Season updates thread

[hodge]

First topic message reminder :

I just thought for anyone who is playing this season that we could have a thread where people give updates on how their season is going both personally and for their team if they are interested?

As I said in another thread I have what are apparantly my university's first every cricket games thursday and friday this week and i'm captaining the side, no pressure there We have Newport cricket clubs midweek team on thursday and face UWE 2nd XI on friday who a freind of mine is captain so we have a little wager on the outcome of the game. Loser has to buy the winner a drink for every club 2nd XI game we both play in Again no pressure there!

Anyways good luck to everyone for this season, unless somehow in some strange case you end up playing against me!

[Corporalhumblebucket]

Attritional stuff now as the draw just beginning to come into play as possible outcome. (Only tho if Middlesex lost a number of early wickets which forced them to defend.)  Minimum overs remaining 47, with the lead 229.

[Corporalhumblebucket]

[wrong thread]

[Corporalhumblebucket]

wrong thread again!

[Corporalhumblebucket]

Wrong thread again...

[Corporalhumblebucket]

Wrong thread again....!

[Pete C (Kiwireddevil)]

Foakes takes single off first ball of new over!   Not a good idea imho!

Erm, wrong thread Corporal?

[guildfordbat]

Yep, good luck, Pete. Valley End is just up the road from my gaff Guildford Towers. A bit of a yoyo side, being regularly promoted to and relegated from the Surrey Championship. Mind you, that's the top level here before full-time County cricket. Some of their players were on the books at Surrey and Middlesex - hopefully, they won't be featuring on Sunday although it might be best to try and get your numbers fully up!

We're in Guildford this weekend mate, playing Sanford Arms CC

Unfortunately for us we only had 10 men, while Valley End's first XI were rained off on Saturday so 2-3 of them opted to play against us yesterday. We got put in on a pitch that their 2nds defended 80 on on Saturday. It was green enough for plenty of swing, and soft enough that the odd ball was stopping, meaning we struggled through to 101 all out in 40 overs - I carried my bat for 32 not out, after struggling in the early overs (I was on 7 at drinks ) then not getting much strike at the end. Only 2 others made double figures.

We started OK with the ball, knocking over both openers early, before their giant of a #3 started depositing balls into the treetops on the boundary, and knocking off the last 70 runs in 6 overs

Hi Pete - just worked my way through all the Corporal's deleted posts to find this one from you.

Given you were a man short and Valley End had 2-3 first teamers playing, an 8 wicket defeat isn't the end of the world! Congrats on your own contribution as well.

I don't know Sanford Arms but suspect you'll find them a pretty social and bit gentler opposition. Good luck again!

[Pete C (Kiwireddevil)]

Our rather dismal start to the season with the bat continued this week - all out for 90, including yours truly for a duck as I played down the wrong line to an inswinger, plumb LBW. At least the weather was nice, and a cracking location in Aston Rowant, Oxfordshire.

We were playing Sir Tim Rice's Heartaches, who provided a superb afternoon tea at least before knocking off the runs. We're still yet to dismiss their opening bat in about 6 years of trying (we did beat them last year by keeping him off strike when they needed 10 off the last over)

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Not quite as bad as me leaving one that hit clattered halfway up middle and off stump this weekend Pete - didn't even swing or anything, I just didn't play a shot!

But...our young 13 year old Norfolk leg spinner took the ridiculous figures of 2.5-2-1-6

Yes 6 wickets for 1 run off 2.5 overs. The first two were admittedly long hops hit straight to square leg, but the next four were magnificent. One googly between bat and pad, one leggie that was caught at slip and the final one bowled the batsman round his legs. I do enjoy playing for our 4th team with all these youngsters, we're very lucky to have such a strong youth section

[JDizzle]

Had a decent start to the season, cracked 20 league wickets at less than 8 and over 120 runs already and we are sitting fourth. Can't complain.

The biggest issue we are facing in our league at the moment is the amount of concessions. The season is 7 weeks old and there have been 20 conceded games across all leagues already - this is not a new problem, it has been getting steadily worse over the last few seasons. Pretty depressing stuff!

[Pete C (Kiwireddevil)]

Had a decent start to the season, cracked 20 league wickets at less than 8 and over 120 runs already and we are sitting fourth. Can't complain.

The biggest issue we are facing in our league at the moment is the amount of concessions. The season is 7 weeks old and there have been 20 conceded games across all leagues already - this is not a new problem, it has been getting steadily worse over the last few seasons. Pretty depressing stuff!

Ouch.

At Village level, we had 3 games cancelled last season due to the oppos not being able to field a team. In our 3 matches to date this season (we only play a dozen or so games spread across the season so not every week) we've fielded 10 players twice (in one of those the oppo also had 10) & on Saturday our 11th man was an Icelandic mate of our club captain who'd never held a bat before (in fairness he properly middled the ball he got out to, more than I can say).

Anecdotally the teams we play say player recruitment is getting harder - possibly the impact of no cricket on free to air TV finally filtering through to adult ranks?

[Pete C (Kiwireddevil)]

4 games done for the season, and 4 losses - our bowling has been fair, batting and fielding a bit lacking.

I arrived at the ground at 13.55 (trains mutter mutter) & got told to pad up & go in to face 1st ball at 14:00 - our other opener for the day normally bats 8 so I was a bit apprehensive to say the least.

As expected, other opener & #3 went cheaply though both hung around a while against tight bowling on a flat but slow deck - I'd crept through to 7* by the 1st drinks break after 12 overs, & we were 5 down pretty quickly after. I managed accelerate a little later on (added 50 with our #7, but getting out slogging in the 35th over for 39 was too slow . And I was utterly exhausted come time to field too after 3 hours in the middle in the heat - there were a couple of half-chances that came near me at slip that I might've at least gotten a hand to on a good day

Our 124/8 was far too little, especially after our opening bowlers were just the right pace to get smashed (admittedly with a few potential chances going just wide of fielders) & the oppo got there in 15 overs 3 down.

Worryingly my 39 is the highest score posted by any of our bats this season, & we've only had 1 score over 30 in each of our matches. It's the first time the captain-on-the-day hasn't top-scored too (he was a DNB at #11)

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Not quite as bad as me leaving one that hit clattered halfway up middle and off stump this weekend Pete - didn't even swing or anything, I just didn't play a shot!

But...our young 13 year old Norfolk leg spinner took the ridiculous figures of 2.5-2-1-6

Yes 6 wickets for 1 run off 2.5 overs. The first two were admittedly long hops hit straight to square leg, but the next four were magnificent. One googly between bat and pad, one leggie that was caught at slip and the final one bowled the batsman round his legs. I do enjoy playing for our 4th team with all these youngsters, we're very lucky to have such a strong youth section

An update on this - our 13 year old leggie has since taken two more five fors, and today played for our 3rd XI, and took 5-23 off 9 overs - don't think he'll be playing for us again!

Our 4th team are going well (team I play in), we've won 4 of our last 5, and are now 4th in the league following promotion last year. I am going well personally, I made 74 off 66 opening in the one game we lost (Chasing 330 off 45 overs, my opening partner got 22 off 81 balls - he hasn't played since!), and today I made 94. Unaware I was on such score, I came down the wicket and missed a hoik off the spinner and was stumped. Gutted, but we won by 80 runs, and the second top score in the match was 33 by their #6, so I'm pleased!

[guildfordbat]

Olly - well done, mate. Take your bat when next at the Oval.

[Corporalhumblebucket]

I am going well personally, I made 74 off 66 opening in the one game we lost (Chasing 330 off 45 overs, my opening partner got 22 off 81 balls - he hasn't played since!), and today I made 94. Unaware I was on such score, I came down the wicket and missed a hoik off the spinner and was stumped. Gutted, but we won by 80 runs, and the second top score in the match was 33 by their #6, so I'm pleased!

You're not a moonlighting Olly Pope are you?

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Olly - well done, mate. Take your bat when next at the Oval.

Averaging 38.73 this season if I include my pre season friendly 52 not out (which I do because a red inker is always good for the average )

[alfie]

Sounds like a fine run of form , Olly . Keep it going

[Pete C (Kiwireddevil)]

Olly - well done, mate. Take your bat when next at the Oval.

Averaging 38.73 this season if I include my pre season friendly 52 not out (which I do because a red inker is always good for the average )

Nice one.

Last weekend I filled in for one of our regular rivals (our Saturday game had been cancelled due to lack of numbers, & they were short on the Sunday). Turned up and got asked to wicket-keep in a 40 over match. That's the longest stint of keeping I've ever done, & it was a hot day - was sore for most of last week, & the bruises on my forearms from standing up to the spinners (I lost track of a few down leg behind the batsman) are still fading. We lost 3 fielders to injury along the way (broken finger, strained shoulder, & pulled hamstring) - but we borrowed a couple of local lads to bat for us from the home team's Saturday side, and they nearly got up up to the 270 we needed.

I got sent in to open our reply after tea, and made a very tired 4. Which is definitely not going onto my average for the season

[guildfordbat]

Pete - getting sent in to open after keeping on a hot day for 40 overs, the most you've ever done. It's right to ensure the guest player is involved but not to kill the guy off!

[Pete C (Kiwireddevil)]

Pete - getting sent in to open after keeping on a hot day for 40 overs, the most you've ever done. It's right to ensure the guest player is involved but not to kill the guy off!

That thought did cross my mind as I trudged off Guildford

5 games played this season, and I've kept wicket for 3 of them. And I haven't managed to get a bowl yet either. May have to look at changing my job description ...

[wisden]

Found some form with bat so far this year...scored 1 century and 2 half centuries...averaging 62 after 8 games

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Not quite as bad as me leaving one that hit clattered halfway up middle and off stump this weekend Pete - didn't even swing or anything, I just didn't play a shot!

But...our young 13 year old Norfolk leg spinner took the ridiculous figures of 2.5-2-1-6

Yes 6 wickets for 1 run off 2.5 overs. The first two were admittedly long hops hit straight to square leg, but the next four were magnificent. One googly between bat and pad, one leggie that was caught at slip and the final one bowled the batsman round his legs. I do enjoy playing for our 4th team with all these youngsters, we're very lucky to have such a strong youth section

An update on this - our 13 year old leggie has since taken two more five fors, and today played for our 3rd XI, and took 5-23 off 9 overs - don't think he'll be playing for us again!

Our 4th team are going well (team I play in), we've won 4 of our last 5, and are now 4th in the league following promotion last year. I am going well personally, I made 74 off 66 opening in the one game we lost (Chasing 330 off 45 overs, my opening partner got 22 off 81 balls - he hasn't played since!), and today I made 94. Unaware I was on such score, I came down the wicket and missed a hoik off the spinner and was stumped. Gutted, but we won by 80 runs, and the second top score in the match was 33 by their #6, so I'm pleased!

In the past two weeks I've scored 2, and yesterday I scored 91 - two extremes! The 2 I stupidly tried to cut a ball from off stump, which ended up bowling me and yesterday I was caught on the fence trying to push the rate up!

We've had two close losses - the first game where I scored 2 we lost by 3 runs chasing 205, and yesterday we lost by 1 wicket defending 194, and dropped the final wicket twice for victory....annoying to say the least!

I am now top run scorer in the division however (http://norfolkcl.play-cricket.com/website/web_pages/862 - link here, division is Division 3 east) with 413 runs in 12 innings at an average of 34.42 with 4 half centuries. Going well this year, and weirdly I am playing better away from home where we usually play on uncovered village hall wickets rather than our home Norfolk cricket prepared pitch!! Maybe I need to concentrate at home better....

Speaking of Norfolk cricket - they are currently playing Bedfordshire in the minor counties championship, and a certain Monty Panesar is playing for Bedfordshire. I will be going down tomorrow afternoon weather permitting to see him bowl, he should enjoy our home ground as it is usually prepared for spinners...

[Pete C (Kiwireddevil)]

We had our annual "Festival" game yesterday - 2 teams assembled from players off our regular/occasionals lists, & played 2 T15s where everyone had to bowl at least 1 over across the 2 matches, and max. 5 overs across both. And the batting orders were reversed for match 2.

Managed 2 overs 1 maiden 0-5 in my first competitive bowl of the season, then kept wicket in our 2nd fielding stint, 1 catch, 1 stumping. Was run out for 4 in my only bat though.

The score across the 2 matches was 1-1, so we had a bowl-off - all 11 players from each side getting 1 ball at an open wicket. Which finished 0-0! Good afternoon tea, and post-match bbq though

[Corporalhumblebucket]

The score across the 2 matches was 1-1, so we had a bowl-off - all 11 players from each side getting 1 ball at an open wicket. Which finished 0-0! Good afternoon tea, and post-match bbq though

[alfie]

Forgive me for being a bit happy tonight but I've managed to get back on the field today for only the second time this season (nagging back/leg pain has had me struggling for months ; sometimes nearly giving up. Costing me a small fortune in physio's fees etc too)
Nothing special ; eight over spell , couple of wickets , in a losing cause ; but at least it gives me hope of playing semi-regularly this year : and hopefully fixing the problem completely so my new boots don't go to waste

Stiff tonight but at least I can still walk...which is better than my previous attempt a month ago. Onwards and upwards !

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Great stuff Alfie - fingers crossed this is the first step of many positive ones!

[guildfordbat]

Yeah, well done, Alfie. In any form of the game, a couple of wickets is always a proper return.

[alfie]

Thanks chaps

Walking normally again now , just 24 hours later ...so reasonably optimistic for next week and the after Christmas part of the season.

But I'd better let Bayliss know he will have to look elsewhere for net bowlers this Boxing Day

[alfie]

This topic seems to have been all but abandoned ...nothing from anyone this (northern) summer ?

But I have to report that just three months and three days after a hip replacement I was delighted to bowl ten overs today - albeit with limited success (1 early wicket followed by a few dropped catches and a few too many boundaries  conceded ) But definitely a start.

Still can't really run.  Physio said I'd likely be able to bowl much sooner than regaining full running movement so hopefully will come in time - a bit embarrassing tottering after the ball in the outfield ! Still that's what the young kids in the team are for

We lost. But there were some positives from the young ones...

Happy to be back on the field

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Glad to hear you’re on the mend Alfie - and still able to play the beautiful game! Not much posting from me this summer, combination of work and niggling injuries meant my season never really got going, a high score of 86 with the bat the only real headline!

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