Everything was cricket

Mike Barkwith and Toni Lucas at the wicket

Toni Lucas - On Saturday, June 30 the annual Pincher Creek Cricket Match was held in Lions Park under deep blue skies.

Everyone was bolstered in spirits by a cheering section of onlookers.  I decided to take 'everyone welcome' on the poster seriously and asked to join in the game.  I was welcomed heartily even though I confessed I know nothing about the game.

I was not the only newcomer to the sport.  One woman comment that she had just moved to Pincher Creek, and this was her first time playing cricket.  "I was told it was windy here, but I can live with this," she said, shading her eyes from the sun.  In fact the breeze only occasionally stirred the cottonwood fluff that had settled onto the grass looking like light low snowdrifts.

Pincher Creek Cricketeers

Other newcomers included two small children, who went out on the field to help their grandfather and spend time with him.  They didn't act as bowler or batter, but had a lot of fun chasing the ball and being a part of the sport.  It truly was a family friendly game.

In the two innings I played everyone got the chance to be the bowler, the batter, and play several positions in the field.  Frank Wood, Mike Barkwith and our teammates were quick to answer any questions and point all of us newcomers in the right direction.  They helped us through it enough to understand what we were doing, in terminology all of us could understand.

There was enough chatter among those that were experienced players that I realized there is a language to cricket.   Cricket is like chess.  You can learn the basics in 15 minutes and spend the rest of your life learning how to play the game.

After I left the game I decided to look up some of the terms that I heard 'batted' about. I found a wealth of great terminology specific to the game.  My self-assessment was: 'As a bowler, I am an expensive dibblydobbly, offering too many dinks to my opponents.'  That sentence says that I am an inexperienced player that lets the batter get good hits, and I throw softly.

None of that mattered to the people playing.  Everyone cheered everyone else on with good plays getting applause from both teams.  It was a fantastic day, and I had a great time.  The goal was to enjoy the day outside, the camaraderie, and the spirit of the fine game of cricket.

C. Davis photos