As a child I had a dream, to be a professional cricketer and then a policeman. Sadly bad eye sight meant my life in chasing criminals was never fulfilled, and a lack of talent took the first part of the equation to 'Dashed Dreamsville'. Mind you this may not be such a bad thing because these days I struggle to chase cricket balls let alone community miscreants.
I have learned in my intermittent dalliances in the club game that there are better cricketers out there than me, ok a decidedly good number. However I also learned today that my good lady (who has never picked up a bat in anger) has honed captaincy skills that I could never have believed. Just this morning she hid Easter Eggs in our garden in such sneaky positions that Joe Root should take note, I particularly like the one she hid a silly mid Greenhouse that left our son decidedly stumped!
Easter though is a bitter sweet time for me. I realise the religious significance of the time but as a confirmed chocolate dodger (yes, despite being a tad rotund I never have eaten the stuff) it reminds me of the pile of Chocolate goodies my sister used to stockpile at this time of year, hers and my own. And all the time I would hope that my great aunt (who recently reached her own personal century) would be the one to remember my foible and send me the usual bag of wine gums for me to tuck into whilst my nearest and dearest sampled the Swiss economic output.
So just like the chin on the floor kid I used to be at Easter contemplating my sisters inflated hoard I look out of the window and see blue skies, feel the warmth on my skin and feel sad that the cricket bag under the bed will stay there for a good while longer. Obviously under present circumstances we all can not really complain that our favourite past-time has been put on the back burner, the viral 'wolf at the door' will not be turned away by the ritual of having my off peg knocked back every weekend. But anyone who has partaken in any team environment will tell you the sporting activity is only a small part of the social entertainment that participation bring, a hole that a mass Whatsapp group can only partially replace.
So to every member past of present, to any cricket fan who has somehow found this page ,or anyone from the Fleckney community or even further a field have a wonderful Easter. And while we are all straining at the leash to get out there and resume normal life please be assured that a bag of wine gums is better than nothing at all.
Stay strong, stay safe
Club Sec