Midweek

Merrion's Home Ground

I had a nightmare bowling spell yesterday!! Our thirds had a midweek game that I was picked for relatively late. We lost the toss and were put in to bat, with myself as the number 11. I didn't get a go though as we only lost 7 wickets in posting 240 in 40 overs, which is the highest score for the thirds in our club.

We also had an ideal start in the defense, when I took a catch at square leg off the 2nd ball of the innings - giving me a total of 8 catches from 12 games so far this year. We were a bit short on the bowling side - so it was likely I'd be getting a few overs. Unfortunately though, their number 7 was a very good batsman. He was very solid against anything full and straight, granted he wasn't great outside off stump, rarely getting a shot away out there for runs. But he had a great eye - and anything short was thumped away over the pavillion for 6

One of our opening bowlers got hit for two 6s in one over - including one lost ball. So the skipper took him off and tried me at his end......

Two overs, 22 runs and three more lost balls later .....

Numerous balls last seen bouncing on this roof

Needless to say, another bowling change was tried. Luckily (for me), he got the very same treatment - going for 23 in his two overs. We managed to get him out eventually though, when our spinner got him to mis-hit a shot to mid off who gladly took it. We went on to bowl them out 99 runs short of their target.

I also dropped a difficult chance at deep square leg - it was well struck and was coming at me flat, and I didn't pick it up until late - so it bounced off the edge of my palm and out. It's a bit bruised, but not that bad. I made up for it a bit later in the over when he tried a similar shot through mid-wicket that I just pulled back inside the boundary. But I was disappointed not to take my 9th.

Unfortunately, I didn't get back on to try and fix my figures a bit - and I reckon it'll be a while before the thirds resort to bowling me again. It was especially disappointing after a good spell of bowling at the weekend. I think the problem was that I was trying to bowl too fast, and I ended up dragging it short too often. I was trying to keep it full, but it just didn't click for me for some reason. It didn't help either that I couldn't establish a rhythm because we kept having to retrieve or replace the ball and I was a bit knackered.

As soon as I get a chance I'm going to get back down to the pitch by myself and get some more bowling in. I haven't had enough time of late to practice my bowling, meaning that a lot of my overs come in games - where as I've figured out, you cannot afford to be off.

We've a few games at the weekend, so I may be in action twice. Hopefully I can do a bit better if I get a bowl.