3rdXICricketCaptain @3rd_xi

Not sure how the guys coming back to nets after a few years away who firmly believe they’re established 1st or 2nd XI players are going to react to my call for the first game of the season 🤣🤣

Good turn out at winter nets so far. Could have some difficult decisions to make come the start of the season 🤣 it’s the hope that kills you

I wish we had a 4th XI then I wouldn’t have to sort all this shit out

Just blocked the 2nd team captain. If I don’t see his messages it’s not my fault

Beautiful weather, perfect for cricket. No school holidays. No extra bank holidays. Availability must be great this week. Oh wait…… it’s the start of the Ashes @englandcricket @Edgbaston #Ashes2023 #fortressedgbaston

Availability looks good this week …….. who am I kidding

Now entering the nervous phase of a Friday evening where you dread getting the message that someone dropped out of the 1’s or 2’s and you need to sort it by contacting anyone you may have ever met and getting them registered with the league

Having to decide your batting lineup based on who can umpire with a junior umpiring at square leg

Constantly apologising to people for asking them to play 2’s

Having 20 players available for a Saturday but none of them good enough to go into the 2’s who only have 3

Succession of players coming out to bat and taking guard on middle. Why are there 4 different lines marked ?

Heard a good one today. I was top scorer for this club (before they invented play-cricket so there is no evidence). Basically 20 years ago

With the season finished don’t know what im going to do with my thursday evenings. Normally im trying to find two players after the 2nds have suddenly declared they’re 2 short

Who’s keeping wicket tomorrow ?? Not me!! Not me !!

This week is a new record. Started with 17 available. After worrying about who got drop by the time I’d decided the twos had lost 3 and others injured and now we’ve got 8

Remind yourself all 3rdXI captains. Just because you have a team of 11 on Monday doesn’t mean you will the rest of the week until after several dropouts orbrelegations to the 2’s and ringing everyone you know eventually you scrape 11 together

Saturday first aid requirements 2 people needing deep heat 1 Ice pack for the bruise on the shin which wouldn’t have been there if he’d caught it Ibuprofen Paracetamol Lots of strapping tape

The only benefit of playing on parks pitches is that generally there are swings and slides around to keep half your team entertained and off their iPhones.

I’ve found the best way to motivate your bowlers is wind them up all week so the first thing they do is swear at you and look like they want to kill you when you turn up. Five wicket haul!! You’re welcome #greatcaptain