Help! Help! Here Come the Bairds!

In the wonderland zoo...

There's not much to do...

Hello everyone,

September already - where has the season gone? It seems like only yesterday we were taking part in practise nets ahead of the Dunmow game. But the early conker shells on the ground and a 1.30pm start are tell-tale signs. Only a hand full of games to go in a (vein) attempt to raise my batting average and get 30+ wickets. Not that I keep count or anything.

To lift the autumnal gloom we welcome Bairds to The Park. What a great bunch they are - Alan: their 67 year old vice captain, Sonu: their friendly all-rounder, Dave: their wicket keeper, et al. It's a pity they have "gone league" and that this is their only end-of-season visit to Canfield (we normally play them twice). As good a bunch as you'll meet and always extremely sporting and encouraging to our youngsters, I recall their opening bat retired after his century last year (Lindsell's Angus please take note). My second favourite team behind the Tawney Boys. Should be good.

I called heads and "inserted" - it looked a particularly good track (thanks Jamie) but conditions would favour swing bowling (thanks Jamie). So not a suprise to see Alan bowled middle stump first ball (thanks Jamie). Without any of their bats really smacking it about and building an innings, Bairds still got a reasonable 219 all out. Why? Perhaps it was the 55 extras we gave them. Mr Bye-Wide was their top scorer. Modesty forbides but after last week's dire performance the spinning skipper took 3 wickets, including the dangerous Sonu for a duck. Well bowled Jamie and The Chair and good to see Paul and JW grab a wicket - just reward for some bad luck of late. Also well done Hepburn Minor (aka Matthew) for his two overs and overcoming the handicap of being stung by a wasp mid-delivery.

We won with 5 overs to spare with only 4 wickets down. Can you believe they bowled nearly as many byes as us? Sonu was having a shocker, apparently it was reverse swinging too much!The Chair capped a good all round display with an unbeaten half century to go with Ali's 40-odd and a great cameo from Jamie at the end.

So, victory number 6 and 32 wickets for the season for the skip'. Happy days.

Man of the Match: The Chair

Champagne Moment: Jamie's first ball wicket

Mug of the match: Mr Bye-Wide

Special thanks to Paul and Lynda for stepping in at the last minute to provide tea.

Next week we are at home to Eastons (big game this). Remember how close we came at their place? Remember THAT umpiring decision? We owe them big time. Next Sat is a 1pm start.

And finally, as the season draws to its inevitable end, the Captain's thoughts drift inescapably to nominations for player and most improved player of the year. Whilst this a club as opposed to a team award and at the discretion of the committee, as Captain I am certainly free to air my personal ideas and to canvas opinion. I decided on my personal pick for player of the year some time ago and will lobby hard for said individual. Most improved player is harder. Do you go for someone who was plain awful and is now just incompetent or someone who was average and is now good? And what about the juniors? My mind is yet to be made up on this one. Feel free to share your ideas,

There will, however, be some "unofficial" awards announced on Monday 24th September after our penultimate game of the season - for the Sat XI. Categories are tbc but are likely to include:

1. Best Tea Provider (Paul/Lynda Lucas ahead on points)

2. Best game-induced accident or injury (could be the JW/Bomber collision, Ben Davies's broken collar bone, Ali's pulled muscle, Steve's pulled calf, Preecherman's bruised ego, etc)

3. Performance of the season (a category I will not be troubling)

4. Season's champagne moment (Andy's catch against Flitch Pilgrims will take some beating)

And so on. All ideas welcome.

Thanks to Angus, Bretty, the Chair et al for the ongoing "their spinners are turning it miles, Skip" banter. I shall rise above such ribbing and re-direct you all to the end of year bowling stats. I thank you.

See you next Saturday.



Preecherman