It's a cricket filled weekend with cricket all over the place! Joe again today continued with his Leg Breaks but the practice was curtailed for a short periodwhen I hit a ball which hit him right on the end of the nose square! But he picked himself up, brushed himself down and got on with it and as with yesterday he bowled well.
Currently what with the Paddock now kind of de-commissioned while it recovers, I've been looking at other ways and ideas of getting Ben and Joe to play and practice. The main thing I'm trying to get them to do is to drive the ball and play with a straight bat. So I've been trying to devise methods to encourage this. One thing I did was play opposite my garage entrance and bowl from there only giving runs if the ball went in the garage having go directly past me either side. We used a really soft sponge ball as well so that anyone could catch it as the length of the wicket was 25'-30' and the objective was to hit the ball late so that it came off the ground and couldn't be caught.
Bit by bit they both more of less got that and started playing correct shots -straight and late. We've not moved into a walled square opposite our house. On three sides behind, in front and to the on-side. The walls only chest height and over it are cars, gardens and things that shouldn't be hit by a Readers Windball, so any balls over the wall are 'Out'. On the Off-side there a short section of wall that ends just in front of point so any balls hitting that wall in the air are out and on the opposite side the same applies to a section of wall that's covered by Square Leg. The rest of the Off-side is the front of peoples houses in close proximity to the game so any balls above chest height are going to go through the windows! So basically the only options are straight controlled drives through the areas inside Mid On and Mid Off. Or balls down the Leg-side kept low, or late cuts through cover again if they're low and not in the air. Slowly it looks like it's working and it's in this square that Joe's developing his Leg-Break.
Sunday
I'm off to Chelmsford with B&PCC again to play a team we played a few weeks back which was an okay game and I bowled okay in, so that'll be interesting. I've done very little practice since going on holiday enthused by the fact that my Plantar Fasciitis has improved with the decrease in practice and playing. Longer term I don't know what the answer is because I'd like to play next season. It'll be interesting to see how well or badly I bowl with the decrease in practice. I've found in the past that there is a some benefit sometimes in not practicing because I get into bad practice and kind of lose my way and then if I stop and come back to it I bowl better?
Monday
Bank Holiday and despite the rain today and the prospect of some rain tomorrow Monday looks set to be fine with the temp a warmish 19 degrees. Monday for B&PCC is 'Fun Day' which last year was an excellent event and something I'm really looking forward to. Loads of extra kids turn up and have a go and there's just non-stop cricket all day. Dads v Lads, Dads V Dads and coaches mixed in. Mums v Mums and all sorts. We're taking people that wouldn't normally go, along with their boys and the day should be really good fun. With it being Dads v Dads there's a vague chance I might get a run or two, but I wouldn't put any money on it.
