PODS BLOG 2005/06

Undoubtedly the match of the day in the Aire-Wharfe A division saw the cellar dwellers meet at Low Pictureskew is the word I'm looking for.

Springs. Craig won the toss and with merely half an eye on Germany, chose to field in the sweltering heat. Once again Dobby and Jack got an early wicket apiece, but still seem capable of putting a couple of none too perfect deliveries into every over. With Pod preferring the down-wind option, or was it due to last weeks’ teddy throwing incident, Rocky came on first change, and how well did he bowl? 4-40 ripped out the middle order, and Pod could only admire the results of the toil at the other end, whilst shaking his head at his own happenings. The openers were brought back to give us a decent score to chase, give the batters a bit of practice, and seeing as Craig wasn’t rushing off this week. 163 was never really going to be enough at Tong Park, despite the track being a bit two paced and a little uneven. Wouldn’t fancy facing a quickie on this deck, luckily none were playing today.

Points off for cutting teacakes into quarters (unless the queen is visiting, this is not acceptable and just takes up too much room on your [paper] plate).

With Duncan tuned into radio 5 and Den with his portable TV fired up, there was scant interest Dobby still searching for an isotonic drink that is in tune with his body.

Dobby still searching for an isotonic drink that is in tune with his body.

as Si Wilson slapped two boundaries (one of each) in the first over of our reply. Scotty swapped ends and proved the only one to stem the flow slightly but Tong needed to take wickets and this just didn’t happen. A 100 partnership set a solid base before Stu got bored and thought he’d watch the fast approaching penalties in Gelsenkirchen. Like a bit of a copy-cat Si joined him and Weff, upped to 3 in the order holed out to deep [well as deep as you can get at Tong Park] backward square, when he should have been seeing another six runs added onto the total. It was just left to Dingy, with Dunc in tow, to cross the line at a canter and collect a desperately needed 6 points that still leaves us in touch with survival.

It was interesting to note that Hughesy is on the verge of his c One eye on the football, one on the cricket.

omeback. He pencilled in next week as a possibility, but certainly will be back for the 15^th July. Just a coincidence that this is sponsors day and there’ll be a massive crowd watching, or another big shout of ‘Me, me, me’ from the Strawberry Blond twirler? You decide.

Pod got back to Rawdon to see the end of the 2nds game with Harden. A magnificent chase to 266 for the visitors saw them home in the last over and Viners has a new harshest critic. Pod has been usurped in this roll by a none cricketing watcher. We all know how easy the game is from the other side of the white line, and even easier with another full glass in ones hand. It is time for all our supporters to get behind the club and its servants, one feels.

Last weekend wasn’t that great for Rawdon CC. After losing the last two games and being rolled over for 78 against Pool, we thought we could return to winning ways with Follifoot visiting. A big toss won by Craig saw the visitors have a bat on a wicket that they were already moaning about.

Dobby and Jack opened well and despite too many boundaries, did get wickets. Some to good balls, some to poor shots. So we had Follifoot at 60-6 after 22 overs. Time for a bowling change as Pod and Rocky got a go. Angrove and Bridson started the recovery for the visitors and batted with some common sense. With 12 overs left the openers returned and were put to the sword. It amazes me that for the second year running we have a ‘nice’ Aussie. What’s wrong with pitching the ball in the wrong half and making the batters jump about a bit, making it uncomfortable, making a couple of enemies? I’ll include Dobby in this as well. Get up some-ones nose lads! Pod and Rocky can do the long half volleys for you.

Anyway Bridson finished with 78*, not having scored a run off the back foot, and Angrove got his 50. A chase to 208 would be a tough one, but you never know.

Tea at Rawdon is always a pleasure. But not so this week. There appears to be a trend of all the supporters nipping in first and piling their plates up. When Pod got there, there were half a dozen potatoes left and a couple of sausages. One piece of apple pie left and the blackberry pie all gone. It’s a disgrace. Man cannot live on malt loaf alone.

Follifoot had an Aussie too. He was happy to bang it in. He was a bit nippy but not as quick as Aardvark at Pool. Still, he ripped through the first four batters with some ease. With barely thirty on the board Pod and Windy set off on a lap, to walk on a few runs. As we get to the Emmotts, a wicket falls and the ball after another. Oh dear, a bit of a Rawdon rush. Never mind, 33-6, Swords has got all six, it’s the end of the over, and 200 looks miles off.

Duncan hits a long hop to point and it’s a team hat-trick for Follifoot. Sledge likes a bit of rear-guard action and welcomes the 30 overs remaining. Next ball sees a little nick behind and it’s 4 in 4. Dobby was the centre of the hat-trick in our last home game, but this week moves down one, and makes it a magnificent 5 in 5 by crashing the ball to mid off. In the meantime Pod is scurrying round trying to throw pads and gloves and helmet on. The first ball is played with ease, and Weff copes well with the hat-trick ball at the other end.

A couple of edges go to the boundary and a single lets Pod face some chin music. A bit of dancing around left him feeling like Keith Revis facing Parky, but certainly an experience. Weff finally gets caught off the glove and 46 all out leaves us pointless and feeling down. Roll on some medium pace at Tong Park.

Quote of the day – “Why can’t he just bowl fucking straight” Gary Boulton

So last weekend there were 600 and plenty runs scored at Steeton, a record breaking score. Jack looks cool but loses points for checking with photographer.

Jack looks cool but loses points for checking with photographer.

No doubt the groundsman was well pleased but Pod has his views in another camp. It’s all well and good getting Balfour Beatty in and playing the game on a track akin to freshly laid tarmac. This is supposed to be a battle between bat and ball, not bat and bat. So Pod was perturbed to know he’d retained his berth in the 1’s and Steeton was the venue. Worry ye not.

There was a bit of grass on the track and the outfield read 5.5 on the stimp meter. On the down side, Craig elected to bat, just before the sun went in for the day, and the full effect of the famous Steeton tea would have to be curbed.

Willo and Dingy rebuilt after an early setback, but tight bowling from Hardwick, Geisler and Luxton had Rawdon in some trouble. Three an over is a solid base, but a flurry of wickets in mid innings stemmed the expected late onslaught. Rocky and Jack did enjoy themselves at Weff and his replacement

the end to take us over the 200 mark and Stu Dobson pretended he could bat in the final three overs taking the score to 226 and leaving Pod (with his retro helmet) unused.

One highlight was the home team repeatedly scurrying into their changing room to get more ammo as Duncan, Rocky and then Jack planted balls into neighbouring gardens and well into the field at mid wicket. But the moment of the innings was the Steeton skipper watching the ball skip past him on the deep point boundary, before moaning the quote of the day under his breath.

Jack opened the bowling and snaffled a sharp caught and bowled first ball up. How we The SCC flag (bought at Bombay Stores) flies high.

laughed. Then we stopped laughing as Geisler slapped a drive to the boundary. Then another, then another. Okay, we’ve sussed out he can drive. Oops there goes another and another. He likes if up there. There he goes again, and again. At 93-1 in 18 overs Craig thinks it’s time for a change of plan. Pod (Uncle Hindsight) has been known to criticise Viners for being reactive in his captaincy. Spot a theme? So Rocky and Pod get the call. “Great” methinks. But surprise, surprise, there’s a bit of a lull in the scoring and we get a couple of wickets. The rate goes up as Geisler nears his ton and the half volleys have disappeared. A big shout for a caught behind is answered in the negative and Sledge and Dingy have words with the Aussie. Craig likes a catch-weight contest and holds his own. Undeterred, Geisler Sun, blue sky, views. In't cricket great!

Sun, blue sky, views. In't cricket great!

and Boulton, with a few lusty (if not technically obscene) blows see Steeton retain their place at the top of the league with a couple of overs to spare.

On this performance there is not too much between the sides at the top and Rawdon’s performance. A stroke of luck or a decision that goes our way could just be the spark we need to get back on track. Let’s hope we get one this week.

Pod heard a rumour of him getting a sniff of a chance of the nod early in the week after Nerys had A happy skipper, before he started wearing leather

broken down with a calf strain due to his bad back? Sure enough, come Friday the call came and Pod was once more up with the big boys in the 1’s.

A cracking day saw Pool bat first on a top wicket. There was something in it for the bowlers who bent their backs (good job Hughesy wasn’t playing then), but the bounce and carry were good for the capable batters. Jack and Dobby got early wickets but a missed catch left Pool with a get out chance and they took it.

Pod entered the fray after the first drinks break and immediately had Goldy LBW. He’s not normally one to moan about being given out to a 41 year old dibbly dobbly bowler, but today was different. He whinged, whined, muttered, grumbled and carped to all and sundry, all afternoon. Now all Pod had done was politely asked the question of the umpire, seeing as it looked like it was hitting middle stump about half way up. Funnily enough, the umpire raised the digit and said ‘That’s hitting middle, half way up’.

Anyway, Pool rebuilt to a decent total. Jack came back and helped by a wonderful catch by Craig at Jack looks smug after his potential 11 wicket haul.

gully, yet hindered by him dropping a dolly at cover got a six for.

Pod got his first catch of the season, and a couple of run outs left Rawdon chasing 201 to win.

We’d heard the Pool overseas man was a bit nippy, and by golly he was. A tad quicker than most of the stuff trundled down in the 2’s and by the look of our 1^st team batters, a bit too rapid for them as well. Most of them were happy to face the gentle medium pace of Macca at the other end, but that was never going to win us the 6 points. Craig’s six ball innings highlighted the gulf. He wore three of the deliveries before being bowled neck and crop. Stu Smith, Jarnie (rhymes with sarnie?) and Sledge showed some attacking flare but Weff, Dobby and Pod Jamie and Duncan realise they are going to have to face this guy.

Jamie and Duncan realise they are going to have to face this guy.

all collected first ballers as Rawdon were shot out for 78.

So the chat in the bar was how Pool had acquired this talent. Apparently they got hold of a Trinidad and Tobago phone book, started at the front and rang some numbers, asking if anyone fancied a season in the Aire-Wharfe. It didn’t take long before Mr A. Alert was signed up. Having spotted a seemingly successful method, Loll hatched a plan for the 2007 season, and after just one phone call, Pod can exclusively announce that next years’ overseas played at Rawdon is a Mr Aaron Aardvark from Barbados.

A glance at the league tables shows Rawdon nearer the bottom than the top. Heads must roll. Looks like Pod’ll be back with the 2’s next week then.

At last it feels like summer is finally here and warm weather greeted the participants to Rawdon for a game played like cricket should be played.

Tim Hales invited Rawdon to have a bat and as the North Leeds took the field a shouted request was made to the visitors ‘Is there anyone who doesn’t want a tea?’ Looking around the field it appeared most of them could have polished off three or four without blinking.

A re-juggled batting order saw Wilky and Chappy move down the order to accommodate Westy at the top, and Matty McCallum come in at 11 to thrust Pod into a more effective slot (i.e. 10). The pre-match talk centred on not losing early wickets, but the openers took this to heart and despite Bully’s help we were only on 21 off the first 10 overs. Then Westy got out and Windy started seeing the ball, through last night’s whiskey haze. Brian Stevens was rested, to be replaced by another BS at the bottom end. Mark Singleton had bowled a tight opening spell also, but boundaries came as the bowlers started to wilt. Rawdon were just getting the upper hand when the re-introduction of Brian brought two wickets and the innings faltered.

Once again the lower order failed to stamp any authority, but Matt Longley looked good in holding one end up. Unbelievable Pod got in for the second week running, and a late flurry from Matt got us over the 200 mark. We still felt this was 20 or 30 short with the formidable North Leeds batting attack to encounter.

Another change of tack saw Besty coming up the hill and Pod at his favoured end. Two breakthroughs in the first 11 overs saw the visitors at 43-2, but three spilled catches helped the innings gather momentum and a stand of 70 between Andy Stevens and Saj looked like securing the points with ease. But Rawdon are nothing if not tenacious, and Popadom Fingers and Longers dragged us back into it. Pod tried unsettling Mark Singleton with a crude jibe about his initials in an effort to break his concentration, which had him chuckling away as he slapped the next ball into the gardens. Doh!

Another flurry of wickets fell as 160-4 became 173-7 but Barry Singleton anchored the innings and saw the 6 points secured. All this done under the intense pressure of a BBQ sending the scent of flame grilled burgers wafting across the square for the last 10 overs. The will power of the man was magnificent.

After a few tetchy encounters in previous years, the teams were happy to enjoy a couple of beers together after the game, as rivalries were put aside and the joy of playing cricket with and against good friends returned.

On this performance North Leeds have shown they have the ability to scare a few bowling attacks as well as quite a few tea ladies in the coming weeks. Pod wishes them well for the remainder of the season.

It was no surprise that upon losing the toss Rawdon were inserted, and were going to have an uphill battle to retain top spot in the division. With the exception of Popadom Fingers, there was absolutely no application amongst the top order, as Audsley bowled a lovely line and length for 15 superb overs. Now this guy would be well tappable on a flat deck but on a slow wicket where patience is the key, he proved invaluable. It was therefore nice to see the skipper Martel wanting a bowl himself (downhill, with the wind), and making a bowling change.

Pod was gutted to lose his wicket for the first time in the Aire-Wharfe since 2004, being run out to a Mulligan 'bullet-arm' throw from a good 15 yards. 117 was never going to put Eddies under pressure unless wickets fell early and with some regularity.

He did get a couple of wickets, thanks to a sharp catch by Windy and Wonfor going LBW, and with Pod getting another decision in his favour 36-3 prompted thoughts of a great escape. And then disaster. What can be worse than getting hit for 4-4-4-4-4-2 in an over. Getting hit for 4-4-4-4-4-2 by a Welshman, that's what. Game over. Besty came on and got a consolation wicket and Waity had a few overs to prove the 1st team hadn't totally broken him, but victory was completed for Kirkstall with 20+ overs left.

One feels that the toss is always vital in these conditions and no blame can be put onto the skipper here. But Pod feels that he should be taking a more pro-active, rather than re-active approach to the captaincy role, throughout the game. The batting order should be more fluid, depending on the opposition, wicket, and state of the game. The bowlers need to be honest with both themselves and the skipper, as to whether they should be bowling another over or their spell is at an end.

Pod got a bit of a bollocking from Sooty this weekend, about using the wrong wicket on the square last Tuesday for practice night. He’d told us the bottom strip was the practice strip and we should be using that.

Well, seeing as we have only used one wicket on the square so far this season, we thought we’d see if the rest were any good. Don’t get me wrong, there’s not a problem having the fifth senior game on the same track, especially when it yields a fine cup tie like the one last weekend. But it would be nice to have a little bit of a flat landing area for the front foot rather than a 6 inch hole to dive into on the delivery stride.

On the bright side, with only 30 games a season on the square and a sixth of those already out of the way on one track, we can all look forward to some fresh surfaces on which to perform in the coming months. Groundie was moaning that Sunday’s ‘Will take some getting back’. I expect it’ll be fine come next April, or was he hoping to get another month out of it?

Pod felt for young upstart Matty McCallum last weekend. Plucked from third team obscurity to bolster Indoor viewing only for the three monkeys.

the middle order of the twos, he was on a hiding to nothing. He surely got some consolation from Matt Graham who didn’t get a bat and was first asked to ball when the visitors required three to win. No surprise that that first ball was slapped straight to McCallum, who grassed it. The winning runs came with the next delivery and we all trooped off. There are times when cricket is a real bummer. One feels this was one of those days for the two Matts. I’m sure they’ll both have many better days in the future and have learnt some lessons from this experience.

‘Catches win matches’. What a crap phrase that is. We all know the opposite applies. ‘Dropped catches, lose matches’. That’s what happened on Sunday after a spectacular performance in the field the previous day. Still, look on the bright side, we’ll all be able to watch the play-offs this Sunday!

So after a weeks work of lovely weather, Saturday dawns and there’s a light drizzle. All the forecasts say it’ll brighten up around 2 o’clock and then be dry for the rest of the weekend. How wrong they were. Still we made an effort and a break in the clouds sent us out with mops and such and we got a 38 overs a side game started. Burley are not one of the stronger sides in the division and may have a long hard season in front of them.

Pod was pleased to see Rev opening the batting, and he seems to have got his batting back on track this year after a shocking showing in 2005. He slapped Charlie around at first but it was a different story when Parky came on. Good pace and a little bounce had him hopping around the crease to the music in his head, until a jaffa bowled him for a nice little 24 runs.

Into the middle order and it was the juniors chance to shine, but Waity thrives on this aspect of the game and they couldn’t get him off the square. 14-5-19-4 shows what a threat he would be if he could only turn out against the U17’s every week.

109 in the 38 overs was not going to be too testing, we hoped, as long as the weather held up.

Davies looked to be not a bad bowler and had Wilky caught behind and Windy was adjudged LBW as his season continues to stutter to a start but Chappy stole the show and recorded his first 50 at 2^nd XI level to see Rawdon home in good time. Chappy celebrates after his first 2nd XI 50.

Chappy celebrates after his first 2nd XI 50.

Bodey joined him for the last rights and for a change got a red inker.

Credit must go to Roy Broadley and his team mates for stopping out as the drizzle got heavier, in a game they were clearly not going to win. Belly, expecting a bit of stick from Pod had an uneventful game, getting most of his decisions right, (I’m including calling ‘Over’ after each six balls in that statistic), but did get abused by Burley’s opening bowler. Apparently Belly was slightly biased Rawdons way, as the weather closed in. How wrong we know that statement to be.

Much of this re-arrange Birtwhistle cup tie was played in a Victorian London pea-souper, but what a cracking game it was, if only anyone could have seen what was going on.

A confident Harden skipper invited the hosts to bat and Moldsy immediately made a game of it by grassing Windy 2^nd ball at slip. A watchful start, no doubt with half a mind on the brittle middle order, didn’t flourish until the half way stage. Then the rate crept up but wickets tumbled a little too regularly for a really formidable total to be attained. Windy’s 81 was the solid base and Westy’s (at times agricultural) 25 jollied things along but another sizeable knock was required.

The Harden bowling was steady if unspectacular, but the wicket did seam about a bit and the outfield was damp, which is never easy for the bowling side. At tea Viners said ‘If they knock them off they deserve to go through. Half a job done so far then.

The fog continued to descend and an early breakthrough brought Verity to the wicket. It’s been a while since a Verity has starred at Rawdon but today was the day. Announcing himself with two magnificent on-drives, the chase was on. Parky went for 18 off an over and Wilky 26 off two as 71-1 in ten overs took the game Hardens way. Rawdon tried to battle back and Sweetcheeks and Griggsy bowled well with the bar of Imperial Leather but with little luck. Viners dropped Verity on 48, a dolly at mid-wicket off Griggs , which turned out to be the pivotal point of the game.

Pod bowled his overs out mid-innings trying to claw it back and Parky took a couple to get us back into it. At 151-7, it was finely balanced and could have gone either way, but Rawdon had had to gamble with their bowling strength and just didn’t have enough left in the tank.

An unbeaten 20 from Gardner saw the visitors and cup holders through to round two and a tie against Adel. One wonders if they had a harder or more gratifying victory in their successful campaign last season.

Firstly in reply to the Strawberry Blond(e) who has left her thoughts in the visitors book. A lack of controversy? Wait no more. I was easing my way into the season in a gentle manner, rather like our 1^st team slow bowler. To date the umpiring has been good ( 2 favourable LBW decisions for Pod, and one of those was fairly close to looking out!), so I’m in no position to criticise am I? Shall I stand at first slip?

Two games played in good humour and 12 points taken at a canter, so no need to upset the applecart there either.

But I respect the view of my readership and my team mates, so the gloves have been off this weekend, and the ‘nib’ has been especially sharpened just for you SB.

Oh and Belly is rumoured to be selling ice-creams at the Rawdon 2^nd XI v. Burley 2^nd XI encounter, so there be plenty of scope for a pummelling soon.

It was suggested we move with the times and feature the reply from the traffic cone impersonator at Bilton last Saturday. It has been censored so that Matty McCallum doesn’t learn any new words for his sledging master-classes (as if!).

A quality cricketer tries not to get spotted in RCC clubhouse.

I understand Matthew Hoggard, feeling bereft of any quality cricket last A pint of Guinness yesterday.

weekend, visited Larkfield Road to sate his sporting thirst. Alas, the 1sts were at home and he had to settle for a gallon of Guinness to hide his displeasure. We’re at home this weekend Hoggy if you get shut of those tricky Sri Lankans in double quick time, and I’ll have a pint of the black stuff with you (if you’re buying).

Finally, Pod will be looking with interest at the Bilton website this week as their weekend team against Guiseley is announced. Will there have been a miracle recovery and the announcement of a cure for arthritis? Or will their opening batter be buying himself a can of silver paint and a bucket and making a fortune out of the gullible tourists in Covent Garden?

For the first time this season Rawdon 2^nd had 2 umpires on show, no doubt to pour oil on any troubled waters that might surface, but any ill feelings between combatants was quickly sorted out by Mr Nice, The better side of Westy as he admires the weather, the wicket, and the batting.

The better side of Westy as he admires the weather, the wicket, and the batting.

the captain of the visitors. A very stiff, Chris Morley opened proceedings wearing more strapping than an Egyptian mummy and a very fetching corset (red, with black suspenders). An 8 ball over that went for 15 runs eased us into the game, but Windy soon fell to a good catch at mid-on from Cole as his shot selection deserted him. Last year he was selecting to hit boundaries, this year, to give chances. Nevertheless, Chapman, Wilkinson and Boden starred at the top of the order, all getting into the 30’s before letting others have a chance. Munday and Longley carried on this trend in the middle order before the tail, which didn’t wag until the final two got to the wicket. Pod and Beasty rattled up an unbeaten 15 for the last wicket to let Viners take the 20p by a solitary run. Cole was the star of the show with the ball taking 5-75 off 16 overs but 233 was felt to be a fairly formidable total on the large Bilton ground.

not quite up to Bilton’s usual exceptional standard but still worth bowling first for.

Veteran Dickinson opened for Bilton. He’d not been the most mobile in the field having stood statuesque at first slip for forty overs, before being wheeled to mid-wicket for the final 10. One felt a Another long afternoon for Windy.

traffic cone, shrewdly placed, would have had as much if not more of an influence in the field. That, together with him being outpaced by an octogenarian on a zimmer-frame, in a race for the final chocolate éclair at tea boded well for Rawdon. So as he approached Mr Nice after half a dozen overs and requested a runner, Pods’ suspicions were aroused. A staged whispered questioning of the batters’ integrity brought a tirade of abuse from old misery guts, stating he had never been called a cheat before. One finds that very hard to believe in the cut and thrust of Aire-Wharfe cricket. Anyway, with Tyler (who proved to be even slower) taking the role of runner the game continued. Pod arrested the encouraging start of the hosts dismissing both openers, but the run rate was being maintained. Wharton held the game in his hands before gifting Bodey a catch at long-on and turning it Rawdon’s way. Matt Longley whittled through the middle order giving hope of a full six points, but a 4-2 draw was probably a fair result.

The game was even throughout, as is shown in the following table with perhaps the pressure of batting 2^nd proving crucial in the final reckoning.

Overs	Rawdon	Bilton
10	45-2	34-0
20	70-2	69-1
30	123-2	122-2
35	148-4	146-3
40	177-5	166-6
50	234-9	191-8

Viners relaxes and mentally prepares for his innings

With news reaching the ground of a full strength Steeton going down to rubbing rags Adel, we drank to the heath of Ian Jones and his 80+ not out. A couple of beers and good natured chat with the hosts lead to early nights all round as a big date with the cup holders was anticipated for a sunny Sunday.

Viners won the toss and invited Green Lane to have a bat on a track that looked a bit green but to hold few demons. Their middle order opened up, and acted like they were playing 20/20 cricket and rushed Westy makes himself at home.

to 67 off the first fifteen overs before losing the first wicket. The pace quickened as Abbott ignored the shortly mown grass to hurry to 41 before getting a straight one from the Beast. Lee, in at 4, then steadied the ship as much as he could, but with the big hitters coming in early, the tail followed in the middle order and a score that should have been in excess of 250 was never attainable. 125-4 at drinks, usually bodes well for the batting side but the hosts battled back well, with Besty, Waity and Skip & The Beast try (and fail) not to look either cold or worried.

Skip & The Beast try (and fail) not to look either cold or worried.

Longers in the wickets. Is was nice to see a good blend of youth and experience in the visitors team although some of the younger end looked like they would be happier mythering old ladies and wearing Burberry caps and crap track suits than cricket whites.

A cracking tea gave way to the second innings and the top order of the hosts again faltered. Windy fell to a super catch from Chaplin at first slip, who then adopted the Nick Fraser style of captaincy and chased the ball round the ground. 81-3 at drinks was not the best position to be in and two quick wickets made the score 94-5. Waite was calmness personified as, late addition Sumpner joined him at the crease and set about enjoying his afternoon. An 81 run partnership brought the game round as the chavs got a bowl and (v.) old timer TP came into the attack too late one feels.

Viners introduced himself to the season with a boundary, and his 25 off 13 balls, as Ellis tired, was Waity 'Then I played a couple of shots like this'.

conclusive. All the while, old Popadom Fingers accumulated with assurance and coasted to a well deserved ton, reached by easing a boundary through straight mid-wicket for the winning runs.

A well paced reply to take the maximum points and leave Green Lane with just a solitary point after two games and a match against inform Guiseley next week. Perhaps alarm bells are ringing already.

Meanwhile the Rawdon charabanc lurches on, but everyone is waiting for the top order to start firing. A change in the order cannot be too far from the captains mind!

It has just been discovered why Charlie was not 'at the races' this weekend. It is understood he had a bit of a telling off at work on Saturday morning and understandably his mind was on other matters. Him Charlie looks to increase seasonal sales.

Charlie looks to increase seasonal sales.

using his initiative a couple of months ago was apparently not appreciated.

One final thing of note, apparently Pod has started the season a bit too nicely. ‘Get nasty’ was the call of one of his team-mates. So look out Bilton and Harden next weekend. The old Pod will be making an appearance, once the white line is crossed. Or perhaps he was meaning the reports? Hmmm.

A new season dawns but some things just don’t change. The under-strength Steeton delivery lorry rolls onwards, to nestle in mid-table (on alphabetical order), and Rawdon scrape a win against a promising Adel side at the AGC.

Westy tries to recall when he last scored runs at the ACG

After 7 months of rain, the Adel boys won the toss and Richard Ewen did a ‘Rahul Dravid’ and decided to do the wrong thing! With one end very wet but the other dry as a bone, Pod was knocked off his (short lived) perch as senior bowler and opened from the bottom end. Debutant Matt Longley had the choice and settled into a familiar rhythm before Charlie showed him how to use a favourable wicket and nip out the middle order, with match turning figures. With Adel cruising at 90-3 a total of 160 was on the cards but boredom set-in for Jonah and Charlie bowled a straight one at Si Whitehead first up, before following it up with one of the worst hat-trick balls ever seen. 4 byes (should have been wides) down the leg side. As Besty was away, spending his winter fuel allowance on a pre-season holiday, only four bowlers were used with ‘Popadom Fingers’ grabbing another 4-for, and snaffling a catch as the other 10 players held their breath. Concentration was just about held in the field, despite Viners applauding a cracking finish on the neighbouring football pitch, in the middle of one of Matt’s overs.

Some things don’t seem to change at Adel and today’s tea time offerings were another sub-standard affair. Cheese and ham, beef and mustard (English) and wafer thin chicken in teacakes.

A Breakaway and a Jaffa Cake, and a few Quavers that had been snapped up before Pod got there. Bodey before leading the visitors to the cusp of victory.

Bodey before leading the visitors to the cusp of victory.

Hardly inspiring.

Bryan Hall assures me, the standard will pick up once ‘the girls’ get their act together. Bryan looks like he’s had a few (too many) good teas in his time so hopefully this’ll be just and early season glitch and not the norm at Adel in 2006.

The reply from Rawdon did not get off to a great start. Windy got a 3 ball (2 full toss) duck and new opener Wilky a golden. 2-2 and Adel thought they could do it. Chappy steadied the ship but got carried away, thought it was summer, and flicked one off his legs to square leg. Waity and P Chappy keeps one on the deck.

C Boden then settled down and with patience and measure assurance brought the game back Rawdon’s way. Ewen bowled Waite and looked to be a handful, with turn and bounce out of the wet, and coaxed Westy to nip one onto his nose-end. A blood-bin should have ensued but Westy carried on to see the visitors home with a dozen overs left. Bodey gave his wicket away when he should have secured the red inker his quality batting deserved.

On reflection then, a good 6 points from a team that Pod reckons will finish in the top half of the table.

Room for improvement all round as the season progresses but fine starts from Waite, Munday and Boden, bode well for the 2006 campaign.

The start of the season is always an exciting time and the seasons prospects herald the onrushing start. This year it would appear that there are quite a few players who have come into the league, hopefully strengthening the overall standard. Whilst the Aire-Wharf continues to thrive, some of the lesser leagues are struggling to survive. The Bradford Central league will perhaps benefit from a re-branding to further appeal to its target audience. So the new name of the BCCL is ‘Cricket in a Cage’ and will be supported by the launch of a high profile X-Box game of the same name. This game is a first person beat-‘em-up with the aim of trying to score a century, sledge and then beat up all the opposition and get away without getting a ban from the League Management Committee. The call that major inspiration came from a game at Norwood Green in 2005 is understood to be merely a rumour.

As is tradition, The Jesters CC held their dinner on the eve of the Grand National and it was once again a well attended affair. The usual suspects had their say with Belly coming up trumps with the JCC quiz.

Highlights for Pod were question 1 where the answer was either a)ct Carl b Marx b)ct Winston b Churchill c)ct Sweeny b Todd d)ct Oliver b Hardy and that ubiquitous question about terminal underachievers. So who does have the highest batting average (4.2) of Burrill, Herbert, Vinall and Bindman? Surprisingly it was the unwashed poet amongst them who has proven to waft the willow with more purpose than the others, certainly under the JCC banner, and we look forward to re-introductions all round when we visit his current club this summer.

Caggy was his usual hilarious self, providing a character assassination of just about everyone present. One of the pre-requisites to being a Jester is the ability to laugh at ones-self and those present certainly could (and had to) do that. Wait'y was particularly harshly dealt with, under his new nickname of Popadom Fingers.

One final observation from the night, came at the toast to ‘Absent Friends’ It was noted by Pod that it was the ‘older end’ that struggled to their feet to take a drink while thinking of those who had gone to the great big pavilion in the sky. One feels there is a slight thought of ‘it could be me’ in their actions.

Just a timely reminder before the onrushing start of the season to get yourselves down to Specsavers and get that prescription updated.

All you pedantic ones will have gone through the new league paperwork with a fine tooth comb, but there’s still time to have a look through the laws of the game, so you have some general idea as to what you are there for.

An overdue thanks to all those who have remained within this league and will reap the rewards of the inflation busting rise that was belatedly voted in by clubs over the winter. With this in mind, please refrain from ‘screwing’ the member clubs with audacious expenses claims.

Finally, just a gentle reminder of why you are turning out on a Saturday. Its merely a supporting role, to allow the younger and more talented players to gather some enjoyment from this wonderful game. You are not the cog around which the game must revolve.