definitely to the step in class between good amateur and pro. I used to play a decent standard, enough that you'd run up against ex county pros, occasionally current pros (played a WI fringe ODI player one time, he was an all rounder but distinctly rapid by our counting. First ball of the game he went for a full ball, I got a thick inside edge and it ran off behind square leg for four, to resounding shouts of 'SHOT!' from my team mates in the pavilion. I didn't get another in my half for the rest of the game.
The best example of the gulf wasn't a game I played but the scorebook from a club we played down in Somerset on tour. The week before, they'd played a midweek knockout cup game against a local rival (long before 20:20) Max 4 overs per bowler. After 12 overs they were about 80-odd for 2 or 3 and looking at a decent total. 8 overs later they'd barely scraped 100 after Joel Garner came on and bowled back of a length taking 4 for 8 in his 4 overs. And these were DECENT club cricketers, Somerset league is pretty good!
Blimey, Big Bird in club cricket! Errr, no thanks.
A lad I knew who went Cambridge played a game against Worcs when they had Glenn McGrath. After a few overs of not getting anywhere near the ball he got out. He said he then went to the nets to try to figure out what had gone wrong and felt like he didn't know which end of the bat to hold after being so comprehensively worked over.
Thinking about this stuff just makes you appreciate how quick the guys who even test batsmen were 'apprehensive' about must have been.
Brett Lee
Shoaib Akhtar
Wasim
Waqar
Allan Donald
Devon Malcolm
Michael Holding
Malcolm Marshall
Patrick Patterson
Look how quick this is in real-time (Brett Lee with the Fremantle Doctor on the fastest pitch in the world). Make a mistake and there just isn't time to correct it.
No
Still play village cricket and open the batting. Bowling is getting harder with age though and the youngsters hit the ball so bloody hard
Was in schoolboy county squad - never good enough for full team - but faced Derrick Underwood in nets at Edgbaston. Spinner!!! Bloody zipped the ball down. First ball flew past my nose and this was pre helmet days. I was truly scared...
Derrick Underwood
Badged as a spinner, but really a bit of a niche bowler of cutters.
Lethal on uncovered wickets.
I’m ok, but I was always a WC and opening bat. I had nets session once with Walsh and Marshall, terrifying.
Still play village cricket and open the batting
Why am I not surprised ? Your wife is extremely understanding and I have no idea where you find the time 😉
Underwood was club level fast medium !
Underwood is one of the nicest guys in cricket too...
Actually this summer was poor for many reasons!!
Cricket is almost as anti social as golf. Get more pink tickets for a bike ride!
Played a team in Newcastle west who had a young ****stani lad playing for them, on the ****stani U19 team apparently. He was a medium pacer, I lasted 3 balls even though he was coming in from 3 paces. First one didnt even see it, only knew he had bowled it when I heard the thump in the keepers glove. right I thought, he's a bit nippy despite 3 paces, keep an eye out for the next one. Same again...3rd ball thought ok, he's quick despite the run up, just concentrate, 3rd ball came down a LOT slower, had 4 attempts at it before it took my off stump. They were all laughing, I got the feeling I was not the only one to be bowled that way.
Cannot remember the name (it was 20 yrs ago) but he went on to make his debut for ****stan full side that summer...
Sorry for the FB link, but this popped up yesterday
Cricket is almost as anti social as golf.
Which is basically the reason I packed it in. When child number two came along I went back to playing. Second game back I was stood in the outfield thinking "I'm not enjoying this". I'd always said to the lads that it was a leisure activity as far as I was concerned and would pack it in the second I stopped enjoying it. They were sceptical, but it turns out I was true to my word.
I wonder if I might go back to it when the kids are a bit older, but my recent experience made me realise that although I can still get the ball through bowling, my eyes have 'gone' when it comes to batting and fielding. One bloke hit a ball only reasonably hard past me at mid wicket at head height. Back in the day I would have given myself a 50/50 chance of catching it, this time I stood there like a mannequin with my hands out as it flew past. I did not see it at all, and it would have hit me flush in the gob had it been a yard to the left.
I wonder if I might go back to it when the kids are a bit older, but my recent experience made me realise that although I can still get the ball through bowling, my eyes have 'gone' when it comes to batting and fielding. One bloke hit a ball only reasonably hard past me at mid wicket at head height. Back in the day I would have given myself a 50/50 chance of catching it, this time I stood there like a mannequin with my hands out as it flew past. I did not see it at all, and it would have hit me flush in the gob had it been a yard to the left.
It gets you out of the house, I started again a few years ago, a bit of knowledge makes up for the decline in physical attributes. I play with a guy who has been paid to play in his youth - he is miles away from where he was but it still a great way to spend an afternoon.
Friday night 20 20s are also a great solution for the time poor.
BTW, that Somerset team did pretty well against Garner if they got 8 runs off 4 overs, his economy rate in International ODI isn't much worse at 3.09 (the best ever for a career)
My greatest sporting moment was in a cricket game at school. I used to bat eleven but i was pretty handy at leg spin. In year 8 we played an inter-school game versus year 10 and i was first change. Remember the 'ball of the century' from Warne to Gatting? I did that but better, pitching outside leg stump and bowling a year 10 opener behind his legs. Never got close to a ball like that again, but i was hard to pick. Part of me wishes i'd played more when younger as i stopped after my GCSEs.
No, could never bowl. Was able to bat a bit, but for some reason could never get the hang of bowling.
I recall watching Allan Donald playing for Rishton (vs Ramsbottom) in the Lancashire League, this would've been the mid 90s. Even though he was coming off a short run, I couldn't see the ball through the air. Amazingly, the Ramsbottom opener manager to score 50, though I think most of them were off the other bowlers. It was the only time I saw him wear a helmet.
There's a programme on BBC 4 this weekend about the West Indies players that played in the Lancashire league.
[url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b097bl89 ]BBC 4[/url]
BTW, that Somerset team did pretty well against Garner if they got 8 runs off 4 overs, his economy rate in International ODI isn't much worse at 3.09 (the best ever for a career)
You're right, my memory let me down - and amazingly there is online reference to it. It was 4 for 3
