Tuesday 08.50 on way to work. Knackered! My body aches all over where for the last 2 weeks I haven't been doing any exercise and then Sunday some exercise in the match so it's pretty obvious that I need to do something in the week to keep fit. So I'll get back on that ready for this weekend. I'm also going surfing as well soon and I reckon this must be the least fit I've ever been preceding that? Which if you look at it is pretty dumb when yesterday there was 12' surf at the beach where I normally surf and I'm always tempted to go out and big surf and try and have wave of the day! Admittedly having kids somewhat tempers that desire along with the ever increasing awareness that I am getting older and unable to compete with anyone that's under 35 who actaully surfs on a regular basis. Here's a picture of me in my heyday - (Oct 1987)

After yesterdays deluge it's sunnier today, breezy and cool but with the continued predictions of showers.

Post match analysis; As mentioned, Sunday turned out to be my best match performance ever, but I'm definitely less of a bowler in match situations compared to practice. The need to get it right means that I bowl in far more cautious way - in the match just gone 85% wrong uns, 10% Top spinners and 5% Flippers (Normal variety). whereas in practice situations I bowl alternating Gippers and Wrong uns and once I get into the flow both balls work really nicely. I think where I backed off with the Gippers (Upside down Flipper) this is due to the fact that when I do start to bowl them it takes a few that go very wide before I find the rhythm, line and length. It's this that caused me not to use them at all. But last night I threw a few and man when they come right they are such a good ball so they're definitely something I've got to work on and get the confidence to use. So this week I'll be mostly throwing Gippers interspersed with Wrong Uns. What I might try is 2 or 3 Gippers for every Wrong Un and see how that pans out? I definitely need to be bowling the Gippers more. The thing is they would then stand in for the bog standard Leg Break as they do what the leg break does in many respects, so I wouldn't then have to struggle in the way that I have been with trying to learn how to bowl Leg Breaks.

Something I had forgotten was that on Saturday one of the other Dads who takes their kids swimming along with ours used to play cricket and is a bit of a dibbly dobbly bowler. This Saturday none of mine wanted to play whilst waiting for their swimming session and this bloke said "I'll bowl with you if you want"? Then we just stood opposite each other and bowled back and forth (Gippers and Wrong Uns). The encouraging thing was I was able to bowl the Gipper consistently onto a small round circle pattern in the floor and get it to turn. So it's obviously coming together and with that bit more practice I'm nearing a situation where I'm going to be able to use it. One thing that I do notice is that when I do bowl it I have initial success with it once I find my line and length, but the more I bowl it the more the hand comes round to a less acute position and the spin is decreased sideways. This is something that I need to address.

16.26 I've just realised that the knackeredness that I mentioned earlier isn't in fact knackeredness due to physical activity but because I'm ill and coming down with something nasty as every part of me aches and it now includes my eyes, head and my skin all over feels sore, so I've obviously got some kind of viral attack happening and I need to rest. So this now jeopardises the cricket match.

Thursday update.....

The illness thing is something a lot of teachers suffer. You work all year and simply don't allow yourself to be ill and you hold it all off. Then as soon as the holidays are upon us your body says "That's it bring it on"! And you end up being really ill. Fortunately it didn't kick in properly and I've survived only having 2 days of feeling rough, no doubt the big un will come once I go on holiday proper?

Today the rain eased up and we've had a blustery day of sunshine and cloud. So after dinner this evening I went over to the local field now designated "Valance Way cricket pitch" and we had a bit of a game. Some of the slightly bigger boys joined us later with the older lad Andy who's about 13 hitting the first six out to Deep Forward Square Leg, the littler boys were most impressed and I think Andy surprised himself. I'm still finding it difficult to engage them all, but they are kind of getting it bit by bit, they like it when I'm bowling and I force edged balls off the bat that should go for easy catches and they all have to dive around trying to catch these edged balls. Anyone who sits down loses their right to have an over or a bat and it's sinking in that they need to participate in order to get a chance to do the good stuff (Batting and bowling).

Mini Shane Warne-a-like bowls to Mini Jack Kallis-a-like.

What with the rain the grass has had a massive growth spurt in the last couple of days and I need to get the mower on the wicket. I'm also looking to get a roller over there as well this Saturday, so I'm kind of hoping that it rains a bit tomorrow but not so much that it ruins the kids sports day which is tomorrow, so that the earth is soft enough to be affected by the roller. Shame is once it's on the field the roller is going to be so heavy that I don't think it's going to be practical to take it away and store it safely. We'll have to see - I'm not even sure I can get it in the back of my car to be honest.

Worryingly there's been no sign of any grass cutting of late over the whole field - I hope they're not going to let it grow to Hay as this did last year?

MPA 1st XI v Modlife CC update

This isn't going to plan with regards the match on Tuesday coming. The Modlife boys have got their team together, but I'm drawing a blank with the MPA blokes.

Simon and Richard who have said yes to Sept have got stuff already happening on Tuesday so can't make it. Nakul has emailed tonight and has said he can't make it on this occasion. I've sent a text to Suhail and he's not replied. Thomas and Rod the Aussie haven't replied to emails, but I'll talk to Thomas tomorrow and he might be able to get Rod playing as they're biker mates together. The most promising response was from the The Great Berry Lads - Chris said that they'd be well up for a social game and a few beers, they've just got to check to see if they can get back from work in time to play and that they'd let me know. If we can get them that'll be brilliant as they are all good all round players and pretty nippy bowlers. Other than that Carl Hodgson spoke to Michelle today and implied he might be interested - he had his own team 20 years ago or something and was always a peripheral MPA player in spirit. I also know 2 blokes that have played in the past that go to the same swimming lessons as us who I'll see and ask on Saturday - one of them is Sri-Lankan and went to school with some of the current Sri-Lankan international players. Hopefully it was Malinga and Chaminda Vaas and he spent all his secondary school days batting against them scoring 50's and 100's?

We'll have to see what happens and maybe try and get the G&CCC blokes involved if it all goes pear shaped?