The Wonderful Thing About Tiggers

I am now officially annoyed with the Jet Stream. Ok, it may have brought an end to the hose pipe ban and the worry we had back in March that matches would be cancelled because the square was too dry to play safely on!! Other than that though, what has the Jet Stream ever done for us? Nothing, that's what.

Each of the last 3 weekends has arrived with the threat of torrential rain looming out West. Each has passed with a sigh of relief that we have managed to play a game of cricket.

Yesterdays game against Horspath 3 was accompanied by gale force winds as well. Nice one Jet Stream. That we managed to play at all is down to the work put in by our grounds team and the willingness of two teams and umpires to get a game on. The outfield was just about fit, and the pitch was a tantalising mixture of dry and dusty with some very wet patches. Good toss to win then.

The toss duly won we battled out to the middle to have a bowl. Sladey took his squeaky cough with him up to the Matt Jones end and bounced in with the wind in his sails. Something of his approach to the wicket reminded me of Tigger.

Meanwhile Northern Gravy puffed up the hill and into the wind, his approach to the wicket reminded me of Eeyore. His return of 2 for 21 from 12 overs included some of the finest LBW appealing seen in many years. After the umpteenth unsuccessful pleading yowl I expected the umpire to start crying. The fact that he still looked hostile at the end of his spell is testament to the hard years working down t'pit in t'Rotherham as a young lad before heading south to seek his fortune.

Meanwhile Tigger was skipping in without a care in the world, the 30mph tail wind almost compensating for coming off the short run. The normal run up had to be abandoned as it started in almost knee deep water.

Horspath were seeing demons in the pitch. demons that could be largely defeated by getting forward and playing straight. Almost comically at times a succession of batsman felt that staying rooted to the crease and playing across the line was the way forward.

49 for 8 suggested that this strategy was at best risky and perhaps needed tweaking. Tigger made them pay with another fine spell of fast bowling and had figures of 6 for 22 at the drinks break. This included 3 double wicket maidens. incidentally 7 of the 10 wickets that fell yesterday were bowled or LBW, not one ball shot at all. Yes it was a little low, but poor technique was the culprit, not the pitch.

Jules replaced Gravy and started with a ball that bounced 3 times. He blamed the wind, we knew that it was part of the well proven Hitchman plan to lull the batsman into complacency. It worked of course as he got his customary wicket with utter filth that ended up with a fine diving catch from Boggy.

Tigger finished up with 7 for 37, not surprisingly he was later spotted taking an active interest in the honours board.

Tea was taken inside to get some respite from the weather with Diddy on 20 odd for 3. We were perhaps a little nervous, especially as the seconds had successfully defended 77 a few weeks ago on a similar pitch.

We need not have worried as Peter Pan Pritchard carried his bat for an innings that was both battling and fluent and always determined. He was ably supported by Boggy who hit a crucial 15 runs in quick time to give us momentum just when we needed it.

25 points in the bag. Hopefully better weather next week we see us welcome Kimble to The Bog of Dreams.

In Pairs

Good evening one and all and welcome back for another season. Admittedly a little later than planned thanks to the moistness we have all experienced. Anyway, off we go again.

As has become customary I sit here on a Sunday evening, limbs heavy and with a light heart. The heavy limbs unusually cannot be blamed on running around yesterday, i blame the rose I had for lunch and the shiraz i am supping now for that. The light heart comes from a rather splendid weekend spent with family and friends with seared meat and brown booze. Oh, and a comprehensive victory against that lot from over the river.

At last, Saturday dawned without a cloud in the sky. I wondered whether Boris Yeltsin is still alive as i surfaced from my slumber. (I have just checked. He isn't.)

I should state that I hold Yeltsin to account for the demise of Didcot B Power Station. If he were still alive he would be personally responsible for the axe hanging over the Field of Dreams. Communists and hippies are a threat to cricket everywhere.

The Field of Dreams looked fantastic yesterday, green and lush with a sheen of expectation hanging in the air. The warm up was top quality and set the tone for what was to follow. As 'That Lot From Over The River' walked through the gate I felt proud. We have one hell of a team, and we looked like it.

I willed the coin to fall in our favour against a team with a reputation for wanting to avoid defeat. It did. We will bowl. Hurrah.

It was quite warm yesterday. I honestly don't think one person mentioned it, such was our focus.

A couple of fine opening spells from The Prodigal Son and Northern Gravy kept things tight with the run rate hovering around two an over from the first 15 or so. Plenty of threat and plenty of good batting and a little luck meant that only one wicket fell. Didcot on top at the first drinks break.  A wicket or two more would have been nice though.

TLFOTR opener batted nicely for a well composed fifty and was well supported lower down the order to put TLFOTR in a potentially commanding position with 9 overs left. It looked as if we would be chasing 250 plus. I think it was Pritch who suggested we should try to get the last few wickets for as few runs as possible. Good advice.

196 for 5 in the 44th turned into 217 for 9 after 53. Momentum had swung. We knew it, even if TLFOTR didn't. The Prodigal Son marked his return to the Field of Dreams  with 4 for 57. Don't tell him, but he probably deserved a pfieffer. Dave was well supported by the rest of the bowling unit and our fielding remained at a high level despite the heat and its effects on concentration levels. A thoroughly professional performance.

Tea was taken on the patio, the melons were a highlight and wonderfully refreshing.

I felt we would chase 217 and win, I didn't think we would make it look quite so comfortable though.

Prtich and Tubes were in the zone before the innings had started. They started at quite a lick and had the 50 up inside 9 overs. They made it look far easier than it actually was. The 100 partnership followed and then the 150. Three highlights for me; firstly the running between the wickets was excellent (as long as we discount the the running once that had got past 180, which was frankly appalling); secondly Tubes signature shot - the shimmy followed by the punched on drive for 4; finally Pritch's off drive - disdainfully dispatching the ball. They stayed together until 198 when exhaustion got the better of Vet Pritch. Matt joined Tubes for long enough to stop him getting a ton in his maiden innings and we won by  9 wickets with plenty of time to spare.

Winning felt good. Especially as we had to work very hard for it.

375 more points to play for, our quest has begun.

Musclebound

We're building fires that will burn until morningThe smell of books and hot stone surrounds usTough is the leather that's strapped to my skinStrong are the bonds that we make
We feel the steam as it rises around usUp from the soil that is cracking its backTough is the leather that's strapped to my skinStrong are the bonds that we sing
Work till you're musclebound, all night longWork till you're musclebound, all night longGotta work till you're musclebound, all night longGotta work till you're musclebound, all night long
Good evening and welcome to 2012 blog fans. The season starts in 7 days time with our first winter training session. A good time to set out some expectations and details.
For the second year running we are based at Radley College every Sunday morning from 0900 to 1100. We have three net lanes booked.
So what can you expect? An organised, focused session lead by Head Coach Les Addison with Dave Slades (Jnr and Snr) and Ian Demain. Bowlers and batters will be eased in to the winter programme with the objective of building towards a peak in early May so we all hit the ground running and get the season off to a flying start.
For the first time in a while we will have enough coaches in attendance to help individuals iron out any technical flaws and learn new techniques in a supportive environment with enough time to really practice and embed them in to your game. In short we will all be able to get a bit fitter and become better cricketers.
So, what does the club expect? This is the really simple bit. 80% of life is turning up, the other 20% is being motivated, asking questions and listening. So that is what the club expects.
If you think training is something that you can pitch up to occasionally, muck about and then slog in the nets, you are wrong.
If you think that training is about effort, trying your best and being part of a team that develops together you are bang on.
I and the other three Captains look forward to seeing you all next Sunday

It May Be Winter Outside (But In My Heart It's Spring)

A very happy Monday to you all for what may be the last blog for a little while. I must start with an apology. Blogging requires a spark to fire the creative juices; that spark has been missing for a few weeks now. A succession of performances that spanned the full range between limp and piss poor against Cublington, Brackley and Shallow left me feeling listless and a bit meh. I would rather produce nothing than give you something half baked.

Not that those three games didn't contain some fine individual performances, far from it. We witnessed the rebirth of Bernard as a batsman with a purpose, a breathtaking 78 against Shallow nearly won us the game, another michelle for Jules and a first Didcot michelle for Tim were all fine performances and on another day would have set up victories.

This run of games dragged us back towards a rather uncomfortable place in the division. We travelled to Banbury III on Saturday needing to get some serious points to avoid dropping below Thame. The mere thought of that sends a shiver right through me.

So, simple then. Win the toss, have a bat, make 200 plus and then bowl Banbury out. I lost the toss and then we lost the plot. Banbury were 98 for 0 after about 19 overs and the ball was pinging around the park. 250 looked highly likely. Arse.

To again prove that one wicket can change everything they lost their next 6 wickets for 40 runs and we were right back in it. They limped to 198 all out in the final over. Great spells from The Caretaker and The Judge felt just like '09. They ended with 4 each with a couple of run outs. Another fine performance from Jules and easily Jordan's best of the season.

After a spot of tiffin we set about the task of chasing down. The ennui that has blighted us over the last 3 weeks struck again as only Pritch got runs in the top 5. We were deep in trouble needing 120 to win at more than 5 an over.

Cometh the hour, cometh Bernard. A quick fire 30 odd put us back on track and Banbury on the back foot. Jordan was next up, a complicated set of instructions were communicated. See ball, hit ball. As hard as you can. Best not to give him to much to think about we felt.

It worked as he continued where Bernard had left off. His first 4 scoring shots were 1,2,3,4,6. He biffed a few more lusty blows out of the ground and we now only needed 4 an over with 9 overs left. Sadly we had our last pair at the crease so no room for error.

Luckily this last pair had a combined age of nearly 80. It is a long time since I have batted with a long off, long on, deep midwicket and deep backward square leg. Clearly they hadn't seen me or Jules bat before as the chance of either of us getting caught on the boundary were slim.

Hilariously I was dropped at deep backward square with 15 balls left. It proved a costly drop as we knocked off the runs with exactly no balls left.

Is there a better way to end the season that hitting the final ball for two to win by 1 wicket?

So we head off into the deep depression of winter with a victory and comfortably above Thame again.

Shower Your Love

Good evening residents of South Oxfordshire.

I have to confess that I am less coherent than is usual for this time on a Sunday, forgive me Lord.

In an extraordinary reaction to events in Tiddington yesterday some toys were thrown out of prams in Tottenham last night. This is the influence that the Squeeze has in this part of North London. A couple of phone calls on her way back yesterday and a carpet shop and a couple of Police Astra's are toast. Do not mess with the squeeze.

Those of us old enough to remember the last period of London riots are getting excited right now. Recession, lack of opportunity, division, lack of social mobility, despair; tend to herald an upsurge in artistic endeavour, in particular, protest music.

This has to be good news. Nothing good ever came from prosperity, hardship breeds creativity.

Who here has seen a Whale? I mean really seen a Whale? I saw one once, smaller than I had hoped. Like much in life, disappointing.

Much like Canada.

We were all out for 93, can't blame anyone really, they bowled well, we got out. Funny sort of day really. Hey ho. That is sport I guess. One week you are absolutely cock a hoop, the next just cock, no hoop. At all.

The highlight was the shower. Intense touch and someone pissing on Matt's foot without him realising. So, season over. All we can do is beat everyone is front of us, especially Shallow.

A question for you. The opposition are 19 for 5 from a handful of overs. You are captain. Is it advisable to remove both slips and adopt a defensive run saving field? (for clarification Viv Richards is not at the crease). Answers on a postcard to the usual address.

Anyway back to 1981. The Specials; number 1 with Ghost Town. A biting indictment on recession torn Britain, Coventry in particular. This town, coming like a ghost town, all the shops are being closed down. It was overtaken by Green Door by Shakin Stevens. Proof that social comment will always be outsold by snake hips. By the way, Shaky is hung like a horse.

Modern Romance also had a hit in 1981 with 'Ay ay ay ay moosey' I urge you to check it out. The lead singer now works in a key cutting booth on Oxford Street with Zammo from Grange Hill. This is true. Or at least part of it is. While you are at it check out Adam and The Ants, especially Dog Eat Dog and Young Parisians. I am off for much more wine.

Toutes Alors........................

Crosstown Traffic

Have you ever had a shower with a dead rock icon?

Think really hard, as it is the sort of experience that can slip the mind in a jiffy.

I had a shower with Jimi Hendrix yesterday. I expect that half of you reading this have never heard of him. He was the Amy Winehouse of his day; that is, he was dead at 27 after a turbulent relationship with a number of controlled substances. The mists of time have clouded things a little and I like to think he had more class than poor Amy, in reality he probably didn't. Choking to death is NOT CLASSY. Ever.

He could riff like no one else (again, under 20's - look up riff on wiki if you don't know what it means.)

Anyway, I had a shower with him yesterday. And it was lovely. A near perfect shower actually. One more wicket would have made it perfect.

We hosted the league leaders, Horspath II yesterday. Unbeaten in two years, a formidable proposition, perhaps.

Having dutifully lost the toss and therefore saving me the, for once difficult decision of what to do, we were invited to have first dig.

Jules and Pritch put on 60 for the first wicket and never looked in too much trouble against a bowling attack that to a number of neutral observers was the best seen in many years. Against such tight line and length runs were scarce and at drinks we had just 62 on the board. Crucially, with the loss of only Jules for a well made 34.

Pritch is not known for enjoying scratching around, he much prefers to crack on. The discussion at drinks was short; carry on as you are, keep wickets in hand, runs will come later.

He did just that and was third out in the 48th over with the score on 164. A fine innings of 77, chiseled out of rock. Of course there were a number of dot balls, on the whole it was a model of restraint, patience and concentration. It was also exactly what we needed. The foundation of the innings and therefore the perfect platform to launch our middle order. This brought Henry 'Shock' Brisland and Connor 'Awe' Morrison to the crease.

What happened next was the cricketing equivalent of a bunker buster. Delivered from a great height, with precision, and engineered to leave no trace.

The last 5 overs added 74 runs and left Horspath reeling around wondering what the f**k had hit them. Bris had hit them. Once, very hard, in the face.

Pritch had worked so hard for 48 overs for 77, Bris took about 30 balls to hit his 67 not out, five 6's were dispatched, balls were lost, bowling figures were decimated. Fun was had, basically. 240 for 3 is a good score any week, against Horspath was that little bit sweeter.

We all enjoyed a fine spread at tea. The vanilla slices were a personal favourite. Bris ate more than is healthy, he had earned it though.

Would Horspath try to chase? We hoped so., as we have too many Shallow attempts in the past couple of years when teams don't bother.

Tight opening spells from T'Gravy and The Archbishop built pressure. A wicket apiece. Horspath, 50 for 2 in the 19th over. In the balance.

Jules entered the fray and destroyed the middle order to leave Horspath 125 for 7 from 38 overs. Only one team in it, Horspath haven't lost for two years though so would fight to the final ball. T'Gravy came back for a surgeon defying second spell, he removed our achilles heel - T'path skipper, Manger. 127 for 8, 8 overs left.

Surely another last ditch victory would be ours. Those of you paying attention will have worked out that we didn't get it. We had them nine down, but couldn't quite finish them off.

So, Horspath escaped with a draw and 4 points. We had beaten them though. And everyone knew it.

We dominated 100 overs and showed what talent, determination and fight we can bring when everything clicks in to place. It was so nearly the perfect performance and showed the value of two entirely different but equally valuable innings in setting a score and then backing that up with guile, variation and concentration in the field. My only regret? You'll have to ask me that face to face.

Never has Crosstown Traffic sounded so good whilst soaping your nuts.

Heartbreaker

Good evening Diddymen and good evening to any guests. An apology firstly for the delay - having written previously about how irritating wasps are, last night one went out of it's way to prove my point by crawling inside my shoe and promptly stinging me when I had the audacity to put it on.

One bout of anaphylactic shock later I am now left with a comedy Elephant Man style swollen foot, at least the heart palpitations and chronic low blood pressure have gone.

Anyway, enough of my woes. What happened against Cropredy? I hear you mutter.

Anticipation was high and the appetite was keen as we gathered at the FOD. A washout last week preceded seven days earlier by the thrashing of Banbury XX meant that we hadn't had much cricket for nearly 3 weeks.

Having lost the toss I was pleasantly surprised to find ourselves bowling anyway. We got off to a great start with an early wicket before Cropredy put together a very useful 2nd wicket partnership. we dropped a couple of chances and Hussain and Orchard made us pay. The Archbishop was particularly unlucky to remain wicketless in another fine opening spell.

With the score well past the hundred it was down to the spinners to put a brake on things. The Judge got one through the defences of Hussain with a smart catch from Bris off Jordan taking care of Orchard.

The pendulum swung and Cropredy never recovered the momentum they had enjoyed as Jules ripped through the middle order. A couple of smart catches from Crab Hands at slip and no other drops together with two run outs contributed to a decent fielding performance.

We ate our tea feeling confident we would chase down 205 and be home early.

The first 100 came up at nearly 6 an over with only the loss of one wicket, happy days. Matt made everything look very easy as he breezed to a fifty at less than a run a ball, well supported by Pritch, with another 30 odd, it all looked very comfortable.

Cropredy had other ideas. The introduction of leg spinning wunderkid S Hussain accounted for Matt; Doug soon followed Pritch back. Still we didn't need to worry, did we? 60 odd to win with Jules and Bris at the crease, on paper we were still in charge. It didn't feel like that from the boundary, I can tell you.

As if it were written in the stars we were 8 down, some smart bowling, one brilliant gully catch and some dumb batting putting the pressure right back on us. Still needing 20 odd from 4 overs. Didcot 2011 vintage doesn't win comfortably. Surely we wouldn't throw it away, would we?

Jordan went out to bat like an American Pilot hopped up on amphetamines. It worked, one boundary was followed by the biggest six anyone has ever seen at the FOD, out of the ground and onto the ring road. Fetch that!

In the end the gnarly old pro's saw us home with an over to spare and 9 down. Far tighter than it should have been, but 25 points none the less.

Credit is due to Cropredy who played some great cricket and never stopped going for the win. There league position doesn't reflect the way they played on Saturday and I'm sure their first win isn't far away.

We prepare for Horspath, top of the league and seemingly unbeatable.