Record Turnout
NCI CC is proving to be a magnet for lady cricketers in Cambridgeshire. We had SIX new faces last week who all enjoyed themselves and have promised to be back for more. So thanks to Gen, Lucy, Hannah, Sophie, Natasha and Zara for turning out and playing the game with such enthusiasm. We are becoming a little constrained by space and time at Fenners I think. Maybe one of our several astrophysicists can come up with an Einstein style solution to that one. Eh? Natasha? Emily? Jill?
Two Counties League Fixtures 2007
A spreadsheet is available with the fixtures for 2007, both the Ladies League and the Fourth Team fixtures. I don’t expect everyone to play every game but you are all most welcome to play Saturday and Sunday, as often as you wish. The fourth team games are a higher standard than the Ladies League because we are playing against men. Last year we had 5 or 6 women playing in the fourth team every week. It is great experience to play a 40 over game against some tougher bowling. When you face the women’s bowling afterwards it seems really slow and 30 overs seems a doddle. If you didn't get the emailed Excel file let me know or check the fixtures on the NCI CC Play Cricket website.
At the end of season dinner I said my target in our first competitive season was to finish in the top three in the Ladies League. In view of the talent we have attracted to the club already (and it’s only January) Paula has recommended a revised target. Ladies - we are now gunning for the Top Spot. We start with an away game at Woodbridge on Sunday May 6th. They finished second in the league last year so we need to be ready for them. (Monday 7th is a BH so no going away for the weekend!!) The league winners were Ipswich so please make sure you are available for those Grand Finale weekends. (Sundays 2nd and 16th Sept.) You can see the 2006 League Table on the link below but you need to scroll to the bottom of the page when you get there. (we are underneath all the men - suprise, surpise!) We played friendlies last year against Battisford, Woolpit and Ipswich. http://www.twocounties.com/leaguetables.html
Challenge Cup 2007
Even more exciting is our bid to play at Lords!! Yes Annette, THE Lords. The National Challenge Knockout Cup culminates in a semi-final at Lords and a final at Loughborough. Paula and Caroline both played in last year’s winning team at the semi finals (Cambridge Papworth) and I got to run on with the drinks. So exciting! (See the Blog entry for August 2006.) So please keep free all the Sundays in the fixture list for the knockout games. Our first challenge is away to Downham Market on Sunday 27th May.
Fun & Friendlies
I will be adding some more friendlies and some fun evening games to the list. We have enough players in NCI for an 8 aside evening game amongst ourselves. This gives everyone some useful match practice before facing the real thing. And it’s a great way to spend a summers evening on Parkers Piece. The forecast is for a record summer so let’s plan to enjoy it outdoors.
Thanks for all the replies to my little survey. I will report back on the committee meeting on Thursday. Red Bull will be served when it arrives as part of my official sponsorship deal. In the meantime if there is someone you think might cough up some dosh for sponsorship for us do let me know.
C u Thursday 7pm.
The Captain
Monday, January 29, 2007
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Sam's Ozzie Blog
Undercover Downunder
In deepest December, 5 intrepid tourists head south to Sydney, via Kuala Lumpur, Adelaide and Melbourne, with just three ambitions: to enjoy the warmer climes of Australia; to taste some fine Aussie wines; and most importantly to watch the greatest English cricketing fight-back of all time, as Freddie inspires his boys to come from 2-0 down and retain the Ashes………
Day 1-3 Awaiting News
Kuala Lumpur – Finnegan’s Irish Pub
Deep in thoughts over pints of Guinness whilst the rain hammers at the window, the sound of a mobile breaks though the silence. Slowly I pick it up and answer it before turning to my fellow travellers: “I’m sorry” I say, “ It’s over – the Ashes are gone – they’ve beaten us in Perth.”
The guys sigh deeply before one of them downs his Guinness and comments “and we’re not even in Australia yet.”
Day 4–10 - Into Hiding
Somewhere between Adelaide and Melbourne
Suddenly the third ambition loses its lustre and the emphasis switches very much to the 2nd. The 5 now wine enthusiasts head for the Hills or the Vale (McLaren Vale that is) and take refuge among the vineyards from the onslaught of Aussie ribbing, whilst drinking themselves into oblivion!
Day 11 – Braving the Weather and the MCG
Boxing Day – 1st day of the Melbourne Test and someone called Shane Warne’s 700th wicket (photo above)
As the wind batters the city and the temperatures drop below double figures, we head off to the MCG in an assortment of shorts, T-Shirts, sunglasses and thongs (the shoe variety), refusing to believe it’s the coldest Christmas on record in Melbourne! Despite the weather – it’s wet, overcast and bloody freezing – 90,000 people pack into the MCG, we drink ice-cold beer, and Flintoff wins the toss and for some reason doesn’t bowl! Still, the noise made mainly by the rampant Barmy Army is deafening. It’s quite an experience being there and if you’re an Aussie it’s even better, as Australia bowl England out for 159 and we are all treated to a guy called Shane Warne getting his 700th wicket! For the English, we’re all secretly pleased when finally the rain comes (that stuff that’s been missing in Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth) and the day draws to a close.
Day 12-13 – Enduring the Test Match
MCG
It’s not good. After raising hopes when Australia are reduced to 84 for 5, England don’t get another look in. Australia cruise to a crushing victory inside three days, but the Barmy Army are still in form and at least the temperatures have risen to just above the 10 degrees mark.
Day 14-15 – Enjoying the Culture and the Sunshine
Various establishments in Melbourne
At least with no cricket, there’s plenty of time to visit museums, animal parks and the rest of the Melbourne tourist sites…. or alternatively sit in a pub (sorry bar) and burn in the glorious sunshine that has finally found its way to Australia.
Day 15 – Two Get Stuck in the Bathroom
Apartment Block - Sydney
Oh dear what can the matter be?
Sam and John get stuck in the lavatory
Not for the faint-hearted - Full story on request.
Day 16 – New Years Eve
Somewhere in Sydney
Somehow miss the fireworks drowning sorrows and writing a complaint letter to the ECB.
Day 17-20 – Witness the First Whitewash in 85 years
New Years Day – Final test - SCG
It starts so well, the sun is out, the seats are fantastic and the SCG – a somewhat friendlier village style of a stadium, reminiscent of those happy go-lucky summer days on Parkers Piece, is alive with friendly rivalry and the voice of the Fanatics in yellow and the Barmy Army in red! And even the cricket on this first day is probably the best we’ve seen from England for a while as England finish on 234-4.
In deepest December, 5 intrepid tourists head south to Sydney, via Kuala Lumpur, Adelaide and Melbourne, with just three ambitions: to enjoy the warmer climes of Australia; to taste some fine Aussie wines; and most importantly to watch the greatest English cricketing fight-back of all time, as Freddie inspires his boys to come from 2-0 down and retain the Ashes………
Day 1-3 Awaiting News
Kuala Lumpur – Finnegan’s Irish Pub
Deep in thoughts over pints of Guinness whilst the rain hammers at the window, the sound of a mobile breaks though the silence. Slowly I pick it up and answer it before turning to my fellow travellers: “I’m sorry” I say, “ It’s over – the Ashes are gone – they’ve beaten us in Perth.”
The guys sigh deeply before one of them downs his Guinness and comments “and we’re not even in Australia yet.”
Day 4–10 - Into Hiding
Somewhere between Adelaide and Melbourne
Suddenly the third ambition loses its lustre and the emphasis switches very much to the 2nd. The 5 now wine enthusiasts head for the Hills or the Vale (McLaren Vale that is) and take refuge among the vineyards from the onslaught of Aussie ribbing, whilst drinking themselves into oblivion!
Day 11 – Braving the Weather and the MCG
Boxing Day – 1st day of the Melbourne Test and someone called Shane Warne’s 700th wicket (photo above)
As the wind batters the city and the temperatures drop below double figures, we head off to the MCG in an assortment of shorts, T-Shirts, sunglasses and thongs (the shoe variety), refusing to believe it’s the coldest Christmas on record in Melbourne! Despite the weather – it’s wet, overcast and bloody freezing – 90,000 people pack into the MCG, we drink ice-cold beer, and Flintoff wins the toss and for some reason doesn’t bowl! Still, the noise made mainly by the rampant Barmy Army is deafening. It’s quite an experience being there and if you’re an Aussie it’s even better, as Australia bowl England out for 159 and we are all treated to a guy called Shane Warne getting his 700th wicket! For the English, we’re all secretly pleased when finally the rain comes (that stuff that’s been missing in Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth) and the day draws to a close.
Day 12-13 – Enduring the Test Match
MCG
It’s not good. After raising hopes when Australia are reduced to 84 for 5, England don’t get another look in. Australia cruise to a crushing victory inside three days, but the Barmy Army are still in form and at least the temperatures have risen to just above the 10 degrees mark.
Day 14-15 – Enjoying the Culture and the Sunshine
Various establishments in Melbourne
At least with no cricket, there’s plenty of time to visit museums, animal parks and the rest of the Melbourne tourist sites…. or alternatively sit in a pub (sorry bar) and burn in the glorious sunshine that has finally found its way to Australia.
Day 15 – Two Get Stuck in the Bathroom
Apartment Block - Sydney
Oh dear what can the matter be?
Sam and John get stuck in the lavatory
Not for the faint-hearted - Full story on request.
Day 16 – New Years Eve
Somewhere in Sydney
Somehow miss the fireworks drowning sorrows and writing a complaint letter to the ECB.
Day 17-20 – Witness the First Whitewash in 85 years
New Years Day – Final test - SCG
It starts so well, the sun is out, the seats are fantastic and the SCG – a somewhat friendlier village style of a stadium, reminiscent of those happy go-lucky summer days on Parkers Piece, is alive with friendly rivalry and the voice of the Fanatics in yellow and the Barmy Army in red! And even the cricket on this first day is probably the best we’ve seen from England for a while as England finish on 234-4.
Alas it doesn’t last and we are praying for rain again which strangely doesn’t arrive when you want it. England collapse on the 2nd day with the loss of six wickets for just 45 runs! It only gets worse on the 3rd with Shane Warne demonstrating why he shouldn’t be retiring and it’s all over on the 4th – England lose 5-0 and we end up in the pub yet again sipping inferior Aussie beer (at least England are good at something) and raising our glasses to what we know will be a crushing England win in 2009!
Sam
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Great Start for 2007 Gels - Next Week Bowling!!
We had a fun, action-packed and competitive session last Thursday. Paula knows how to run a good, fun session; witness the fact some guys have asked to join our gang and play our games. Which is absolutely fine, anyone is welcome. We had a couple of new keen bunnies – thanks for dropping in Susie and Jill; hope to see you next week. Paula has planned to focus on bowling next week and here is some homework to study in preparation. (Well she is a teacher as well!)
Compare and contrast the Flipper, the Zooter and the Wrongun. Explain their significance in the Battle of the Ashes?
Red Bull Replies!!
“Dear Mary, Thank you for your interest in a possible co-operation with Red Bull – and may I congratulate you on such a creative proposal!!!”
Wow! I’m impressed already. A real person replied! Hannah Wright of Red Bull Sports Marketing did a creditable job of plugging the benefits of her product and company and then let me down gently.
“In terms of financial sponsorship, Red Bull will unfortunately be unable to support you with sponsoring in this instance. As you can see above Red Bull's sponsoring philosophy is to support a few outstanding individual athletes in selected sports, (she refers specifically to the Great Britain Athletics Team and the England Cricket team) and at present we (and our budgets!) are fully committed to them.”
You will note some words above in red bold. These are the words I am tempted to repeat back to Red Bull with a big question mark. Do you think they have been watching The Ashes downunder? I am sure I don’t need to spell out the irony to you NCI readers and players.
5-0 is certainly a reflection of an outstanding performance (by eleven individual athletes as it happens) BUT NOT THE ONES YOU SPONSORED!!!!
“I hope you can understand our position and find other suitable sponsors.”
NO and YES. NO I don’t understand at all but YES I will chase up other possibilities, despite the fact the task is probably made harder because the whole world now knows how laughably rubbish the English are at cricket. Maybe this is why the England Ladies fell back on that safe-as-houses marketing tactic – SEX SELLS; merit just isn’t going to have the same pull. Thank goodness we have two Aussies, a Sri Lankan, an Indian, a German, a South African, a Kiwi, and a demi-Italian in the ladies team.
However, Hannah from Red Bull has very kindly offered to send us a consignment of Red Bull. Thank you Hannah and here's a weblink as a reward. Red Bull.
I must ask her if she can bat.
Local Secrets
We have another good mention and links in this useful website - see Editors Choice. Take a look if you want to know what’s going on in and around Cambridge. Check the link on the right for the homepage and to register to receive their free newsletter.
Sam’s Southern Hemisphere Scary Adventures
If you didn’t know, our Sam has been downunder recently and endured the Ashes in person. A unique but less that satisfying experience I think. All sorts of other adventures unfolded but she survived to tell the tale. Read her Blog entry later this week and photos of that 700th wicket.
In the meantime here is an excerpt from Michael Parkinson's interview with Shane Warne.
C u 7pm Thursday at Fenners.
The Captain
We had a fun, action-packed and competitive session last Thursday. Paula knows how to run a good, fun session; witness the fact some guys have asked to join our gang and play our games. Which is absolutely fine, anyone is welcome. We had a couple of new keen bunnies – thanks for dropping in Susie and Jill; hope to see you next week. Paula has planned to focus on bowling next week and here is some homework to study in preparation. (Well she is a teacher as well!)
Compare and contrast the Flipper, the Zooter and the Wrongun. Explain their significance in the Battle of the Ashes?
Red Bull Replies!!
“Dear Mary, Thank you for your interest in a possible co-operation with Red Bull – and may I congratulate you on such a creative proposal!!!”
Wow! I’m impressed already. A real person replied! Hannah Wright of Red Bull Sports Marketing did a creditable job of plugging the benefits of her product and company and then let me down gently.
“In terms of financial sponsorship, Red Bull will unfortunately be unable to support you with sponsoring in this instance. As you can see above Red Bull's sponsoring philosophy is to support a few outstanding individual athletes in selected sports, (she refers specifically to the Great Britain Athletics Team and the England Cricket team) and at present we (and our budgets!) are fully committed to them.”
You will note some words above in red bold. These are the words I am tempted to repeat back to Red Bull with a big question mark. Do you think they have been watching The Ashes downunder? I am sure I don’t need to spell out the irony to you NCI readers and players.
5-0 is certainly a reflection of an outstanding performance (by eleven individual athletes as it happens) BUT NOT THE ONES YOU SPONSORED!!!!
“I hope you can understand our position and find other suitable sponsors.”
NO and YES. NO I don’t understand at all but YES I will chase up other possibilities, despite the fact the task is probably made harder because the whole world now knows how laughably rubbish the English are at cricket. Maybe this is why the England Ladies fell back on that safe-as-houses marketing tactic – SEX SELLS; merit just isn’t going to have the same pull. Thank goodness we have two Aussies, a Sri Lankan, an Indian, a German, a South African, a Kiwi, and a demi-Italian in the ladies team.
However, Hannah from Red Bull has very kindly offered to send us a consignment of Red Bull. Thank you Hannah and here's a weblink as a reward. Red Bull.
I must ask her if she can bat.
Local Secrets
We have another good mention and links in this useful website - see Editors Choice. Take a look if you want to know what’s going on in and around Cambridge. Check the link on the right for the homepage and to register to receive their free newsletter.
Sam’s Southern Hemisphere Scary Adventures
If you didn’t know, our Sam has been downunder recently and endured the Ashes in person. A unique but less that satisfying experience I think. All sorts of other adventures unfolded but she survived to tell the tale. Read her Blog entry later this week and photos of that 700th wicket.
In the meantime here is an excerpt from Michael Parkinson's interview with Shane Warne.
C u 7pm Thursday at Fenners.
The Captain
Friday, January 05, 2007
Back to School
Well I am desperate to get back into the indoor school and smash a few balls around. Watching the Ashes has led to delusions that I could have run out Shane Warne and scored more runs than half the England team. I know some of you have been getting some interesting cricket-style Christmas pressies and you are just desperate to try them out. So be there on Thursday 11th January 7-8pm for our first coaching session of 2007. Paula will be helping us ease back into the game with some drills and games – a fun session. So remember what she taught us about Pulling. (Didn’t work for me on New Year’s Eve sadly. I think it’s my timing.)
It’s £25 for the hall at Fenners so should cost about £2 each and if we chip in an extra £1 the coach gets to buy a round. What you call a win-win outcome. We are all welcome to stay on for the men’s session 8-10pm. Extra cost of course.
The Secret of a Whiter-than-White Whitewash!
If you’ve been following the Ashes (Lois you need some sleep possum) you will know that the England team has just been whitewashed 5-0 for the first time in 86 years. And I know why.
Geoffrey Boycott says it’s because England don’t bowl well enough to take 20 wickets, Jonathan Agnew TMS commentator on Five Live says their preparation was poor, too much time with the WAGs, and John Buchanan, Aussie coach, says it’s KPs fault for being a loner. But I discovered today the secret is actually Red Bull.
Shane Warne has been playing some of the best cricket of his career, ironically as he is now retiring from Test Cricket. On the penultimate day, he top-scored by blasting 71 runs off 65 balls including 9 fours and 2 sixes. How did he do it?
“I was pretty pumped up when I first went out there. I’m normally a terrible starter so I thought I’d try a few Red Bulls and I had a couple of them and I was buzzing!” So says Shane in an ECB report. But according to the Red Bull website, there was a Red Bull cooler and product in the England dressing room all through the 2005 Ashes at home. A quote from Fred Flintoff on the site says, "I use Red Bull when I am tired and need to be focused... Be that waiting to go into bat or needing a boost before I bowl another 10 overs." (And when getting hammered 5-0?)
Aha! So when away from home were Freddie and his men lost without their Red Bull cooler? While Shane Warne and the rest of the ageing Aussies were well tanked up?
This could be the answer for us girls. I have today sent an email to Red Bull offering them the opportunity to step into the spikes of our former sponsor Veuve Cliquot and place a cooler in the Hobbs Pavilion on Parkers Piece. That way we can have confidence in our whites without fear of being whitewashed! I think Frank would be impressed.
Sponsorship – How Low Will You Go Ladies?
We have had much talk at NCI committee meetings on raising sponsorship money for the club. Well the England Women are prepared to go down to their undies for a bit of sponsorship it seems. The ECB Women’s website page shows three of the team posing in black sports bras.
“England women have formed a partnership with upliftedlingerie.co.uk an online based lingerie company, to supply sports bras to the team and dedicated their full support to the England Team as they embark on the challenge of retaining the Ashes. Vice-captain Laura Newton, along with bowler Isa Guha and all-rounder Nicola Shaw accepted the bras and thanked upliftedlingerie.co.uk for their support. (Ho ho!) Newton said: “We’re delighted that they have decided to provide us with sports bras – they are an essential part of our equipment and so it’s a fantastic deal for us.”
Apparently there is no money in this so-called sponsorship deal but the team get free bras worth £30. They weren’t even paid for the photo shoot; they stripped off for free. This reflects just how the women’s game is so cash-strapped. Despite the fact the England men get paid upwards of £250,000 I don’t think Kevin Pieterson would be photographed in his pants for zero rand.
However, I have to say that Uplifted Lingerie is not the right company for me. They specialise in large cups and much like the men's England team, I don't have any; not even a little urn!
Looking forward to seeing you all on Thursday.
The Captain
It’s £25 for the hall at Fenners so should cost about £2 each and if we chip in an extra £1 the coach gets to buy a round. What you call a win-win outcome. We are all welcome to stay on for the men’s session 8-10pm. Extra cost of course.
The Secret of a Whiter-than-White Whitewash!
If you’ve been following the Ashes (Lois you need some sleep possum) you will know that the England team has just been whitewashed 5-0 for the first time in 86 years. And I know why.
Geoffrey Boycott says it’s because England don’t bowl well enough to take 20 wickets, Jonathan Agnew TMS commentator on Five Live says their preparation was poor, too much time with the WAGs, and John Buchanan, Aussie coach, says it’s KPs fault for being a loner. But I discovered today the secret is actually Red Bull.
Shane Warne has been playing some of the best cricket of his career, ironically as he is now retiring from Test Cricket. On the penultimate day, he top-scored by blasting 71 runs off 65 balls including 9 fours and 2 sixes. How did he do it?
“I was pretty pumped up when I first went out there. I’m normally a terrible starter so I thought I’d try a few Red Bulls and I had a couple of them and I was buzzing!” So says Shane in an ECB report. But according to the Red Bull website, there was a Red Bull cooler and product in the England dressing room all through the 2005 Ashes at home. A quote from Fred Flintoff on the site says, "I use Red Bull when I am tired and need to be focused... Be that waiting to go into bat or needing a boost before I bowl another 10 overs." (And when getting hammered 5-0?)
Aha! So when away from home were Freddie and his men lost without their Red Bull cooler? While Shane Warne and the rest of the ageing Aussies were well tanked up?
This could be the answer for us girls. I have today sent an email to Red Bull offering them the opportunity to step into the spikes of our former sponsor Veuve Cliquot and place a cooler in the Hobbs Pavilion on Parkers Piece. That way we can have confidence in our whites without fear of being whitewashed! I think Frank would be impressed.
Sponsorship – How Low Will You Go Ladies?
We have had much talk at NCI committee meetings on raising sponsorship money for the club. Well the England Women are prepared to go down to their undies for a bit of sponsorship it seems. The ECB Women’s website page shows three of the team posing in black sports bras.
“England women have formed a partnership with upliftedlingerie.co.uk an online based lingerie company, to supply sports bras to the team and dedicated their full support to the England Team as they embark on the challenge of retaining the Ashes. Vice-captain Laura Newton, along with bowler Isa Guha and all-rounder Nicola Shaw accepted the bras and thanked upliftedlingerie.co.uk for their support. (Ho ho!) Newton said: “We’re delighted that they have decided to provide us with sports bras – they are an essential part of our equipment and so it’s a fantastic deal for us.”
Apparently there is no money in this so-called sponsorship deal but the team get free bras worth £30. They weren’t even paid for the photo shoot; they stripped off for free. This reflects just how the women’s game is so cash-strapped. Despite the fact the England men get paid upwards of £250,000 I don’t think Kevin Pieterson would be photographed in his pants for zero rand.
However, I have to say that Uplifted Lingerie is not the right company for me. They specialise in large cups and much like the men's England team, I don't have any; not even a little urn!
Looking forward to seeing you all on Thursday.
The Captain
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