Nation under no illusions about Wavertree’s plight

Jun 27 2008 by Our Correspondent, Liverpool Daily Post

WAVERTREE’S cricketers are currently suffering second season blues.

The Sandown Lane club finished a creditable ninth place in their first season in the Business Assistance Liverpool Competition but currently languish in 13th position in the First Division table.

First team skipper Matt Nation is under no illusions about the seriousness of his side’s plight and is swift to rebut any accusations that familiarity with the Competition has led to his players becoming complacent.

“We knew it was going to be tougher this year,” insisted Nation. “Last season we were an unknown force, but this time around we’ve been worked out by other teams. I can’t complain, because we’ve worked out some of our opponents too.”

Exact comparisons with last year might also offer some comfort to Nation and his players. With 14 games played in the 2007 campaign Wavertree had also won three games and occupied 13th place with one point fewer than they have gained in 2008. That tally, though, included a 17-point penalty for fielding an unregistered player and, in any case, Nation is far too savvy a cricketer to be fooled by statistical coincidence.

“We’re disappointed with the way it’s gone so far,” he said. “Our main weakness has been our batting. Our shot selection has been poor and that links to application. We simply aren’t batting long enough and we can’t blame the seven-hour form of the game for that.”

Nation’s solutions to his team’s problems have included plain speaking and tactical subtlety. “We’ve had a couple of strong chats,” he admitted. “I suggested that extra nets and playing some midweek cricket might be a good idea.”

“On top of that, though, I’ve had a chat about the line-up with our professional Narender Negi and we might change the order around because I reckon we need to win five more games.”

Yet whatever their travails on the field, Nation and his players’ views on playing Liverpool Competition cricket are unambiguous.

“It’s as enjoyable this year as it was in 2007,” he said. “How can you not enjoy playing at places like Sefton Park or Liverpool? We’ll be doing our best to stay in this league, that’s for sure.”