[Cricket] The village / amateur 2024 CRICKET thread...

[hans kraay fan club]

So - not sure how this will go, but a thread to REGALE everyone with reports of your own efforts on the cricket field, in the summer of 2024...

To celebrate your fifties and michelles, or to commiserate your run of ducks or dropped dollies. Or to eulogise over a particularly good cricket TEA (@Sid and the Sharknados will no doubt feature a slice of gala pie).

Extra kudos for photos of beautiful village grounds in Sussex and wherever else you are playing.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

First league match of the season this Saturday for me (and many others I'm sure).

Folland (Hamble) 1st XI v Ampfield 1st XI
Hampshire Cricket League, Div 4

 

[Gwylan]

I managed to strain my achilles reffing a rugby match last Saturday, so a few weeks off for me. I'm still seething after getting my first ever golden in the last match of 2023.

Good luck to everyone playing this weekend, I can only envy you

 

[Eeyore]

Ooooh, I like this thread.

 

[Eeyore]

I'm unlikely to be playing, having retired a few years back. But I often visit my old village team at their venues throughout the summer and run their pages online.

I have a distinct record insofar the last wicket I took for them was in 1998, and played rarely but didn't bowl after that. I then tried a bowl in 2017 and took a wicket. So that's 19 years between wickets. I bet no-one has managed that.

 

[Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo]

I can't regale you with tales of my cricket exploits as I don't play but I'll live vicariously through my sons's exploits and chronicle what is hopefully another successful season for the Ryan Sidebottom lookalike (he's got to prefer that to me likening him to Marc Cucurella or Matteo Guendouz).

This is his second season playing hardball cricket, his under 15's team have their first 20/20 game on Monday 20th. Last season they finished 3rd and he was 3rd top scorer in the League, winning his clubs manager's player of the season award. He's also now old enough to play men's cricket and is hoping to get a couple of games for the third XI at least (he could have made his debut late last season but it clashed with something else we were already doing so he couldn't play unfortunately). He's chomping at the bit to play, it has been a long winter but he's kept his training up with winter net sessions as well as 12 weeks of training with the Eastbourne MCC Foundation. He's also taking part in the Young Leaders in Cricket program this summer so a busy few months ahead.

 

[ROSM]

I can't regale you with tales of my cricket exploits as I don't play but I'll live vicariously through my sons's exploits and chronicle what is hopefully another successful season for the Ryan Sidebottom lookalike (he's got to prefer that to me likening him to Marc Cucurella or Matteo Guendouz).

This is his second season playing hardball cricket, his under 15's team have their first 20/20 game on Monday 20th. Last season they finished 3rd and he was 3rd top scorer in the League, winning his clubs manager's player of the season award. He's also now old enough to play men's cricket and is hoping to get a couple of games for the third XI at least (he could have made his debut late last season but it clashed with something else we were already doing so he couldn't play unfortunately). He's chomping at the bit to play, it has been a long winter but he's kept his training up with winter net sessions as well as 12 weeks of training with the Eastbourne MCC Foundation. He's also taking part in the Young Leaders in Cricket program this summer so a busy few months ahead.

My son did the young leaders programme and has been helping coaching the youngsters. He is now playing mens 2nd/3rd 11 on Saturdays.

My other son sadly has hung up his bat this year which is a pity as he has potential but just wasn't enjoying it last season as having to play up a year (and sometimes 2) due to not enough kids at his age group and too many in year below to play down.

 

[Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo]

My son did the young leaders programme and has been helping coaching the youngsters. He is now playing mens 2nd/3rd 11 on Saturdays.

My other son sadly has hung up his bat this year which is a pity as he has potential but just wasn't enjoying it last season as having to play up a year (and sometimes 2) due to not enough kids at his age group and too many in year below to play down.

My son will be training the youngsters at his club too, luckily doing so covers both the Young Leaders and his volunteering element of the Duke of Edinburgh, two birds one stone.

 

[Chicken Run]

I know it’s not village cricket but i was shocked to learn Brighton & Hove Cricket Club find themselves in Tier Three of the Sussex County CL, what’s happened in that club?

 

[Eeyore]

A summary of me when I stopped bowling and played as a batsman. Wivelsfield Green, pictures about 5 minutes apart...

 

[Simster]

You've seen this already @hans kraay fan club but I'll post our track, as of yesterday:

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

Unlikely to play for a while since I have a hernia op next week, but as soon as I'm back out there I'll be sure to update everybody on the gala pie situation.

 

[Billy in Bristol]

Happy to send pictures of nice West Country grounds.

Season started two Sundays ago when 20 minutes before the first game of the season was informed that I had been voted in as captain for the season at the AGM 7th March...no one had thought to tell me.

Played at Nympsfield on a side of a hill where gliders were taking off it was that windy. Won though.

 

[GT49er]

Envy to everyone with a chance of playing! I played (not very well) at school, but since then have only played a couple of times for scratch teams from work (where I've been rather better than most!)
When I moved to Gloucester many years ago, I got numbers form the cricket authorities and phoned all the local teams - "Do you ever have trouble getting eleven players out for your second eleven? Could you find a place for a willing lower order batsman, and somebody who can deliver a couple of overs reasonably straight (if you're playing that kind of 20 over cricket where everybody except the wicket-keeper bowls two overs.)
The standard answer, if not 'No', was, have you played for us before? Have you played for any of the other teams in our league? Do you know any cricketers around here? Does anyone in any of the teams know you?
No? In that case, we don't know you, so no. Please go away.

 

[Shropshire Seagull]

Retired from playing a few years back [chronic ankle injury] but have continued coaching on the County Age Group pathway here in Shropshire.

My under 14s have a warm-up game on Sunday against North Wales u14 Performance away at Mold CC before we start on the ECB u14 County Championship against Leicestershire the following weekend.

I'll post some match feedback if you guys are remotely interested otherwise I'll just observe [read about] your leather on willow tales.

 

[dazzer6666]

I can't regale you with tales of my cricket exploits as I don't play but I'll live vicariously through my sons's exploits and chronicle what is hopefully another successful season for the Ryan Sidebottom lookalike (he's got to prefer that to me likening him to Marc Cucurella or Matteo Guendouz).

I’m at the next stage of this, even junior having more or less retired (or more ‘lapsed’ I guess) as he now works most Saturdays so I don’t even have much of an excuse to go and watch a game. I might play the odd 20 over beer/social match with the Lewes Supporters Association

 

[Arkwright]

You've seen this already @hans kraay fan club but I'll post our track, as of yesterday:

In my day bowling straight military medium I would loved to have bowled on that green top.
Use to take all my wickets in May and then get twatted round the park from June onwards.
Happy days, sadly far too old and fat now.

 

[YapBlue]

I'm scorer for Eastergate CC Firsts on Saturdays - sadly this is a dying skill as I often sit on my own!!

Anyway, Eastergate beat Littlehampton, Clapham & Patching CC (that must be one of the longest Club names around?!?!) last evening in the 20/20 Slam. It was streamed live via Frogbox / You Tube. Any other clubs use this piece of tech? thoughts?

 

[Chicken Run]

I know it’s not village cricket but i was shocked to learn Brighton & Hove Cricket Club find themselves in Tier Three of the Sussex County CL, what’s happened in that club?

I’ll edit this B & HCC 1’s are in Div 3 East and will be playing St Peter’s at Preston Park amongst other clubs, how the mighty have fallen

 

[Milano]

I’m playing Taverners only this season (T20) as I don’t have time for all afternoon anymore.
I’ll be watching my eldest on Sat/Sun instead now.