MIXED EXPECTATIONS

This evening the league season starts for me in the Thursday night Leyland & District programme as we host Farington St Paul's. A tough opener for our team.
I've got a bit more confidence going in to this new campaign. There are more games I should and could have won last season in this league and feel that ought to be the case this time around. The ability to control my nervousness and temperament (with the exception of that exceptional encounter at the New Waterloo last week) will be key to this.
In contrast though, a place in our Monday team in the Chorley league will be an even tougher nut to crack this term.
In a mid-term divisional reshuffle, last season's third place turned out to be enough for promotion and captain Steve Marginson has reacted accordingly with new recruits including the notable acquisitions of Trevor Bibby, Colin Proctor and a chap called Chris Miller Jnr who, I am informed, is an excellent player.

For me personally though, my place in this set-up feels rather like a door closing than an opening one.
It's now a very large squad of decent, steady and experienced bowlers who have known each other for years - so maybe not the environment for a raw wildcard such as myself just now.
Of course if I do get a chance I'll be determined to seize the moment, but it feels like an added pressure somehow and with a holiday booked a month in to the new season, it's difficult to see how I'm going to get much opportunity for match experience with team Monday this Summer.

Recent practice matches: Continuing to record these for my own bit of future reference.
17/4/22 v Steve Marginson 14-15, 15-14 (from 7-14 down!) Close games but didn't feel I perhaps did enough to impress skipper for a Monday night place.
19/4/23 v Graham Whittle 21-19, 16-21 (from 1-11 down in that first match!) Punching above my weight against a Bretherton first teamer.