Cricket Fitness

I captained the A&SCA team and we were playing another Association.

We had a great attack, one fast bowler from Coromandel I think and the Fulham opening bowler, whose name was actually Terry Hicks.

They bowled beautifully and had the opposition about 7/60, but were tiring.

I said to Hicks "have a spell, mate, well bowled".

Terry was a big man.  he looked at me and said "GIVE ME THE BALL!".

i'm not a big man, but I was captain and decided to assert my authority.

"OK", I said, cowardly.

All out that over for 60.

Pet hate Lee
Having to play 1 short in a cricket game
Happened to us in a Semi Final last century
I was the captain

We named a squad of 13 players , due to FITNESS concerns
The concerns
My back was rooted
The keeper had his appendix taken out the week before
A player who had to make the trip down from Port Pirie to play due to a work transfer

On the day
I'm fit to play as a batsman only , but too sore to bowl
The keeper plays under duress
The lad from Port Pirie rolls up with his hand stitched up from a deep wound at his work place
We dont name him on the exchange team sheets, but name the fast bowler who had not arrived as yet[who had a habit of rolling up late]

You guessed it
The fast bowler didnt turn up , in fact never turned up again to play cricket at the club, and no one ever found out what happened to him
We didnt name the injured Pirie lad, and played one short

So we are 1 short
The Pirie lad and the lad that didnt turn up would have opened the bowling
It gets worse , the swing bowler, an alcoholic, in the team rolled up half pissed , clearly not fit to play, I didnt know this at the time as was frantically trying to name a playing eleven
So in a squad of 13 we had 5 fast bowlers
2 not named
1 pissed
me injured
That left 1 bowler

We lost the toss, they batted first
They made about 145, batting all day
The only fit bowler took 7 wickets, bowled unchanged for about 30 overs
At the other end the alcoholic opened up and lasted about 6 overs
I ended up bowling , my intention was for a few overs , hoping the other bowler would sober up a bit more
I ended up bowling the longest spell of my cricketing career
I bowled about 22 overs on the trot and took 1/28
I had to bowl nearly half pace at times , my fitness hampered me, but didnt stop me , my job was to tie up an end whilst the other lad took the wickets


DAY 2
We were 4/118
I felt sore from the day b4 , but decided to bat in my nor mal number 4 spot , but after about 10 minutes my back went completely
All I could virtually do was stand up straight and block
I made 6 runs in almost 2 hours to get us to 5/118

It was 8/142 with the last 2 batting, still 4 runs shy
A couple of players came up with a suggestion
The player that had not rolled up for the game looked awfully like a spectator who was watching and a friend of a player
They suggested he pad up and bat with a helmet and bat at 11 if needed
The player who was missing had not played against this team, so they didnt know what he looked like.

I didnt want to lose
I considered the sting
All players became aware , and all said yes to the sting if needed
I was the ONLY player to be convinced and didnt want any part , I was feeling sick, I was sore as hell, I was stressed, I was uptight , but I was not a cheat
I had thought we would get the runs in any case
But after a  few minutes I changed my mind
IF A WICKET WELL I WAS GOING TO BE IN THE STING
The ring in padded up ready for action

I stop the yarn now and ask
Would anyone on this site send in a ring in if a wicket fell ?

I would, bloody oath! After that run of bad luck you deserve to be able to use a bit of 'creativity' if required.

You've got me hooked Scrappy, what happened??

I will allow a few more posts for more opinions , Im curious to the responses
Be patient Gingernuts and others
Yep in the heat of the battle , strange things can happen
With all the fitness issues , non appearances , the temptation got the better of me , the ring in was padded up if the wicket fell

I have asked this scenario well over 100 times then , there and after
It was overwhelmingly said by  many many others they would have pulled a shonky

You need to release these records in a book and get the much mal igned Watto to help with the launch. He can relate to your injury concerns

Watto the king of the crocks !
He had to feature in this thread !

December 2009
The Emperor and I went to see the Aussies train the day b4 the Test match against the West Indies
The much mal inged Watto was the last left at practice
I had a brief chat with him
He needed to get the chimpanzee off his back and make his first 100 in Test cricket
I said " Watto your going to make 100 this test."
He thanked me

On day 2 he was 96 not out at stumps
On day 3 he was Bowled by BIG Benn for 96

What a waste of advice to the bloody crock!

It can backfire.

I remember a game where there was a ring-in. It was presumed he was just a fill-in part time player, not registered, so played under the name of a player who was a chronic modest performer.

Fortunately, or otherwise, the new bloke turned out to be a gun bowler and took 7 wickets for not many.

It would have looked strange on the registered player's stats that year.

It's a little like a choose your own adventure book, isn't it?

I'm hoping that you went for the sting. You're needing 3 to win, 2 to tie. They go for a two and the ring in gets run out and you lose by one.

Scrappy wrote:I will allow a few more posts for more opinions , Im curious to the responses
Be patient Gingernuts and others
Yep in the heat of the battle , strange things can happen
With all the fitness issues , non appearances , the temptation got the better of me , the ring in was padded up if the wicket fell

I have asked this scenario well over 100 times then , there and after
It was overwhelmingly said by  many many others they would have pulled a shonky

The end result
We lost the game
Thats all that counts

It was a interesting conundrum I faced though
In the end, how could I ever expect to get away with it
Imagine the ramifications If i was eventually 'caught out'
I could have faced a life ban from cricket perhaps
But more importantly , the stigma of cheating remains with me forever

In the end I could never deprive the opposition of a finals win by blatantly cheating
But the temptation ....

I am sure we had ring-ins at times, although I can't remember specific instances when they played. They were never crack bowlers or decent batters.

At the stage of life at the time were we at, all of age 35+ chaps trying to earn a living and with young families committing to 2 days of cricket was hard. Perhaps harder for some than others, but just getting 11 on the park was difficult at times.

We would often start fielding with 8 or 9 until the stragglers rolled in.

I don't believe we had any ringins for finals.

Gingernuts wrote:Wait, WHAT??

He was still playing cricket with 2 artificial hips??

He played all the time I was at that club, about 6 seasons.

And I was playing with 2 "natural hips" and wasn't much quicker!
.......which is a bit odd for an opening batsman

Adelaide Airport Oval ( now the Ikea site ) playing for Western Youth Centre against the Airport Oval based (?) Norwood ANA.

They finish 2nd end of minor round, us third. We have two excellent contests during the year.

Come the semi-final they win the toss, on their home deck and bat. They end up with around 240 off from memory and bat all day on the Saturday.

Although 240 in a final is lots, we felt we had the line-up to take it too them.

I was well clear in the batting trophy for our side that year, the pressure was on to keep scoring as the opener. I had over 300 runs in about 6 games in that grade.

First over of the day I knock one through point for 4. Next ball a crisp drive through cover for 4. End of the first over. WYCCC 0/8.

An early single in the next over, 0/9 and I'm back on strike.

Nick one to slip, he juggles it and second slip takes it off him. 1/9.

So 1.2 overs, 1/9.

At the end of the 6th over we are all out for 16.

The bowler who got me ended up with 6/8.

That's remarkable, Booney.

I played on that ground a few times, much earlier of course. I think a team called 'Civil Aviation' used it, naturally.

I remember playing a game against Woodville South, in the days when you could get a 'green-top' wicket.

Our opening bowler was very, very quick, but often erratic.

On this pitch, he was lethal and quickly ran through the opposition, as well as being frightening.

They were about 8/50 odd when their tailender edged one through to our keeper and the ump raised the finger. I was skipper and fielding at slip and the batsman turned to us and aggressively said "I didn't hit that".

I replied "No worries, you can stay if you like"

He declined the offer.

Years later, the pitch at the same ground had slowed so much that I stood up to the same bowler late in the day and stumped someone off him.

I would imagine the Civil Aviation side may have turned into Norwood ANA ( Aero Nautical Association )?

There's one I'll ask our club statistician and ASCA keeper of knowledge.

I think a bowler named Ray Aiston, from Flinders Park, still holds all the Adelaide Turf bowling records.

He was a left arm swing bowler and extremely good.

I remember batting against him the first time.

I played and missed 2 or 3 times, edged one that fell short of slip, then got bowled for a duck, leg stump as I moved across too far.

No sledging in those days, so as I walked past him, I said "well bowled, mate".

He said thanks, but the look in his eyes said that he only needed a few balls to sort me out.

Reminds me of the famous Yorkshire and England fast bowler who bowled at a pompous, average ability batsman.

He bowled almost the perfect ball, swung away, then cut back to take off stump.

The batsman said "Oh, great ball, bowler"

The bowler replied "Aye, but were wasted on thee".

Did Ray Aiston have a nickname Tubby ?
If so I have faced him, and didnt last long

Booney wrote:I would imagine the Civil Aviation side may have turned into Norwood ANA ( Aero Nautical Association )?

There's one I'll ask our club statistician and ASCA keeper of knowledge.

Booney, do you have the book about the history of the Adelaide & Suburban Association?

It will be in there.

I have a copy if you're interested.

Lee wrote:

Booney wrote:I would imagine the Civil Aviation side may have turned into Norwood ANA ( Aero Nautical Association )?

There's one I'll ask our club statistician and ASCA keeper of knowledge.

Booney, do you have the book about the history of the Adelaide & Suburban Association?

It will be in there.

I have a copy if you're interested.

No, I don't, but would love to have a look at it.

We'll tee up a *ahem* rendezvous.

Booney, Lee
Beach Pit for the rendevous
Beach Pit re-opening soon , possibly end of this month

Scrappy wrote:Booney, Lee
Beach Pit for the rendevous
Beach Pit re-opening soon , possibly end of this month

as scrappy knows a nice family run the Beach Pit on Jetty Road Brighton

Lee wrote:I think a bowler named Ray Aiston, from Flinders Park, still holds all the Adelaide Turf bowling records.

He was a left arm swing bowler and extremely good.

I remember batting against him the first time.

I played and missed 2 or 3 times, edged one that fell short of slip, then got bowled for a duck, leg stump as I moved across too far.

No sledging in those days, so as I walked past him, I said "well bowled, mate".

He said thanks, but the look in his eyes said that he only needed a few balls to sort me out.

Reminds me of the famous Yorkshire and England fast bowler who bowled at a pompous, average ability batsman.

He bowled almost the perfect ball, swung away, then cut back to take off stump.

The batsman said "Oh, great ball, bowler"

The bowler replied "Aye, but were wasted on thee".

That quote was from Freddie Trueman I think. I recall reading it somewhere. Maybe even in Parky or Dicky Bird's book.

Yes, but perhaps even before that, as I read it in a small book when I was a kid.

(Yes, I know, about 1886)

There were plenty of similar stories.

Bloke comes in, faces up:

Umpire says "Don't you want block?"

No says the batsman, "I've played here before">

Ka-boom, not.

Booney wrote:I would imagine the Civil Aviation side may have turned into Norwood ANA ( Aero Nautical Association )?

There's one I'll ask our club statistician and ASCA keeper of knowledge.

I reckon the ANA was :
Australian Natives Association

It's different now, but in those days work places would often scratch a team up and enter a hardwicket association.

Ever heard of Grenfell Mail, scrappy

Yes
Grenfell Mail became Central Mail
Made up mostly of Australia Post workers
I played for them when I was in High School
Started as a 14 year old

Those were the days when FITNESS was not an issue for me
On a given day
I would play school cricket in the mornings
Play against the men in Adelaide Turf comps in the afternoon
End up at the Highway Inn mostly after games and watch men drink beer
Get home , get on my pushbike and ride 20-30kms down to the beaches or a few kms to movie theaters
It was full on, heeps of teenagers in my  western suburbs youth days  were very FIT specimens

I did get a fellow out once called Lee in Adelaide Turf
Not the Lee on TFSA