Heard and over-heard in 2010:
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Ian Bishop about Suzie Bates In the
ICC T20 final "Well, she's hit the
ball further than I ever did?"
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A
similar remark was made by Mark Butcher to Nick Knight during Sky
commentary of the T20 series between England and New Zealand. I find it
hard to believe that neither of them could hit a long six!
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Remark
from an England player who had sat for many overs waiting to go in and
never making it "I'm suffering from pad rash!"
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Remark
from a spectator at an international "Why wasn't this fixture listed in
the County Programme? I only heard about it on local radio" - Why
indeed?
The Best of the Best:
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Catch of the Year:
I have three choices for you. Firstly Aimee Watkins catch off the last
ball of the Australian innings in the ICC T20, reaching further than her
height ever suggested she could and catching the ball one handed after
it had apparently passed her. Second is Caroline Atkins sliding forwards
catch in the final match of the County Championship against Kent
where the timing was crucial, and thirdly Sarah Taylor's leg side
dismissal of Charlotte Edwards in the early rounds of the County T20. I
think Sarah's just has it because of the fantastic anticipation and
enormous distance she covered in a split second to take it full length
as cleanly as if it had been a give away. The Kent captain must have
been thinking "four runs" the second the ball left the bat.
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Most exciting Innings: For me it must be Lydia
Greenway batting in steady rain at Derby. When Nicola Brown was put on
to bowl we all knew what was coming from the bowler - short pitched and
clear of off stump. What we didn't know was how Lydia would respond. The
pull shots she played, bisecting two fielders on the mid-wicket boundary
on several occasions were quite magnificent. They would have been
remarkable enough in fine weather and good light, but under floodlights
in steady rain it is definitively my choice for 'most exciting innings
to watch'. Her 45* of just 46 balls was a match winner and just went to
prove that it's not always the three figure scores that really count.
Lydia finds
that boundary again in rather better weather in a match against
Bedford School, during the warm-ups to the 2010 home series.
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Fielder of the Year:
Yes, I know you can't compare a good slip fielder with a boundary rider
but to me the find of the year was young Danni Wyatt who I have already
raved about earlier. Perhaps I say 'find' because Sussex have not played
against her and nor have the club team I follow, so I have only
occasionally, and some years ago, seen her play. But as I have mentioned
earlier in this ramble, to watch her on the boundary was a revelation to
me, and that's all the more remarkable since we have in Lydia Greenway
and Jenny Gunn two of the best in the business. All too often those in
the outfield get forgotten - it can be a little like keepers in that you
notice them only when things go wrong. You take it for granted when
pick-ups and throws are perfect. If I'm right you can safely ignore her
- I doubt things will go wrong very often!
Danni Wyatt
bowling in the same warm-up game v Bedford School
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