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.
good to have you back on the grass (tehe) Nospmas.
ReplyDeletei hate that feeling of dissapointment turfing a sitter... as a bowler (who has had 3 easy one dropped off me this season) i know as soon as it touches the ground how the bowler feels. in my last game- i didn't play last week due to a wedding (!!!!)- i had a hard time picking myself up after having a straight forward one bounce out of my unyeilding palm!
good luck with the bat this week.
stoph
will you be in the members again for b-day?
ReplyDeleteLefty is comming over so there should be a few of us in the outer.
i can get t-s made up the same as Sledgy and i had last year, if you guys are interested.
let me know
I think I will skip the members this year and hang out with you guys in the outer. A t-shirt sounds great!!
ReplyDeletei think we should go with your idea and try and get a cricketer to join us;
ReplyDeleteshall i send Brad H an email?
I would love a t-shirt! Can't wait lads - only 37 days to go.
ReplyDeleteI will also be going on a pilgrimage to the Adelaide Oval for the one dayer on Australia Day Lefty. Are you going? I think we will sit on the hill. We are going to watch the cricket and then tour the wineries.
ReplyDeleteI think Hodge would be a great invite. Even if he sits with us for 10 minutes.
last year the t's were $40 to get printed- i bought them from target for $15 (i think)
ReplyDeletei sent an email to Hodge via cricket vic website, might try and source other ways.
If you go to the hill, Nospmas, you won't be sitting down. Unless the make-shift stand extends underneath the scoreboard. I'd be very keen to head along; I went to the first under-lights game at Adelaide Oval and it was awesome. Who bloody knows what state the seating will be in. The whole western side of the ground is rubble!
ReplyDeleteWell unfortunately, or fortunately I can say that my team did not lose on the weekend. We also didn't face a ball. Melbourne's weather saw to that as the rain began on Saturday afternoon and didn't stop until Sunday evening. We were forced to turn up (while still pissing down) to do the formalities as we surveyed a ground that was more puddles than grass.
ReplyDeleteAs for the Adelaide Oval Lefty, does it usually sell out? I already have tickets anyway but....
It was fortunate in that if the rain had stopped Sunday morning and the ground had dried out sufficiently we would have been batting on a ground that was significantly slower than the road we were fielding on the week before.
And so it is that my season remains on an average of 1 (not out) from 1 knock.
I await next week with hope....
The one-dayers do generally sell out and with a reduced capacity at the oval it will be a certainty.
ReplyDeleteWe didn't get any play in A or B grade Sat but C grade played. The reason we were called off was more to do with the threat of rain that didn't eventuate. At 1.30 when we were meant to start the concrete at either ends of the pitch, past the matting, were wet and very slippery. But, we could have wiped them off and got going as there was no more rain to come. Such a pity as other matches in the Adelaide Hills were played so ours becomes a one-dayer 40 over a side game this Sat. Should be fun to bat and bowl in the same day but I guess my batting will have to adjust now.