Beginning to wonder why I carry my batting gear round with me at the moment! Couple of games played in the sunshine …. well mostly spent my time watching, and finally got a net.
2024 Season Week Nine: May 27th – June 2nd
Bank Holiday Monday I captained the Church Eaton 2s in a team comprising four (4) of the NBCC LGBTQ+ Team against a very accommodating and pleasant Stone SP. A low scoring but competitive game saw us stick to a plan, bat the majority of our overs and lose by just two wickets. Few ‘heat of the moment’ incidents which are understandable but we did cross the line, and hopefully we will all learn from that. 2s cricket is very much dependent on the strength of the 1s and at the moment we are asking none 1s players to play in the 1s and that is not allowing them to gain confidence and experience in the 2s, and the 2s are struggling as we don’t have a strong senior spine to the team.
Ironically I am struggling with this as well, as I am not getting any real chances with the bat as I am spending most of my time at 10 or 11 in the 1s, or not batting in charity games. My bowling is really consistent this year and I am being selected to bowl, but a) the 2s (and Staffs Seniors) need me batting and b) my shoulder is not going to maintain this volume of bowling all season. I need to be more selfish and only bat 6/7 and limit the overs I bowl.
I did manage a hour in the nest with my mate and had a good batting session (thankfully we can both use a thrower well) and I batted well. I think the ‘answer’ lies in not trying to be flexible and accepting that I need to play my natural game ….. but I need to get the opportunity to do this over a number of games. I have let the various captains know of the teams I am scheduled to play for and will play in those games regardless, but after these games I will be more selective.
Played for Church Eaton 1s on Saturday as a last minute replacement. We batted well posting 180+ and batting 11 I got to face the last ball of the innings …. what’s the point eh!?? Bowled OK but felt a little tired and sore, so all in all I would have been better on the sofa as per the original plan having made myself unavailable for the weekend.
Sunday I drove up to Yorkshire to play for Graces against the Kites, with NBCC providing three players including myself. Was a really good, fun day: of course didn’t bat, bowled 6 very gentle overs, stood at slip all day next to Tom, who is a great guy to spend an afternoon with. Main test for me was how the body would react to the long journey …. and it was really good. Best it has been in years regards knee and lower back, but I would have struggled to play a competitive game but I think another month to six weeks may see that change.
The problem areas remain: ligament at top of calf on left leg going into knee (needs stretching and strengthening), left hamstring (same), right hip/glute (same) and left arm/shoulder which is more an issue with a trapped nerve and damaged vertebrae in back and neck which is probably going to always be the biggest issue.
Golf wise played on Friday against mate in a Best of 3 challenge, and lost. Still inconsistent but the good shots are much better and more frequent, but I lost it really on the greens as this was the first game all year when the greens actually played properly and I was just not used to them
On the vegan front, some progress but no ‘carrot’ so to speak. The opposition did ask about dietary requirements – but the side I was guesting for did not pass it on – so I took my own food. The tea on Sunday did include a very pleasant mixed salad and some hummus and carrots and I think some Falafel or Bhajis but as neither were labelled and I had taken my own food again I didn’t worry about asking. The main takeaway (sorry about the pun) is that I have still to be asked by any team or captain I am playing for before any game if I have a dietary requirement. When teas are such a rarity, and clubs clearly put in so much effort when they are provided – as was the case on Sunday, this does feel an oversight.
NB: an edit to original post was made after I was made aware that the request for dietary requirements had not been passed on by the team I was playing for.
And Finally
It’s starting to come across as rude and that you want to moan about every meal that is provided. If you’re asked about dietary requirements ahead of time let people know and they will accommodate you.
People spend a lot of time putting meals together it’s not great for someone who is trying to promote themselves as a saviour of inclusion to then publicly announce it wasn’t good enough.
Be proactive for once!
I think you may have missed the point: IF I was asked I would submit my request, but the whole point of doing research is to find out what the current position is, and so far this year I have not been asked once if I have a dietary requirement.
As I say in the post, clubs do put a lot of effort into providing teas.
Oh, and if the research is based on finding out what clubs are doing, being proactive sort of negates that, and as someone said to me earlier this season: telling me I should have let them know implies it was my fault for not asking.
Do you even realise your approach has upset a group of people who put in a lot of effort to accommodate everyone and you’ve kicked their efforts in the teeth by publishing an online statement saying you weren’t happy.
By all means do your research but do it sensitively and anonymise it by publishing it at the end of the season.
Reading your comments Rob I am not sure we have read the same article, and I am all but certain you have not read the previous diary entries.
I don’t think it could be clearer that the issue was that the visiting team and captain failed in their duty to pass on the oppositions request for dietary requirements.
The observation that clubs labelled food is good constructive advice which can be implemented immediately to avoid any repeat instances, and it is not the first time this has been mentioned in these diaries.
I am surprised that you seem to think the onus on someone with a dietary requirement has the onus to “check first”. Isn’t that the whole point of inclusvity, that society takes responsibility for the individual? Should we expect disabled to check they are accomodated, or LGBTQ+ to check they are welcome?
I was intrigued when I first came across this Diary, but reading it weekly has been an excellent example of how far we are from an inclusive society. The very fact you feel the onus is on the individual and that research should be anonymous (how does that work exactly when it is later published) just confirms that value of initiatives like this.
Tom I think you have entered this debate post the edit that says that “The opposition did ask about dietary requirements – but the side I was guesting for did not pass this on” This comment has just been added.
What I don’t understand is why the simple question on the day “is this vegan?” Can’t be asked to check. In the same way I would ask ‘does this contain nuts or dairy or is it kosher or halal or is this organic?’
As for ‘research’ I’ve rarely seen a project publish its results weekly and so insensitively. The generally accepted way would be to publish it at the end of a period, not after each incident. With a set of criteria ‘Were participants consulted? Was vegan food available? Were things labelled? Did I have to check if there was any food available? By doing this means that you don’t alienate volunteers who put in considerable effort by making it seem like just another reason for a moan.
Tom I think you have entered this debate post the edit that says that “The opposition did ask about dietary requirements – but the side I was guesting for did not pass this on” This comment has just been added.
What I don’t understand is why the simple question on the day “is this vegan?” Can’t be asked to check. In the same way I would ask ‘does this contain nuts or dairy or is it kosher or halal or is this organic?’
As for ‘research’ I’ve rarely seen a project publish its results weekly and so insensitively. The generally accepted way would be to publish it at the end of a period, not after each incident. With a set of criteria ‘Were participants consulted? Was vegan food available? Were things labelled? Did I have to check if there was any food available?’ By doing this means that you don’t alienate volunteers who put in considerable effort by making it seem like just another reason for a moan.
“” I’ve rarely seen a project publish its results weekly and so insensitively. The generally accepted way would be to publish it at the end of a period, not after each incident. “”
This is a good point. I would, for example, expect the results of a 12 week coaching programme to be fedback at the end of a period and not 4 weeks in!!
Darrell that is not the same at all. Does a football team that is underperforming stick with the manager until the end of the season ‘because we have a contract’
Football teams tend to at least wait until the season has begun before the prematurely sack managers ????
I’m not sure Chris wants his dirty laundry discussed on a public forum