Something missing…

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Twenty20 Cup, Group Stages: 12th-27th June

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Much as night follows day and an uncomfortable silence follows Joe Sayers suggesting we watch a subtitled film on the team coach, so preparations for the return of cricket follow the mid June break for the group stages of the 20/20 cup.

Away for now goes the black and gold ‘Carnegie’ kit, to form a huge pile that practically barricades me inside my cubby-hole beneath the pavilion. Away too go the white balls to, erm, wherever it is we store them – a box with “White Balls” written on the side would be my guess.

In return the traditional whites, spectators whose attention spans haven’t been frazzled to the size of a goldfish and of course the “insane genius” of Adam Lyth. Don’t ask me why Adam is an “insane genius”, I don’t know, but Simon Guy keeps telling everyone he is. Of course, Simon also tells everyone he used to own a hamster with stigmata, so he might not be the most reliable character witness at the club.

Simon Guy: Knows insanity when he sees it

Looking back at the 20/20 group games now, we seem to have come a long way in the space of just over two weeks. As the difference between our first and last performances suggests a learning curve on a par with Steven Hawking, if Steven Hawking had started out as the slow kid at school whose mittens had to be tied together with string.

You’d have to assume that some of the lads where playing with their batting gloves tied together in the opener against Derby at Headingley. Beaten by 47 runs in a 20/20 game is a hammering and we managed to do it against a team that brought in Rikki Clarke to strengthen their ranks. Although, perhaps that performance explains why we spent the winter trying to sign up half of their second eleven…

What followed was a series of six games that all went to the final over, with one game tied and two dramatic last ball sixes. Which of course is what 20/20 has been designed to produce: some quick ups and downs followed by an exciting climax. You can see why it’s popular with young lads; it’s basically sex without the foreplay.

There were some memorable moments along the way, with the home and away victories against Lancashire the highlight and Goughies late innings blitz against Dominic Cork likely to be talked about for the rest of the season. Not least by Goughie himself who’s got the radio commentary of his winning runs as his current mobile phone ring tone.

Adil being worryingly out jumped by a half fit 37 year old

The group stages culminated in a storming win away to a Notts side those form was disappearing at about the same rate as ours was improving. It was enough to make up for our early struggles and sneak us into the quarterfinals draw as a third place qualifier. So who do we get picked against? Bloody Durham again.

Nothing against the good people of Durham of course, who remain convivial hosts who drink proper beer and whose insistence on wearing summer clothing in sub-arctic temperatures is to be wholeheartedly applauded – if only in an attempt to fend off frostbite yourself. But including pre-season friendlies this will be the fifteenth time we’ve played each other in as many months.

What makes it worse is that Durham are probably the strongest side in the country right now and having to play them at the Riverside is a big ask, as well as denying the club vital home tie income needed to extend the committee room’s Koi Carp pond.

Yorkshire committee room: Koi Carp pond and interrogation antechamber not pictured.

In fact on the first day back to training there was a repetitive thudding noise coming from the direction of the committee room that could be mistaken for the chief exec banging his head on the table in frustration. But turned out to be the sound of him boarding up the drinks cabinet before workmen arrived to re-fit some of Lord Hawkes old hunting trophies. Whether they’re making room for Chris Adams’ head on a wooden mounting is, of course, merely speculation on my part…

Si’thee later,

Len

Photo of Goughie & Adil – Ben Duffy

~ by lentheyorkshirekitman on 2 July, 2008.