Pants

Yep, that was a pile of pants. The first 4 or 5 balls were okay and then it all went to pieces. Batting was ropey as well. Neil gave me some guidance towards the end and then the session ended and I was out of there before having any time to try his suggestions out. I have real problems with anything that's on my legs and Neil was trying to show me how to play across and get the ball down the legside, but for some reason my timing that side is exceptionally poor. I was also dabbing at the ball when it looked as though it was threatening the stumps rather than playing any strokes. But I did after an initial one or two balls refrain from stepping out of my crease and then I noticed that the bowlers all tried to change their tactics. Waynes balls were the ones that I find most difficult other than Dave Gaylors fast balls that are on the stumps. We'll have to see what happens next week. The bowling I'm not even going to mention it.

Other than that it seems as though there's a lot more players this year and I'm not guaranteed a game this Sunday. Selection it seems is now done on merit which I suppose is fair enough and then once they run short of good players they move on to the likes of me. So the situation is they've got to contact all the good players first (it seems) and then we get a shout? As I sort of expected and found with the MPA 1st XI when we got into this situation, it causes a degree of bitterness and I had a conversation with one individual who was bemoaning his exclusion in favour of someone else who he saw as being on equal terms with his game. So this will be interesting to see how it pans out over the year and whether people will get the real ache and ultimately leave the club? Or will they stick it out and whinge all year about it?

I suppose in my favour at least I've got a car and I don't mind travelling to away matches? So in view of that it doesn't make sense that you'd ever invite one or more of your mates to go along to nets or join the club because it seems that if they then end up being a better player than you - you could easily find yourself demoted.