Cricket Experince Poll

[Zainub]

If five-a-side games where a six counts as out and there's also a mode of dismissal called "body before wicket" read BBW, and occasionally you can also be out of two bounces then... I have not only played, but also led and administered several different sides, even brielfy attempted umpring backyard games (which resulted in unprecented failure) although I have successfully been honoring duty of chief groundswomen for our inter relative and cousin annaul five a side tournament. Anything above backyard level though has neve materialised. Perhaps for the better.

[Andy Mellon]

Originally Posted by Zainub Razvi

there's also a mode of dismissal called "body before wicket" read BBW, and occasionally you can also be out of two bounces then... .

Technically Zainub, you can be out BBW in real cricket. The Lbw law extends to any part of the body. As long as the delivery obeys the tenets of the Lbw law (didn't pitch outside leg, is going to hit the stumps etc.) it can still be out. Its just a lot more difficult to get a ball that's going to hit the stumps if it hits you on the head, for example!!!

[Statto]

Originally Posted by Mongoose

I played at U13, U15, 3rd XI, 2nd XI and some 1st XI for my club, Grappenhall, in the Cheshire league.

You must be a useful player to play 1st XI up there. We've played against the 3rd XI in a cup match (I think we lost) but the firsts are one of the best teams in Cheshire arent they?

[Mongoose]

Originally Posted by Statto

You must be a useful player to play 1st XI up there. We've played against the 3rd XI in a cup match (I think we lost) but the firsts are one of the best teams in Cheshire arent they?

Depends when you played them. Up to the mid 1990s we had a very good 1st XI. Then several senior players left within 2-3 years, and we've never got back to those standards. Many clubs in the Chesire league pay players on the quiet (so I've heard) and we are essentially a village club, so we can't compete with them.

I was never really 1st XI quality anyway. I just got drafted in occasionally, sometimes so that the 2nd XI wasn't weakened too much. My best days were at school, where I was genuinely proud of some top performances in big games against class opposition. Sadly, that form soon left me when my action fell apart when I was 18.

[Mongoose]

Statto, does Bob Cook still play at Stockport? I usually get my gear from his Peak Sports warehouse. I know he used to be a handy player and was still playing a few years back.

[Statto]

If we had played against you it wouldn't have been long ago, probably in the last 2-3 years, but I seem to remember Grappenhall as one of these well organised Cheshire setups from a higher league. As for paying players, I've seen quotes from a captain of a club I won't name, who basically said everyone knows it happens so it may as well be allowed, so I think it must be a major factor, particularly in the top division. As for Cookie, he retired from League cricket 2 years ago, but is still playing on for the MCC and suchlike and was also supposed to make an appearance for us a couple of weeks ago (but didnt). In all fairness, for someone of his age whos had a heart bypass he is an exceptional player, he even managed the league bowling prize about 4 years ago and missed the batting by 16 runs the previous year I believe.

[Oliver]

Originally Posted by Mongoose

Then I turned 18, the outswing suddenly stopped and I started spraying it everywhere.

Could be that you're larding up a bit there Mongoose (if your avatar's anything to go by). Presumably your lovely lithe seventeen year old's side-on action has disappeared and you've gone a little chest on.

Never fear, in a few years you'll be bowling banana-like in-swingers. And if you drop your standards a little, you should be able to find a league where you can run through the opposition every week like a dose of salts.

It worked for me. Though I have to say that the extra lard does mean that I have to wear several surgical stockings over my knees on Sunday afternoons, otherwise there's no chance of me climbing the stairs at work on Monday mornings.

[Mongoose]

I can assure you I'm a rake - no lard on this prize fighter! Although I did switch to looking inside instead of behind the lead arm in delivery when I was 15 - to avoid back injury. I still continued to swing it though.

These days, I'll be lucky to do any bowling. My knee WILL get better when I've the energy to do the appropriate physio work on it, but I've got a few more weeks of teaching, and the accompanying stress and utter exhaustion, before I can get my much-prided-on fitness back to anywhere near where it was before the injury.

[Oliver]

Yes well, I'm still playing for my local club as I have for twenty-one years. Sad old bastard.

I peaked as a bowler about three years ago, supassing the club record (for wickets) in a season, by about five. Haven't taken a Michelle for about two years now, but I'm still opening the bowling. Four for twelve from thirteen overs is my best so far this season. Mind you the pitch was a total minefield and one of the dismissals was extremely fortunate given that the ball swung in, cannoned off the batsman's box and to the ground before dribbling back and just about disturbing the outside edge of his off-stump.

His team mates are encouraging him not to wear a box for the rest of the season. Mind you he was Australian, so he's hard enough to play without one.

I never score any runs, batting, as I do, at number eleven. Sixteen years ago I opened the batting for a while - and six years ago when I had a bowling injury. I never made any runs then either. But I can defend like anything. Particularly off the back foot. Not very useful on the dreadful slow and low wickets we seem to use down here. (We're currently looking for a new ground.) But quite good on the astroturf for those terribly one-sided "friendly" matches we play in France twice a year. We lose, they're all Australian, South African, Sri Lankan ex-pats.

We're not doing very well this season. I've actually had a bat. Very rare. I've scored six runs all told while spending about an hour at the crease. Apparently I'm scoring my runs at about 12 runs per hundred balls - I think I've done the maths there.

Keep thinking that I should buy a new bat, but there really isn't any point... the only time I ever use it is in the winter nets, after which I'm always of the mistaken belief that I really will score some runs in the summer.

Occasionally I keep the score for the club. Number eleven is a fairly useful position from which to open the scorebook. You can get through a whole session, quite often, without ever hearing that irritating shout: "Pad up Ollie."

I think it's my ambition this year to score four runs in front of square. Fairly sure I failed to do that last season.

As regards fielding... I am a "specialist" deep fine-leg.

[Mongoose]

I can identify with a lot in your post, Ollie.

Originally Posted by Oliver

I never score any runs, batting, as I do, at number eleven. Sixteen years ago I opened the batting for a while. I never made any runs then either.

I too am a specialist number 11. I opened when I was about 12-13, and did a decent job, but then moved clubs.

Originally Posted by Oliver

But I can defend like anything.

Same here! Countless times I've come in with the opposition cruising to an easy win, only to bat out 8-10 comfortably and really p*** them off!

Originally Posted by Oliver

We're not doing very well this season. I've actually had a bat. Very rare. I've scored six runs all told while spending about an hour at the crease.

Sounds like my scoring prowess. Trouble is, when I only bat 3-4 times a year, it takes about 10 overs to get myself played in. At least, that's what I put it down to!

Originally Posted by Oliver

Keep thinking that I should buy a new bat, but there really isn't any point... the only time I ever use it is in the winter nets, after which I'm always of the mistaken belief that I really will score some runs in the summer.

I'm always going to make runs before the season. I'll finally get a chance to open, score a 50, and make the spot mine. Yeah...

Originally Posted by Oliver

I think it's my ambition this year to score four runs in front of square. Fairly sure I failed to do that last season.

I can only remember one boundary in front of square from the last 3 seasons or so I played - of a full toss. Third man is the place to score runs. I was once so poor on the leg side that, when I got a full toss 12'' down leg, I deliberatley angled it to third man. I got two runs, so it was definitely worth it! Nothing wrong with being a tailender. We're there to make cricket interesting!