Almost didn't go what with it being Feb 14th, but Michelle said as I was sitting there watching the tele 'You going cricket then'?
Is the Pope Catholic? So 10 minutes later I was there. I had a bit of a warm up with the readers windball in the space at the side of the nets and then got into it. I bowled against some blokes I'd never bowled at before and did very well. My line and length for the most part was very good and they seemed to think that the amount of turn I was getting off the surface was pretty good as well. I didn't bring out either the flick or the run up with the bound, both still need some work. What did work though off the back of last week was flighting the ball more and rotating the hips and shoulder and bringing the arm through to the hips. This approach may have helped get the ball spinning more? Overall one of the better sessions in a net ever!
Batting - The less said about this the better. Initially there were 3 blokes all bowling seam balls, one amongst them was a lot faster and accurate and after an initial slower ball or two he just speeded his delivery up and bowled me 3 maybe 4 times in succession. Then I changed my approach getting my bat and pads closer together and that stopped that little game, he soon buggered off into the next net. Then a bloke from last week who bowls off-spin (My nemisis) spotted me and came over as he had me 2 or 3 times last week and no doubt fancied a piece of me again? He threw down a few but this week I came down the wicket to block him and that negated his approach, but then I looked up and saw all the seamers had suddenly been swapped for 3 offies and a Leggie (Pinno the Spinno). One of the Offies was far too good for me, I don't know if it was just his first ball which he hit the stumps with, that then left me wondering what to do - because he then went on to bowl me 5 times in succession! After the 5th one, determined not to let him get to six I stood forward giving me the option of blocking forwards or stepping back to block, I eventually went back, giving myself time to see where it was going and fend it off. The other Offie I went forward to and smothered all his attempts and Pinno I attempted to be more adventurous with and he probably got me 3 times out of about 7 deliveries as well.
So, a good night for many people and probably a good bit of fun!
