Play up... Play up... and play the game!

What a week this is going to be. The World Cup kicks off on Friday with England playing their opener against the USA on Saturday.

And...the Outlook cricket season also gets under way!

 We were out Monday evening getting in some pre-match practice...well 7 of us were...the other 4 couldn't come out to play. Good old Bill did his customary sterling stuff, organising the practice ground and all the necessary equipment. We decided to pass on the protective box. It's bad enough sharing sweaty gloves...but a box???
Practice started promptly. Well I padded up and Bill lobbed some under-arms at me for 15 minutes until the young dudes from Digital Design and Video Production turned up. Then after 5 minutes fixing hair and turning up collars (Cantona style) we got into practice proper.
Being "in situ" with the pads I took the first 15 minutes batting practice....well 5 really by the time the dudes had stopped bowling wides. A problem that understandably embarrassed them....and prompted determined efforts to unsettle me with increasingly quick bowling.
Unfazed, I parried their best endeavours...missed a few... but generally attempted to knock the ball back towards the bowlers...with the occasional high one for catching practice. When I swopped bat for ball my altruism was not altogether reciprocated. Clearly still smarting with indignity over their bowling the dudes needed to reassert their "cool superiority" by hitting the bowling hard...and as far wide as possible from the bowlers!
But I understood. Feelings of Team Spirit....Camaraderie...Self-lessness prevailed...and I offered encouraging remarks to big hitting Jason and James. "You've played yourselves in nicely lads....certain to open the batting for the match I reckon!" That was Monday.

Last night was the match.

We got stuffed. The opposition found hitting 4's and 6's as difficult as flicking grape pips whilst reclining in a garden hammock. I bowled just two overs despite taking a wicket and temporarily slowing their remorseless progress to an eventual 163 runs.

When batting in reply...we didn't.  Our tactics of defensive block and singles ensured with mathematical certainty that we would play out the allocated 20 overs (120 balls) well short of target. It also ensured that I wouldn't have a chance to bat.

Today my feelings are different. Altruism has been replaced by recrimination. Anticipation has been usurped by realisation!
Wow listen to me getting all philosophical. But then maybe that's a good "life's lesson" to take out of the cricket. Never stop anticipating the next game!
Well...I've got 4 weeks of World Cup football to practice that!