To Wivenhoe Town Cricket Club! For the second consecutive day! If it’s a Sunday then it must mean, erm, it’s the Sunday 11 playing, right?
There was a very relaxed feel as I rocked up. Wivenhoe were out in the field, trying their best to skittle out a rather mixed-ability Frinton. The scores on the doors showed that Frinton were 131 for 5 in the 27th over when I took up my boundary position.
Frinton had some big hitters out there but even their boundary clearances played second fiddle to the local chit-chat gossip when the news of Ben Stokes' resignation dropped. Blimey.
A drink/fag break was then soon called. It was here where you got to see the real breakdown of who was out playing for the Wivenhoe Sunday 11.
It’s a mixture of youth and experience. The youth headed for the jugs of orange juice while some more mature players had a cheeky fag on the boundary.
Play then continued. There was a brutal bounce on the pitch. It made fielding conditions very tricky.
Looking around and waiting to come into bat were various Frinton players. It was good to see their fancy dress club caps being worn. They wouldn’t have looked out of place in Blackadder Three.
An easy catch led to a right Horlicks from some poor young Wivenhoe lad. Time stood still as he froze in motion with his dropping position as all those around them had their hands on their heads.
Play was suspended temporarily after the fall of another Frinton wicket. The incoming batsman still had half a fag on and he wanted to finish it off by the bike racks.
The Frinton tail then fell fast. They were 209 all out after 37 overs.
A brief break for the Wivenhoe finest Sunday afternoon tea, and then out came the home team openers. A wicket fell in the first over. Oh dear.
The number two and number three now at the crease were in a hurry, with boundaries and some rapid running between their wickets.
I had to leave with Wivenhoe on 45 for one in the seventh over. Work duties were calling.
