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Diary of an amateur Skipper (part 2)
Chris Hudson13 May 2023 - 07:52
Helicopter Captaining
I will be unavailable this week and so have to do what I can to orchestrate the backroom functions for my trusted colleague who will run things on the day. Weather prevents both the planned Surrey Slam game and nets (of course) from proceeding successfully, however it looks dry enough on Saturday. This means we are likely on.
Several stalwarts are ‘unavailable’ or ‘not set’ on the system. Not sure which bugs me more. Gotta respect the players who [digitally] shout BAIL early on. I can only admire their ability to coordinate their lives, which seems to be the result of more foresight than I can ever muster.
The previous weekend has a bank holiday which makes the challenge of cajoling the skippers above me in the pecking order even harder. The casual ‘how’s it going?’ type enquiries that normally pervade the early discussions about wider selection decisions must now be forsaken. This week I must start with the more probing ‘what are you stuck with?’ before moving swiftly towards tomorrow’s ‘pull your finger out’ commentary. You may think this is somewhat overbearing relative to my lowly position in the Club- trust me, the other Captains need all the encouragement they can get. Selection looks more challenging this week at any rate- can you win a game with a side full of bowlers and part-timers? If we do, it will be as expected from a Reigate League side. If we don’t, there will be muttered performance reviews of the Captaincy. The skipper very rarely gets credit for a win, but always is accountable for a loss. I’m starting to understand the drawbacks of this gig.
The youth question is ever present. How many can be released from studies/school cricket/family occasions? How much ‘support’ do they need (on and off field)? Given that first impressions can make a big impact on younger players, what type of game is best to bring them into (clue- not Dulwich away)? My foray into the potential selectees from the youth section begins and will, inevitably, involve the views of several Coaches and other club Mandarins. Unsurprisingly, there is often a wide range of opinions about an individual’s potential and form. This does not seem to change throughout the entirety of one’s cricket career. My main concern is whether they can chase a ball and bowl a relatively straight line. I have weaned myself off expecting anyone (old or young) to do anything with a bat- it is always a bonus when they do.
The opposition this week is the 3rd XI from a nearby town and so this ostensibly constitutes a derby. Having said that we have not played them before in my 15+ years at the club and so perhaps ramping it up in those terms might be a tad premature. I am reminded of my previous effort to instil a small trophy into the regular fixture against a local village side, only to have them win this 10 out of 12 times and then fold as a club while still holders (thus preventing us ever contending for it again). Sigh….
No contact from the oppo skipper and my messages have seemingly gone into the void. Have the standards of etiquette broken down so badly that you don’t even get a quick message beforehand anymore? At any rate, I have managed to figure out where the match is to be held which is half the battle. As I’m not playing this week, the lads will have to contend with their own thoughts in the changing room rather than listen to one of my carefully curated playlists. Philistines.
Selection will include some new/young debutants and I have a small pang of guilt flow through me knowing that my stand-in for the day will have to do a bit more than simply manage the game; now there is some mentoring involved. Good news is that he is a ex Headteacher and very good at grabbing situations by the scruff of the neck. This guy mentors in his sleep. I probably still owe him a beer for his behind-the-scenes efforts to get me organised over the years.
Almost the first message from the host Captain comes late Friday. He thinks that we have to ‘postpone’ as the waterlogged square has seemingly prevented any pitch preparation. Hmm. At one level this is entirely within the realm of expected outcomes in the early season. At another, the careless use of the term postpone (not a valid option) and the oppo’s record of forfeited matches from last season suggests that the matter may not be as straightforward as it first seems. Blimey, I’m going to have to play the Chairman card pretty early in this campaign, aren’t I? Naturally, he is sage like and extremely reasonable in his advice (anyone would think he does it for a living) and so my defence status lowers to DEFCON 1. We will agree to a cancellation and accept five points each, but not before several of my trusted confidants within the club have recommended setting up a sting operation to sneak into their ground and double check the conditions. While these were certainly tongue in cheek suggestions, it is definitely not my style. The spirit of cricket requires me to accept what the opposition tells me in good faith, recognising that disingenuousness will be its own punishment in time (yeah right). And yet…a little voice in my head is saying that the missed opportunity for the addition 15 points might come back to bite us at season’s end.
So two weeks into the season and not a ball bowled, but no losses incurred yet either. Always a bright side isn’t there?
Next week- the first big test.
Several stalwarts are ‘unavailable’ or ‘not set’ on the system. Not sure which bugs me more. Gotta respect the players who [digitally] shout BAIL early on. I can only admire their ability to coordinate their lives, which seems to be the result of more foresight than I can ever muster.
The previous weekend has a bank holiday which makes the challenge of cajoling the skippers above me in the pecking order even harder. The casual ‘how’s it going?’ type enquiries that normally pervade the early discussions about wider selection decisions must now be forsaken. This week I must start with the more probing ‘what are you stuck with?’ before moving swiftly towards tomorrow’s ‘pull your finger out’ commentary. You may think this is somewhat overbearing relative to my lowly position in the Club- trust me, the other Captains need all the encouragement they can get. Selection looks more challenging this week at any rate- can you win a game with a side full of bowlers and part-timers? If we do, it will be as expected from a Reigate League side. If we don’t, there will be muttered performance reviews of the Captaincy. The skipper very rarely gets credit for a win, but always is accountable for a loss. I’m starting to understand the drawbacks of this gig.
The youth question is ever present. How many can be released from studies/school cricket/family occasions? How much ‘support’ do they need (on and off field)? Given that first impressions can make a big impact on younger players, what type of game is best to bring them into (clue- not Dulwich away)? My foray into the potential selectees from the youth section begins and will, inevitably, involve the views of several Coaches and other club Mandarins. Unsurprisingly, there is often a wide range of opinions about an individual’s potential and form. This does not seem to change throughout the entirety of one’s cricket career. My main concern is whether they can chase a ball and bowl a relatively straight line. I have weaned myself off expecting anyone (old or young) to do anything with a bat- it is always a bonus when they do.
The opposition this week is the 3rd XI from a nearby town and so this ostensibly constitutes a derby. Having said that we have not played them before in my 15+ years at the club and so perhaps ramping it up in those terms might be a tad premature. I am reminded of my previous effort to instil a small trophy into the regular fixture against a local village side, only to have them win this 10 out of 12 times and then fold as a club while still holders (thus preventing us ever contending for it again). Sigh….
No contact from the oppo skipper and my messages have seemingly gone into the void. Have the standards of etiquette broken down so badly that you don’t even get a quick message beforehand anymore? At any rate, I have managed to figure out where the match is to be held which is half the battle. As I’m not playing this week, the lads will have to contend with their own thoughts in the changing room rather than listen to one of my carefully curated playlists. Philistines.
Selection will include some new/young debutants and I have a small pang of guilt flow through me knowing that my stand-in for the day will have to do a bit more than simply manage the game; now there is some mentoring involved. Good news is that he is a ex Headteacher and very good at grabbing situations by the scruff of the neck. This guy mentors in his sleep. I probably still owe him a beer for his behind-the-scenes efforts to get me organised over the years.
Almost the first message from the host Captain comes late Friday. He thinks that we have to ‘postpone’ as the waterlogged square has seemingly prevented any pitch preparation. Hmm. At one level this is entirely within the realm of expected outcomes in the early season. At another, the careless use of the term postpone (not a valid option) and the oppo’s record of forfeited matches from last season suggests that the matter may not be as straightforward as it first seems. Blimey, I’m going to have to play the Chairman card pretty early in this campaign, aren’t I? Naturally, he is sage like and extremely reasonable in his advice (anyone would think he does it for a living) and so my defence status lowers to DEFCON 1. We will agree to a cancellation and accept five points each, but not before several of my trusted confidants within the club have recommended setting up a sting operation to sneak into their ground and double check the conditions. While these were certainly tongue in cheek suggestions, it is definitely not my style. The spirit of cricket requires me to accept what the opposition tells me in good faith, recognising that disingenuousness will be its own punishment in time (yeah right). And yet…a little voice in my head is saying that the missed opportunity for the addition 15 points might come back to bite us at season’s end.
So two weeks into the season and not a ball bowled, but no losses incurred yet either. Always a bright side isn’t there?
Next week- the first big test.
Further reading