V&A PLAYERS: Nick Emley (captain), Martin Bowden, Christiaan Jonkers, Enzo Nicoli, Adam Jacot de Boinod, Vin Grantham, Nick Constantine, Andy Taylor, Lachlan Nieboer, Ben Horan, Sunil Julka

Much has been made of the weather, of late. Skipper for the day, Nick Emley, Andy Taylor and myself toiled against the buffeting hailstorm at The Oval on Wednesday. Another damp squib, another washout. Professionals, and the ECB, might take a leaf out of the V&A book: we embrace the rain (we play in it often enough) as much as we embrace uncovered wickets and an outfield that seems to be made of tar one minute, and concrete the next.

Despite the wind chill, it is getting warmer. Two jumpers rather than three was the order of the day. Several of us even ventured so far as to wear sunglasses, but that’s because we’re a trendy bunch. Top Knockers Cricket Club are a new fixture to add to the list of delightful wanderers that we have established over the years. Their heartland is Shropshire, and they’re a lovely lot, even if a good few of them are Old Salopians like me.

Nick Emley lost the toss and The V&A were invited to bat, which I suspect Nick would’ve elected to do anyway with a squad that was long on batting. Vin Grantham and Andy Taylor took to the wicket. The former hadn’t held a bat in ten months, the latter had given his wicket away cheaply the week before and was in the mood for runs. The pair added 24, steadily, before Grantham fell for 8. I was then yorked for nought. At the other end, Taylor drove, pulled, clipped and angled his way to an elegant and timely half century, ably supported by Lachlan Nieboer, before being dismissed by a ripsnorter from McAuley. It jagged back dramatically off a good length, clipping his pad and falling back onto the stumps. At lunch the V&A were comfortable, with the Stonor ‘par for the course’ of 180 well within reach.

Lunch deserves its own paragraph. It was a triumph. Rumours have circulated since last weeks fixture that Sarah supplied the delicious Cottage Pie, only for Dear Leader, Nicky Bird, to take all of the plaudits at table in her absence. Nicky said that we should all have known that he hadn’t made it, because it had baked beans in, which is ‘dead common’, in his book. Next time he caters, I’ll be expecting ortolan. This week saw a tour de force of rare roast beef, potato and caper salad, lentils with beetroot and feta, and chilled beer. Conversation was mainly dominated by Nicky Bird discussing that he can only go to bed drunk and early, or late and sober, these days. I sympathised, and tried to explain that it wasn’t an age thing. Much was also made of where one draws the line, regards politesse,when someone more advanced in age than you makes a habit of repeating an anecdote. Christiaan, good egg that he is, usually responds to the beginnings of a familiar episode of Radio Bird with a delicate: ‘Yes, so you’ve told me’. Gentle, but firm. Jonkers also admitted that he has exhausted his arsenal of Antiquarian Bookseller tales and fables to foist upon young Tom Ayling. One suspects that Tom is too loyal a subject to cause a stir, though.

After lunch, Lachlan stepped up the pace and biffed the opposition attack to all parts. With one over to go, with the strike and on 91, he drilled three sixes over the road, and waltzed a gentle single to finish 114*, marking his maiden century for the V&A. At the other end, skipper Emley was 6*. The V&A closed the innings on a very competitive 209-4.

Christiaan and Enzo (Nicoli, not Ferrari, on this occasion) started tightly; Jonkers had the choice of ends and bowled with a renewed vigour after toiling into the gale last week. The score was 8 when the opening pair were rather ambitious with their running between the wickets. Andy Taylor, with a fantastic piece of work, whipped off the bails despite my dreadfully inaccurate throw, and off we went. Christiaan removed opposition skipper Berry shortly after. Freeland (30) and Howells (74) then came together and doggedly added 56 for the third wicket, before Freeland was bowled by the returning Ben Horan. He also dismissed Howells later in the piece. The middle order all fell to a great spell by Lachlan (who simply refuses to be kept out of the game, when his tail is up) after being pegged back by Bowden and Julka. His pace and nip off the wicket would’ve been tough on any day. By the time I bowled the final over, the game was all but gone. A wicket off the final ball sealed victory for the V&A, with the opposition finishing 195-9, fifteen runs shy of their target.

So the V&A’s early season form continues with another victory. Plaudits must go to Nick Emley who stage-managed a steadily competitive game of cricket with alacrity. It must also be said that he is, surely, the only captain in recent history who has been down to nice players on a Wednesday morning, only to be oversubscribed come close of play on Friday!

On another, final note. The V&A would like to extend their best wishes to Fixtures Secretary, Chris Mounsey-Thear and family, as they anticipate the birth of their baby boy on Wednesday 15th May.