Under the Ruined Church my Bowling was Ruined

Today's match took me to play Keyworth. Only we didn't play at Keyworth, we played them at the beautiful ground at Colston Basset, a village out towards the Leicestershire border not part away from Cropwell Butler, the home of Stilton cheese.

We didn't see any cheese, but we saw a lot of skydivers leaping out of planes taking off from nearby Langar.

I played here on a Sunday last year, when there more flowers, and the ruined church was full of bees and butterflies. This year, there are big queen bumbles seemingly looking for a hole for the winter, and all the thistles have gone to seed. Buzzards circle the ground.

At the start of our innings, vultures were circling as well. We found ourselves 15 for 4 at one point, as extremely talented young bowlers bowled it straight on a tricky wicket. I could hear the joyful roars of the opposition as I explored up the hill.

Luckily we had youngsters, seniors and guests down the order who were able to stabilise the situation and crack a few much needed runs. Even I ended up batting for 9 overs at the end, and after all my lamentations the other day about being rubbish, managed to hit a boundary and score 10 whole runs as we scored 112.

I thought this would make me confident to bowl, but it didn't quite happen as I expected. My first ball, against their top bat, was absolutely stone dead LBW. Next over there was another big LBW shout, and a nick behind that wasn't given. For some reason, probably because I don't like bowling at left handers, I let one bad ball go an over, while others weren't fielded.

It stressed me. I was so angry with myself, and I was trying too hard. I was going for 6 plus runs an over, while bowling some utter beauties. I was devastated. So mad. No wickets.

We had other bowlers who bowled better, and we actually had them 7 down before their old head skipper came in and calmly won the game for them. A lot of us weren't right in the head out there today, I know I wasn't, but then I'm usually like that. I have a highly self punitive nature.

Still, it's been a beautiful day in a beautiful setting.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 26.08.17