Probably a you had to be there to find it funny kind of a moment but I was watching the juniors finish their match before the men's match took the field.
Apparently it was a close game. The bowler looked about 12 and had blonde hair. He runs in and skittles the batsman and wins the game.
His team mates try to congratulate him but they can't catch him because the blonde kid is legging it for the mid wicket boundary. It is the one kid sprinting out in front with 10 others determined to catch him. For some reason the scene captures the imagination of the batting team so they rush on the field and join in the pursuit.
Last I saw the kid made it to the street and ran off out of the ground with 21 blokes after him with a few concerned parents yelling things.
Junior (and the more junior the better) cricket can be hilarious.
Last summer I was doing an U10 Tournament. One delivery, my colleague and I decided, produced 5 runs, all run, with the ball never going more than 20 yards from the stumps. One ball, and several kids, flying everywhere.
Sooooo....... many but I'll offer 3 from one game a few years back.
This was for a wandering Sunday team I assisted for a time. It was run by a chap known very affectionately as "Chancer" (a play on his last name). Now Chancer, although looking nothing like him, was very much a Henry Blofeld type of character - very posh and charming but with a sharp, biting and friendly sense of humour.
If, at that time, you met him during the summer he would, after initial pleasantries, ask the question "Do you play cricket?" Should your answer be negative the likely response would be "We have a game on Sunday, do you fancy a go?". Should your reply be (and this did once happen) "Actually I've played 20+ Tests and several ODIs" you would be offered the same deal.
On this day the first story involves the opening batsmen, one of whom played decent Club cricket and Oxford University 2nd XI, the other was a very short chap, under 5ft tall. This was at a very famous old ground, but exposed and, even on a gentle day, quite windy. They'd put on about 50 when the latter was bowled. Now normally when someone is bowled you could, knowing the game, make a fair guess as to why - maybe the ball did something or the batsman made a misjudgement. In this case you couldn't - no clues. As I came off at tea the other batsman beckoned me over with a chuckle. The excuse given was "I was just about to play the ball when a big gust of wind came and blew me over!"
Late in the game, in an attempt to keep the game open, Chancer puts himself on. I suspect he would have been, in a competitive game, a fairly decent leggie. But this is Sunday friendly cricket and he bowls to buy wickets or, as I said, keep the chasing side interested. He bowls from the batting crease, not the popping crease. In his 2nd over he takes a wicket. As he's ambling back I observe "Chancer, you do know you can bowl from that front line?" with a very pained expression he replies "Yes, I know, but it's SUCH a long way!"
Previously in the innings came the best moment. The scheduled number 3 batsman in his team was a Minor Counties player. Because the openers put on over 50 he slides down the order. The batting continues to be on top so, to ensure lesser players have a game he slides further and further down. I think he finally came in for the last couple of overs at 9 or 10. However. in the field he performs to the standards of his best cricket. Excellent all round work including seriously good pick up and throws, dives, sliding pick up and throws in one movement, the whole show. There comes a point when the ball is struck past Chancer at mid on and he sets off in (a successful) chase. You KNOW he's thinking he has got to try and match the minor county player's work. He attempts the slide, a precursor to a hoped for throw in the same movement. He goes down in stages and performs a manoeuvre that can best be described as looking a bit like a swimmers tumble turn. It is not successful. From the prone position an arm comes up and the ball is propelled slowly towards the stumps. Chancer slowly gets to his feet and shakily heads toward his fielding position. You know that everyone on the field and watching is supressing massive laughter - I certainly was. As he gets back to his post I fell I must enquire after his condition "You OK Chancer?" The reply (in a very posh voice) comes back "Well I'm not ****ing doing THAT again!!!!!!" Those within range of that could no longer supress the laughter.......
)
) channelling Bob Willis and forgetting to pick up their bat on the way out, people contriving to get hit in the gents in remarkably creative ways, or people (and this one genuinely isn't me) wicketkeeping in short sleeves.
