I had forgotten how inconceivably long and utterly exhausting the journey is. It was probably a good job that a choice between a Ryan Reynolds romantic comedy and an Alien world apocalyptic horror drove me to sleep through sheer boredom.
As it was, I arrived into Brisbane (via a Kit-Kat-infested Dubai) a whole 32 hours after setting off from chez moi. Twelve hours later I was coaching at Sunshine Coast Grammar School. So much for jetlag!
After the mother of all sleeps (one of those where you wake from a state of deep unconsciousness, not knowing where, when or who you are), I had my first game, for the well-established Wanderers Cricket Club, Queensland. Playing one-day matches every Wednesday throughout the summer against a host of invitational teams, the make up of the Wanderers sides consist of Brisbane grade players, visiting Poms and old characters of the game with more stories than Beefy and Boonie combined.
The venue was the prestigious Brisbane Grammar School, the opposition being the school’s 1st XI. As we sat in the stand overlooking the main oval and its bowling green outfield, it was made quite clear by the school’s pristine facilities that these students were not left wanting. Mummy and Daddy would be picking them up later in their expensive 4x4s.
Our mixed side, captained by Australia Over 60s player and former Queensland coach John Bell, adapted well to a damp wicket to make 180 all out, Brad ‘Spud’ Murphy making a swashbuckling, sweep-laden 59.
After picking up an early couple of wickets, the students dug in, their talent obvious but strength to muscle the ball to the boundary not yet prominent. With the wicket still offering a little to the bowlers and the ball still swinging, I was given a go and stole four wickets for 28 runs in eight overs as my gentle in-duckers somehow seemed to do the trick!
As it was, I arrived into Brisbane (via a Kit-Kat-infested Dubai) a whole 32 hours after setting off from chez moi. Twelve hours later I was coaching at Sunshine Coast Grammar School. So much for jetlag!
After the mother of all sleeps (one of those where you wake from a state of deep unconsciousness, not knowing where, when or who you are), I had my first game, for the well-established Wanderers Cricket Club, Queensland. Playing one-day matches every Wednesday throughout the summer against a host of invitational teams, the make up of the Wanderers sides consist of Brisbane grade players, visiting Poms and old characters of the game with more stories than Beefy and Boonie combined.
The venue was the prestigious Brisbane Grammar School, the opposition being the school’s 1st XI. As we sat in the stand overlooking the main oval and its bowling green outfield, it was made quite clear by the school’s pristine facilities that these students were not left wanting. Mummy and Daddy would be picking them up later in their expensive 4x4s.
Our mixed side, captained by Australia Over 60s player and former Queensland coach John Bell, adapted well to a damp wicket to make 180 all out, Brad ‘Spud’ Murphy making a swashbuckling, sweep-laden 59.
After picking up an early couple of wickets, the students dug in, their talent obvious but strength to muscle the ball to the boundary not yet prominent. With the wicket still offering a little to the bowlers and the ball still swinging, I was given a go and stole four wickets for 28 runs in eight overs as my gentle in-duckers somehow seemed to do the trick!
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