The third Saturday of July offers rain and plenty of it. This means another host of cancellations is almost certain. With that in mind, I will make the preview brief. I really can’t be bothered with futile predictions. I have a dog to walk.
Farley v First XI
The First XI, weakened by holidays and players watching the Test Match, will be praying they don’t have to travel to Farley. The hope is the rain starts early enough to avoid a pointless 30-mile journey down the A303. Driving an hour to look at rain is not many players’ cup of Darjeeling, so hopefully, an early call can be made.
The weather will get worse, not better, as the day goes on, so let’s hope the Farley skipper isn’t of a ‘glass half full disposition’. There is nothing worse than a skipper with a TossMet weather app that claims a low-pressure system the size of France, might just miss us. It’s not clever and it’s not funny. The concern is a dry early morning might offer false hope.
Second XI v Crown Tavs II
The same applies at Oakley Park. The covers will be on but the hope is there is enough rain early on to allow people to make other plans. Alternatively, they could just turn up and pretend to their respective WAGS that the call is yet to be made and have a couple of pints. We have radiators and a TV, so it is an option for those unhappy with their home lives or facing the prospect of breaking their neck painting the walls on the landing and stairs.
Fortunately for most, stand-in skipper, George Rutt, is not one to mess about, and if it starts pissing down early enough, he won’t subject people to a morning in denial of the bleeding obvious. Should be an early call for this one and 10:00 AM cancellation shouldn’t be ruled out.
Froxfield v Third XI
The Third XI will be hoping that Froxfield has no covers and a skipper less positive than Jeff Triner. This should result in an 11 AM cancellation and an afternoon watching Netflix in between checking to see if an over might get played at Old Trafford.
Like the First XI, most of the Third XI will be hoping the Froxfield skipper has a suitably bleak persona to ‘Get the Game Off’. However, it would be worth the journey to see Kris Tucknott’s face as players mop the square with paper towels, showing the same hopeless enthusiasm as First World War soldiers who couldn’t wait to ‘go over the top’.
So that’s the end of the preview. I hope you all get called off in time to make other plans.
Soon be spring!