Weirs Cricket Club

5.00pm on Tuesday 5th June 2012 - the scene is set for Weirs 1st team to play their first competitive game of the season on the repaired Albert Park.

Boundary flags are out, stumps are pitched, the outfield has been freshly cut and rolled, the clubhouse is open and looking clean and tidy and the seats and scoreboard are set for tonight's big game. Local kids are playing in the nets and people are beginning to drift into the ground. Perfect conditions for the Murgitroyd Rowan Cup 2012 Quarter Final against our good chums and friends, Drumpellier Cricket Club.

Pit, pat, pit, pat, pitter pat, pitter pitter pat and it starts to hose down at 5.13pm.

I grab the cover ground-sheets and start dragging them to the square to cover the wicket. The lads in the nets come over and ask if I need a hand and help drag the sheets to the wicket.

I recognise the lads and know that they aren't Weirs chaps. They are Ferguslie juniors who live locally and were using our facilities for net practice. Thanks must go to Ferguslie for training their nippers to do something without being asked. It was very refreshing to see.

Wicket covered and it continues to rain. Weirs and Drumpellier chaps filter into the ground, deposit their respective kits in the clubhouse and make their way out to the square to see what's what.

Obviously the recent repairs to Albert Park are the main discussion point and the obvious shock at how hard the square and wickets are. It was good to see members of other clubs expressing an interest in our recent misfortune and offering help and assistance to Weirs.

Looking towards the steps into the ground, a delegation of Poloc chaps, resplendent in their bespoke club leisure wear arrived. At first I thought that there had been a mix-up and they thought they were playing at Albert Park tonight, but it transpired that they were down on a reconnaissance mission ahead of this Saturday's CSL First Division fixture. They were down to have a swadger at the ground (it's been a while since they last played at Albert Park and to assess the repairs) and to scope out the Weirs players. Flattered indeed.

Next the umpires arrived. Mike Stanger of Clydesdale and Eric Young, formerly of Poloc, Clydesdale, West and GHK, turned up.

Duncan Muir of St.Michaels then walked into the ground to watch the game, saw that it was off and left.

It was agreed by all that it was too wet and that the game would be re-played next Tuesday, 12th June 2012, at Albert Park.

Everyone dispersed and went their separate ways and the Weirs players put everything away and locked up the clubhouse.

What was really strange though about tonight was that there was effectively representation of 8 WDCU clubs at Albert Park and nothing happened.

Glad to see we're popular.