RICHARD WOOLHOUSE had to pull out at the last minute with a sick wife, an excuse which is acceptable to old pros like Martin Bowden [skip], who has a touch of the New Man about him – he allowed 30 mins. before luncheon to prepare his fare which was excellent I hear. Unfortunately the opposition skipper did not quite ‘get’ the traditions of village cricket; that the home side have the right to decide the type of game [but will always discuss and compromise], that whoever has fewer men at the start bats etc. Their captain insisted on 40 overs which we know to be too much [35 is top whack] as the ball is invariably lost in the undergrowth for long periods and an over can take 20 minutes. Martin had to be rather stern, which does not come naturally to him

But the Pretenders were a very agreeable bunch of Kiwis and Aussies and were appreciative and very good company.

The synopsis of the game is simply put. In Martin’s words –‘we got mashed… ’He goes on to say that ‘they got 217 in 35 somewhat controversial overs and we were all out for 99 on a superb wicket. I batted at 5 so that I could clear up. We were 42-3 but they had a quick Aussie bowler who took the wickets. He did for Freddie and young Ross, taking his total to 4.Our usual opener Rob, with a gammy foot, batted at8.’It would have been beyond even Vib in his pomp, or Dennis or Adam in their youth, to have saved the day and he didn’t.

Details of who scored what and dropped what are lacking because Martin spent much of the game in the kitchen while wickets tumbled and his escargots spoiled.

We can only apologise to the Pretenders, our oldest oppo along with the Hermits, for again being short – illness, weddings and the Fairford Air Tattoo had reduced our numbers. Incidentally, since you ask, the air show was not lucrative but one saw some vintage planes: Spits, Hurricanes, an ME 109, Vulcan, Lanc, B52 – and the F22 Raptor which is a generation ahead of the Eurofighter. But the noise, my dear, and the people one meets…