MPA 1st XI Dream Team

Having missed the first match because of bad weather the much anticipated opening game is scheduled this Friday for a 5.30pm start. But the boys of Sports Science are already requesting an earlier start of 5.00pm but I don't think that's going to be possible. I myself have got to get to the pitch from Southend and may have to go by train via Chalkwell which includes a walk of about a mile up hill with my bag so I may not be able to get there for 5pm.

Other than that the team is still looking incomplete. The only people so far that have committed to playing are.....

1.Simon Grainge
2.Nick Naughty
3.Alex Wood
4.Richard Sainsbury
5.Dave Thompson
6.Mark Soye
7.Alex Jnr
8.Chris
9.Jack
10. Terry the bloke

There's question marks relating to Mark Soye - I've not heard from him whether he's playing or not and there may be transport issues for Alex Jnr, Jack and Chris.

Given that we've got some newcomers to the team my dream team if I was the captain and all the players could turn up would be as follows in this order......

1. Chris Eggleton
Batting - On form hitting fours & sixes does well facing fast bowlers.
Bowling - devastatingly fast and accurate
Fielding - Agile, fast and committed and takes catches option as Wicket Keeper.

2. Jack
Batting - When on form hits fours & sixes does well facing fast bowlers.
Bowling - Medium Pace and some leg spin
Fielding - Agile, fast and committed and takes catches option as Wicket Keeper.

3. Alex Jnr
Batting - On form hitting fours does well facing fast bowlers.
Bowling - devastatingly fast and accurate.
Fielding - Agile, fast and committed and takes catches option as Wicket Keeper.

4. Nakul Handa
Batting - Our current highest scorer adaptable and solid batsman.
Bowling - Tactical Medium pace swing with some spin - takes wickets.
Fielding - Committed with no fear when it comes to catching.

5. Simon Grainge
Batting - 2nd highest scorer think Geoffrey Boycott.
Bowling - Medium/Fast and accurate.
Fielding - Committed and does run.

6. Suhail
Batting - New to team but looks exceptional highest score in practice.
Bowling - Fast swinging action and very accurate.
Fielding - Not seen in action yet but likely to be good.

7. Rod Jeanes
Batting - In practice one of our top batsmen
Bowling - Medium Pace swing bowler - accurate and tricky
Fielding - Okay?

8. Badger
Batting - Okay been unlucky so far in match situations.
Bowling - Slow/Medium varied speed catches people out
Fielding - Committed.

9. Alex Wood (Captain).
Batting - Yet to find his form (Bit of a Vaughn in Windies case).
Bowling - Exceptional Stats, fast and accurate.
Fielding - agile and very fast and committed.

10. Dave Thompson
Batting - In match situations 3rd highest runs score.
Bowling - Leg Spin going to be good in situations where opposition are chasing the game.
Fielding - Fully Committed.

11. Richard Sainsbury
Batting - He's got a big yellow beak and feathers.
Bowling - NA.
Fielding - Specialist Wicket Keeper.

Some of you that are not that involved because of other committments need to be aware that the team is growing and the people that we can call upon to play has recently grown and a lot of the newcomers that are on the edge of the team as such are potentially good players. You'll notice that I myself have almost been pushed out of the team if we were to field our best 11 and I feel that I need to justify my place in the team by being affective hence the reason I practice non stop trying to perfect my bowling and batting. I'm also lucky in that I'm the acting manager of the team and I get the sense that if I was to stop cajoling people and organising the team it would disappear? Being in that position allows me to maintain a position in the first XI irrespective of how inaffective I am as a team member, but I do recognise my place in the order and readily accept that I must do better hence I'll be practicing on Tuesday night at Great Berry hopefully with Suhail (Who has played cricket at a very high level), Nakul, Chris, Jack, Alex Jnr and Alex Wood. I'll also be down at Chalkwell Park with Westcliff Cricket Club in the nets Thursday night with them checking out the option of playing for one of their teams and picking up tips and advice. Whatever I need to do to get better - I'm doing it. Whatever I need to do to get a game I'm doing that too.

As yet it's not got to the point where you get a game on merit. At the moment (This Friday) it's down to whoever gets to the ground first gets a game because there's no communication. I'm not interested in reasons for not being able to get there till 5.37 or 6.11 with the inference that we and the other team should therefore wait till you get there. I just need 11 people to say "I'll be there for 5.30". It's those people who will play.

In the longer term with Alex and Badger going away for a year and the prospects of Nets all winter a new system based around ability and committment to the team and improving will dictate who plays next summer. The Captain will pick the side based on ability - committment - and availability. Who fancies the job?