I HAVE just read with amusement in the Daily Echo of the Hampshire cricketer who streaked in a supermarket.

It brought back fond memories of the late great John Arlott.

Several years ago I went to Alresford for the unveiling of the blue plaque outside of his exhouse, the old Sun, where I met his two sons Jim and Robert who bought me, in keeping with their dad, a glass of red wine.

Getting to the point, it reminded me of the Lord’s Test Match against the Aussies when a spectator streaked down the wicket and John called him a ‘freaker’.

The commentary went: “There’s a freaker down the wicket now, not very shapely, and it’s masculine and being pursued by a policeman and I think he’s seen the last of his cricket for the day”.

I, like John Artlott, served in the Hampshire Police and once wrote to him to congratulate him on a book that was published by him. He wrote back and said a little something to stick into the book. In his own words he wrote: “With shared memories of Portswood Beats and best wishes” – signed, John Arlott, Alderney and dated.

Incidentally, his two sons are both charming men.

HUGH PATTERSON, Winchester.