Diary of a Vegan Cricketer (Week Five)

Almerimar is certainly no place to be a Vegan, one coaching session, a trip to Lords, T20’s should not be played in Whites! and availability issues before the season has even started!

2024 Season Week Three: April 29th – May 5th

The problem with plans is …… rain! The plan was to grab a few days in Spain having played a couple of weeks to give the body some TLC and a bit of a rest. But with just a couple of 100 games, a 30 over friendly and an XL Declaration game even I couldn’t claim the body needed a rest, but time in Spain is always good: I finally finished all the jobs around the apartment, got some good walks done, and watched the Real Madrid match in my mates bar which was always a bit of a tradition for us when I lived there. Travel has long since been something I enjoyed but it does give me an indication these days of how the body is doing, and it is still tracking in the same direction. The soreness and stiffness is less, and eases quicker so all remains positive (ish). The downside of Spain is there is basically no vegan option in Almerimar. That is fine for the short trips I take as I eat in the apartment, but the tapas is pretty much off limits which is a shame.

So, a week off from cricket, with even my trip down to Lords for a few meetings and to watch Middlesex saw the rain ensure no play for the day but I did get to spend some time with NBCC Mentor Mey Lay as was not a lot the ground staff could do, and the meetings were productive, and involved a very pleasant Mushroom Wellington in a put about a mile from Lords.

With no Church Eaton game for the 2s on the Saturday I did some coaching Saturday morning, helped (ish) with some tidying up of the ground and the clubhouse before the 1s kicked their season off with a win, which Sands and I witnessed having popped down for the last hour and to have a drink to ‘celebrate’ the refurbishment. Pizza was available, for non Vegans!

One of the meetings at Lords was about the NBCC LGBTQ+ ‘team’ we have set up, which is looking good, as are the new Whites we have designed for the team!

The week ended on Sunday with a couple of T20s for Graces against the Metronomes. A long drive which absolutely confirmed they are not an option for me: 3.5 hours to get there which wasn’t too bad on the old body as had a half hour stop and time to stretch out before the game, but driving back after wards was pretty uncomfortable for the last hour and although the body recovers well, it is painful and is not what the recovery needs at the moment.

Match wise I opened in the first game: 12 off the fist over, 22 off 10 balls which was a pretty good T20 innings. Bowled OK throughout the day taking one wicket. Add in a catch and it was a pretty good outing performance wise, and a great day, but I am seriously lacking in ‘proper’ game time and playing an ‘proper knock’.

Hopefully the season gets going this week!! I am not playing for Staffordshire Seniors, but do have an XL game in Worcester on Wednesday and the 2s season at Church Eaton gets going on Saturday, although have already had a message saying availability is not looking good – I get it is art and parcel of (cricket) life these days, but first game of a delayed season, if you not available for that are you really that interested.