Playing low-level club cricket is the most enjoyable part of my week, and the term ‘low level’ is what makes it all the more enjoyable. Taking part in cricket at this level is unique, and consequently so much more enjoyable than playing at a higher level.
It is the personality, attitudes and techniques of the players that make it much more fun.
We umpire our own games, and it is amazing that batsmen suddenly become walkers because they do not want to force their own teammates to give them out, or see the acting man in white condemned by the opposition if he misses a thin edge.
Also, fielders take it upon themselves to honestly signify if they ball has gone for four or six, and general consensus is that there is no appeal if it is known that the ball hit the pad and not the bat.
Trying to trick the umpire is out of the question.
Also, each club has an eclectic bunch of individuals only found at this level, and my club is no exception.
There is the blocker, who no matter what his skill is always an opener because he bats so slowly that he would hold up the innings lower down, frustrating his team-mates as he blocks half-volley after half-volley on his way to 25 runs in 40 overs.
The slogger who, despite a limited technique and going out to bat with no helmet or thigh pad, has a smear across the line and an excellent eye. He wins the batting trophy season after season to the exasperation of the guys who try to bat properly.
The crappy spinner whose generous offerings always seem to take wickets, as excited batsmen line up to try to whack his half-trackers for six and instead end up being stumped or caught at deep midwicket, giving the bowler not only an undeserved ego boost but ridiculous figures of 5/50 off six overs.
The guy whose chucking is obvious to everyone but himself. Players notice and talk about it in quiet whispers at training, unsure how to broach the subject, leaving the captain to spend Saturday mornings working up excuses to give to the poor oblivious thrower as to why again he is not getting a bowl.
And finally there is the guy who watches a bit too much cricket on TV.
He is usually about 30 and his intensity comes from his feeling that he still has the opportunity to represent Australia. He’s an abhorrent sledger, threatens to throw the ball back at the batsmen in his follow-through, gives the glint-eye stare after every play and miss, hollers LBW appeals from square leg, and has exaggerated celebrations upon taking a wicket that would make Brett Lee feel squeamish.
His attitude leads to nervous laughter from his team-mates during the game, and plenty to gossip about once he has left the pub to get an early night before the next’s day play.
Add to this the various techniques, the equipment, from the dedicated player who buys new gear every season to those who are still using the old Gray Nicholls Scoop they got for their 12th birthday, the afternoon teas from a packet of stale biscuits and chips, to the team that puts on an entire antipasto platter, and you can you understand why playing club cricket is such a joy.
Build your own fantasy cricket team and put it to the test with Draftstars daily fantasy competitions. Pick your match, pick your team and watch the points roll in to take out cash prizes on each match. What are you really gambling with? Set a deposit limit.
Yashasvi Jaiswal was looking comfortable at 67 off 40, until this moment when he hit the ball into his own stumps!
The Aussie made his 50 off 37 balls, for his fourth half-century of the season as his Sunrisers Hyderabad went on to beat Rajasthan…
Insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting different results. This quote is often attributed to Albert Einstein, but nobody knows if he…
This series’ twelfth and final team has a distinct West Indian flavour at the top of the order, and a domineering captain.
Mitch Marsh has been appointed as Australia's men's Twenty20 captain, set to lead a squad to the World Cup that does not include Steve…
Australia are set to turn their back on rising star Jake Fraser-McGurk’s whirlwind IPL form and drop Steve Smith in their T20 World Cup…
