A First Century
Corey Nelson Celebrates 'A First Century'
South African Test Cricketer, Norman Gordon, notched up a century yesterday and became the first living Test cricketer to do so.
Gordon is the only remaining survivor from the famous ‘Timeless Test’ played in 1939 between South Africa and England at Durban.
In the famous match, which had to be ‘abandoned’ as a draw because the England team needed to return to the UK, Gordon sent down a remarkable 92.2 eight-ball overs.
As his family celebrated with him in Johannesburg yesterday, at a special function at The Wanderers organised by Ali Bacher and SABC, another first century was being recorded simultaneously.
Corey Nelson, a young gifted all-round sportsman from Croydon, and a highly promising member of Harlequins Rugby Academy, made his first-ever century in Cricket, surpassing his previous best score of 72. Corey was playing for ‘Bedser’s Xl’ v ‘Morris’s Xl’ in the London County Colts Celebration game at Holmewood House Prep School in Tunbridge Wells.
The theme for the match is to celebrate the season where a collection of promising young cricketers (who want to play quality cricket on good grounds) can explore their talent and develop their love for the game by playing with and against others who have desire to excel at the game.
The environment is designed to be ‘formally informal’ in order to allow for more ‘playfulness’ so that every player can (hopefully) rid themselves of the fear factor which is often the impediment to an individual’s successful performance in County Age-Group representative matches. By playing with more ‘joy’ in one’s heart, (rather than fear), and by relaxing in the company of one’s teammates, top performance can follow.
Once accomplished, repeating the same mentality, whilst in other (stressful) environments becomes the individual’s challenge.
When the mind and the body has an impression of what it ‘feels like’ to accomplish a performance, it gets stored in the memory and can be re-created. Confidence is built on such experiences. No matter what positive ‘self-talk’ an individual undertakes, it is through the ‘doing’ and the creation of facts that an individual can build a solid foundation for future success.
Corey Nelson is a delightful young man with some special leadership qualities. He has a modest manner, a lovely nature, and a natural smile. Yesterday, the smile was suitably broad, as he destroyed the bowling of ‘Morris’s Xl’ to record a nine wicket win for ’Bedser’s Xl’, with nine overs to spare. Everybody present shared his joy.
IT IS A MOMENT HE WILL NEVER FORGET.
Corey Nelson Raises His Bat in Appreciation of the Applause for his First Century
