Dressing Room Team Talk

Today saw the first full game of the cricket season, home to Thackley. It was Forrest's debut as captain of the firsts. As we all expected after such an astonishingly beautiful spring, the first match, over halfway through the summer, began with rain. That put me off going down to watch the start and I missed all the stress that Forrest had to deal with around the new Covid protocols. It wasn't the best of circumstances for his first captaincy experience. I also missed his first two wickets, not expecting the teams to be playing through the drizzle of the early afternoon. It seemed that even the umpires were keen to see some sport.

The match turned out to be a nail-biter. It looked to be a lost cause at one point, before Sam and Zak loosened their arms and released the pressure. We ran out winners by 2 wickets, Sam steering the side home with an accomplished 49 not out, the best innings I've seen him play. 

Forrest admitted he'd never been more nervous in a cricket match in his life. This one, for a number of special reasons, was very important to him - not least after he left one that swung in to bowl him for just 8, trying to play carefully to see off the opening bowlers.

There were a number of strange sights today. Players bringing their own teas. Hand sanitiser breaks. This was the post-match team talk, usually done in the confines of the dressing room. Today, of course, this was the dressing room.