Meet the Skipper

The new 2nd team skipper, minus bandanna unfortunatly


Q. When did you start playing for Tottington St.Johns?

A. I started in 2001 iI think. My second match was at Darcy Lever, youwere playing aswell- it was near the begining of your illustrios tsj career. (ed.a hint of sarcasam me thinks)

Q. Previous clubs? and why did you leave?......the real reason!

A. Haslingden CC 1991-97 (ed.h classicly trained then, what went wrong ). I had a bit of an accident in '97 which put me out for a couple of years, then when i went back to training, even though I was on fire, other people said it too not just me, I was obviously out of favour with the 3's captain so never regained my deserved No.11 spot.

Q. Best batting performance?

A. I've had three good batting performances (ed.this will be news to some people, still 3 out of 100 or so innigs was bound to produce the odd fluke......sorry smifffy do cotinue) two at Greenfield and one at home to Chew Moor Brook (ed.Rowdy take note of the order of the words please).
The best though was probably the first against Greenfield, after a fast and furious 21ish, we got to stuff our faces with possibly the best teas in the North Manchester League (ed.no possibly there smifffy, it's a definate in my book).

Q. Best bowling performance?

A. Can't remember a great match (ed. there's a surprise) but I do remember one particular over at Darcy Lever. Five out swingers that the batsman played and missed at, followed by an inswinger straight through the gate! "it was the five balls before that that got the wicket" cheered Micky J (ed. don't worry I will be checking this event with Micky J)

Q. Funniest thing you have seen on the pitch?

A. I can't remember who we were playing, but we were in the midst of one of our legendary collapses. Scott Parkinson steps up to take the middle, this is Scott who at this point had only been playing cricket for about 25 years (ed. smifffy words Scott, not mine) when young Jedi himself, a mere 5ft 10in who at the time was just a young foal in terms of match experience (ed. and other things) strolls over to the towering 6ft 4 in frame of Scott, takes a deep breath and with the lowest possible tones he could muster, suggests to Scott that he should play his own game and then proceeds to extend his arm for a "go on son" style pat on his back.

Q. Favourite ground, other than Crompton Meadows of course?

A. You know it's Greenfield. It's the most picturesque, with a great viewing area for all the locals to sit as they pass through on their leisurley country walks. It's a real village cricket ground and as mentioned before, the best teas in the league.

Q. Least faourite ground?

A. Westleigh! It takes a decade to get there, it's surrounded by barbed wire fencing and there is an insecent droning of scally's on scramblers along with a donkey and an ice-cream van tuneage coming from one of the local units. It just beggers beleif the variety of sounds one is able to sample at the ground (ed. it doesn't help that the 2nds have had little sucess until last season there).

Q.What was the last bit of work YOU did on the ground?

A. (ed.smiffffy seemingly avoided this question meaning he's done jack diddlely. This information will be passed on to Clive who will i'm sure sort this out. get them rubber gloves out smifffy you're on bog cleaning for two months!)

Q. Biggest hope for the season?

A. On a personel level I'd like to go through the season duckless (ed. gonna be difficult without a defensive shot in your locker) -if i have to be out being caught is my perference and my usual solid bowling performance (ed. too easy)
I would like the team firstly to avoid the drop, but ideally looking like we should be in that division. If we take last seasons attitude into this i think we will have a good chance.

Q. Who's fault was the run out at Woodbank last season?

A. Well it was obviously mine, but there was contributin factors: you really needed to be running faster (ed. if i had run fast i would have been run out!!!), and that kid really didn't need to be hitting one stump fromthe boundary! (ed.well that cleared that up)

Cheers skipper. hope the comments were to insulting and i'm still good for the No. 3 spot!
next profile will be Mick Jones (any question you want to know answer for and i'll ask 'em.