Cricket has a way of humbling even its greatest masters. During the Sixties, a Combined London team (from Surrey and Middlesex) came to our shores.

They possessed nine Test players in their line-up and had Sir Garfield Sobers as their guest player.

A young Joe Bailey was fielding at point when legendary West Indian made his entrance onto the hallowed grounds of Somerset Cricket Club. Anticipation was high as Sobers opened the gate by the pavilion to make his entrance. The crowd stood in excitement, for they were about to observe the exploits of perhaps the greatest all-rounder of all-time. As he passed Joe, he remarked, “I don’t like all this fuss”.

What transpired next certainly was dramatic. Sobers was bowled first ball by Clarence Parfitt.

Bailey played his cricket during an era of many truly great players. While today’s players have more opportunities, it is often said that the cricketing generation of the Sixties and Seventies could have been Bermuda’s brightest stars.

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Name: Joseph Lewis Oliver Bailey

Date of Birth: February 22, 1942

Start in cricket: I played a bit in school at West End Primary. I wanted to play at Somerset Cricket Club when I was seventeen, however, they told me that I had to be eighteen to be a member.

Consequently, I went down to Willow Cuts with my cousin “Buck Juice” Swan. Willow Cuts had two teams: Willow Cuts Reds and Willow Cuts Blues, so I played there.

My first game was at Morsby Plain in Dockyard. I didn’t have whites, but played in khakis. I didn’t get a hit or a chance to bowl, but I did take four catches.

Length of cricket career: From 1960 to 1981. I did join Somerset the following year, when I was 18. Sando Whitecross was the captain. I played Cup Match for 19 consecutive years, six as captain and four as vice-captain.

Role on the Team: I was a middle order batsman and an off spinner.

Childhood memories in the game: I was born between Scott’s Hill Road and Bob’s Valley. We played on the railroad tracks and on the streets, using a garbage can for the wicket. Some of my neighbourhood friends were Owen Trott, Glenn Bascome and Raymond Darrell. Later on, Kenny Cann and Reggie Tucker came by.

Teams played for: Willow Cuts, Somerset Cricket Club, Warwick (in the Western County as a guest player), Somers Isles Cricket League select, Bermuda Wanderers, and Bermuda.

Nickname: Harry.

Favourite local match you played in: While playing for Willow Cuts in the Western County, we beat a very strong Southampton Rangers team.

This was the first time that two innings were actually played in one day. I recall the scores being very close. Also, we beat the Combined London team that had nine Test players. While it was meant to be a three day game, the match finished inside of two days. Clarence Parfitt had figures of six for 12 in that match, and I took for five for 35.

Best international feat: I played for Bermuda in the semi-final of an ICC competition in Nottingham against Canada, scoring 46.

Favourite venue: I loved to play at the Wellington Oval. There was something about the atmosphere down there. There were a couple of Cup Matches at Wellington Oval when I did well. In 1973, all five of my victims were bowled. Also in 1976, I scored 70 odd down there.

Favourite international player(s): Sobers, Rohan Khani, Viv Richards and Brian Lara

Number one supporter(s): My family which includes my brothers, sisters, nephews and nieces. During the sixties when St George’s had that really powerful team, it seemed as if a lot of Somerset people were supporting St George’s.

Pre-match routine: I used to swim a lot. I would go to Horseshoe Bay. In fact, Shiraz Ali and I used to swim there often before games.

Favourite dish while playing: Fish, I could eat fish three times a day, whether boiled, fried or baked.

Biggest regret in your career: I came from a very poor family and one of the disappointments was not being able to listen to the matches on a radio or see the games on a television. My father was from Antigua and used to give us reports on the matches.

Any superstitions: I was always concerned about the first ball that I was to receive. After that, I was all right. I had two ducks in Cup Match; an lbw to Parfitt, and caught off a mistimed hook off Lee Raynor.

Funniest thing you have seen in cricket: We had a No 3 batsman that was really nervous about facing Parfitt when he was in his glory in the Sixties. The chap went into the toilet when it was our turn to bat. When one of the openers got out, he was still on the toilet and indicated that he was “not quite ready”.

Eventually, he went in to bat at No 5. Upon coming out of the bathroom one of our players said to him, “You must be really sore from that stay on the toilet”.

Hobbies: Fishing, watching sports on the television, and travelling.

A key to your success: I received a lot of tutoring from older players. You don’t see much of that today. Timmy Edwards was always at our games, giving tips to the younger guys. Also I received good coaching from Woodgate Simmons and Alma “Champ” Hunt.

Advice to today’s cricketer: Be more disciplined in your approach to batting. Bat with more application and try to bat longer. Also, bowl more consistently. Additionally, study the game, and work on your field placing.

Motto I believe by: Don’t panic. It appears that when some teams lose a couple of quick wickets, panic sets in.

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Joe Bailey certainly played in a golden era of cricket. For, he had the opportunity to play against such greats as Geoff Boycott, Seymour Nurse, and Rohan Khani.

While playing in the prestigious Double Wicket competition, he was paired with Brian Luckhurst, Dennis Amiss and Alvin Kallicharran.

It must be noted that when Khani visited Bermuda, the first ball he ever faced was from Joe Bailey. For the record, Khani had his stumps uprooted by the delivery.

As I indicated, cricket can be a very humbling game.