View From The Middle

With three games completed this season, I thought it may be appropriate to reflect on the highs and lows that the team have gone through.

Hopefully, this may become a regular slot. Some reports, like this, might cover a number of games; others may capture a classic match. But then again, this may be the only one. Time will tell. I would welcome guest writers to come forward to add their contribution. With the trip to Norfolk only 2 weeks away, I anticipate ‘What Goes On Tour, Stays On Tour ... and on the website!’ as a possible feature. And as Paul struggles for players in August ‘Would Your Granny Like A Game?’ should be a good read.

The theme for this particular article is the number ‘three’. Apologies for the constant reference to this mystical number. Apologies also for the somewhat tenuous link from time to time.

I will begin by pointing out one or two stats (or three) and some rather bizarre facts that you may be aware of. Then again, they probably never crossed your mind!

In the first game of the season at Sidcup, three catches were taken off no balls, all of which were called for being over waist high. Apart from the caught and bowled by the debutant, Jeremy Page, no fielder took a catch in that match from a legitimate ball or in the game at Old Elthamians. Furthermore, no catch actually went to hand in either game.

This trend was broken in dramatic style at Leigh when three fielders – the Johns, Clay and Sawyer, plus Alex – all contrived to drop the opening bat off the same ball (wicket keeper to first slip to second slip to ground). Sawyer then managed to drop two more catches – three in total – the final one being a gallant effort as he was trying to catch the Chelsea score on his mobile phone. Unfortunately, he caught the score but not the ball.

Our much revered keeper then dropped another before accepting chance number three. He has now had three victims this season and needs one more to reach the magic 400. Incidentally, for the mathematicians out there, 399 is divisible by three.

In the game at Leigh, every Greenheath fielder wore a cap for the whole of the Leigh innings, apart from when each individual bowler was bowling. Also, seven of the fielders wore shades. Those who didn’t were the keeper and three outfielders.

During the Leigh match, 400 runs were scored. These were all a combination of 1s, 2s, 4s and 6s – not a single three was scored in the entire game.

Greenheath won the match at Leigh by three wickets with three balls left of the first of the final three overs.

Alex took a three fer at Leigh. Gazzer did the same at Old E’s – the highest wicket haul in the season to date.

Peter ‘Ramps’ White’s average has now dropped below 100 since the beginning of last season, despite scoring 85 at Old E’s. Ok, so there’s no reference to three, but it’s still quite fascinating.

The skippers have managed to lose the toss on all three occasions.