A couple of weeks ago the Newlands' floodlights failed. John took on the job of finding an industrial electrician to get them fixed. The main problem is that the pitch, and the electrics are twenty years old, so replacement parts are not easy to come by. In the end, a more complicated fix with modern parts was required, but the lights were back working on Friday in time for the weekend.
However, as the 5ths had the graveyard slot at Newlands, and the lights had not yet been fixed, I was left with the prospect of a 4.30 match in the dark, so with some help from Eastcote, by Saturday morning we had secured a late slot at Harefield Academy, and got all the players and umpires reorganised, so our match could be played. We turned up at 3.15 to find a player from the previous match lying by the side of the pitch with a dislocated shoulder, so we had to wait for the paramedics to arrive, pitch-side treatment and then transfer of the injured player into the ambulance. By this time, it was 4pm and the lights needed to go on at Harefield. Off went one of the Eastcote players to get the care-taker to put them on. A few minutes later he came back to say we had a problem. Half an hour later, when it was obvious that the lights at Harefield couldn't be switched on, we had to abandon the game without hitting a ball. The lights at Newlands had been reliable for twenty-plus years. What is the chance on the occasion they fail, for the lights to then fail at the replacement pitch? Twenty-eight disappointed players and umpires trooped off for a consoling drink in the warm.
Fortunately, last week our match was at 1pm on Marlow's brand new astro, right next to their clubhouse, so we had no need of lights, given that no eclipse was predicted. What a super surface, and identical to our plans for our new pitches in front of our new clubhouse. Sadly, though we had a great game, our skills did not quite live up to the surface, and we lost 0-4.The next day , I took our U14 boys to the same Marlow pitch at the same time. This time though, the AC and GX joint Development side showed how it should be done with some excellent play, and a 5-1 victory, 4 from Lachlan. I'd last played at the Marlow club well over twenty years ago on their grass pitch in a Cup match, and since then until yesterday, it's been a game at Bisham and a journey back to their clubhouse. What a difference it makes to have the pitch by the clubhouse; roll-on our redevelopment at Newlands, (and brand new lights to keep us out of the dark).
