Records, Runs & Rain (yes, still talking about DLS) (ft. Ben Heap)

This is a special live episode of the Housecast, recorded in person at Joe Beneduce’s house with Joe Martin hosting. With the rest of the usual crew unavailable, the Joes fly solo, but they are joined by none other than club legend and skipper Ben Heap for a brilliant chat. There has been no word if there was free gelato on offer though…

Ben reflects on the historic, record-breaking league win over Norden — including that incredible opening partnership with Jonny Whitehead, his fourth Lancashire League century, and the significance of two Lowerhouse players reaching three figures in the same league innings for the very first time.

There’s also plenty of discussion on the recent Worsley Cup Semi-Final DLS drama, as Ben gives his take from the heart of the action.

Plenty of laughs, plenty of cricket, and plenty of insight from one of Lowerhouse’s finest.

If you’re listening on Spotify, leave us a comment with your thoughts on the weekend!

#UTH 💛💙

Listen now wherever you get your podcasts.

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Hello, welcome to the house cast.
We've got a slightly interestingepisode tonight because we're
doing it live. We're in person, which is
rarity. We have a very special guest and
only two hosts and not the regular host, as you can hear
from my high pitch whines ratherthan Jez's dulcet tones.

(00:23):
I guess so. Jez isn't here.
Gaz isn't here. Gaz's not here.
Me and Joe Beneducci are. How are you, Joe?
I'm. Good.
Thanks. Fantastic, excellent.
Gav's been suspended pending theinvestigation.
I can't tell you why Gary's got no signal and Jez is being
fitted for a walking frame that's.

(00:45):
Why he's not here? Well, I mean, yeah, we'll have
to run. We'll have to run with that.
We've got a very special guest. We've got the first team captain
on the back of his exploits fromthe weekend and a fantastic win
for the first team and a generally great weekend for the

(01:07):
club for all the teams that wereinvolved this week.
So it was a really, really pleasant, really pleasant
weekend. So, Ben, hello, how are you?
Good evening, Joe. Good evening, Joe.
Yeah, very well. Thank you.
Glad to be back. I'm glad you finally got
somebody on who can answer all the questions about what the
pitch was like and the conditions were like instead of

(01:29):
asking you, Joe Martin. It's been painful.
But yeah, no good to be back. Good weekend.
How are you feeling physically? Do you know what?
The body's not too bad. I have had Jackson round just
before coming round here tonight.
He's been in every nook and cranny of my body, quite
literally. But not too bad body wise.

(01:50):
I've been a bit tired, didn't sleep great Sunday night, bit
restless still last night but yeah, powering free but bodies
OK. So I mean, we might let's let's
start on on the game from the from the weekend.
It was quite a remarkable match to be involved in definitely to

(02:11):
watch. What were your initial thoughts
around the game? Ben Norden or a good team, you
know, a good pro, some good amateurs.
How did you, how are you thinking in like the build up to
the game and the kind of set up?Yeah, they're obviously going
reasonably well in the league and they've seen a few changes

(02:34):
over the winter, lost a few players and brought some players
in since we played them at the start of the season, and
obviously the pros arrived as well.
So yeah, apprehend, apprehend, apprehend, I've got to say.
Apprehensive. Apprehensive ahead of the game
given the fact that they're professional.
Is a former Test cricketer and our track looking pretty flat.

(02:58):
They don't feel quick. So yeah, you get to win the toss
and but I wouldn't, I wouldn't have liked to see them get the
opportunity to bat 1st and then get in and get a score.
But yeah, every, every game feels like a big game given the
position that we're in. You know, we've been very open
and honest in the changing roomsabout the lead table and where

(03:21):
we are. And every game feels like a big
game. Yeah, I agree with that.
There's a little and not for me,I'm not sure about everybody
else, but I know from from my perspective, I really, really
think about the games at the weekend and and, and the
matchups and where we're and where we're going to be and it

(03:41):
and it does it I I do get reallynervous.
And that's what you're worried about, I think.
So providing it doesn't, it doesn't go too far where, you
know, I'm a disaster, which of course, I think.
You should look forward to nerves because it means that A
that there's something on it andB, that it means something to
you. I mean, I bet your the teams in

(04:03):
the middle of Division two, I bet they're not nervous like
like, you know, like you boys are.
But did you get nervous a lot? Yeah, yeah, all.
The time, all the time. But actually you've got to,
you've got to almost see it as apositive.
And I still do that at golf now.You know, if I'm nervous over a
shot, I think, well, I won't be nervous if I were 10 over par.
I'm only nervous because I've done well up until this point

(04:24):
and there's a lot of riding on this.
So let's get on. Yeah, yeah, we're.
Going to embrace that, I guess, and use that to your use that to
your strength. I think interesting on the toss
and stuff. Then obviously we won the toss.
We battered first and we get offto a we get off to a great
start. You and Johnny opening the
batting in that kind of 1st 10 overs.

(04:45):
What are your what are your thoughts initially?
What do you reckon? Well, it was Max Wernick who
opened from from the park end and we faced him early on in the
season. He's actually a tricky customer,
quite tall, hits, hits the seam and hits decent areas.
And I think he's played first class cricket, maybe even
international cricket as what I heard on the Grapevine at the

(05:06):
weekend, don't know how true that is, but he's definitely
played first class cricket. So that first over from the park
and first couple of overs from the park and were quite tricky.
And, and then the lad who openedthe bowling from the car park
and not faced in before, yeah, Taylor, he's a young lad, runs
in pretty hard and he was sharp as well.

(05:28):
So I'm always, I mean probably pretty obvious from the way that
I play, but I always like an early boundary that that settles
me down a little bit. And I didn't really get that
straight away. So it was made to work for a
couple of overs. Then the young lad Taylor
dropped a couple short and sort of got me going and and Johnny
was sort of still finding his way a little bit.

(05:50):
I'm sure he won't mind me sayingbut once I've sort of got those
first couple of boundaries away.I made the decision then to try
and put Mcsoud under a bit of pressure, which was a sort of
team tactic that me and Paul haddecided before and that if we
could put him under a bit of pressure and look to get him out
there the attack early. So they had so he had to bowl 2

(06:13):
spells, that would make it a very difficult day for Norden.
So I got out some some shots square of the wicket against him
and took a risk early on and I think that's how it went.
I think they took him off after maybe 10 or 12 over something
like that, which opened up the game pretty quickly.
I. Mean that the kind of mindset

(06:34):
you talk about there where you, you know, essentially try to
open up the game, aren't you? And take the game, take the game
forward. You and Johnny play very freely
both in a similar way. I would say really, you know,
aggressive and you and you, you know, take the take the ball was
on. I'd say there was probably an
imbalance at the weekend in terms of I wouldn't say scoring

(06:58):
rates, but probably scoring rates and probably the roles
that you and Johnny were playing.
Is that something that you kind of acknowledge when you're out
there batting and or is it just that's the flow of the game and
and that's how it's and that's how it's going, yeah.
Probably a little bit of both and it flows differently from
from week to week. You know, we are similarish

(07:21):
players, I guess at times. But I think, you know, it'd be
fair to say that Johnny's more of a, in my opinion, more of a
natural ball striker. So I feel, I feel like if ball
was missed their line or their length, Johnny will put it away
more naturally at times. And whereas, you know, the last

(07:43):
couple of years when I've been doing some work we've done, I've
started to look at the field a little bit more and try and
manipulate the field in that sense.
But both can work on any given day.
Or Johnny could just set off like a train and it might, might
take me a little bit longer to get going.
But yeah, it was clear on on Sunday morning.

(08:04):
Johnny won't mind me saying thatit it flawed for me a little bit
sooner, but we have honest conversations around that with
me, Dan and Johnny that, you know, if it doesn't flow,
there's no need to panic. It will come and it's OK for the
other guy to just keep going. And me and Johnny have getting,

(08:24):
you know, a great chemistry whenwe're right there.
We have a good understanding of each other's games and yet
neither of us really panic when one's going quicker than the
other. No, I mean, it just seemed that
Johnny actually sort of could could see how well you were
going and then sort of just sortof anchored and came in and and

(08:47):
just carried on batting. And and as you said, it probably
wasn't as free flowing as he as he usually is, but kind of kept
scoring, you know, getting you on strike really.
And, and and you carried on playing, which I thought was,
you know, particularly impressive of Johnny, you know,
alongside your, you know, ball striking on on that day as well.

(09:10):
Yeah. Definitely and it's horses for
courses as well. You know, you come up against
different attacks, different bowlers.
As you said earlier, we might look similar ish at times in
terms of when we're hitting the ball hard and straight, but I
think it's horses for courses and different bowlers ball in
different areas. And you know, it might be fair

(09:30):
to say that Max sued who's ball in medium pace, but looking to
land the ball in the same area. Pretty much every ball might
suit me when I'm looking to manipulate a field in position
because I'm sort of second guesssecond guessing where where he's
going to land it. And I'm fairly confident in
where he's going to land it. So I don't see it as a massive

(09:51):
risk. Whereas for another example,
when people ball in spin at Johnny, it can be very
destructive and the way it hits the ball over sort of wide long
on it punishes everybody, don't it?
Whereas maybe that's not my gamequite as much.
I'm interested in the role as captain for you when you're

(10:13):
batting or in the batting, because obviously I've been a
captain, but I've never, I've never scored that many reasons.
I don't think. I think I might score that many
season about three times. But how, where's your head at in
when you're when you're going and you're going through the
gears and you're building up to a milestone?
What how much of you is a batsman at that point and how
much is a captain? Where are you purely thinking

(10:36):
about staying in, accumulating, getting the getting the runs as
a batsman? Or is any of your brain thinking
about what impact that is havingon the team?
I don't know, if I was to put a figure on it, I would say 7030
in favour of doing the right thing for the team, if I'm being
completely honest. Yeah, Yeah, I would say so,

(10:58):
yeah. And I think the amount of times
I've been out in the 90s is probably the proof of that.
I mean, I ran myself out once. We all, we all know that.
But there's been other times when I've been out in the 80s
and 90s where I feel like I've been trying to press the game.
Yeah, press the game and push. Yeah, Rochdale trying to press
the game and push the game. I bet I've been out in the 90s

(11:18):
and late 80s more than anybody in the team.
And I was watching you on Sundayand when you're in the 90s, you
were giving it the flicks, you know, reverse sweeping.
There's a man at third bar and I'm thinking, what is he doing?
But I can't understand. You're smashing it everywhere,
you know, Is it over the top? Is it over?
Square leg but brilliantly powered, grace, everything and
he's now in the 90s trying to play reverse sweeps.

(11:40):
I'm thinking, what is he doing? Obviously I know nothing about.
Getting big scores? No.
I can see how that that can lookfrom the side, but yeah, I'm.
There's not. You don't.
You're obviously not thinking I'm going to get my way to 100
year by by whatever means necessary.
Absolutely not. Absolutely not.
Yeah, I think, you know, I do get nervous in the 90s as

(12:03):
probably everybody does, you know, maybe some more than
others. And it felt great to get 100 on
Sunday, but I certainly wasn't. I mean, there were a few dots
weren't there when I think I wasabout 9697, but I certainly
weren't going to get there in one, shall we say, but.
We were already so far ahead of the game.

(12:23):
I mean, that sounds daft after, you know, the other team haven't
battered, but we clearly were when you were, when you were on
90. We got there so quickly.
You know, you wouldn't be forgiven in that, in that set of
circumstances for, you know, anchoring a little bit just to
make sure you got there, then kick it on again.
But clearly that's not. Yeah, I mean, yeah.
I mean, I guess you just don't see it like that when you're out
there and the adrenaline's pumping.

(12:45):
You're, you're aware if a specialist captain, you're aware
if you start chewing up a few balls, maybe like you say, maybe
maybe being a little bit unfair on myself there.
And I'm probably, you know, entitled to maybe 1015 balls
where it takes me to do it in singles.
But again, in my opinion, doing it that way, the nerves just

(13:06):
increase even more or. A longer period of time.
Absolutely. So yeah, I felt, you know, the
reverse sweeps probably weren't the one, but I did feel if I get
something short or something full, I'm going to put it away
and get it quickly, quickly done.
I mean, it's a shame Jez and Gary aren't here because we
could be comparing this approachthat Ben has now to the great

(13:29):
run accumulators that they played against something like
you as Lynden boys. And there will be others that
that don't immediately come to mind.
I bet you they, Nelson. Yeah, I bet you they didn't.
I bet you they didn't play like that.
I bet. I bet you're going back to the
previous generation. It was more about I'm going to
get as many as I possibly can for myself and then whatever.
Not in a selfish, no, no, but I'm talking about Ben's approach

(13:52):
of keeping his foot down and. Keep going.
Whereas, you know, previously possibly if I get, if I get 100,
that's going to be great for theteam.
So if I get 100 that'll be fine.Whether it's more of it's almost
more about like how I get to 100.
Absolutely. And, and you know, it was, I got
there pretty quickly anyway. Well, I was going to say you

(14:13):
were 50 or 38 boys. So did.
You feel at that point it was onand you read.
It and I sort of said to Johnny like, I'm going for it here.
As in like I'm going to try and get there, but I'm going to
carry on playing the way I played, right the way through.
Didn't necessarily believe it would have been the right way

(14:33):
for me on that particular day tothen drop gears just because I'm
in the 90s. OK.
And then when's, what about the next landmarks that you're, do
you think about 1:50 or not really?
It's not really a, it's not really a celebrated.
No. Landmark is it?
All the nerves have gone by thispoint, you're just enjoying
yourself. I think I did a couple of

(14:56):
boundaries before getting to 150.
I did have a little look and realise I was one more boundary
away. So I think I got, I got one
through extra cover off Taylor and I knew I'd got it.
So that was nice. And I knew that was 150.
But yeah, it wasn't really something that I was thinking

(15:16):
about. But I was, I was into, I mean
it's done now isn't it? But I was into I was into make a
big and not just put one up in the air after getting to three
figures. And what about Johnny's 189?
But did that come into your mindat all?
So. I knew, I knew I was close.
I've got to be honest, because my adrenaline was pumping that
much, I couldn't remember what it was.

(15:40):
I couldn't even remember what mine was.
I know that sounds daft but you're all over the place.
So there was a round of applausewhen I got past, I'm now
presuming 175 but I couldn't remember at the time.
In all honesty, when I would getinto one 60s I was thinking to
myself try and get a double tonne as quickly as you can
because I'm blowing at me back and I've got a job to do in the

(16:04):
second-half and I would never just throw my wicket away to go
and get a break. But it was one of the hottest
weekends of the year so it was trying to get a double tonne but
do it quickly. Yeah.
You just sort of taking a step back from there to when you
actually got to 100. There was, you know, getting

(16:27):
getting 100 is all is all obviously an amazing achievement
and something that you know, should be treasured.
I think for for anybody that gets one.
Yeah, it's quite an quite an emotional celebration.
It's kind of felt that there's been something coming for a
while from from from our batters.

(16:47):
Can can you can you think what what you were thinking at that
point when you when you actuallygot there?
Yeah, yeah. No, I think when I've got what,
when I've got 100 in the past it's been, you know, a little
bit more subdued and sort of calm and taking it all in and
just taking my lid off. And I guess it was just a bit of

(17:08):
a roar of frustration of starts for myself.
I wish, as we touched on previously, I made no secret
secret of it. I've been out in the 90s
probably more than anybody. And whilst I'm, you know, when
I'm, when I've been, when I've got out in the 90s, I've been,
I've been getting, I've been getting out trying to press the

(17:29):
game. But it's still equally as
frustrating individually when you go on, when you sit and you
think about it at night, you know, it does matter.
Of course it does. So I think it was that more than
anything, just the fact that I've been going pretty well, not
got the big scores. I would have liked thrown it
away a couple of times in the 90s.
Felt are done by the weekend before on the Saturday.

(17:53):
Didn't particularly agree with my decision on the Sunday, but
just been batting really, reallywell.
Yeah, but just not prolonged it.So yeah, I think it was just
letting that frustration out andreally enjoying the moment, I
think in front of a big cry. Yeah, it was, you know, I've
worked hard a lot on my game. We've done the last couple of
years. He's put a lot of work into me

(18:14):
to make, to get me to believe, even though I've done something
similar to this in the past. No disrespect to Great Harwood,
but that was, you know, a few years ago against weaker
opposition. If I'm going to be brutally
honest. This was a Premier League team.

(18:35):
We've got a Test, former Test cricket to play.
So it just felt a little bit more special, I guess.
And you know, a typical batsman,I'm fairly aware that it was
chanceless all the way through. It was amazing to.
Me and done and done it and doneit a fair lick.
So I guess seen true Johnny Bestor Johnny.
Best or. Style.
It was a bit of a roar of a celebration.

(18:57):
I. Mean it's fair to say, Joe, I
think you know, we wandered around a couple of times
together. It was amazing to watch both you
and and Johnny batter at the same time.
You I actually actually would say it was pretty chancelless.
I don't think I can't remember adrop catch or, you know, a

(19:18):
particularly close LBW or anything like that.
I think it was a remarkable, a really remarkable inning to see.
And I. Walked all the way.
I walked pretty much around the ground the entire first innings
and I stopped with Graham for a bit and a few others.
And the feeling around the ground was disbelief.

(19:40):
You know, they they could not believe the start that we'd
gotten to be whatever we were after 25 overs.
You know, the people just like laughing and joking and saying,
imagine, imagine having to fieldin this.
Imagine, you know, we've got 200and now many and there's still
25 overs to go. It's ridiculous.
And just to pull your back on something that you said there
about Great Orwood and you know,you rightly point out that

(20:02):
Norden are probably a level of opposition above Great Orwood,
but you've got 4 Lanchley hundreds now. 179175144 and one
O 8 not out. So even even the one that's not
one O 9 not out, sorry, even theone that's not massive, you
weren't even out. The other, the other three are

(20:24):
like mammoths. Yeah, you know, really
significant scores. I don't know what, what, what
point I'm trying to make. I guess I'm just saying that,
you know, once, once you get in and and get there, then you
always go on and, and and make the batter's pace.
So that's. Yeah, absolutely.

(20:45):
Yeah, it's really good. And batting with Johnny at this
at the same, obviously Johnny got 100 batter.
Batter beautifully as well. Again, a really big celebration
from from the both of you and I watched it back on the on the
stream and you had a really big hug and it was it was fantastic
to fantastic to watch. What?
What would you? What would?

(21:05):
Your assessment of Johnny's innings be obviously it was
amazing. Brilliant.
Yeah, absolutely brilliant. And I'm sure he won't mummy
saying it. You know, he had to graft a
little bit harder than I did at the start, but once he got going
it's pretty flawless. Wasn't it from being completely
honest? And that's been coming as well.
He was close at Burnley and it was just a nice moment to share.

(21:28):
You know, we've played and opened the batting together for
a very long time, since we were kids and you know, we've both
matured a lot and we have great chemistry.
When we're out there together. We don't particularly say too
much to each other, but I think there's a real understanding and

(21:48):
a real respect between the both of us.
Contrary to what some people think, that other clubs in the
Lancashire League, we're actually pretty tight, believe
it or not. And once I've got there and gone
through those nerves in the 90s and I've Johnny, you know,
egging me on to keep going, I just wanted to return the

(22:09):
favour. And yeah, I was over the moon to
see him get his hundred and, youknow, I felt part of it.
Yeah, yeah, really real nice, absolutely real real nice
moment. And yeah, I think I was sort of
almost semi aware that you know,2 amateurs have probably not
done that. No together to lore house lads

(22:32):
through and through because I knew it was a pretty special
moment. So that's sort of down to the
celebration as well a little bit.
We knew we were close to to Finchy and Ryan Harris record as
well. Bring that up.
Yeah, sorry. Yeah.
No, no, I was, I was going to say, obviously it's a massive
partnership. 240, 7, something like that.

(22:54):
This one, yeah, 245245, you know, 12 away.
And just before Johnny, Johnny got out, I was wandering around
and Ben, Ben were waving at me. And I thought, I think they
can't possibly want me to get mypals on what we're trying to do.

(23:15):
And. We're going to declare you.
And then obviously Johnny got out to what looked like a good
ball. Yeah.
And you were. And you were really close, but
you were saying you thought you were.
Yeah. But the disappointment when I
ran on to let you know, and I kind of like, yeah, you were.
When we were close, we thought it was.

(23:38):
We thought it was 250 or late two 40s.
Yeah. So you know, this, this, these
aren't things that normally cometo the forefront of your mind
when you're out there, but when you're when you're so
comfortable in a game and you'reboth 100 not out, you can't help
but think, well, we must be close to something.
And you know what I mean? So we were sort of all saying to

(24:00):
each other, let's let's make sure we get 250 here before we
just put one up in the air because we were fairly certain
it was late two 40s. But we're obviously wrong.
But as it transpires, you know, obviously Ryan's gone on and
played for Australia and he was a professional cricketer,
Fincher, great player. But yeah, as far as two amateurs

(24:22):
go, it was a pretty special day,yeah.
Amazing, really amazing to watch.
And I've had a quick look through the other big scores in
the league. I was wondering, you're 34, you
hit 30 fours on there. Henry said that when we were
having tea and it had just gone really quiet.
Yeah. And Henry went.
You hit 30 fours in that event, 30.

(24:44):
Fours. I mean it's ridiculous, 120 runs
in fours. So I was thinking that must be a
record. So I went through on league
website you can have a look at the highest scores.
All told, I think the highest score ever was you're manic
green. What's he called the pros now
he's got 240 and he didn't hit 30 fours, I think.

(25:06):
Yeah, he again, you'd be in force.
The only one who I could find who got more than you was cheeky
at their cup. He has a big score against that
might be accurate to the Navy, I'm not sure.
But he had a double loaded any. I think he had 33 fours.
So he's the only one who's refused Trump you for fours?
Interesting. But the rest of them you've got,
you've got a beat. Just on, just on the hundreds by

(25:30):
the within in the club, obviously you've got 4 now.
Frankie's got quite a few and Johnny's got a few and I'm glad
he's got a few. There was a stamp that Adam sent
me from Paul Hargreaves which isthe 1st 21 hundreds by lower
house amateurs took 112 years. The last 21 has taken 21 years,

(25:55):
which I think is it's remarkablereally to when you think about
the when you think about how that sort of climbed and people
you know, actively sort of climbing into into that.
I think the other thing that we should mention from that
innings, Ben is obviously went past 9000 runs, which is a
fantastic achievement. Have you set your sights on on

(26:20):
where you want to get to or or or or what that looks like in
the? Future definitely like 10,000,
you might get that. But yeah, to be to be the second
person in the club's district togo above 10,000 runs, league
runs would be pretty special. And you know, for those two

(26:43):
people to be from the same family, I'm sure my granddad
would be pretty. Proud.
Yeah, I think so that yeah, definitely.
Yeah. Let's do a bit on 2nd innings
there. Yeah, If we just a couple of, if
I go through a couple of stats 1st and then we'll go on and
then second innings. These are some that Adam has
sent through highest amateur partnership as we've already
discussed, second high school partnership.

(27:08):
You know, Ben's your top score, highest club score that we've
that we've got first time 2 amateurs have got centuries in a
league game for the low house highest winning margin, 9000
runs. Johnny's coming up to 200 league
appearances on Saturday and and hockey's hockey's getting up to

(27:30):
300 caps as well. So it's, it was a it was a, it
was a remarkable first innings to, to, to watch, especially
because after, you know, you andJohnny got out, there was still
a little bit of work to do. There's still quite a few overs
left. Yeah, I'm.
Surprised really, wasn't it? How many overs would have left
when I got? Out I would have guessed that

(27:51):
something like I had a guess at something like that because I
think when you got to I think when you got to 100, I think
there were like 25 overs left maybe I think I said that to you
there's still 25 overs left So yeah, so really, really great

(28:11):
effort by everybody involved in that Batty, but especially you
Ben so brilliant. You were again 42.40.
Does that sound right? All right.
OK. I thought it was earlier than
that, but fairly. 34.5. Yeah, that man.
Henry 34.6 We're having a littlechuckle there.
Ben 42.4 Right? Yeah.

(28:34):
So yeah, then second innings, right?
Yeah, it was. Well, we obviously should say
that Dan wasn't playing. For those who are not aware,
he's got a little niggle. So we had a sub pro from the
side. It's not always easy to see from
the side, but he did look useful.
He looked like he had quite a lot of spin and he looked like

(28:55):
he was, you know, in complete control of what he was doing
with it. But obviously they got off to a
little bit of a flyer, but I guess that's always likely to
happen in it. They're going to have to come
hard. You know, we're not bothered
about defending runs particularly.
We can have an overly aggressivefield.
We've got 400 on board and so you're always going to expect
that unless we take a couple wickets very early then they are

(29:16):
going to get off to a bit of a flyer.
Is that how you? Is that how you saw it kind of?
Definitely. I mean, we didn't, we didn't
particularly start great in the field and a couple of catches
went down and. They're the only ones you're
absolutely and. They're never easy in the slips,
especially off pace bowlers. I mean when you've got a pair of
gloves on they're a little bit easier.

(29:37):
But yeah, I mean Tom, Tom's bowled with fairly aggressive
fields all season, but Charlie Ganzer hasn't and I didn't think
he bowled poorly from being completely honest.
You know, it's a flat pitch, theout feels rapid and whilst it's
nearly 400, you know they're going to come and have a go.

(29:59):
What what is the alternative? What is the alternative?
You're not going to get anywherenear a point by just giving up.
So they're going to have a go and we set fields to allow them
to have a go. But I think as Dan pointed out
after we created several opportunities in that first 10
overs, so it wasn't a completelywaste, a complete waste of time.

(30:24):
So yeah, we're just a little bitlooking.
That first end all was a little bit, a little bit untidy in
areas. But yeah, no, not panic really.
I mean, you take one or two wickets and that that run rate's
going to come rocketing down pretty quickly.
And the pro comes on and the pace of the game just changes,
doesn't it? And he, he walked the part,
didn't he? He was a very confident chap.

(30:45):
He was very sort of up for the fight and before the game,
before we even got 400 on the board, you know, came and spoke
to me and dad and said don't worry, I'll bowl from that short
boundary. No problem.
Let the amateurs bowl with the big binder.
So that was, that was really nice.
Absolutely. Really clear plans straight

(31:06):
away, didn't it? Definitely you know, in I think
sometimes you can when you have a sub pro.
Obviously I'm not a captain or make any decisions but sometimes
I imagine when a sub pro comes in.
Well, it's a little bit like. What do you want?
What do you want me? What do you want from me?
Blah, blah, blah. But he was very I want this,
this, this, I'm going to ball from this end and this is what

(31:27):
we're going to do and this is how we're going to get him out.
And you know, you're dealing with people that have played
professional cricket all we're all all around the world, all
around the world. So, you know, you kind of let
him get on, get on with, don't you?
Unless you see something blatantly obvious that they're
making a mistake. But no, he was.
He was a class act. I have heard of him before and
he was a very tiny bowler. Stomping up sharp jaw from the

(31:51):
side very quick that. Yeah, I'm very, yeah, very happy
after a disastrous start to the day.
Yeah, no, very happy. I think it's never easy.
Never easy. I mean, I've got a bad, bad
track record with some left on spinning some pros, so quite
nice to get a couple of him, youknow.

(32:15):
But you know, yeah, I'm pretty pleased.
Yeah. And you've had a few close ones
like that this year. Yeah, all out.
That you know, if I'm being honest, I haven't that haven't
gone our way. I wouldn't say they they're not
forced or finishes. No.
But there's been a few like thatthat could have quite easily

(32:35):
gone our way, I feel. And it was a nice bit of work.
But yeah, it was getting, he wasgetting turned the pro, but I
think it was, I think it was hisflight control that impressed me
the most. You know, we still get the ball
to spin and drop, but not just by bowling slowly, no.
And it wasn't. And it wasn't.
And it also wasn't like every ball was, you know, you get, as

(32:59):
you say, great pace and then andthen turn and bounce.
Yeah. But it wasn't like every ball
was, like ripping past. Yeah, it was, you know.
The odd one. Odd one was going that you
could, but then some like slide on some turn a little bit.
So absolutely, you're never really comfortable I.
Don't think no. And to be fair, I think that's I
think that's what Dan's been great at.

(33:20):
Yeah, absolutely. I think I've always said, yeah,
you know, I've obviously got I've got a daughter that that
balls spin and you only really need to spin one ball big for it
to be in the batsman's mind. And that's what Dan does week
in, week out. And and some of it was the same
on Sunday. Yeah, definitely good bowling

(33:40):
figures. We'll just quickly, quickly give
the wickets out. I suppose.
Gansler a bit unlucky as we've said, Walker 3 for 42, Sub Pro 6
for 33 for his 10 and then the ever dependable Patrick Martin
picked up one as well. So yeah, good, good effort.
Looks like we fielded reasonablywell as well from the side.
Obviously after that initial initial burst where we drop, we

(34:03):
did drop some slip catches afterthat.
Looks like we we were all solid enough.
Definitely, definitely. And good fun as well.
Good fun, you know? Yeah, it's.
Easy to have fun when you've got400 on board, Ben, come on.
Absolutely. But I just mean in terms of
who's going up against each other as well.
I think I mentioned it earlier today on the phone.
Me and Tom were stood at first slip and 2nd slip and you're
watching Jermaine Blackwood who's got a Test under it I

(34:26):
think against England as well, come up against, you know, a top
first class left arm spinner from India.
Watching them go up against eachother.
I mean that's what's having prosand league crickets about.
Isn't it a great experience? Yeah, you mentioned bonus points
earlier. This is something that we've

(34:47):
discussed in committee meetings before.
I just want to mention it. So we got.
How? Many weeks, 396.
So to get one batting point, Norden would have had to get 346
runs right? Norden versus Ramsbottom and

(35:07):
Ramsbottom versus Darwin. Darwin.
Darwin one O 7 all out to get that same one point Rammy to get
57 it's. Ridiculous.
We've got 60. Yeah, anyway.
But that's where your methodology wouldn't come into,
wouldn't it? Put your proportional
representation of of bonus points right.

(35:27):
Just before we move off that, off that game, nobody wants to
hear about that. Just before we move off that
game, why don't you tell everybody about the message that
you had from one of our former players today?
Oh yeah, brilliant. Completely out of the blue, I
received a message on Facebook Messenger, not off somebody that
I'm friends with on Facebook, but it was off a chap called

(35:49):
Hassan Khan, who was, yeah, you know, one of the very best, I
would say, amateurs we've seen play down at Loreis for a couple
of seasons, I think. I don't know, was it 2009 to
2011, something like that? Earlier, probably something
like. I thought he was involved in one

(36:11):
win title. It was so he came back 2011.
Yeah, so he played a few games. 10 games that year, yeah.
Yeah, but yeah, had a lovely message off Hassan Khan,
congratulating me on the score at the weekend and wishing the
team well for the rest of the season.
And yeah, just goes to show, doesn't it, the last in effect,

(36:32):
the club has on individuals. I've probably not spoke to
Hassan since that 2011 season, if I'm being completely honest,
which is 15 years ago now. So yeah, really nice to get
messages like that. Yeah, I've had a few nice
messages off people that you wouldn't expect from other teams

(36:52):
around the league, again, which is which is nice.
Yeah, well, I think Will Will's in touch as well.
It's just like you say. It's great.
Yeah. You know, people who.
Yeah, will drive, yeah. You've played with a little bit,
not Lords, you know, they remember, they're still
obviously looking out for the club's results and they take the
time out to to get in touch. That I was chuffed a bit when

(37:14):
you, when you said hasn't been in touch because he was right.
He wasn't. He was a very good player.
But what a lovely bloke, you know.
He had no connection with our house really.
He came because he was friends with Stuart Grant, who himself
only played here for a for a couple of seasons.
But everybody remembers Hassan, you know, because predominantly

(37:35):
because he was a wonderful player, but also because he was
a jolly nice bloke as well. Yeah, I think my favourite
Hassan story is when he made hisdebut for the second team and
Stan and Stan and Paul Stanley Ithink said that we know you're a
good player. So just, you know, keep it low
keyed and took five wickets to down when I did catch and this

(37:57):
was small for six over mission. Yeah, I mean, he would look, he
would fit in today's side. Yeah, not not that he didn't
that's that came out wrong. Of course he fitted in well when
he when he played, but he would be perfect in today's side the
way he approached the game. And you know, he wasn't reckless
when he played at the club by any stretch, but he he looked at

(38:19):
the game a lot differently to the rest of us at that time is
probably a fair state. Yeah, yeah, Yeah.
It was probably a bit more advanced than we were, Yeah, at
the time first. First person I'd seen, I'd I'd
seen Ramp. Yeah, Yeah.
You know, his own back over his.Yeah, over his head and.
A. Different, you know, shot
square. Absolutely I.
Think if you had him coming in at #4 or five in today's team,

(38:41):
he would fit in perfectly. Yeah, he scored 11177 runs in 14
in his four hours. Fantastic.
Which is pretty good. Yeah, yeah.
And he was, he was playing in anera where one bloke could still
bowl 25 overs from one end. Yeah.
Yeah. Brilliant.
Tremendous, brilliant. So what a great win?

(39:01):
Yeah, superb. We better.
Yeah, it was. We better do a bit on Friday
night, I suppose. Not that we're.
Calling on Friday. Yeah, we forgot.
All about We forgot all about Friday.
Night. We won't go in as in depth into
Friday night. Of course I need a wee wee do.
You know where you're going. So yeah, Friday night, briefly,
obviously you're not captain of the T20 side.

(39:24):
How have you found that, first of all?
Fine. Yeah, a blessing.
Yeah, absolutely fine. Make no secret about it, it's
not my favourite format ever. Just find it difficult after
work sometimes rushing around like an idiot.
Yeah, often feel strangely more anxious really and on T 20s than

(39:51):
league games. Rushed, aren't you?
You don't have a lot. Of time to prepare and you know
I am it's a bit of a running joking I can be quite regimental
but I feel like I've. I've got a lot better in the
last couple of years in that respect.
But yeah, I guess I just maybe like a little bit more time
pregame just to get the head right and usually all right once

(40:13):
I get going. But yeah, pregame pre T20 don't
always feel particularly great if I'm honest, and Friday was no
different. So I'm not having the captaincy.
Yeah, it's quite refreshing, although I'm sure Paddy won't.
Mummy saying I've helped him outa little bit last week in the

(40:33):
preparation for that game, with a few things here and there, as
is Dan and Paul. But yeah, knew it was going to
be a full house, knew it was going to be warm, did
particularly feel great before the game, but you've just got to
roll your sleeves up and get on with it.
Paul Well, obviously again, we have a sub.

(40:54):
We have a sub and I thought fromwhere I was watching, he stamped
his authority on the game in thesecond over when he took that
catch off Paddy to get rid of Tommy Robinson.
It was like just like watching cricket on TV, you know, he ran
round to a very, very difficult chance, slow down to his left
and just like picked it up and caught it like it was nothing.
And I was at, I was a short third man when Paddy was bowling

(41:19):
that ball. So I got a perfect view of
watching how he moved. And you're right, it does look
like it does on TV. But from short third man, it
never looked like you were goingto drop it either.
No. And he had a lot of ground to
make and he ended up taking it very close to the ground and
just slack. It was like.
Well he was. He was stood near near the
entrance onto the field where the changing rooms is and when

(41:41):
he ended up I was pointing this out to Johnny.
By the time he took the cat, he was in front of the side.
Screen, Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I made-up a lot of ground.
Yeah. We don't need to go into this
game too heavily, but obviously we ball first look like we ball
very well as a as a unit, you know, pro himself ball well,
toxic Paddy, Charlie, Paddy and Tom all all ball, all ball well

(42:03):
and we look like we contain themreally, really well.
Harry Caton was the only one wholooked like, you know, he was he
was in danger of hurting us. Wasn't massively impressed with
Von Berg. If I'm honestly, you know, he
didn't look, he didn't look fluid at all.
You look at his stats now, 31 or43 balls in a 220 game, which

(42:25):
obviously not fantastic. I guess that's just a mark of
how well we're bowling. Yeah, I think we've bowled
extremely well. I think we got the plans right.
I think it helped where we were in the in terms of the square
because usually obviously our T20 group games, we tend to play
right at the top of the square. So I think it kind of limits

(42:47):
where your bowlers can bowl. But because we were sort of more
central, I think it just gave Pat and and the decision makers
more options to of where they could bowl people, where you
could rotate them. And actually you could almost
have a proper bowling plan rather than saying, right, we

(43:09):
need to protect that short boundary.
You could actually bowl, have a plan for both sides of the
wicket, I think. And that makes a I think that
makes a big difference, but. Well, it's no secret in any game
at Laurice that the ball can rundown into stellar corner or it
can go into the park in any format, but TT 20 especially

(43:32):
those pink balls can end up flying into the park as we saw
against Church. But it's very difficult to
defend it if you've then got a short side square as well.
So I thought that was key. Really though, I think it was
only one that went into the parkand that was off toxic.

(43:54):
Pretty much everything else had to go off square.
And that's a credit to sort of Patty's plans and Tom Walker and
Gansler pulling the plan off especially.
So I think, you know, that's where the bowling performance
really sort of had the foundations of defending the

(44:16):
part well, which then brought Paddy and Cole some wickets at
the other end. Definitely, definitely.
And then batting Wiles Duke. Yeah, lost the wicket in the
first over, didn't we? Johnny was out in the first over
and you know, you're thinking atthat stage, you know, is their
score from thinking, you know, they've not got a particularly
great score, 127, They lose wicket in the first over.

(44:37):
You can't help but at that stagethink, well, maybe there's a bit
more in this pitch than what we thought and maybe, you know,
they've they've got a competitive score.
But within 10 minutes that was pretty much, you know, all those
fears were put to bed because you and Cole, you know,
immediately got off to a great start.
You know, again, not a not a hint of consolidation there in

(44:59):
the powerful in the TS20. You know, there were boundaries,
boundaries flying straight away and from that point onwards that
we were never really in any trouble, I didn't think.
No, no, no. A good, solid performance.
Tom Walker. Came to finish it off.
Yeah, worthy wins played. Really.
Well, Tom, Yeah, when he came. In yeah, yeah, absolutely.
So yeah, on to Finals Day. Yeah, well, we've got Norden.
We have we've. Got Norden in the second second

(45:20):
semi final yeah, which I think. Yeah, that's, that's not this
weekend. It's the weekend after that.
Correct. I mean, it'd be interesting at
little Brock. It's a big ground, isn't it?
Yeah, big ground. All, you know, sort of really
have a short, particularly shortboundary anyway, so should be
good and they're always well supported on this, so it'll be

(45:41):
good. Be a good day.
Nice to have the afternoon fixture.
Yeah, for a change. I think we've been there.
We've been in finals there twiceand and had to play the 10:00
fixture twice I think. I mean, we'd have to set off
with Little Brunette. What?
Do you think about Finals Day asa concept?
You like it or would you rather have semi final one Friday final

(46:05):
the following Friday can. I jump in because I actually
have an opinion on this. Well, you just cut our guests
off, as you were saying. You're not going to sit on the
fence. No, we better stop and listen to
this thing. Absolutely.
It's not an opinion. Go on.
I'm not a big finals there fan because I think that and
actually Ben, you put a picture in our group the other day about
when we won it in 2013, which wewon it last weekend.

(46:30):
It would have been last week on a Friday night, on a Friday
night. And I can just remember the
atmosphere from that game, the number of people that were there
watching. And I think one of the things is
on a Friday night, you don't just get cricket fans coming to
watch your cricket, you get casual people that are coming on
to have a drink, maybe watch a bit of cricket in the sunshine

(46:50):
and then you sort of kind of crack on from there.
Was a casual stare on there, Yeah.
Absolutely. It was a.
It was a casual everyone. Very.
Much Frankenti's got it all in hand though, so don't worry.
Yeah. Whereas I think a finals day is
cricket. Cricket, yeah.
Yeah, which? Is fine, you know, which is

(47:10):
fine, but I think I think I think club could probably
especially T 20s for people thatdon't watch cricket all the time
is probably preferred for that. So I.
Think especially also we do havea lot of casual fans.
Yeah, of course, of course. So that's my opinion on it and
that's house cats first, very. Good, yes, yours gives an

(47:30):
opinion. Wow.
I don't think, I don't think it'll ever go back to that, No,
no, unfortunately, I think now it's here, it's probably here to
stay. I can't see it going back.
But yeah, I struggle with Fridaynights in general.
I think if it was a final, if I'm being honest, I'd probably

(47:51):
have to take half a day's annualleave.
Genuinely. How people view that, that's up
to them. They might think it's a little
bit extreme but that's just the way it goes to well.
Three experiences of finals there, one that was abandoned,
one that we played at home and one that we played at Clitheroe.
And I did have a book there for different reasons on both

(48:12):
occasions. And for the ones that were away
from home, the one at Rochdale, we did have the afternoon
fixture initially. We have no time to warm up.
No, we didn't know, they said before.
Straight on the first game finished.
This is this is my experience, first experience of it, the

(48:33):
first game. And I'm not having a dig at
anybody here because I know. Tricky to organise I.
Think yeah, it's difficult to organise and the exec and the
umpires do the best, but I'm just pointing it out.
So the first one at Rochdale, the first game finished and then
the umpires came and asked me totoss up before we'd even moved
the leg, which I was just absolutely flabbergasted at from

(48:55):
an injury prevention point of view.
And then the second one I could throw.
We got the morning fixture and there was no parking on the
ground for the players. Again, not having a dig at
Clitheroe. I know they're doing the best,
but you know, simple things likethat without, you know, without
the players, there's no game, isthere?

(49:17):
So we're up and down Chapman Rd trying to find parking spaces
for a for a 10/10 o'clock kick off so you can imagine what I
will like. Yeah, not.
Great. Yeah.
So there we go. Hey ho.
But I'm sure there's learning from all those experiences
moving forward the. Little brother's a massive car
park, so we'll be. Absolutely.

(49:37):
Just don't forget your bag when you go to little Brother.
Who's that a dig out? Who forgot the bag?
I think I know, but go on, tell the blue do you think?
Tell the listeners. It's not my God, son, is it?
Might have been. It's a few strays tonight.
Yeah, he's got. A cup of it, but so all
warranted. Well, I like it.

(49:59):
Everybody likes it. I love it.
Great, I love it. But don't stop you getting a bit
of stick does. It no.
In fact, I think you get more when you will, Absolutely.
Yeah, they. Do.
Yeah, yeah. Do you want to do the other
results from the? Yeah, briefly.
Yeah, we can briefly talk about.So the threes and fours both had
wins on on Saturday. The fours in particular had,

(50:22):
that's the fifth game in a row that they've won.
Pinky's doing a fantastic job. We're a really young team
against some, you know, some teams that have some second team
is playing. And so the words of Stan Eaton
area, Yeah. So really brilliant when Josh
Brennan got 40 odd and Pinky got30 odd.
So it was good. And Jamie Stevenson took 3

(50:43):
wickets And then the the game athome Walston, I can't remember I
was there, I can't really remember it.
But Danny SIM, Danny SIM battered well and Braden got 50
hours while he battered extremely well and I think

(51:04):
rabble took a couple of important wickets.
So that was that was good. So it was a yeah, good, good all
round, good all round day on Saturday.
And then on the Sunday, the seconds got back to winning
weights as well, didn't they? So that was a, that was a good
return to form. And they and they bowled on a,
on a warmed on a warmed day, didn't they?
And all then filled out for 1:48.

(51:27):
Comprehensive victory. Yeah, 11.
One did they win the toss ball first?
There's a bit of conjecture about this because that was what
was reported. Oh, OK.
But Declan denies it strongly. See, I'd be giving deck standing
loads of credit here. I think you were worried about
rain coming. You're worried about getting

(51:47):
steak from all the stuff coming down?
No. So no, I don't think he did win
the toss. I think he lost it.
But yeah, comfortable victory. They continue at top of league.
Both sides top of the league, which brings me on nicely on to
our next question to you, which is something you mentioned

(52:08):
earlier about the team being open and aware of the league
position. Because you know, if you watch
like football managers talk about it on telly, they come out
with some Riot crap, don't they?About or We're not concerned
with anything outside noise. We're only concentrating on the
game at a time and we don't lookat the league table where we are

(52:30):
after 38 games as well. It's all bollocks basically.
So, so we're obviously being topof the league for for quite a
long time already. There's still a big chunk of the
season to go. But I think what you what you
alluded to earlier was the fact that as a group we are sort of
embracing that and taking it on and, and talking about it and

(52:50):
being open about it. Do you want to just sort of tell
us about that? Absolutely.
I think that's, in my opinion, Ithink that's the way to go.
Rather than everybody being nervous because we're top of the
league and nobody's talking about it, let's talk about it,
let's enjoy it. You know, if we screw it up,
then it'll be our fault, won't it?

(53:11):
It's not because we've been talking about it.
Absolutely. If we screw it up, absolutely.
But you, you work hard for to get yourself in this position
and you work hard for moments tolift the words of the cup and
and and have a go up win in the league.
Why not be open about it and enjoy it?
You're not going to get any morenervous by talking about it.

(53:31):
In my opinion not. Probably.
Probably the other way, Absolutely.
And yeah, I agree with you. I think it's a lot of bollocks
when you come out with stuff on TV about how they don't look at
the league table. They're not concerned about
who's playing who. It's, you know, even at an
amateur level, there's too much there for you to not notice it.
Yeah, sure. Yeah.

(53:51):
And you know who's playing who and when you're playing certain
teams, so you may as well just embrace it.
And is that something that you've come up with because you
know, I'm not going to hide awayfrom the fact that I know how
much winning the league means toyou.
And you know, we've tried and wehaven't quite got there yet.
So is that something that that you've consciously decided that
you're going to do? Or is that is that a damn thing

(54:12):
or is it a pole thing? Obviously you've you've played
in league with the. Team so you know.
What it means to do it as a player but as a captain,
obviously it's it is a different, a different.
Yeah, Challenge. Yeah.
Yeah, I think. So is that is that yours or is
that somebody else's? I think it probably, I think it
probably has come from me, if I'm honest, but just more in a
more relaxed and, and calmer waythan perhaps previously and, and

(54:36):
a little bit less, dare I say desperate.
If I'm getting completely, completely honest.
There hasn't been that sense of desperation and I've got to,
I've got to, I've got to, you know, maybe the terminology now
is I would like to, I think we can.
And if we keep doing what we're doing and, and, and and playing

(54:59):
our best cricket, then we won't go far wrong and.
I wonder if that attitude in theleague that that sort of that
more relaxed attitude is partly because of how good we've been
in the cup because we have looked earlier about your record
since you took the capture and say our our cup record is
ridiculous. You took the capture team 2017

(55:21):
That was the first, first year we didn't do so well that year,
but 28 we won it. 2018 we won it. 2019 we lost in some rawpey
circumstances at Rochdale. I think that was in the second
round. 2020 it was cancelled because of COVID. 2021 we won.
2022 we got to the semi final and that magnificent 100 bag

(55:42):
really is rammy, which you know,fair play.
Take you take you out of to it 2023 we got to the final lost
against little bro 2024 we won 2025 We know what's happened
this year. We don't need to go in that
again. So we've had 123 victories, a
final and two semi finals, whichis a phenomenal record,

(56:05):
particularly as you mentioned earlier, our record as a club,
you know, over our history, overour the duration of our history.
All right. We've done fairly well recently,
but but over a longer period he's he's woeful really.
So I wonder if that if that success that you've had as a
captain, you know, in lifting those trophies has made you a
little bit more relaxed now maybe, I don't know.

(56:25):
Yeah. Yeah, no, no exercise.
Yeah, no, no, I think, I think that's fair.
I think that's fair. You know, you would never stubby
nose words they call no, absolutely.
But the fact that that's there and it's down in black and white
and in history and nobody can ever take that away from us, I

(56:46):
guess relieves a little bit of pressure and sort of allows you
to focus on the task in hand. But yeah, I think I think you're
right. And they're all valuable
experiences along the way of winning and losing big games and
then being able to bounce back the year after.

(57:06):
But, you know, we've just got off to a good start this year.
And that always helps when you win.
China set out to win a championship, getting off to a
good start. It always helps not having to
play a catch up. And we look, we played well last
year, didn't we? I mean, I don't, I can't
remember what the unbeaten run was, but I think did we lose 2
out the first three or three outthe first four last year?

(57:28):
Never. Didn't lose till yeah Or did we
lose Rochdale maybe? Yeah, we did lose 1 at Rochdale
and I think that was it, wasn't it?
Did we lose 5 all together, thenfour or five?
But I remember saying at the start of the season in the
preseason podcast that, you know, everybody just knows each
other's role that little bit more and what to expect from
each other and how we're going to approach it.

(57:49):
And the most impressive thing for me this year is the way that
we've bowled first in those games when we bowled first and
we've been phenomenal. And we haven't been chasing
ridiculous totals because our bowling attack has made it much,
much easier for the batters. We'll talk a bit about the Burma
game from last week, Ben. There's been loads of questions

(58:13):
that have been asked around, youknow, how did that Duck Lewis
work and so on. But one of the big questions is
why did we bat 1st and when there's rain about on the toss.
So what what were your kind of thoughts around around that that
game? Believe it or not, Paddy Bryant
asked me on Friday night. Yeah.
Why is that? Of all people, Yeah.
Because I went, I went to him and you can make me put this in

(58:36):
that I went and spoke to Paddy because I know he's, you know, I
respect him as an umpire. Actually, I think he's a pretty
good umpire. And he's up and down the country
doing sort of county age with games, I presume.
Yeah. Well, I know he's done.
I know he's done a few libertiesgames.
And I did ask him, I said have you ever known, you know, a

(58:59):
first innings go down by that amount?
And he said he has he has umpired games where the score's
gone down by a couple of runs, but he's never, ever come
across. And don't get wrong, he's not
the oldest of umpires, but he's never come across a first
innings score come back, come down by that, by that much.
He then asked me, why did you bat?

(59:20):
He said, well, not to be fair tohim, he said, I know you, I know
you guys like batting first, butwhy did you bat 1st?
And we were about to go out to field.
And I just said, with all due respect, Paddy, we scored 189
off 34 overs. Well, that's what I've said to.
Everybody Ben which is the best part of well, my master's agree
it's the best part of 6 and overso anyway I.

(59:44):
Mean, I don't think, I mean, obviously we definitely ask
about it and ask because Ben's ear about it briefly because I
don't, I think there's, there's more interesting things to
discuss now, but I, I honestly don't think that although we're
getting asked a lot of questionsabout it, I don't think we need
to defend it based on the score.I don't think it's.

(01:00:04):
About defending it, I think it'sjust about giving the
perspective as to everybody wants to know, so let's tell
them. Yeah.
Let's. Let's do that now while while we
and I guess look, you know, first and foremost, it's not,
this is not throwing anybody under the bus, but there's
council involved in these types of decisions before games and

(01:00:27):
especially before big games. So obviously I seek that counsel
from Dan and Paul and we were all in agreement.
If I'm, if I'm being completely honest, we were conscious that
there were going to be weather around.
But we also, and this is no disrespect to Burnley, but we
also look at the opposition and see how they've been getting on

(01:00:50):
this year as well. And you've got to remember that
we played in three times previously that year and one
batting first in each of those occasions.
And the two games that we lost against Burnley the year before,
Burnley batted first on both occasions.
And you know, it's both teams have the same amount of balls

(01:01:12):
overs. I take that.
But you cannot get away from thefact that in big games it can be
difficult chasing and I wouldn'twant, I would regardless of
Douglas Lewis taking runs, offers etcetera, etcetera.
I would not have wanted to be chasing 189 or 34 overs against
Burnley. Absolutely not.

(01:01:33):
So for me, at half time we're inthe box seat on 100%.
Did it rain a little bit more than I were expecting?
Perhaps. But ultimately it was a sort of
team tactic of what suits us on that particular day in a big
game. Had it been a league game, I

(01:01:55):
might have looked at it slightlydifferently where I have the
option of certain bowlers being able to bowl for longer.
But I just thought in a cup gamewe can cope with a couple of
intervals for rain. Given the fact that they're
going to have to change the ballin around and look for 5-6
bowlers. I just thought that game was the

(01:02:15):
best option to win the game, if I'm honest.
But you know, we take 20 off thelast over and all this has been
touched on on last week's podcast, but we take 20 or there
or thereabouts off the last over.
We've got all the momentum. And you know, there's been a bit
go on during the game with certain players from our side

(01:02:36):
and the opposition and we're just we're just sky high at half
time when you know, you know, you've still got a job to do and
that they're a good team. But you know, 189 or 34 overs, I
don't think there'd be a single team in the league.
He wouldn't have took that before the game.
Yeah, definitely, completely. But you could feel the change
in, I don't know whether beliefsnot the right word, but you

(01:03:00):
could you could feel the the change in atmosphere from the
minute we walked off the pitch with that score to being told
what the Duckworth Lewis score is and being a bit disbelief and
kind of, well, obviously that's not right.
And then that being the score you could, I didn't think we're

(01:03:22):
going to lose, but you could youcould definitely sense a
difference in the kind of atmosphere in the team that you
kind of thought this doesn't seem very fair.
This is. Absolutely.
What's happening and when they set off, well, I mean, I
probably made a mistake if I'm if I'm looking back, I'm usually
a slip for the spinners. An old jokes aside because I

(01:03:46):
know Beneduccia gives me a bit of grief about your slip
catching. All jokes aside, with spin
especially, I've got a pretty decent record, but that was
probably the worst place for me given what had just happened
with the score coming down with how much it did and there were
two half chances in the third inPaddy's first over off Cash

(01:04:08):
Shaw. But my head was just absolutely
all over the place and you Fast forward half an hour and they're
50 for none and it's game on which.
Is 68 for none? Yeah, yeah.
Yeah. And yeah, you know, I, I still,
I still backed us to win it, absolutely.
And I think, I think with three overs to go, they perhaps needed

(01:04:30):
910 and over and I still felt that would be enough.
But when you look at it and you break it down, whilst whilst 10
and over is a lot, it's one big over, it's one big over to the
park and that's exactly what they did.
They turned it to perfection. We brought pace back on from the
park. You might have done a few things

(01:04:51):
differently but you know, as I, as I said earlier, bowling
first, whilst it may have helpedus with the weather and
Duckworth Lewis, it guarantees nothing and I and I wouldn't
have been wanting to chase 189 at half time on that track, but
they they played well. I.

(01:05:12):
Mean the other thing he's been on on that is that you, you we
couldn't guarantee the weather because we as we didn't, I don't
think we expected it to rain as much as it.
Did. And also there was every chance
that it could have rained in thekind of second-half of the of,
of the Berlin innings when we went, you know, in a different
scenario when we were batting. So you've got to, you've got to

(01:05:34):
look at the forecast a little bit and then and then make your
decision, right and then and then go from there and then run
with it. And we've got ourselves in a
great position. So definitely and look, I think
you're Burnley play, Burnley played well in that second-half.
They're allowed to do that. They're a decent team, you know,
current Lancashire League champions, they're allowed to

(01:05:56):
play well. And but, you know, I sort of met
the point that up until that point, the last five Derby games
were won by teams batting first.And if we're being completely
honest, it was all going swimmingly until I was run out.
Yeah. Yeah, yeah.
You know, I think we were 40 or 50 for none at that stage and

(01:06:19):
there'd been no complaints at that point.
And a freak run out off a free it next news.
We're 50 out for four and we're up against it a little bit.
But we've, you know, we've fought back fantastically well.
I've tried to get my head aroundit and about, you know, numerous

(01:06:39):
explanations as to why it workedthat way.
I don't blame the umpires. I don't blame firmly, don't
blame anybody. And I believe when you put the
information in, that's correct. And that's how it stands.
I'm just still struggle to get my head around it because a lack

(01:07:01):
of Fair contest. I always have, I always will.
And on that particular day it just felt fairly unfair in my
opinion. Yeah, yeah.
I think we'd agree. I think we'd agree with that.
I think if the shoe was on the other foot there'd be certain
burning characters who'd have been very disappointed, to put

(01:07:22):
it politely. Agree.
Agree. Yeah.
I don't think there's anything wrong with having a bias towards
wanting to back first and I think, you know, sometimes you
can make the circumstances fit. What?
What? What's it called?

(01:07:42):
ID confirmation bias, where you have an idea what you want to do
first and then you make the circumstances fit around that.
I don't, I don't think that was the case.
I think from listening to what you just said there, it's clear
that, you know, you had a plan, you factored everything in and
you made the best decision that you thought was right.
I won't want to see, I won't want to see as just be batting

(01:08:04):
first regardless of what the circumstances were because
obviously then you can't get tripped up.
I don't think for a minute that we do that, but I think if
they're right, set circumstancespresented themselves then.
Most definitely, I think you've seen that in league games this
year and I remember going back to the pre season podcast when
Jazz asked about, you know, you've obviously got a method of

(01:08:25):
playing. Is there a plan BI think the
question was going back right tothe pre season and there clearly
has been, aren't there? And I believe at the minute that
we've got the best ball in attack in the league.
So if I feel like it's a day forbowling first because of the
weather on the track, I think ifyou look at the results, we have

(01:08:46):
done that. Did we win the Tossic club or
Yeah. Yeah, so and.
Evidence is there. Yeah.
And so. Hardly.
He's not gonna be happy with hischat because we're all agreeing
with each other. Somehow during that somehow
during that Clitheroe game, theybattered like snails and ended
up coming off with some extra runs.

(01:09:07):
All right. Yeah, we've done like 20 runs,
Yeah, something like. That ten runs, so, you know, if
they're the lost runs on that day, yeah, I'm pretty sure me
and Johnny got to the full total.
But you know, you could. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
But you look at the I mean, we've got, as I say, we've got
other stuff to talk about. But even at the even at the
weekend when we got 396, I thinkit I think it 10 overs.

(01:09:34):
Douglas Lewis was saying that Norden needed to be at 44 to be,
to be up with. Because they were not down.
Because they were not down. So off they were ahead, they
were marked, they were comfortably ahead.
But off 40 overs you still need 340.
And you think I've, I've, I'm old enough and so and so is dude

(01:09:55):
to have played in an era where the second innings was just off
straight run run rate, which wasludicrous.
And it's a much better system. And I've never really picked up
on it being unjust in my opinionup until last Saturday.
But it's just one of those things you've got to dust

(01:10:16):
yourself down and get on with it.
And I'm so proud of the performance at Darwin the day
after, you know, I know Friday night was rained off, but we all
turned up and we all warmed up. So it was basically a triple
header. Everybody's tired, I'm tired,
nobody slept. Even Joe Martin's not slept up,
up at three, 4:00 in the morning, nobody slept,

(01:10:37):
Everybody's tired. But the performance that we put
in at Darwin against a good team, yeah, it was brilliant.
Great way to bounce back, yeah. We're going to move to questions
or have you? Got Yeah, we've got listener
questions, which are exciting, isn't it, John?
Yeah, very exciting. Yeah.
I can't vouch for the quality ofthese because obviously you know
these have come. From some of them aren't even
questions, no no no, merely comments on they have been.

(01:11:01):
Submitted So we're going to readthem out.
OK, so the first one's from Adam, so this should be
sensible. How do you wind down after a
knock like that, especially as captain?
And he said how you wind down slash field.
So obviously the first thing is you've got about in field at
where, how do you wind down, especially if you're captain?
I know you've talked a bit aboutthis before.

(01:11:21):
But yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, I mean, everybody who was
watching on Sunday, we've probably seen how I was moving
in the field, which wasn't particularly great.
Matt Stanny when he's just come off a roundabout.
But I'm sure Joe will back me upon this.
I'm actually still pretty present and oh absolutely, I

(01:11:45):
would like to think I'm still pretty present and actually
definitely do do a pretty good job in terms.
Of kind of basking in in the glory then you we had you had a
job to. Do yeah, yeah, most definitely,
yeah, yeah, yeah. Sort of obviously feeling on top
of the world with what's just happened in the first day.
But you know, you've got a job to do, aren't you?
In a game to win, do you know? What I thought was particularly

(01:12:07):
impressive, Ben, was how you just got 179, Johnny had just
got 105 or 6. However many, however many, got
battered fantastically well. But when we were bowling and
obviously things probably weren't going quite to plan at
the start, but we were going with aggressive fields was that

(01:12:27):
you were still supporting the bowlers to try and execute the
plans, You know, work through what they're doing.
They're getting frustrated. Catchers are going, you know,
going down, obviously not deliberately.
And you know, the ball is flyingto different parts.
It's a hardball, as I say, aggressive fields.
But you sort of kept going and, you know, he kept supporting

(01:12:48):
Charlie Gansler and Tom Walker and, and explaining why we were
doing certain things and so on. So actually kind of taking
yourself out of that batting innings and like changing your
hat to from batter to captain was particularly impressive, I
think. It's I think I do, you know,
quite, you know, I'm reasonably fit physically.

(01:13:12):
Should I say, you know, I can get back or probably do with
getting a little bit fitter at times, But I sort of pride
myself on, you know, even when Iblow my top with whatever in
whatever game, I pride myself onknuckling down and having the
sort of headspace to continue with the task at hand or
something. I'm very proud of, you know,
I've been captain for 8-9 years now and I'd like to stay.

(01:13:37):
I'd like to think that I still turn up with a consistent
energy. And yes, something was no
different in the second-half. But in terms of winding down in
the evening, it's very difficult, if I'm honest, very
difficult. I mean, I'm not the best of
sleepers after a game, in a gamewhere maybe I've just done OK or

(01:13:58):
we've won and I've done nothing.Not particularly sleep great
after those types of games, if I'm honest.
But I probably will get to sleep, you know, sort of twelve,
1:00 in the morning. But yeah, Sunday night I was
still tried to go to sleep twice.
Then it becomes unfair on the wife, doesn't it?
So at 3:00 in the morning, I wasup.
I sat downstairs. Just watching fishing videos.

(01:14:22):
Right, back to the questions because we've got a few.
Jamie Feltel. What's your favourite drink in
the clubhouse? Not a massive booze I.
Really, no I'm not and those that know me well will know that
probably between the ages of 17 and 21 I did enough drinking and
other things, as you always say,for a lifetime.

(01:14:43):
So no, not a massive drinker. I think I did have a couple of
loggers after, but I would say an ice cold can of iron brew
when we look at Paddy Martin. Excellent, excellent.
Adam also asked, are you aware of records and personal mind
milestones when you're batting? But we've we've kind of already
covered that. So we'll move on, Frankente

(01:15:04):
says. You're relieved at 100 seems to
be in great Nicole season, but we're just finding ways to get
out. Yeah, potentially, potentially.
As we've already touched on though, we have bowled first a
couple of times, whereas last year it was, you know, back
first regardless, wasn't it? So, you know, we've had a couple
of shorter chases in there. But yeah, I've felt in pretty

(01:15:27):
good nick since the Norden game away actually didn't didn't
particularly feel great. First game of the season, Darwin
at home. But yeah, Norden away, I felt
like I was playing how I wanted to play.
And that's, that's what Dan Big on, is playing the game on my
terms, expressing myself, manipulating the field.

(01:15:49):
So yeah, I, I, I sort of, I message Dan.
I think it was after the Clitheroe game away, the rain
affected point where I scored pretty quickly.
Dan dropped me a message after that personally.
And yeah, not to sort of be wiseafter the event, but I did say
to him, I feel like I've got something pretty special on the

(01:16:09):
horizon with the way that I'm going.
So yeah, good. Very true.
Good, right? Dan Statham, our overseas
supporter, He's in Prague, in Sudan.
Yeah, he's asked 2, but I'm going to ignore one because
one's about Burnley and we don'treally want to talk about them.
But he's other ones. A good hypothetical,

(01:16:30):
hypothetical question, he says. If the Lancs League bring in a
new rule where siblings can't play in the same team, you had
to pick a Martin brother to keepwho you're going to pick.
To keep or to keep in the team? Keep in the team you have to
kill one of. Them right?
Yeah, you just have to pick one.You can only pick one in any
game. Which one you're?
Going to and it says brother there.

(01:16:52):
Well, he actually just pick a Martin.
But let's say, let's assume we're not including Alex in
this. Because I think she'd score more
runs than both of them. I think I played that read.
I mean, he's going to have to forgive me here because he's in
the room, but you're going to gofor Paddy.
I would go for Paddy. I would go for Paddy simply
because I like people who don't show any pain whatsoever out on

(01:17:19):
the cricket field. They're my cup of tea.
You know, when they're on one limb, yeah, Or the hand, yeah,
the hand's broken, all those kind of things.
Or they've got bunions on both feet and don't show any pain and
bowl they're 15 over straight through.
I like that those type of characters.
But do you think about Paddy? Do you know what the Joe Martin

(01:17:43):
has been an incredible servant of the club and he was just a
bit soft for me. There you go, I.
Think that's fair? Yeah, I'm.
Pathetic. You know, if I were going to war
tomorrow, Paddy, he wouldn't even ask me where or who
against. Would he be there?
OK. I would ask him what?

(01:18:04):
Of the the list of submitted questions.
We should make that regular. From Drew Peacock I.
Think he's more when this like controversial issue he like.
Prefers it when it's not going so well, yeah.
He gets in on the action there really, doesn't he?
I don't think we've got anythingelse, have we?

(01:18:26):
No, I don't think so. I think that's been a very
successful. Podcast without Without all the
clowns. You know, well, I don't know, I
think without the people that actually contribute more than I
do to it immediately. Giving the bed to actually do
some work this time, yeah. The interesting one is to see
how it comes across when the said people are all in one room.
Well, I think that's interestingthen.
Yeah, that is very because I'm usually only here because I pay

(01:18:49):
for the zoom. But, you know, that's not always
doable. But no, you know, we've got that
sort of interaction and body language and etcetera.
So it'd be, it'd be interesting to see how it comes across,
yeah. Well, that's the end of house
cast for this week. Absolutely.
And so like and subscribe, as Jez always says, yeah, there'll
be a draw next week, I think. Week.

(01:19:11):
After week after, there'll be a draw the week after.
Would you like? So thanks for listening and we
will. See you all soon.
Record again soon. Gordon, Gordon, send more house

(01:19:42):
to save the house. Come on.
The house.