A dissection of the Second Eleven Season (ft. Dec Stansfield and Charlie Bithell)

This week, Joe Martin takes the host’s chair for a special episode dedicated entirely to the Second Eleven. He’s joined by skipper Dec Stansfield, vice-captain Charlie Bithell, plus Gaz and Joe B, as they relive an incredible, championship-winning season. From in-depth reflections on the campaign to glowing character references for every teammate, this one’s a full dissection of what made 2025 such a standout year for the 2s.

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Hi, guys. Are you all right?
Yeah, Grand you. Yeah, not so bad.
Thank you. The Internet went down at the
club. We've got the Champions at
everything. Well.

(00:30):
Morden Morden send more house tosave the house.
OK, welcome to the house cast. We've got a special episode this
week where we're focusing on theachievements of the second team

(00:51):
that have had a brilliant seasonand it culminated with them
being promoted last weekend and then winning the league this
weekend. So we've got 2 great guests on
with Dex Stanley, who's the captain and Charlie Bithel, who
I think is the vice captain, butI think that's.
There's a few, we've got a few vases, Joe it.
Depends what you asked, Joe. Yeah, all of vases have been

(01:12):
played this season, but. A lot of vases from whatever.
The second team are operating with a leadership team, which is
great. The the vice captain that you
mentioned then that hasn't played a lot this year.
I think there is a line of questioning that we could
probably go down. On I reckon you could have 2000

(01:35):
guesses. I don't think you guess who it
is. Yeah.
That's great. And we've got Gary Morehouse
here as well. How are you guys?
Great. Hey, Joe, good to see you.
You too. How are you getting on?
Yeah, we're grand, I say. It's starting to draw in a bit
in it, but so good points for ended season.

(01:56):
But no, yeah, we're all good dining, mate, we're all good.
All right, we'll make a we'll make a start.
So Dec obviously congratulationsand Charlie, congratulations for
the league at the weekend. It's a really great, great
achievement and you know, a lot of hard work throughout the
throughout the year. Talk us through the game at the

(02:17):
at the weekend and you know whatyou can the thoughts and
feelings were around it. Obviously you're already
promoted, but you know, this wasa chance to seal the league
title. What were you kind of initial
thoughts when you when you started that weekend?
Well, I know we'd already got a promotion but there were, there
were a few nerves going into it because it did feel a tiny bit

(02:40):
like a cup final because we knewif we won obviously, but if
Green Mountain had got beat thenwe'd have won anyway.
But we just thought do the job yourself and then kind of set
that out with the equation. But it felt like a cup final
because we put a bit of pressureon herself because I'm going to
be honest, we bought a few, we bought a couple of bottles of
champagne and we bought beers and stuff.
And we thought we were like booking days off work so we'd
all look a bit silly if then we have to win it at Rishton this

(03:02):
weekend. So we thought and we knew that
they were going to be a decent crowd as far as second team
crowds go. So we thought, yeah, there's a
tiny bit more pressure on the game.
Oh, I hope he's here. Mr Benedict.
Hi. What about coming on Josh?
What have I missed? Has Declan said anything amusing
or interesting yet? No, he.
Was just getting into it so. Yeah, just I I were just before

(03:24):
you interrupted to vanish Joe. Yes, as I was saying, yeah, we
try it a bit like a cup final, but we knew East Lancs have had
a quite a decent, quite a decentseason themself.
So we thought we knew it worked when we stolen the part but we
had a decent side out. So yeah, we were we were quite
the confident obviously, like I say with champagne but etcetera,

(03:46):
but we just knew we had to finish the job off as far as the
game went. Obviously had a look at the had
a look at the pitch early doors and had a ball for Stewart.
Every every time that we toss upand I lose, Stewart always puts
on the website or on the scorecard that I've won the
toss. So we lost the toss in Enfield.

(04:07):
Sorry, not Enfield. E Lane bowled.
I would have bowled to be honestwith you.
The track were quite wet. But we thought we said, we said
before, we said before the game.Anything over 151 Sixty should
be definitely competitive. We managed to drag it to over
200 to be fair after a bit of a shaky start.
So yeah, so we kind of do it half time that we were in we

(04:28):
decent show obviously with our bowling attack.
We, I think if we'd have got 140I'd have been quite the
confident and obviously they gotI think what did they get?
Chance 1212. 90, if that, I think it's put before we move on
to the bowling attack with it being quite a tricky first
innings, especially at the startwith quite a sticky poppy wicket
where you know, we lost a few early wickets.

(04:49):
And Deck really itemised what we've been working on all season
and had that Skippers innings where he anchored it for us and
and set up for the likes of Joe Sharp, Yanis and KIRO to come in
at the end and score some runs. I mean, what did you end on, 56?
Yeah, 56 have 90 balls. Yeah, not, not that, not that he
was counting all the way through, but I mean, you know, I

(05:10):
came out with probably around 50for four and me and Deck said,
you know, let's let's try and back the next 10 overs, Let's
get rid of these opening bowlersand then one of us kick on.
Unfortunately, I I got out, but Deck went forward and did the
job. And I think it's important to
highlight that because I think without that knock, we might
have been in quite a bit of trouble.

(05:31):
We spoke at drinks team with Charles and we just said, I
think I think you're right. I think we were 5050 for four
maybe. And then we just said, I think
we just need a 4050 partnership here to get us up to 100.
Yeah, which we did. And then for Sharpie to come in,
you can express yourself more down the order.
I think we did fine. And then the lower order, to be
fair. Kiero, Yanis, Jacks.

(05:52):
Oh, they will. Oh, they will.
Yeah. Oh, they will.
They all kind of they all kind of did a decent job at the end
of the innings. So that's so like I said, we
were definitely confident at half time and then the bowling
display will just what we'll do,what we've been doing all year
really and. Just on the just on the batting,
obviously the lower order pitched in and played pretty

(06:12):
well this weekend. Is that is that something that
has happened a lot this year forthe second team or have you been
sort of like front loading at the at the top?
And obviously we'll get on to itlater, but there's been some
really strong performances this year by some players in the in
the second team. How typical is that?
You know, kind of where you know, you've been 40 or 40 for

(06:37):
four or 60 for four and so on and you've kind of drawn it
back. Is that something that you kind
of pride yourselves on, kind of gone through?
As someone who bats in that middle order, while there has
been times where, you know, likes of myself, KIRO, they've
had to like step up and hold, get a few runs, I think we have
been fortunate this season in the quality of our upper order.

(06:58):
I mean, well, Norcross has got over 600 runs.
You've got yourself deck, you'vegot debt Metcalf, you've got
Keegan, all of which is scoring shortcut.
You know, I think I looked at itmidweek, I think we've got 6 or
7 lads who are all scoring over 200 and 250 runs this season.
So while there has been times where we've had to back down the

(07:20):
order, I think that's more of a luxury than than a need that
we've had this season. So I mean you look at the
weekend team and you've got I think Sharpie came in at 7.
Was it Kira a Sharpie 7? He must be.
He must be one of the best Second team 17 that second game
ever. Sharp is seriously got some
serious talent and strength. You know you've got, you've got

(07:40):
lads they're batting down to #8 who have all got second team
50s. You know that's, that's luxury
and you know it has been needed on the odd occasion.
Crompton at home. Yeah, Crompton at home.
That was one when Sharpie came and got 70th, I was at Wolston,
at home, Enfield as well. Yeah.
So we've had to do it, but it's not something that I think has
has been pivotal to our season. It certainly helped.

(08:03):
You've got, you've got 5 lads who've got 350 plus.
Yeah. And that is not including Simeo
Sharpie. They they don't feature in that
I. Think Sydney would have to play
more than four games, wouldn't it?
Yeah. Maybe I could run between
wickets, Probably that I think. I think when it comes to
Sharpie, I mean he's just fallenfoul of coming back from
university at a time where the team are are flying all lots of

(08:26):
scoring runs and he's had to wait and buy his time.
But he has done, and Gotham, when he's coming, he's made a
serious difference. He has won as a game, batting
down there with the 70 out against that against Walls.
I think it was something, it's quite a luxury being able to,
you know, if we've got a bit more time leftover, there's been
a bit of another collapse. I can go in and probably doesn't
matter, splashy Sharpie, but happy to occupy and then work

(08:48):
the runs and then save Sharpie and have that firepower because
you know that coming down the order is dangerous to have that.
But that's not saying that it shouldn't be higher up and
couldn't be higher up. No, it definitely could and
obviously have a cliche and I know a lot of teams like to say,
but we genuinely do think we back down to 11 because we have
most of the weeks Hollywood jamming Jacks bat at 11, the

(09:10):
week just gone. But normally Hollywood bat at 11
and Hollywood can, it'd be batting in a lot of the teams
who were played against in this division.
This year it will be batting in the top four or five and that's
no joy. He does know what ended the
battle. Hold.
But yeah, it's just I think moveon about Sharpie again, Charlie.
We have got the thing where if so, if there's 25 overs gone and

(09:31):
then we've only lost 4 wickets, we'll send Charlie and we'll
send Sharp in to try and put back the ball a bit quicker.
And then but if we have a bit ofa collapse, Charlie does go in
and kind of hold an end up and then try and set it up.
But going back to your question earlier, Joe Martin, we've not
really had to use them batters alot down the bottom of the
order. But when we have they, they

(09:53):
really, I think we've got, I think we've been bowled out off
top of the head four or five times.
If that I won't even say it's that we do, we're not.
So that is they definitely all can back down there.
Yeah, just to back your point upthere, that key roll's played 23
games. He's only about 13 times.
Yeah, yeah, K run on the bats, 8:00 and 9:00.

(10:13):
Yeah, I mean it's, I mean Sharp is a great lad as well, isn't
he? He's brilliant.
I know when he's at, when I see him at training and stuff and
have a chat with him, he like really cares about his.
Yeah, so he's very enthusiastic.And, you know, he throws himself
about in the field and, you know, it's got a good pair of
hands on him. And so you can you can you can
rely on him. And it was really great to see

(10:34):
him get 70 of the other week. So, yeah.
And hopefully that can that can continue.
I know there's only a couple of games left of them, but you can
take that and then take it into into next year as well.
Let's move quickly on to like the bowling inning.
So obviously you know, you've got a decent score and you and
you're happy with it, probably well above par plans for when
you when you're going out to bowl in that kind of situation.

(10:57):
What are you, Obviously there's a there's a an eye on the on the
prize a little bit later on to try and win the league.
But what's, what's your kind of message and what do you think
around that? I think when we went out Deck
made a great point at half time and said lads we need to
complete the job here because wescored 200 odds with with
feeling quite good with a defendable score.

(11:17):
You know, you kind of kept all our all our excitement in to a
degree. The plan as always was to try
and bowl in tight areas, but deck always backs myself and
Ollie to to attack the stumps and to try and claim wickets
with quite aggressive fields, especially in the second
division. We found that after you may be
top four, especially top five batters, the tails are quite

(11:40):
long and against these lands, I mean, we played them in the cup
and in the league already, we knew that they're going to come
as quite hard. So myself and Ollie after
batting on their ball. So it's all about lens.
Let's try and set up the lens, get them to push up those and
fielders, just back our bowlers up and they came quite hard at
us trying to score a quick great.
But we picked up wickets at regular intervals and it and it

(12:00):
turned into quite a, quite a routine performance.
I mean, as we say, I think we used to use four bowlers, yeah,
4 bowlers, 4 bowlers. We used to the week before.
So again it's we've been quite fortunate to take those early
wickets to front load the pressure.
Weren't really the track to be once a bowl settled in, you
thought with that track it needsto because, like Charlie said,

(12:21):
it's all about length and these lines were going to come hard
and it was not the track to comehard.
So all in Charlie settled in really well and then so did
choke and Yannis. But before the IT only because
slack City, before Joe, we knew we had an eye on the Green
Mountain game and at the start of the game needed five points.
But Green Mountain didn't bowl Brit Middleton.
They played. No, it was.

(12:41):
Wallston, it was Wallston so Green Mountain didn't bowl
Wallston out. So we knew we only needed three
points, which is 7 wickets. So when Francois played them
couple of games with us, he justsaid set targets, set targets
about what you want to do and then aim for them targets.
So we said why don't we have that the seven wickets as the
target but not as the end goal because as I think we got the
7th wicket or I think it might need 6 drinks.

(13:04):
And I said as soon as we get these 7 wickets, don't just let
it slip now and then. How crap would it be if E Lans
knocked him off or they were nine down?
It'd just be an anticlimax. So we just thought we celebrate
the 7th wicket. We knew who won the league, but
we thought why don't we wait until we've got the job done and
then we can have a proper celebration when we get the 10.
So there were a tiny bit of thought went into it I suppose.

(13:25):
Yeah, I'm going to ask you that deck because I'm watching a bit
on stream and and knew the same thing about the getting just
needing 7 down. And I wondered what the reaction
was, whether the word you would actually aware of that or
whether word had got or whether you would just go go to just try
and keep it in or whatever. But it would clear, it would
clear and obviously you knew thedrill and and good to see,

(13:47):
actually good to see that you you could it.
Just didn't share. That all together at that point.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. It'd just been a massive
anticlimax. If we don't let standards drop,
they win or we don't ball them out.
It just it's still have been a good celebration, but it
wouldn't have felt as good as all the catching that catch at
long gone and then it's over in there.
It would just it wouldn't it? No chance fell as good as that.

(14:08):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, and and bowling wise, I mean, you've got
the top three bowlers in the league wickets wise.
Yeah, you know, by by certainly shortcut by a distance and then
Ollie and Charlie following up. So and I think that's I don't
know the stats Joe Joe douche back more on it than me.

(14:30):
But whereas the first team of I had a method of batting first
etcetera. I sense that your games have
been a bit more bat split between chasing and setting
targets. So I think when you see the
batting and bowling figures as they are, those have been done,
probably gained, you know, a lotof you know, different
circumstances. So again, that's a good sign of
being able to adapt and you know, play to the conditions or

(14:54):
play to the game situation, you know, as you go through.
Yeah, well, I think we said, we said just after halfway through
the season, we've won games in all ways this year.
Everywhere you can win a game, we've won it.
And obviously the first team they've got, they've got the
tactic where they went tossed about on most on most days.

(15:15):
I mean, they've got so much brute force when they can afford
to do that. But sometimes we've got, we have
got to have a look on the day and think what's best, what's
the pitch looking like, what's best to suit us.
I think we are probably, well, we're just going to say our
bowling is our biggest strength.But when you think about our
batting, but. I think we think we're equal
sort of strength. I think, I mean, while we have
our tactics, I'd like to point out that every boiling hot day

(15:37):
where there's not a cloud in thesky, Deck seems to lose the
tossing up as bowling first, which I've been really overjoyed
about this season. But we've split it quite evenly.
We've we've done it in all ways and as Deck says, we've had
situations, especially the very first game of season against
Greenmount, where you look at games and think we shouldn't
have won that game but. And last season, we'd have lost.

(15:58):
I said it on the podcast, I cameon the show.
We get we'll get in winning situations and losing.
It seems that we've just got into a habit of winning this
year. But that comes comes with
winning, it comes with, you know, a lot of the lads gaining
an extra year of experience, gaining the experience of going
down and gaining a bit of firepower.
Yeah, definitely. I mean, when you look at the
league table, you've got more, you've got more bowling points

(16:20):
than anybody else in the in the league.
So that that tracks means that your bowling teams out pretty
frequently. Yeah, most weeks.
Most weeks. Yeah, and, and possibly in the,
you know, kind of, I mean, you must be bowling teams out pretty
frequently because you only lostone.
Whole game. You can't really pick up any
bonus points. So it's it's really great to

(16:43):
really great to see that. And for obviously both of you
played last year and it was probably fair to say a
challenging season. You know, it was your first
season as captain Deck, wasn't it?
You know, lots of young players playing.
And if you think about last season and what you've achieved
this season, how does how does that feel?

(17:04):
You know, kind of what do you what you're kind of taking from
from that? Well, I was speaking to Gav
about it in the bar on Sunday and it kind of somebody all
perfectly, Sally said they they work quite a bit because I'm
going to call it a disaster. It obviously was a disaster.
We got relegated. But I felt I learned a lot from
it. I felt the team learned a lot
from it. But he said there were there is

(17:26):
a fair bit of pressure on. There were a fair bit of
pressure on you lot at the startof this year because you lot and
me as a captain, because if we bomb out this year, finish 4th
and then people and I know people don't do it on purpose,
but then people will kind of start losing a bit of belief.
And then I'd think, oh, is it the right thing for me because
we had a good season the season before when I didn't, when I
didn't captain. So I thought, so we're thinking

(17:47):
like you do you do, don't you think the worst all the time?
But it's just onto this year. I'm just so glad how we've
responded. I, I, I knew we'd have a chance
because I knew we had a good team towards the back end of
last season, I think said an early podcast.
We did start pulling a few results together and it didn't
start looking a bit more promising.
But I didn't think you were going to go this well, Joe.
I mean, we've lost one game. So it it does feel and that the

(18:10):
losing one game, probably not. It's probably something like in
a 2 three month, I look back on and think, wow, that's like, I
know it's on the second division, second team, but
you're still going to win these games, aren't you?
And it's something that I'm really proud of and it makes me
even more proud of that it it's on the back of what happened
last season. So yeah, it makes me sleep
easier at night anyway. What about you?

(18:32):
What about you, Charles? I mean, yeah.
I think, I think the first feeling was relief.
I think that, you know, as a Cricket Club goes, it's quite
rare that you have the gap that was between our first team and
our second team last year in terms of performance.
You know, the first team we're doing well getting to finals,
whereas we've, as Deck said, it was a bit of a disaster season.

(18:55):
So I think this season we all felt deep down that we had
something to prove and there is relief that we've shown that.
Did I ever doubt it? I didn't think it'd go this
well, but you look around that changing room and and you look
at the lads and and the talent that they have and you just
thought it's all about it clicking and it did.
I mean, you've got, you know, the the lads who we call the

(19:16):
youngies in the team, the likes of Keegan, Ollie, Joel Deck,
Metcalf, they're all playing what this is the fourth year of
senior cricket now can. Say some more.
Some, some even more. I mean I know that myself and
Decker, they're young lads at 25and 26, but we've got over 20
years of senior cricket between us.
So I think it's come nicely together at a point now where

(19:39):
I'm looking at next season thinking how far can we take
this? You know, I think it's also key
that we came back up because we know we've got talented squad
and you worry about the beam lads in the dressing room.
You don't want to play in Division Two second team cricket
and where that might leave you as a club.
And then the knocking effect that could have for the first
team in terms of could any second team has push it and try

(19:59):
and crack into it. But I think as this season's
gone on and especially from fromlast season, myself and Deck
have grown as a team as well. I think, you know, while we've
always been mates, we've learnedto trust each other and sort of,
you know, if decks bowling around bowling and something's
not right in the field, there won't be any chances.
But do that and we there's a bitmore synergy going on, which I

(20:22):
think has certainly helped us. It's a it's a it's a necessity
as well. Really.
You can't just have I'm not saying it will last year,
Charlie, but you can't just haveone person doing the job.
And I think there's two or threeof us.
I know Kieran Wilf like to help out as we call us the oldest Oz
lot. But yeah, there's just a really
good camera Audrey and stuff in the team.

(20:44):
And I feel like we've we've not on purpose as such, but we did
have a conversation at the startof the season saying we need to
create an atmosphere where because last year as well,
availability was shocking. And you kind of got you kind of
got thinking or the lads actually want to turn up.
But they just, well, Jack seems one of his own as we've
discussed, but the lads actuallyjust want to turn up.
Or is it just an excuse? So we said at the start of this

(21:05):
year, let's create a nice out this for everyone to want to
turn up. And obviously like dude just
said before winning games, it makes people want to turn up,
don't it? So yeah, I don't really know I'm
going with this, but yeah, just.The key to a good team on the
pitch is having a great dressingroom and I think that this year
we've strengthened that more than we can describe.
And I think that having lads whowant to play for each other as

(21:26):
well as a club has been key to asort of rectifying the problems
from last year where our heads are dropped when we're in a
sticky situation or nobody had really take the game that's good
for the neck and win it for us. So as I say, hopefully going on
to next season, we'll see how far we can take it in that
league, too, yeah. You're on mute, Joe.
Dude, you're on mute. That's called.
Leading there. Sorry about that.

(21:47):
Joe Martin never answered this question Deck and Charlie, but
I'm going to ask you, you know, a lot of the clubs in that top
division you've played against all of them probably before.
What what are your thoughts going into that?
Where if you look at that leaguetable now, where, where do you
think you can you can sort of finish?
Where do you think you can get the team to next year?
Obviously great award and Colin are going to drop out of that

(22:10):
top division. I think well, great Alwood
getting relegated is a massive shock because they were, they're
a really good side last season and I have been keeping an eye
on that and I know a couple of their lads.
If I think I think one of them scored 700 and out, one of them
scored 500 and so they must be struggling with bowlers.
Personally, I think, I'm not saying, I'm not saying I'm going

(22:31):
to go and win League Cup and I'mnot getting too giddy, but I
think I'll be halfway, halfway finished.
I'll be happy with surviving straight away.
But I think we kind of think we've got I think we've got
definitely the squad to do it, definitely the ability, but the
the something that is giving me a bit of confidence this year
for next year. Sorry, is a game that's happened
this year. This year we've got absolutely
armoured. But we've heard little bring the

(22:52):
cup and I think we're a rain affected game.
I think little bro got 180 and the ball was out for 89.
But that scorecard is a bit kindto little Bro because we had
they had their full strength side out and we had I think
Charlie missing short and. Keegan.
Key and Keegan were missing and that's like that's three of our
main, main players and I think 3.

(23:14):
Not saying we'd have won the game, but it'd have been very
close. And I think little bruh, a
little bit second or third, Yeah, I mean.
Todd the top of the league and we scored I think 257 against
that I think. We're not sorry.
Yeah. We'll beat Todd in a friendly
and their squad for that day waslargely the team they have now.
I mean, looking at the teams that I think I'd be, I haven't

(23:36):
been worried to play one, but the teams I'd most be thinking
of the most challenging games, Todd, where they are Burnley
with their experience, you know,the likes of Steve Brunt and
Gareth Halley still playing and then.
Retired guys that. Way like came back, dinner and
then little Brooke. What you doing there, Joe?
I think as Deck said, it's a it's a shame that that little

(23:58):
brigade, we didn't have a full strength side out.
I think if we did it would have been interesting to take because
missing Keegan and Shore cuts, missing your number four and
five batter, missing me. On top of that, you're probably
losing about between 20, somewhere between 20 and 30
overs in a cup game. I'd like to think we can push
top five. Yeah, I've got luck.
Lastly, I'll be happy with survival, but I'll be happy with

(24:19):
4-5 and six. To be honest, don't be happy
with anything above the bottom 2like I said.
There's another dynamic as well in the with you're going up a
step in terms of the quality of cricket you're playing, which is
then closer to the 1st 11 itselfand people you'll be playing
against will have been playing in 1st 11 cricket that season as

(24:40):
well and will have come down into that.
So I think the the other incentive on personal levels as
well is, you know, shine and do well this season as well.
And you are more so knocking thedoor, knocking on the first team
door than possibly you would have been this season in the
sense I'm not Joe might be able to anyway, not say this, but

(25:01):
it's a big gamble if you like, isn't it to take somebody from
division two in the seconds or something to to top of the first
team? And and there hasn't been a
great deal of opportunity because of the way the first
team have been playing and the individuals have been
performing. But I think, you know, if if
they hopefully carry on and do that again next year, then
again, chances might be limited.But should they lose two or

(25:22):
three games or some, you know, some availability issues, then
you guys are going to have to, you know, be ready to step up
there. And that's and you're playing at
a higher standard. It's going to be not easier to
step up, but less challenging. I would I would suggest.
Ben openly said to me at the start of this year, I think he
might have said it to the group.He said to be challenging for 13
places, you're going to have to be averaging 60 or 70 in that

(25:44):
league with bat. It's just it is what it is
because like, because the standard is further off than the
top division, There's it's been evident this year on it how far
the standard is. But yeah, he.
Said he don't want 50s and 60s, he wants 100 and 30s, he said
yeah. That's true, and it's fair
enough to be fair. It is fair enough with with how
strong that the first team is, you cannot grumble at that.

(26:06):
To be fair, Keegan's getting hischance at weekend and I couldn't
speak Kaley a key I couldn't speak.
This is a bit of a different conversation, but I think Keegan
is more than capable of getting 60 or 70 this weekend in the
first team. It really is is that is that
fluent and got that much technique and ability I.
Think coming back to the the crack in the first team, it's

(26:27):
it's a tough nut to crack and there's no hiding, you know,
you've got first team that have won the division, you know,
quite early on and it'd be very hard to push that from a second
vision, you know, second team standpoint.
But we knew that. We all knew that coming in, but
we are a group of lads. It was spied to play in the
first team and I think that, like Francois alluded to Last

(26:47):
Podcast, as and when a chance becomes available, whether that
be for somebody retiring, movingon, you know, unavailable with
injury work, whatever. It would be nice to to have a
second team that are they're ready to step up and take that
rather than the first team feel they need to, you know, recruit
from elsewhere. So I think that should be a
personal name for all the lads in the twos next year to to make

(27:09):
it so that when the first team can call in, you know we'd be
ready. It just gives it more substance,
don't. It gives a decent performance,
more so to say because it's justthe level below and should I say
a couple of levels below, but it's highest weight, it's the
highest we've got, it's highest chance we've got of putting the
performance in and then putting his name in the ring.
Brilliant. I want you to talk, I want you
to talk to us about some of the kind of key players in the in

(27:32):
the second team this year. Obviously yourselves are
included in that. But as we've kind of mentioned,
there's some really fantastic performance of the ball and some
equally great performance at thebat.
Let's talk about some of those players.
If I throw some names out, if you want to kind of.
Yeah, here you go. Let's go.
We'll Norcross first, do you? Want me to go well or do you?

(27:54):
Do you? You can do well for now.
How old is your wolf? 2027 is the oldest 27 year old
I've ever met in my life. His gear smells really bad.
He needs some new batting gloves, he needs new pads, and
he's new everything in helmet. Yeah, new helmet.
But it's just the way bats watching him.

(28:15):
Just phenomenal. Phenomenal.
Honestly, it really is. He's just bats with so much
confidence and flair. It's just, it feels like because
it will didn't play for a few years.
I think he had a bit of a sabbatical and then he started
in the, he started back in 3rd and then.
We all thought he came back. Yeah, yeah.
So I think he got back in the seconds two or three-year ago,
but we all kind of thought all Will's coming back when we

(28:38):
didn't know him as well and whenwe weren't as as much friends as
we are now with him. We all thought Will's coming
back. Good lad.
Probably Matt's line, 6:00 and 7:00.
And then the season before last they just found a completely
different gear. Didn't.
It yeah, there was, there was a game we played at Darwin away
where I said to him, I just fancy batting at 3 and he said

(28:58):
no, I don't fancy it today. I've not really had much for
bat. So I ended up batting at 3 and
he came in at 7 and I was at theother end thinking my word like
why is he batting at 7:00? So I said to him next week,
look, can you bat at three? Said well, I won't get another
chance. I said no, you won't.
So he took that chance and then I think he's got 5030, another

(29:18):
50 and. You got three 50s on bouncing.
Cheer today SO505015 and he's Storm from there.
I mean the thing with Will is anything that's full and
straight, you know it's going straight back.
He plays so lovely with the straight back and, and it pained
me to say it, but you know, thisyear he's been pivotal to our
success. It's, it's the best part in the
in the in the division statistically.

(29:39):
So like, you've got him walking out at 3:00.
How's his knee these days? His knees, all right.
It's his back Known, Joe. He was batting last week.
When he got 60. When he got 60, yeah, and, and I
think he'd been out there for three overs and he called asking
for something, so I ran out. He said I need some paracetamol,
my back's going. Just his age, yeah.
His age. It's his age.
And how much, How much Guinness he drinks everything.

(30:00):
But we he doesn't have much chance of them when he's batting
for his knee. We send him to deep cover early
on and he just stays out there. I think the lesser is the
better. When he's out, when he's
actually feeling that boundary, or should I say 15 metres in
from the boundary, spends more time talking to cafe than us.
Yeah, she's got some cream on. Cafe sun cream and he actually
missed, he actually misfielded aball because he would turn
around still talking to cafe asking him, asking if she had

(30:23):
sun cream on. How much of her finds that?
Oh yeah, he got found. He got found accordingly.
Gary. Let's talk about Deck Metcalf.
So Mecca is a really reliable and talented opening batter.
He struggled a little bit at thestart of the and he won't mind
me saying this. I think he tried to make some
adjustments over winter and he sort of runs scoring shots which

(30:46):
were originally flicking off of his legs or driving through the
covers. He found a bit harder to get
away. He graphs, he really works hard.
I know him and Sharpie go down together midweek and practise
outside training times and it's sort of all come together in the
last probably, well, ever since Crompton away where he scored a
century. See, I think, I think we were
coming a lot before that we did.Yeah, he got a few awful.
We got an LVWA Baker, which was horrendous, but and church and

(31:10):
church, he's been fouled with some bad decisions, but he's
grafted his way back into form. And I think, you know, you look
long term in the second team with that MEC.
If you know, hopefully he stays for as long as he can and you
know, we hope you push it on into our first team.
But he's he's a really solid player who really takes away the
bad ball and but knows to keep that stability in bats with a

(31:33):
sensible head, which is quite useful given that we've got
Keegan and Jack Simon on mid order, can bowl a bit, a part
time leg spin, which is good forpicking up a few wickets.
And and he's got the safest pairof hands or one off in the
second team. I'd say other than last week
when he dropped one off my bowling, but we'll let that

(31:53):
slide. Well, I'd say about decades of
it, not really about cricket, but when he came into the team,
obviously you all know Deck is quite well.
It was quite a shy, timid lad. But this last year, couple of
years is really it's been good to see him come out of his self
and get a lot, a lot more involved with the lads.
And you could tell he actually, he really enjoys being there is
and really enjoys being a part of the team.

(32:14):
So that's obviously I think he'sbangers without saying, but just
watching, watching him come out of his self as his own character
really speaks volume. It also speaks volumes for us
what we're doing that we can make it a comfortable
environment for for. Everyone, definitely.
That's a great point. I mean, on his on his batting is
a great, is a is a great player.But when you when you look at
the when you look at the team yourself, Deck will know across

(32:37):
Keegan Sharpe, they're quite expansive players.
Deck seems to be able to maybe go his own pace and absorb a bit
of the pressure to allow the other people to bat as they as
they do. I don't know if that's I don't
know if that's true, but it it seems to be when I look at the
scorecards and and I see how deck bats quite measured.

(32:57):
But as you say, you know. Yeah, it's calculated, yeah.
And I and I think that's that's really useful.
I mean, you know, if you look atour top order yourself, that
you're a lot more expressive. Keegan semi sharp, even
shortcut. You know, that mech is a really
good anchor to have to bat around.
But but he can cause but he can he can score quick any anything
short goes. He's not hitting five sixes and

(33:20):
innings but he can't. He timed it so well.
So sorry to interrupt Charlie, but he does turn the ball so
well and it can anything that's to fall or two short, a bad ball
he will put away. He does.
He's brilliant and catalysing onthe on the bad balls.
I mean, let's talk about the main man that we all want to
talk about, Jackson. I thought you gonna say shortcut

(33:40):
then. Lovely lad who's broke into the
team this year I think. Yeah, no, Jack, when he's
available, can be really disruptive.
In the changing room. All those batteries, well no,
that will start off as he comes in.
So he comes in every game probably about 10 minutes late
with his kit in a bag for life. He doesn't bring any warm up

(34:04):
gear or any game after the game,so he often warms up in whites
that are too small for him. He gets quite carried away in
the football, doesn't he starts calling people, calls people
names. He was holding off imaginary
defenders away at Accrington. He's doing tricks with no ball
near him, but and then in the field he's more abusive to his
own bowlers than the batters. Yeah, that's a fact.

(34:26):
But he's a great lad, he's a fantastic lad to have.
He's reliable in the field and batting.
You know that he can. You know he can score runs
quick, can play shots and he'll say himself that he's got as
much chance to scoring in 90 in the first teams, he doesn't
scoring 90 in the fourth team. It's just the way he plays.
And you'd never want to change him for love, no money.

(34:47):
You know, I've obviously played a bit of cricket with Jack and
my favourite ever Jackson momentwas when his string in his
whites. Oh yeah.
Oh yeah. Still not sorted?
Yeah, as. The string in his whites had
come out, so rather than gettinga new pair, pull these, pull
these whites up, tied the stringround and then folded, then

(35:08):
folded the cup of his pants overto keep them.
He does not care one bit. He just doesn't care at all.
Anytime. Devon Farmer Yeah, yeah, yeah,
yeah. Anytime they had to had to
readjust them straight away straight away.
He's lost the drawstring now, Joe, That's a yeah.
So he was running, running the East lanks.

(35:30):
And after every, every run, he had to pull his T-shirt back
down over his belly and his pants back up to his waist.
Yeah. Luckily for him, his belly's
growing now, so his pants are staying up a bit more and he
don't really need that string anymore.
Mal Highlight played cricket with Jack Simmer when he's when
his mum used to come and watch and bring us like a massive tub
of sweets. Yeah.

(35:52):
I thought you were just going toleave it at the first sentence.
Let's. Talk about some bowlers, Ollie
Williams. Yeah, Ollie's grown into his own
this season. He's he's an intelligent bowler.
Not intelligent outside of bowling, but in in he sets his
own plan. He knows his field and he knows

(36:13):
what he's going to do with it. He's his own worst enemy.
He gets bright red and shouts himself when he's bowling but I
think he's been, I'm looking notto probably get a few more
wickets. Yeah, he bowls.
He. Bowls, yeah.
Where they get good players out and some of the lads who've been
playing against, he can't get nearer.
But then it was really nice to see him get, you know, that 7

(36:35):
for Aki was his first even FIFA.He really deserved that.
That amazing that yeah, I was shocked.
But he bowls, you know, nice, nice paced away swing, you know,
both the tight areas can field quite well and he's handy to a
very good. Salmon.
Yeah, salmon is a great field. Salmon.
Unbelievable. Very good catch on Sunday.
Yeah, it was a good catch. We've.

(36:55):
Got a great pair of hands when we do the fielding on a Tuesday
and Thursday. When you do the four corners,
he's always man for the win. It's just that the size of his
hands in it, yeah. He's also what I would say about
all he works incredibly hard as well feels.
Really hard feels. Let's talk about shortcut.
An enigma. Unbelievable bowler isn't.

(37:17):
It, it's just, it's that trump card like teams think on the
other cages where Charlie and I,we don't start really well and
teams think, Oh yeah, when we show here, it's just that trump
card to put on. And it is, it is quite comical.
Watch the batters playing sometimes because I play.
Three shots, yeah. They play three shots.
Football even got to it genuinely as a lad.

(37:37):
He's another one, same as Deck. Obviously, I'm not going to lie,
there is a tiny bit of a language barrier there, but it
does. We do try and communicate with
him the best we can and he is getting better with it
definitely. But as far as it's like says
like that, he's coming out of his cell a bit more, showing
more of his personality if it's him all wheels, because he
genuinely is daft as a brush. Comes in a in a bright red and

(37:58):
blue stripe bucket hat. Most.
Weeks he tried to field in it last.
Week he tried to field in it. Crompton aware he's yeah, he's
until he bowls well, he's our trump card, he's our get out of
gaol card and it comes back well, I think he came in at
Middleton and scored a quick fifty.
I think he signed it off with a reverse scoop that went for six.
Yeah. He's got so much talent, so much

(38:19):
talent honestly goes for, I'd say he's one of the, he's up
there with Keegan for the talentbatting wise.
I think he's just sometimes justgets out in a bit halfway.
He has got so much talent. He's brilliant because obviously
he's left-handed with the ball coming across him.
He's really, he's fantastic, but.
You trust him as well, he's one of those.
If he has a bad start when he balls a few expensive overs you

(38:39):
think you know you're going to give him the ball because he
will find his rhythm and he'll get the one game at captain that
rotten stole and they came out as really hard and me and all
they were getting hit but probably up 10's and I brought
him when he got 5 wickets and just won us the game.
Yeah. Yeah, yeah, Canfield, yeah, he
has got decent hands. His main issue is when you're

(39:00):
getting a catch, even if it's diving with the ball going over,
he'll shout easy catch before ithits your hands.
Or if it's within A50 metre vicinity vicinity of him, he
will think it's his catch. So in it it won't.
He will go for that catch no matter what, even even if Kiro's
got big gloves. Hero run for him like a train at
Middleton. Yeah, I did.
Yeah, I think there's only one winner between.
Yeah, yeah. You know there was.

(39:21):
And and he were the winner. Joe Yeah.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, Absolutely brilliant.
Shortcuts. Shortcuts stats are really
impressive though, aren't they? Because he's he's like we said
already, he's top of the league Wicket taking.
Is he averaging? Nine guys.
Sorry, is he averaging 9? Yeah, exactly.
We're going to say 43 wickets at9 and wickets every 2 1/2 overs.

(39:43):
Yeah, that that's good going. Any standard, it doesn't matter,
you know, that's consistent bowling.
He's not, he's not like he's got, you know, he's had five,
four or five as it's not like he's just sad, you know, three
or three or four games taking 7:00 and 8:00 and then crap for
for the rest of it. Looks like he's been pretty
consistent. Yeah, yeah, he's.
Yeah, he's reliable. Sometimes.

(40:03):
I think about that guys. He's the other and thing that
makes it even more impressive totalk to blaze about this on
Sunday when we're watching the game.
He does go for runs as well because the battles are
clueless. So they take the nuclear option
of just trying to just trying towhack him.
Exactly. They're not.
They're not working him into into on side and taking a one
every other ball. The they try and smash him to

(40:24):
the moon occasionally. Obviously they get an older one,
but he usually has the last laugh.
Yeah, I would say they're not doing it too often.
If he's averaging, you know, 9 wicked or whatever, he's in
economy 3 1/2. But take your point.
You can get away with a couple of balls and appear to be
expensive for a short while but but like say he'll come good.
Yeah, I mean, he had a really good, he had a really good T20

(40:45):
campaign as well in the. Yeah, he did.
Yeah, I've got 4 wickets in the semi finals.
So we can get good players out. Connie, it's not.
Yeah, yeah, and, and and genuinely through the whole
through the whole of the kind ofgroup games as well.
He he would so, you know, another season of, of, of that
under his belt. I think he is he is one of those
one of those players in the second team that you would say

(41:05):
can definitely make that move into the first team.
He's not bowling is, as you say,really accurate.
And it's that's, it's, that's just.
Gary Fantastic. Obviously I've never kept in the
first team and I don't think that I'd highly doubt I've ever
will, but it does. It is when I put him on to ball.
I can't imagine. I can't imagine.
It's kind of what it feels like putting a pro on where you might

(41:28):
be going through a bit, but thenyou kind of know that he's going
to come on and he's definitely going to have an impact on.
I can't think of a time where I put him onto a ball where he
hasn't had an impact on the gamemore often.
Obviously, like Gaz said, we gave a 2 1/2 overs.
It'll come quite quickly becausebecause obviously in our
division, I know well, I've spoke to my dad about it and
they do do research and other bowlers.
There's no chance he's like barsin researching how Shaw, Carly

(41:52):
bowls. So when he bowls a couple of
spinners and then one turns and it doesn't just turn the other
way, it'll absolutely rag the other way, then they're
thinking, what on earth is this?So it's in the red.
And so that's when that's where George is, right?
Where they'll just think, I'm just going to try and take him
for as many as I can. Well, I can get to pitch a ball
and then the fate. Yeah, Yeah, that's great,

(42:13):
brilliant. I mean, it's you've, you've
obviously got a great team and agreat atmosphere in the team
this year. I think for this, I think for
this last part. Joe, just before you move on to
that section, we've got the leading wicket takers, leading
run scorers. We've also got the lead in
dismissals. Yeah, Clear.
Clear actually won it last year as well.
So, you know, we like got the top dogs in all three

(42:36):
disciplines I. Mean, that's brilliant guys.
I mean that should really give them confidence for next year,
shouldn't it? To kind of.
Yeah, yeah, definitely. 33 dismissals and the Green Bank
keeper, assuming it's a keeper, he's got 25 so you know again
he's. One of them were.
One of them were a rogue, weren't it?
One of them 25. He should, actually.

(42:56):
Talk us through that, Joe. Yeah, No, that's a great point.
That's a great point, guys. I mean how, how confident would
you guys be of of you know, those players are currently top
of those those averages and other players in the team
replicating that. Again, obviously when you look
at, so you know, is the capability there for somebody to

(43:17):
take 4050 wickets in that second, someone to go about 6-7
hundred runs. Well Will, I'm going to say they
have all done it. Kiro's done it, Will's done it
to. I think Will did Will finish
third in the batting prize. Sorry that make finished second.
Then Will were third the year before.
Kiro's won the bowling, won the wicket keeping award last year.

(43:41):
Shortcut and back in to get backin to get anyone out.
So I think these lads, they've kind of already done it to some
extent. I think Shortcuts more than
capable of getting 4050 wickets,definitely if we get a full
season out of him, who knows? Who knows what's going to happen
with your OK if it's far off biscuits or anything.
But yeah, I think they're all careful.
Joe definitely. Yeah, this last part because

(44:04):
obviously coming up to time is Iwant you to try and think about
some of the kind of key games from this from this year that
have sort of kind of defined your define your season and and
have really made that differencethat probably give you that
belief that yes, we're a good team and yes, we're going to go
and win this league. Can you, can you pinpoint any a

(44:25):
couple of games that you think really highlight that for you?
I've got, I've got a few. There must have been 5 or 6
times this season where I've come off the pitch saying I
think that's my favourite game of all time.
But they're actually, they're actually one game.
The first game where I thought we're in, we shout where I
weren't even playing and it wereI think you're Enfield at home.
I think our holiday, but I'll watch it on the stream.

(44:47):
And I knew that Enfield would beup there with us because they
came down with last year and ourour panic in a bit about the
game because we had a bit of a weakened team out.
I can't remember who were missing, but I thought and then
the lads did a real job on Enfield.
So I thought then I thought we've got, we've got because
obviously we had the Goodwin against Greenmount before that.
So I thought we've got a we've got a chance here if you can

(45:08):
keep a decent squad together. We had a good win away at
Wolston again with a weaker sidewho Walston wasn't struggling a
bit recently, but back then theywere, they were getting some
wins together. Walston, another point that
we're going to make, sorry, justto I think the squad that we've
got, the players who haven't been playing every week are a
lot more. They've performed a lot better

(45:29):
this year. So with that Walton game, you
had Harvey Elliot come in who opened the ball and ball
extremely well. So that were a game where I
thought, yeah, really obviously will got 1128 in that game.
And then both Crompton games as well, because Crompton are a
decent. Obviously when you beat Enfield
in Greenmount, that's when you would be Enfield at their place

(45:50):
that were obviously good win. But the Crompton game I think
you knew have won a game on yourown.
It's Charlie think Charlie got 50.
I think they were linked to 181.60. 16170 And then did you get
4? Yeah.
But then yeah, that the Cromptongame, I think they were.
I think they only did 60 with eight always left.
They were the Crompton. They were 50 for none because we

(46:12):
had to change up the ball and because of the wins and we just
hit one of those where if they bat at the time they were going
to get the runs. And we just took wickets with
regular intervals and fielded really well, took half chances
and some really good catchers. That was that was a big turning
point in that game. I'd say 2 that stand out for me
First, and I've mentioned it already, Greenmount away.

(46:33):
It's the very first game of the season.
You know, that game we battered quite well.
We bowled all right at the start, but they just seem to
slowly, slowly chase and get almost in range.
And they were one point. Well, it was so slow and then we
just went and I think I got hit for something like maybe 15 off
and over for a second last over and they needed to go fives to

(46:54):
win the game that. Can happen at Greenmount.
Yeah, Oh no, they admitted a long boundary, Joe.
Yeah, they were one up. Yeah, I think to be fair,
Greenmount had that lad who had who played four games and got
four 70s, didn't it? And then he just went.
It just disappeared off. Face at her.
But they were. It was a position.
That was lucky for us. It was position where I think me
and Ollie being a bowling attacker, really proud of us

(47:15):
that game in terms of that fightat the end to dig in and get the
wickets and pull off the win because previously that would
have been a game where we heads would have gone down, we would
have rolled over and lost. That was a big send out and then
Rotten stole away as I mentionedas well.
Sure can't get in five there. Who was it that we scored 300?
Is that Crompton away? That was Crompton, wasn't it?

(47:37):
Yeah, then they looked like theywere going to be in the chance
of getting them dealing with. When opening battle, there's
been a few I think. NO2260.
Yeah, I think the, the main characteristic that all the
games that stand outs was have were games that historically we
would have lost. We we showed some guts and we
could turn a proper performance.And it's been nice throughout

(47:58):
the season scene at different people.
While we've got the top run scorer at the top, we could take
the top keeper. You know, everybody has checked
in at some stage and won his game.
Nine out of the nine out of the 11, even 10 out of the 11 P
flags have won as a game. Like literally have won as a
game. So like Charlie said, everyone
is contributing. Really good.

(48:19):
Gaz. Joe, is there anything else
you'd like to ask before we wrapup?
No, I. Don't think so, Joe.
No. That's grand.
So I will leave it with Deck andCharlie to finish off.
Thanks Gaz, and thanks Joe for your input.
Oh Joe, there is just one thing.Well, well done hosting this
week, by the way. It must be really good to not be

(48:40):
grilled by the horse. By.
A ball hitting you in the chest or dropping a catch or something
like that. It's really nice guys not to
need to have any opinions. I can just ask.
I don't anyway, but even, you know, to even like have to
address the fact that I don't have any.
Well done, good job. Thank you.
That's really kind. Yeah.

(49:01):
And as I said, thank you for coming on in your input.
It's been great. Really good chat deck.
Charlie, thank you for coming on.
Always great to speak to you. I think we should finish on what
you kind of hopes and plans are for the next season and and what
you think just. Just be competitive John, not
like we've kind of gone over early.
I'm not expecting to go up thereand win the leading cup but I

(49:25):
just want if the attitudes the same and the lads apply
themselves the same that they have done this season, then
there's absolutely no, there's no danger that we can't be
competitive and give good teams and run for the money in that
league next year and comfortablystay up.
That's if we come, if we're comfortably stay up next year,
then I'll I'll be happy. I'll do me.
I'll perfect sorry for me is that changing room stays

(49:46):
together and we go up and finishing that top four, top
five maybe, maybe get 40 wicketsmyself, but that's me being
great. If you managed to keep your hand
intact, Jazz, I think. It's caught all.
It's caught all these catchers recently, Joe so.
Short leg as well. I'm not going to say anything
about dropping catches. Thanks again everybody.

(50:09):
Really great speak to. You I just sorry, Joe, can I
just finish on one thing? Yeah, of course, might sound a
bit soppy, but I just kind of want to say a bit of a thank you
because last weekend, obviously for lads like me and Charlie, it
don't really happened quite a lot that we get to experience
the like the win in the league and on the balcony and stuff.
So just to be able to thank you for everyone who made that

(50:30):
happen and it were really, it was a pleasure.
It was a pleasure to be able to do that in front of people.
For the club to put, you know, put the money behind the bar
country to the champagne, you know, people stay down.
You know that that meant a lot to us.
So, you know, thanks to everybody who was involved in
that. Brilliant.
Well you deserve it chaps. Brilliant.
A great season. Some great bookshop so you
should be really proud of it. Well done.

(50:51):
Well done. Tell us.
Cheers guys. Good luck to everybody.
Thanks for listening. Bye.
Cheers. Lads.
Bye, Gordon. Gordon,

(51:18):
then Morehouse to save the house.