Mark's Page
"Hi everyone! On this page i'll be keeping you updated with all the latest goings on from my cricketing world, and any other titbits i think readers might find interesting.I hope you enjoy reading." Mark.
Summer Coaching 2010 - 12/7/2010
So we started our summer programme today. Apart from looking very sucesfull with the kids on a personal level it was a tricky day. This weekend i bowled 50 overs over 4 days and on Sunday night had a back spasm. Strugged today puting down cones etc. Felt very much like an old man. The suggestions from Wimbledon CC team mates that i may in fact be an old man have not gone down well!
Wimbledon Cricket - 25/5/2010
We've had a frustrating start to the season. Played three ECB Surrey Premier League 50 over games and lost the lot and gone out of the ECB National Knockout. In all the games we have betted quite well and bowled well in parts. Just need to put a whole performance together and hopefully the results will turn around. On a personal note i'm quite happy with how i'm hitting the ball and have got us out of a couple of sticky situations with the bat. The ball is coming out of the hand well. I have picked up two 1 fers and a 2 fer. With a bit of luck i feel a big haul is just around the corner. Hopefully the rewards for a lot of hard work in pre-season will come soon. I'm missing this week's game against Reigate because i'm in Montenegro for a wedding, but will be following the result and have my fingers crossed for our first win!
Wimbledon Cricket - 2/5/2010
First pre season game yesterday for Wimbledon against Kent side Bickley Park. Was asked to open the bowling with my off spinners which i hadn't done for a while. Ball came out quite nicely and even managed to spin a few. Two dropped catches and an umpire who had clearly not warmed up his index finger properly robbed me of 5 wickets. Ended up with 1/21 from 9 overs, but could have been better. Managed to restrict them to 204 which we chased in 41 overs. My contribution - 15. Was caught reverse sweeping. Thankfully my much more sensible team mates saw us home safely. A good run out. Looking forward to the first league game this week...
London Marathon - 26/4/2010
Yesterday i completed the London Marathon for the first (and most probably last) time. I was running to raise money for a charity called the Brain & Spine Foundation Team in association with the Daily Telegraph, who are a charity very close to my heart. My time was 4hrs 56 mins. I was very happy with that as i wanted to break the 5hr mark. Would have been nice to go under 4:30, but a pit stop at 16 miles in the medical tent to have my knee strapped up put a spanner in the works and scuppered that! Running the marathon was the best and hardest thing i have ever done. Thousands of people are running for the most amazingly powerful, emotional reasons. With all the incredible people out supporting, giving high fives and supplying you with sweets and oranges it was a very humbling experience. I have blood blisters on my feet, a very swollen knee due to lack of cartiledge, a couple of toe nails coming off and a torn tendon in my foot, but would i change anything? No way! It was a truly amazing day. I owe a massive thank you to the team at BSF for all their support and especially Sarah Himelfield for sticking with me through my knee problems. Thanks mate!
So far i have managed to raise £2014 which is brilliant. Thanks so much to all my great sponsors. Donations are still welcome @ www.justgiving.com/markcostin
Ebony-Jewel Rainford-Brent - 15/4/2010
Brilliant that we can finally announce that my great mate Ebony has joined Calypso Cricket as a joint Director. Ebony will bring so much to the team with her international and county experience, her status and importantly, her love of hitting a "long ball"! Welcome to the team Ebz.