That's just not cricket - no really, it isn't. It's cladwhacking and it's great fun.
The last weekend of March was a very Silly one indeed for the Silly Army faithful, many of whom started playing on Friday evening and didn’t stop until Sunday afternoon.
As well as the weekly games at Kings Park, the Silly Army enjoy a great social scene and like nothing more than meeting regularly to shoot each other – what better way to spend your Friday evening? We’re talking, of course, about LaserQuest, an occasional fixture in the Silly calendar. Joining forces with members of The Improvables drama group, the Sillies enjoyed three rounds of ‘friendly’ fire – the highlight of the night for many seeing esteemed leader Pete get beaten by a girl. Twice.
Saturday saw a trip to Hengistbury Head for a birthday celebration and more games, including good old fashioned British bulldog and not quite so traditional (but just as good) pig rounders. Like many Silly Army games, pig rounders evolved from the need to have something to play with. After the rounders ball disintegrated following some particularly vigorous whacking, it was almost time for tantrums as we wondered how to finish the game.
Luckily, the squeezy pig that had been acting as a base stepped in and bravely sacrificed himself for the cause, losing his squeaker and stuffing in the process, but allowing us to play on. The game was finished and the tantrums saved for the dog that weed on our ball bag (enough to make anyone angry).
After this, we played the sitting down and eating chocolate cake game, a particular favourite of mine.
Many Sillies reconvened for board games a few hours later, involving eating a lot more chocolate cake, lying on the floor and contorting each other into strange positions.
Heavy rain was forecast for Sunday afternoon, but Mother Nature smiled on the Silly Army once more as the showers stayed off until the last games of the day. Being able to use two pitches was a real bonus as it enabled us to spread our games out more, and a small but dedicated few met to play a range of net and field games.
We kicked off with a game of frisbee volleyball, quite a challenge in the wind. Hockey – played on an extra-long pitch – was a close-fought affair, eventually won by the reds.
Dodgeball was followed by a vigorous sticky ball contest, won by the yellow team despite Lisa’s vision of a blue victory. A slower game of dead ball always brings out the wicked side of the Sillies as they decide which of their friends to knock the arms and legs off, and a final runaround of cladwhacking saw the strain of three days solid of playing starting to take its toll on some of the older members.
The last net game of the day, a kind of four person tennis, saw Dave’s team soundly thrash Pete’s team and order was restored in the world once more (not that I’m biased).
The Silly Army meets at Kings Park every Sunday afternoon, on the pitches opposite the pavilion. Click here to contact us, and come along to play with us soon!
Silly Army 