26/07/06 Jimmy Cricket

I was asked at the last minute to turn out for the Edinburgh University Physics Dept cricket team.
I've never really played cricket before but figured that batting was vaguely similar to hitting a golf ball so I might be able to get way with it.
The Physics team is called "E=MCC".
(So that immediately "hits for six" anyone who might opine that Physics lecturers have no sense of humour.)
I was put in as batsman No. 4.
You have to wear a "box" to protect your dangly bits.
It's basically a hard codpiece type thing that you place beneath your pants.
This is all well and good, but there weren't enough to go around so I had to use the sweaty "box" that the number 3 batsman had been using before me. Yuk!
I was told that the "box" tip is to wear 2 pairs of pants and place the "box" between the two.
I was bricking it as I ambled out to the crease. The bowling looked pretty darn fast.
Anyway, after a few bowls wooshed menacingly by, I got into my stride and hit 17 runs before being caught.
That was the 3rd highest score of our team.
I felt quite smug and clever.
Maybe I could have been a pro if I'd started earlier in life?
Anyway, our turn to bowl came and the captain asked if I could bowl.
My confidence was high from the batting so I accepted the role.
This is where it all went wrong.
The first bowl was ok.
The second went about 10 yards wide of the wicket.
That makes it a "wide". They get a run and you have to add an extra bowl in your over.
The next went about 30 yards wide of the wicket.
Another "wide". Another extra delivery to be added on.
I was feeling tinges of humiliation and wanted the over to end sometime soon.
The last tragic image of my opening bowling spell was the ball bouncing 4 times before coming to a virtual stop in front of the batsman.
I should have just stuck to batting.
I conceded 21 runs in my first over.
I could have been a contender.
Anyway, we lost.
But very enjoyable though.
I don't like cricket...I love it.
Similarly, on a sporting theme I played golf at Newbattle with Bill and Pete (who I hadn't seen for more than 10 years).
Pete has retained his rugged good looks and is a great example to the rest of us.
He's quite good at golf too.
Although working for Edinburgh Council obviousl;y affords him plenty of time to practice.