Howzat!?

Richard asked, a couple of days ago, if I can still remember my best shot. I can remember several – and I can still feel the reaction of the bat in my hand, as the ball shot away – I can see in my mind’s eye its trajectory.

That prompted me, though, to think about the best ball I ever bowled. Two in particular come to mind. I’ll save one for another day, but let me share with you now the time I bowled Gary Colman.

At the time, Gary was captain of Loddon ‘A’ Team, for whom I played, but also ran a Sunday team. Many of the Sunday squad also played for Loddon’s ‘A’ team, and I knew most of them.

Once a year, Loddon (with a team made up from both the First and A team) played a match against Gary’s Sunday team. I was picked to play for Loddon – but was thus facing many players whom I knew, and with whom I had been playing all season on Saturdays.

I was asked to open the bowling. I hit their opener on the elbow, and he had to retire hurt. This brought Gary to the crease. He was by a long way the best batsman in the side, and had regularly been getting big scores, and hitting sixes all season.

He did have one weakness, however, which was that he tended to take a swing at the ball too early in his innings, before he had got his eye in. So far this season he had got away with it. He, clearly, knew my bowling (even though he never allowed me to bowl many overs) and was aware that he’d not be getting a fast ball, so he'd have plenty of time to go for the big hit.

I didn’t disappoint him; the ball looped towards him, with plenty of air, medium pace, pitching well up towards him, aimed just outside off stump.

It was however also spinning.

As it hit the ground, the backspin stopped it bouncing quite as high as he had anticipated; it also turned in towards him – his bat flashed over the ball, which struck his middle stump, sending the bails flying over the keeper’s head.

Gary was out for a golden duck. Our keeper said it was the best ball he’d ever seen me bowl.

Happy days.