Publicity v No Publicity

Yorkshire Vikings XI 165-8
lost to
Yorkshire League South XI 167-3
by 7 wickets (2 and a bit over left)

T20 Warm Up

Played at Abbeydale Park, Sheffield

Monday 2 July 2018

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Part of me thinks that was an opportunity lost. But, in reality - it was nowt.  I’m pretty sure that Yorkshire are on a mini tour around the ex-outgrounds in preparation for T20 Blast. I heard rumours of Harrogate & Middlesbrough. In one sense, that’s a perfect opportunity to large it up, call it a Roadshow, call it taking Cricket Around The Shires, press some flesh.  There was no pre-publicity on the Yorkshire Website nor Social Media. (a little from Sheffield Collegiate & the League themselves). I prodded YCCC about lack on information. I’m not saying that had any impact. But, they did send a tweet out about the game during the morning. You know, if you could plough through all the - buy tickets for Not-Yorkshire Games - oh, how funny Pujara is called Steve - here’s Jim from Wetherby on his holidays with a funny hat - some game stealing Sponsor is now on board - drivel.

But then, essentially there were precious few Vikings Blast XI contenders on show. Gale was there. And OK, I’m not picking the side, he is. And, by the time I’ve written this, the squad containing Rafiq & Shaw has been announced.  Other opportunities lost included no PA, no rudimentary scorecards run off the photocopier, no whiteboard with the teams felt tipped on, information - of which NONE. OK. OK. That’s OK - it’s difficult for a club like Collegiate to get that sorted - they don’t do it for League games. So, maybe there was a new overseas or Kolpak signing lurking without a number on his back (there wasn’t….).

Unfortunately, I’m not Second XI nor Academy savvy. So, the only plausible recognitions I have were;

Rafiq, Waite, Warner & Shaw

Rafiq captained (by the look of it - remember lack of info). I love the bloke. But, he looked a bit ratty at times in the field (as the game got away from them).

Waite top scored with some nice clean hitting for 58. He batted at three & went at 133 for 5. It didn’t look too bad a batting performance. 30 for 2 - 78 for 4 - 156 for 7. But, nothing special. A few biffed sixes - but it didn’t feel like they were banging it for fours all the time. So, it felt a little underpowered. Too many of the late middle & tail were trying to manufacture shots - ramps, flicks, reverses - that sort of caper.

In the early overs of the reply, the League Select XI were mistiming a few shots. So, I recalibrated - maybe it was a decent score after all. But, hey, they got going. And some. They were 102 for none before the end of the 10th. The first wicket went at 115. I’m pretty sure that was Tom Rowley, Collegiate’s overseas Aussie, who went for 65. From there - only 50 needed - you can manage & cruise a bit & they did. They got it over the line with two plus overs left.

In summary - no publicity - but that might not be a bad thing - as few to no First Teamers - but why so few First Teamers - why warm up players who haven’t really got a chance? Baffling sometimes - still I hear from the YCCC Twitter that there are still some hospitality places available at England Women v New Zealand. Whoopy & indeed Doo.

The guys at Kickov have however grabbed an opportunity. They’ve taken over the Abbeydale Cinema & the yard. Put some impromptus in - bar - grub - deckchairs. And, they’re showing football World Cup games on the cinema screen (and on other screens here & there). Before the games began, they’d asked for Social Media promotion to help get the word out - so, I had been granted a FREE BEER. Which I piled into Natch.

and Union, Sunday Easy Pale Ale from a tin at 5.5%. That’s OK. It pulled up a bit too sweet for my own taste. It had a nice zingy thing going through it. And the flavour lasted. Very easy drinking. As on Tin.

So, to recap - I got a free beer because I had given an event “some publicity”. And then went to a no publicity damp squib.

677/1413