News from the 2s and that weird Middleton match (ft. Dec Stansfield)

In this episode of the Housecast Podcast, we’re joined by Dec Stansfield as we shine a spotlight on the Second Eleven and their progress so far this season. From standout performances to promising developments, we cover it all. We also take a look at the weekend’s game away at Middleton — even if it was over before it really got going.

Many thanks to our sponsors:

• 🟡 Spoonful of Sweets – www.spoonfulofsweets.co.uk

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Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Yeah. Not for any weird reasons, just.
Just so. You know, visitors.
Yeah, now that dress has given them a key back.
Does it work OK? Yeah, it's grand.
Good. Hi, Gary.

(00:21):
Hi, Joe. Nice, nice tricks.
Yeah, not so bad. Thanks.
Yeah, How are you? Yeah, good.
Is it raining there? No, I mean like a Gulen.
Well, I operate on a slightly different temperature to
everybody else. I get cold quickly.
All right, have you seen it? Like his uncle, Ian used to wear

(00:44):
a bin liner. Yeah, he did. 3 sweaters and a
bin liner. Yeah, and no socks.
Sweat regime. Ahead of his time.
Right. We'll, we'll start.
I don't know if, well, Gav's definitely not coming on.

(01:05):
Is it? So we'll, we've got what we've
got. So I think we'll we'll kick off.
Don't build it up too much, Jess.
I'm just trying to do some research, some last minute
research guys, you know, I'm like trying to do 2 things at
once. Hello everyone and welcome to
Loris Cricket Clubhouse Cast. You'll have to do that again,

(01:26):
Jess. Right as you're in full floor.
That would that. Would be.
We've got what we've got, so we'll just run with that douche.

(02:03):
Gordon Gordon, send more house to save the house.
Good evening everybody, and welcome to Lower House Cricket
Club House cast. Bit of an impromptu episode

(02:23):
tonight. We tried for Monday and I did
dive, tried to choose this summer happened, I couldn't do
Wednesday and then all of a sudden we were all here for
Thursday. But it's good to do because
we've got a great guest on another one of our classical
legendary players that hasn't played anywhere else.

(02:46):
He's only a young lad but he's doing a great job at the moment
with his team. So we want to talk through the
second team with Declan Stansfield.
But I'll come on to deck in a minute.
So the the horse we've got just need to get me skipped screen,
right? Joe Beneducci's on Joe Martin
and Gary Morehouse. Are you all right, Duch?

(03:09):
Bit of a strange day on Sunday over at Middleton for us.
Yeah, a quick game is a good game, as they say.
But yeah, it was a bit of an oddone, but I guess it's good to be
on the right side of those quickgames, isn't it?
Rather than rather than the wrong side.
Yeah, yeah. And I'm not going to go into too
much detail because I want to really get into the seconds on

(03:32):
this recording, but it was, it was a strange, you know,
disappointed because it was sucha great weather in the pitch.
Look fantastic. I thought we'd be hanging around
till 7:00 or 8:00, but we're travelling back home by about
half three. So anyway, also we've got Gary
on. How are you doing, Gaz?
I'm all right, Jess. Thank you very much for asking.
Yeah, good lad, good lad. Some decent bands as well.

(03:55):
Why is she watching it? So that's always good to say.
Joe Martin, you're in your special room with our guest.
How are you doing? I'm very well.
Thanks, Jess. How are you?
Yeah, all good, all goods. Got some good gardening today.
Oh, did you? Yeah, yeah, re re potted my
chilies and pinched out my tomatoes.
Well we've just re potted our tomatoes lads.

(04:19):
Seriously, come on, quickie. Why were they not in the big
enough pot? Well, there.
Were seedlings to begin with so we've just grown them from
little pots to begin with and we're moving them to the big
ones. But the strawberry plants coming
out again, so. Yeah, yeah, they'll soon come on
when you're getting them bigger pots.
Chelsea Flower Show this weekend, isn't it?

(04:40):
Yeah, it is. Yeah, yeah.
And and Univision Song Contest. Yeah.
Yeah, and we're at both gas new jets.
Duke, Duke. She'll be what?
Duke. She'll be watching, watching
Boston. Oh, he's just getting his felt
tip pen out. This will be interesting.
So anyway, so on to on to our guest.

(05:01):
We'll go straight in and see howhe's doing this lads, he's a son
of a lad who's played for years and we've all played with him.
He's come right through the junior sections, some great
performances and at a young age last year took on the the 2nd 11
captain set a big ask, a big difficult task as well, really,

(05:26):
because in the First Division ofthe Junior League and there's
some top sides in there and and we have such a good side.
But he had the balls to take it on and and you know, in my view,
did a really good job in there. And then this year seems to be
flying a little bit. We've only into four games in
the season, but welcome the second team captain Deck
Stanfield. Nice Danny, nice jobs.

(05:48):
Thanks for having us. You're welcome.
How you How you doing? Yeah, but thanks mate.
Good start to the season. So all good.
Yeah, yeah. And yourself, if you know, I was
you, you got through the winter from last year.
I'm going to go into a little bit of depth about last year and
how difficult that was. But how did you go on this

(06:09):
winter? You know what, you big Burnley
fan watching the football team and looking forward to the
summer. Everything all right with that?
Yeah, I had a bit of an eventfulwinter.
Me and Mrs got us first house together so that made it all go
quicker I suppose. Ready for cricket season and
then we started netting it aboutMarch time and then before you
know, it's season race. So it went quite quickly really.

(06:31):
Good, good. So let's just look back a little
bit on last season. You know, as I said, it was a
big ask. You took over from from Charlie
and from Charlie Bissell. And before that Matt was doing
it. Matt Hope and it I don't watch
great the Olympic deck. So you know, I'll have to be

(06:52):
bowed by your judgement. But it's a tough league that
that Junior League in that FirstDivision isn't it?
Yeah, it is. There was some good sides that
were played against last year and we were, I won't say we went
in under prepared, but we we just couldn't get the same team
out every week. So it turned into a real
struggle. Selection wise it were a real
struggle. We kept getting the sell into

(07:14):
positions to win games, especially early on.
I mean we're out for 85 and I think we got bowled out for 79
and that kind of story season really.
But we we kind of we got our acttogether a bit towards end of
season when we've got a solid team out.
And then but then shore cut was all my foot through season,
which you can't you can't expect.

(07:35):
So they were just, there were just a lot of stuff that went
wrong that and like you say, it's a tough division and when
stuff goes wrong in that division we inexperience that
obviously with my fish here as captain and it was, it was
tough, don't get me wrong. But I wouldn't say I won't say I
hate today, I won't say that I did not enjoy it and I turned
up, tried turning up every week.But it would just say I'm not

(07:56):
saying getting relegated is a happy accident as such because
they don't want to get relegated.
But I just think going a bit into this season, it's not bad
for these younger lads to get a bit confidence.
Obviously I've had a good start.Like you say, it's not bad for
the younger lads to get a bit ofconfidence, try and get scores
every week, which we are doing at the minute.
I'm not going to count as chickens but we started really

(08:17):
well. But yeah, it's let's see, we're
just one of them. Last year you have, you have
tough seasons don't you? And it would just.
What if you do and? Unfortunately we've got
relegated but we we've like to see a manifest in it towards the
end. And you learn from it.
You, the young kids will learn alot from that, probably a lot
more than you know, people who are in the late, late 20s and

(08:40):
you know, for the benefit of thelisteners, just to try and
explain how how it works as a second eleven, you know, the
first team will always take primacy over, you know, the in,
you know, if someone gets injured, they, they can pick on
the second team. Someone drops out midweek for

(09:01):
whatever reason, someone from the second team comes in and you
know, they generally, and rightly so, we'll, we'll pinch
the best player. So it's left on the second team
captain to try and manage, you know, the team get, you know, a
young lad in from the thirds or an experienced player in.
So you have a far less settled side than the first team, which

(09:21):
seems a bit daft when you're looking at it.
And for a young lad like you, did you find that that pressure
affected your performances deck or the you're not just a
performance on the field, but your attitude in in the
meetings, the team selections and in training.
Did that get to you? Not necessarily because we've

(09:41):
got we've got good people aroundus.
Obviously me, Matt and Duke havea bit of fun midweek selection
wise. Ben's always Ben's always honest
about a little tech and a sportsteam on Tuesday, because
actually this weekend coming hasbeen the toughest week selection
wise because the first team are away at Penrith in the in the
LCB. So we've lost teams around now.

(10:04):
Yeah. So we've lost Deck and Shortcut.
So that's that's his opening battery.
Scored 500 runs in top Devon Shortcut, who's brilliant
handball. So yeah.
So it is tough Jazz to be honestwith you, but it's something
that, you know when you take thesecond team job that you've got
to be wide open to so you can't complain.
And we can't complain that Deck's getting to do it first

(10:27):
team or Shortcut because they deserve the turn.
So we can't go because you know,you know, you know it's signed
off for our end of day. I know, but it's good to hear
that that it hasn't affected youand you know, and you will be
supported by those people aroundyou.
But it you know, it's not easy no matter what age you are, and

(10:47):
it's good to see that you got through that and and you will
bounce back. It's you know, there's some good
young players there. You know, people are coming back
and you know, I've just looked, looked at the team, you know,
Jack, Jack Sims back in the teamand you know you've got a strong
line up there to keep it going. So on the build up to this

(11:08):
season where all the players looking forward to it, was it a
good build up as far as second team go?
Yeah, Mad Keane, they're a Mad Keane bunch.
They're a great bunch of lads. I know, I know it's you could
say that, but honestly, they're not, they're not just teammates,
they're proper mates. So it makes my job easier and

(11:29):
they're all mad keen. I had a really good showing at
indoor Nets, which is always a, which is always a decent factor
because if you have a crap turn out indoor Nets, then you're
kind of taken in through to season.
And I think we've got the indoorright how we do it so close that
season because then it's the indoors going straight to the
outdoors. So everyone's mad keen for it.
And then we played, we had we had a friendly with Todd and

(11:50):
that's the friendly against Todd.
We're now tough, but we want it.I know you can't really go off
it, but it's only a friendly. Well, Todd are now tough of that
First Division. But we had our strongest side
that we've had our all season inthat friendly and we've not
managed to get it out again so far.
But like I said, Simi's back andI don't think he's well, you
know, he's like Simi. He'll play three games and he'll

(12:12):
go on holiday or because of Christina Summit.
He misses. He misses for all sorts of
reasons with Jackson. But we're lucky to be great for
his presence this weekend. Yeah, we open.
Next weekend we've got a double header so hopefully we get a,
hopefully we get a strongest team out next weekend.
Yeah, yeah, I know what you're saying next to me.
I mean, I've heard last year he went to opening an event of an

(12:33):
envelope. Yeah, he did.
Yes, all of them playing cricket, but.
Just would you believe that he once missed the game when he's a
big Chelsea fan? He once missed the game when the
Champions League finals but he weren't going to match.
You were just going to watch it in a pub in London.
I I can't believe you do. And that one on Saturday night
and he missed the Sunday game. I don't, I don't mind digging

(12:53):
Simi out because we've given loads of praise on this podcast.
So it's only it's only right that we give him a bit of a dig
every now and again and he wins 100 club every other week.
And he also, to be fair to him, he's, he's the type of lad as
much as we, you know, we can give him stick here.
He could go in seconds and get 120 and then there's a space in
first and going first and get 100.

(13:14):
You know, these are squad players and it has changed.
It's changed so much from when we played that, that this, this
does happen. I mean, I'm just thinking that
Gary, going back to our days andyou know, we've all played
second team cricket and it does seem, I think back in our day it

(13:34):
was 2 separate teams. You would have the first team
would be a squad of maybe 14, but there would only be those
three players or four players because the pros in the first
team that would jump up. Well, now there's more of a
squad element to the first and second team.
But that do you think Gary that because of an age thing going
back in our day, there were a lot of first teamers that

(13:56):
carried on playing in seconds where that don't happen now?
Yeah, I think you're probably right there.
I think they've currently got that the competition now.
Our job would have been 10 timesadages I think in in those days,
if you'd have had, you know, as much competition as there are
for places now and and the things and, and kids coming

(14:17):
through. I mean, I can remember still
picking somebody who were like 40 or or whatever for a game in
a way he can because we were short and you know, it's, it's,
it's and because we had to, you know, there's there wasn't a,
you know, genuinely there wasn'tkids right for playing first
team cricket at that point anyway.

(14:37):
So, so I think it's, it's a tricky one, but I mean, I don't
know, like that's going on with the seconds because obviously
I'm only watching stuff from afar.
But, you know, imagine the structure around there now with
Stan and and Ben and the pro and, you know, the cricket
committee generally, I would imagine it's it's geared up for

(14:59):
making somebody like Deck thrivein that situation now.
Whereas, you know, it would just, it were like Rusty's bag
for ages, weren't it? You know, nobody else wanted to
touch second team captaincy for a long while.
Bit of a poisoned chalice. But yeah, good luck to you,
Deck. Sounds like you're doing a good
job. And you mentioned bro there,
Gary. I've never, as long as I've been

(15:22):
involved with senior cricket, you could say hockey, but I've
never had a pro that openly cares as much about second team
cricket. Now they're developing as much
as the one we've got now. So it's that's brilliant as well
and it fills you with confidenceknowing that he's taking our
players to you see, you see him,he's just my keen, he's just my
keen on everything that we're doing and it's brilliant to see.

(15:43):
It's really working our way, ourwe, our team, not just the first
team. And that's nothing against the
pros that we've had by the way. It's just this damn is
absolutely keen and he's brilliant with us.
Yeah, and it does. And they will learn so much,
won't they? The kids will, you know, even
even if they can't perform or not say they can't perform if

(16:03):
he's trying to get that extra 5 percentage of them.
And then they're not just pushing it.
You know, I'm looking at the side there and, you know, we'll
talk about the green main game debt.
You were, you know, you played in that one, the one, the first
game of the season, a decent score 224 and you know, the
rooms are spread out that Metcalf got 52, you got 42.

(16:24):
Will, you know, got 36 Will Norcross you 100 and 6000 and 50
odd for two, which is a great start.
Just talk us through that game because they nearly got them,
didn't they, in the end. But you won't.
It were we started like an out on fire.
We started really well in one ofthem Jazz we probably should
have got. We probably we should have got

(16:46):
close to 300. It were an ass pitch.
Obviously it'd been really sunny.
Outfield were rapid. We started really well, had a
bit of a collapse in middle order and then the second
innings they started really slowly.
It kind of they absolutely pull the opposite to our innings.
They started really slowly. It weren't like it didn't look
like I was trying to win game and then the the ladder who got

(17:09):
70 off for them batted really well.
I think he's had another couple of 70s after that in league.
He looks a good player. He's got them right back into
game but it's short. But it just last season and then
I know it's different divisions,but you've still got to win
games of cricket and last seasonwould have lost that game with
they needed, I think there were two overs left and I think they

(17:29):
might have needed 12 or 1612, something like that.
So we're still in 1/2 decent position but they were short
boundary. So but like I said last season,
no matter rumour against would have found a way to lose that
game. But now we're just a bit more
confidence behind us. We've got the lad out in the
second to last over around 70C Biffle Charlie bit football

(17:50):
really well. The bowlers ball well.
They were just they were just anunforgiving short boundary that
kind of on one end. But we just showed a bit of
spokes and managed to get through it.
And that it's so true. You know, when things are going
for you, you've had a good preseason, as you've mentioned
there, the pro, it's not just the players who were getting
those those victories for urine victories bring victories.

(18:13):
I don't think that's a saying, but you know, Yeah, yeah.
It's like I said, you want to win it last year and and you've
got through because you're right.
Yeah. They were 208 for six chasing
224 with a few overs to spare, you know, So it's a good effort.
And then you've you've been awayon a little bit of a sabbatical

(18:36):
but the the team have carried on.
They have yeah, yeah, we're awayfor the Enfield at all.
And then the the ladder, our only way for it felt like we're
away for 3-4 week. It horrible.
Don't know where I've got all ofthat.
But yeah, the Enfield game seemed like it were another one

(18:57):
that was quite close. We we bowled first start off, we
didn't bowl and I think we've got 10 points, but I think we
did. We 16170 Enfield got.
Yeah, 166 for seven. End of their offers.
Wicked shared out a little bit. Holly Williams and Shawkat and

(19:18):
Yanis 2 apiece, and then knockedhim off quite comfortably with
eight overs to spare. Yeah, yeah, yeah, Keegan got 54.
How's Keegan looking? You know, he's a strong
character, Keegan and you know, he's played a couple of games in
first team last year. He's a big rugby union player.
Is he, is he, is he looking in good neck and looking like he's
going to have a good season? He's lots of $1,000,000 Jed.

(19:40):
He's got bags and bags and bags of ability.
But problems with Keegan, what'sbetween his ears?
That's Keegan's main problem. But it's honestly the technique
that he's got, the ability that he's got.
It could score 6-7 hundred runs this year without even trying.
Yeah, which again is brilliant because you know, the as well as

(20:01):
the first team of playing and wewill come on to that.
They need that pressure. They need the, you know, they
need these players to come through rather than having the
same, you know, calling on Blazeor, you know, hockey and, and
you know, and then just coming, you know, and obviously get
Metcalf's done a great job for acouple of seasons.
But we need, you know, because Sharp is not playing.

(20:28):
He's he's at union to not comingback.
So he was pushing for first teamat one stage and you know, and
yourself and and and also Will and and Keegan.
So we need those players to fight like they are to put
pressure on that, you know, on the whole club.
Yeah, definitely. I think they're careful of it,
James, but there's a Keegan deck, especially Oliver Williams

(20:49):
with ball. They're the ones who are really
careful of pushing on. Definitely.
Typically I say there's will, there's all of us really, but
they're the three that I think have really have massive seats
this season, then put the pressure on.
Yeah, exactly, exactly. Then rock and stall away way
back. First 169 at rock and stall all

(21:11):
out of 40 overs. You got to think that could be a
bit of a bit of an issue, but webowl them out for 142 again.
That's. That's another game where last
season would have lost that because I'm watching that play
that kept up. I kept up with all the games
rather away and I watching it and play cricket and it's it
Rockstall I think they were, I think they were scoring at about

(21:33):
10 and over. Yeah.
I think for six overs they were smashing us all over the place,
but just a couple of, I think there were one lads got 40 out
of 40 out of started innings. I can't remember it right now.
Yeah, it was. He got 40 Roscoe.
Yeah. Yeah.
Roscoe. Yeah.
Is that is that, is it Keith Roscoe?
Is that his grandson? I.

(21:54):
Think he's his grandson? Yeah.
So obviously, Oh no, it's not dude.
It's his great grandson. Great.
Grandson. Well, yeah, he seemed.
Like he's. A bit of tap, but then again
just got back in game. Showed a bit of spuds again and
it seemed that it looks. Looking at the scorecard, it

(22:15):
looks like it was quite a simple, straightforward win, but
it weren't. No, I mean, they're bowled all
right in 24 overs. You know, it's a bit comedy
cricket. Yeah, yeah.
It is and shortcuts you know. Got 539 off 10.1.

(22:36):
So you know, again, great victory, top of the league.
And then last weekend you're back for that one.
You're playing in that, you know, unfortunately I think
you'd do a little bit too much San Miguel.
So you didn't perform like you should have done, but we still
got 205. Just talk us through that game,
through that game on on Sunday. Yeah, so again, obviously you've

(23:00):
been at Lore house recently. The pitches are brilliant,
outfield rapid. So we we did all right in the
first innings. I mean Keegan got a good eight
to run shared around. I think Deckham will had a
decent partnership. Sure can't matter.
I got 20 out. But we thought, we thought after
and we were short to be honest with you, because the pitch is
playing as it is and the outfield's that fast.
We thought we we honestly thought we were going to be 50

(23:23):
short there. But the ball went again and last
year was struggling that bad with extras.
There were 20-30 extras again. I think there weren't a green
map to be honest, but we just box interval really tight, got a
couple of early wickets because they're then a bad side.
Middleton, they've got a few I think.
I think an opener's had a tonne already, so they've got a decent

(23:44):
side. But we got in early and we just
we just kept getting wickets. We just consistently through the
innings and then I think they were 380 for six at one point.
So we kind of knew the kind of new room.
We shout out it would just and then we just proper performance
again, not many extras just but I don't think with I don't think
we've played fully to to our full potential yet.

(24:07):
As a sad, I don't know, it's easy to say, but we're careful
of playing better than what we are already.
We've won every game. So it is possible.
It really is at the minute. Yeah, and and you know, that's
fantastic to hear that that's the way you are and you're
pushing and striving to get better.
But take it whilst you can't, you know, things just not going

(24:30):
maybe away or you know, the things aren't.
I mean we were we were sat together over at Middleton and
we were watching the scores comein and Duchard mentioned and and
Matt mid brother were about Keegan.
He looked like you were getting in.
He got to 14 no time and then Matt was saying look at that,
he's throwing it away and you know he's got 81.
There's no one throwing anythingaway there.

(24:52):
All right, he's out and he couldhave, you know, maybe got a
tonne and and got the score up to 250.
But is is that a reflection of the way the first team play?
And I'm just talking about Keegan, but is that something
that you take on as a second team in being positive and and
getting after him? It is, I'd say, for the more
experienced lads who Dan and Bendeal with directly.

(25:13):
We do try and play with the positive mindset of the first
team. That's what we want to play.
But Keegan will just bat. He's battered like that ever
since he's got his seconds. Keegan, to be honest, you get
bat on ball. Yeah, obviously we're not as
good as first team. It's just one of them.
We can't do the stuff that they can do, especially early on in
his innings. So we've got to try and build

(25:34):
his innings a bit more. But we are trying to play
positively, positively and aggressively.
But like I say, Keegan will justbat like that.
He just tries to get back on ball, ball early.
But yeah, he could do it as well.
But like you say, he could have got it could have got 150 jazz
if he'd to be fair, he weren't out slogging.
It was just there were this he must have been bowling at about

(25:55):
35 mile an hour. It would lap champion Uchi ball
at this clubhouse end. But it's just it's just chip.
Yeah, yeah, exactly that. Yeah, it's just it's just chip
when he were like he just got stuck in tiny bit pitch.
He's not tried slogging and he just got caught point to him.
He played aggressively, but it were it retained dismissal for
how we were batting. But you can't.

(26:16):
You can't. Yeah, exactly.
And then that, you know, it might be different if you're
back in 2nd and you're gonna need 100 off the last 20-5 hours
and you get out with 21 to go and lose the game.
But it's not. But it's good to say that it's
that adaptability, you know, from the players and I see their

(26:37):
deck. I just just read, you know, I've
criticise you for having too much Stan, Miguel and you, you
didn't perform with the bat but you've got 2 wickets with the
ball stumping with KIRO. Yeah, typical caps in jazz, I
thought. I've not got no runs with that
so I'll bring myself on the end and get tail Enders out.
No. Why not if you need?
Skipper, unfortunately the rest of them, but I didn't get 50P

(27:00):
for that as well. Fans, but yeah.
I don't know why. You've got what, their top
scorer, right Still Keiro. Yeah, well, to be fair, it's
about tag hero took one because I think he I think he had about
five chances to turn that lad off shortcut.
But I mean, batters can't pick, can't pick shortcuts.
So I never about wicked keeper. About him deck because there's a

(27:20):
lot of people who listen to thiswho won't who won't know
anything about shortcuts so justgive us a bit on on his bowling
1st and then and then he's batting what's it what's he like
what's he like to captain he's. Great to captain, he's brilliant
to cricket. So it's easy.
You know he's going to bow your 12 overs and he's going to get
30 or 40 on every week. So in that respect he's really

(27:40):
he's a good lad as well. So well, a bit about his bowling
is I've never seen anyone turn it as much both ways and I'm not
I'm you've used you've seen him do I'm not talking about there.
He turns it battered against hima lot in this and I still can't
pick his. I still can't pick his wrong and
he's Googling, but he's batting.He's another one gets on it.

(28:04):
He's brilliant off his legs, really risky.
I'd I'd go as far to say battingis as good as he's bowling and I
think he's only young 2121, a little bit younger.
So he's a serious pricker, real,real prospect.
So he's great to have around andlike say, easy enough to captain
and. What's resting your makeup?

(28:26):
Sorry, Dec what's what's rest ofyour bowling line up like in
terms of, you know, mix? They they look to have been
fairly settled. You've lost one or two players
this season, but they tend to bebatters that are going into
first team to fill a spot at moment.
So as a bowling unit, what what variety have you got there?
You've just described shark at what?
What's the rest of the line up? You you bowled three of the

(28:47):
three of the four opponents out this year.
So you're doing something right.Well, Oliver Williams and
Charlie Beth will open up. Always a great bowler.
Charlie's a brilliant bowler as well.
Obviously myself bowls a bit of offspin.
Keegan can, Keegan bowls up and down.
Really when Keegan gets it right, he's really helpful
because he can bowl in a partnership with Shortcut

(29:09):
because he when he gets it right, he just bowls into heroes
gloves. He'll go 1-2 and over and then
they'll try and attack Shortcut from other end And when that
partnership it gets going reallywell.
But to be sure, sure can only are probably our main bowlers
and then the rest of us try and share the always out between us.
But we've got, like I say with both, with both teams, I think

(29:29):
including the cup 4 times this season.
So we're doing all right. But the the main thing for me
this year were to keep the extras down.
Obviously Giannis as well. Giannis, when Giannis gets his
right, gets the bowling rights for Arnie because he's fast,
really is fast if he gets it right, especially to tail Enders
towards back end in his closing off ears for Arnie.
But it was, it was just the extras last year that were kind

(29:50):
of killing us. It was just getting us out of
games early doors. I mean there were like first
five overs teams of 20 off and on.
They scored that four runs off bat.
So we're just on back foot straight away.
But this year with I think we only bowled, it might have been
4 wards weekend. So and Matt, Matt or Jez, your
brother, obviously he's been working on pitch.

(30:11):
He's been on the pitch. We our bowlers tonight.
So they are working on it, but it's we are putting a lot of a
lot of effort on Thursday nightsand Tuesday nights.
So it looks like it's it's having a positive impact on
pitch so far. Great, good stuff.
It does then you know, you look at the you know, there's a
proper team building there, there's a proper plan to it and

(30:34):
whether it's from from the Nets or or during the the game.
So, you know, long, long may continue topically, you know,
1484 only side that have done that.
All I would say deck is don't get complacent, keep working
hard. Yeah, you know, that has been,
I'm not just saying this, Jess, because you said it.
That was my message at the weekend.

(30:55):
Just we've had a good start. There's no secret about it.
But let's just let's not go and try and scrape past these games.
Let's go and try and win him properly because we can, we can
do. We've not been here yet.
But I'm not, I'm not as naive tothink, oh, it's going to be one
of them seasons where we're not going to lose a game.
I know there's going to be obstacles along the way.
I'm not, but I'm not for one minute thinking, yeah, we did

(31:16):
one next year. We've just got to take it game
by game and stay positive and like I said, not get complex and
we'll be confident. How's how's Pocket doing behind
stumps? There's a little character in
the Kira. How's he doing?
Yeah, brilliant. Yeah.
Yeah, well, to be fair, Kira were obviously Deck had a great

(31:36):
season. Kira actually came top of the
victim last year. So Kira was absolutely finest.
Yeah, he does. He's a lovely lad.
He's such a he's such a great lad.
He's it's good to see when he gets those stumpings.
You know, he's he's after gold and you know, he tries his nuts
off for it. So, you know, so that's that's

(31:58):
really good. Just just tell us a little bit
about Ollie Williams and you know, he played in one of one of
the friendly first team. I've not seen a lot about him.
You know, he looks up some potential and does he land it in
the right places? He's got massive potential for
me. He's he's a really, really good
bowler. He knows he knows what he's

(32:19):
doing for it and he's a young lad 1920 but he knows what he's
doing with his field. If he's only changing, he'll
change itself or he'll put an idea about me.
You can buy one wicket, but I'm going to mention extras last
year. All they were never a culprit is
always the one who is bowling the one side of the wicket.
Struggle sometime last year juststruggled picking up wickets at

(32:41):
points. But I mean he's still learning,
he's still only a young lad but he's got 8 wickets this year so
far. So he's had a really good start
and he could have had more to befair.
Yeah, yeah. I think it's good that that he's
getting it's good that he's getting that experience there
and he's getting the, you know, the overs under his belt because

(33:03):
that that's where you learn and that's where you stop the, you
know, drifting down the leg sideand and bowling's, you know,
batters, you develop you battersand you become better and you're
working at it. Bowlers can change over
overnight. You know, you grow an extra an
extra inch. Is it?
I mean, sure, Cat seems the right character.
I've never spoke to him, but theold game is played in the first

(33:23):
team. Like you said, whether he bowls
leg or like spin. He's a bit of a character into
you of what happened with him last year when he when he he
couldn't play. Well, he is a character, right?
I mean, should see him when he gets a wicked Jesus Christ.
But I think, well, I think I don't know exactly what
happened, but what Stan said is he got a voicemail off shortcut

(33:47):
saying I'm going to Pakistan. I'll see you next season.
And then then we didn't see him till I think it worth.
I think it worth. Yeah, we just started season if
we stared off at friendly. Brilliant, Brilliant.
Yeah, I. Was on the 15th of June as well
that I've got the message here on 15th of June.
Voice message from Shorka back to Pakistan.
See you next season on 15th of June.

(34:08):
Cheers, Shorka. That's 400.
We need to get him off. Ricky's.
G14 wickets and 200 runs. Yeah, we need to get him on.
We need to have a chat with him.Yeah, I really appreciate you
coming on. Keep going, keep, keep, you
know, the the hard work there, the look will will continue and

(34:30):
will improve the more you practise and the more you work
at it. So good luck for the rest of the
season. Let's hope there's not many
injuries, first or second team you can keep a steady side.
And I know what you're like thatyou're not bothered about losing
good players at first team if itmeans that they're going to
improve and you know, you get some of the third team in.
So thanks very much for coming on.

(34:51):
We're just going to talk about the the last couple of games for
first team and next weekend's team.
By all means feel free to stop on, but is there anything you
want to add before we move on tothe the first team at weekend?
No, I think that's it from from me fellas.
Cheers for having us. Thanks for having us on.
Definitely. Brilliant.
Thanks, Deck. OK then.

(35:14):
So we'll, I'd like to just talk about the Middleton game if I
can and we'll get some some insight from Joe Martin, a real
strange one really. I don't, I don't think it was
announced until the Sunday morning, but it was clear that
that Dan was ill, It was an illness, not an injury and he
couldn't play whatsoever. So we got the Sri Lankan

(35:41):
cricketer who's sub pro at. Black Rod.
Black Rod, thank you very much, Navod.
What's his what? Was his name Jess?
Navod para natha tharna hold. On.
Is that all? Right, practise that.
Well, I broke it down into 3 para Navi tharna.

(36:04):
NAV to his friends. Yeah, yeah, just NAV.
So Joe, what? Listen, we don't want to know
any details that we shouldn't know or if there's anything you
know when, when did what you know?
Do we know what Dan's illness is?
Is he OK? Is everything OK from from last
weekend? Yes, yeah.

(36:26):
So I think it'd been a slow build up.
So from 2 weeks ago. Right.
And it got progressively worse with what seemed like black flu,
really, I think. Yeah.
Which, you know, can happen in the middle of summer probably, I
think sometime. So yeah, I think.

(36:48):
And it just completely whacked him out.
Yeah, it was yeah. I don't think there was any
chance of him having been playing, but credit to to Ben
and and and and Dutch and everybody that kind of runs,
runs the first team because I'm so it's always really difficult

(37:10):
when things like that happen. So they kept it.
I think they kept it in attack in a tight circle.
And normally Med was aware once once we needed to know so.
Yeah, so that's good and it keeps the team together and
they've obviously got a decent play.
It was a much research done. Doot was it a case of, you know,
we've got an option of 20 players to go for?

(37:33):
I know that's not normally the case when you're getting a sub
pro. How did it work?
We had three, we Ben, I got a missed call from Bennett, five
to seven on a Saturday, which obviously is not not going to be
good. That was the first time I'd
heard about Dan's problem but byby the time that had happened,
Ben had already messaged the agents that he knows and he got

(37:54):
three options backed. So by that stage, we just looked
through the three and tried to make an educated guess at 7:30
on Saturday night, the night before a game.
What we'll see is we were fortunate that obviously it was
a Sunday game because that givesus the pick of the pros who were
playing in other leagues on a Saturday.

(38:16):
If this would have been a Saturday game, we'd have been
snooker behind the black, definitely.
But because it because it was a Saturday game, we did have we
did have, you know, a good future to choose from.
Bennett asked the agents. Preferably for a for a slow left
arm bowler and we've got three options.
So we had a quick look through and then just made a decision

(38:38):
based on what we had in front ofthis.
Yeah, yeah, and, and Navad has has come down.
It's difficult jaw lose the tossand Middleton back on.
You know what looks a good track?
The outfield looks quick. It's a lovely ground, Middleton.
Just talk us through how that started and then, if you don't

(39:00):
mind, talk us through the innings.
We all watched it so we can chipin, but it'd be good to hear it
from you. Yeah, I mean, it certainly
looked a good wicket and they usually are at Middleton.
I'd say that it was very 2 paced.
OK. It was variable bounce as well.

(39:21):
So we've sort of saw from Charlie Gansler's end and that
some were a little bit tennis ball, whereas others kind of
shot through a little bit and then some slowed up as well.
And that's how we got the first wicket, which was really catch
by by Ben. So I think it it, it wasn't an

(39:45):
easy wicket. It wasn't an easy wicket to bat
on actually, in our opinion. And we thought that and Ben
certainly thought that early on.So we wanted to make sure that
we restricted Middleton for as few runs as as possible.
Yeah, I mean, that's interesting, Joe, you know,

(40:05):
because, you know, we don't see the bouncers obviously as well
as you do or, or the different places that are there.
And we were thinking when they're 4040 odd for for non,
not at any real pace, but looking like they can set a
decent score. Their pros are good players,
some good amateurs. You know, we're looking at 2:50

(40:27):
and then we'll have a go at chasing that.
So that's interesting you say that, that you know, that the
pitch wasn't as good, but still I think, you know, 78 was well
below par. Certainly, I mean, I think in
those middle offers, I think Paddy and the pro bowled
extremely well. And and I think when they saw

(40:51):
how the pitch was playing, I think and how well the pro was
bowling and how old pack was bowling, I actually think that
they changed their approach slightly.
And they were reasonably aggressive actually early, early
on. But I think as soon as the pro,
as soon as those two bowlers kind of got going, they didn't

(41:13):
really try and attack. They kind of and and I think on
that wiki actually made that trickier.
Yeah. I think there was there was
always a chance that that did get one, that did get one
through. And you know, it helps, you

(41:35):
know, the the you know, and Dan's very similar at this
actually. He, you know, he bowls at the
stumps. He makes sure that all forms of
dismissal are in are in play. And the supra did that at the
weekend as well. And, and so did so did P, so he
bowled up the stumps, yeah, and and and attacked and attacked in

(41:59):
that way. So I think they did an
extremely, extremely good job and they got through the and
they got through the Rovers incredibly quickly.
Well, I'm going to come on to that job.
Let me come on to that with Gary, because we were when you
get, you know, we've all played where and it's generally against
us when we were playing girls, they would know when we were in
a bit of a rupt. You know, if one of our better

(42:21):
players have got out, you know, certainly whether it's Kaduri
sleep, half of these sort of players all of a sudden instead
of going, well, we used to be 16overs an hour.
You you get up to 22. This lad was going through that
quickly. We timed him for two overs and
the first one was one minute, 14seconds and the next one was one

(42:42):
minute, 18 seconds. Yeah.
You know when you're thinking came to cricket or Test cricket,
they're lucky to get 12 overs inan hour.
So they bowled in at 6-8 minutesand I've never seen anything
like it. Do you think you're doing it?
Doing it on purpose, Joe. Yeah, I mean, but yeah, I don't,
I don't doubt it. I mean, if you, you know, the
quicker you get through your opens, but it's also if you, you

(43:05):
know, if you're not going aroundthe park, you know, and the and
then a slightly defensive mindset, I think maybe I don't
know, that's what it, that's what it looked like.
Equally the bowl, equally the bowlers bowl very well.
So I think that that that made them change how they're
approaching. Keith Arterton used to do that

(43:26):
at Ramsbottom. He literally, you take your
guard, you look up and he's in delivery, he's in, he's in his
delivery slip side and obviouslywe're trying to do it to rush
you to get a wicket when you weren't, you weren't ready and
stuff like that. And you to you to.
Probably about you to do it about 5 or 10 times actually.
Just step away until until umpire would have a word with
him or he just twigged that that's not a game that's going

(43:48):
to. Yeah, he will murder with Keith
Arterton. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
And that's what I was thinking there.
I was mentioning, you know this like this Navard wasn't they,
they were, you know, they were in trouble in any event, you
know, they weren't really looking for any rooms.
One of those always that we timed.
They did get a single in it. So Afterton would do that as a

(44:12):
specific tactic. But I think this was just a case
of I'm enjoying ball into these.They're not looking to get me
away with. I think it's possibly speeded
Patty up a little bit as well, which is he don't take his time
anyway, you know. But when you look at, you know,
it's over 22 overs between them and they've gone for 33 for

(44:34):
8:00. Yeah, I mean, it was I think, I
think in those kind of situations jazz it, it builds a
lot of pressure when, yeah, scoreboards not rotating even if
there was the odd boundary, which you know, I think there
was in in, in in some cases that.

(44:55):
I will umpires joke on on audio on on stream that you could hear
the home support giving him someright jet.
Yeah. I mean, in my opinion, I thought
the umpires were great. They typically are.
I mean, I don't, you know, I don't think young players get a

(45:18):
lot bad press. I think, I think, I think
they're better than than than what people than what people
say. They're not going to get
everything right. They're not professional
umpires. I thought, I thought this
weekend, I thought the vast majority of the decisions that
they that they made were correct.

(45:42):
And, and it showed that with, you know, with the LBWS, for
example, the the Pro Bowl, the last two both played out tells
me he's hitting the stumps. So there were chap that were on
the sideline that were like berating the umpires saying, you
know, they were all bouncing over and stuff and having an
argument with P and, and every and everything.

(46:03):
But it was just kind. Of one of our one of our players
were. Arguing with him, guys.
You'll never guess which one it was, you know?
Let me think. Let me think.
But yeah, no, I think, yeah, I thought they were, I thought
they were, I thought they were fine.
And it's not like they were justsort of like triggering, you
know, there were, there were lots of balls that hit the pads

(46:24):
and that was just how that was just literally how, how we how
well we how well we bowled, I think.
It made for it made for comedy antics that started for second
in IS, didn't it? Because as soon as anything went
near pads, they were there were guys, from what I could see,
there were guys that like squareleg, mid wicket, going up for
anything and everything. I mean, it's a real I I I don't

(46:50):
know, I think I play I might play slightly different to other
people, but I really hate I really hate it with a passion.
There's there when, when, when teams think there's been an
injustice in the first innings and then immediately in the
second innings, anything that hits the pads, they all go
right, well, we're going to go on to these umpires because they

(47:11):
always won. And if we put enough pressure on
them, they're going to give us something.
And I just think. Why do they do that, Joe?
Well, they want to win, but. No, they do that because they
know that some umpires will cuffle and give a decision.
Yeah, of course. Yeah, of course.
And, and and I completely acceptthat that's that that happens.
I just think I, I, I just don't,I just don't think it's right,

(47:35):
but. Can I just jump in there because
I it's a really good example this of of weekend.
A lot of quite embarrassing thatearly at the start, the the
first two or three overs of the Middleton game, you pick your
battles and you're right, Dooch.You know, some umpires are not
as strong as others. It's a grey area as to the

(47:57):
decisions. And and it's there called, you
know, we can't say any of us. Well, that wasn't it.
And he got an inside edge or he didn't hit it.
But I know, I know, you know, I'm just watching the the first
two overs where their Pro is running down the wicket,
clapping his hands above his head right up to the wicket

(48:18):
keeper and not even looking at the umpire for for an appeal.
It's quite poor, it's quite embarrassing.
And it's and when they've got 78on a decent track with a batting
line up like Lord House and thismight be controversial, I will
suggest that they save that tactic until another time when

(48:40):
they've got 160 because they were never going to win that.
Never no matter what they did, even if the umpires scaffold and
in support of the umpires there again, you know, they've got
this delete panel going now. They're all working together.
They're working the best. The two umpires got the captain,
the pro and I think someone elsetogether and told him enough,

(49:04):
enough. You know, we don't need to
report this to anyone. We don't need to take this in
further enough, enough. Now if you carry on, then we
will have to do something official.
And they obviously had to stop. And it was not a coincidence
that, you know, we're always going to win.
That's not the that's not the issue, but it's no, no, you

(49:24):
know, it's no coincidence. And then once they stop that the
the fielders are sulking. They're all fed up.
They're thinking that they're all badly done too.
And I thought it was, you know, I thought it was a little bit,
as I said, embarrassing from them.
But that's, you know, that that's their call.
They've obviously wind each other up in the dressing room.
And again, Joe, Ben and Johnny knock it off relatively easy.

(49:49):
You're right. There was a few different, you
know, the bit of low banks there, but they were adapting
well. I thought the pair of them
coming down the track to try andnegate that, you know, they
didn't look in any day. Were they both, you know,
obviously we up for it before they went out to Bath?
Was the coming back in the dressing room, everyone's happy
and confident. You know, with such a fantastic

(50:10):
win, there can't be any other way.
Yeah, I mean, it's funny, we were walking around with Blaze.
I mean, we saw you around the round and we actually said, you
know, when you're chasing 78, it's ridiculous that you're more
nervous chasing 78 then you are trying to chase 230 or
something. But I think it became apparent
very quickly that that we were going to win that game.

(50:35):
So and, and, you know, Johnny and Johnny and Ben battered
extremely well. As I said, that the wicket, you
know, when you look at the when you look at the, when you look
at the scorecard, it will, it will say, you know, Laura
battered, you know, battered extremely well.
They got the runs really quickly, but it wasn't, it
wasn't an easy wicket to bat on.I just think Ben and Johnny

(50:57):
executed really well and and it and it was great to watch.
You know, there were lots of boundaries rotate to the strike
well, which is something I thought that that was going to
be really tricky to do. Actually.
They open with two spinners, butthey they showed their
experience well and and batteredbrilliantly.

(51:18):
So it was really great to reallygreat to see them in action.
You know what I think Turning Point were Joe in that game.
Yeah, go on. That steepling catch you took
running backwards towards long leg over your shoulder quality
I'm. Just going, I'm going to mention
that I thought that was that wasa great catch.
What a what a wonderful catch. You didn't even touch on it, but

(51:39):
it was an excellent, excellent catch that it's.
Very kind of you, yeah. So I'm not very good at, it's
kind of a running theme within the within the team that when
the ball goes up high, we reallyhope that I'm not under
underneath it. Yeah, I know I'm absolutely
dreadful. But yeah, no, it was.

(52:01):
Yeah, I was pleased with that. Terrible missed.
And because we give you a bit ofpraise, tell us where the
stumping chance hit you well. It didn't hit my hands.
And you know what? And you know, I've watched it
back and, and you know, it's, it's very frustrating because

(52:22):
these, these things tend to happen only when Paddy's ball.
So it's, and I don't mean to, I don't mean to do it.
It was one of those at the weekend where I just rose a
little bit too early. The ball didn't bounce quite as
much and I lost sight of it, probably lost a little bit of
concentration and and then and then it just hit and then it

(52:46):
just hit me. And that same guy that Paddy was
arguing with about the LBW, the E Barrett and me from this side
as well. You've got massive gloves on.
But, you know, it's very fair, which is very fair.
And do you ever go back to him? Do you ever go back and I?
Mean what can I say? Everything is said.

(53:09):
It's the wickets, you know, Makesure it's the wickets so you
don't come to me. No, I mean, he bowled
brilliantly at the weekend really well.
I mean, you know, buried his pace well.
You know, some balls turned, some balls didn't got, some

(53:31):
balls turned a lot, some balls turned just enough and when and
it just made it really difficultfor those batters.
And we talk about Pat's bowling a lot because it's really, it's
always really, really excellent and it's been consistent for
such a long time. But he bowled extremely.
He bowled extremely well at the weekend and, and actually how

(53:51):
he's being used differently, youknow, because he's open the
bowling, but now he's, you know,per second change at the
weekend. So, you know, really versatile
too, but. Yeah, he's definitely he's.
But we'll see where we get. Thanks for mentioning my catch.
Garage really can. Well, when we were sat, you

(54:13):
know, obviously Chippy critiques, Chippy's getting a
proper grand old man. He's whinging about wives now.
He wives again. He wives.
I'm thinking I'm sat, I'm sat next to John Dean here.
But you know, at this point, buthe always watches you, Joy, you
know, you're really rich. And when he went up, he's that's
difficult. That's a long way to go.

(54:35):
But when you were running for it, you know, you weren't in
quicksand. You were determined to actually
get there and make it as easy asas as possible, you know, So it
was good to see. But it was funny when you're
walking around and and all he said to you was chippy, weren't
it? What happened with that Stumpy?
We were quite, it was quite comical.

(54:56):
So, Joe Martin, I'll come to youfinal, final comments before we
conclude this episode. Yeah, obviously we've got three
games this weekend. We've got the friendly T20
again, Padium at Padium on on Friday night or tonight when
this podcast goes out. So do you know if you can come

(55:17):
and support that would be reallygreat.
A really big game on Saturday against Wolston.
I think they're a really good team.
I think they play really similarin a really similar way to us.
They're very aggressive and you know, they try and score.
They try and score 300 when theygo out and bat.
They've got some really good players so it'll be, it'll be a

(55:37):
tough test on Saturday and then and then we've got a voyage up
to Antarctica so we won't play Penry in the Lancashire Cup, How
exciting. There is a coach available, so
like you said, Joy, it's a good point.
Hopefully this will be out Friday before the weekend's

(56:00):
games and if there is any spacesstill available then please get
in touch with Frank end with Soul or Sam Smith who's
organising the Jolly Boys and girls out in Up to Penrith.
So yeah, thanks for reminding usabout that.
Joe Duke, Anything from you before we conclude?
I just wanted just to go back tothe Middleton game very quickly

(56:21):
and just to say that one of my favourite things to watch in
league cricket is a really good left arm spinner bowling and
clueless tail Enders. I love it, It's brilliant to
watch. Not I don't mean like our tail
Enders because we obviously bat all the way down to the end.
I'm talking about legitimate, genuine tail Enders.
When you get a good left on spinner ball and it's just like

(56:43):
so much going to happen every ball they're either going to try
and whack it to the moon and getcastled or just get completely
bamboozled and that's what happened a couple of times on
Sunday. So yeah, I did.
I did really enjoy that. Yeah, and, and to be fair, dude,
she's not. You're not belittling the
Middleton tail Enders because I was one.
No, Yeah, but I was one of those, you know, we really good

(57:04):
pros. Like you said, you don't if it's
an arm ball, whether it's going to move away from you or what
it's going to do, it is it's it's great to watch.
So, yeah, best best of luck to Mr Paranavathana.
Gary, over to you for the for the last point before we finish.

(57:25):
Oh good weekend like you say, good to hear from Deck
Stansfield as well and all aboutTwo's journey this season.
So yeah, good to catch up we all.
Oh and I will be up for bank holiday weekend games so if
anybody's around Todd and Burnley so it should be
entertaining 2. Good games Gary as well.

(57:48):
Yeah, get it in midaira, right. Brilliant.
Thanks, Gary. Yeah, you're right there about
deck, you know, second team. Keep that going lads.
We will have an episode where we'll be looking at the thirds
and fourths and old junior cricket, so we'll pull that
together at some stage. Again, anyone, any suggestions?
Any guests that you want to comeon?

(58:09):
Anyone that you wanted to speak to?
We're more than happy doing thisevery week now, so when the
weather's good and we've got lots to talk about.
So please give us a shame. There's no draw this week,
probably next week we can do themajor.
We have had some more members that have come forward and want
to join it. Sharon Stanfield is joined it

(58:32):
now. So I am praying that her number
comes out before Paul's over thenext few weeks.
In fact, we might have to fiddleit.
So let's see see how that goes over the next couple of weeks.
So thanks everyone for listening.
Don't forget to support our sponsors, the sponsors that
sponsor the players and also theclub.
Thanks everyone for listening. Morden Morden send more house to

(59:15):
save the house.