Swinging that Ball Around

So, today was my first match back after my down below injury and also the nasty back spasm I had last weekend.

I was told I was unwise (read mad) to play, but the team needed me and I miss it to me. 7 hours where all I have to think about is the fun (!) and enjoyment (!!) of cricket is such a boon to me.

The RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight were obviously glad I was back though, as both a Dakota and a Spitfire appeared over the ground during the match.

To ensure maximum comfort, a cunning arrangement of underwear was devised, and I also did a lot of back stretches and wore a back brace to bowl. Needless to say, I took large amounts of painkillers as well. I'm not a Terminator.

I was very glad when we batted first against Southwell 2s, as it gave me a chance to do more warm ups and stretches. The wicket was slow and tricky, and although we didn't lose many wickets or  look troubled, we didn't really score quickly enough. Our father and son biffers had a great partnership to take us up to 120 for 3, and we initially though that that would be a testing target, as the outfield was very slow.

I was chosen to open the bowling, resplendent in my NHS issue brown corset, and I was nervous as hell as to how it was going to go. It could have gone a lot worse, as I was definitely hampered, although more by the back, as I could feel it tighten every time I gathered for the leap into the delivery stride and I wasn't able to really get through my action properly.

Frankly I bowl enough wides and no balls as it is without something else throwing my line out of whack, although to be fair to myself I haven't bowled in weeks.

However, I did manage to produce a big booming inswinger to bowl Southwell's left handed opener, and cause problems to the batsmen amidst the mediocrity, but they key moment came when the skipper dropped a difficult chance off my bowling, of the guy who rode his luck to score 71 and win them the game. He kept hitting the ball in their air, and it just never went to hand.

We fought to the end, but they won by 6 wickets. Nice direct hit run out by a guy who hasn't played in nearly two years though. That was good to see!

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 22.06.19