Consider this: first game of the season, green pitch and against 'them'.
Match Manager, Simon Wilson, sent out the call and it was answered by 11 hardy souls who arrived at Verulamium Fields. Would intensive indoor net practice pay off? Read on.
Short of players at 6:00p.m., the Dads were put in to bat. Simon Wilson and Richard Williams opening.
It started slowly, Richard striving to get his eye in, Simon playing some classy shots but unable to penetrate the ring of fielders off accurate bowling.
Richard hit a four and was starting to settle.
Si was bowled off a very good fast ball.
Captain Tim Winfield arrived at the crease proceeding to clunk a good ball which should have been a four but was caught up in the longer grass up the hill, where are the Council groundsmen?
Shock, Tim given out wrongly, as the ball hit his thigh guard, not the bat.
Michael Jones in, looking good, but net practice memory kicking-in, Michael was through his shot and hit a skier, caught in the deep.
Pip next up. Richard pulls for four and then again. Then Pip hooks for four and slogs a four back over the bowlers head, and then Richard pulls another four. The Dads may have something to bowl at.
Richard unluckily caught off the wicket keepers foot, but no, it was a bump ball. Then more drama as he hits a four but is bowled before he can retire.
Nigel Minchin had a dream start with a hooked first ball four but was then bowled off a good ball. As per, Fishers bowling was consistently accurate.
Graham Peel in, who immediately ran Pip out; should be interesting to see Graham batting with and Peter Church.
Jonno Hook strode in with purpose, then Graham cuts for four and smashes for 2. Then a magnificent pulled four from Jonno off good bowling (consensus on the boundary - Jonno should retire now as it can't get any better!).
Top running by both Graham and Jonno, at the death dragged, the score up to 92.
Extensive indoor net practice has kept the Dads fit but not necessarily well prepared for the inconsistency of the outdoor game on a green wicket.
Tim opened the bowling and was accurate bowling an opener, in his second over, with a cutter.
Richard got his eye in and the Michael bowled with good variation. Jonno took up the attack with accuracy and venom, followed up by Graham with good kickers - both unlucky not to wicket.
Pip was having a good match whose good match behind the timbers.
Colin, Pete, Nigel had one over each, while Roger bamboozled their Captain, with slow one, who was stumped by Pip.
Fishers seemed to take to the batting even though, like us, it was also their first game of the season. They batted watchfully, dispatching any loose balls to the boundary hitting the winning run after 14 overs with the loss of two wickets.
A Dads loss yes, but with positives: new boys Martin and Graham performed admirably and it was good for the Dads to shed the outdoor rust. The only way is up.
