Six...and out!

It was the first weekend of my 2008 cricket season, but unfortunately it did not feel like the season with the bitterly cold winds and rain that interrupted the matches.

My first team match versus Cleethorpes, a side from the Yorkshire Premier League was cancelled on Friday night due to masses of rain the night before. I was really disappointed because I couldn’t wait to get a game in and prove my worth in the first team for Bracebridge Heath during my first year starting in the first team.

I woke up on Sunday to the sight of drizzling rain. We still travelled to Nottingham to face Papplewick in the Newark Alliance Premier League. I had been asked to captain the side and rallied around to muster up a side, which was definitely not as strong as it should have been with only one other first team player including myself.

This was a game that I have been eager to play in since seeing that it was the first Newark Alliance game of the season. Having scored a maiden century against them in the first game of the season last year, I wanted to score another ton against them and keep getting recognised. Granted the pitch was a road last year but I feel it was one of my best knocks thus far.

When I turned up to the ground after a long journey, I lost the toss and we were put into bat on a green wicket.

I have been told never to make excuses, but this was one of the worst wickets I had played on and to be honest. I opened the batting and made six and felt completely out of form. But I am not going to get too wound up over this as batting was almost impossible as the ball was not getting above knee height.

We struggled to 71-8 off our allotted overs, which might have been enough considering that Papplewick had scored 80 odd and won the previous day.

Unfortunately, it was not enough, but we gave up a good fight and claimed six wickets before our opponents completed the chase.

A disappointing start for the season to me, but I am not going to beat myself up about scoring six.

I have two games for Bracebridge Heath First team over the next weekend, the first is the league opener against Nettleham and the second is in the cup against Lindum, who one of my best mates has just signed for.

Before these matches I will get to the nets and try and hit a few balls outdoors, getting back into the groove for the important matches this weekend.