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

[Eeyore]

It is a very lucky club / team, that still has a dedicated scorer
I tend to do a good stint of it during our batting innings, as it is preferable to umpiring!

Nothing as fancy as streaming at my club, but we score live via the PlayCricket app, and have just unveiled a new scoreboard which is a big improvement. And whilst we have no video, we do have a very good photographer in the club, so plenty of pictures on the club's site / fb pages. Here's a few of me last week in our inter-club warm up game. Pace all gone these days, but bowling action holding up still.

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Something of the Bumrah there

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Adam’s club charged him a full membership fee because he helped them out when they were desperate 3 times last season (he’d previously said he couldn’t commit to membership due to work). Same happened to a few others…..no surprise none are willing to help out any more, and yes they were cancelling games due to lack of players. Used to comfortably put out 5 teams on a Saturday and had full age group teams right the way through the juniors, now struggling to scrape 3 teams together and have no juniors. Match fees remain the same despite no teas being provided (the club has a load of money too).

Well they sound like absolute dickheads. Shambolic thinking.

Someone needs to sort that committee out, before they destroy the club.

 

[Eeyore]

Sadly for me, and probably only for me, I retired once number two child came along, which was *checks* 13 years ago .

I suspect they've got stronger chairs these days. Those cheap ones from the Aldi middle aisle were shit.

Well, as Whirlwind is 16 in 2027, I expect you to be released for the odd match in the centenary season.

Interestingly, I looked at The Argus photo from the 50th year in 1977 and two of the team still play ! A number of others are sadly no longer with us.

As for your batting average- I think we may be similar.

You probably have as many hairs on your head as runs in that time. I have as many successful relationships

 

[Guinness Boy]

Well, as Whirlwind is 16 in 2017, I expect you to be released for the odd match in the centenary season.

Interestingly, I looked at The Argus photo from the 50th year in 1977 and two of the team still play ! A number of others are sadly no longer with us.

As for your batting average- I think we may be similar.

You probably have as many hairs on your head as runs in that time. I have as many successful relationships

Assuming you mean 2027 that gives me three years to get fit and work on the dog's "selective hearing". One last game or two could be fun.

 

[Da Man Clay]

First game of the season for my Sunday only side this week at the lovely ground of Streat and Westmeston.

Having never played league cricket at 36 hoping to play a little this year too fingers crossed.

Had a good winter in the nets so looking forward to playing all round a straight one 4 balls into my innings this weekend

 

[dazzer6666]

Well they sound like absolute dickheads. Shambolic thinking.

Someone needs to sort that committee out, before they destroy the club.

Oh yes, been said many times

 

[dazzer6666]

First game of the season for my Sunday only side this week at the lovely ground of Streat and Westmeston.

Having never played league cricket at 36 hoping to play a little this year too fingers crossed.

Had a good winter in the nets so looking forward to playing all round a straight one 4 balls into my innings this weekend

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Used to play for them when I first moved to Sussex…….lovely setting

 

[ForestRowSeagull]

First game of the season for my Sunday only side this week at the lovely ground of Streat and Westmeston.

Having never played league cricket at 36 hoping to play a little this year too fingers crossed.

Had a good winter in the nets so looking forward to playing all round a straight one 4 balls into my innings this weekend

View attachment 182074

Such a lovely ground. I wonder if Stan Speigel (sp?) will still be playing!

 

[Eeyore]

Such a lovely ground. I wonder if Stan Speigel (sp?) will still be playing!

Used to play for them when I first moved to Sussex…….lovely setting

I wrote this poem after another rained off match at Streat in 2016:

A Bitter Ode to English Summer

Let’s tell a tale of England fair,
Of willow, cork and leather,
Of journeys to the countryside,
Where old friends come together.

A day off work, a timely break,
Release from mundane task,
The hallowed turf, the whitewashed crease,
We’re there- no need to ask.

The cars arrive, the pitch prepared,
The changing rooms all-chatting,
The toss to come, decision’s tough,
Are we bowling ? Are we batting ?

Yet warbler’s tune, so soulfully played,
Does suddenly fall still,
As angry cloud and sharpening breeze,
Now shroud the nearby hill.

Once sky so bright, once hopes so high,
Another splendid game,
No ball will bowl, we’re going home,
It’s pissing down with rain….

​

​

 

[METALMICKY]

Anyone connected to local cricket may have heard that Rottingdean "behind the scenes" stalwart Sarah Hunt died a couple of weeks ago after a short battle with brain cancer. Her funeral is today, with a wake at the Saltdean Lido this afternoon. If anyone on here is with RCCC, I send my condolences to everyone at the club and her family.
Another great club to be part of (Its where my lad started his journey 8 years ago) Flag will be flying at half mast today

Spent many years playing away at Rottingdean blocking or trying to smash the floating leggies of the sadly also departed actor Michael Jayston

 

[MJsGhost]

I retired gracefully from Ringmer 3rds over 20 yrs ago [diagnosed with a chronic lack of talent], but absolutely loved the village cricket scene.

My greatest contribution will be to nurture the future fast-bowling terror that is my son. He's not yet a year old, but according to the growth charts, he's heading for 6'3"+. Give it another 6 months and I'll be working on his hand-eye coordination and some drills for wrist position to disguise his slower ball.

 

[Da Man Clay]

Such a lovely ground. I wonder if Stan Speigel (sp?) will still be playing!

He was still playing last year (although injured for our game unfortunately). no doubt will chip him to mid off on Sunday if he is

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Spent many years playing away at Rottingdean blocking or trying to smash the floating leggies of the sadly also departed actor Michael Jayston

I only ever played there once - about 40 years ago at the age of 14. I remember it well, as I tried to sweep the leg spinner, top edged the ball into my own face - cutting my eyebrow open - AND was caught at short leg.

 

[MJsGhost]

First game of the season for my Sunday only side this week at the lovely ground of Streat and Westmeston.

Having never played league cricket at 36 hoping to play a little this year too fingers crossed.

Had a good winter in the nets so looking forward to playing all round a straight one 4 balls into my innings this weekend

View attachment 182074

Love that view. As a spotty teen I worked as a labourer on the conversion of Middleton Manor into a few houses (back in the 90s) and a few of us would wander down to the pitch with a bat & ball some lunchtimes. (my belated apologies to the groundkeeper )

 

[Audax]

Off to Nutley tomorrow to play with the Uckfield 1st XI for our first game of the season. Spent the last couple of season as a part-timer for the Uckfield 2nd XI. Finally got a pass from the Mrs to play every match (except those when we're on holiday) this season. Expect I'll bounce between 1st and 2nd XI (already told the 1st's captain I want to be involved in the games vs Laughton, where I used to play before my son was born and restricted my playing time). 1st's are in Sussex Div 9 East, 2nd's in Div 12 East (North).

Expect to be asked to send down some of my medium pace outswingers. Could be a mixed bag ... our nets in the off-season were horribly curtailed due to the nets themselves needing repair. Sent down a few with a (very) old ball on Saturday last weekend, then again Tuesday night. I'll also be breaking in new boots (which reminds me, need to put the full spikes back on them. Used them with rubber spikes for nets on Sat).

Also helping out with the junior cricket activities on Sunday mornings. Hoping my 8 year old will remain interested in the sport long enough for us to play together at least once in an adults game (by which time I'll be well into my 50's ... and already showing signs of arthritis in my hips).

 

[Audax]

Lovely thread. I made my glorious return to cricket last summer for Lewes Priory after packing it in as a teenager because I was rubbish.

Played at Lewes Priory's ground a few years back (my last full season with Laughton in 2015). Was the scene of the one and only 6 I've ever hit in my outdoor cricket career. But what a 6 it was - sent a low full toss on leg stump clean over the trees at midwicket and a replacement ball was immediately sourced. Remains my top score, and by quite a margin (70*, my only 50+ score).

Jnr is up at Mayfield CC again this season, but not sure when his first game is. Now hes driving hes taking himself off to places without us, so i'll be pretty much cricket free this summer. He took a ball to the foot yesterday in training though, which has blown up like a balloon, so may be a delayed start for him Frustrating if it does keep him out for a while as hes been with the Sussex 2nds lately and can do without any injuries this year!

Mayfield still hoovering up Sussex juniors from other clubs who did the hard yards developing them as kids?

 

[dazzer6666]

He was still playing last year (although injured for our game unfortunately). no doubt will chip him to mid off on Sunday if he is

Too slow to hit. Usually play the shot twice before the ball arrives

We jokingly called the club Streat and Christmaston back in my day due to the number of family/extended family playing for them at the time

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

Mayfield still hoovering up Sussex juniors from other clubs who did the hard yards developing them as kids?

I dont have a clue, but seems a bit harsh on MCC to suggest they're "hoovering up" the Sussex youngsters? One of my lads mates from college plays up there, which is why he joined.

It was his first season there last summer, and was the youngest player in the first XI...& no other Sussex Jnrs in the team from what I remember (but I dont pay much attention to it all tbh). No idea about the rest of the clubs setup & recruitment etc. His season was sadly ended by a stress fracture in his back in June, so we weren't up there at all after that.

 

[Billy in Bristol]

Thanks, appreciated - but as I've replied to other posters, in my case that horse has bolted! It would have been good to have the internet back then when I was trying to get a game - better than standing in the phone box at the end of the road shovelling in coins!

Ah sorry

 

[Audax]

I dont have a clue, but seems a bit harsh on MCC to suggest they're "hoovering up" the Sussex youngsters? One of my lads mates from college plays up there, which is why he joined.

To be fair, I was probably exaggerating a bit. And it's also historic, so may have changed. Around 10 years ago Laughton had a young leggy who got picked up by the Sussex juniors system. He'd been developing well at Laughton in the 2nd's, and had scope to move up the 1st's if Sussex wanted him playing at a higher level. Instead, one of the Sussex staff who happened to play at Mayfield convinced him and his family that he'd be better there. IIRC at the time it was known that his sort of thing happened from time to time.