The valleys and beyond - a season in Welsh cricket.

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mas cambios

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The valleys and beyond - a season in Welsh cricket.

Having decided that travelling back to England to play cricket was too much, I eagerly await the first game for my new club, which, weather permitting will happen tomorrow.

It's been good in many ways, as I've been able to meet a lot of new people, have actually been able to have a decent pre-season for the first time in a few years and I think the challenge of winning a place in a new team has given me a goal to aim for and upped my game somewhat.

The best thing is being able to log a few hours of bowling practice each week, which has made a massive difference to my game. I've been able to work on a few things and get the changes in action sorted out and make them part of a familiar routine. I know there has been talk of the law of 10,000 on here over the past few days, but regardless of the number, practice certainly helps to make perfect (well better, in my case). The worst thing to come out of it, is that I'm getting lopsided, especially in the shoulders, so that is something I'll have to work on.

As the season progresses, I'm looking forward to getting to see some new grounds and experience some new opposition - having spent near enough 18 years in the same place, you do tend to see the same old places and faces year in. It'll also be interesting in having to adjust to a new home wicket, I knew the old one like the back of my hand, especially the places that would kick up or help the ball to shoot off a length.

Well, that's enough for now and I'll try to update as I have more.

Adios!
 
Re: The valleys and beyond - a season in Welsh cricket.

Just to pick you up on the 'lopsided' issue, is this a problem?? I noticed at the end of last season I was very lopsided but the rugby season has me back to being more balanced at the moment.

Good luck in Wales, I'm guessing the system is probably pretty similar to Scottish cricket. :D
 
Re: The valleys and beyond - a season in Welsh cricket.

I would say that being slightly lopsided is an issue, as it's creating an unbalance which could increase the chance of injury.

It's not hard to correct, more making the effort to do so.

From what I know the system is pretty similar to that in England, as we're all covered by the ECB and their pyramid system. The main change may be that they want to create a true Premier league covering the whole of South Wales, which would be an arse, due to the distances.
 
Re: The valleys and beyond - a season in Welsh cricket.

mas cambios said:
I would say that being slightly lopsided is an issue, as it's creating an unbalance which could increase the chance of injury.
Click to expand...

Now and in the future ;)
 
Re: The valleys and beyond - a season in Welsh cricket.

Right ok, if the imbalance does ever get bad in the future I'll make the effort to deal with it. At the moment I'm pretty even ;)

Oh ok, in Scotland it's a different set up. Regional leagues (eg my club is in the Glasgow Area league with 5 divs) then a National League with 2 divs. Somtimes people get relegated and promoted from Regionals to Nationals but it's not often.
 
Re: The valleys and beyond - a season in Welsh cricket.

A quick update as I now have the computer back up and running.

Weather has been so so round here after I decided to skip training on Monday (ankle was still sore from Saturday, so thought it best to give it a rest) and I haven't been able to get out since.

Training would be tonight, but it's also the start of the junior season so I have my team to look after, it's always interesting to see them for the first time. Also, as this is a new training set-up, it'll also be interesting in seeing how they do things.

Other than that I have the first league game of the season to look forward to on Saturday, an away trip with the 1st XI, so that's good. The biggest challenge will seemingly be in beating the weather though.
 
Re: The valleys and beyond - a season in Welsh cricket.

I managed to survive the dreaded under 9's and lived to tell the tale!

Joking aside, it was quite nice to see a turn out of about 30, which I think was half decent seeing as the weather has been pants.

Took them through a few simple games and I think they enjoyed it, some of the ones who were quiet to start with got louder as it went on and there were already a few stand out players - one kid even played a cracking square cut during the little game of pairs cricket at the end.

All in all, a good session and a lot of potential to work with over the next few weeks. First game is on the 18th of May, so that'll be the acid test - can we find 8 all rounders!
 
Re: The valleys and beyond - a season in Welsh cricket.

So so, I'd say. There do seem to be a few swarms about and I have 3 or 4 pretty nasty bites (but then again, I'm allergic to things like that and always suffer worse than the normal folk).

I guess it's not helped that I walk the dog in woodland etc, tend to get bigger flies and bugs around there, plus it's a wetland farm, so that doesn't help either.
 
Re: The valleys and beyond - a season in Welsh cricket.

Personally, a very, very, very poor day. Only two overs of absolute dross with a combination of too much personal pressure and a 'raised' wicket culminating in a knackered ankle and wides.

I also managed to take out an opposition batsman with a wild throw, which struck him on the temple and knocked him out very briefly. Thoughts of being run out of town crossed my mind as I ran over to check on him but thankfully he was pretty much ok. The bruise on his head was a beauty and is sure to only get more vibrant in colour over the next few days.

Without trying to trivialise the incident, when it hit him, there was a fairly pleasant sounding 'clunk' as the ball bounced off and landed somewhere past mid-off.

Thankfully he seemed ok, so I continue my record of not having killed someone on the field of play.

As for the team, it was a good start, as we made a competitive total on a difficult wicket (low, slow and popping) and defended it very well; winning by about 50 runs in the end. Bodes well for the rest of the season, although I'm pretty certain I'll be in the 2's next week, if that.
 
Re: The valleys and beyond - a season in Welsh cricket.

mas cambios said:
I also managed to take out an opposition batsman with a wild throw, which struck him on the temple and knocked him out very briefly. Thoughts of being run out of town crossed my mind as I ran over to check on him but thankfully he was pretty much ok. The bruise on his head was a beauty and is sure to only get more vibrant in colour over the next few days.

Without trying to trivialise the incident, when it hit him, there was a fairly pleasant sounding 'clunk' as the ball bounced off and landed somewhere past mid-off.

Thankfully he seemed ok, so I continue my record of not having killed someone on the field of play.
Click to expand...

That'll Teach him to wear a lid!
 
Re: The valleys and beyond - a season in Welsh cricket.

Indeed it will! Can't wait for the return fixture :eek:.

In better news, I finally got confirmation of my uni place for September (barring ucas not losing my form), so that's one less thing to worry about.
 
Re: The valleys and beyond - a season in Welsh cricket.

It hopefully does, although being one of only 3 mature students on the course will be a little daunting, well, as first anyway.
 
Re: The valleys and beyond - a season in Welsh cricket.

Congrats! Yeh dad wants to take a course at uni to become a doctor to work in country Victoria (you get paid lottttttss) and my sister who is at uni at the moment was like ohh you're gonna be one of those annoying mature age students that does all their homework and asks the lecturer haeps of questions lol.

So what are you doing for your course again?
 
Re: The valleys and beyond - a season in Welsh cricket.

I'm going to do sports coaching / development with a few other things thrown in. Need a change of career and might as well do something that I enjoy and will be motivated for.

Will I be the annoying one asking questions? Probably not, but then you never know :laugh:.
 
Re: The valleys and beyond - a season in Welsh cricket.

Hahaha. I would love to do sports coaching at uni but I doubt I will be able to be very succesful.
 
Re: The valleys and beyond - a season in Welsh cricket.

I haven't a clue about the Australian uni system so can't really comment on it. I think I have the advantage of being mature over here though, the uni I'm going to has a pretty good sports department which is normally over subscribed.
 
Re: The valleys and beyond - a season in Welsh cricket.

The simple logic of children:

Me: Please don't swing and throw that bat

Child: But I won't hit anyone, there is no-one there

Me: That is not the point, who is to say it'll go where you want it to

Child: But there was no-one there

Me: What if someone walked in it? What if you slip? Would you fancy a cricket bat hitting you after someone had chucked it?

Child: There was no-one there and I know what I'm doing. A bat wouldn't hurt!

Me: A bat would hurt but that is not the point, please don't do it again.

Child: 'Sulks'
 
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