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Thank Cricket It's Friday

Thank Cricket It's Friday

UCC Admin14 Jun 2019 - 05:30
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Big Love, Big Heartache - Which will the Weekend Bring

It was on this day in 1834 that sandpaper was patented by Isaac Fischer Jr in Springfield, Vermont and it is rumoured that Cricket Australia was formed shortly after. Accordingly, we start this week with a tribute to the many Australians who have adorned the UCG with Amazing Grace since Glenn Mottershall became our first overseas player back in 1998. Today, Tomorrow And Forever we thank you for your contributions, you were Always On My Mind and If You Don't Come Back and If We Never Meet Again, remember that You'll Never Walk Alone, And I Love You So.

It was also on this day in 1953 that Elvis Presley graduated from L.C. Humes High School in Memphis, Tennessee and after last week's washout (When It Rains, It Really Pours), it is definitely not a case of All I Needed Was The Rain. There's A Brand New Day On The Horizon and whilst Anyplace is Paradise, there is no place quite like the UCG on a Saturday afternoon. I know our regular supporters Love Coming Down to the club For The Good Times and whilst I Don't Care If The Sun Don't Shine, we hope the rain relents so that we have A Little Less Conversation and a little more cricket. If that happens it will be a Wonderful World!

The 1st XI travel to Urmston who lie 4th in the league with 121 points having picked up 3 wins and a draw from the 6 games played. Upton will have bad Memories of losing both games against Urmston last season and they will provide a stern test This Time around. We will certainly need to clear any doubts from Suspicious Minds if we are to build a Bridge Over Troubled Water and begin The Climb up the table. I hope we won't be Bringin' It Back under a Blue Moon. There are 2 changes from the last game played with Matty Smith and Andy Roberts coming in for Danny Boy Owen & Dava Stewart. Calum Turner has been Urmston's main threat with the bat and already has 316 runs including 2 50s and a ton to his name, however, Lewis Jackson has also passed 200 runs this season. They'll provide Double Trouble for the Upton attack, however Dave & Ross will hope to Spinout the opposition. Gareth Burns has picked up 15 wickets with a best of 5-51 against Sale on the opening day and it's difficult not to have One Broken Heart For Sale?

Tommy Maguire's 2nd XI, who lie 8th in the league, welcome Cheadle (who are 2 places and 15 points below them in the league) to the Green, Green Grass Of Home. The 2s were All Shook Up by last week's defeat at Toft where they had to admit Alright, Okay, You Win and they'll be saying C'mon Everybody and It's Now or Never as they try to bounce back. They'll need an Animal Instinct to do so. There are 2 changes from last week's side with Dava & Luca replacing Stowelly & Joe Green. Cheadle have 1 win and 2 draws from the 6 games that have escaped the weather. Jack Langley (126) & Joe Prince (106) have both passed 100 runs for the season and the Upton bowling quartet of Maguire, Battersby, Keenan & McCormick will be hoping they can add to their combined 54 league wickets to keep them in check. Conversely, the Upton batsmen will need to proceed with caution against the threat of Dickinson & Read (who both have 9 wickets), remember, Only Fools Rush In.

The table topping 3rd XI go to 2nd placed Haslington who are only 8 points behind us in the Division A table and the players will be asking themselves Am I Ready for the toughest test so far as we are Playing For Keeps. The 3s boast the club's leading run scorer (Dave Charles) and leading wicket taker (Ian Sharrock) in their ranks and if they perform we could be Goin Home with the points. Our hosts certainly won't Surrender, Stephen Davies has been in fine form with the bat, scoring 274 runs at an average of 91.3 and He could prove to be the Devil in Disguise, whilst Gary Davies has accumulated 11 wickets. Come What May, We'll Be Together, will Follow That Dream and are Gonna Get Back Home Somehow.

Home Is Where The Heart Is and Ian Bruce's 4th XI welcome Oxton 4s to the UCG. After a few Hard Knocks in recent weeks, Upton will be saying Everybody Come Aboard and Doncha' Think It's Time that We're Gonna Move up the league. The usual mixture of youth and The Wisdom Of The Ages will take to the field, the latter provided by Bruce, Chapman & Scragg, any one of whom could Almost say I Was Born About Ten Thousand Years Ago. At the other end of the scale, it is hoped that the youngsters (who have Got A Lot O' Livin' To Do) can bring us some Beginner's Luck. Oxton have 3 wins and 2 losses from their 5 games played and they lie 17 points ahead of us in the league table. Mahi Da Silva has 123 runs to his name whilst Steve Williams has 6 wickets.

Cath "Mama" Williams will hold on tight to the Apron Strings as her Girls! Girls! Girls! (including The Girl Of My Best Friend) take the Confidence of back to back wins a little less than 500 miles up Townfield Lane to take on Oxton. If you haven't been to Oxton's ground before, it's at the End Of The Road just Beyond The Bend. Upton are 4th in the league whilst Oxton are 5 points behind in 5th but have played 1 less game. Tessie Nickson has been the main contributor with the bat for our hosts with 69 runs at an average of 17.25 whilst A. Harrison has been the pick of the bowlers with 10 wickets (including 2 4fers). There are also some good performances on the Upton side. Charlie Scudder has 100 runs, Madi Arthur has 80 runs & 5 wickets and A Little Bit Of Green (making her One Boy, Two Little Girls Proud). The ladies will be hoping for a Happy Ending and that we are not left Crying In The Chapel nor booking in to Heartbreak Hotel!

The Sunday 1sts renew old acquaintances when Big Boss Man, Phil Wood (who's doing a great job of filling the Big Boots of Johnny B. Goode Winder) takes the side to Tranmere Victoria. Joe Green will be aiming to continue his Young Dreams and extend his Fairytale of 4 consecutive 50 not outs. In the equivalent fixture last year, Upton made 213-5 off their 35 overs (Joe Green & Alex Woods both making 50 retired) and bowled Vics out for 150. 7 different bowlers took a wicket for Upton, Phil McGowan being the pick with 3-6 from his 5 overs and we'll be looking for another Runaway victory. Seeing Is Believing

Finally, we were planning to host a Boy George tribute act tonight to celebrate the 58th birthday of the singer. Unfortunately, Sawda's new highly strung pet camel (who's mood is Changing Every Day) went on the rampage like a Runaway Train and destroyed the stage. This couldn't have happened at a worse Time. Unfortunately, That's The Way it is so Don't Go Down That Street and we Don't Talk about It but the event has been cancelled. We have asked Sawda Do You Really Want to Hurt Me and pointed out, you need a Calmer Camel Ian. He replied, I Just Wanna Be Loved.

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