Instalment 4

Game 1 in England

We just got a text message from home that read:

"Dear Parents. Please advise if you are alive. Regards, Megan and Drew". They hadn't heard from us for 24 hours and thought there may have been a coup and wondered if the Div 4 team had taken out the Div 2 team. 

The march past was everything I thought it would be. We straggled like browns cows around the town square (twice) then peeled off up a lane way to Theakstons Brewery where several hundred people tried to fit into a space that could barely accommodate half that many. Before the straggling started, the official welcome and speeches were held. There's 850 players in 58 teams from 7 countries. As each country was welcomed we all had to cheer loudly. There's ONE player here from Japan - he's a team on his own (but will play with the Australian Sri Lankans). He got an enormous cheer and Gibbo had his photo taken with him. The South Africans brought vuvuzelas and are likely to get them jammed somewhere unfortunate before the festival is over. The Aussies all went "baa baa" when the Kiwis were announced. There was friendly rivalry.

Once we were inside the brewery grounds we weren't allowed out; if you left, you couldn't get back in. I thought I was at a Blue Light Disco. It was difficult to get any of the finger food due to the crowd so Gibbo positioned himself near the kitchen area and hijacked food as it went by. We managed a lamb chop, a small sausage and a goat cheese and onion tartlet each. The boys reckoned you could eat the beer, it was that bad, so Gibbo switched to white wine. 

Entertainment was provided by The Bogtrotters; another great show. I dragged Gibbo up and, once again, wouldn't let him leave; he worked up quite a sweat. At least he didn't do the robot dance this time, not like at Debra's wedding. The band reminded me of The Bushwackers in their early years - Peter, remember when we went and saw them at the refec at USQ when we were probably 20 and 22 and you kept yelling out "Stringybark Creek" and Louis McManus (I think it was) kept telling you to f*** off? Well that's what this band was like. Brilliant. They played a lot of traditional music but they also played some other greats eg Copperhead Road, Garden Party, Johnny B Goode, Brown Eyed Girl and Sweet Home Alabama. The joint was really jumping!

We found the right bus to take us home (the green route hey kids?). I kept asking Gibbo which one we needed to be on; he kept saying red. I may end up losing him by the time the week is over although the official name tags are green so if he keeps looking at that, he reckons he'll be ok.

Brian from Kingaroy told us this morning at breakfast that, when Gibbo and I stand beside each other, you can tell who gets the food in our house. A little harsh I thought.

Dennis (Lillie) reckons that you need to have a pretty thick skin to be in our team; any SNAGs would be crying in the toilet by now. He said he didn't know any SNAGs; I said I didn't either.

We walked into Harrogate this morning to have a quick look around before Gibbo's debut in England. We bought him a new pair of sandshoes (as you might remember, he packed Drew's old ones and they don't fit him). We also bought him some new sox and jocks because he's exhausted his supply; we bundled up the dirty washing and gave it to housekeeping. It will be freshly laundered and returned to our room with an exorbitant bill. 

We assembled on the bus at 11am and set off to play Walton at Walton. 217 people live in the village. On the way there we were laughing about how some of the girls could get involved; I could be a runner for a broken down golden oldie; Tracey could do a bit of leg spin and Jenny might be quick in the outfield. Don't laugh; it nearly happened.

The village folk met us off the bus and we settled in. The QCC boys won the toss and elected to bat; a wise choice. By over 11, I was over it. To cut a long story short, Gibbo went in at no. 4 - and the very first ball he hits in England is a FOUR - lifted his head, swung the bat wildly and the ball tore to the boundary. Exciting stuff. I walked around the boundary and fielded a ball over the rope. A few shots later he hit the first six of the day. He ended up scoring 36 retired. The rain/mist/showers came and went all day and only chased the players off the pitch once. QCC made 216 off 38.2 overs (finished slightly early due to the weather). 

Lunch was provided by some of the local women.  One of our guys (Gibbo calls him Dougal/Duncan but his real name is Steve) pulled a calf muscle halfway through our innings, leaving the team one player short. After much cajoling I was seconded into the team; true story; I ended up on the field but not for long. While they went to get me a white vest to play in, the other team said they'd cover for him so I was fairly relieved at that. Wouldn't that have been a hoot; Gibbie and me playing cricket together in England. And I do so love the game. 

So the XXX boys went out to field...blah...blah...blah. Up, down, in, out, dubious appeals for lbw..you know how it goes. The girls and I walked up the hill to the local church and then to The Fox and Hound but it wasn't open. We went back. They were still playing. Gibbo ran somebody out but I missed it. I was reading. Apparently he fielded the ball and raced the batsman to the wicket; when he realized he wasn't going to get there first he threw the ball and miraculously knocked the bails off. Stirling stuff.

Things actually got a bit tense in the final few overs. I hate to admit it, but I felt a bit nervous - adrenalin, cricket and Maryanne don't really go together. With 7 balls to go, Walton needed 9 runs to tie; with 5 balls to go, they needed 7. With 2 balls to go they needed 3 - and on the second last ball, the XXX captain (not Gibbo, he hasn't paid his $250 yet) bowled the batsman. A timely wicket. The last ball didn't produce a run. Final score for Walton - 213 - so QCC won by 3. A famous victory.

Team Div 4 won their game too although the margin was slightly bigger. They scored 275 and their opposition scored 145. It was a good thing that Team Div 2 won; not sure if they could have handled the sledging otherwise. There's plenty of banter back and forward.

Before we left home I had been joking about there surely being a duckpond beside a cricket field somewhere in England that I could throw the Blackberry in to. Well guess what - right beside the Walton Cricket Club field is a beautiful duckpond. 

Tomorrow there isn't any cricket - we're going to a Medieval Picnic Day at Ripley Castle. The beer tent opens at 12 noon from which a selection of beer, lager, red and white wine as well as soft drinks will be available. Throughout the day there will be demonstrations of longbow and crossbow shooting; a Knights of the Damned Jousting Display team in the main arena; Ye Olde Redtail Falconry display (similar to Ye Olde Greenbank Falconry display hey?) and the Casablanca Boys entertaining us. We exchange our invitation for a picnic box containing cold meats, salads, bread and butter and dessert. Should be fun.

I think the photos I send are coming through fairly large; sorry about that. The ipad doesn't reduce them as much as the pc does. 

Love to all

M