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For those of a certain generation, the words you have been selected at the head of a letter meant one thing, and one thing alone... the Readers Digest, ever the Jehovahs Witnesses of the magazine world, had gained control over your personal details, and wanted more. Everyone, but everyone, received one of these specially selected letters. The thrill lasted about as long as it took to register the senders provenance.For a cricketer, the first time you read these words marks the beginning of a lifelong love affair with the game, an affair rekindled every time the selection represents a new level of achievement.Theres a point in every cricketers career, however, from casual Sunday player to Test stalwart, when they are no longer the first, or even the 11th, name on the team sheet. This is the point when you first fail to make the cut, and its a little like being dumped. At least the Readers Digest made you feel wanted, unlike the inevitable message which starts with the words Im sorry...From our tentative first net, through to our retirement from the game, most cricketers will play for several different clubs, and the relationships they build with them are in many ways similar to romantic ones. We may play the field, be monogamous (perhaps with an occasional club on the side), work polyamorously by giving several clubs equal attention, or be a bit of a player.Most of us, however, are serial monogamists, playing the greatest proportion of our cricket with one club, until circumstances force us to move on. We might have relocated, or we might have a falling out with one or more of our team-mates. We might dislike the direction our club is taking, or perhaps take exception to a new captains leadership style.Cricket writing is awash with analogies relating club to family, but families have fallings out as well as providing nurturing support, and just like lovers, they sometimes break up, with one party inevitably feeling the pain of rejection.Since I started playing seriously, and not counting one-Sunday stands (of which there have been plenty), Ive played cricket for eight clubs over some ten seasons. Of these eight, I have been a regular - by which I mean I have turned out over ten times - for five. Of the remaining three, one has disbanded and another plays very few fixtures. It was for the latter club that I was awarded my official cap recently. Since I started playing seriously, I have played one particular fixture at the close of pretty much every season, at a very attractive ground in Sussex that loiters in the environs of an old manor house. Legend has it that the strip was imported from Trent Bridge early in the 20th century. One might consider this fixture to be something of a marker - that is, the signal to hang up my boots, strip, sand and oil my bat, and confront the cricketless wilderness that is the English winter. I have played it with the same club, the club I joined when my desire to play was piqued by a jaunty knock of 64 at a casual game (my first foray with bat and ball since school, and still my second-highest score), against the same opposition, for the last eight or so years. With this club I played my first Sunday game, hit my first six, took my first catch, my first stumping, played my first game of league cricket, gained my first coaching badge, captained my first game, won my first club award.This club and I have history.A few years ago I stopped playing league cricket for them, however. I dropped a catch. Then I was dropped from the team and not re-selected for several games. I was approached by another club, who offered me the gloves, and after much agonising, I shifted my allegiance, albeit ostensibly for the remains of that season only. As it happened, an unfortunate series of events ensured that I would never play league cricket for my old club again. But I continued to be a stalwart of its Sunday incarnation.These past few seasons, however, my Sundays have revolved largely around my book, The Country House Cricketer. First came the games I played, then the marketing, and the selling. It takes a whole heap of work. This has meant that I have played less and less for my alma mater. This year I turned out for them just the once. When the email arrived asking for availability for the seasons finale, ever a popular fixture, I indicated that I would love to play.Perhaps predictably, I received a response that began Im sorry...These two words marked, for me, the end of an era. I knew it was bound to happen, but the feeling of rejection was still palpable, the sting still potent. My cricketing world has changed, and like countless players before me, and the countless who will follow, I have a long winter to brood over it. Of course, theres still the end-of-season club dinner, but that would be a little like attending an ex-lovers wedding.Now. Whos up for winter nets? Im available. Discount Hockey Jerseys . Now, correct me if Im wrong but I saw one official distinctly pointing at the net indicating a good goal but after an inconclusive review they overturned the goal. Shouldnt the ruling on the ice (good goal) stand after an inconclusive review? Why was this overturned? James Veaudry Pembroke, ON -- Hey Kerry, Youll get a lot of these, but why was the Montreal goal against Nashville Saturday night overturned? Eller puts the puck on net and the on ice ruling from the ref behind the net is a Montreal goal. Cheap NHL Jerseys China . 24 Baylor in a Big 12 clash between teams trending in opposite directions. Andrew Wiggins made 10-of-12 from the foul line and scored 17 for Kansas (14-4, 5-0 Big 12), which capped a stretch of four straight games against ranked opponents unscathed. http://www.cheapnhljerseysusa.com/ . The players spoke Jan. 13 during a Major League Baseball Players Association conference call after Rodriguez sued the union and Major League Baseball to overturn an arbitrators decision suspending him for the 2014 season and post-season. Wholesale Adidas Hockey Jerseys . The Islanders dealt Thomas Vanek to the Montreal Canadiens after less than a year on Long Island. Meanwhile, the Oilers dealt long-time sniper Ales hemsky to the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday for a fifth-round pick in 2014 and a third-rounder in 2015. Hockey Jerseys China . Coach Mike Munchak says Fokou stretched ligaments in his left knee Oct. 13 against Seattle, which could keep out up to five weeks even though the linebacker didnt need surgery. Cincinnati had a relatively easy time winning its season opener.The No. 24 Bearcats should expect a stiffer challenge Monday night when they host a talented Albany squad as part of the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame Tip-Off.Sophomore swingman Jacob Evans scored 23 points and junior Kyle Washington added 16 with 12 rebounds as Cincinnati shot 57.9 percent and used a 43-23 advantage on the glass to dispatch of Brown 84-55 on Friday.Our goal is to be the team that plays harder than the other team, said coach Mick Cronin, whose Bearcats entered the AP poll Monday after being the first of others receiving votes in the preseason Top 25.Everybody plays hard. We have got to play harder than the other guy.Cronin and his group should make it a point to maintain that form against Albany, which opened with an 87-81 victory at Penn State on Friday. The Great Danes, whose run of three straight NCAA Tournament appearances ended last season, led by 19 with just over 12 minutes to play before holding on for their first win over a Big Ten team.We had some guys step up and play really well, said Albany coach Will Brown, whose team shot 49.2 percent and outrebounded the Nittany Lions 43-26.Well put this win in our back packet and go play a big Cincinnati team.This is the first meeting between the schools, and another opportunity for the Bearcats veterans to prove how determined they are after losing three of their final four games -- including the American Athletic Conference and NCAA tournaments -- to end last season. Cincinnnati returns three starters and 11 letterwinners from the 2015-16 team that went 22-11 and reached the NCAAs for a sixth consecutive campaign.ddddddddddddThey have experience, Brown coach Mike Martin said. They are ranked in the Top 25 for a reason.Added to that experience is North Carolina State transfer Washington, who made a strong first impression and presents another potent contributor Albany must deal with.I play for my teammates and Im not just saying that to say it, said Washington, who averaged just 5.8 points and 4.0 rebounds in 70 games over his two seasons with the Wolfpack.I was just trying to be there defensively and execution wise, everything came through. But, yeah, it was worth it for sure.Evans, meanwhile, picked up where he left off last season, when he scored 26 in the 78-76 loss to Saint Josephs in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. In his last two games, Evans has gone 19 of 32 from the field, including 9 of 15 from 3-point range.He is a great player, Cronin said. You guys are just seeing Jacob Evans scratching the surface.Jacob is in tremendous shape, he had a great offseason, and he is extremely smart in basketball so he does not need the reps like the other guys.Albany sophomore guard Joe Cremo had 22 points, 10 rebounds and five assists while making his first collegiate start Friday.The Great Danes were predicted to finish third in the America East. ' ' '