The team

Team – “A team is a group of individuals (usually four or more) working together to achieve a goal. A group does not necessarily constitute a team.”

So how has the group of individuals who muddled their way onto a plane at Heathrow fared in the hills of Rwanda (editors note, whoever named Rwanda the Country of a Thousand Hills had a serious problem with maths; we’ve outdone Julie Andrews in the number of climbs made this week – funny how it always seems to be uphill!?). Well a properly functioning team has to have individuals filling different roles; this is of course particularly true of a cricket eleven. So how did we fare?

1. Your opening bat needs to be solid, reliable. Not too flashy. Calm down the opposition. If possible put them to sleep. Giles W. – put the pads on!
2. The other role of opener is to get out there. Assess the conditions. Work out a good score. Let the opposition know you’re there. Emmy – out you go.
3. A key position. Need to be flexible. Bat fast or slow. Reassure the team it’s under control. English or Kinyarwanda. Keep calculating those numbers – the jobs yours Jospeh.
4. Some serious batting be done here. Take the game to the opposition. Shots all round the wicket. Conventional and unorthodox. See ball, hit ball. Come out swinging, in for the kill, Ella Chandler (where else would you play the ‘world’s greatest batsman’?)
5. Well into the innings here. You need a good all-rounder. Bat, bowl, field. Talk the team through the sticky moments. How about a vegetarian Ben Stokes? A quiet Australian? A no ham Hawaiian? Is there no end to your flexibility Kris ?
6. You have to be prepared for anything batting here. No challenge too great.20 for 4, let’s edge gently out of trouble; 300 on the board, put your foot down. Whatever the situation they’ll get you home. Take the wheel, driver Steven.
7. The keeper. A safe pair of hands. Should be heard in the field to keep the team going. Occasionally unorthodox, always eccentric, drives everyone to distraction. Stand in opener. Well I’ve got to get into the team somehow, and no one else is mad enough to don the gloves.
8.  Mystery spinner and all-rounder. Will baffle the opposition with the range of deliveries fired at them; will baffle own team with the range of theories proposed and interests pursued. I mean, football in Barnsley…….Get twirling Nick!
9. Every great team has a fast bowler who bursts on to the scene. Always up for the contest. Gives it their all with the new ball, swings the old ball (amongst other moves). Mercurial, can drive the captain to distraction, but never less than 100%. Giles B……if the cap fits….
10. An absolutely reliable slow left arm bowler. Line, length, variation, gives nothing away. Great support to the rest of the team. Key tactical suggestions. Comes up with the critical breakthrough. Fancy a twenty over spell Alex?
11. Wily medium pacer. Seen it all before. Swing, seam, cutters, over, round, whatever the conditions dictate. Just don’t talk about the batting……. that reverse sweep ten years ago was good but it was just the one………….ok you can captain the team if you stop going on about it. Lead us out, John Brown.

And there we are. An awesome IX. Proud to take the field with you guys.

Let’s go week 2