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Cricket: a thread: this could be my last match today: a 30/30 friendly at one of my favourite grounds (Thimbelby) & against my favourite village team for @HuttonRudbyCC .
No regrets; it's been a lovely ride, but age & lack of ability are dwarfing my minimal gifts.
No regrets; it's been a lovely ride, but age & lack of ability are dwarfing my minimal gifts.
I never had great sporting ability, but played a few games in my 20s & 30s for friendly sides, bowling barely credible off spin & slow medium off cutters. I have a great cricket brain but a poor cricket body.
There have been a few career highlights though:
There have been a few career highlights though:
-Pulling a ball to the boundary in a work friendly in the 90s, to which the umpire (the lead amateur batsman in the regional ECB premier league) said 'Good shot, lad'.
- occasionally taking a wicket with a ball that turned/moved.
- taking one stunning catch in my career.
- occasionally taking a wicket with a ball that turned/moved.
- taking one stunning catch in my career.
There have been many embarrassing moments.
The worst was last season, comparing notes with a spectator (there was one) about ferrying teenage sons to cricket. I asked him (as I guessed his son was in his 30s); does your son still play cricket?
'Yes' he said 'For England'.
The worst was last season, comparing notes with a spectator (there was one) about ferrying teenage sons to cricket. I asked him (as I guessed his son was in his 30s); does your son still play cricket?
'Yes' he said 'For England'.
I might never have played again after my 30s, but we had 2 sons, the church sent us to a village & there was a cricket ground at the back. I used to go, take them to run amok, whilst I persuaded the club to open the bar & I drank beer, watched cricket & felt very happy.
(Sometimes I remembered to take my children home).
They began to play for the village team age groups & loved it. We'd often go to the nets to practice. One day, my oldest, aged 12, was asked to play for the 2nd XI. He wouldn't go into the dressing room so I went with him.
They began to play for the village team age groups & loved it. We'd often go to the nets to practice. One day, my oldest, aged 12, was asked to play for the 2nd XI. He wouldn't go into the dressing room so I went with him.
'We're short: do you play?
' 'I played a few friendlies; the last 15 yrs ago'
'We'll find you some kit: you're in'.
My older son took a wicket; I've never felt so proud & they let my younger son play as well. 3 debuts at 47, 12 & 10.
Village cricket is wonderful.
' 'I played a few friendlies; the last 15 yrs ago'
'We'll find you some kit: you're in'.
My older son took a wicket; I've never felt so proud & they let my younger son play as well. 3 debuts at 47, 12 & 10.
Village cricket is wonderful.
My kids got better; I didn't although my doughty blocking & playing & missing sometimes helped. It also drove good village bowlers to swearing, incredulity & then sullen silence, which is the same thing.
I loved the camaraderie & I had a line in humourous sledging.
I loved the camaraderie & I had a line in humourous sledging.
My kids continue to improve; my older one at 19, after giving it up, has returned with relish, has great ability, but prefers the cast of village cricket characters. He has a new bat & is off to university in just over a week & wants to get into a university team.
My younger child; always slightly quirky, decided to bowl leg spin & has stuck at it, making it through various Cleveland/N.Yorks age groups & now making his way in @NYSDCricket with @ThornabyCC (& helped massively by @YarmCC ).
I hope they'll both play for many years...
I hope they'll both play for many years...
...they have the ability I didn't.
The point of this long ramble? Cricket really began with that bloke saying 'We're short; can you play?'. Today is the friendly clash that he instituted & is partly named after him. He died last year at 52; I conducted his funeral...
The point of this long ramble? Cricket really began with that bloke saying 'We're short; can you play?'. Today is the friendly clash that he instituted & is partly named after him. He died last year at 52; I conducted his funeral...
Ending with him seems right. He was the best of cricket; unselfish, pushing others forward & trying not to encourage cliques. I still can't look at the ground without seeing him there.
It is the best game ever.
The end.
It is the best game ever.
The end.
