Talk in the house

During and following play many things are discussed around the clubhouse and beyond. 
Following are some of the things mentioned this season.

The Boots are hung up.

Sunday 12th September 2010 saw Tony Bray hang up his boots following the game against Kings Stanley. There was no major ceremony, just relief from the rest of the players to be more precise. Here they are hanging up next to Chairman Phil  Herbert's boots.

The recovery position (s).

Following a previous evenings celebration Tucky decides the only way is to sleep it of. During the game!

Pistol having wind problems again!


"Now, where does this bit go?   Where has all this wind suddenly come from.
Has Don farted again. God I hope no one's watching" 


"Bugger it!   Look at 'em all over there drinking, eating and enjoying themselves. 
I wonder what they are laughing at"

The Beast!


Now what caption can be put to this picture? Answers please to the usual address.

 Pistol Pete Davis:
"Now which one of you is going to insert this bat into an orifice of a blind incompetent umpire?"

Tony Bray:
The new cast of the musical Oliver, seen here is Fagan with his boys! 

No wonder you were out, your holding it at the wrong end, stupid boy!

Top Cat
A quote heard from George Doors on Sunday during the game with Bridgwater, following Nick Trainor's dismissal and as he was walking back to the shack:
'That's the cat walking through the pigeons then"

Tricky Ricky Woodmason gets light headed!
At 2nd XI training on Wednesday night young Mr Woodmason was walking around the changing room when a strip light threw itself against his head causing it to break, the light not his head, and glass flew everywhere.  Our Pecker spent the next half an hour clearing up the glass muttering under his breath no doubt without the slightest concern over his young fledgling, whose hair was full of glass and ringing in his ears were the words of sympathetic father "at least it wasn't sand"!
The Peckster now has more ammunition regarding the club house and how it needs extending....UPWARDS!  
Mr Woodmason senior decided to measure him when he got home to discover Rich is 'up a depth' to the tune of  6' 5"

   
The 2 lights of Peckers life, Osma & Richard

Frocester and Kings Stanley Vets. 
A successful day at Kings Stanley saw the over 40's (and the rest!) take to the cricket field again. A friendly afternoon of socialising, fun, eating and drinking was somewhat spoiled by a cricket match. Nevertheless both team put on a brave performance rolling back the years, not to mention the bandages and put on a display that  brought tears to the eyes. It must have been the Ralgex. Several hundred pounds was raised for Help for Heroes and the return fixture in early September is eagerly anticipated...by the local physio's if no one else.

Cirque la Fros 
Nigel Riglar apparently is conducting auditions for a new circus to be based around the third eleven arena. Ring master El Riglo posed the question on Saturday if in fact it had already been formed without his prior knowledge. There appears to be several talented ball jugglers, clowns and a few animals that need taming Nigel.

Fros Vegas 
Who'd have guessed it, the steaks couldn't have been that high...they ate them!
Pictured from left to right: Alex Ireland, Jack Dunford, Jack Pinker, Ben Tegg and Jack Gillett.


Picture by kind permission of Eric Woodmason

Anyone like to add a caption, if so send it to me tonybray14@aol.com and I'll add it to this page.

1st entry from Pistol Pete Davis: Nogger beware Exeter tourist's future spoofing "Bandits" in training

Quote of the day
Paul Whiffen was heard to say, "I'm wasted down here at fine leg". Only for a couple of balls later for one ball to slip through between his legs...not such a fine leg!

Famous birthdays in July

1st July - Born in 1961 Diana, Princess of Wales. Affectionately known as the Queen of Hearts, mother to Princes William and Harry.
2nd July - Born in 1489 Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury under Henry VIII. Burnt at the stake following Mary's accession to the throne for refusing to return to the old faith.
7th July - Born in 1940 Ringo Starr. Drummer with The Beatles.
11th July - Born in 1274 Robert I. King of Scotland, also known as Robert the Bruce, who seized the throne in 1306 and forced England to recognize Scottish Independence in 1328.
12th July - Born in 1730 Josiah Wedgewood. Staffordshire potter and industrialist who, from his Etruria factory transformed pottery design and manufacture.
14th July - Born in 1858 Emmeline Pankhurst. Manchester born Suffragette who was imprisoned in her efforts to gain the vote for women.
23rd July - Born in 1886 Arthur Whitten Brown. Glasgow born aviator, who as navigator with John Alcock made the first non-stop crossing of the Atlantic in a Vickers-Vimy biplane on 14th June 1919.
26th July - Born in 1856 George Bernard Shaw. Irish dramatist who 'conquered England by his wit'. Nobel prize winner in 1925.
28th July - Born in 1866 Beatrix Potter. Author and illustrator, the characters that she created remain classics of children's literature......Peter Rabbit, Samuel Whiskers, Squirrel Nutkin, and friends.

Top Score
No need for words.
  


Out of curiosity I have done a little research and according to ESPN crickinfo the following are the highest  scores in one day cricket List A matches:-
496 -4 (50 overs) Surrey v Gloucestershire at The Oval 2007
443 - 9 (50 overs) Sri Lanka v Netherlands at Amstelveen 2006
438 - 5 (50 overs) Surrey v Glamorgan at The Oval 2002

In One day Internationals:-
443 -9 (50 overs) Sri Lanka v Netherlands at Amstelveen 2006
438 - 9 (49.5 overs) South Africa v Australia at Johannesburg 2006
434 - 4 (50 overs) Australia v South Africa at Johannesburg 2006

Frocester in the National Press
Below is an article found on the Guardian newspaper web site, with thanks to Dave Richardson
for passing it on.

150 Novembers since Gin first met Tonic

Apparently, it is 150 Novembers since Gin first met Tonic in India - since when, of course, the two have remained in a zestfully happy state of wholesome matrimony, writes Frank Keating in the Guardian.

Some take the passion too far - and to hell with the tonic water. Well over 50 years ago, at village cricket for Stroud Stragglers v Frocester, I clapped in their smiter at No 6; he had a flat half-bottle of gin in the back pocket of his flannels, swiped and slurped with equal abandon and when he was out for 60-odd the bottle was empty - the only case I know of the batsman arriving at the crease sober and leaving it blind drunk. 

Two of my beloved cricket heroes around that time were our Gloucestershire bowlers and best pals George Lambert and Sam Cook. One evening against Northants at Bristol fearsome fast Frank Tyson was on a terrifying roll in the twilight on a dodgy pitch and George was sent in as night-watchman on the presumption that Tyson would take it easy on a fellow member of the fast bowlers' union. Fat chance. Poor George ducked, dived, and only narrowly survived Tyson's onslaught. He came in, not out but pink-eyed, pallid and quivering - to be met at the pavilion steps by Sam and a triple-strength gin-and-tonic: "Get this down you, George - the bugger'll be twice as quick in the morning!"

Some bizarre moments in cricket
Death of batsman struck on head by ball 
Abdul Aziz, aged 17 (Karachi), Karachi v Services, 1959
 
Death of fielder from blow on head while attempting catch
W. Jupp, Gorton, 1891

Death of man falling from flag post while affixing county flag
Brown, Trent Bridge, 1879

Given out LBW to a ball that broke his jaw in two places
C. T. M. Pugh, Gloucestershire v Northamptonshire. Northampton, 17 May 1961

Retired with Measles on 99 not out
G. E. Crutchley, Oxford v Cambridge, 8 July 1912

Umpires ankle sprained by straight drive
H. D. 'Dickie' Bird, by Graham Gooch off Bob Holland. England v Australia, 1985

Shot in leg by air gun pellet while fielding on the boundary
John Holden, Linden Park v Leigh,10 July 1989

Fifteen weasels crossed wicket during match
Darlington, 1895

Ball eaten by cow
Kentisbeare v Exmouth, Kentisbeare, 1989

Fielder jumped on bystanders' horse and rode after ball
Tunbridge Wells, 1833

A line of Wands
This was taken the other week and comprises of three generations of Wands!

Quote of the day
Frocester 2nd XI v Weston super Mare Saturday 29th May:
After being bowled middle stump by leaving a shot, a certain individual was heard to say afterwards;
"In hindsight perhaps I should have played a shot". 

Famous birthdays in June
1st June - Born in 1907 Sir Frank Whittle. Coventry born inventor who developed the jet engine. His engines powered the world's first jet aircraft, the Gloster E,  in May 1941".
2nd June - Born in 1857 Sir Edward Elgar, composer, revered each year in the Last Night of the Proms concert with his Enigma Variations and the Pomp and Circumstance march.
6th June - Born in 1868 Captain Robert Falcon Scott, known as Scott of the Antarctic, explorer whose team reached the South Pole shortly after Norwegian Roald Amundsen on 18 Jan 1912. Scott and his team all perished on the return journey only a few miles from their base camp.
11th June - Born in 1776 John Constable, one of the greatest British landscape artists, who found his inspirations just a few miles from his Suffolk home at Flatford Mill and The Valley Farm.
15th June - Born in 1330 England's Edward the Black Prince, eldest son of Edward III, gained his name from the black armour he wore in battle.
16th June - Born in 1890 Stan Laurel, English-born comedian who went to the USA to seek fame and fortune, and found both making films with partner Oliver Hardy.
17th June - Born in 1239 Edward I of England, best known for his soldiering in the Crusades, Conquest of Wales and battles with the Scots, also a more than able administrator who laid the foundations of today's Parliament.
19th June - Born in 1566 King James VI of Scotland and the first Stuart king of England and Ireland, son of Mary Queen of Scots and Lord Darnley.
20th June - Born in 1906 Catherine Cookson, prolific English writer, who published more than 90 highly popular novels. Despite little formal education she managed to write her first short story at the age of 11, but her first novel was not published until she was 44.
23rd June - Born in 1894 Edward VIII, British monarch who abdicated in order to marry the American divorcee Mrs. Simpson and took the title Duke of Windsor.
25th June - Born in 1903 George Orwell, Indian born English essayist and novelist, whose best known works include Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four.
28th June - Born in 1491 Henry VIII, King of England, famous for his six wives and his rebellion against the Roman Catholic Church - not necessarily in that order though!

Frocester's very own 'Coleman Balls'
Frocester 2nd XI v Knowle Saturday 8th May:
Adam Robson was heard to say to Pecker who was umpiring at square leg
"The problem with this side Peck is their total lack of inexperience".

During the same game, while batting Robbo said he was going to change his batting spikes to trainers so he can get more grip!... It had been raining most of the afternoon!!

Some actual 'Coleman Balls'.
That's the fastest time ever run, but it's not as fast as the world record.
Don't tell those coming in the final result of that fantastic match, but let's just have another look at Italy's winning goal.
For those of you watching who do not have television sets, live commentary is on Radio 2.
Linford Christie's got a habit of pulling it out when it matters most.
He's got his hands on his knees and holds his head in despair.
He just can't believe what's not happening to him.

This weeks poem.
Smiling is infectious you can catch it like the flu
when someone smiled at me I started smiling too
when I passed the corner someone saw my grin
when he smiled I realised I passed it onto him
I thought about that smile and realised its worth
a single smile just like mine could travel round the earth
so if you feel a smile begin don't leave it undetected
lets start an epidemic quick and get the world infected.
......Annonymous

What is a Damp Squib?

A Squib is a miniature explosive device used in a wide range of industries. Squibs were once used in coal mining to 
break coal away from the rock. While most modern squibs used by professionals are insulated from moisture, older 
uninsulated squibs needed to be kept dry in order to ignite, so a "damp squib" was literally one that failed to perform 
because it got wet. The phrase "damp squib" has since come into general use to mean anything that fails to meet expectations. 
According to the Daily Telegraph the phrase 'Damp Squib' is the countries most common mispronounced phrase often 
mistakenly referred to as 'Damp Squid'.

Contrary to popular opinion, the word "purple" does have rhymes in the English Language. In fact, there are two rhyming words, albeit words that aren't used in today's vernacular.
Hirple is a British word, which means "to walk lamely or hobble".
Curple is a word out of Scotland, which refers to the hindquarters of a horse. The current Shorter O.E.D. lists 'curple' dating from 1591.
Perhaps "nurple" could also be said to rhyme with purple, but I can't find any indication that Nurple is a proper English word. However, there exists such a drink as a "Purple Nurple", and a web site, nurple.com, that uses 'nurple' as a tag word.