Thoughts and views of my world

18th September 2011

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Nice day for cricket

Well, yesterday was my first ‘competitive’ game of cricket in around 12 years ,and it came with it’s highs and lows.

Playing for the ‘Staggs’ against the ‘Weasels’ I felt confident that I was on the stronger side given the names.

opting to go in at number 8 to give the more experienced batsmen time to blast some quick runs on to the board…..it didn’t go like that. We lost our opening barsmen in the first 3 overs.

The run rate was slow and by the mid point (we were playing 30 overs) we were 53 for 5.

At the drinks break it was agreed ‘hit out or get out’ the fellas in tried to follow this advice and sadly got out all to quickly.

And so I was in, facing an Aussie spinner with a wicket keeper giving me plenty of stick, first ball knocked away for a quick single, and that was the over so I was back on strike for the followonmg over.

A bit more sledging from the field before the first ball, and I’d had enough, so away the ball went for a boundry, now it was my turn to have a sledge back. The next two balls were wides, so I stepped to the side and said to the bowler pointing at my stumps ‘you know you’re aiming for these things here fella?’

The balls kept coming and got wider and wider, finally i stuck a bat out a nicked one away for a single. The next 2 balls were not great, my cohort galloped down only to swing and miss, but the ball didn’t miss his stumps. New batsmen in, my advice knowing full well he was nervous, ‘no matter what they bowl, put a straight bat down and just settle in’ did he listen, did he balls, a slower ball (they weren’t quick at the best of times) and he just chipped it up and was caught, next batsmen please.

He lasted just a ball longer, going for the big hit and missing, the ball trickling on to his stumps. So in came the captain fo rhis 2nd innings, after his poor opening before he wated to make amends, bowled first ball, all I could do from the other end was look on in disbelief.

In came our big fella, confident and always a willing runner, he got through the over and it was my turn again.

New bowler with a very bizarre action, so left his first ball (a wide anyway) then his second was sent to the boundary. We spent the rest of the over running singles a a couple of twos. Over survived.

The sledging had stepped up a bit, so I felt the batting needed to also, facing the aussie spinner again, I picked up the first ball but drove it straight to the fielder on the off side, next ball came down, I saw it early as being slower, so stepped up and pulled it away nice and high, to everyone it looked liek a six, but the fielder claimed it bounced just before the rope, hard to believe and some debate went on.

Each batsmen was told hit 25 then retire so another batter can have a go, sat on 24 rather than 26, I was ready to give it the beans. Another new bowler, with very loopy balls, first two were wide, the next one straighter, this was the one I thought, but no I didnt step to it enough and got it up, and looked to be clearing the boundary, but fell short by a yard and in to the hands of the fielder. Out for 24.

The team rallied and we posted 149 from 30 overs, something that we thought would pose a good challenge.

And so to the field we took, Our opening bowler struck early taking a wicket with the last ball of the over. The second over again we took another wicket, and the third, the fourth over was my first over.

Starting with a wide wasn’t pleasing, seeing the ball stay low also didn’t make for good cricket, the pitch was sucking the pace out of the ball. 5^th ball of the over I switched the seam to be horizontal and must have caught the ground as the ball stayed lower than normal sliding between bat and pad straight on to middle stump, Weasels 10 for 4.

Weasels mid order settled in a wickets were sparse and runs flowed, by the midway interval Weasels were at 99 for 8 leaving them needing 51 runs off 15 overs.

My bowling kicked off the restart and wasn’t great, some harsh umpiring on wide calls meant it was a long over, my shoulder injury started to come back so that was me done for bowling.

So to the close infield I stayed, another wicket fell, bowled. 109-9.

Then came the catch of the day, fielding in close the batsmen flicked one up for me and after 3 attempts I snarled it and ended up on the deck.

Weasels all out for 115, Bring on the top order again.

The top order followed on from their auspicious start both going cheaply, but then came the solid middle order again, who picked off the pacy balls, using that to steer the ball to the boundary, the total was looming for the Weasels and defeat for the Staggs.

The total was reached with an impressive 6, and that was it, the game was lost.

All round a good day, but I’m sad that I didn’t get more wickets or prove more of a threat with the ball.

Back to the physio this week to see what damage I’ve done to the shoulder.

2nd April 2011

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A good morning

I’ve spent this morning doing the spring cleaning of the kitchen listening to the foo’s new album. A good start to the day.

Lunch now and the football, then crack on a bit more.

31st March 2011

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Who’s that girl……

Just saw the new M&S advert……..who is that new girl in the lingerie and bikinis? My eyes flew across the room and my tongue now tastes of carpet.

31st March 2011

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Up the garden path

Led myself up the garden path today on something at work. I didn’t see I was going in the wrong direction when I hit the dark dark woods. That only happened when I stepped off the cliff into the sea. Still, the fish look nice down here