Joe's training session

Another good session, this time attended by 19 kids! The last session there was only 8 or 9 of them fortunately there were about 6 instructors on hand so it worked out well. I also had my camera and video and was able to shoot some footage, but as you can see from the earlier entry I've not been able to upload it as I don't want to cause any trouble. There's some footage of Joe in the nets and he's the only kid in the video - so I could use that but it's very early in his batting development and he's very much a beginner. It was the bowling that I'd liked to have uploaded but needless to say you can see all the other kids and it's just so much easier if I keep everyone sweet and comply with their requests not to upload the images despite what the actual law states. But yep Joe bowled well - he only had one over and from that over he produced 2 balls that were Dollies that the kids dropped and a possible edge that a good wicket keeper may have also got a dive in and caught and it's all on video and I can't show you it. He had one bad ball that was a wide and one that got spanked and his first ball he got passed the bat and just missed the off-stump. Oh well! If you know me in person come round and see the files one day!

But the main event was the nets and the bowling machine. He did okay and I think the blokes were pretty impressed with the fact that he comes out of his crease and goes after the ball looking to bat it straight off or before the bounce! It'll be interesting to see how they coach him with regards this - they didn't seem to fussed with it and weren't telling him to get back in his crease it looked to me like they were quite impressed. None of us are Bats so all three of us - Joe, Ben and me all need as much time and coaching as we can get our hands on - so it was nice to see Joe pushing himself forward to get in the queue.

As they had the nets out I heard them discussing the scuffing of the floor with the balls, so I don't know if this'll be a contentious situation with us if we manage to hire it. I overheard some of the blokes saying that there were mats or something that they'd donated some years back but it seems the caretaker was unaware of where they were. What I may do as a contingency plan is write more letters to other schools and see if they can accomodate us?

Had a bit of a bowl while Joe was swimming later on - it looks like I've lost the leg break but the flippers were going well as well as the flipper variations - especially the up-side down one that looks like a Doosra.