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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