Week 15

What a catch. Take a bow Simon Pickard. Like picking apples from a tree. Talk about a “Champagne Moment”, well that could be it for the season.

The look on the poor Minehead batsman said it all, utter disbelief. He absolutely creamed it, four all the way. Simon, fielding at mid-off (could be mid-on), stuck his hand up above his head and the ball just stuck. Oh how I wish you put the ball in your pocket!

Phil’s catch at slip wasn’t bad either, I understand most people were looking behind him to see where the ball went, but Phil had caught it.

Simon’s catch was somewhat reminiscent of Timmy Little’s catch at Somerton some 30 years ago, slightly different circumstances, but nevertheless, a great catch.

A Sunday friendly away to Somerton, in fact the first friendly of the season, and I am sure they chose Stowey as “cannon fodder” so to get their eye in for the start of the new season. We lost the toss, and we were put in the field. By the end of the 14^th over Somerton had reached 100 without loss. Steve Little brought himself on to bowl his slow right arm off-breaks.

First ball he flighted up, the batsman missed timed it and the ball dollied up to Steve’s brother Timmy, and he failed to take the easiest catch you could imagine. Steve was furious; he banished Timmy to the boundary where he trudged off sulking.

Two balls later, the same batsman absolutely creamed the ball, and it was heading straight to Timmy, who was still sulking and his mind was elsewhere. “Timmy” everyone shouted, Timmy woke up started to move to his left, he suddenly saw the ball going to his right, stuck his hand up and it stuck.

Cue laughter and hilarity, plus some gloating from Timmy aimed directly as his brother about his ability to catch. Absolutely cracking.

So why we are on the subject of catching, who is favourite to win the “Hole in the Hand” this season? From what I can see and understand, it’s going to be a tough choice.

Right, that’s it for now. Oh, I almost forgot #Ashes #60allout Thatchers time.