A Hot Day of Record Breaking

I was in action for the 3rd team today, playing at beautiful Norwood Park against the rather mouthfully Beeston and Toton Sycamore 3s today, always known as "BaTS" for short.

To practice, I went outside at twilight last night to look for bats, but I didn't see any. This made me worried. I needn't have been.

It has been gorgeous all day, and I think everyone knew it was a day to bat. Everyone except the BaTS skipper, who remembering our batting flakiness on seasons past, decided to put us in. Even our skipper, who hardly ever wants to bat first, would have wielded the willow today.

BaTS had plenty of time to repent, as our opener went in with a confident air to take strike to the first ball of the match, delivered by BaTS well known veteran nagging medium pacer.

37 overs later he retired not out on 192, the highest ever score in the history of the club. He hit 21 fours and 9 sixes, some of which would have cleared the ropes on county grounds, they were so huge. I batted with him for a short time, although not as short as our skipper who was out first ball, and watching deliveries being sent into orbit over your head was quite something.

I had my own record as well, scoring 23 down the order (second top score, lol) and being last man out as we made 279, the highest ever score for the third team.

With the match safe, the skipper entrusted the bowling to our juniors, who again rolled through the opposition as we bowled them out for 73. I got in at the end to knock over the tailenders to take 2 for 8, although my radar was off and my standard inswinger was veering down leg and I ended up having to bowl outswingers they couldn't get a bat on. I did find a couple of quickish straight ones to knock over the stumps though.

All the while a wedding was going on at the manor house next to the ground, so we had music and dancing and photos going on while we played. I kept giving peace signs in the background.

I also hope the bride had just started walking down the aisle when a cry of "WIDE" came from the match.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 19.05.18