He's Licked It

Bradford Park Avenue 0 v Curzon Ashton 2 

National League North 

Saturday 14 March 2020 

….. 

a gap of 133 days without watching live sport 

….. 

Cawthorne CC 145 for 7 (40 Overs) 

lost to Hallam CC 146 for 3 (37.2 Overs) 

by 7 wickets 

Yorkshire South Premier League 

League Cup 

Western Group 

Played at Crimicar Lane, Sheffield 

Saturday 25 July 2020 

Yes, Fucking July…. 

Twitter @ball_sup 

www.twitter.com/ball_sup 

Untappd ball_sup 

What. Just. Happened?

Look. Stick to the facts. This Blog is basically my diary. I go to watch live sport. I have a beer. I Blog. Today, I went to watch the highest level of live sport being played in England with spectators present. That is Premier League Cricket. Non-League Cricket to use a football reference. Recreational cricket. Park's cricket if you like. Is there an official cricket pyramid? I certainly can't be arsed to look it up. There's First Class County Cricket. Played by your Yorkshires & Lancashires. At your Headingleys & Old Traffords. There's Minor Counties Cricket. Played by your Lincolnshires & Norfolks.

Then, there is Club Cricket. Played by your Sheffield United Cricket Club for eg. The first sporting club to be called UNITED. In 1854. A good 35 years before a certain Football Club started using the name UNITED. And your Hallam CC. Who first appeared in records in 1804.

The top tiers of Club Cricket are the ECB (England & Wales Cricket Board) Premier Leagues. A series of regional leagues. Including the Yorkshire South Premier League. Which is where I find myself today. Currently, the highest level of sport in England with live fans. At the Crimicar Lane ground. Just over a mile from my house. Let's get at it.

After 133 days without live sport. The first ball of my first match back was a WIDE. (As was the third ball, as Charlie Bourne sent down an eight baller). Nerves. Whatever. Cut him slack. He's ended up with 1 for 21 off eight. After six overs. The New Normal kicked in. At 17 for none. The fielding team are required to lollop over to the benches & Hand Sanitise every six overs. Charlie Bourne bowled a Maiden straight after the Hand Wrangling Break. Salute. At least those every 6 Overs breaks bring a bit of discipline to your beer drinking with new milestones. And, indeed, in a sport which lives on the numbers, the stats, the metrics, there is a new show in town. Unless I missed it, there was only one case of a player forgetting himself & applying saliva to the ball. When I queried "What's Going On?". The closest Hallam fielder simply replied - "He's Licked It".

All told. That felt like a perfectly judged run chase by the Hallams. Just 59 for 3 halfway through the chase. That gave them the platform to ramp & reverse their way through the second twenty overs. Andre Bradford batted throughout. Ending 63 not out off 115. Harry Bliss joined him at the end of the fifteenth at 41 for 3. He ended on 44 off 65.

The drinking was performed by a tin of Sierra Nevada California IPA at 4.2%. Nice & fruity. Very refreshing. Some pineapple up top. We are now back in the game.

133 days earlier, we had witnessed The Last Blade playing. That was Academy Prospect George Broadbent. Playing on loan for Curzon Ashton, away at Bradford Park Avenue. Alas. George lasted about 20 minutes before being subbed after taking a whack. Is he even still alive now? Strange times. 

Stats

I have now Blogged from 910 games in 2,167 days