Just posted this on the Accrington pre-match thread, but it's more about club cricket:
One opposition tidbit of local interest: Accrington's goalkeeper is likely to be Nathan Baxter, who is on loan from Chelsea. Although he has been on Chelsea's books since the age of 8, Nathan grew up in Lee SE12 and played cricket at the Old Colfeians CC until he was 16 (his family's house backs onto the ground, which may have tipped the balance). He was good enough at cricket to represent Kent in the same under 15s side as Zak Crawley. (I expect @PaddyP17 and @Leuth will claim in a minute that they taught him everything he knows - about cricket and goalkeeping!)
Nathan was previously on loan at Yeovil Town in League Two and latterly Ross County. One to watch out for now and in the future. Two clean sheets out of two league appearances for Accrington so far, plus some impressive cup appearances.
Budleigh Salterton CC in East Devon are to leave their beautiful Ottermouth ground, for a new ground up the road. All part of some conservation works on the River Otter. They will be torn; their current ground is fantastic but it regularly floods during winter and they can't get insurance. The move is understandable but very sad.
In some KRCL to KCL news - Downham and Bellingham have completed the signing of one Sam Pope, who was both leading run scorer and wicket taker in the KRCL Prem last season. Quite the coup with several Shoots players also joining D&B, and that'll definitely help them as a club.
Rumours that Pope was going to go to Roebucks on £150 a game are clearly unfounded! Though I'm surprised he didn't take that up, as I think it was definitely on offer wasn't it? Good news for Downham though - really strengthens their side.
The new groundsman for Sidcup Sports Club including, of course, Sidcup CC. Not sure if he will be playing any cricket though.
Budleigh Salterton CC in East Devon are to leave their beautiful Ottermouth ground, for a new ground up the road. All part of some conservation works on the River Otter. They will be torn; their current ground is fantastic but it regularly floods during winter and they can't get insurance. The move is understandable but very sad.
That's sad news. I remember the ground well. I also recall crashing into another one of our fielders on that ground as we both tried to take a catch on the boundary. Of all the people to crash into, it was our strong opening bowler. Did either of us take the catch? Er, no.
In some KRCL to KCL news - Downham and Bellingham have completed the signing of one Sam Pope, who was both leading run scorer and wicket taker in the KRCL Prem last season. Quite the coup with several Shoots players also joining D&B, and that'll definitely help them as a club.
Rumours that Pope was going to go to Roebucks on £150 a game are clearly unfounded! Though I'm surprised he didn't take that up, as I think it was definitely on offer wasn't it? Good news for Downham though - really strengthens their side.
The new groundsman for Sidcup Sports Club including, of course, Sidcup CC. Not sure if he will be playing any cricket though.
I'd suspect not - who'd want to play on a pitch they've prepared, only for their team-mates to constantly slate it?!
I'm quite pleased with the likely announcement that outdoor sports will resume in time for the cricket season, if all goes well. The Waggoners tend to kick things off with a visit to Four Elms in late April and that's a fixture I've missed of late!
In some KRCL to KCL news - Downham and Bellingham have completed the signing of one Sam Pope, who was both leading run scorer and wicket taker in the KRCL Prem last season. Quite the coup with several Shoots players also joining D&B, and that'll definitely help them as a club.
Rumours that Pope was going to go to Roebucks on £150 a game are clearly unfounded! Though I'm surprised he didn't take that up, as I think it was definitely on offer wasn't it? Good news for Downham though - really strengthens their side.
The new groundsman for Sidcup Sports Club including, of course, Sidcup CC. Not sure if he will be playing any cricket though.
I'd suspect not - who'd want to play on a pitch they've prepared, only for their team-mates to constantly slate it?!
He's come from being Millwall's groundsman so if they can forgive that I'm sure they can forgive anything!
You're in good company Paddy as all the best players use Keeley - Kohli, Gayle, Babar Azam to name but three. Tim, Nick and Keira are always very helpful too but are, at times, a victim of their own success which is why we got Seb's sorted very early.
I will be looking at play cricket with interest..barring injury and covid I may be making a few appearances in the krcl this year..good luck for the season
Netted a couple of times with the Keeley now. It appears to be made entirely of middle. I feel almost godlike. Even nicking behind feels good.
Can't wait to get out there and do just that tomorrow on the astroturf at Dulwich Sports Ground!
Christ, what have I read?
Please let me come to a net of yours to have a go... 😂
I'm not saying I'm any good, but I'm certainly more confident with this stick than the old one! Come Southwark Park one day and we'll see what happens, but be warned you'll have to shorten your usual 50-yard run-up.
Also bought a load of pads/thigh pads/batting inners, so I have all the gear and no idea - but it does make a mental difference.
For any other middle aged cricket lovers on here thinking about a comeback to the great game I can thoroughly recommend doing so!
Just finished my first season back in whites after fifteen years out raising kids but had to reinvent myself as a stodgy opening batsman rather than the ‘fast bowler’ 😂😂😂 of my younger days.
Apart from another bloke in his 40s the rest of the team were all late teens or early 20s but were a great bunch of lads.
Season highlights...
24 off 125 balls vs Bracken Ridge
4 off 90 balls vs Bracken Ridge
9 not out off 110 balls vs Stafford
5 off 93 balls vs Alex Hills
Safe to say that with scoring rates like that I copped a fair bit of abuse from the opposition but that just made me love it even more.
Champagne moment of the season came in the game 9* vs Stafford when after being run less for well over an hour their left arm seamer bowled a half volley that I drove for two through cover.
“Fuck me! At least we know he’s still alive!” their gobby keeper exclaimed - even I had to chuckle at that one!
Cant wait for next season but will need to find a way to up my scoring rate.....
Did the same as Ormy myself last season , albeit all friendly stuff and only 10 years out of the game, maybe 2 or 3 20 over matches a year during the 10 years ‘off’ . Most of the time it was the skipper another dad or older fella and 13-15 year olds and I loved it , the banter with the kids and my eldest son (14 last season) as I took the piss with our dropped catches and misfields etc bit of bowling and batting but struggled playing with glasses , so batted a bit with and without , bowled with them off , fielded with them on . Took some really sharp catches but never felt comfortable with them and eventually dropped two dolly’s and a couple of easy misfields which led to me having LASIK eye surgery to play this season . I’ve never got on with contact lenses . Im currently on my fitness charge for this season which is basically no chocolate the last 4 weeks and I’ve done 11 pounds . I can only play if my son is playing (Mrs rules ) so have no idea if it’ll just be friendly or weak 2nd team league cricket but I’m looking forward to it immensely . Highlight of the season was a quick fire 25 off 15 balls made against us when the oppo were a player short and we had an extra player, The kids moaned I never batted like that when I played for our team to which I said the oppo never bowled pies like they did .
For any other middle aged cricket lovers on here thinking about a comeback to the great game I can thoroughly recommend doing so!
Just finished my first season back in whites after fifteen years out raising kids but had to reinvent myself as a stodgy opening batsman rather than the ‘fast bowler’ 😂😂😂 of my younger days.
Apart from another bloke in his 40s the rest of the team were all late teens or early 20s but were a great bunch of lads.
Season highlights...
24 off 125 balls vs Bracken Ridge
4 off 90 balls vs Bracken Ridge
9 not out off 110 balls vs Stafford
5 off 93 balls vs Alex Hills
Safe to say that with scoring rates like that I copped a fair bit of abuse from the opposition but that just made me love it even more.
Champagne moment of the season came in the game 9* vs Stafford when after being run less for well over an hour their left arm seamer bowled a half volley that I drove for two through cover.
“Fuck me! At least we know he’s still alive!” their gobby keeper exclaimed - even I had to chuckle at that one!
Cant wait for next season but will need to find a way to up my scoring rate.....
Four off NINETY?! How did your team-mates tolerate this?! Were you playing timeless Tests or something?
I can't even imagine what my state would have been watching that from the sidelines
Has to be match dependant .
Ive watched my own son charge down the track to get himself out when the match situation warranted cos he couldn’t score as freely as others who he knew were to come and I’ve seen him bat no.10 and be 15 not out as another batsmen goes from 15 not out to 100 runs . Personally I’d not be able to do that if I was paid to , the devil in me always has a go and more often than not I’m back in the pavilion .
I once skippered a 3rd X1 side in a friendly. We had a particularly strong team that day so I tried to influence their captain to do the right thing at the toss . He duly won - and of course elected to bat!
We bowled them out for 65 and but for me giving as many a bowl as possible it would have been a lot less. I decided to open the batting. On reaching a quickfire 50 I raised my bat to the applause of my team. Actually, there was nothing "quickfire" about it. There was no applause either. And the 50 was my personal recognition of the number of dot balls I had achieved without scoring. Half volleys, full bungers, long hops, you name it, were all getting patted down.
I eventually got off the mark by accidentally squirting one for four through their cordon of six slips. We reached their target in something like the 20th over for the loss of 3 wickets. I wasn't one of them. There was no way they were getting me out. And who doesn't like a cheeky 4* anyway.
We never did play them again. To this day I haven't been able to work out why!
For any other middle aged cricket lovers on here thinking about a comeback to the great game I can thoroughly recommend doing so!
Just finished my first season back in whites after fifteen years out raising kids but had to reinvent myself as a stodgy opening batsman rather than the ‘fast bowler’ 😂😂😂 of my younger days.
Apart from another bloke in his 40s the rest of the team were all late teens or early 20s but were a great bunch of lads.
Season highlights...
24 off 125 balls vs Bracken Ridge
4 off 90 balls vs Bracken Ridge
9 not out off 110 balls vs Stafford
5 off 93 balls vs Alex Hills
Safe to say that with scoring rates like that I copped a fair bit of abuse from the opposition but that just made me love it even more.
Champagne moment of the season came in the game 9* vs Stafford when after being run less for well over an hour their left arm seamer bowled a half volley that I drove for two through cover.
“Fuck me! At least we know he’s still alive!” their gobby keeper exclaimed - even I had to chuckle at that one!
Cant wait for next season but will need to find a way to up my scoring rate.....
Four off NINETY?! How did your team-mates tolerate this?! Were you playing timeless Tests or something?
For any other middle aged cricket lovers on here thinking about a comeback to the great game I can thoroughly recommend doing so!
Just finished my first season back in whites after fifteen years out raising kids but had to reinvent myself as a stodgy opening batsman rather than the ‘fast bowler’ 😂😂😂 of my younger days.
Apart from another bloke in his 40s the rest of the team were all late teens or early 20s but were a great bunch of lads.
Season highlights...
24 off 125 balls vs Bracken Ridge
4 off 90 balls vs Bracken Ridge
9 not out off 110 balls vs Stafford
5 off 93 balls vs Alex Hills
Safe to say that with scoring rates like that I copped a fair bit of abuse from the opposition but that just made me love it even more.
Champagne moment of the season came in the game 9* vs Stafford when after being run less for well over an hour their left arm seamer bowled a half volley that I drove for two through cover.
“Fuck me! At least we know he’s still alive!” their gobby keeper exclaimed - even I had to chuckle at that one!
Cant wait for next season but will need to find a way to up my scoring rate.....
Four off NINETY?! How did your team-mates tolerate this?! Were you playing timeless Tests or something?
It was a very hot day mate.
I assume a team total of 50 was regarded as insurmountable then?! Fantastic stuff though; I'd love to see an innings like that.
Less said about today the better. Suffice to say that there was a miscommunication about team strength, compounded by some truly awful batting for us, and a second game was necessary.
Comments
One opposition tidbit of local interest: Accrington's goalkeeper is likely to be Nathan Baxter, who is on loan from Chelsea. Although he has been on Chelsea's books since the age of 8, Nathan grew up in Lee SE12 and played cricket at the Old Colfeians CC until he was 16 (his family's house backs onto the ground, which may have tipped the balance). He was good enough at cricket to represent Kent in the same under 15s side as Zak Crawley. (I expect @PaddyP17 and @Leuth will claim in a minute that they taught him everything he knows - about cricket and goalkeeping!)
Nathan was previously on loan at Yeovil Town in League Two and latterly Ross County. One to watch out for now and in the future. Two clean sheets out of two league appearances for Accrington so far, plus some impressive cup appearances.
What could possibly go wrong?
The new groundsman for Sidcup Sports Club including, of course, Sidcup CC. Not sure if he will be playing any cricket though.
And A2TR, we all know this, but the old one finally gave up it seems. At least this should last a few years I guess.
This is an article I found relating to his love of cricket:
https://www.lep.co.uk/sport/football/preston-north-end/pne-news/exclusive-jayden-stockley-preston-north-end-column-im-stoked-about-englands-ashes-chances-664049
Can't wait to get out there and do just that tomorrow on the astroturf at Dulwich Sports Ground!
Please let me come to a net of yours to have a go... 😂
Also bought a load of pads/thigh pads/batting inners, so I have all the gear and no idea - but it does make a mental difference.
Just finished my first season back in whites after fifteen years out raising kids but had to reinvent myself as a stodgy opening batsman rather than the ‘fast bowler’ 😂😂😂 of my younger days.
Apart from another bloke in his 40s the rest of the team were all late teens or early 20s but were a great bunch of lads.
Season highlights...
24 off 125 balls vs Bracken Ridge
4 off 90 balls vs Bracken Ridge
9 not out off 110 balls vs Stafford
5 off 93 balls vs Alex Hills
Safe to say that with scoring rates like that I copped a fair bit of abuse from the opposition but that just made me love it even more.
Champagne moment of the season came in the game 9* vs Stafford when after being run less for well over an hour their left arm seamer bowled a half volley that I drove for two through cover.
“Fuck me! At least we know he’s still alive!” their gobby keeper exclaimed - even I had to chuckle at that one!
Cant wait for next season but will need to find a way to up my scoring rate.....
Most of the time it was the skipper another dad or older fella and 13-15 year olds and I loved it , the banter with the kids and my eldest son (14 last season) as I took the piss with our dropped catches and misfields etc
bit of bowling and batting but struggled playing with glasses , so batted a bit with and without , bowled with them off , fielded with them on .
Took some really sharp catches but never felt comfortable with them and eventually dropped two dolly’s and a couple of easy misfields which led to me having LASIK eye surgery to play this season . I’ve never got on with contact lenses .
Im currently on my fitness charge for this season which is basically no chocolate the last 4 weeks and I’ve done 11 pounds .
I can only play if my son is playing (Mrs rules ) so have no idea if it’ll just be friendly or weak 2nd team league cricket but I’m looking forward to it immensely .
Highlight of the season was a quick fire 25 off 15 balls made against us when the oppo were a player short and we had an extra player, The kids moaned I never batted like that when I played for our team to which I said the oppo never bowled pies like they did .
Ive watched my own son charge down the track to get himself out when the match situation warranted cos he couldn’t score as freely as others who he knew were to come and I’ve seen him bat no.10 and be 15 not out as another batsmen goes from 15 not out to 100 runs .
Personally I’d not be able to do that if I was paid to , the devil in me always has a go and more often than not I’m back in the pavilion .
We bowled them out for 65 and but for me giving as many a bowl as possible it would have been a lot less. I decided to open the batting. On reaching a quickfire 50 I raised my bat to the applause of my team. Actually, there was nothing "quickfire" about it. There was no applause either. And the 50 was my personal recognition of the number of dot balls I had achieved without scoring. Half volleys, full bungers, long hops, you name it, were all getting patted down.
I eventually got off the mark by accidentally squirting one for four through their cordon of six slips. We reached their target in something like the 20th over for the loss of 3 wickets. I wasn't one of them. There was no way they were getting me out. And who doesn't like a cheeky 4* anyway.
We never did play them again. To this day I haven't been able to work out why!
Less said about today the better. Suffice to say that there was a miscommunication about team strength, compounded by some truly awful batting for us, and a second game was necessary.