1st XI Roundup 2010
"A stroll in the park" ..... JK
As i nudge towards middle age, i find that my waist is getting gradually larger and my memory gradually poorer. As such, i turned to my review of the 2009 season before writing this piece to ensure that i didn't end up writing anything this year that looked too stupid when compared against my previous report! Following the 2009 season i wrote the following:
"2010 sees us return to the Bristol and Somerset Division of the WEPL and renew rivalries with old foes such as Brislington, Bedminster and Clevedon as well as a number of new challenges which I greatly look forward to. The standard of the division will no doubt be high but I have every confidence that as a group we have the ability to thrive at this level and a number of members of the side will relish the opportunity to play on some higher quality wickets and test themselves against some excellent cricketers."
Using the above as a point of reference, we managed to claim victories over old foes such as Lansdown, Brislington, Clevedon, Midsomer Norton and perhaps most notably of all BWI (who were the eventual league champions). In terms of the overall picture we finished a very creditable 4th in the table which i think as a team we were satisfied by given that it was our first season back at this level. 2010 saw us win and lose some nail biters and we were delighted to play a part in some excellent games of cricket. Scoring over 300 at Midsomer Norton, an improbable run chase at Lansdown and a fantastic last ball victory at Minehead stick in the memory. Defeats at Brislington and both home and away against Stapleton are perhaps better forgotten given their agonising nature.
It's my firm belief that teams win and lose as a group and in that manner i rarely use these reports as an opportunity to single out individual performance. In this instance, however, it would seem remiss of me to reflect on 2010 without a special mention for Ben 'the slug' Smith. Slug joined us at the start of the summer as a fresh faced boy from Wanganui but left us in September (via Amsterdam and Lloret De Mar) as a firm friend and a man who had made a real impression on the club both on and off the field. Thank you very much for your contribution to OBWCC in 2010 slug, have fun back in NZ and i look forward to welcoming you back to these shores soon.
Anyway, looking forward to 2011, we can go in to the season with the confidence of knowing that we belong at the level we are playing and that with just a small amount more composure, dedication and application of our talent we can push forwards to another level. Preparations for the 2011 season are already well underway and i am hopeful that we can build on last season to make it an even more successful campaign.
Anyway, i'll leave it at that, onwards and upwards for 2011. I look forward to writing this report next year reflecting on another successful season.
Best of luck to one and all.
JK
1st XI vs Midsomer Norton, 15th May 2010
Richard Leonard (coach), Greg Malkin, Phil James, Will Penny, Adam Graveney, Tom Parnell, Gareth Griffiths, James Domone, Rupert Swetman, James King, Richard Glynne-Jones, Ben Smith
