Diary of a Vegan Cricketer (Week Eight)

Am playing a lot of games, but not much cricket! Bowling well, fielding better than in previous seasons and at last some progress with the bat …. small steps though!

2024 Season Week Eight: May 20th – May 26th

Once again no practice or training! Mainly because of the amount of games that I am playing and the poor weather, but in no small part because I have not found a training partner yet at Church Eaton, something that I must rectify quickly and (hopefully) may have news on in the next couple of weeks.

I really need to spend time batting! So far I have sort of got away with being awful either because I have not needed to bat, or I have batted in a losing cause. Saturday I found a little form i.e. saw the ball, moved my feet and made good contact in a 5 over 7 for Church Eaton batting at 10 and trying to see out the overs before a failed attempt to get us past the 100 mark.

Played my first 100 game on Tuesday evening for Church Eaton well if you can call a 16 over game with first and last over being 8 balls, played in whites with a red ball in poor light a) a 100 game and b) remotely sensible – yep the league once again showed they are stuck in the middle overs ageds!

Bowled OK, misjudged a running catch ironically because I got to it quicker than I had thought so rather than it being at knee level it was shoulder height, but I hadn’t created a solid base and my head was not in line and it bounced of my thumb. Didn’t bat.

Played in a NBCC LGBTQ+ Captains Invitational (so again no nets/training) and the usual: bowled well, fielded well, out stumped off a no ball (above waist height). Was good fun and well organised and led by Darrell who I am coaching and mentoring.

Saturday played for Church Eaton 1s despite being down as 2s Captain as the club was really struggling to put out two teams with so many juniors and parents away on a mini tour in Yorkshire. Same old story: bowled well, fielded ok (ish) and batted as above.

No vegan ‘issues’ as took food to all games.

Physio for my monthly check up and she remains really pleased (as do I). I think another month and the body will be as good as it can be this season, but with a solid off season I think there is still room for improvement on the rehab side and certainly on the fitness side.

For now though the focus is on building on what I have: the ability to bowl well, improve the fielding and concentrate on batting 7 and being sensible but aggressive. It is my more natural style, is an approach I am comfortable with and mentally I am comfortable to look at my overall contribution to the team rather than put pressure on my batting.