And as tradition dictates!! A game of backyard cricket after lunch...

#2 Son usually sets up the game using whatever is at his disposal, usually left over cricketing items from a bygone era, but none has the history of the bat below - Hubby's pride and joy, the bat he has used since boyhood, an 'autographed' Garfield Sobers test bat! Many a run made with this much loved bat by father and sons. Won't be long before the girls will be able to get a grip. But for now it is the plastic Milo "Have-a-Go" cricket bat for them.Check out the syle of this kid..........So far little T is the avid cricketer, she loves it and often asks "How 'bout a game of cricket" and she can really whack a ball!

.............and throws a mean armThen it's Miss B's turn (note Little T talkin' tactics behind the wicket!)
Baie's hit is a good one, but Daddy shows no mercy and she's run OUT!!
......NOT HAPPY JANN!Baie was most annoyed - you're not out until the bale comes off the stump, she says. Hmmm... she's kina right, but our stumps have no bales!! And then there are the backyard rules.

Daddy explains the backyard rules again; If the ball hits the wickets you're out (especially when there's no bales); if you bat you gotta do the time in the field or no play! Then there's "One Hand One Bounce", 3 outs before you walk if you are a youngin', auto wicky if you don't have enough fielders etc etc etc

She comes around pretty quickly, I mean who wants to miss the game when the whole family is playing and having a good time?!
and GAME'S ON AGAIN.....
Then there's this little Chicky....She's the umpire.........The protector of the stumps.............
The taker of the stumps............
The fixeruperer of the stumps!!
The keeper of the balls.............every single one of them.
She was everywhere and into everything and I don't know how she manged to stay upright throughout the match!! Well................she didn't.Chase............
Roll............
Crash!!!!!!!!!!!!
And over.............still with a smile on her face!!
And there's more.............. she played soccer (solo) right throughout the cricket game, we often had to dodge the big pink "soccer" ball as it was kicked regularly onto the pitch!

Steve shows his batting form - remembering over the fence (we don't really have a fence to speak of) and over the house (yep, we do have one of these) IS OUT!!!
Miss B a little bored in the field, so a swing on the clothes line helps keep her interest.
Grandad in 'silly wherever' drops a catch.
Adam sends one high
A confident appeal from Bro!Nuh! Dropped - Not Out.

And the game continues
There's never a game without a lost ball! Lucky we had a few spares if we could prise one from the umpire dressed in pink!
All in the bushes - and out empty handed!!

Though we did find it eventually.


And a fun one to finish! She kept her eye on the ball - as if she could miss it!

and gave it a good thump!