Friendly YMCA

Should anyone fancy a friendly game of cricket on Sunday against Bath Exiles they should get in contact with Ev (evgibbons (at) yahoo.co.uk). Meanwhile we had a friendly 20/20 against YMCA at Golden Hill on Monday.

Jonse reports thus:

OK thermals (check) jumpers (check) hand warmers (check) Kendal mint cake (check)

Bovril (check).

“Off fell walking darling?”

“No love. going playing cricket”

We assembled at the Golden Hill sports ground on Monday to play a friendly with the chaps from the Y.M.C.A. . I had spoke to their captain in the week and told me that the team would be a mix of 1st team 2nd team and maybe some from the 3rd 4th and 5th. Mine I told him would resemble the cast from the dirty dozen. And they needed to be tough as the elements where out to blow and chill. The 3 cheerleaders I had hoped would bring some of the IPL razamatazz to the 20/20 match had cancelled due to it being “too cold for hot pants!”.

We bowled first and fielded well. Wickets fell at regular intervals by different bowlers. I feel this is important for keeping a good tempo throughout the team. 5 different bowlers got wickets. Some caught and bowled, catches taken in the field and middle stumps up rooted. When the wealth is shared like the buzz its infectious and I thought everyone looked focused, thinking where to be, offering up suggestions and well basically playing like a team. We had played well and knocked them over regularly enough but to their credit they stepped up and played some shots with their tail in the last 5 overs which pushed their score to 110.

“Doable I thought”. When looking through the team sheet it had struck me as a team of batters. In hindsight I’m now thinking I should of put the team of batters in first . Got a score up when it was still early evening better light and didn’t have to wrap my shivering batting order up in tin foil recovery blankets. It was tricky out there. The wicket was a doing a bit full of a length, flat and low short oh and I have mentioned it was blowing a hooley . Some real top draw shots were played right down to eleven. Unfortunately we needed just a pair of lads out there to lump some runs on and it didn’t quite happen.

Even in defeat I was impressed with everyone on Monday and we should take a lot of positives out the game. We gave some debuts to 3 blokes 2 of which got their first wickets of the mighty ECCC. We also put some 3in1 oil on the Grovernator to get his length up to Yorker length to devastating effect. If the appetite and attitude that was shown on Monday is taken to every match this season then we will not only enjoy our cricket gentlemen but enjoy some victories too.

Thank you again to everyone who helped in the week and on the day . Especially all of you offered to play that I was unable to give a game to.

Till the next time C’MON COWBOYS!