Done and Dusted - Sax's Blog
26 July 2013
The Brewin Dolphin Cheltenham Cricket Festival came to an end last weekend with the brace of wins hoped for in my previous blog. The two wins were crucial to the success of the festival and it meant everyone left on a high note as the college ground emptied for the final time. Worcestershire were beat well before tea last Saturday; the Gloucesters still had six wickets in hand. I have been told that this was the first win against Worcestershire since 1995 in the county championship; that win coming at Archdeacon Meadow where Gloucestershire won by an innings and 73 runs. It has been a torrid time since then. It was about time we broke the duck. Moving on to the Glamorgan game last Sunday, it was an outstanding 10 wicket win by the boys. A fantastic way to round off the summer festival with the game blessed by blue skies once again. The RAF parachute regiment provided a spectacular curtain raiser jumping from 12,000 feet to land just before the wicket. A sell-out crowd graced Cheltenham for the final day and they were treated to some brilliant Gloucestershire cricket. At the end of play the lads wandered down to The Golden Heart for a well-earned drink. A great way to end what proved to be a sun-shine filled fortnight.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhYfHAL-Tzo
Monday was a rest day for most, I had a Chance to Shine cricket assembly to attend at a local school. The assembly was based on trying to get cricket deprived areas of the city into the sport; especially during this 2013 Ashes summer. The kids took to the little competitions really well with great enthusiasm and a few were lucky enough to take away cricket based prizes. Let’s hope a couple take up cricket and rise to stardom in the future. It was also my first day back in the gym, 23kms on the bike. Chris Froome beware!!! The 2nd XI had a game against Middlesex at Thornbury cricket club, but despite half centuries by Ian Cockbain and Ed Young the 193 posted by Gloucestershire was not enough and the visitors knocked it off with 6 wickets to spare.
Tuesday. Preparation day for Warwickshire, the lads were scheduled in for light training as bodies would have still been a little sore from the two weeks at Cheltenham. I saw a few overs in the nets from the window of the commercial office; the practice facilities did look a little spicy. Quite a nice change for the bowlers. I nearly strapped on my bowling boots and wandered over for a bowl… The 2nd XI were at Thornbury again, however the overnight end-of-the-world rain meant that the day was a complete washout so I imagine most of them would have been spotted in the coffee shops around Clifton filling a bit of time. A little side-note here about Monday night’s downpour and the reason I know it wasn’t mess-about-rain. The lightening created a very distinctive strobe effect in my bedroom, one that can only be matched by Syndicate (a club in town) at about three in the morning as something loud and techno is played across the dance floor. Or so I’m told…
On Wednesday the 2nd XI eventually got underway in their reduced match now only able to play 2 days out of the 3 day game scheduled. Michael Beard and Tom Shrewsbury claimed 4 wickets a piece as Middlesex made 332. Wednesday also saw the FLt20 v Warwickshire Bears. Unfortunately our total of 145 proved to be short as The Bears eased their way to victory with 14 balls to spare. Michael Klinger again led from the front setting the total; he top scored but lacked any meaningful support. The bowlers toiled but couldn’t defend the target. To add to the disappointing day we learnt that we will start next season’s t20 campaign with a deduction of 2 points as the pitch committee dealing with one of the t20 wickets at Cheltenham deemed it to be unfit for one day cricket. The ECB stated at the start of this season that good wickets must be produced for all white ball cricket in order to create an exciting spectacle for the punters. Unfortunately the sun beating down at Cheltenham dried the wicket considerably and it was officially describe as poor. Although it is very disappointing the club accepts the decision, have drawn a line under it and will move on.
I was helping with arrangements for the 350 hospitality guest booked for Somerset yesterday. I thought my sign printing and laminating days were over after Cheltenham was done and dusted. I was wrong! Hospitality posters, table plans, table settings…I’m looking forward to 2014 already!!! The 2nd XI batted poorly in their first innings at Thornbury and were asked to follow on however half centuries from Will Tavare and Dan Housego ensured a draw.
Today is game day, local rivals Somerset will arrive in Bristol shortly. The nerves will be back as the ground has sold out. Although the ground does not have the normal capacity at the moment due to the developments the 4000 people in will make the ground feel full. A win this evening and against Glamorgan on Tuesday will give us positives to take out of this year’s FLt20 campaign. I’m going to write for the hope of a brace of wins again. It seemed to work last week!!
