Messy teammates
That’s definitely something that really winds me up. Jack Shantry at Worcestershire is one who can really spread out quite a bit.
I’m a person who likes to be pretty tidy and know where everything is, and half the time it feels like a bit of an obstacle course getting across the dressing room. So it’s a bit frustrating not many people are like me I guess.
It’s not that I’m really meticulous or anything, I just like more of an organised mess. That was the way I was brought up.
TCP verdict: This is a popular one with your cricketing comrades Ross, but we’re still not sure the dressing room would feel the same without a plethora of kit strewn about the place. Messy teammates are safe, for now.
Poor showers and changing room facilities
It’s a bit similar to the messy kit thing, but I hate it when you get to an away ground or an out-ground where there is a tiny dressing room and everyone is on top of each other.
I’m someone who likes my own space. To be fair maybe I’m a little spoiled as we have a very good set-up here at Worcestershire, and most other county grounds are decent now as well. But when you start playing some club cricket it can get a bit shabby!
I won’t rat anyone out in particular – although I quite easily could on my old county [Derbyshire]. I shouldn’t though as I think they may have just redone the dressing rooms…
TCP verdict: Spoiled indeed! Don’t forget your roots, Ross. Where would mere mortals like us chuck the red ball around every week without the ‘shabby’ cricket clubs of this world? These stay out.
Space Invaders
I’m not talking about the video game, but people who get way too close when they talk to you and have absolutely no concept of personal space.
One of the batting coaches, Kevin Sharp, is particularly bad for it. He’s a classic example and it just freaks me out a little bit when people get right up in your face so they are almost standing on your toes to talk to you!
TCP verdict: We’re all for a bit of team togetherness, but this is too far. Try escaping to the solitude of the boundary, and we’ll chuck Space Invaders into Room 101.
This piece originally featured in The Cricket Paper on Friday June 19, 2015.
