First a word about the previous week’s invitation game in Sussex. Tony Bird had organised a game at Madehurst near Petworth, on a charming rural ground shaped like a bowl, against the actor Richard Durden’s team, The Invalids – so called because they were formed by two convalescing British soldiers in the desert in WW2. An invitation V&A side came down for the day and the night – at Tony’s house nearby (he and Tom were absent owing to an obligatory family wedding party). The pitch was soggy and the ball held up, so catches to mid-off and on predictably dismissed their leading batsmen cheaply (they went in first in a 35 over game because we were a quorum and they weren’t at kick-off time).Ed, Robbie and Olly Bamber all caught good catches in the deep. Sam Tyson was too good a bowler and was taken off after 4 wickets. […]

THE SUN SHONE for most of the day, but it was damp in the morning and captain Bird N. sent the Talbotians in to bat (in a 35 over game), thinking that the pitch would be easier in the afternoon. A reasonable assumption and, as it turned out, correct. But actually the decision was forced on him because we were a quorum to field and they weren’t – they mustered 6 or so at the time. Dino, the T’s skipper, had phoned early Friday to say they were only 7 which included a little girl and did we want to cancel. No, was the answer, we could provide subs and anyway having 7 by lunchtime on Friday wasn’t too bad by V&A standards. In the event they were 9 and their little girl played for Middlesex. But she was little. And a girl. Yet she was Adam’s nemesis. We began […]

THE SUN CAME OUT. A minor miracle, considering the hail of last week. Nothing about this almost biblical weather surprises. Perhaps a plague of locusts next, followed by boils… Dennis was skip and agreed a 35 over game – quite enough time in the field for some of us. We lost the toss and were sent in – it was a good toss to win as batting became progressively easier. We started badly with James Nixey bowled first ball, and Peter Heathcote run out by Olly Betts who called a quick single to a bloke who does not do ‘quick’. But Tom Bird and Olly had a nice partnership of 30 or so before opening bowler William Bevan, he of the aggressive speed and manner, bowled Tom as he had James. Enter Dennis, who smacked a marvellous 25 to all corners, including a majestic 6. There was an amusing incident […]

I WAS ABSENT LOOKING UP Brigitte Bardot in St. Tropez last week (not literally) so Andy Fraser took over reporting duties. He is sorry if anyone felt insufficiently insulted. The threat of thundery storms of Biblical fury put back kick off until 13.30, so no official lunch but a magnificent tea provided by the family Morris. It was Kitty Morris’s birthday (age undisclosed) so their whole menagerie came and had a day out in the Chilterns. When we arrived they had clearly been enjoying a good, upmarket picnic lubricated by Veuve Clicquot and several bottles of 13% Burgundy. The 13% did the trick for Rupert as he opened with a blistering attack on the (very good) bowling, hitting 10 in the first over. His opening partner Rico Wilson was whacking anything loose but succumbed to a strain and Bird N. came in as a runner, not everyone’s first choice as […]

Another fine day, if a trifle humid. For some reason we had found it tricky getting a quorum – we were 8 on Friday – but thanks to Adam Chataway, the Jaguars very game and sporting captain, who lent us both himself and their best bowler, we had a decent 10 on the day. They elected to bat in a 35 over game. Depressingly, they only had one man over 28 it seemed, and although clearly in bus pass territory he appeared to have most of his marbles, unlike some of our own geriatrics (although old age may be less to blame than substance abuse for our incapacity in the field). The Jaguars started like a whirlwind, being 50 or so for 0 after 7 overs and 130 for 4 at lunch after 21 overs. The wickets had fallen to Rico Wilson (bowled), Shaun Mayana (LBW) and Martin Bowden (bowled […]