Fitness, food, cricket and rugby, almost heaven...

With the recent attendance of Alex Tudor at Sunday nets promoting such eagerness and motivation from many members old and new to the Wick, the perfect opportunity arose to organise the first fitness session of the season on Saturday February 28th.

Tudor suggested that every person coming was to have water with them and should be prepared to see their breakfast again! During my journey to the Wick, I couldn't quite comprehend his descriptions of activities that he had lined up, all that stood out to me was “Pain, vomit and hard work”.

Armed with more cones than the Highways agency and a smile that knew only too well the pain that was about to be inflicted, Tudor found himself in the unusual role of the pre-season punisher and not fitness victim as usual. The naive showed for their 1230 prompt start, some even bringing their batting gear. “Batting gear to a fitness session?” I asked myself, "what arrogant little sods". The guilty were fresh from a term of school bleep tests and cross country round Richmond park, Harry ‘Mums and Dads’ Copeland and another who has recently departed from his role of PT in the army, Tom ‘Protection is key’ Crowther. Showing true Wick experience I could only say one thing, “Boys put your pads on” as part of the outfield was transformed into what looked like a golf driving range, balls scattered all over the place.

This could only mean one thing - it was up to the naive to go for a run and retrieve them... Fit as a butcher’s dog is an expression that will not be used to describe how we were looking. Retrieving balls and taking them back to their owner, we must have appeared like a pack of retired sheep dogs not your average butcher dog. Constant sprints, turning, bending down with regular but short breaks lead to a rapid build up of lactic acid in muscles that have not been used by many since early September. This started the excuses, subtle trips back to the clubhouse and shares in Lucozade to increase rapidly. Credit must go to those who turned up as they encouraged, persisted and portrayed that never give up attitude that is all so important when the going gets tough on the cricket pitch.

Apres fitness included food, cricket, rugby and the late comers. In true Wick style, as soon as the the kettle was on, members started to show for a feed. It was great to see the likes of Alison, the only member so far to lose weight over the winter, chairman Nicholls with his positive comments, “Is that it? You’ve only been out there for an hour”, new faces Sri Lankan Chris and his friend (be warned they appear to have real potential and appear to be as keen as Matty D with his new Newbury “Grizzly” bat). Tudor, Goldy, Tommy D, Parks, Razza, Ford, Nath, Kirk, Leggsy, Linter, Monkey, Vader and others all enjoyed a protein feast of Joey’s jerk chicken, plantain and rice. Going on feedback this will have to be repeated as we worked our way through 15kg of chicken, well done Goldy and Monkey for eating 3kg each.

Good fortune favoured those who tried - we eventually got Sky Sports working which opened my eyes to the cynical system that allows test players to signal a technical timeout with their forearms, the referral system. It truly proves by not using technology to its full and still entrusting in humans to make decisions then the obvious will happen, human error. If the technology is there should we trust it or keep the tradition and let errors even out? As far as we’re concerned I’m sure we will never have three umpires at the Wick let alone the technology.

To my pleasant surprise Ronan O’Gara’s boot was on the same form as the third umpire in Barbados. Never has indiscipline, lack of creativity and poor kicking ever been prominent in an international game between two sides that on paper should be firing on all cylinders. Friday brought the opportunity for Ireland to become the only ones still on for the grand slam, were they fired up? Did they take their chance? Hardly. On the other hand England tried their upmost to encourage Ireland to flourish and rack up a score similar to that in Barbados. England looked the full part of a team that was managed by a man who has never managed, places his pressures onto his squad trying to force the unachievable. Did anyone really think that Croke Park was the fortress in which Johnsons bulldog puppies could record their second win of the tournament? At odds of 5-2 last week Ireland looked in a very appealing position for the grand slam, however the inevitable question remained, could they defeat the Welsh?

It simply remains that Johnson has got 2 wins from 7 and indiscipline rather than confidence is following through his players veins. What can change? Is Twickenham going to save us and Johnson against France (15th) and Scotland (21st)?

For those who missed out or want to do it again there will be another fitness session at the Wick on Saturday 14th March starting at 1300. It would be great to see as many of you there as possible.

Ginger Wick

[A Butcher's Dog - Ed]