Avoiding the Blues - Day 3 - Sussex v Middlesex

Better Not To Look

By Ged
June 3 2006

As Middlesex slide to another inevitable defeat, Ged Ladd describes a hard-working day avoiding the blues. Ged's advice might help other Middlesex fans to get through the rest of this match wih fewer psychological scars. Start of the Day
------------------

Checked the web stats early, as usual. Well down in the absence of a Day One report, as expected. It is amazing how many people look at these reports. Even the early posting of the Day 2 report had generated a few dozen hits before midnight.

I envisaged the day - imagined a Sussex lead of 500 by tea and a tough last session for Middlesex. Posted a few light quips on the Board - this is no time for serious navel gazing - and put my head down for some real early work.

Cleared an overflowing e-mail tray whereas the physical in-tray continues to grow unabated. Whereas an e-mail tray filling is just numbers, the physical in-tray develops logistical problems, such as preventing the top of the pile from collapsing.

The morning with clients and gym
---------------------------------

Client meetings early doors ensured that I missed the start of play. Listened to some test match commentary on my way back from those client meetings and took an early lunch at the gym, where I witnessed England turn 83/1 into 85/4 at lunch. Some consolation I suppose.

Got back to my home office to see that Sussex were 270+ for 3/4 at lunch. My 500 lead by tea was looking like an optimistic estimate from our point of view.


The afternoon session
---------------------

Head down in the afternoon - Daisy and I are off early to the theatre, so anything I really need to clear workwise needs to get done as early as possible. Usually not disturbed by too many client calls Friday p.m. although that is compensated for by catch-up calls with colleagues. One such was especially lengthy on Friday. Next look at the score - Sussex are 8 down - wait a moment - 9 down - hang on a tick - all out. Lead below 500 - Ged Ladd'd estimate was too pessimisitc for once this season. The bowling, while not perfect, isn't the problem this season. We can bowl teams out twice. Problem is, everyone can bowl us out twice far more easily than we can bowl them out twice.


Evening Session
-----------------

Cleared up the last of my bits and pieces as early as possible. Popped out to buy Daisy some flowers, then finished off my essential weekly paperwork. Ready to go 18:00 ish - on time just about. Two down already - why oh why? No Rana Naved, no Kirtley. Off to grab some nosh and see the theatre - a comedy - thank goodness. Occasional peeks at the Middlesex score is enough tragedy for one week this week. Didn't look at the score when we got in last night. Wish I hadn't looked just now. 5 down at stumps. Oh dear.


An upbeat note
---------------

Essex on Sunday will be better and next week against Yorkshire our winning ways must start!! Fortress Southgate - our fortunes usually improve there and boy dso they need to improve this year.

View a Printer Friendly version of this Story.

Contact SportNetwork.net

Run your own site

Advertise on SportNetwork.net

Complain

SportNetwork.net is part of the Durham Associates Group of companies