The Wisden Cricketer holds a cricket day every year.
This year it was at Lord’s, which you may have heard of. This meant I got to play at Lord’s on the Nursery ground (you can’t have everything) with several members of the English Women’s Cricket team.
My team was captained by Claire Taylor, yes Claire fucken TAYLOR, best batsman in the world Claire Taylor.
She also kept wickets, I stood next to her at slip. It was just me and Clare Taylor in the cordon at Lord’s. For all of 3 balls.
Then I bowled to Danielle Hazell as Claire Taylor kept and shouted encouragement to me, I think, she had a mouth guard on. She could have been saying anything. Probably “pitch it up, idiot”.
Later on Claire Taylor and I talked tactics, batting order and how I should bowl.
Ofcourse the day wasn’t all great. Danielle Hazell did hit me over the training nets. Although she hit someone else further. Later on I was hit for six by another English women’s player, I forget who, which is a shame because I then got her out.
Legspin wise I did pull a few down. But I’m a club spinner playing at Lord’s, I am supposed to pull a few down.
My other wicket was that of Rob Hawk, from Hawk bats, which might have ruined my sponsorship deal with him.
There were other highlights. Lawrence Booth flailing wildly with his eyes closed trying to imitate Wes Durston and somehow hitting a six of Simon Briggs. Andrew Miller playing and missing at five balls straight of a last over before finishing off with a six. And Rosalie Birch’s batting, which was pretty good for a retiree. Rosalie works for chance to shine, and I think she would agree, that playing with me was her chance to shine.
My favourite moment had to be when I burnt Anya Shrubsole when running between wickets with her. She made a diamond duck, but it was her fault. These professional cricketers just don’t back up. I can’t see how it could be my fault for hitting the ball straight to Cricket With Balls’ Holly Colvin and taking off. Anya was a good sport about it, she only spent the next 2 hours telling everyone I had run her out. Some people can’t face up to the truth.
I made up for it in the next over when I edged a ball of Jenny Gunn for the winning runs of the tournament. Although had a stuffed up the chase I would have questioned Jenny Gunn’s action in true aussie style.
It was a good day, but this photo of Andrew Miller and John Stern making sweet cricket love was really wrong.
This post was written by Jarrod Kimber, who recently hit the winning runs in a final at Lord’s.
