I’m getting sad again. Only 3 league games to go just as the 1XI have got going. Last Saturday was almost perfect, a stonking win, opposition in disarray, doughnuts for tea and Ross looking a very classy bat. At Littlewick we worshiped the zero, is ‘nothing’ sacred? I am sure Howard Siliconchip can correct me but the 1XI have used 27 players so far this season. I think this is both a strength in our membership and a weakness in availability, 8 players were probably under 25, the average number of appearances per player is 5.25. The thing that really excites me on a Saturday is this mix of some very useful cricketers and a good cadre of youngsters indicating an exciting future for Hurley CC. I could not see a future for Hurley not too long ago, but now I am optimistic and I might now get some new pens and score another year. This strength in depth has a knock on to the 2XI and to have two teams relatively comfortable in Divisions 2 & 3 is better than many other local clubs.
Our youngsters are also really good people. They might favour the hoodie and Facebook but would never help themselves to a flatscreen tv. They would never end up on the wrong end of a Rozzer, while I have heard that the Kaiser Chiefs have been arrested for predicting a riot. Congratulations also to Chris Dawkins (11) for his first game in the senior sides, carrying on a rich tradition from the Dawkins clan. Him and Ollie will be on tour soon, just like Dad and his Uncles, hopefully better behaved.
Last night I saw my first Christmas menu, it’s only bloody August 17th! So what do I want for Christmas and HCC? I won’t bore you with a long list, BUT, 1) Naeem’s new job to be transferred to London, 2) George and James to come back to Saturdays, 3) a pretty trainee scorer for me, 4) a members only balcony with lockable gate, bar and portaloo, 5) the nephew rediscovers his appetite for cricket, 6) massive uptake of kit from Serious Cricket.com 7) and another successful year for the Ringo minis.
I have been changing my mind about where we are as a club faster than Shane Warne has had a make over, and both of us have had a Hurley to heart. Mind you, his has more bumps than our outfield. Stonking maximum pointers for the 1XI against the hated Hammersham Mill and the new boys of Pinkneys has fired expectations, but dented by the 2XI falling off the pace. It just shows that with a few absentees we are down to bare bones and I don’t mean the skeletal form of Onmytodd. Of course the burgeoning colts are brilliant but it also exposes our lack of numbers as they now exceed senior paid membership. Ramadan is not going to help 2XI either as 3-4 players bow out for the holy month. Sun set this week 8.41!
My sojourns down the club on Sundays to gleen the latest gossip from Steve Nicotine are yielding poor results. He keeps scoring runs so we can’t chat. He has developed a nervous twitch though as if he is dodging balls or is it bullets? We have a new mini Roy of the Rovers, congrats to Naeem bin Rovers and Sumeira on the birth of their baby girl. You can’t leave now Naeem, Josh and Liam need a little playmate. I missed George Schnapps 37 on Sunday which is a shame, and a pity he is not available Saturdays, especially as he managed to prise the gloves off Mike ‘Hannibal’ Walnut. Keepers are a rare commodity and sometime Denis Waykikki will not be able to get down and then up again.
Plaudits to Dave Walnut for umpiring the 2XI last week as he was not picked by his brother, more members like him would really add to any club, contrast those that think more about how much they personally get out of the game and not what is good for the team or the club. Perhaps they should try skippering and trying to keep everyone happy as well as getting a side out. Dave Walnut for Clubman 2011.
