Nicky Bird

Our opposition, The Cricketers Club of London, are well known to the V&A for it was there, 40 years ago, we had our first annual dinner dance. A disaster. Not just because the food was dreadful but because we had a guest speaker, the Surrey and England spinner Pat (Percy) Pocock, whose speech was embarrassing.

As usual we were 12, but I am a peripheral figure these days, due to age and – on Saturday – a nasty ear infection which causes a problem with balance, and I was happy to spend time schmoozing the tea lady.

The 39ers are a very pleasant bunch, blending youth with youth. Actually they had roped in a local Oxfordshire chap in his 50s, but he was not in the true ringer class. They were not that strong, their star bowler Suva having buggered his shoulder, and they had a long tail that included our own Martin Bowden (playing for the 39ers to make them 11).

The Hemmingford Hermits were founded a year after us, and named after a pub in North London where the founders got drunk. They still do, but in their own homes. Many of the original members are now too infirm or gaga to make it to Stonor but their indomitable skipper, Terry Blake, still bats and captains with authority, although he no longer bowls his (very) slow tweakers, which was always a welcome bit of light relief.

V&A PLAYERS: Roger Smith, Tom Bird, Christiaan Jonkers [Skip], Jago Poynter, Andy Taylor, Rob Taylor, Nick Emley, Louis Jacot, Adam