No proper game today, so an interclub was organised between a 5th XI side and a 6th XI side. Pmac said that he'd tried to pick balanced sides. There's some discontent among some of the 6th XI players as we get dropped frequently from games in order to allow new players to get a game and show their ability, but some of the players have been dropped 3-4 times (Twice myself). The issue is two-fold. The players that are being dropped are the players that want to play at every opportunity and would if given the chance play 45 or 50 overs. We could understand to some extent if others were being dropped, but when you ask around they're not, so it seems that 4-5 people are being targeted. There's an awful lot of people who moan about playing, like it's hassle for them or it's an ordeal and you'd think given their indifference or their unwillingness to play 45 - 50 overs if given the chance, they'd be the perfect candidates to be dropped?
Those that are being dropped have different gripes, some of which are around performance levels. One observation that many people make is that people who work in offices or on-line and spend the day sitting on their butts, hunched over a keyboard basically cannot run, even though they might be in their late 20's, 30's or 40's.
Somewhat joking and I know it can't be implemented I've said it would be interesting as a part of the selection process to decide what team you play in if a series of physical attribute tests could be set either at the start of the season or every other week, for new recruits?
(1). Can you run round the pitch (Approx 450 metres) 4 circuits? If you can't, then that pretty much indicates that you're a candidate for the 6th XI.
(2). Running between the stumps - How quickly can your run 3. Get your fastest 20 year old 1st XI player and get them to set the gold standard and then your slowest 6th XI player and then work out the expectation for each level. The slower you are, the more you're likely to be a 6th XI player.
(3). Throwing the ball - if you can't get it from the boundary to the middle - 6th XI candidate.
(4). Running and picking the ball up in one smooth action and throwing it...
(5). Throwing accuracy.
(6). Ground fileding - committment to dive to stop the ball and catch.
Needless to say, these then need to be offset with your ability with the bat and ball and other peripheral aspects such as being able or willing to score and umpire.
I've listed the people who I see as 'The competition' for places in the higher teams and I'd argue that being in the 6th XI the people I bowl to have no respect for their wicket, there's nothing to win and it doesn't matter that they get out and their approach to batting would be suicidal in a higher standard game because the fielding standards would be far better. So in response to seeing that no-one around me can field particularly well, they play crazy shots. But despite this and the fact that I've played a handful of higher level games, I've got some of the better figures... The lowest Economy rate...
In terms of Average it's only Tony that is better than me. My strike rate could be better, but that's thwarted (I would argue) because, so many of my potential wickets are dropped by keepers and fielders along with teams just not giving LBW's.
So back to this game - Us (6th XI) v the 5th XI headed by selector 'Pmac'. At the start of a friendly match there's often a discussion about how many overs to play with sides that don't fancy their chances trying to play 35 overs. What with playing against a higher standard team with players that don't get dropped (Other than Joe Hill) I thought they'd be well up for a 45 over game, they're obviously fitter and have more stamina than our team as they play at a higher level, but for some reason they weren't? Baffled.
As we all got ready, 'The banter' was coming from the 5th XI. I can't remember the exact words from Pmac re the prospects of me bowling at him, but it was along the lines of he was going to be hitting me into the River Roach. I'm guessing because I play in the 6th XI he doesn't think I'm up to much, but I do seem to recall bowling at him in the nets and doing OK against him.
The bloke at the other end was the Left-Hander Ted Currington fresh off of having scored a 50 or a 100? So he was obviously going to do the same I guess? Bowling at Left-Handers is always a bit of a task, I just don't bowl that line, so it's always a bit weird. Coupled with all of that there were only 10 blokes in the field (10 a side), so there were loads of gaps and there were a few 'Office workers' among us. But it started off well and went OK as you can see above...
With Pmac on strike I just bowled at the stumps and an outside of off line, the ball was turning and the balls that started on or about middle were missing the bat and the off-stumps by millimetres. Brain Waterman who was umpring commented "It doesn't much better than that". I experimented with a couple of slower balls to Pmac and he hit them both down the ground for 2's, not the promised 6's. Pmac edged at least 2 that weren't taken, maybe even 3? I eventually got him with what should have been a wide, but he went after it and nicked it through to Prasad and walked.
Ted though was a different prospect... My first ball was over the wicket and that was hit with a late cut down to 3rd man with ease, so then I went around the wicket bowling it into him bowling wide outside of his off-stump. Again, so many play and misses and again the ball turning plenty - landing outside of off 5th or 6th stump line and only just missing leg stump or bouncing over leg-stump. One of his shots that I bowled down the leg-side went for 3 with Tony Keep chasing it down.
Given that there were only 10 in the field, I was happy with that, with only one ball accidentally bowled leg-side. Arvind replaced Pmac, but I only got to bowl a few balls at him and then was taken out of the attack.
The bowling continued in a similar vein throughout with no-one really returning bad figures other than new bloke Ryan.
