The Eve of Our First Game

Weather permitting (latest forecast for Chelmsford area is sunny with intermittent showers) the Canfield Sat XI makes its season's debut at home this Saturday against Dunmow 2nds. Following two consecutive Sunday afternoon net practises (which were very well attended - thanks fellas) the team for Saturday is now confirmed as:

Bomber
Ali
Trevor Beeston
Greg Conboy
JW
Sam Rayner
Harry Rayner
Sonofapreecherman
Preecherman
Paul
Angus

It was a bit of a scrap getting an XI together with so many people away. In a new feature, which I'm originally titling "Name and Shame" here are the absentees and their reasons for not playing:

Andy - on mini w/e break in Rome with wife. Excuse rating ***** (fair enough)
PoB - last night of his amateur dramatic showcase. Excuse rating ** (such a lovey dahhhhling)
Bretty - working shifts (see earlier blog). Excuse rating ***** (see him later in the season)
Panther - moving house AND babysitting whilst wife away on tennis w/e (1). Excuse rating ***** for the move, * for babysitting
Will - babysitting whilst wife away on tennis w/e (2). Excuse rating *
Clint - babysitting whilst wife away on tennis w/c (3). Excuse rating *
(thought - why can't they bring the kids down to the ground and share the babysitting? What about when we are all fielding though? Ah yes, fair point)
Mitch - can't change his shift at Stanstead Airport to an earlier one. Excuse rating ** (why work?)
Jamie - coaching his brother Robert (aged 9) playing football for Dunmow. Excuse rating ***** (fair play)

Plus a few others are either on holiday, ill, missing in action or in prison. But we have a team and will give it our very best shot, sir!

Form. The nets, just like the camera, never lies... Of the team playing on Saturday all the kids did very well as did JW and Bomber. Bowling wise we were all a bit rusty but well done to Ed for breaking the wooden practise stump (!) and JW and Paul for their dead eye accuracy. As for me, well spin - you've either got it or you aint... (don't answer that).

We STILL don't know any of our other confirmed fixtures but should know next week in time for our next game.

As Captain, I've thought about the batting line-up and field placings, who will bowl how much and when (all subject to change). And the wicket will definitely turn when bowling from the Cornfield end. With such a young team word is Dunmow will be real sports and reverse their batting/bowling order to even it up. If so, everything is going to plan...

Tune in on Monday for the result and post mortem /post match report.

Keep the faith.

Preecherman