And for those Staffordshire

players who got to

0:21:500:21:52

walk out with the great man,

they were incredible days.

0:21:520:21:57

One of those players

was the former captain here

0:21:570:22:02

at Stone Cricket Club,

Stuart Wood, who I know as Dad.

0:22:020:22:05

He was an amazing player was Gary.

0:22:050:22:08

When he bent his back,

when he really put all he got

0:22:080:22:14

into it, he was as quick as anybody.

0:22:140:22:16

He would hit you on your leg before

you realised what the line and

0:22:160:22:19

length of the ball was.

0:22:190:22:21

He was very, very fast.

0:22:210:22:24

In 1965, my dad played alongside

Gary Sobers and another

0:22:240:22:29

West Indian great, Wes Hall,

in the final of the Rothmans Cup.

0:22:290:22:33

It was an exciting time,

to have them in the

0:22:330:22:36

same side as you was

absolutely wonderful.

0:22:360:22:39

They went on to greater things,

obviously, the two of them.

0:22:390:22:42

But at that stage, Gary Sobers

was quite the most fantastic

0:22:420:22:48

cricketer I'd ever set eyes

on and it was a great

0:22:480:22:51

pleasure to play with him.

0:22:510:22:55

Gary Sobers signed for Norton

Cricket club based on the miners

0:22:550:22:58

welfare Institute and it even

made the local news.

0:22:580:23:02

Gary, you've just come back

from India after touring

0:23:020:23:04

with the Commonwealth team.

0:23:040:23:05

What made you decide to come

to this class cricket is?

0:23:050:23:08

This class of cricket, I think,

has done a lot for me.

0:23:080:23:11

I look forward to coming back year

to play in the league, to

0:23:110:23:15

get away a bit from the sunshine

and to look forward to playing

0:23:150:23:18

among the league players.

0:23:180:23:22

Sobers was part of a tradition

of internationals who came

0:23:220:23:28

over to play in the best English

leagues like here in the North

0:23:280:23:31

Staffordshire South Cheshire league

and the Lancashire league.

0:23:310:23:33

There was money to be

made in the leagues but

0:23:330:23:35

that wasn't the only thing that

brought the West Indians to England.

0:23:350:23:38

As the man himself explains in this

rarely seen archive footage.

0:23:380:23:41

I think league cricket

has helped West Indies

0:23:410:23:44

tremendously and I think all

West Indians or all overseas players

0:23:440:23:48

should at least try to get

into league crickets, I'm sure

0:23:480:23:51

cricket would improve tremendously.

0:23:510:23:54

That message made its way

back to the Caribbean.

0:23:540:23:57

That is a good shot.

0:23:580:23:59

Where the next generation

of superstars were listening.

0:23:590:24:01

Everybody in the

Caribbean thought that

0:24:010:24:03

England was the best

place to learn the trade,

0:24:030:24:05

to develop and also you heard a lot

of stories, a lot of players who'd

0:24:050:24:10

come here and they talked

about the pitches being green, the

0:24:100:24:13

ball swinging around and

the different weather conditions.

0:24:130:24:17

To me, having that

way was difficult and

0:24:170:24:21

you constantly had to make

adjustments but it could only

0:24:210:24:24

help your game.

0:24:240:24:26

The leagues have got rich history.

0:24:260:24:28

Some of the best players that

would have graced the world

0:24:280:24:31

where cricket is concerned.

0:24:310:24:34

Sir Gary Sobers passed

through the league, Sir

0:24:340:24:36

Everton passed through the league,

Wes Hall passed through the league.

0:24:360:24:39

There is so much numerous

individuals who would have made

0:24:390:24:42

their mark at cricket itself,

would have played in the league.

0:24:420:24:47

Here comes a great

West Indian cricketer

0:24:470:24:49

and captain, Frank Worrell.

0:24:490:24:51

International cricketers didn't earn

much back in the '50s and '60s.

0:24:510:24:54

Not eligible for county cricket,

they seized the opportunity to play

0:24:540:24:57

in the leagues on a Saturday

and then for a touring side called

0:24:570:25:01

the International

Cavaliers on a Sunday.

0:25:010:25:05

Grounds like Norton were rammed

with thousands of spectators.

0:25:050:25:09

The square would be here.

0:25:090:25:10

Cricket isn'ts played

here any more but Nigel

0:25:100:25:12

Johnson, veteran sports commentator

for BBC Radio Stoke, remembers those

0:25:120:25:16

extraordinary days.

0:25:160:25:18

Take me back to those Saturdays

and what it would've

0:25:180:25:20

been like Garfield Sobers was here.

0:25:200:25:22

All the way around on the seats,

it would have been packed.

0:25:220:25:28

There would have been

people on seats, people

0:25:280:25:30

standing, not necessarily

one row, two rows.

0:25:300:25:35

People would just be finding a spot

where they could see

0:25:350:25:39

everything that is going on here.

0:25:390:25:43

Then when the teams came out,

the roar, the applause going up.

0:25:430:25:48

It was electrifying.

0:25:480:25:51

The North Staffs and South Cheshire

league was the finest

0:25:510:25:54

league in the country.

0:25:540:25:56

So when people came to watch

the cricketers, the

0:25:560:25:59

professionals and the

nonprofessionals, they were

0:25:590:26:02

watching the best.

0:26:020:26:03

The overseas professionals

were coming for the cricket but

0:26:030:26:06

Stoke-on-Trent was a far

cry from the Caribbean.

0:26:060:26:09

It will dull, dark, smoky,

dirty and polluted.

0:26:090:26:16

If I could take you back then

you wouldn't like it.

0:26:160:26:19

It was a really awful place

to live in and to work in.

0:26:190:26:22

Work was really laborious.

0:26:220:26:25

No mechanism in those days,

no computers, everything was done

0:26:250:26:28

virtually by hand and by body.

0:26:280:26:31

Thousands worked down

the mines in the potteries

0:26:310:26:34

and Saturday afternoon cricket

in the fresh air was the

0:26:340:26:37

perfect escape.

0:26:370:26:38

To see Gary Sobers and hope

that he was going to hit six sixes

0:26:380:26:43

again straight out of the ground

or to hope even better

0:26:430:26:47

that the bowler, the local bowler,

was going to get his wicket,

0:26:470:26:50

that was a big draw.

0:26:500:26:55

And Frank Reynolds was one

of those local boys.

0:26:550:26:58

There is Sobers again.

0:26:580:26:59

And there.

0:26:590:27:01

Playing at Norton for over 30 years,

he shared the pitch

0:27:010:27:04

with many an international

superstar.

0:27:040:27:06

When you went out to bat

against the likes of Wes Hall,

0:27:060:27:10

Sonny Ramadhin or many of the other

test players, you didn't give your

0:27:100:27:15

wicket away easily.

0:27:150:27:16

You were toughened up

and you took them on.

0:27:160:27:20

In fact, it was a pleasure to me

to get the scalps of test players.

0:27:200:27:26

But in 1968, the rules on overseas

players changed and they could now

0:27:260:27:31

move up to play for counties.

0:27:310:27:33

The glory days of league

cricket were ending.

0:27:330:27:38

The North Staffs and South Cheshire

league is still going strong

0:27:380:27:41

but the days when superstars

played down the road are long gone.

0:27:410:27:46

The chance to see Laker,

Worrell, Sobers, Hall,

0:27:460:27:54

all these players were visible.

0:27:540:27:56

They were approachable.

0:27:560:27:59

And that was a very,

very important thing.

0:27:590:28:01

To go home a Saturday night

and say, I saw Gary Sobers,

0:28:010:28:06

I spoke to Gary Sobers,

I had a drink with Gary Sobers.

0:28:060:28:13

And I shook his hand when I left.

0:28:130:28:18

What memories.

0:28:180:28:20

What memories.

0:28:200:28:22

Fond memories indeed.

0:28:250:28:27

And that's it from Melton

for another week.

0:28:270:28:29

Here's what's coming up next Monday.

0:28:290:28:33

The conman who exploited bereaved

families trying to find out

0:28:350:28:39

what happened to their loved one.

0:28:390:28:42

He looked as if he was fighting

for us but no, he was only there for

0:28:420:28:45

his one person, himself.

0:28:450:28:47

He will continue, he

will con the people.

0:28:470:28:50

Download Subtitles

SRT

ASS