 The Art of Captaincy
I don’t whether it is related to my level of charisma but a considerable contingent of Gordon administrative support was on hand when I arrived to Beauchamp oval on Sunday, for my first test as skipper of the Colts ‘Cosmos’. This is a cricket team with huge potential for the future of our great club.
New clubman, Jack Hammond
I believe that the selectors and administrators were fully confident in my abilities to get things done. I expect they turned up just to witness it for themselves.
Seriously, thanks for your help Tony, Mick Falk and Jimmy Cats!
In giving this match report I would wish to pass on any helpful hints to other captains or aspiring cricket captains. After completing one full day play in the role, I reckon I have ‘the Art of Captaincy’ pretty well sorted. (Dave Gray please read this).
Some extra work in removing covers and mopping up surface water enabled play to start at the scheduled time. This was a huge relief to me, Tony Wilson, and the Willoughby Council, after last week’s effort to play was unfortunately thwarted (Why? Ask Tiddles.)
A quick warm-up included an address to the team by me about who would be opening the bowling, first change etc, and reminding everyone of our comparative advantage in the spin bowling department. No thought of a batting strategy was actually made until after the toss had been completed. (Hint to captains: always have a ‘Plan B’ up your sleeve). After losing the toss and being ‘sent in’ with the wicket soft and well grassed, I immediately informed players and supporters of the intention to bat anyway. (I have learnt this trick from Tweety)
So a quickly revised plan, delivered in the sheds, was that we be especially careful at leaving length balls wide of the stumps while the wicket was soft, to be no more than one wicket down at drinks and no more than two wickets down at the main break. This plan was achieved due to some very sensible batting by openers Sunny and the new boy from Forbes, Jack Hammond. Jack chose to apply some sensible attacking batting. His selected lofted straight driving was highly effective on the soft track and slow outfield.
 Sunny was more circumspect in the opening overs, when several balls beat both batsman. I noted and appreciated his application to ensure we did not lose early wickets. Jack was dismissed mistiming a pull shot and Sunny went to a cut shot to gully, after looking set for a big score. Although both players were very disappointed with themselves at being dismissed, they did a very good job a getting us a solid start. This is often overlooked when assessing an opening bat’s true worth. From a team perspective, both players succeeded, as far as I was concerned.
Captain Weaver plays a typically conservative innings
When I came to the wicket with the score on 66, to join the rampant Cubby, the only thought on my mind was both of us being not out at tea (Hint to other captains: If you are wishing to implement a plan make sure that it is delivered, when the opportunity to do so falls into your own hands). With some good blocking, nudges into gaps, a top edge that fell safely, and manipulation of the strike so that Cubby faced most deliveries, the score at tea ended up a very respectable 2 -141.
In the second over after tea Cubby really took over, smashing 21 runs with some superb hook and pulls shots. 177 turned out to be a perfect team score for Captain Cosmo to be dismissed; considering our sound position at the time and the vast array of batting talent to follow. After being openly sceptical to our umpire, Sunny, about the ‘excessive’ leg side boundary field placing, I obliged shortly after by top-edging a limp hook shot to the fence, that was well caught on the run. Another ‘unlucky’ dismissal for me in a career of ‘unlucky’ dismissals! Why couldn’t he have dropped it?
The captain’s message thereafter to next man Tom Lamont, was to double the tea score. All the middle order performed capably, batting around the ‘centurian’, exactly as I would have wished. Tom, Mayur, and Michael Bourne all got starts and showed glimpses of their potential. The star of the day was Cubby who continued to bat aggressively without losing shape, bringing up his century with another pull shot.
 It was then brought to my attention by a prominent supporter that I should consider a declaration. After thinking about it for 2 or 3 seconds, the prospect of having the privilege of ‘waving the teams in’ was simply too hard to resist for the new skipper. (Hint to other captains: make sure you communicate clearly to the batsman that you are considering a declaration. The best time to do this is during a drinks break. Don’t get caught up in scoring or other trivial matters when this opportunity presents itself).
Waving to the Queen or declaring, we are still not sure
So at 8-282 and in the 69th over the declaration was indeed made a reality, Dan Lake and Paul Campbell remaining not out, after Cubby was finally dismissed for a fantastic 134. (Other captains note: the declaration was made at exactly double our tea score, before declaring. This little attention to detail makes you look like you really know what you are doing).
An enjoyable day’s cricket was rounded up after another plan to have the opposition 1 or 2 wickets down before stumps was brought to fruition, with an enthusiastic 4 over spell by Pat Effeney resulting in the dismissal of the opposition opener, clean bowled…
The Cosmos are looking forward to continue implementing good cricket plans next week. Thanks to all players and supporters, and Ray, the groundsman, for making my first full day as a skipper enjoyable and successful.
Weaves | 
