Training update

Just 7 at practice last Tuesday, so we decided to have a proper long bat each. I was very happy with my batting, I was relaxed at the crease and was hitting some of the balls where I wanted to hit them. One of the lads was very fast, and I managed to keep him out for the most part. But anyone else with reasonable speed I was happy with playing. I think I have the potential to be an OK bat - I just need a lot more time in the middle figuring out how to play.

I was also very impressed with how our new-found leggie is getting on (mentioned him a few weeks back). His accuracy has come on hugely, with only a few wayward balls late on in the session. He was getting the ball to turn on our mat, which is fairly unresponsive to most spinners. And, he was getting the ball to drift! It gave me a bit of a shock the first few times to see the ball swerve out of his hand - straighten at the stumps - and then spin away! I think there's a lot of potential there with a bit more practice and a few overs under his belt. If we'd had a full field, he certainly would have got me out a few times - even as it was he got a neat caught and bowled from one I tried to drive, but it dipped late and I half pulled out of the shot before chipping it to him low down

We did make one huge error of judgement during the session - which was to have 4 bowlers going at once. For most of the session it meant that the keeper was the only fielder! Needless to say everyone was exhausted between bowling and fetching balls. As I see it - we really need an actual net - or (I'd prefer) have 2 bowlers at once for 20 balls and then swap for another 2. The non-bowlers can act as ball boys as necessary - but it would be closer to match conditions, and there would be some scope for recovery time.

For myself, I decided to make the most of the situation and force myself to concentrate 100% on every ball despite the tiredness. I mean - if you get a spell of a good few overs in a match you have to have some experience of bowling when tired. In the main it worked - in that I could still consistantly produce good line and length balls that beat the bat - though there were a few full tosses and the odd one down leg if my concentration wavered. For the most part I'm happy with my control - line is rarely an issue, and length is usually good unless I'm uncomfortable in the run-up.

I have been experimenting with trying different grips for swing in the last few weeks - but I'm still not getting anything much. A few move a bit - but I find it hard to tell as I'm following through if it worked or not. Maybe I should collar one of the other bowlers and do some bowling back and forward so we can each watch the others action and see what works.

Grr

Bad day yesterday. I got drafted up to the 2nds for a cup match - happy enough to do this obviously, but the 4ths had a cup game too, and I bowled well for them the previous week. I knew before the game that I wouldn't be contributing much, but that didn't make it any easier to be pretty much just an on-field spectator.

We lost the toss and were put out to field with just 9 men (one late and one cry off). I was fielding at deep third man and mid-off. I got my hands on the ball about 10 times in total, and one of them was to drop a difficult chance - driven hard at me to my right. The best I could manage was to get two fingers to it and parry it up in the air, but unfortunately didn't get close enough to catch on 2nd attempt.

Didn't get a bowl either. We had them at 120 for 9 with about 12 overs to go, with the number 10 and 11 at the crease. We should have blasted them out of it in double quick time at that stage to set up an easy win, but we allowed them to stay there for the remainder of the innings to bring the score to 151. Our bowlers kept putting it in shortish and they were fishing at it - but never connected. And when they put up a full ball it was just blocked. I was itching for a go, it looked to me that if a slower bowler like myself put the ball up on off stump they wouldn't have been able to resist having a go - especially since they couldn't get a bat on the other bowlers. It would have given a fair chance of a wicket out caught or bowled timing it wrong. The worst thing was that the skipper asked me to warm up - and then proceeded to bring himself on! Leaving me swinging my arms like a prat

The batting was pretty atrocious from most of the team. It didn't help that the skippers "rousing" team talk went along the lines of "We've already won a cup and the other teams are all in the running for theirs, I don't care if we win or lose so bat any way you want"!!

Our first 5 more or less did just that, either blocking all and sundry until they made a mistake or hitting everything in the air for a quick 15 before being caught. At 60-5 we got a partnership in of two lads that decided they did want to win the game to bring us up to 113. But once they were out it didn't take long for the rest of the team to fall. 120 ao.

I went in number 10 (of 10), and the guy at the other end had "borrowed" my bat (after I'd asked him not to ) so I was using my backup (read sh*t) bat. In hindsight I should have swapped bats with him, but at the time he was the only hope of making the runs. I faced 3 balls, leaving one and defending one before down came a slow full toss on leg. I'd put away a few of these nicely on Thursday, so I had a swing. It was only as I heard the clunk that I remembered that my bat wasn't the same one I was using then, and sure enough the ball dropped harmlessly into the hands on mid off. There's no guarantee that the same wouldn't have happened with my proper bat, but there's no denying that there's a lot more power in it, and I would have had some hope.

A frustrating game for me all round, hopefully next week I'll be dropped back down the teams again to somewhere I can contribute with ball in hand. It's a little annoying that I was drafted up for no particular reason. If the captain had no intention of bowling me, why didn't he take one of the lower team players that could bat a bit?

Ah well.

When will I learn!!

Another training session yesterday evening, and another opportunity for me to demonstrate that my long term memory don't function good . Basically I didn't eat properly during the day, didn't bring a drink with me - which resulted in me being dead on my feet for the last hour of training.

The first half went fine, I bowled well, and apart from getting bowled by a few inswingers I batted pretty decently. But, as has happened before, when I came on later to bowl again I only succeeded in serving up muck. Dire long hops followed by full tosses - all being despatched as they deserved. I was even too tired to field with any intensity!

I'm hoping that writing this in my blog for the second time will make me remember to not let it happen again. Club cricketers get little enough time to practice as it is, so it's a shame to waste half a session for something that could so easily have been avoided.

However, to look at the positives, I had good control of my line at all stages during the bowling. At one point the keeper was giving advice from behind the stumps about where to put it (using hand signals), and I was able to adjust the line easily enough. Length was an issue though, but I take this to mean that my action is moving in straight lines even when I'm tired, but my timing in releasing the ball can be off.

And with the batting, I decided to be a bit more attacking than in previous sessions, and was able to get the ball away a bit. I did get bowled 3 or 4 times, but they were good deliveries that did it - a month ago ANY straight delivery would have been more likely to bowl me than not.

Cups all round

Fantastic weekend for the club. We had 4 games, three of which were in cups, and we won all 4! Including the final of a 20-20 cup on Saturday. This is actually the first time our club has ever won a cup since our founding in 1984 so a historic event

I didn't get to see the game as we were busy winning the first round of the 50 over Minor Cup We were playing a side that had hammered us recently - bowling us out for just 60, so we were up for some revenge. And revenge we got! They never got a start in the game, with not a single one of their batsmen getting into double figures and four of them making ducks.

When I got to start my spell in the 19th over the score was 31 for 5, and we had it wrapped up 6 overs later for just 39

I took 4 wickets myself, including a double wicket maiden for my third over. I was on a hat-trick off the last ball of the third over, but we had to come off for rain before I bowled it When I came back I did rap the pads, but it was well down leg. So I was denied my first 5-for and my first hat-trick ... not that I'm complaining, 4 for 8 is by far my best figures.

Didn't get to bat obviously, but was called on to run for most of the innings, as one of our lads pulled his hamstring again. It doesn't surprise me overmuch, as feck all people actually warm up in these games.

Sunday I got a very late call up to fill in for the 3rds. Even with me playing we were still one short. It didn't matter though, as we got them out for 77, and then chased in just 11.4 overs. It was a non-event of a game for me ... didn't bowl, didn't bat, no chance of a catch and only fielded a few balls Still, better than the lads playing with only 9 I suppose.

Mat-fixing allegations :)

We'd a big mat-fixing operation yesterday before training, it certainly seems to have improved matters somewhat - though we won't know how much until we get to bowl on it when it isn't spilling rain!

We all got pretty soaked, and it wasn't ideal bowling conditions with the ball getting very greasy and mis-shapen. I decided I'd play around for a while when bowling and see if I could get the ball to do anything interesting, so I just experimented with a few grips - inswing, outswing and cross-seam, and different wrist positions. I found I was able to get the ball to swing in late a couple of times - which was great, as my natural movement is away-swing. Granted it didn't move very far, but at least it did move. The grip felt awkward though, and in conjunction with the wet ball made for a few wides and full tosses. It's definitely something to work on though.

During the day yesterday too we had our little work-related indoor game. First time around with the bat I felt I played well. I was playing at anything straight with the full face of the bat, and without trying to score it was getting punched back past the bowler for a couple and kept the tally ticking over. Unfortunately I didn't learn from this and in my second batting stint I was trying to score runs and ended up getting caught very quickly I really need a lot more experience in the middle to get the mental side of my batting right. If I concentrate on just watching the ball and getting the bat on it late I might have some hope of sneaking runs - whereas if I go after the bowling I usually can't see the ball at all and end up swiping at fresh air while the ball is busy beating the stumps to death. I'll stick with the patient approach, it'll come good one of these days :D

Tomorrow would be a good day for that to happen ... we've a first round cup game against a team that hammered us two weeks ago - bowled us out for just 60 I got 0* in that game without facing. Unfortunately, at the moment we only have 9 players (8 that will be there on time), so it could be a tough day! Batting the overs will be the main plan I think. If we can get through them there's a good chance we'll have a defendable total (anything over 120 I think is possible on our ground) and we won't be able to blame the missing batsmen for our score.

Obviously it will be tough fielding with 9, but we've done it successfully before and the skipper is canny enough to come up with a good plan I reckon. A big part of it is going to be for the bowlers to be consistent in their line. Ideally we'd be looking at a 6-1 off side field - but I don't think that's possible for Junior C bowling.

I'm actually looking forward to it though ... weather permitting of course.

Rising Damp?

Aravon Cricket Pitch

Bit of a disaster this weekend!!

It's been raining pretty much constantly for the last couple of weeks over here - and it's finally managed to do some real damage to our pitch!

We put in a mat at the start of last season when we moved grounds, and on Saturday the firsts game was called off because the top layer of the mat had lifted from the underlay. There was basically a 4 foot square bubble on a length that killed every ball that bounced near it. Then on Sunday morning it was even worse, with a load of standing water on and around the mat and both ends lifted from the ground

As it turned out, the games probably would have been off anyway due to the weather (though sunday evening was very nice). But still, I don't know how likely it is that the pitch will be playable by next weekend. We might have some interesting fixture conjestion over the next few weeks!

The thirds managed to get in a half game on Saturday at an away ground. I'm definitely going to have to post some pictures of this place - it's on the grounds of a school that looks a lot like Hogwarts from the Harry Potter films - no kidding. The setting was great - but the pitch was a mess. It was damp and mucky - and it wasn't even really a wicket ... basically just a strip of grass cut short. It didn't even look like it had been rolled! Not that rolling would have helped - it wasn't even level to begin with. There were some odd bounces off it. One coming up at your head if it hits a ridge, and the next skidding through even though it seemed the same length - nightmare.

Aravon School

We lost the toss and were unsurprised to be put in to bat - but then we managed to get the score to 190 in 39.3 overs. I came in at 11 and was involved in a 15 run partnership, of which I put on 0 The important thing was to survive until the last over so as not to give the opposition extra ones - which we did. I faced 6 balls, 3 of which were decent yorkers that I managed to jam down on, and the rest I just left or tried to defend. In the last over my batting partner hit one to square leg and started running without calling. I was a bit confused, but started to run - until he stopped in the middle of the wicket and turned to look at the man picking the ball up! After that it kinda went slow motiony ... he tried to get back to his ground, but slipped and ended up in a heap. So then it was up to me to try to beat the ball to the strikers end. Luckily the throw wasn't good and the keeper was busy trying to pick the ball up when I made it in - but unfortunately, my batting partner was too slow getting up and didn't make it to the non-strikers end before that wicket was put down

So I ended up with 0* for the third innings in a row ... even after a suicidal attempt to save the other batsman

I think all out defense is the way to go with my batting for the moment. Our teams tend to have spectacular collapses meaning that when I come to the wicket we have lots and lots of time. I reckon if I get some time at the crease just getting bat on ball and content not to score, eventually I'll get a better eye and be able to hit out at the ball should the occasion arise.

Trinity Pitch

Also, I'd a taverners match on Friday in Trinity College - a fantastic ground (pics to follow). I batted fairly poorly trying to whack the ball - the idea being to score some runs or get out and let someone else have a go. But kept just missing it. I got two runs off the edge, but never felt remotely comfortable. In the reply, trinity chased 91 with the loss of only one wicket. I bowled my two overs getting 1 for 11. Should have been less runs, but our fielding was poor to say the least. I'm no exception - having let a catch bounce just in front of me and then go for 4

Ah well, hopefully we'll have a pitch next week!

EDIT:
Nearly forgot! The wicket I took on friday was a first for a couple of reasons. Firstly because I noticed a flaw in the batsmans technique and was able to expose it. And secondly because it was the first time I intentionally swung the ball!

I spotted that the batsman took guard about 3 inches outside leg stump :? and it occurred to me that the only reason someone would do that was because they were crap off their legs. So I adjusted accordingly and started bowling at his pads. Sure enough he had trouble getting it away. So then I started bowling with the ball angled for outswing, and on the third attempt - it moved late - he missed it - and it hit leg stump

I'm sure it won't be every week that the batsman will give a clue that big, but it's progress for me that I'm actually looking for these things.

New leggie

View from our home ground

There were only 5 of us at training last night after a very busy weekend for the club (6 games) so we decided to just have a bat and bowl. Not much point having fielding drills with so few there. I didn't bowl very well, but after a while of chasing down the ball you've just bowled over and over - neither did anyone. It was nice to get a good long bat though - I made an effort to be very defensive, especially against the spinners, and I think I did OK. I did go after a few - but they would have been easily caught and I guess it reinforces that a defensive approach would be best for now. If I can somehow claw my way out of the lead for the duck cup at this stage it will be a miracle, but it's worth a try.

Also, one of the new guys at the club tried his hand at a bit of leg spin last evening - and did surprisingly well! He was getting the ball to turn on our mat, which is notoriously un-spinny. Obviously he wasn't the most accurate with it being his first time trying it, but I reckon with a bit of practice he could be quite useful. He bowled me round (or through I think) my legs at one stage. It was a shorter ball that I started going down to, and then decided to leave as it was going down leg. But it pitched and straightened and shot by me as I was heading back to the crease and took out leg stump!

Bloody spinners!

I've suggested to him to have a look at the leg-spin thread here, and to think about getting the Philpott book and watch some of the vids on youtube. So he may be joining us at some stage I hope!