Brian Fantana
Well-known member
It's all the more amazing as I'm actually (I say I'm like I'm still playing regularly) a bowler who can bat a little bit.Congratulations
It's all the more amazing as I'm actually (I say I'm like I'm still playing regularly) a bowler who can bat a little bit.Congratulations
It’s good, but it’s no this….My league game on Saturday, featured the single most embarrassing behaviour I have witnessed, in 40+ years of competitive cricket.
Title chasing opponents (Trojans CC - one of our very big local sports clubs) won the toss and chose to bat. Their opener (the second highest run scorer in the division, after our own gun) took FOURTEEN off my first over. I was invited to take a rest after going for 34 from 5 overs, and they were rattling along well, at 60 without loss.
Then they lost a couple, and I got to feel a bit better personally, after running out the (other) opener with a quick pick up and direct hit from the covers. They built to 170 or so for 4, and looked set for a challenging total. I had a far more satisfactory second spell, and finished up 9/2/40/2, bringing out the oppo's skipper, batting at nine...
Having scored just one, he slices a ball to gully and is caught. No controversy, but for some reason he completely loses it.
He launches his bat across the square, then proceeds to remove his helmet, and launches that 30 yards. Then he picks them both up, lobs up the helmet, and twats it with the bat, another 30 yards. Then stomps off the field, kicking his helmet the rest of the way. We're confused / shocked / hysterical - and on hearing laughing, he spins around, lets off a stream of expletives and offers us (all) a fight. Then he finally leaves the field and starts arguing with the rest of his team.
They succumb meekly to 190 all out, and we go off for a tense 'tea' interval. No teas provided yet again. Lazy pricks.
Mr Angry skipper (he's their 6'4" opener) comes charging in, and having utterly lost his head, is a complete liability. He bowls (genuinely) about 15 wides, and gets us off to a bit of a flier, leading to a comfortable chase. The winning runs, fittingly involve the clown trying for a pointless shy at the stumps, that gifts us four overthrows.
Funny day. Excellent and unexpected win.
Angry chap very lucky we had no panel umpire on the day, as he'd surely be looking at a significant ban.
Is that like French Cricket...?First season in the second division of Dutch cricket
In all seriousness, Dutch cricket is improving rapidly and the standard is higher every year. More and more overseas players are coming either to here or Ireland instead of England due to tightening of Visa restrictions. People who have played high level in NZ/Aus/SA often have restrictions on getting working holiday visas in the UK.Is that like French Cricket...?
Good traditional Dutch names thereHe's behind Dutch captain Scott Edwards and Dutch opener Max O'Dowd in runs scored.
Yeah unfortunately, the take up of the sport by 'native' has had a huge decrease where it now is slowly increasing again. It used to be a sport where people would play football in the winter and cricket in the summer, but most choose to just take a few months off sport.Good traditional Dutch names there
My sort of game. Blocking for 137 balls. Love it.Club cricketer faces 137 balls for 0 in drawn match
Ian Bestwick of Darley Abbey Cricket Club batted for 45 overs without scoring a run to secure a draw for his side.www.bbc.com
Geoff Boycott would have been proud…
Real cricket…My sort of game. Blocking for 137 balls. Love it.
I was a really good cricketer back in the day (much better bowler) but was much more afraid of getting out than scoring runs…My sort of game. Blocking for 137 balls. Love it.
I don't know, I've played in some teams where that would match the general vibe.View attachment 187836
What an odd badge. Not sure I would fancy that on my shirt.