Joe's progress

I've got two sons - Ben who's now almost 19 and off to Reading Uni to study Geography, he's almost certainly been lost to cricket for the foreseeable future, he played a couple of games last season and enjoyed it, but this season hasn't played any despite being asked several times if he'd play. Joe though the younger son (Only just 16) is still hanging in there despite frequent threats of not wanting to play and having an air of complete indifference. But three weeks ago, because of how badly all of the teams in the club are doing he was more or less forced to move up to the 3rd XI and therefore no longer plays with me in the 4th XI. Going on what he was saying about the prospects of moving up, this seemed like a make or break moment, but the club and the 3rd XI captain handled it well and it seems he's enjoying it. It might help that since moving up they've won as many games than they've lost and this has been in part down to his bowling. Prior to that they'd hardly won any games at all.

This week Joe took 3 wickets for 13 runs off of 6.

This puts him in the position of 2nd highest wicket taker at the club at the moment along with Rob Brooks (Off-break bowler).

I played with him this week as I was moved up, I had a good game, fielded at Mid wicket, Mid-on and silly mid-wicket where I took a good catch off of Alastair Hayton's bowling (Off-break bowler). But Joe bowled really well as you can see. The wickets were all key players amongst their top four batsmen.

At the end of the game the 3rd XI boys were all saying that they were more than happy to have him, but were fully aware that it wouldn't be for long and that he'd be going up to the 2nd XI pretty soon e.g. next season. Dutton (4th XI captain) and many others reckon that he should be straight in the 2nd XI based on his bowling, but he is only just 16 and I personally think that should be kept for next season or perhaps a game before the end of this season to see what he reckons to it and how he gets on. One of the blokes Alastair Hayton said that he's never seen anyone bowl at Joe's pace at this level. Again reinforcing the comments of a Southend 2nd XI batsman a couple of weeks back that Joe clean bowled.

In the 4th XI we're really missing him now, we've had two games where all of us are looking around asking where's all the bowling gone? In part as our Captain has had to bail out of the team for this season as well.

Basildon & Pitsea CC 4th XI v Southend on Sea & EMT cc 6th XI at the Garrison ground

Everything you need to know about bowling Leg Breaks here.
As usual, right at the last moment blokes were moved around and the team ended up being very different to the one originally selected earlier in the week. This one very heavy on U15's and U13's players.

The ground that we were heading for is one of my favourites in this area - The Garrison ground in Shoebury, Essex. The ground appears to have been there since the 1870's as that's the date the pavilion buildings were constructed. It's big cricket pitch surrounded by some beautiful houses that used to be officers houses along three sides and one side there's a row of modern new buildings. See images below. 

Joe and I picked up Tim Brown and Sam Jones on the way and made our way there via the A13 and the A127 with Stuart Munday and Harry Davie following us. We got there in plenty of time and as we arrived the Blerkoms had arrived just ahead of us. By the time Lee turned up we had 10 players including Under 15's player Andrew Tokley. As our openers made their way on to the pitch we were only 1 bloke down, but they were in the same situation us. I recognised a bloke in the opposition who in the last game I played against him bowled the whole game from one end and took 6-7 wickets, he was there.

The batting didn't go to plan and the 'Good bloke' (R.Long) opened the bowling from the left hand end as seen from the Pavilion. But it wasn't him that took the majority of the wickets. The other bloke with the beard (P.Hall) who was the more wayward took a few, whilst the big wicket taker from the previous game was seen to be more predictable. Despite this wickets fell quickly and cheaply. The ball when struck well along the ground, especially on the further side of the pitch visually slowed down as if rolling across a sticky substance, with balls that you'd expect to go for four being quickly retrieved and restricted to ones on most occasions. All of our key batsmen were one by one marched back to the sheds. The captain Lee Dutton was dropped about 6 times. Charlie Blerkom was caught at Mid off. As he came in he asked 'How the hell did he catch that'?' With his hands for a start was one reply...'But he came forwards and then back again and he still caught it'. Yeah that may have been because the ball was in the air for about 4 minutes, he could have come over the pavilion and said to us all 'Watch this' and still got back to mid off to take it. Charlie unfortunately was out for 0. His Dad Mike, mishit the ball trying to get over the in-field and his ball went more up than along and he was caught in the covers, the bloke having time to run deeper and take the catch. 

It was down to Stuart Munday and new bloke Anthony Joseph to dig us out of the potential hole. For Stuart though, this was the first time he'd picked up a bat since September and he had some concerns about his knees and ankle. Stuart did well, really well, he stayed the rest of the game with little support from the bowlers, but helped them get us into treble figures. Harry Davie made 6 before being bowled by Mirzah, he wasn't happy with that. Joe was out next to face the bowlers. Joe had a good innings, he's normally dismissed within a matter of a few balls and it knocks his confidence making it so that he doesn't want to bat and reinforces the fear of faster bowlers. As he went out he was aware that he'd be facing a fast kid and a slow bowler so he was a little more optimistic. Stuart coaxed him through several overs and although he struck the ball well on a number of occasions, but he didn't get value for his strike of the ball. The grass on the Southern side of the wicket with modern houses was stiff and wiry grass, unlike most grasses and the ball just slowed down and virtually never got to the boundary. This was despite the fact that the boundary had been brought in by several yards around the entire pitch! Joe made 3 runs in the end, but blocked well and hit the ball a number of times and enjoyed it. 

I went out and Stuart said let's get to treble figures and go from there. Once we reached 100 he said that we should just try and hit the ball and rotate the strike rather than be too cautious as I normally am. I wasn't able to be as positive as I'd hoped to be after batting with Joe, but I did bat with far more intent than I usually do and as a result I made a few runs. I was hoping to stand slightly out of the crease and as I had with Joe, but the keeper noticed and he stood up to the stumps and in doing so scuppered my plans. He did the same thing with Stuart and Stuart, looking to play with slightly more aggression moved out of his ground missed the ball and was stumped, so I ended up with a 5 not out. 

Basildon Batting with Lee Dutton at the crease.

 The pitch inspection party - our 'Youth' contingent. Left to right... Andrew Tokely (U15), Charlie Blerkon (U13), Sam Jones (U15), Tim Brown (U16), Joe Thompson (U15) and Harry Davie (U16). 

 The wicket looking towards the Officers accomodation.

 The wicket looking South East.

 My son Joe.

 The Pavilion at The Garrison Cricket Ground Shoebury, Essex.

 Basildons batting scores.

 Bowling figures.

 Southend on Sea and EMT batting scores.

 Joe and me scoring and waiting for our chance to bat.

 Lee Dutton 

 Drinks.

The new bloke Anthony Joseph (Adult) opened the bowling and bowled a ball just outside the 'Channel of uncertainty' that obviously looked as though it was going down the off-side as the batsman shouldered arms only for the ball to come in and take the top of his off-stump, a classic well executed off-cutter. It was the exact start we needed trying to defend 104 runs!

Thereafter though he was put off his rhythm by the umpire calling 'No-ball' for stepping too wide on the crease in his run up. A number of '4 wides'  occurred too and what with the limited runs we were trying to protect the combination of no further wickets and leaking runs Lee took him off and I got a bowl. In the meantime Harry Davie after a shaky start tightened his bowling up and bowled superbly for little reward, coming away with the figures below...

I was then brought on at the South Eastern end. I don't know if I was already in state of being injured, but I reckon I was or if I wasn't, it became apparent in the first over or certainly before the end of it. It just felt as though my shoe was digging into the back of my heel (Achilles tendon)... not painful as such, just uncomfortable and nagging to the point where I was aware of it. My first over went for 8 which is on par with last week, but to be honest the fielding was pretty poor, the ball for the most part went through the fielders or past the fielders in such a way that if an old bloke like me, Stuart or Lee were there we'd have dived and made a concerted effort to stop the ball. One of them hit through square leg went through the fielders hands above his head, but he'd left a gaping great hole in his hands as he tried to catch using the Aussie technique. To be honest with the heel it just wasn't happening for me, I wasn't accurate, consistent or spinning the ball anywhere near as well as I was capable of, the whole thing felt like a disaster, but I battled on and took three. The first one was an LBW and it was the batsman that looked well set and with the potential to get them over the line in quick time (M.Robinson). It pitched on leg and came in a smidge and he didn't hit it, no-one else went up for it and to me it was obvious and for a split second I nearly didn't appeal, but then did vocally and the Umpire totally agreed with me and sent the bloke back to the Pavilion...

  The Pavilion at The Garrison Cricket Ground Shoebury, Essex. Potential here for a new photography project... cricket pavilions a la' the Bechers

He wasn't impressed, standing his ground momentarily looking back at the umpire in utter disbelief 'I hit it'! He said, neither I or the umpire heard it or so it and to us it looked as out as out could be. Following that one I then had what looked to me at least two more on the same bloke that the umpire didn't give and this bloke went to hit several fours through the legside (See above re ropey fielding). His mate at the other end was a kid armed with a Warsop... Joe, Ben and I (all bowlers) all say 'Oh look out, now we're in trouble the bloke/kids got a Warsop' as it usually indicates that the batsman takes his batting so seriously that he's invested in an expensive bat and he's now going to give the bowlers a jolly good thrashing! He was gone - out stumped by Mike Blerkom for 2 runs. The following over was horrific as you can see with 8 runs off it with a number of wides and I then said to Lee - 'Give someone else a go'. By this point my son Joe was bowling his off-spin at the other end and had already taken the wicket of the other bloke J.Mohan who'd been scoring runs. 

Lee kept me on, I then got hit for yet another 4 that should have been stopped and the game was lost. The big older bloke who was ruining my figures was still on strike (S.Laflin), but I managed to get him off strike so that the new batsman was facing me (S.Trivett), he'd been watching and listening and despite the fact that it was a wholly lost cause, there was still an outside chance that between Joe and I with our spin bowling the remaining wickets might fall even though they were now drawn. I bowled a Leg Break as best I could given the situation and it came out okay - spinning well straight into Mikes hands outside the off-stump. It was my last ball and I only had two wickets, the bloke looked as though he fancied his chances against the spin, if it was on the stumps it was going to turn, all he had to do was clear his leg and smack the ball through the covers... That's what I wanted him to do, that's what he intended to do. Chances were I wouldn't be able to follow the last ball up with anything as good, I just wasn't bowling that consistently. It needed the Top-Spinner with a bit of a wrong-un in there with it, could I do it... my last ball? Yeah - give it a go... 

This bloke hadn't faced one of these yet, so the chance was he'd play for the turn. The ball went down it was high and loopy up above his eye-level, his eyes lit up, he stepped back and across exposing his stumps waiting for the turn and he was going to smack it through the off-side with a cross bat shot, exactly as I planned... It didn't break to the off at all, with the top spin it bounced and apparently came in a smidge and hit the bails in the middle. My last ball - taking me to 3 wickets! A lovely final ball for me to finish on.

That then brought Joe on to take the rest of the wickets in his over. He needed either a Maiden or a preferably a wicket maiden. He bowled really well and bowled 3 dots and all the fielders played their part for those balls, not letting the ball get through, but eventually with several wickets still in hand and trying to hit the ball hard with a field that was right up, they hit the runs they needed and the game was lost.
 
Joe's bowling was good, this isn't Ben, this is my younger son Joe who's still only 13, he took a lovely wicket with his off-spin that he was well chuffed about and in the usual Joe style he was really economic too...



As I walked off, my mind then turned to why was I bowling so badly? Was it the soreness along my Achilles? Once inside and then being able to take my spikes off I realised that it was nothing to do with my spikes and that in fact it was my Achilles tendon. I then realised that this might be a re-occurrence of a tear I suffered in my Achilles in 2002, which saw me out of action and wearing a plastic boot for the best part of a year including as I recall having to wear it for months in bed to ensure it repaired in the right position! It then dawned on me that last ball might be the last ball I bowl for another year!

Once home I ice bathed it and then decided it would probably be a good idea to get it checked at the hospital.

 Ice bath no.4

 Crutches on Sunday.

 Writing the blog whilst literally chillin'

Simmonds test pose. Monday 8.45pm


Check out my other blog here - this is all about Leg-spin bowling and nothing else. Double click on the image below.

 

 

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Review of my first year as captain

(pictures to be added - I'm watching the cricket at the moment)

I was intending on writing a regular blog on the subject of my first year as captain, but work got in the way and I've had to focus on my photography education blogs. (Battlefield 3 didn't help if I'm honest). So that plan didn't pan out, it also felt like as though, if had did gone ahead with it, I'd be moaning for much of the time and I didn't really want to do that. So, anyway here's my review of the year.

*****

 



It transpired that over the winter 2013-14 our club lost many players, someone at some point said that we'd lost as many as 20 players, so the club was in trouble heading into the 2014 season with regards to getting four teams out every weekend. Prior to the start of the season there were a series of meetings where the issue was discussed and it was proposed that the 4th XI, who had incidentally won promotion should be scrapped. Parents and players alike who had a vested interest in the 4th XI were up in arms.

The 4th XI in the 2013 season was captained by Erskine Peters,

Erskine Peters Captain 4th XI 2013 season

 

who'd marshalled a very young team for the most part, through the year into a position, whereby they were promoted. Erskine, in the meantime was one of the casualties of the 2013 exodus of players and the perception was that with only 3 teams being fielded for the 2014 season, the victims of a 3 team set - up, would be the younger kids that had been brought on as players in Erskine's winning 4th XI team. The situation was in flux as the season approached and factions within the club were arguing that, the good work that Erskine had done with the younger players needed to be continued and could be, if a captain was found. No-one was coming forward to take that position - possibly as they may have had more of an idea as to how the season might pan out.

My name apparently was thrown into the mix as a suggestion for a potential captain. My older son Ben, (14) had been introduced to adult cricket under Erskine and like so many of the Under 15's had done really well with his confidence massively boosted and his cricket playing developed. So, like so many of the parents of youth team players, I wanted to see Ben carry on playing 4th XI adult cricket every weekend. The idea of me being the captain struck a chord with some of the parents and the blokes that had trained the current U15's. One by one they approached me, suggesting that I took up the role! Considering I'm almost certainly the least experienced adult player in the whole club and having never played a game of cricket until I was 47 it seemed a bit risky, but something I should at least consider? Add to that madness, I never really watched cricket either until Warne came on the scene and even then my knowledge of many aspects of the game are still very limited, I was an unusual option.

Eventually I was approached by senior officials in the club and was asked if I wanted the role, saying that if I did, Basildon would go into the season with 4 teams and they'd see how it panned out. So with a little cajoling and some offers of support from the people that mattered I said yes.

*****

 



So, the team having gained the promotion under Erskine, I was hoping that the 4th XI, despite the loss of players over the winter would be populated by familiar faces - primarily, the sons of the people that had petitioned to have me as the captain. It didn't pan out that way. Every week the initial selection held promise and then as the weekend approached, the depleted 1st, 2nd and 3rd teams drew players from the teams below... Needless to say - the 4th XI was decimated. It soon became apparent that the U15's who'd done so well the previous year with Erskine were now needed in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd teams.

It was now time for even younger players to step up and be counted...

 Joe Thompson (12), Harry Hodgson (12), Mohammed Baig (12), Abdul Baig (14), and Liam Harms (15). These younger players were joined by Ben Thompson (15) and Tim Brown (15) from the previous season. In addition to the younger players a number of players came out of retirement to help out - Gary Savage, Tony Harms (ex Pegasus), Stuart Munday and Tim Edmonds. The only regular 4th team players from the previous year that made regular appearances were Lee Dutton, Frank McLeod, John Bedford, Jamie Britton (keeper) and myself.

Almost every week we played with 5 players who were under 15, all of whom see themselves as bowlers. Frequently we had 1 or 2 under 13's players and on the odd occasion we had more than half the team made up of U15's and 13's. Having moved up a league, the outcome of this team set-up soon became apparent.

Pretty soon with no captaincy experience and listening to the more experienced players discussing our options on winning or losing the toss, I soon deduced that this season would be best viewed as an opportunity for the younger bowlers to learn their art at the tough end of the scale. So where possible in order to make a day of it, we'd bowl first. Opposition captains on seeing our team and looking to maximise their points tally did the right thing too and put us in to bowl, probably thinking that their batsmen would be able to fill their boots. This wasn't always the case.

The younger players as far as their bowling was concerned did exceptionally well, we came up against some decent batsmen that were hitting the ball hard and clean, often playing their shots in the areas that they wanted to. Bowling was tough and the under 15's on most occasions bowled out their full allocation of overs.

The retired players that came in, did us proud, particularly Stuart Munday, Gary Savage and Tim Edmonds later in the season, who all, despite the fact that we lost game after game remained positive and optimistic in the field, encouraging the kids and giving praise where it was due and not dwelling on the mistakes when made. This aspect of their involvement was a massive asset and if one person was to be singled out it would be Stuart Munday, his contribution to the team as Mr positive was very welcome from my point of view and that of the kids.

I therefore think that despite the fact that as a team it could be looked upon as a pretty depressing year, from the point of view of getting kids into adult cricket early and building their confidence, this year can be seen in very a positive light. Some of the younger 12 year olds took wickets and caused good batsmen problems, others held catches in the field and contributed in other ways. The under 15's did well too, Liam Harms hardly put a ball down all season and took wickets with his bowling.

My older son Ben, 15 years old done exceptionally well all summer. I've always managed to be just in front of him with regards batting scores, neither of us showing any particular flare with the bat. But, I've always felt that Ben's got far more potential than me and that he tells himself that he's no good and constantly opts to bat way down the order, so never really gets the opportunity to play a decent innings. But at the end of the season he scored a quick 25 in the last game of the season, hitting a number of 4's...

My own PB with the bat from the 2103 season was a 16 and Ben smashed this easily, so I've got some work to do! In addition to the PB with the bat in the previous week he took his first Michelle. Again, something I've never been able to achieve, 4 consecutive games with 4 wicket hauls when I was at Grays, but never a Five-fer.

So it was no surprise when at the end of the season the awards were give out that Ben got U15's bowler of the year and the Under 18's player of the year. Hopefully GCSE's, mobile phones and girlfriends aside he'll have a good year in 2015. I know the club are eyeing him up for playing in the 3rds, but he's undecided as to whether he wants to yet, I think another year in the 4th XI would be a better option as he'll get increasingly more confident with the bat. We'll have to see how it goes, but he's given up on a couple of things this year already because of other things going on in his life which I'm gutted about, so I think I and the club have got to play it carefully otherwise we could lose him. Neither of my sons are driven cricket players, they never watch it (Especially Ben) and by my reckoning it would only take a small thing to make them turn round and say 'Nah you know what you can do with your cricket'...

Ben hitting his 25 in the last game of the season v Upminster 6th XI

 Ben receiving one of his 2 awards off of Bob Ayers

 Proud Dad with Under 18's player of the year and U15's bowler of the year 2014 Ben Thompson

 Ben on hearing that he'd scored 25

Tim Brown, Ben Thompson, Dave Thompson (AKA Someblokecalleddave) Chris Debond

 

My younger son Joe, who for much of the season was only 12 years old (Birthday in July) bowled exceptionally well. I put him in to bowl against the Billericay Openers when we were all bowled out of the game for around about 60 runs as I recall, and he held his own almost getting a wicket or two as I recall with balls not quite going to hand, and causing the bats to take a far more cautious approach than you may have expected. I guess his abilities, attitude and the fact that he's ready to stand up and be counted have counted for a lot, as he's been put forward to trial for the South Essex team in his age group in a couple of weeks time. He's recovering well from his accident in 2014, and has lost all the weight that he put on over the initial recovery period, alongside that he's grown about a foot and has the physique of a bowler. I wouldn't be surprised if come next spring when he's still only 13 he'll be bigger than his older brother! I reckon the season just gone contributing to the 4ths has made a massive difference in his confidence and abilities.

 Bowling figures for the last game against Upminster 6th XI. All 3 of us bowled. Bad day at the office for Ben with an average of 6 and no wickets, maybe that was the incentive to hit the 25 runs? Joe did okay with 3-0-23-2 with an average of 3, but I came out on top on this occasion with 10-0-23-2 and average of 2.3.

Joe at an U13's game at Orsett earlier in the season.

Harry 'Bat' Hodgson U13's and 4th XI player.

I also had a chat with Harry 'Bat' Hodgson's parents recently... Harry is another one of my sons friends that we've introduced and encouraged to get involved in cricket and two years in succession has come away with awards for being best all-rounder and fielder in his age group. I had to pull Harry into a few of my 4th XI games the same as Joe and he too was only 12 years old and did fairly well. Harry, who is very polite and modest doesn't say a great deal, so I never knew whether he was enjoying his success or not, or whether he came along to the 4th XI games because his parents said 'Go on... get on with it'. But they've recently said at a dinner party that he in fact loves it, it's one of the things that he does that he really likes, I always had him down as a football player, but they both said "No, given the choice he'd play cricket any day of the week, he far more prefers it to football". They then went on to cite all of the things I don't like in football as being the reasons he doesn't like it despite the fact that he's one of the better players in his football team. He's looking forwards to playing in the 4th XI this coming summer.

Other things that I've tried to do is get the kids scoring and learn how to do that myself which meant that much of the time the scorebooks were a real mess, but the opposition captains were always pretty good about that which helped. Umpiring, with such an inexperienced side was always going to be a problem and proved to be so with some decisions being met with some unnecessary reactions from some quarters given the situation.


I was never going to be an Irskine Peters or anyone else for that matter, and I knew it would be a struggle. I have learned a little and I'm grateful to those that acted as my on-field strategists, we came close a few times and while I was away on holiday we won a game!!!  Somehow, miraculously we managed to scrape through the season and not drop down a league despite all the lost games. Given all the difficulties we faced, I think the main core of players that were there on a consistent basis still enjoyed being part of a team that blooded so many young players. All of the young players that were involved in the 4ths,  I'm confident that on returning to their own age group they did so with far more confidence and self belief.

One final mention - my lovely Wife Michelle. Everyone who had the pleasure of sampling her teas agreed that they were of a very high standard and I'd like to thank her for taking on that role.

B&PCC 4th XI v Harlow Town 4th XI

As usual, as the weekend drew nearer the usual shenanigans with players being moved around, blokes saying they can't play for one reason or another and some people making is clear that they'd rather not play for this or that team. This is despite the fact that it was made very clear at the start of the season that people would need to be flexible as much as possible because we're so stretched as a club with regards getting all four teams out.

One of the issues at the minute is that there are some good younger players doing exams for school/college etc and they're totally committed to that aspect of their lives, which you have to commend rather than condemn, so good luck with that if you're one of those players in that situation. As an FE educator I'd like just like to say - pay a lot of attention on English & Maths, they're the most important ones to get right and get you into college or onto A-Levels.

All that aside, the selection committee and Dave Ayres did a sterling job and once again I went to the match with 11 again. I had to ring up Harry 'Bat' Hodgson and see if he'd have a game at the last minute and he said yes and was well up for it as Joe was playing. This meant another team loaded with youth including 2 x U13's! One of whom was my son Joe, who's helped us out a few times now and mid week had said he didn't want to play, he's stood in the field for hours each game and lasted a few seconds each time he's batted and not had a bowl, so I could understand why he didn't want to play and initially said okay to the idea. As Saturday arrived around 10, my wicket keeper rang in and said he couldn't make it and for a short while we were short. The night before Michelle (My wife) had said to Joe 'What you going to do all day if you don't play'? Youtube was either the answer or the activity that he would do if left to his own devices, so he was told you're playing. To be honest he was okay about it in the end.

On the way to the venue I have to stop off to get my scorebook and offer people lifts and do a last minute check to see if everyone's got a lift and I've got all my players. Once there I became more aware of the seriousness of the wicket keeper situation. Fortunately our 2nd XI were playing at the same venue and within their team was a potential keeper, all that was required was that once we were there we'd just swap someone over. It seemed like a plan, but I couldn't think of anyone obvious who'd go for the swap...

On arrival I had...

1. John Bedford*
2. Gary Savage*
3. Frank Farrington - (14)
4. Frank McLeod*
5. Stuart Munday*
6. Jack Farrington - (18)
7. Ben Thompson - (15)
8. Kieran Barbero - (15)
9. Dave Thompson
10. Joe Thompson - (12)
11. Harry Hodgson - (13)

* Older senior players.

The journey was fine despite prior warnings of there being potential  hold ups on the M25. Once there I met Tom the captain who was a nice bloke, did the toss and won again and decided to bowl which was always going to be the way after the recent games. He said they'd have batted if he'd won, I guess this is seeing the fact that our team is full of youngster, for the sake of the game they go with that option and it gives their batsmen the chance to run up some runs?

The issue of the wicket keeper then had to be resolved. All of the older, experienced blokes in the team are good mates and I think they all want to play in the 4's and they're also the batsmen, so they couldn't go. The Farrington's are brothers -ones a seam up opener and the other is the wrist spinner Frank, so I didn't want either of them to go and the rest of the team are much younger kids who were playing to do me a favour, so it would have been a bad show to move one of those across. That left me, so I said I'd go. My son Ben said he'd keep - but he's never done it and that made no sense at all, so I'd been in a bit of a dilemma as I walked out onto the centre for the toss. But as I got back one of the senior players said that Frank McLeod would do it. So that was brilliant, as that resolved that situation, so a big thanks to Frank, although I don't think he was that happy about it.

So far, so good... The next plan I wanted to implement now that we'd won the toss was to give everyone a bowl. Everyone on the team apart from Harry and Frank would put their hands up and say I'll bowl. For all I know Frank would bowl too? I knew that I wanted to give John Bedford a bowl as he missed out last week and he's a good bowler. I also wanted to give Joe a bowl as he's helped me out now in most of the games, but I didn't know how nervous he'd be or how that might go down with the rest of the team, but was pretty sure I'd get him in there for at least a couple of overs.

Over the last week I've been number crunching, looking at old score book bowling figures and the evidence that I've collated suggests the following...

Only looking at the data for the first 4 overs of the bowling spells and so far I've looked at data for 71 bowling performances mainly from 4th XI games. The data so far...

In the bowlers 1st over (Sample of 71 first overs) 18 wickets are taken and 300 runs are made = Strike rate of 23.00
In 2nd over 21 wickets are taken and 311 runs are made = Strike rate of 20.20
In the 3rd over 20 wickets are taken for 276 runs = strike rate of 21.30
The 4th over 11 wickets are taken for 282 run = strike rate of 38.7

The evidence at this stage on the little data that I've been able to collect would suggest that it makes sense to bowl everyone for three overs as a standard procedure? Having discussed this with other cricket players on line, they then said, if the said bowler was to take a wicket in within the 3 overs you'd probably bowl him for the next and set him the target of  if you take another you buy yourself another over.  I suppose that could be adapted to include a Maiden and have the same reward as such? What I like about this approach is that everyone would get to bowl even if there were 11 bowlers. With this in mind I spoke to one of my mentors in the game (Senior player Gary Savage) about it and he said "That's pretty much what most captains do, but for 4 overs and if a bowler is doing well - you keep him on". With that in mind I went with a basic plan based around his advice...

Following posting the idea on www.bigcricket.com I have an interesting email from someone who’s played cricket a lot longer than me and seemed to agree in principle but added another aspect to the idea which makes sense. If the bowler is taking wickets then why take him off?

So with that in mind I’ve developed the idea further and come up with a cunning plan…

Again – everyone who bowls or who wants to bowl does so for a guaranteed 3 overs based on the stats that I’ve collected. It’s in this phase most of the wickets are taken.

If the bowler takes a wicket or wickets within their allocated three, they get to bowl another over. If they then bowl a maiden or get another wicket they stay on for another and so on. As soon as runs are scored and the wicket taking stops he comes off and the new bowler comes on and goes through the same process.

I kind of stuck to this idea after speaking to Gary as initially very few runs were being made with Jack and Ben bowling as a pair, as I recall (Check book) they kept the score below 3 an over, but no wickets were being taken and they batted cautiously – maybe with the team we had - with all the youngsters, they saw this as an opportunity to occupy the crease and get as many runs for themselves? Both bowled well, Jack had two seemingly easy chances put down, one of which was me at point that hit hard hands and bounced straight out again and I wasn’t able to recover it and the other may have been little Joe at Mid on – a ball that was in the air for some time and he ended up doing the same as me – having the ball bounce out of his hands. Whilst Jack wasn’t happy I didn't recall that I over-heard someone at the club saying about the club generally, having seen a number of balls being put down at the BB game

 Kieran and John Bedford came on next; Kieran is a right-arm in-swinging bowler (Sometimes) but is erratic in his line and length, but off of a short run up and not having the same height as Ben and Jack the openers, when he does get it right it’s good and rapid, with a very low bounce. John on the other hand who’s played cricket all his life and is a little younger than me bowls is right arm finger spinner who bowls off-breaks and arm balls very accurately, changing the pace, flight and speed. He’s very economical.

Next up was Frank Farrington who bowls wrist spin and turns it loads and gets drift. He has days when he’s amazing and other days when it all goes wrong, but generally he takes wickets.

 

Sorry un-finished post.  

 

 

 

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B&PCC 4th XI v Billericay 4th XI - Langdon Hills Rec

B&PCC 4th XI v Billericay 4th XI - Langdon Hills Rec (My first game as Captain).

So the quick news is we lost, I had 11 players, the weather wasn't a total wash-out and nothing really bad happened.


09.15hrs and I'm still laying in bed thinking I should get up soon (Well it is the weekend)! Then the unfamiliar sound of my phone ringing caught my attention in another room, I dived out of bed thinking it would be Neil Samwell and when I picked it up it was an unfamiliar voice who announced that he was the captain of the opposition. Hmmm... people are giving my phone number out to random people, I guess this must be normal practice? Anyway he was worried about the weather saying that he was having to come in from Surrey to play. I quickly glimpsed outside and it looked as though it had rained recently, but wasn't at the moment and the sky looked gloomy, but not as if it might rain. He asked about the drainage, I said it'd be fine and that was enough it was game on.

I sent a text to my mate from Grays - Neil, using a number from a few years ago and then got on with getting ready. Read through Dave Ayres new captains instructions and made another list of things to ask once I went down the club.

11.30hrs and I meet Dave and Lee Dutton (Thank God he turned up)! I ask a few more questions, pick up some more stuff - juice for drinks and the first aid kit. Abdul Baig, one of our U15's turned up to replace Robert Wakefield and we then made our way to the ground via my house to pick up Joe and Ben. All the time I was still hoping that I'd get a call or text from Neil saying he was on his way.

12.20 and I arrive and there's already most of both teams there all waiting. There's a whole load of things I need to do and remember... Get the money, find all the stuff, put the flags out, find an 11th player, find the captain of the opposition, fill in some card or other, I've got another bloke asking me about the kids in our side, telling me he's x amounts of kids in his side. I've got one eye on the weather and someone telling me that local lad Tim Brown (B&PCC U15's) has already cycled down to see if we need another player?

Somewhere amongst the mayhem, the toss happens and I win and consult Lee. We bowl first. I think that's what I'd have done if it had been down to me. All around me, the other blokes and lads without being asked are doing all the right stuff - the flags, the table, chairs, stumps are all being carried out on the field. There's no bails, I've got bails including lignum vitae ones, they're taken from my bag... "Make sure I get them back" I tell Ben or whoever it was that takes them. Neil turns up to see how I'm doing and lend a hand with the admin side of the process - again thanks for that Neil.

12.55 in a howling force 5 south westerly e.g. blowing from right to left  as you look at the pitch from the clubhouse at Langdon Hills Ben (My older son) opened the bowling from the western end with the wind behind him. At the other end - into the wind was Tony Harms. This is Tony's 2nd game, having not played any cricket for 7 years or so.

Player Profiles per batting order

1. Gary Savage - First game for years, coming out of long term retirement (All rounder) with experience.
2. Lee Dutton - 4th XI regular right arm off-spinning all rounder.
3. Jamie Britton - 4th XI regular Wicket keeper batsman
4. Stuart Munday - 2nd game - coming out of long term retirement (All rounder)? With experience.
5. Joe Thompson - Under 13's bowler - first ever league game with adults.
6. Tim Brown - U15's 4th XI player.
7. Ben Thompson - 15's bowler & 4th XI player (2nd season)
8.Abdul Baig U15's all rounder, first ever adult league game
9.Liam Harms U15's bowler, first ever adult league game 2nd game of cricket ever in any format!!!
10.Tony Harms - 2nd game after years of being away from the game - bowler?
11.Dave Thompson - 4th XI regular (Wrist Spinner).

The opposition on the other hand only had a few under-age players and they were all listed as being U15's. They looked as though they were generally fitter and younger with only two older gents to add to the youngsters, so six of the players looked like players who could be in their prime.

They got off to a reasonable start.

Ben Thompson B&PCC U15's (My older son).

Ben bowled really well - a good line and length with variable pace and the odd bouncer here and there seemingly targeting the weaker of the two batsmen. Tony who was bowling into the wind struggled a little and couldn't find any form. Ben had several LBW shouts but the umpire turned all of them down - ball pitched outside of the line, going down leg etc. But generally Ben's bowling performance was sound with appreciation being shown by the new players who've never seen him bowled before. That really buoyed Ben, he really feeds off of positive feedback in those situations, especially when it's coming from older, experienced players in the team. At the end of the match, despite the fact that we lost comprehensively he said that he'd really enjoyed the game! Ben came away with figures of 9-2-30-1. The wicket he took was that of S.Levi who was set to reach a 100 and had been smacking the rest of us around. Ben put an end to his innings on 92.

Next up was Stuart Munday and Liam Harms, Liam bowling into the wind the same as his Dad. Liam proved to be the better bowler, taking our first wicket and going for less runs than his Dad, in fact bowling quite well, something that had been noted in training by John Bonnett. Liam came away with 5-0-24-1 taking the opening batsmans wicket with a LBW having score 19. Hopefully he'll be enthused by that and will continue to take wickets for us?

Stuart bowled really well having not bowled in years, I wasn't in a position to see what he was bowling, but it looked like the bowling of an off-spinner or a medium pacer... massive variation in flight and pace and very miserly going for only two runs an over and only just missed out on a spectacular bowled and caught opportunity. Spectacular, in that Stuarts probably a little older than I am (I'm 53) and has a persona at the moment that seems under-stated, so from Ben's perspective, he's just one of the older wiser, experienced players, not known for acrobatics and feats of agility. But, when a ball came off the bat - mistimed, looping up in the air just to Stuarts right, he instantly turned into a panther with an incredible arcing dive almost catching the ball! Ben said... "Me and Tony Harms were incredulous, Stuart pulled this dive off- out of nowhere and he was horizontal in the air for what seemed like ages! We were laughing so hard - it was just totally unexpected"!!!

Next up was Lee Dutton bowling into the wind replacing Liam and he bowled in tandem with Stuart initially. Lee was up against S.Levi for much of the time and had a bit of a torrid time with chances not being taken in the field. S.Levi who could obviously bat a bit simply changed his strokes and just targeted the kids hitting the ball their way hard and for much of the time they just backed off. Ben almost go one that was skied out to deep square leg but ended up parrying it for four. A couple came my way hard and fast at mid-wicket. One I slowed down and another slightly easier one, was above my head perceived out of reach. Lee ended up with figures of 7-0-69-1 taking M.Levi LBW.

I took over at Stuarts end with the wind behind me. Somehow - out of nowhere I bowled really well, although in the paddock in recent days I've been bowling okay. I was bowling a very good line with some nice turn off the wicket and I found the edge twice with Jamie putting the ball down on both occasions which is a shame and another ball was hit looping up into the air for what looked like a rudimentary catch by Liam at cover. Unfortunately it bounced out of his hands and he wasn't able to hold onto it.

In my 2nd from last over I took a wicket, I'd already given Gary the nod that he could take over at my end once I'd bowled 6,, the ball turning, coming off the face of the bat and hitting the bail of the off-stump - pinging it into Jamie's glasses Mark Boucher style, breaking his glasses and piercing the skin below his eye. If it wasn't for his glasses it may have been far worse? Jamie a little dazed it seemed, said he was okay and that he'd carry on playing without his glasses.

On reflection the question that arises out of the fact that I bowled really well is why did that happen? What did I do that was different? Well, for a start as captain I knew I was going to bowl, if I'd have bowled poorly I'd have probably followed the same kind approach that I've seen other captains take e.g. take me off after 4 overs or sooner if it was catastrophic. But I didn't have that... 'Am I going to bowl or not and when are they going to bring me on' aspect to my mind set. As I said earlier I've bowled okay while practicing and in the last game my bowling was okay too. Recently, in practice I've struggled with establishing a preferred approach to the crease that I perceive as being the correct way - e.g. get side on out of the bound. More recently, because I struggle with this and it's getting me nowhere, I've gone back to bowling in a way that I feel is right. The only thing is, I don't feel like I get that side on and I feel like I'm bowling very front on or I may even have the dreaded mixed action. But for the moment it works and I can get varying degrees of spin and change the seam angle by making adjustments to my wrist angle and getting up on my toes in the rotation. This aspect makes the ball turn considerably more. One of the other players 'Diving' Stuart commented on the suppleness of my wrist when I bowling, so he was obviously watching the fact that I was bowling variations. The only batsman that was getting me away easily was the other Levi brother that was batting quite well, I finished him off for 39.

Hopefully, this current run of form will continue and I'll bowl just as well the rest of the year. The main improvement was the accuracy and the length, let's hope it continues?

Gary Savage took over from my end and in the same way as Stuart, showed a level of expertise and finesse in his bowling that comes with experience and age and I need to probably get these blokes up the order a bit maybe? I'll have to talk to someone and see what they say or maybe just try it out - perhaps mix them in with Ben, so that there's two approaches to the bowling? Gary only bowled 3 overs, but took 2 wickets 3-0-16-2 and then they declared. But similar to Stuart - massive variation in flight and pace off of a short run up, so I suspect either a medium pace bowler or a finger spinner.

The only other thing with the bowling was the other young uns, Joe bowls and he was up for it. Abdul bowls and is apparently a really good finger spinner that bowls off-breaks, but was slightly apprehensive because his confidence was knocked in a recent U16's game. In fact Abdul was nervous generally at the prospect of playing in an adult game and at the end when I spoke to him, these fears had been allayed to some extent and he's now a lot more confident about the prospect of playing in the 4th XI and said he'd play next weekend if asked. Tim was up for a bowl, but their chances of a bowl were thwarted as the Billericay boys declared. The way I was thinking about it was - if we were to get through the middle order, maybe in the last 10 overs give them all 3 overs or so each, or perhaps 4 for the better lads and 2 for the weaker bowlers? The other thing is do you do this as an inclusion aspect of the game, knowing that it might impact on the outcome or do you keep in mind the need to win to gain points and keep the more committed players interested in playing in the 4ths? All a bit of a dilemma and one that I'll seek advice on I reckon?

Batting

This'll have to come later as I need the figures, so I'll try and update on Wednesday. But chasing 216 it didn't bode well. Off the top of my head highlight were Jamies innings - he scored 40 and stuck around for quite some time. I've never seen him bat like that before and I think he said that was his highest batting score. The kids that hadn't bowled who'd stood in the field all day fending off balls coming at them at 100mph I moved up the order.

Joe Thompson (My Younger son) B&PCC U13's

Joe did his usual thing - he had a swing and did exactly as he did last week - hit one that flew over the top of the slip cordon's heads for 4 in his first over. But of the kid the star was Abdul, who as I've said earlier was not sure about the prospect of playing against adults, but he played a very sensible innings, blocking when needing to and then taking his chances as and when the came and he scored 10 eventually falling to a young off-spinner that turned a really full ball miles outside of off, that must have turned about 45 degrees. I was in at that point looking to occupy the crease with Abdul and got myself a not-out.

Abdul Baig B&PCC U15's

Pictures; There's hardly any images this week, I was too wrapped up in getting the captaincy aspect right and scoring when we were batting. I forgot to photograph our batting figures which I'll try and do on Wednesday when I'm at the club next week. I got one of the U15's to walk about and take a few pictures, but he only took a handful, I might get some on here, I'll have to have a look first.

Scoring; That went okay and one of the young'uns Liam looked interested in what was going on and he's apparently watched someone doing it last week. I did most of it and Jamie took over when I had to get ready to bat. When I handed it over to him it was all tallying up, there was still a couple of section on the page that I didn't know what to do with, but the basics were all good and at the end of each over it all tallied up. But I do want to get some of the kids doing it.

Today it was doubly tricky because the wind was so strong every thing around me was getting blown all over the place and every 45 minutes or so it poured down with rain for 5 minutes or so. Our scoring table is set up on the edge of the field, no-where near the shed, so if it rains and play continues, the best thing you can do is hold the book on your lap beneath the table - preventing it from getting wet. The Billericay lads dragged the table back into the shed and set it up just inside the door, which I suppose is an option?

Umpiring; Yeah that went well, Tony Harms seems to be well up for it as does Lee and this is in spite of the fact that it was blowing a force 5 with intermittent rain. So at no point did we have any really inexperienced umpires out there forgetting to signal and making ropey decisions.

Rain & Weather; It wasn't pleasant at all, on the pitch fielding it wasn't that bad, I had three layers on and when we fielded through one of the down-pours it didn't quite get through to the 3rd layer. With the wind and intermittent sun, we soon dried out and their batsmen had us running around quite a bit. But once we were batting sitting and scoring or just sitting around got really cold, so I wasn't surprised that there were no 'Fans' there to support us. I always say to people to bring far more clothes than you would ever imagine needed and take them off if you get too warm, cos the chance are you're going to freeze rather than be too hot watching cricket. In the panic to get everything right I forgot my coat and fleece, so sitting their scoring I was beginning to get hypothermia! Thankfully my wife Michelle came over and did eventually go home and get them for me so for the last half hour of the game I was warmer.

Note to self for next week

1. Don't make these posts so long!!!
2. Take a shed load of coats.
3. Don't put all my gear and Joe and Ben's all in one bag, I need to be more organised.
4. Take loads of coats.
5. Write all the names on the ECB team sheet asap to give to the oppo.
6. Read up more on the bowling restrictions.
7. Try and take more pictures.
8. Try and get the kids to learn how to score.

Overall impression of captaincy? Yeah, it's okay, I'm grateful for all the help that people gave me, that includes the players on the day that helped on the field with the strategy aspects - Lee especially. The others that did simple things that made a massive difference, like anyone that picked up the equipment first thing and got it out onto the field - flags, stumps, tables etc. Dave Ayres for getting me a team out and anyone else that was party to that part of the process. Dave Ayres for doing my teas, I'm just gutted that I didn't get a picture of it as it was noted to be an exceptionally good tea and my wife Michelle is now considering doing it the next time we're at home, so if you can knock up a list of what was involved for her that'd be great. All the players for their contributions in the game, not only with the bat and the ball, but with the encouragement to the younger players, as it's obvious that this make a big difference to their approach to the game and makes them want to play again especially when it comes from the older players. Finally all the young players that turned up and played against a primarily adult team - well done lads!

Check out my other blog here - this is all about Leg-spin bowling and nothing else. Double click on the image below.