TEAM NEWS 2013   (Copy of Wednesday's weekly email)

Nepotists v Highgate (1.30pm, Sun, 28 Apr 2013)

We're all set for our first hit out of the season in North London. We have more than 11 players available this week, which is a good sign for the rest of the season, until the inevitable mid season collapse. It's great to see almost the entire squad from last season (minus two) back again in the lime, green and magenta colours carrying the flag for the Nepo's. For those players who missed out this week, we'll endeavour to get you a game in the coming weeks. See you all Sunday.

Directions
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Form Guide
Nepotists v Highgate (Last 5 games)

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Nepotists v Harrow St. Mary's (1.30pm, Sun, 05 May 2013)

With only one change to last week's team it's looks like it's going to be a real dog fight for places in the Nepo team this season, with more than 11 players available for two weeks in a row now. Of course I will live to regret those words in a week or two when I'm standing outside the tube station with a handful of £5 notes begging the local dero's to come and play cricket.

For those people who plan on playing only in a handful of games this season (eg) 1, 2 or 3, games etc, I suggest reading the team selection policy on the Nepo website that kicks in when more than 11 players are available in any given week. This process automatically picks the team, based mainly on your replies to the 'Availability' email each week, and to a lesser extent on your cricketing ability. Remember, no reply, no points, no selection. Besides it only takes a few seconds for a one word reply! Nepo 'Legends' need not reply each week as they would get a game under the 'Nepotism Rule' anyway.

If your name appears low on the 'Playing Squad' list, or you are a new player to the club, don't be disconsolate, as it is unusual for the Nepo's to have such good availability this early - it is normally a battle each year. So when we are one or two players short (which is normal as time moves on), and you have been replying to the 'Availability' email each week, you will have a good chance of getting a game. You'll be surprised how quickly you move up the rankings just by replying.

The only reason this selection process exists is on behalf of all the ex (and future) skippers who get sick and tired of ringing and texting people about their availability when they don't reply to the weekly email. It's even worse when we are short, as then the skipper has to go through his contacts list one player at a time. But with this system, he can simply look at his availability chart and avoid the whole ringing around thing. So this puts the onus back on the players.

You can read all about how team selection works here. (Note: It has been revised slightly since last year and also has details of the 'Nepotism Rule' for the Legends at the very bottom of the page)

Other than that, here's to hopefully some more Nepo world records this week, or more likely as usually happens after games like last week, we get flogged in typical Nepotist tradition. See you Sun.

Directions
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Form Guide
Nepotists v Harrow St. Mary's (Last 5 games)

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Nepotists v Hampton Wick (2pm, Sun, 12 May 2013)

Guess I spoke too soon last week about the dogfight for places in the team, as this week we are one player short - so back to normal business. The team is almost identical to the first two games, so still a batting and bowling line up to contend with. Anyway, if anybody is looking for a game this Sun, then drop me a line. Also we now have 23 followers on Twitter, so shall give it a go starting this Sun with updates from the match. If anyone else wants to sign up for a live blow by blow description of the Nepo games, click here

Directions
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Form Guide
Nepotists v Hampton Wick (Last 5 games)

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Nepotists v Northwood (2pm, Sun, 19 May 2013)

This will be our toughest game so far this season with the Nepotists having ever only beaten Northwood once; although we should have won last year, and likewise lost the previous year. Can't believe we've only used 12 players in total for the first 3 games this year, plus 2 debutants this weekend - nice change. If you want to sign up to a live Twitter description of the Nepo game, click here

Directions
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Form Guide
Nepotists v Northwood (Last 5 games)

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Nepotists v Kew (1.30pm, Sun, 26 May 2013)

Directions
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Form Guide
Nepotists v Kew (Last 5 games)

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Nepotists v Ealing Three Bridges (1.30pm, Sun, 02 Jun 2013)

With a huge 17 players available this week, the Nepo's are set for their first fixture against Ealing Three Bridges on Sun. To those players who have only been selected for the one match so far this season, don't despair, as I am trying to give all the new guys to the club at least one game each to start with. The skipper will also be sporting his new shaven head hairstyle this week due to an unfortunate incident at poker. In hindsight it probably wasn't a good idea to bluff that big with '3 of a kind', then the other guy pulls a 'straight' on the last card.

Directions
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Form Guide
Nepotists v Ealing Three Bridges (1st fixture)
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Nepotists v Hampstead (1.30pm, Sun, 09 Jun 2013)

We're all set for our World record equalling attempt against Hampstead this Sun. With cloudless skies and warm temperatures predicted for the weekend, it's all go for a crack at it. Unfortunately two of our heavy hitting 'all rounders', are unavailable (Shahna Kahn & Ashish Nagre), so a more traditional batting line-up will be representing the Nepo's this week; except for psycho Brett Schwim of course. We'll look at it more as an opportunity for others to finally get a decent bat, or a bat in some cases. Making a comeback this week will be Nepo favourite Nathan Coleman (NZ), playing his first game for two years.

As with all Sun games it's difficult to know who will turn up for the oppo, (ie) will it be a regular Sun team or will it be stacked with Sat 1st and 2nd team players, which we have experienced quite a bit in the past few seasons. Hampstead generally provide one of our strongest opposition and their Sat team is currently running 2nd in the 'ECB Middlesex Premier League', which is just one level below 'Minor Counties' cricket. But it's been a couple of years since we last played them, and sometimes things change. So good luck with the record attempt guys.

You can view some photo's from last week's game here which includes Brett Schwim after his two World Records, and the skipper's new hairstyle.

Directions
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Form Guide
Nepotists v Hampstead (Last 5 games)

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Nepotists v Harrow Weald (2pm, Sun, 16 Jun 2013)

Last season's game against Harrow Weald was an absolute cracker with the Nepo's posting their highest score of the season at that stage of 261-8, only to have it chased down in the last over - a real thriller. The year before we had a comfortable win, so their strength each season seems to vary a lot and we never really know what they'll be like until we actually turn up.

Shahna Khan will looking forward to the game having posted centuries in both the previous two matches against Harrow Weald - so can he get his hat trick of ton's?

This week also see's the welcome return from injury of that great Nepo stalwart Tim Hardy, who's presence has been sorely missed during the early part of the season. It appears his broken finger from walking into the door nose first has healed sufficiently enough for him to resume taking his usual diving catches on the boundary.

The Nepo's as is traditional at this ground, will be heading round the corner to the Karahi King for an after match curry where we will once again regale to the slave trade workers there about all the (made up) unusual events that happened at the match.

Directions
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Form Guide
Nepotists v Harrow Weald (Last 5 games)

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Nepotists v British Airways (2pm, Sun, 23 Jun 2013)

Well it look's like the mid season unavailability is finally upon us with just 9 players available at this stage, (with one 'to be confirmed') for Sunday's game against British Airways; including only 6 out of the 15 regular squad players free. But with Bomber Dale in the team who needs more players, if we had 83 players it would still be hard to get enough runs to cover Bomber's bowling, but we push on. So if anyone out there is looking for a game, get back to me.

Also turning out for the Nepo's this week is PP Travel legend, Jamie 'Greed is Good' Hana, who has been specially flown in from his New York stock broking duties to help with the BA Concorde Club's hostile takeover, and also to give a lecture after the match on 'How to Pick Up Chicks with Loads of Dosh'.

Kick off 2pm. See you all there.

Directions
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Form Guide
Nepotists v British Airways (Last 5 games)

UPDATE

We now have a full team for Sun's game against British Airways. With Shahna Khan also having to pull out due to not being able to get back in time from his job on the 'Mars Rover', the three vacant spots have been filled by ex skipper Daisy Atkinson, non ex skipper Tim Wetherell and Brett's Schwim's Zimbo mate Damian "Mugabe is my brother-in-law by rape' Tambling - all playing their first games of the season. So after match drinks should certainly be an affair in the posh British Airways Concorde Club, as reunions abound and no doubt the conversation will as usual revolve around top notch bowlers moaning how it's possible that Bomber Dale can pick up any wickets at all, let alone 3 or 4, while they go wicketless.
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Nepotists v Acton (1pm, Sun, 30 Jun 2013)

After having two games against Acton washed out last year, and one the year before that, it finally looks like we'll get a game in on the magnificent Park Club ground. Remember it's a 1pm start this week.

Directions
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Form Guide
Nepotists v Acton (1st Fixture)
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Nepotists v Barnes (1.30pm, Sun, 07 Jul 2013)

We now move onto the second out of three tough games in a row against Barnes this Sunday, followed by Teddington next week. Traditionally Barnes is a great batting track, especially when you look at the second game in 2009 where the Nepo's scored 310-5 and only just won after bowling out Barnes for 291 - so suck it up bowlers! Observing other results over past seasons, it appears that whoever wins the game, seems to win easily, with results spread fairly evenly between Barnes and the Nepotists.

But it has been a few years since we beat them, and not having a fixture against them last year, their current Sunday standard is an unknown. But in the recent two games played they were very strong batting wise, so expect it to be similar. It's great ground, great bar, great weather forecast, so let's get it on and make it a double after the Wallabies record margin victory over the Lions this coming Saturday; led by their unfairly persecuted skipper James Horwill, who during the last match was just showing his forward pack how to kick start a motorbike during a 'ruck', which was somehow taken the wrong way.

Directions
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Form Guide
Nepotists v Barnes (Last 5 games)

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Nepotists v Teddington (1.30pm, Sun, 14 Jul 2013)

We've only ever beaten Teddington once in all the years we've played them, and that was during our last meeting two years ago. But they were strangely under strength in that game, so shall expect their normal strong team to turn up this time. But I'm feeling quietly confident that Nepo's 2013 are the team to be feared this year!

Directions
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Form Guide
Nepotists v Teddington (Last 5 games)

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Nepotists v Amersham (1.30pm, Sun, 21 Jul 2013)

All set to go for our first fixture against Amersham CC on Sun. I have a feeling these guys will be quite handy. They are a high profile team playing on a high profile Minor Counties ground. Their Sat team are currently topping the table in the 1st Division of the Thames Valley League which is always an indicator of their overall club strength. We are playing their Sun 1st team (not many clubs have more than one Sun team), so should be a good challenge for this years Nepo's.

We also have that great Nepo all-rounder Chris Ellegard (NZ) making his first appearance this year, having missed the early part of the season due to being stuck in traffic on the M25 for 3 months. Good to have you back mate.

But the big news here at Nepo HQ is that Nepo Legend and World Record holder for 'Best Career Ave' and 'Best Career Economy rate' Ron Elliot (Scot), has been coaxed out of retired to lend some local knowledge to the game. This will be Ron's first game for the Nepo's in 6 years when he donned the whites in a one off match for Mr Rik's ‘last’ game as he ‘retired’ for the 3rd time against Putney in 2007; so expect an extremely sore body on Mon morning Ron.

Directions
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Form Guide
Nepotists v Amersham (First fixture)
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Nepotists v Langleybury (1.30pm, Sun, 28 Jul 2013)

There's still one spot available in Sunday's team if anybody's looking to be humiliated after the game - we'll think of something! Get back to me, or... front to him, or side to her, or up to it, or down to town - down town man. Too much Red Bull today. What's wrong with me?

Directions
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Form Guide
Nepotists v Langleybury (First fixture)
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