|
Following last weeks stunning victory, PHCC came crashing down to earth with a heavy defeat against Black Widows. With Dawson's knees in a worse condition than Ledley King, he opted to stand down and pass the captaincy reigns on again. Although the stand in skipper started off well by winning the toss that was about that as having elected to bowl he had to stand back and watch Black Widows rack up a formidable total of 156 from 16 overs.
A spectator at the game could have pointed out the number of balls that went into the air, dropped between fielders or even when carrying were spilled - such observations would be churlish. Simply put Widows put the runs on the board. Special mention to the bowlers who refused to wilt and did indeed dismiss 9 men. This reporter doesn't like to single out the individual but will make an exception today - D Gilchrist kept his head and discipline bowled well and deserved more than his 1-36.
As has been the case all year PHCC could not keep up with the run rate or score enough to put the pressure back on the opposition. Only Jackson offered any resistance though his top score of 19 merely highlights the inadequacies of the rest of the team.
Last week this reporter used the words of an American president to rouse and motivate, this week he asks PHCC players to conside the following
"Fight and you may die. Run and you will live at least awhile. And dying in your bed many years from now,
would you be willing to trade all the days from this day to that for one chance, just one cahnce, to come back here as young men and tell our enemies that they may take our lives but they will never take our freedom!"
or even
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;
If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;
If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings—nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And—which is more—you'll be a Man my son!
Take your pick and lets come out fighting for our next game Stocksfield away
Team: Bandeen, Hearn, Jackson, Wilson, Crowe, Reader, Reader, Dawson, Hunter, Gilchrist, Donaldson.
|
