Thurgarton Manor, for the Third Time

So, a cricket ground where I used to take my first ever girlfriend for a walk back when I was 17 and skinny as a rake. The ground, beautiful on hot day with its ancient trees inside the boundary ropes, hasn't changed much probably since the club was founded in 1874, but I have.

We were a bit of a scratch side today, but still as it turned out a good one, but luck wasn't with us right from the off as our leading quick bowler knocked over their opening bat, only to rip an arm muscle soon after.

Meanwhile Fiskerton and Thurgarton had a cancelled game, and so a couple of their second teamers were playing for them. I, opening the bowling for the first time this year for the third team, had to do a fair bit of bowling at two of them and, ruined as my body is with legs so stiff I can barely run, I did ok after a shaky start. They were very good though, and I had to cope with being spanked for the odd four.

I did get one of them, bowling him  with an inswinging delivery not long after the skipper, who is claiming to be semi-retired, dropped a catch off me.

Seeing as he then took a far harder catch off one of our excellent juniors a little while later, who is in his fantasy team unlike myself - I am in nobody's fantasy team - I am beginning to get a whiff of corruption. Ten overs I bowled, and it was tiringly hot out there.

The bad news continued when our young keeper injured a finger, and we were down to ten in the field, one of whom was our injured bowler who had to resort to shot putting the ball in like a more attractive version of an 80s Soviet female putter. Luckily his girlfriend, drafted into the side today, fielded well enough for three of us. I felt old and creaky.

The skipper also forgot his retirement long enough to bowl as well, and for a while we were back in the game and getting on top, before another of their experienced batsman, helped take them over 200. I felt I had earned the massive tea I then ate.

Chicken tikka sandwiches for the win.

I rather regretted the decision to eat a lot when the skipper decided I should bat at 5 while he lay on his back and relaxed. It's apparently a form choice. I was flattered, but I'm a little high at 5. Didn't do too badly, got 15 and was annoyed to get myself out LBW when I felt I could have got a fair few more. Other bats did well, others less so. The wicket was so slow by this point you needed a spade to get at the ball off their canny old spinner.

We fell for 104. Still a lovely game though, at a ground through which the Brimstones flew, and swallows skimmed.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 26.05.18