report by COCO

The Jesters finally found the sun shining on them for the first time in several years on their annual tour to Blackpool. Changing the week meant we were going to play cricket instead of watching darts, although Dobby did manage to complain that the cricket would interfere with the serious business of the tour, whatever that may be. We play our games away from the centre of Blackpool where most people look as though they are about to attend a crime or are just leaving one. Thornton & Cleveleys were our hosts for the first game and generously offered us the first use of the track without any negotiations taking place.  There are many stories I could tell you about the debutant from Rawdon, George Myers, suffice it to say he was from a young age a talented and competitive sportsman. He made an excellent start to what we hope will be many scores for the Jesters, reaching a career best 88. Alex Taylor was another debutant (actually his 2nd game - ed) from Lascelles Hall in Huddersfield. Now if you have the name Lascelles Hall on your shirt it comes with certain expectations of talent. Yorkshire once put out a team that contained five players from this famous club, so much was expected of Alex, who had told me earlier that he was abroad and a bit out of touch. He did not dissapoint and hit an excellent 102. The two top scorers celebrated later in different ways, George by demolishing an Indian meal that included five chappatis, and Alex by getting into what he thought was a taxi and asking to be taken to Huddersfield. During the game David Clayton arrived ,his car having broken down he used a combination of trains,buses,taxis and finally a sedan chair to make his way to the ground. I just hope he got home o.k. The other debutant was the man from down under Nick Benton, who seemed to embrace the idea of Jestering with a certain gusto.  Dave Bell is not one of those skippers who will come up to you when you are bowling and have taken 1 for 8 in 9 overs and say " you're bowling well but I think the situation calls for my type of bowling just to winkle out a few wickets." He just brings himself on for as long as he wants. He could once get the ball to jump and spit like a cobra, now the ball just rises with a cheery hum. Batsmen watch its' stately progress, adjust their headgear, survey the field, whistle a few bars of the theme from Rocky before swatting the ball to the boundary with a merry chuckle. His delivery stride is somewhat like an octopus falling off a step ladder, but after many years trying he managed to reach his one hundred wickets for the Jesters. Andy Rhodes fielded brilliantly with his feet, going on a mazy dribble down the wing before crossing the ball to the keeper. Alex then thought this was the norm for the jesters when sliding the ball into touch and tackling the chairs by the dressing room. Everyone was involved in an excellent start to the tour, many thanks to Thornton & Cleveleys for their hospitality.   I cannot finish a report without a mention of Dale. How can I put it. This is a bloke who if faced with a choice between having a lukewarm milky drink and sticking his genitalia in a hornets nest would head straight towards the sound of buzzing unbuckling his belt. Oh, and someone who shall remain nameless asked me if Andy was Dales son! More of Dale later in the tour.

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