Fielding at Z Cars Point

Sunday cricket today, where we took on a Gedling Colliery side that initially looked like it might be an easier game because they were a very young side. Heaven knows, after our repeated Sunday thrashings, we needed one.

I was already in a good mood because I had seen a red kite over Newark while cycling in, the first I've ever seen in Nottinghamshire, and we had a strong side today. We batted first, which meant I could have gone off and done my thing straight away, but in a rare moment of public spirited-ness I decided to roll the wicket with the skipper.

At least I pulled the bloody huge rattling contraption. The skipper "supervised".

I also umpired for the first ten overs as well, on a bright day but with a fairly fierce wind. No wickets fell, not many runs were scored.

We got off to a slow start against extremely good bowling. By the time I came back from my little nature walk, we lost three wickets. Around the ground I had found various pretty wildflower landscapes, particularly where the birds foot trefoil had come out. I lay on the ground to get some good shots of that. I also went shirtless to get a sunbathe again, and a harlequin ladybird took a fancy to my shirt.

Our innings was now given impetus by a senior batsman, and our new mega hitting Kiwi, who managed to hit the ball into the trees again. I was in good form with the bat again, able to middle the ball quite nicely, but I got overexcited and ran myself out when trying to go for quick runs at the end.

In deference to the fact I'd now be required to bowl, I only had two helpings of tea. it seemed to help as my early overs went really well, although the keeper dropped a catch in my opening over. I was able to make the ball pull faces at the batsman, finding a lot of movement off the wicket.

Then just like that, I became rubbish after starting to overthink things. Or rather, I didn't bowl as well. I was soon retired, and then had a good run out in the field, making no mistakes apart from not diving forward to take a catch.

I'm bloody 44, and I've never been ank kind of Max Whitlock when it comes to agility. A surfboard bends better.

Some of our newer players are not terribly au fait with the names of cricket fielding positions, and our skipper was reduced to telling one of our number to field at a position "Between the Z Cars and the Toymaster sign". Not one I've heard Richie Benaud refer to.

Anyway, their young batting was far too good, emphasised by their 15 year old opening batsman hitting the ball into our dressing room at one point. It had been a nice day though. Although a win would have made it nicer.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 11.06.17