Sunday (27th April) saw the first outing of the season for the NBCC LGBTQ+ Team against Weoley Hill CC, which is where Lachlan our Chair of Selectors plays his cricket so it seemed only fitting that he was captain for the day, and received his club cap before the start of the game.
The objective of the game was to give all these that had attended the Winter Nets and were available some game time so we had nine players playing their first game of the season, of which one was playing their first hard ball game.
Lachlan won the toss and elected to field which seems to be ‘flavour of the month’ these days, whereas my preference is to bat first whenever possible as I feel it puts us in more control of our own destiny and puts the top order under less pressure.
Often games are measured in terms of ‘a game of two halves’, but this was definitely a game of three thirds:
- in the twenty overs before the drinks break we were positive and aggressive in the field and with the ball, took 4 wickets and they found runs hard to come by
- in the second twenty overs we looked tired, distracted and stopped reading the game, and although we took 5 wickets (one batter retired on 50) they posted 192 and took the game away from us
- in their first twenty overs they pretty much bowled us out for 60 with only the old man getting into double figures (17 according to the Play Cricket) with Extras coming in a close second at 16.
I think it is fair to say that we were more raw than undercooked (I know a Vegan using such language!!), and that the first obvious lesson was that taking net form into the middle is very hard.
Playing on grass does sap the strength from the legs and the sun can make it a long 2+ hours but guess what ….. cricket is a summer game played on grass so the more pre season work you can do outdoors the better. I would also advocate getting used to your equipment, new shoes, pads and gloves before the season starts because I have already seen my fair share of blisters on hands and feet in the 3 games I have now played this season.
There were a lot of positives that we can take away from the game both as a team and as players, and that was the main objective: to leave having learnt something and to have a plan on how to work on improving our games.
From a team perspective the other games this season will be played with more experienced players providing support to the team, and we are looking at having a monthly team training session outdoors.
With my coaches hat on it was noticeable just how rushed many of the players were compared to the nets, how the repeatable good habits got forgotten/discarded, how reading a match situation is different when it isn’t being simulated in the nets ….. and how running out the old man should incur a fine of 3x your match fee!!
Weoley Hill were perfect hosts both on and off the field (an excellent tea which catered for the various dietary requirements we were asked for in advance) and a good mix of players with many getting an opportunity they wouldn’t necessarily get – it was great to overhear a conversation about how one of the players had demonstrated that they could do a job for on of their teams.
Is good to be up and running for the season and to have spent an afternoon with so many payers who want to play cricket and to improve.