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Something went wrong yesterday. It was the first day of the first cricket test of the summer but the weather was warm and sunny with no rain - you can usually guarantee that test matches will be accompanied by cold and rain.
I have been involved with cricket in a number of capacities over my xx years (I'm not spilling the beans by telling you how old I am)!
As a boy I played on the Recreation ground close to where I lived and also at Junior School. It didn't have a cricket team but the teacher used to bowl at me in an attempt to get me out. I stubbornly defended.
On the Rec me and my mates would play pretend test matches. We would pretend we were the players of the day. For some unknown reason I tried to bat like Ian Redpath of Australia and bowl like Eddie Barlow of South Africa. My mate George was very fast so I always tried to be on the same side as him. Can you imagine a fast bowler hurling the ball down on an uneven pitch? But we never wore helmets (they hadn't been introduced into the game).
Then at grammar school I played for the school at Under-12 and Under-13 levels as an opening batsman. Then had to give cricket up in order to play tennis (you had to chose one or the other).
Fast forward many years and I played for a number of seasons for Hethersett and then had a long break before playing for them again until I decided that I was no longer seeing the ball and so retired again.
My involvement with Hethersett and Tas Valley Cricket Club continued in a number of capacities as a youth team coach, development officer and two years as chairman. Now I am an honorary vice-president which is an accolade I am very proud of along with being an honorary life member of Hethersett Athletic Football Club.
Being a cricket vice president basically means turning up, watching the cricket and drinking. I might add some dishwashing duties as well though.
I tried to work out a few years ago whether my favourite sport is cricket or football and it's a hard choice that I still can't decide.