The Wicked Cricket Column

A Chat with Zac
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Part 4

It was lovely to meet up with Zac at Eastbourne. We hadn’t spoken since I’d carried out an interview last November. This was a special day for him. For, without Zac there would have been no RLC match at the Saffrons. This day was his legacy for the cricketing enthusiasts of the town and they were there to both enjoy the game and thank him for their great opportunity.

The Dynamic Duo


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How are you enjoying retirement?

It’s quite an adjustment being involved in a full on, very busy job, to then a sudden dead stop. I retired on December 23rd. It was a hectic time leading up to this date as I was doing everything possible to leave my job in good shape. Then, straight into Christmas and busy with the family and after that was over it dawned on me… I didn’t have to get up for anything. That was a strange feeling. Then my wife and I went off to Thailand with some friends for a two week holiday. We had intentions of travelling around the country but I just vegged out. I was exhausted.

It’s a huge life-changing decision retiring. I am still relatively young (61 years-old). My first reaction was to fill the day with things. So, if it didn’t move I painted it. I built a new office at home from scratch; redecorated most of the house; the garden is looking tidier… My intention is to create two parts to my retirement.

First, charity work: I am more involved with The Rainbow Trust now where I’m a Patron. I have done some mentoring and helped unemployed people to find new work via my business contacts. Also, I am a Non-Exec Director of two businesses, both in Hove.

Then there is the ‘me piece’: Travelling with the family, getting fit, losing weight and generally investing in myself. I am learning how to play the guitar. I want to seek a better balance in my life. And my interest for cricket remains. I was speaking at The Oval last week where I addressed the 'Surrey Dining Club'. That was enjoyable.

What do you miss the most about your previous job?

I miss the association with a great cricket county. Sussex will always be my club. I had a special and genuine relationship with the Members. Connecting with them was essential for me. I truly believe you can learn so much from talking to them. They give up their hard earned money to support Sussex. They must be listened to, even if you give them answers they don’t want to hear; at least you are building a dialogue. And if they think you're an idiot that’s fine by me.

After parking my car today it took me 35 minutes to reach this Hospitality area because I was stopped so many times by people who wanted a chat. It was lovely and I know tonight that if Sussex lose this game they won’t blame or beat me up. I miss the sponsors too who were great. But, I don’t miss the 24/7 job. I like the fact now that when I go on holiday I don’t need to take the mobile with me. I have time to do things as well as I can rather than only half achieve them.

Do you get up later now or do you stick to your old routines?

I have a rule that I only set the alarm for really important things. I don’t get up later, no if anything, it is earlier. If I want to go into my office at 7am to do some work I will. Equally I don’t feel guilty if I sit down in the afternoon with my wife and have a cuppa. We walk a lot now, 10 miles or more a week. We often stop for a coffee. Costa love us. We are their No.1 customers. And the only time the alarm goes on is if I have a plane to catch. But I must keep active and most importantly make a difference. I still intend to live life to the max. The interesting thing is: I go to bed now and sleep all the way through. I used to wake up in the middle of the night to check my phone, just in case some club crisis had happened. Why? Because I cared.

What do you reckon of our new CEO?

Perhaps, they could have found someone with a higher profile? (laughs) Seriously, Rob seems a lovely guy and has fitted in well. What a fantastic career background.

An important lesson I learnt as a county cricket CEO is you’re never truly tested until things go wrong and cricket has the tendency to have a lot of issues. Look at my tenure. Match-fixing, player disciplinary problems, the tragic loss of Matthew Hobden. Through that tragedy I became very close to the family and today I am a Trustee of their Trust.

But most importantly, you are a custodian of the club. You don’t own it. And you must be honest with the people involved; where the challenge is to find a balance between its cricketing traditions and moving the sport forward to attract more revenue.

END

The piece was published during Mental Health Awareness Week, so I imagine the book release last year tied in with the same "event"

ls,

While you have chosen the best known silver lining quote there are a host of variants including the one I use in the post. Having
spent time researching mental health, the positive aspect of depression are the insights gained through it along with a better
understanding of the human condition. 

henryr,

Thanks for that. Makes good sense.

A Catch-Up with Ed Giddins
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Part 5

Former England International and Sussex CCC seamer, Ed Giddins, runs a successful Silent Auction business today and is a popular and well-known figurehead on the Charity Auction circuit. Eastbourne is Ed's town - his place.
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You can’t come to Eastbourne CC without talking to Ed Giddins. (laughter) It’s great to see you again.

Likewise. I know a lot of people here as I’ve lived in the town for 40 years. They love their cricket so they may know of me if they have a good memory; but while mine is great for names, for faces... it’s terrible!

Tell me about it, although I’m the opposite.

(Ian Fletcher-Price appears: “Giddo, we need to push these raffle tickets…”)

They are the easiest to sell at the moment.

(“How’s the silent auction going?”)

Good. It’s going well.

(“We’ll chat later.” Ian Fletcher-Price leaves)

Fletch is great. I have known him a long time. He has so much energy. There are over 200 staff at his Company. The retention rate is extremely high as his employees love working for him. Which is the way it should be. There are people there who’ve been with him since it began over 25 years ago.

When we last spoke you had just left Lashings CC as their auctioneer and become fully self-employed.

That's right. We now do 150 events a year. In our own small specialist world, we are revolutionising the silent auction business. 

Tell me more?

We have exposed the real cost price of the items auctioned. For example, a friend of mine was at an event 5 years ago; he paid £400 for an Ian Botham signed mini-bat. It came to light the Charity only received £5 from this. The actual cost with the bat, Getty images alongside it etc.. was no-more than £75. So, if someone is happy to pay £400 for it at auction, I want to make sure the Charity is gaining the lion’s share of the profit.

Talk about your own Company ‘Full Event Management’?

My Company remit is to make the most amount of money for a Charity; but also to make it as easy and stress-free as possible for them. With that in mind I have an excellent team of staff who assist at each event. We put together and print a bespoke silent auction brochure where I am available to act as auctioneer if required. Post-event my office will process and deliver all auction items which takes away the aggravation from the organiser. 

So how does a silent auction work?

It is all about being discreet. Each person who attends an event is given a catalogue where there may be 50 or more items to bid on. Over the last 2 years, HMRC have cut the amount the Corporates can spend on incentives for people. That has really killed the live auctions. They still exist because people like to support or be showy, but the number who do that has reduced because they don’t have a company credit card. So those who do bid, it may be personal money. A silent auction is more creative and it works really well. 

Is it a growth market?

Our particular business is growing. We are very proud to work with a large number of Charities and in the cricketing world particularly the PCA and the 'Matthew Hobden Trust'. The Trust had a small event at The Oval recently (The Klitschko/Joshua live fight was shown) and have major plans for the future. I believe they will go from strength to strength with big fun events in Matthew’s honour and raise significant funds.

Their cause to support young cricketers is excellent…

Absolutely. I distinctly remember being a beneficiary of funds to allow me to fly to Australia, when I was 18 years-old after joining Sussex, to play some club cricket and help my career. It must have been around 1989/90. Without that financial assistance I could not have afforded to go. 

I believe, you are involved in Chris Nash’s Benefit Year?

Yes. Chris had a fantastic launch in March at the Brighton Grand Hotel. 430 people attended the lunch. It was a fantastic event and a lot of money was raised.

I will be at Hove on Thursday evening. Chris has a Benefit dinner in the Boundary Rooms where a number of South African players involved in the match the following day are attending. Chris has played club cricket in their country during the Winter, so knows a fair number of them. Around 140 are attending. There will be a roving mic and various informal chats.



What types of items do you auction?

At present, there is a night out with Phil Tufnell (smiles); a South African 6 night safari holiday… (Picks up a brochure) The estimate for two people is £2,200 to £3,200 with a reserve of £1,995… but this is the top end. There are many cheaper lots. A football signed by David Beckham is estimated at between £350 and £500; an Alastair Cook signed bat £250-£300 and so on.

And people write down a bid under their interested lot?

Yes, and then put their contact details and table number at the end.

You need to sell your raffle tickets, so I will leave you alone…

I read the Unofficial Sussex CCC Forum by the way. I really enjoy it.
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Ed Giddins can be contacted on: 07798 622 666.
Website: www.fulleventmanagement.com
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Sussex v South Africa
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After doom and gloom earlier in the day as the forecast suggested the weather would thwart the match against South Africa, at 5.30pm after much blotting, squeezing and general hard grind from the ground staff, a shortened 64 over game began, watched by a close to full house.

The food and drink outlets had experienced a roaring trade during the afternoon with table cricket, head ballooning (!), face painting and Sid the Shark in fine form offering a further welcome distraction away from the blank canvas on the pitch.

Balloon Head Man



The first surprise was no Luke Wright as his wife is expecting their third child, so the tannoy said, but another Luke, Wells, made a welcome return. Chris Nash took over the Captaincy mantle and after winning the toss elected to bowl. Strangely, he then disappeared not to materialise on the field until the 13th over. Later he was out second ball so, perhaps, a match he'll quickly forget.

The museum had put on their usual excellent display including a cabinet devoted to past Sussex/South African cricket connections. Items ranged from a signed bat used by Maurice Tate during the MCC tour of SA in 1931 to a James Kirtley boot worn by him in 2003 during an England international against the Proteus at Trentbridge where he achieved the impressive bowling figure of 6-34 in the second innings.

Kirtley Boot and Tate Bat Men



But the off-the-field star of the match was the "bearded one-handed catcher man" sitting in the top tier of the Spen Cama Pavilion. His take was quite spectacular. Unfortunately, in the scorebook, it remains a 6 for Wayne Parnell bowled by Sakande. Followed closely by Sid's tussle with Michelin man under the close scrutiny of the South West Stand. The cheers from a booze-fuelled crowd were raucous and loud as stewards came running to break up the fight.

Meanwhile, both Luke Wright (had his wife already given birth?) and Rob Andrew were in the Players Club section of the ground carrying out a sterling PR job as they chatted with Members and VIPs. I must congratulate Andrew for throwing himself into the sociable side of being a CEO. His predecessor was particular good at milling and chatting with supporters and Andrew is following suit.

Bearded One-Hand Catch Man



Another memorable moment concerned VIP Dave Day, who was having a serious chat with a fellow Member, when a six landed no more than 4 feet above his head on the roof edge of the area's marquee and he was oblivious to what had happened. And this is the same man who became famous last season for catching a six in front of the SKY cameras during the Sussex v Somerset T20 in almost exactly the same position.

On the field it was more men v boys except for some spirited and carefree batting from Salt, Rawlins and Finch. Delray Rawlins is a special talent but his own suicidal run out exemplifies the present inexperienced nature of his game.

Meanwhile, the strength of the South African side will sorely test England this summer. Beware Root and Co.

Eat Less Cake
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Since Centerplate took over the catering at Sussex CCC in April there have been changes afoot, sometimes noticeable, other times more subtle. Three Members of the catering staff have left the club. Prices for some foods have risen and quality fallen. The Media Centre is one example.

The Hove County ground is legendary for its tea-time cake, regularly photoed, tweeted and even facebooked about by appreciative cricket journos and BBC radio commentators. Glorious chocolate gateaux, rich madeira and creamy Victoria sponges, oozing lemon drizzle apparitions… These cakes are of legend. A sight that makes hard-working writers and broadcasters pine for the impending tea interval and drool with delight when the media officer arrives brandishing their afternoon prize.

Now, not only does the cake arrive late but the portions are small and dry and the choice is limited to a slither of sultana and cherry or a small slice of lemon madeira. Even worse, rumours abound that Centerplate are considering turning the Long Room eatery, the former hallowed 'Dexter’s Restaurant', into a carvery. CB Fry would turn in his grave.

Members are not happy. No-one likes change to an established system. A question: Why did Zac Toumazi decide to turn over what supporters were told was a successful in-house catering business to an outside faceless Company?