The season draws closer

Gosh, has it really been a month and a half since I last posted?

I do have my excuses, the most cast-iron being that I had a car crash a month ago. I was going over a crossroads, a car failed to stop and went straight into my door, pushing the whole car into the front of another stationary car on the other side of the junction. Pretty nasty, and the insurance is still sorting itself out, but at least the Girlfriend I suffered nothing worse than shock, whiplash and a few bruises.

I have been practising my cricket a bit though, having attended three nets since I last posted. I would have liked more but things always seemed to get in the way. My batting's progressing slowly but steadily, but I really struggle against genuine pace. There's at least one guy on the team I just can't handle at all, and I've a feeling it's partly because my bat's a few ounces heavier than ideal so I'm not physically strong enough to put the bat in the way on time. Excuses, excuses... Anyway, I've hit a few sweet shots so hopefully I'll be able to score the odd run.

The major improvement has come in my bowling, however.

As well as nets I've been bowling in the garden whenever I have a free hour, and it's really coming along quite nicely though I say it myself. My action's significantly tidied up compared to the video I posted (another one's on the way as soon as I get a chance) and I can bowl an OK leg break most of the time. Certainly some of the guys at nets were saying I had them fooled a few times. I can't yet bowl it accurately, but that'll come. Some of my bowling has shown the odd sign of drift and I've even started working on variations, beginning with the top-spinner and the odd back-spinner. Top-spin I can do, back-spin will have to wait a bit. Certainly I can get drift if I bowl a "flying saucer", but that's not a ball with much utility.

Even when I'm not actually bowling, I'm thinking about it, like the bishop who always wondered whether his church's nave was conducive to spin. Everyone around me is being driven potty by my habit of spinning a ball from right hand to left, but the point is it works. I'm getting more spin and my wrists get more supple all the time. The best thing is I'm really, really getting into being a leg spinner and absolutely loving the idea of what it'll be like when I'm good enough to bowl regularly in a match and take wickets.

Sadly, my debut will have to wait a bit as although the 4ths kick of the season on May 1st, I'm too busy to make myself available until 15th May at the very earliest.Anyway, that's only a month away, and although unlikely, it's not inconceivable that my bowling might just get to be good enough to have a go by then.

I popped down to the cricket club today to watch a few overs of the first team's second match of the season (their first was yesterday, and they won) and to get a general feel of the place. It seemed a really nice atmosphere, relaxed, kids playing around, and the weather was lovely. I can't wait to actually be part of it...