As many of you know, I manage a couple of kids cricket teams at Kegworth Town CC.
Last night my Under 13 team (including Ben) played the boys from the big city, when Loughborough Town came to play us in a cup semi-final, with a team packed full of county and district level players.
I told my team that no-one was expecting them to win, and to play without fear. They did just that and they won the match. It was an incredible team performance, full of heart, belief and spirit. I am so proud of them all, and even the morning after I have a small tear in my eye.This is a bit like Manchester United losing to a mid table team in the premiership.
This photograph is of the match ball at the end of the game. I have inscribed it and will give it to the young man who I awarded Man of the Match to. He is not the most gifted player in the team, but last night he played with immense heart and scored 20, his highest ever score for us. It was amazing to watch him loft a huge 6 over long off.
For the record, we scored 126 for 7 in our innings of 20 overs, and Loughborough Town scored 118 for 4 off their 20 overs, so we won the game by 8 runs.
Well done to the under 13s! And what a great attitude you are instilling in them! Nice photo too Sean, love the contrast of the red against the green (a billiard table perhaps).
This just popped up on my the home page and I thought 'Sean' before I had seen that indeed it was! Congratulations to your team! It's a pretty good shot of a cricket ball too - I can feel it in my hand and it must be at least 50 years since I held one!!
@yrhenwr Thanks David, I will be sure and pass everyones congratulations on to them when I see them at nets tonight. They were so thrilled with their achievement. I know what you mean about feeling the ball in your hand. They are amazingly tactile things!
Have been there with that kind of story with my son and his teams over the years! Took me right back (he is 20 now). Lovely happy ending and nice shot of the ball too!
Congrats, an amazing accomplishment. It warms my heart that you selected the "not most gifted player in the team" as Man of the Match for stepping up to the challenge, it is extremely valuable for them, much more so than for the "gifted ones"
@primitiveprobe Cheers Andreas, I share the award around, so that everyone gets a go if at all possible. It is important for me that everyone gets recognised.
Don't know much about cricket but any team sport is wonderful for youth.
Well done and love this ball. It looks like it is made of a wonderful leather of some kind. Colors are fabulous.
Well done and love this ball. It looks like it is made of a wonderful leather of some kind. Colors are fabulous.