As Hard as Nails
By Beefy Roberts
April 4 2013
Beefy braves the cold weather in Northampton and joins one man and his dog and perhaps a few other for a f.f.f.reeezing day.
Welcome to Northamptonshire County Cricket Club, just inside the Arctic Circle.
As we arrive, with light snow in the air,we see that Middx are fielding and have Northants already at 9-1.Murts and Harris are bowling,Murts from the Pavilion end,Harris Indoor net end. Toby,Dext and others are fielding wearing gloves, it's that cold,Murts is bowling in short sleeves and wearing a wooly hat!
It's a virtual 1st team,less Rogers and Finn who are elsewhere. Harris looking good lovely action and bowling close to the stumps. The players look,and probably are frozen.
32-2 as Sales in coming back in to the warmth LBW Murts for 20, it was a big appeal and the umpire raised his frozen finger.
Bowling change Berg for Murts and soon a wicket but not for Berg it's Harris who claims Wakeley for 1 run c Simmo,a lovely right hand diving catch with Malan backing him up,its 39-3.
TRJ is next bowling change for Harris. There is a sudden infux in the crowd,which now stands at over 20 die-hards in the ground.
Another wicket comes along,and Northants are 68-4 with Newton gone for 24 LBW Berg,plumb as well. At lunch,the score is 94-4 and myself and Phil go in search of a coffee as nothing open in the ground. They are still doing pre-season building work,putting a decking floor under the players pavilion and cleaning seats.
After lunch,Sandhu opens bowling from Pavilion End in short sleeves, no hat, no gloves.Phil calls him 'NAILS',maybe that will stick! He sends two no-balls in over, but did look comfortable as he adjusts himself the cold wind didnt help Nails but in time he will be fine. It's TRJ from other end, but Berg soon takes his place.Coetzer reaches 50,its 137-4. Another 8 more runs and he retires not out,or did the cold get to him?Ravi Patel is now on from the indoor net end,and Hall reaches 53 no,he also retires at 194-6 now.
We take a walk around the ground,and chat to Nails as he is fielding on the boundary,he tells us they both reitred out,just part of the 2 day game.
We have 45 mins of spin,the lads looks frozen,and we are sitting inside. At lunch,we were told it may be ended at tea,the cold was that bad.And,yes at Tea its done for the day 221-6.
I presume tomorrow we will be batting,anyone going wrap up warm!
First time i have been to game that finished 'cold weather stops play'!!
As Hard as Nails
Posted by: Middlesex till we die (IP Logged)
Date: 04/04/2013 18:56
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2013:04:10:06:29:05 by BarmierKev.
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2013:04:10:06:29:05 by BarmierKev.
Re: As Hard as Nails
Posted by: Beeamazed (IP Logged)
Date: 04/04/2013 19:12
You Leeds lads are well 'ard...
Re: As Hard as Nails
Posted by: Jonathan Winsky (IP Logged)
Date: 04/04/2013 19:13
I am very impressed by the timeliness of this report. It is just a shame that some of the employers and agencies I have contacted recently have no concept of timeliness. As I received no contact whatsoever today from people I have contacted, maybe my day could have been better spent at Wantage Road.
Maybe 'Nails' will become to Gurjit Sandhu what 'Hi-Fi' is to Steven Finn.
Maybe 'Nails' will become to Gurjit Sandhu what 'Hi-Fi' is to Steven Finn.
Re: As Hard as Nails
Posted by: Vic. (IP Logged)
Date: 04/04/2013 21:12
Was bloody cold a few further miles north as well Beefy, but us tough souls made it till 6pm :-)
Re: As Hard as Nails
Posted by: Beeamazed (IP Logged)
Date: 04/04/2013 21:43
Are you working full time now Vic...?
Re: As Hard as Nails
Posted by: Seaxe_Man (IP Logged)
Date: 05/04/2013 08:59
Nice icy report Beefy. Can feel the cold reading it.
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