Update 11th Dec

I’ve had a look at a few venues in the Basildon area with a view to indoor training sessions. I’ve now provisionally booked 2 sessions at Laindon Community/leisure centre. Near Laindon railway station.

12.00 – 14.00 hrs on Saturday 7th Jan £48.00

Carl Hodgson
Thomas Slater
Dave Thompson
Richard Sainsbury (He’ll give you a lift from Southend)
Badger
Steve Bone
Mark Benson
Phil Buchanan

Richard Sandling
Catherine Barrass
Mark Soye
Tom Dick
Alex Wood
Nick Naughty
Simon Grainge
Catherine Barrass
Tom Dick

All the above (in Bold) live locally to Laindon with the exception of Richard and hopefully could turn up. Needless to say, the less people that turn up the more expensive it’s going to be. If there’s five of us I’d still be up for it.

Basically I need a show of commitment to see who’s up for this session. I’ll make sure there’s balls, pads, gloves and stumps (Home made – could do with more if you’ve got time to make a set 9” wide 32” high including the base). For batting practice we’ll be using baseball practice balls (Light and spongey) so we can whack ‘em around.

For bowling we’ll need the real thing and it’s the main thing I for one want to practice, so if anyone wants to practice batting (defensive as we can’t whack the real balls around) against Wrong un’s, Flippers, leg breaks, Sliders and back spinners you might want to get yourself a helmet and a box/jock strap, although my bowling is of the slow variety.

What we will need is a fast bowler, so anyone wanting to step up and volunteer please do so and give it a go.

We need to think of a way to practice as well. I’m thinking if we can get three lots of stumps. We can set up three bowlers and three batsmen along the length of the hall or divide it up into one big section for the bowling e.g batting defensively and maybe have people fielding any hits off the defensive bat. Then use the remaining section of the hall (The size of a badminton court) for batting practice as that’ll be netted off and Batsmen/women can whack it to their hearts content.

What we will need is some kind of carpet to put in the wicket area to minimise bat damage and damage to my balls.

The impression at this point is of the Southend contingent Richard Sainsbury seems to be the most likely to drive/turn up, so if the getting there aspect is an issue get a lift off of Richard.

Garrons News

There isn’t any really other than Steve Bone and I are trying to get over there and have a look at what’s on offer and suss out the price. From my experience of driving around looking at the venues local to me, it’s going to be pretty much booked in the evenings unless we want to get in there really late. As I get the news I’ll let you all know.

Welstead Gardens News

I can’t get the college to communicate with me, everybody I email just sends a reply saying they’ll talk to the people involved and get back to me or they pass me on to someone else who’s supposed to know but doesn’t get back to me.

New Team Members

Welcome to Tom Dick and Catherine Barrass. Tom Dick we’re informed is a pretty useful left handed batsman (His own assessment) and Catherine is like ‘Sporty Spice’ but better e.g. she does the sports rather than just ponces around on the tele singing. Catherine has done stuff like spear chucking, discus, shot put etc, so should be a pretty good bowler?