Diary of "Little James"

Facebook link for me is

http://en-gb.facebook.com/people/Little-James/100002213727645

Thursday 28th April

My diary entry is late. It has taken me longer to write than is normal. many things have been happening....including school!!

Victory, Victory, glorious victory. The emphoria of winning has at last come into my life. Stunning, wonderful, joyful.

Sunday saw me positioned at Third Man, a position that gives one time to think. So I thought....and thought.....and thought. So if there is a Third Man there must be a First and Second Man. Upon my return I turned to the ECCB handbook to view these positions. Nothing, nought, zero and ziltch. They must have missed then out of the handbook. Ha, even the ECCB make mistakes. I must wtite to them to advise them on their errors.

Back to the cricket. Victory...the word is good. And I scored my first run, a wonderful edge guided between the three slips to Third Man for a single. I was out next ball but I am not dismayed. Off the mark! "Skip" did note that I had a cherry on my edge but by the time I looked it must have fallen off as there was only a red mark.He also told me that my batting may improve if I had the flat side facing the bowler. Details.

No sign of Jasamine though. what a shame.

On my way home I was so excited I wee'd myself and nearly forgot to tell Mummy how hard Daddy was working with Molly the Milkmaid. Mummy murmered something like "two can play at that game" and then the car went rather quiet. Mummy and Daddy now seem to have a new game. In the evenings they go to their bedroom and see who can shout the loudest. Mummy always wins. Daddy also seems to have got an extra job working at the Horse and Groom. This morning Mummy was chasing Daddy around the garden with the steel frying pan trying to make him dodge. It looked like fun. She kept calling him a Bar Steward so I know he must work at the pub. I also think she must have lost something as she told him she will get her own back if it is the last thing she does. What fun it must be to be married.

This afternoon after school I saw Molly. She was crying and told me that Mummy had told her that Daddy was not to go to the barn with her again and show her his equipment any more. I told her not to worry because if she needed any help in that area I was more than willing to oblige. She smiled a little and said she would consider that if she got desperate. She was very nice though and asked me if I pulled on Sunday. I told her I just had a little nick through the slips. She sniggered thoughtfully.

Big game at home on Sunday. Must do homework and then practice. Cuts, drives, defence, attack, pull, hook....lots to do ...lots to learn

SYS (see you soon)

Sunday 24th April

Another important game today...this time for the 2'nds. Skip said there will be some new people to meet like Paul the Car man, Jake the Joiner and a new young player called Head or something. Skip says he has hair like a mobile mop!. Maybe I will score my first run if I bat. I do hope so because I have been practicing hard all week. I am not sure where we are playing yet but I suspect it may be Barnstaple again as Skip said that Big Dick umpire will be there again. If it is I wonder if Jasamine will be there!

On Friday I did a lot of bat work...throwing the ball against the barn wall and trying to hit it. I did not do very well although I did manage to hit three balls in the first hour. It was the first time I had used a hard ball like we do in the real game. Luckily Daddy noticed and said I should wear a box to protect myself. Below is a picture of my with my box on.

It was very difficult to see and I cannot remember my other team members having one. After wearing it practicing for several hours Daddy saw me and laughed. He told me I needed a box for my tackle and not my head. I don't even like fishing! and anyway the one Daddy showed me would'nt keep more than a few spinners, a couple of weights and some floats. There would be no room for my rod.

Daddy has been very busy on the farm. This morning he had to show Molly the Milkmaid how his equipment worked in the hay barn. She obviously liked this work as she kept saying yes at various times. It must have been hard work for both of them because later on Daddy came out sweating and had to tuck his shirt in and Molly was very red. I must remember to tell Mummy that Daddy has been working so very hard with Molly. I expect she will be pleased.

Time is short, things to do , Mummy to speak to. Cricket beckons. BFN  (thats short for Bye for now)

Saturday 16th April

Well, the call came late last night. Just as I had hoped, they needed me for the needle game with Rackenford this afternoon. Then alas the Skip rang to let me know I may be playing for rackenford as he needs to assess the strengths and weaknesses of some of the others in the squad. He already knows how good I am!! No matter, more friends for Facebook.

The good thing about playing for the opposition is that I will be able to stroll the boundary and look for spare balls like the girls did last week and will not get fined. I do hope people do not get the wrong idea! I wonder if there will be any girls on the boundary this week. I do hope so, maybe the three I met at Barnstaple. Goody says he wouldn't bet on them being there but not to bother as there are lots of Trollopes in Devon. I never knew they had such a large family. Perhaps they will know Jasamine. 

Must go now....sandwiches and cake to make, yummy.

Tuesday 13th April

Well, Facebook is now live for me. Mummy says it will be quite nice for me to talk with my friends. Check me out on Facebook...Little James.

I hope I get lots of friends

Monday 13th April

Well, what a day yesterday was! I have meet some really nice people and learned a great deal about cricket and its laws. When we arrived I noticed that Henry the Hoover (he is a teacher) and Matthew looked tired. I think they must have been up all night doing work,. Also Jason looked very ill and did not have any beer after the game. We lost the toss and "Skip" had to field first. He told me to go to long leg. I know where Long Drag and Long Eaton are but I told him I didn't know where that was and anyway I couldn't drive. He laughed and told me to go to the boundary behind that nice man Goody 'cause he was not very good and I would have lots to do. How wrong the Skip was.

Two Doctors stood behind the stumps. I know they were doctors because they had white coats on and the hospital was just up the hill. I know one of them was called Richard because every time we appealed he did nothing and the "Skip" called him Dick. I was there a very long time but met three girls walking around the boundary looking for spare balls. They were called Clarissa, Juliette and Jasamine. I think they were sisters. They asked me if I would like to go to their barn after the game and they would show me something that would bring a smile to my face. Now Daddy has a new tractor, trailor and muck spreader in our barn and I can't think of anything that would make me smile more than that! They also told me to join a thing called Facepage or something.

Soon it was tea time and I had a long walk back to the tea room. When I arrived my friends were talking about the Tarts and Crumpet but I didn't see any so I think thay must have eaten it all. I had lots to eat and drink and needed two wees before we batted. We did not do very well and "Skip" called us "plonkers". What a cheek as he only scored two. That nice man Goody did well even with those big gloves on. I do want to be able to be as good as him. We lost!

After the game we went to the bar for fines. Luckily that nasty man Finesmaster did not seem to be there so Goody and the road mender did them. Oh what a laugh we had....until it came to my turn. They took all my money for having red hair, being left handed and talking to the Trollopes on the boundary. At least I know what the girls are called now. All the boys seemed to know them and said they had good jobs. Clarissa is a bouncer for Mothercare, and Juliette is self-employed selling her wears at night on street corners. Jasamine rides horses and plays Tennis at Daddy's farm. That seems like hard work to me.

After the game I was very tired and went home. I told Mummy and Daddy what a splendid day I had and Mummy has agreed for me to join a thing called Facebook where she thinks I may meet some new friends. I am hoping to be "selected" again 'cause I may meet some more lovely girls ....and play a little cricket. See you all soon and I hope to meet you on the Facebook thing.

Sunday 10th April

I am so excited. Mummy woke me very early today to tell me I am playing cricket. A nice man rang her long after I had gone to bed to ask her if I would be "available". I think that means they would like me to play but I am not really sure what "available" means. I have had my breakfast of porridge and lager....mummy said I must have a good breakfast as I need to keep my strength up for the big game. She has told me I will meet lots of new people.....Fireman Les, Henry the Hoover, Matthew (I think he must be very clever as he is at University), Benjamin, Ryan (he sounds gay)and a nice man called Goody. I have met him before and he makes me laugh because he has no hair! There is also a strange man called Paris playing. He mends roads but I do not think he is doing a very good job at the moment. Mummy laughed a lot when she found out he had an accident with a ping pong ball that cut his head. Serves him right as his bad roads damaged Daddy's car last week.

Mummy is getting all my kit ready, I have all new kit and a special blue hat to cover my red hair....you can see it in my picture. I am so excited I need a wee. 

That's better. Mummy said my Aunty rang earlier to wish me luck and ask mummy to give me extra pocket money for beer and things. Apparently there will be a nasty man playing called Finemaster who tries to take all your money away. Mummy said be careful and play hard and I will be OK. I know it will be as I will ask that nice man Goody to look after me and protect me from Finemaster. I think I need another wee.

I will add more to my diary after my day out with the big boys. I wonder if there will be any girls there who might take a fancy to me? I do hope so.