A Ton in the Sun

I've just remembered I told myself I'd update this at about 4pm this afternoon, and I've only just got round to it. Current time is 1:20am.

Anyway, just a quick one I suppose, to keep this battered, ancient, coughing old blog up and running. This weeked was an absolute scorcher, perfect for cricket, but I wasn't really in the mood. I'd spent all week running around, trying to get a full team together, (of which I finally acheived late on Friday evening), and after a whole week of the post-birthday blues, plus the fact the muggy weather had crept up on me, making me feel more tired... Yeah. I wasn't feeling too good.

So to turn up on Saturday afternoon, after a busy morning at work, to find the club not open at all, half an hour before the scheduled start notched up my "angry meter" a little more... How many more incompetent moments am I going to take before I finally quit that club? I've tried to look for excuses to go somewhere else in the past year or so, before telling myself that all I want to do is get a good game. Being captain for both sides guarantees this, so I end up staying. Despite having to put up with the infuriating "Director of Cricket"...

Anyway. After a hullabaloo of phone calls, we opened up and got up-and-running, albeit 20 minutes late. I won the toss, (a rarity), and chose to bat. Fielding would be much easier when it was cooler in the early evening, rather than the burning heat of the afternoon sun. My fellow opener, usually reliable, was cleaned up in the first over, which was probably the point I woke up and realised someone was going to have to step up to the plate. Our batting order was weak, and I couldn't see anyone else scoring the serious runs needed to win a cricket match. So I knuckled down. TK and I put on a decent partnership of 90, before he ballooned one up in the air, and was soon followed by Mr.Cox and Raj, (on his debut), and then we were in a slight bit of trouble. I had yet to reach my 50 when Cameron came in, but he played a few trademark slogs, around me still nudging the 1s and 2s, ticking it over, playing the anchor role. I make it sound much harder than it actually was. I received a polite round of applause from the boundary rope as I reached my first 50 of the season, but I barely acknowledged them. Half of this was knowing that I was once again in a good position to go on to my 3rd ton. The other half was simply because I couldn't be bothered. I was bored. The bowling was rubbish, I had more chance of getting out than being snapped up by Roy Hodgson to go to Euro 2012. I was only out there batting, only because the alternative was umpiring, and I know which one I'd choose.

So. Cameron stayed in for a while, followed by someone I can't remember and then a few trademark whacks from Sofee, all around me, still nudging 1s and 2s, even if I had hit a few boundaries by now. It wasn't until the 41st over, when I still hadn't reached my ton, when the number 11 batsman was walking to the wicket. It was only at this time where I really wanted the ton, knowing I was very close only to be left high and dry wouldn't have been a nice feeling. So I told young Shaun to give me the strike, and the next over, I nurdled a trademark single to deep(ish) mid wicket, and received a rapturous cheer from the boundary. A 3rd ton, of which I was pleased with, but, unlike my 50, was genuinely too mentally knackered to celebrate properly, so simply held my bat aloft... A bit tame really... Shaun got out to the last ball of the innings, and I was left not out on 124. I had decided, that after getting to my 100, I was just going to slog, and hit a few more boundaries. It's a new high score though, and another target to beat. I was pleased.

We won't talk about Sunday's performance...

The start to this week has been distinctly average. A slow afternoon at work and a simply atrocious performance on the snooker table led to a convincing defeat to CC, but never mind. I have a long week ahead, but 2 things are keeping me going.

1) I'm going to Newcastle, (hopefully), on 8th June with Beddoe, Marriott and the recently injured Colin... Hence the "hopefully" part...

2) Most of the University friends, (i.e. most of my best friends), are soon to be returning for a Summer of non-stop fun. And we all know I love a bit of that...!