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[Tumo]

Evening all! I have a little question for you. I currently play in Lincs league Div 2, the middle of 5 levels in the league, pretty village by most people's standards. I've been asked by a former Uni cricket president to go and play for another local club, who have a 2nd team in the same league, but have an ECB side as well, and he said I'd get a decent go in the ECB side. Now I don't know if I'm that standard, but he said that I impressed everyone at the club when we played each other last season, and they don't have a spinner at the club so he's asked me to go play there. I think I know the replies I'll get, but I just thought I'd see what people's opinions are on this, and if they've had similar situations!

Ben

[Jord030994]

If people think you're good enough for that standard then go for it. They wouldn't want you if they didn't think you were good enough..

[Johnny]

And if you're not that good, then even if you do end up playing dinky-doos you won't be playing a worse standard!

[uknsaunders]

tricky one. Depends on how old you are in many respects. I reckon between 20-30 you should be pushing yourself to play and train at the highest possible standard. You benefit long term from playing better cricket and becoming a better cricket. It also makes your later years more fun if you can still do something as you get older.

The downside to playing a higher standard is classic "pidgeon holing", this club want you as a spinner and if you can hold a bat that area of your game may be ignored. I suffered because captain x thought I was a number 6 batter, then captain y thought I was a bowler who batted 9, when in truth I was a genuine allrounder. At various stages of my career my batting and bowling suffered because of under use.

When I did drop down a level in my early 30's I enjoyed my cricket far more. Less pressure, easier to score runs/take wickets, a bit more of a laugh. Enjoying your cricket shouldn't be underrated, a lot of people playing club cricket don't like or enjoy playing at their club or with their team mates, and pay hundreds of pounds a season for that joy!

[Manormanic]

Evening all! I have a little question for you. I currently play in Lincs league Div 2, the middle of 5 levels in the league, pretty village by most people's standards. I've been asked by a former Uni cricket president to go and play for another local club, who have a 2nd team in the same league, but have an ECB side as well, and he said I'd get a decent go in the ECB side. Now I don't know if I'm that standard, but he said that I impressed everyone at the club when we played each other last season, and they don't have a spinner at the club so he's asked me to go play there. I think I know the replies I'll get, but I just thought I'd see what people's opinions are on this, and if they've had similar situations!

Ben

by all means get them to define decent go, but assuming you're given eight weeks say (spinners don;y really do (No Swearing Please) until june anyway) then give it a go!

[alba caerulea]

And if you're not that good, then even if you do end up playing dinky-doos you won't be playing a worse standard!

I agree with this totally - whats the worst possible outcome? And providing the new club have got a fair selection policy if you do perform in the 2nds your next chance in the 1sts shouldn't be far away. Personally I would always look to play the highest standard I could but everyone is different.

[Mr Cricket]

presumably Nettleham, BT? got to wonder how much longer will they be in the prem? also, i thought Dalton bowls spin for them?

sounds like a good opportunity though, why not try it and see.

[Johnny]

I thought louth?

[iand123]

Are you happy at your current club? Would you have looked to move if you weren't approached?

[Tumo]

presumably Nettleham, BT? got to wonder how much longer will they be in the prem? also, i thought Dalton bowls spin for them?

sounds like a good opportunity though, why not try it and see.

Correct Lembo! I've been told by the lad who approached me that they don't have a spinner, I assume Dalton's either on his way out, or not bowled, not too sure. I'd take a season there, if they get relegated then c'est la vie, I've still got Brum and all asking me to play at BCC so I can always go there after. To those that ask, I might bat 6-8 in the current Div 2, but I'd be a genuine number 12 in the ECB league, so they won't be getting that mixed up, I'll tell you for free! I'm 21, so it seems like the right time to be trying to find the highest level I can compete in.
I was told "In between 1's and 2's, test yourself in Lincs Prem?" so I'd assume I'd be interchangeable between the 2 sides.

[Buzz]

give it a go, bit accept that the club will be looking to recruit a number of spinners not just you.
go to winter nets at a few different clubs if you want and play for the one with the best team and best guys... both are equally important.

[Alvaro]

What are the teas like at this new place?

[Tumo]

give it a go, bit accept that the club will be looking to recruit a number of spinners not just you.
go to winter nets at a few different clubs if you want and play for the one with the best team and best guys... both are equally important.

Gonna struggle to get to winter nets anywhere at the moment, I'm in France until the start of the season! As for recruiting a number of spinners, I've heard nothing from him regarding recruiting any other spinners, but I will bare that in mind. As for teas, my current club has outstanding teas, the proposed club does have good teas though!

[jimba101]

Definatly go to nets or practice at the start of next season and see what it is like. Its the only indicator you can get to whether you are good enough to play in there first team really.

If you do make the move and do feel you are being underused in there 1st's, do try to stick it out for a while too. I moved clubs last year to go up 3 divisions, started batting at 6, got slightly frustrated by it but stuck at it and by the end of the season i was opening batsmen and top scorer in the club by a fair way

[Tumo]

Definatly go to nets or practice at the start of next season and see what it is like. Its the only indicator you can get to whether you are good enough to play in there first team really.

If you do make the move and do feel you are being underused in there 1st's, do try to stick it out for a while too. I moved clubs last year to go up 3 divisions, started batting at 6, got slightly frustrated by it but stuck at it and by the end of the season i was opening batsmen and top scorer in the club by a fair way

Well I won't return until a week or so into the season, and I hate missing cricket at the best of times so I'm hopefully going to have made my decision before I return. The guy knows me well, as I played with him at Uni, and I'm pretty sure he wouldn't ask me if he didn't expect me to get at least a couple of games in the 1st team. It's something for me to mull over before I return anyway!