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Mar 2020
2:46pm, 24 Mar 2020
1,542 posts
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flyingfinn
Nicholls95 you started our Nottingham Evening League career as my decade as a scorer, 12th man/emergency fielder and occasional full appearance (though I played a lot in the sister U15 and U17 leagues) came to an end as I headed off to Uni. I have many fond memories of those leagues on a myriad of grounds across Nottingham but I too will never forget that feeling of standing in the gloom, hearing the thud of bat on ball and dreading the call that it was heading in my direction. I also remember the West Indian Caribs, quite a powerful side in their day who really loved their cricket.
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Mar 2020
2:53pm, 24 Mar 2020
3,114 posts
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Goofee
Sound very similar to United Caribbean from these parts back in those days, always very tough to play against!
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Mar 2020
2:57pm, 24 Mar 2020
19,855 posts
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Nicholls595
West Indian Cavaliers were even more powerful. I was banned from playing against them at Burton Road, Carlton on the day of the Royal Wedding in 1981 (I was 15), because I was "too young" and they were "too fast" and the pitch was "too shit".
I was scorer that night, and saw for the first time, a six hit over the wicket keepers head. Not a top edged hook, oh no, this was a deliberate shot, played with a straight bat, straight up like a periscope. Bloke called Tony Turton, used to work down Gedling pit. If he's have missed it, it would have hit him right between the eyes (pre helmet days obviously)
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Mar 2020
3:04pm, 24 Mar 2020
3,116 posts
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Goofee
I once hit one of those (top edge variety, not deliberate, I'm not that good or brave!) off a beamer. Very, very lucky. Could have ruined my looks forever!
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Mar 2020
3:20pm, 24 Mar 2020
19,857 posts
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Nicholls595
I hit a six off the last ball of our innings (Nuthall v Bestwood Miners Welfare) to bring up my maiden Notts Saturday League 50. This wasn't a flukey top edge. I was feeling really cocky, and even did the Viv Richards shuffle as the bowler ran in. Length ball, in the slot and I swung it majestically over wide long on (not cow corner!), high over the boundary, over the tree, out of the ground and into the vicar's garden. Tucked the bat under my arm and strutted off for my tea.
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Mar 2020
3:22pm, 24 Mar 2020
4,349 posts
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trumpton riots
Once played a game for the dairy where I worked in the 80s against one in Lancashire.
Playing for them was "Sefton", a 7 foot West Indian fast bowler who also played for Lancashire's 2nd XI.
We batted first in already gloomy weather (we had taken a coach up north after all working an early shift).
At the end of his first over, we were 3 wickets down and another retired hurt after a top edge to the eyebrow.
Following a further wicket, I was sent to the crease. After the initial carnage, he was instructed to only bowl from a few paces. What could possibly go wrong now?
I thought that my best course of action was just to play down the line of off stump until I got my eye in. Six paces from Sefton and his arm catapulted over. My first thought was that he hadn't let go of the ball because I hadn't seen it, but sure enough, there it was in the keepers gloves. Ah.
Ok. Just play down the same line as before, eh?
Second ball, same scenario as before in that I didn't see it but I heard a telltale whooosh and certainly felt a smack into my bat as I accidentally middled the ball and it pinged along the ground to mid off. No run.
Now this has clearly annoyed Sefton, who has mistakenly seen me as a threat.
Third ball rearranged the furniture.
We lost rather emphatically.....
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Mar 2020
3:43pm, 24 Mar 2020
19,858 posts
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Nicholls595
It's survival instinct Goofeers 
One of the Ivanhoe Evening League players, also played for Old Paviors on a Saturday. He took me and my younger brother to train with their under 15 side one Sunday morning.
I had been playing mens cricket for about 4 years, and was regularly opening the bowling in the Evening League. Although I was the same age, I was miles ahead in cricketing terms. In a friendly knock about game, I ran through all of the best batsman, just by bowling fast. For one particularly flashy player, I made a point of stopping my run up, asking for a short leg, then giving him a short ball into the ribs. Gone!
When it was my turn to bat, this flashy lad, who it turned out was the star all rounder for the under 15's, tried to bounce me out. The shorter he bowled, the further I hit it. Eventually he lost it and bowled a beamer, which I swiped for a massive six, pure survival instinct. I only ever played one game for Paviors under 15's, thrashing Kimberley. Following week I was openeing the bowling for the first team in a mid week fixture against a touring team, and went straight into the second Xi for the rest of the Saturday League season.
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Mar 2020
4:47pm, 24 Mar 2020
5,394 posts
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57.5 Degrees of Pain
We managed one season in the Glasgow League 2nd division after back to back promotions. This featured some teams with professionals. One such was Foster Grant, a West Indian quick bowler not quite good enough for his island side, too good for us.
His favourite activity, we soon realised, was running down the wicket, arm raised, shouting 'bodim' (bowled him) after each victim was dispatched (7 for not many were his final figures). I was fortunate to be number 11, had resolved after seeing his early bowling to play him from square leg (in those pre helmet, towel stuffed down the front thigh days) but remained not out without facing the music as our 10th wicket mercifully fell with me at the non-strikers (and doing anything but look for a quick single).
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Mar 2020
4:58pm, 24 Mar 2020
20,770 posts
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TRO Saracen
Great tales chaps, superb. I was too shit to even have the standard tale of incompetence, so sorry for not contributing.
If it comes to watching, mind, I do have a tale from the 1985 Ashes test at Edgbaston which includes living in a Vauxhall Viva for 5 days, a near arrest for vagrancy and a terrifying 'Warriors' (as in the film) chase around the Bull Ring pursued by Birmingham's finest skinhead gang. Which probably makes it sound more interesting than it is....
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Mar 2020
6:49pm, 24 Mar 2020
16,174 posts
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Bazoaxe
My Brother and Uncle were once at the crease together. My Brother had been hit on the toe (which turned out to be broken as you find out later) and wasnt able to run so was scoring boundaries only.
One crisp hit back towards the bowler caught my uncle unaware and hit caught him square in the head and looped up to Mid On for a simple catch.
My Brother was out and my Uncle retired hurt with a gash on his head. A drive to A&E to get my uncle stitched and my brother xrayed and with the broken toe being identified.
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