The immaterial wall

I went for another (shorter) session of bowling this Monday - it had been spilling rain all of Sunday in Dublin, so there were areas of the pitch that you could have drowned kittens in ... if that's what you're into.

Having said that, the run-up on one end of the pitch was dry enough so I soldiered on. I set up the area as before, (middle and off stumps down the far end with a target around 7 paces nearer just outside the line of off stump; and just a leg stump down my end) and marked out my run-up. I was using one of the spare bails on it's side as my target this week - so you can imagine my surprise when the first ball I sent down clattered into it. "Fluke" thought I, setting up the target again. Second ball just missed the target bail ("That's more like it"), but then went on to clip the top of off stump!!!

Maybe I'm just getting better :)

The next ball brought me back to earth - a rank long hop down the leg side that would have definitely been clattered or called wide. Normality restored I set about getting down to work.

All in all it was a better session than last week. My run-up is feeling comfortable and if I really concentrate on getting the front arm straight through the line of the wicket – the ball will go down straight. And I’m happy that my length is coming under control. The session was cut short because I was raking up a fair bit of muck and dragging it onto the mat – which I’m not even sure we’re allowed to go near this early in the year … meh.

It was definitely an improvement over my bowling at nets last Thursday! I was looking forward to showing of my newly refined run-up off 14 paces – but then when I actually went to measure it out … I got to 13 paces and was forced to stop or come up with a radical new theory of physics whereby physical barriers (i.e. walls for instance) are irrelevant (“I refute it thus … ow”). General result was a bit of flustration, but once I settled in to a shorter run-up it wasn’t too bad. Also, I re-confirmed that I can play shots with a semblance of authority when someone’s feeding me the ball at a reasonable pace, I’ll keep working on it. I’m toying with the idea of getting a solid defense and only playing the straight balls. At least it will give me a purpose in the batting line-up being able to hold up an end. Currently, one straight ball is enough to get me outta there.

I’m planning another quick bowl this evening – depending on the state of the ground again. It’s certainly nice to have the option now that the hour has gone forward again.

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