Thursday 19 November 2009

Gayle Forced Wind(ies)?

It's time for Gomer Pyle to become a cricket analyst.
"West Indies Tour Unravelling" ... surprise, surprise, surprise!

Tuesday 17 November 2009

Red Caps bring liquorice allsorts, so do Sri Lanka and India

I tried writing today on the work computer but couldn't get a post on so I'll try to remember what I wrote as best I can.

Nospmas, I can picture you keeping wicket without anyone noticing that you've done a good job because no runs go through you. Our team had over 30 sundries which didn't help us on Saturday. If you can find 10 minutes in a day to do lunges and squats you may help your body deal with many hours in the sun moving around.

Great to hear how well United are going, Lango. Your club sounds to be rocking along. Are you still doing the interviews?

I wish I could say I sang the club song on Saturday night but it wasn't to be. Our 226 off 70 overs was chased down very well with 6 odd overs to go. Maybe the heat got to the bowlers as a few looked tired in 3rd spells. Three losses from three makes it hard to play finals cricket but I'm buggered if I'll go a season without a win. I took my only chance with a catch at gully and there was only one difficult chance dropped at square leg. The day was disastrous but the Mexican night we had that night was awesome. I love how cricket clubs are sometimes the most important things about cricket.

India vs Sri Lanka in test cricket at the moment in Ahmedabad is cricket at its best. Dravid made 177 and Dhoni 100 odd after Sri Lanka got 4 very quick wickets. But if Sri Lanka bat well, being well poised now with 7 wickets and 150 behind in response, they can try to bat once and get India out twice with three days to play. India, however, could skittle Sri Lanka on day three and set them a target to bat to on day 4 or 5. Or, any number of other possibilities. And the sad thing about this beautiful demonstration of test cricket is that few people are there watching it. I don't pretend to know what exactly is going down in Ahmedabad but I hope tickets are not so expensive that most people can't afford to go.

There was something else too. I can't quite remember what it was.

Ah yes, the Vics and WA. Bryce you dun it again. 4 for bugger all off 20. Voges unbeaten on 112 for WA but with number 11 for the start of day 2 on 275. I find I'm paying much closer attention to the Shield comp this season. To throw a big call out there I reckon we'll see young McGain this summer representing Aus. But we won't see Lee for sure.

Good luck to all this coming weekend folks!

Another Good Round

It was another good round for the boys at City United in the Tamworth comp.

1st continued on their winning way with a win over last year's premiers after the local newspaper predicted a landslide in the opposite direction. We field a young side - predominantly under 20 - who have won ever game so far. Our batting has been held together by young Aaron Flaherty who has scores of 139, 46 and 87 in three digs since the season kicked off. We also boast the NSW U/19 wicketkeeper, Andrew Harriott and an enthusiastic bowling line up.

The 2nds have two wins and an outright loss after a good win on Saturday. The Skipper bid farewell with 93 batting at first drop but is out for the season with a shoulder reconstruction. A lot of talent here but its very erratic. We promoted a 15 year old from the thirds who scored good runs and took an important wicket. Must be why he's in the State Independent School team.

3rds have won three in a row and blitzed the opposition on Saturday, scoring 215 with lots of 30's and then blowing the others away inside 14 overs for just 34!

4ths are struggling. A young side which is unsettled by the need to accommodate as many as we can.

2nd in the Club Championship.

Meeting tonight. Gotta go.

I'm back (sort of.....)

Well, I am back playing after 6 weeks of exile due to injury. I vaguely recall the subtle complaints from my body from 40 overs behind the stumps 6 weeks ago but let me tell you that was nothing compared to the dead set screams from my aching legs after 65 overs keeping wickets. I started in solid form before tea taking 2 relatively simple catches and letting nothing through but after tea with my hip starting to feel the heat of the day and the stress of constant crouching my concentration began to waver and I grassed a soda from a bowler searching for a 5 for. I was so pissed with myself I kicked the ground and added injury to insult as pain exploded in my hip. I walked it off but each ball from then felt like an over and I began to pray for a batting collapse and that I wouldn't shank another easy chance. I did get a tad adventurous and dived for a wide nick down leg side that I just got fingertips to and my hip was now joined in the chorus by my left elbow as it smashed into the concrete like ground. All up an average first up after a spell with plenty of improvement. Look for me to salute next run.
As for the team, I was playing for the 4ths made up of aging players and a liberal dose of youngsters (1 guy was 13!!). The kids showed us the way early and were fielding everything. We took all our chances and they were 2 for 50 odd at drinks. They opened up a bit in the next session and turned at 5 for 130 odd at tea. What followed was a combination of luck, poor fielding and a lightning outfield. They piled on nearly 200 after tea with the kids starting to tire and the lack of real bowling options for our captain starting to hurt us. Luck played a huge part with countless edges just wide or over the top and mishits just shy of a fielder. Any push into a gap was four and they stacked them on. It's the same field for us next week and with the temp set for the mid 30's we should have the best of the conditions. Plenty of runs needed from me to make up for my shocking grasser.

Watch this space.