The Jesters finally got their 2009 campaign started on the summer solstice with a 1st time visit to the picturesque Parkhead of Sheffield; the home club of former Rawdon 2^nd XI skipper & Jester Ian Vinall.
After a “late Saturday night” by some of the players a 11am meet at RCC was a challenge but there was just enough time for a bacon sandwich before the drive south; The convoy included Blubberhouses Mark Mceneaney in his “new car” which seemed to be missing some parts which he has had to sell during a cash flow crisis.
For the uninitiated Parkhead is a tough place to find as it is due South West of Sheffield so to get there from Leeds means going straight through the middle of the city. To help us our Barnsley stalwart Andy Ivill met us at junction 36 of the M1 & proceeded to take us down every side street in Sheffield so nobody could remember how to get there again!
With an impressive 8 people (7 players & 1 girlfriend) for Sunday lunch the Toby house carvery next to the ground proved ideal until Ritchie Barker, who had somehow sneaked past us unnoticed appeared on the square with the home team skipper for the toss. On a hot sunny day & with Sunday lunch just starting to digest the signal that Ritchie (inexperienced in tossing & it’s negotiations) had lost the toss & that we were fielding was like a steak in the heart, in fact, after batting 1^st in every game last season some members of the team could not remember what it was like to chase leather 1^st.
Scottie, who had turned up in his “farm trout” coloured Jesters shirt informed us of his new cricket gear purchases, including boots, a sweater, a kit bag & best of all a new bat handle rubber which seemed like a good investment until it was pointed out that he didn’t have a bat to put it on!
In the field things started badly & then fell away! Debutant Tom Whittaker (from Barnsley) & veteran Ritchie opened the bowling but the home batsman knew how to take advantage of a “shirt front” pitch, flaying all the bad balls & some good ones to the short boundary’s. Only “Leptonite” & recent [step] grandfather Dale Winterbottom had a reasonable economy rate.  This correspondent has to own up to 2 pieces of bad captaincy: 1^st – allowing messers Dobson & Hill to be in a position to take easy catches & have a fast start in the catching competition & 2^nd – taking off young Dane Winterbottom for the last over & allowing “injured” Ives to throw down some “off spin”, after the 1^st 4 balls had sailed out of the ground, taking the home teams score over 300 we thought it could not get any worse only for the last ball to be hit to third man Scottie, only to find the ball hit the boundary as Steve had already set off to the clubhouse for tea!
To have a chance of chasing down a huge score you must have a solid foundation. With these words echoing in the openers ears Ives proceeded to try & hit every ball he faced (with some success it has to be admitted) & Si Wilson confirming his comment that he was well out of form with a “scratchy” knock. A huge partnership was required from our 2 big guns, Macca & Dale & when the latter was well caught we were 2^nd favourites. Macca who the previous day had equalled his 2008 total Rawdon output in 1 day for his new club with a century & 7 wickets batted on expertly & kept the home club anxious until his dismissal. A late flourish from Mr angry Stewart Dobson took our total over 250. Scottie is not a fan of umpiring & it was noticed that as it came closer to him having to take his turn in the middle his limp, (injured leg) became more pronounced!
If the Jesters learn anything from this game it should be that fielding 1^st is not the future!