Summer days like this and cricket go together like strawberries and cream, landlords and their milkmaids and ten pints of ale without a bite to eat. Well almost.

A real roaster, it started on the wrong foot for Daisy with ‘match nerves’ cramping his stomach and forcing a couple of unplanned intervals on the outward journey.

Green

The wicket was fair, if a shade green, and out went the Pilgrims to field. We stayed out there until Stoke had racked up what looked like an insurmountable 242 for five.

Clarence bowled and bowled and bowled with some very tidy spells but little reward, finishing with one from 20

The Whippet flashed his teeth and passed the outside edge on more occasions than a six fingered man could count on one hand (two off 12).

If only there had been a few more six fingered fielders on the pitch. Penthouse, Tipple, Cus Cus, Xero, Kommander and the ever ready Sir Betty all out-performed at bad fielding.

Volcanic

All the while, Stoke’s Aussie was relentlessly peppering the boundary on his way to a 101 not out, only interrupted by a curious spell of lazy lobs, tossed up by Kommander (two off 7) and an inexcusable bout of volcanic cramps on the field from Daisy.

After tea, with a real task ahead, Penthouse sent out his most seasoned bats to face off the opening salvoes from Stoke – Cus Cus (last played May 04) Sir Betty (about the same, if not earlier). However, the magic ‘overseas’ formula fizzed and Sir Betty, after flushing out the engine, started to make amends for his work in the field.

Glorious

Cus Cus did OK with the bat and a little better than Penthouse in support of Sir B. Some early fallers made way for Kommander to lift his tail and thwack a few large ones over the rope. With the Melbourne knight still collecting four balls, a run chase was on and a glorious flying visit on the cards.

But that’s not cricket, so we resigned a few more wickets (Sir B on 77) and Whippet saw us through to the draw.

Fines were levied on Daisy and poor fielders and with the constitutionalist on hand, a vote was passed for Butler to be re-named ‘Flymo’ on account of his floating ‘fly cast’ batting technique. Well done.

Congratulations to Sir Betty and we wish him well back at school.

Grazin’ without Daisy – or Daisy’s Teas

I came

I saw

And that

Was more

Than enough.

For me

To review

The tea

Would be

An imposs

ibil

ity.

I hope you don’t mind, so please don’t nag –

( it might have been done, with a doggie bag )