1s draw for the 27th successive week  ** 2s still desperate for points ** 3s hammer Ealing into the dust  ** 4s just lose to some college boys  ** The Hertgate Trophy – we win!  ** Another gratuitous picture of Delmore!

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1st XI Middlesex County Cricket League, division 1
Winchmore Hill v Southgate – match drawn. Southgate 4 points

Southgate 208 all out (53.4 overs) Crease 72
Winchmore Hill 151-9 (46 overs)

The lead in to this match was far from straightforward, bumper availability led to selection headaches and plenty to mull over. How to win against Winchmore Hill, a side in a spot of bother in recent weeks but one with a powerful line up and a history of getting one over us in the league.

Winning the Twenty20 against the same oposition the Sunday before was a great start, but we knew the league would be a different proposition. In the end I opted for experience with recalls for Singleton and Woffinden and the return of Jamie Jouning back from hols. This was tough on the guys who missed out, especially Phil Dunnett who’s keeping the week before had been excellent.

Another lost toss meant batting first and a good early burst from Jamie Thorpe meant Durgacharan and Watkins were both back in the shed for 0 and 8 respectively, unusually both caught at third slip in identical fashion. Creese was fortunate to survive a vociferous appeal for leg-before first ball but soon stamped his authority on the match with a ferocious pull shot and a spot of advice to Jamie regarding the most effective length for him to bowl. Tom Allan, looking in excellent touch, hit a brisk 43 at around a run a ball and Matt clearly relishing the challenge took the attack to the ‘Hill combining in a 70 run partnership.

The introduction of Dan Amedee was key and his off-spin again proved hard to bat against taking the next three wickets and leaving us precariously placed at 139/5 with Creese out for a classy 71.

Having been unable to take on the pre-requisite calorific intake for both his magic pill and trademark bunting, Ben was caught and bowled for another duck and began to look quite ill. His theory was that the opposition had “done him in the kitchen” but Johnson soon followed proving that a hearty breakfast might not be the antidote to a Gatting leg-cutter,

Jouners in at 6 rotated the strike well but the reintroduction of Thorpe led to the fourth LBW decision of the innings and only 171 on the board. However, Faisal with a powerful 20 took the attack by the scruff of the neck, with Woffers giving excellent support. The icing on the cake was an eye catching 19no by Singleton in at his customary number eleven position. Recalled into the side for his glove work, it was a very good back-foot exhibition with well timed pull shots off Thorpe a joy to behold.

Just as things really started to get entertaining it was all over – 208 all out in 53 over, not a great score but something to work with.

Prior to taking the field the Southgate XI bowed their heads in a minute’s silence for Geoff Slipper, and were joined by the many supporters of both sides around the ground.

And so to the second half of the match. It wasn’t going to be easy but we had a great chance if we took early wickets. After three overs and with the score on 22/0 I was more than a little concerned, but then Faisal and Ben found their rhythm and we began to compete with Ben taking the first wicket – a vital one, too, with the aggressive Adamson caught in the gully by Creese.

Consecutive aggressive maidens from Faisal had the Winchmore batsman working hard for their corn and with the score on 37 David Alleyne was held by Alvin in the slips. Unfortunately, Ben’s knee went crack and he became almost completely immobile in a matter of seconds. By the time anyone had realised another Faisal over had passed by and the recalled David Woffinden came in to the attack.

Bang on target from ball one, Woffers bowled an awesome spell, exactly what the doctor ordered. Meanwhile, Faisal requested an extra man in the cordon and immediately induced a low nick that was pouched by Creese low to his left, just where Faisal had put him. I’m pleased there were a few people in the ground to see this as it was a seriously sharp grab.

Matt then came into the attack and on the stroke of drinks removed Gatting, caught and bowled for the second time in less than a week. Southgate were now really bossing the game, but with aggressive batting still to come from the Hill all results were possible. Morgan Prior was the main thorn in our side with a well played 42, but wickets at the other end to Creese and Woffinden meant we were left with 7 overs at 10 and 11, Thorpe and youngster Jack Jerrom.

Sadly, despite a couple of extremely close calls, Thorpe retained his concentration and steered the Winchmore Hill ship meekly home for a point.

It was a tremendous contest and one in which we can be proud of our efforts. However again we failed to get the full points. Well batted Tom and Matt and well bowled the bowlers, we’re battling hard and playing some decent cricket but we have to take it forward.

Another challenging fixture awaits up with Bentham our visitors on Saturday, it’s a tight league and all to play for once again. Rob Johnson

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2nd XI Middlesex County Cricket League, division 1, second teams
Southgate v Eastcote – Eastcote won by 7 wickets. Southgate 0 points

Southgate 193-9 dec  (50 overs) Robinson 50

Eastcote 194-3 (38.3 overs)

It was with a real sense of anticipation and positivity that the Southgate second XI team assembled on Saturday at noon. A week earlier the team had shown glimpses of genuine improvement in dominating a game against mid-table opposition and, despite ultimately hitting the crossbar in that contest, there was good reason to believe that a huge 10 points at home against Eastcote was a more than feasible outcome. In line with that sentiment, the day started very positively for the home side. Captain Patrick G Robinson continued his fine form with the coin, electing to bat on a strip that looked as though it would provide both bowlers and batsmen with a fair return for honest endeavours.

The early exchanges suggested an intriguing contest.  While Eastcote’s opening pair appeared to be bowling well and with good discipline, they achieved little early success. This was thanks to disciplined batting as well as the calamitous efforts of the opposition wicketkeeper and slip cordon. Dropping three early chances of real substance had a marked effect on the confidence of the bowlers and the atmosphere in the field, and the advantage was not wasted on Southgate’s top order.

At this stage, the run-rate remained comfortably above four per over, and despite the wicket of Jamie Wilson, a partnership was formed quickly and efficiently between Captain Robinson and Dunnett. The two batted positively and with no shortage of elegance, moving the total quickly through the first hundred and providing a solid foundation for the middle and late order to push on and set a competitive target.

That this did not happen is a source of great frustration as a combination of poor shot selection and lack of application on a turning wicket resulted in a mini-collapse.  Having been 120-1, the middle order came and went in no time at all. It’s fair to say that, having lost their bearings considerably, it could have been a lot worse had they not been in possession of a Tom Tom.  A late-order scramble re-oriented the innings, forged largely by our two Toms and the final score was a respectable, if underwhelming, 193-9 dec from 50 overs.

The question to be answered in act two was whether Eastcote’s league position belied a lack of depth in their batting order. Of the openers, only one played fluent shots and Eastcote were quickly 20 for 1 and looking vulnerable.  The fluent opener, a left-hander, was joined at this stage by an aggressive number 3 (the non-catching wicketkeeper) and the two looked to play shots and seize the initiative. It could all have been very different had an extremely sharp return catch stuck in Anand Kak’s palm mid-followthrough, but chances were thin on the ground and it was to be redemption for Eastcote’s captain. His keeping may have been hapless, but he played some aggressive shots and batted with a poise that was notably absent in the middle section of the Southgate innings. In the field, Southgate kept pressing and wickets did fall at the other end, just not with the regularity required for a close finish. What could have been a fascinating contest ended with a whimper; a comfortable win for Eastcote.

Now, with a pervading sense of what could have been, six league fixtures remain. To stay in the division, the only realistic target is three wins from those games, which will certainly demand greater steel from the middle order and a stroke of fortune or two in the field, where recent rewards have not kept pace with the positive attitude that has been applied. Oliver Bellwood

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3rd XI Middlesex County Cricket League, division 3, third teams

Southgate v Ealing – Southgate won by 1 wicket. Southgate 10 points

Ealing 190 all out (48.1 overs)

Southgate 195-9 (45.3 overs) Langanathan 66 not out

Sam Faruqi became the sixth player to take on the challenge of third team captain this year. For any Southgate sympathiser, the records of those before do not make happy reading. Fionn Webb, the official captain, didn’t make the first game. Alan Jenner, RBL and Adrian Carr all tried their best, yet none could earn those rewarding ten points. Only Lennie managed a win, but even he couldn’t ensure Middlesex League security before returning to marshal his beloved fourth team. Good luck, Sam.

He started in the best possible fashion, winning the toss. As Richie Benaud said “Captaincy is 90% luck and 10 % talent, but don’t try it without that 10%”. Very true, of course but, as I’ve found out these last few Sundays, don’t try it without the 90% either. Sam stuck them in.

The new ball went to Arvind Shah who, after a performance last week well below his dangerous best, was keen to reproduce some fine deliveries before holidaying for the summer. He ran in with a hungry look in his eye, hitting perfect line and length with a 7/2 field from ball one. Hafiz shared the shiny cherry, also bowling some fantastic deliveries to the struggling openers.

Filling in as wicket-keeper was Robert Dawson- (how difficult can it really be) -Goodey. The younger of the opening batsmen couldn’t touch Arvind (well, not with the middle of the bat anyway), and although two chances went down behind the sticks, a third was always going to come and this one Rob took well. Nadeem replaced Hafiz and bowled three very good overs followed by three not so good ones. Although the latter three ended his day with the ball, we knew Nadz was still a crucial member of the side with his reliable, lower-order batting.

Omair replaced Arvind and bowled four wides in his first over. Rob didn’t particularly enjoy this and at the over’s eventual conclusion handed the pads to Ram. We took drinks with them in the ominous position of 100-ish for 1.

Omair settled down and bowled a much better spell after the first over – perhaps it was the calming presence of Ram behind the sumps that compelled him to bowl accurate line and lengths – eventually forcing the number three to edge behind to safe-hands-Loganathan (ironic after last week, eh). The following over the ball was deflected down the leg side and the batsmen set off for a quick single. They had forgotten our wicketkeeper who threw off a glove – Stewart-esque – and raced round to throw down the stumps. Sam Faruqi replaced Nadeem and took a deserved lbw; three quick wickets after drinks and we were suddenly back in the game.

Sam bowled a superb, tight spell of 11-4-27-1. The pressure he created forced the middle order to take the attack to me at the other end. I took four wickets (including two with googlies!) as they went on the attack; the most rewarding was undoubtedly the Reverend Cliff Taylor for four. In the away match earlier this season he had scored 130 not out to win the game, and his boundary hollers of “that’s an EALING SHOT” whenever the ball found the rope weren’t overly appreciated in this game either. Omair was brought back and finished them off; the ball that got their left-handed number ten would certainly have ended the innings of many better batters. 190 all out in 49 overs, we all felt extremely pleased with the first innings scoreboard.

After an enjoyable (albeit chip-less) tea, Chris Sabine and Rob took to the crease. Ealing’s opening lefty was quick, tall (at least as high as a six ft 2 in tree), and accurate. The quick bounce surprised Rob who was late on a pull shot and out caught for four. The slower pace from the other end, however, proved more damaging still. Alan Jenner at number three lobbed the ball up and was caught for one, while Chris – who had been playing fluently – patted the ball back to the bowler when on 27. Omair then got a leading edge to another ball that held back, and at 63-4 we were making the chase unnecessarily difficult.

The openers were replaced by two finger spinners (one right arm, the other left) who Ram and RBL took the attack to immediately. They put on 50 in seven overs before RBL edged the ball behind where 72-year-old Bob Fisher took a superb catch. With the website in mind, we had a camera with us and were taking snaps. Although outlandishly lucky, I was pretty pleased to have captured the moment almost perfectly and enjoyed adding a few finishing touches once the game was over.

Filled with confidence from his wicket-keeping endeavours, Ram proceeded to demolish the Ealing bowling. He and Sam took the score to 150, where disaster struck. Two wickets for three runs – Sam and Hafiz out to the left-arm spinner – and we were suddenly 153-7. “Make sure you stay there, Nadeem”, instructed Sam as our number nine made his way to the wicket “Ram will score the runs”.

If he was nervous, Nadz certainly kept it hidden. After posing for a photo (“my Facebook needs updating”), he strode out purposely. The opening quickie came back, but Nadeem was undeterred, working singles into gaps with ease and purpose, giving the strike to Ram who continued his demolition. Then Nadz faced the spinner. After the game, the question was asked, “If a bowler bowls a straight ball that will continue straight onto the stumps should you: a) smash it for six, b) solidly block it, or c) shoulder arms?” I think we all agreed that if you have to phone a friend, make sure you don’t call Nadeem.

With Nadz out bowled we still needed 28 runs to win. A crowd of second team players now gathering, me and Ram agreed I would block at one end and he would score the runs at the other. This worked until, with the score on 188, I nicked the quickie to give Fisher his third victim. Arvind strode out, blocked the last ball of the over, leaving Ram (now on 65 and still batting brilliantly) on strike to the spinner with three to win. Ram decided to take a single. Arvind blocked one ball. The next, on leg stump, was dispatched – Delmore style – over the midwicket boundary for six. A Southgate Shot. We had won. Paul Lassman

Top work the 3s – and here is a picture of the winning team, with Delmore!

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4th XI 1987 League, division 2
Birkbeck Colleg v Southgate  – Birkbeck College won by 1 wicket. Southgate 0 points

Southgate 130 all out  (49.3 overs) Haria 34

Birkbeck College 131-9 (42-ish overs) Marett 4 for not many

On the day I heard the sad news of my clubmate Geoff Slipper’s passing away, the desire to actually play cricket was somewhat diminished. It was fitting that Southgate eventually punched well above our weight to give our higher placed hosts a real scare. Slips would have been proud.

For the vast majority of the first half of the game we were on the back foot. Despite a dogged 34 from Kunjal Haria we subsided to 99-9. The opposition bowled well on a wicket that played a lot better than it looked. There really was no excuse for us batting so poorly in the top nine. Gunny and John Williams then pulled another rabbit out of the hat – two in fact, called Julius Thompson and Ashley Sivarajah. Our two youngsters batted with common sense and hit the bad ball along with the good in the last five overs to put us alleged batsmen higher up the side to shame. Ashley made a cultured 19 not out while Julius was somewhat more belligerent for his 23. I get the feeling they would have scored a few more if we had left them more time.

130 was not enough. Amusingly at tea I overheard that one of the opposition batsmen mention that Southgate had won the outstanding bowler award in this league for four of the last five years with two guys called Marett and Stokes, but Southgate had batted so badly surely neither of these alleged stars were playing. It was with some amusement that when the same chap (who had no idea that he had been overheard) asked for our scorebook as the oppo could not find theirs I mischeviously told him that our two opening bowlers were Marett and Stokes. The look on his face was the comedy highlight of the day.

In fact, Julius Thomson opened the bowling and bowled probably better than he batted. Two for a few was scant reward for the way that he played. It is an irritant for a captain that when a young lad is bowling so well that I was forced to remove him from the attack. I am well aware that these laws are in place to protect young bowlers, nonetheless, it was irritating. The next half hour was crucial. From 30-2 Birkbeck subsided to 70-7. Two bowlers called Marett and Stokes did the damage including the wicket of the victim of the Southgate captain’s earlier wind up. Special mention to new super fielder Partha Dave who pulled off two very good catches and one absolute stunner. When the eighth wicket went down on 80 to an excellent diving catch by Kunjal (did I really just type that?) we were monster favourites.

Numbers 8, 10 and 11 played well for them to deny us. It was a magnificent effort with the ball but we could have done with a bit more batting power. There’s always next week. Lord Straightbreak aka Len stokes

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Sunday matches

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Southgate XI v Hornchurch Athletic – match drawn

Hornchurch Athletic 225-5 dec (39.4 overs)
Southgate 212-6 (42 overs)

Southgate entertained Hornchurch Athletic in the latest Sunday Friendly. Batting first, Hornchurch were on the back foot with the score at 130-8 (3 wickets for Lassman, 2 for Sivarajah and 1 each for Rohan, Alex and Callum). The aggressive number three was still in, however, and continued to dominate our bowling, sheltering the weaker 10 and 11 from strike. Hornchurch eventually declared on 225-9 (at least 15 minutes too late I thought), with number 3 on 152 not out.

Their bowling was equally negative. They bowled nearly 30 overs of seam to a defensive field; at the start of the last 20 the score was 83-1 and neither side was likely to get close to winning. Partha Dave hit 62 and Amin a solid looking 24 before a flurry of quick wickets created a scoreboard of 140-5 with eight overs to go. I joined Will Temple at the crease and explained how, after witnessing such a negative game, I didn’t want to lose the match. They opened up the bowling, Will and I played solidly but still received enough bad balls to go at a good run rate. The odd, yet enjoyable game eventually ended with us on 212-5 (Will 30*, Paul 36*), a good deal closer than we expected. On to next week where New Zealand side Fancy Dans will provide a much tougher opposition. Paul Lassman

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Buckingham Town Six-a-side Trophy

On the invitation of a distant member of the Johnson clan a Southgate team made the journey up the M1 to play in Buckingham Town Cricket Club’s Sixes competition. The team was young but talented – Vinson, Ali, Edrich, Dunnett and newcomer Rob Dawson-Goodey and the opposition included a number of local sides, including the home team and their arch rivals Banbury.

The first match saw a comprehensive win for Southgate, with Dunnett hitting some excellent sixes, but the next two matches were defeats and it was only due to some freak mathematics that we managed to burgle the last semi-final place.

The semi-final was a tense affair with Southgate defending a low score, the spinners Edrich and Vinson bowled well as did Omair first up and with the two Robs holding their nerve against all odds we were in the final against the Buckingham Town 1st XI,  the infamous ‘Nags’.

With live music, BBQ, a big croud and seemingly dozens of Johnson relatives coming out of the woodwork it was tense and very competitive. Having lost the toss we fielded first. It was a courageous effort in the field and a remarkably pro-Southgate crowd (desperate to see their local big-guns taken down a peg or two) were very supportive of our boys.

However, with the bat we just didn’t get up with the rate against good bowling and it wasn’t meant to be, but second place out of eight wasn’t bad at all against some decent players.

In summary, a great day-out in the sunshine and many thanks to the Southgate lads who represented their club superbly, playing some very entertaining cricket with excellent spirit. Lets go back and win it next year!  Rob J

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The Hertgate Trophy

Southgate 267–9 dec (60 overs) Phil Dunnett 67, Jamie Wilson 65, Adam Vinson 27, Faisal Mir 21, Rob Johnson 20, Dan Ashley 19

Hertford 259 all out (60.1 overs) Ashley Sivarajah 5-67

Southgate CC won by 8 runs and retain the Hertgate Trophy

In 1995 to celebrate the 100 meeting between the two sides, Bob Cole (our President that year) presented the Hertgate Trophy to be played for on an annual basis between the two clubs. When Bob was a lad we played Hertford home and away over the May and August Bank Holiday weekends, but more recently there has been just one game on a Sunday after the respective league seasons. However, when Hertford organised a Cricket Week in 2008 (to celebrate 125 years of cricket at Balls Park) we were invited to play the first game of the week for the Hertgate Trophy. There was a repeat last year – and as those two games have produced a total of 1200-plus runs, including four centuries, we were invited back, with a hope that it would be no different in 2010. But it was…

As the previous two games were played on Monday 21 July 2008 and Monday 20 July 2009, a certain Robert Urquhart assumed the 2010 game would be played on Monday 19 July and booked his holiday to commence a week later. Unfortunately, Hertford didn’t consult RUC’s diary and decided that their Cricket Week would be in the last full week of July. Therefore in 2010, their cricket week was scheduled to start on Monday 26 July – and on the day of the game, RUC was in the air – bound for Turkey.

Even though Jeremy Dangerfield had advised of his non-availability two months before the game, a squad of 13 had been assembled two weeks before the game. And then the fun began. Ten days in advance Stuart Cradock became the first of four to cry off because of work commitments, but when in the week before the game he was joined by RBL, Ben Hartford and Alvin Durgacharan, Plan B was put into operation and we still had a full 11 on Saturday morning. On Sunday morning both Adrian Carr and Shaun Flook reported injuries from their Saturday exertions, but fortunately for me, Southgate were playing a six-a-side at Buckingham on the Sunday, and two of the six (who were not already in the side to play at Hertford) were recruited to bring us back to 11.

In addition, we had a minor concern that Chris Thompson, who had captained the opposition in both 2008 and 2009 was not playing – and that we might end up fielding first!! But despite my tossing being no better than that of the First XI captain – we were inserted by Steve Benford, the Hertford captain for 2010.

The two Sunday morning recruits, Omair Ali and Tom Edrich, opened for us, but were both dismissed in the fourth over, leaving us 13 for 2. Despite Adam Vinson and Faisal Mir starting the rebuilding process, neither got past the 20s, and with Rob Johnson being run out in the 34th over, we lunched at a precarious 118 for 5. But just as we had a selection Plan B, the batting Plan B went into overdrive as Jamie Wilson (65) and Phil Dunnett (67) put on 97 for the sixth wicket. For once the tail had to bat in this game and it wagged, adding another 50 runs in ten overs before our declaration at 267 for 9 off 60 overs. Considerably later than in the last two years when we had declared in the 45th and 50th overs – but described by the Hertford match report as “a fair declaration”.

With Faisal protecting his hamstring and Flooky having cried off the day before, it meant that the new ball was entrusted to Jamie W (who was swinging it) and Phil D (who was slinging it) – but to no avail, despite the attacking fields set. While both had perfectly reasonable bowling figures, it was not long before our 16-year-old spin twins – Ashley Sivarajah and Paul Lassman were brought into the attack. Ashley made the breakthrough when our ‘before tea’ keeper Tom Edrich took a catch behind the stumps, and the second wicket fell when Paul deflected a rocket of a straight drive into the stumps with the batsman out of his ground. Given the direction and speed of the shot, Andrew Parkin (Bob Cole’s replacement as umpire) was taking evasive action and didn’t fully see what had happened. Fortunately for us, Jack Anderson the Hertford number 3 asked Paul whether he had got a hand on the ball, and when Paul said he had, Jack put his bat under his arm and walked off. In the next over, Faisal took a catch at gulley off Ashley, and Hertford took tea at 100 for 3 off 19 overs – ten runs less than the 110 for 3 I had wanted in my conversation with anybody who was prepared to listen some five overs before!

After tea, Paul induced their skipper to slap one straight to Rob J at extra cover and when Faisal ran out Will Ray, who had made 75, they were 115 for 5. For a little variety, our third teenage spinner, Tom Edrich, was brought into the attack, and Tom and Ashley bowled perfectly to the master plan. When Ashley was finally rested, the three teenage spinners had bowled 30 overs in tandem – conceding 120 runs and taking five wickets. Adam Vinson was then introduced to the attack and despite wanting his long on and long off on the boundary, he was over-ruled and the decision paid immediate dividends as the big-hitting Will Bancroft, who had scored 27 off a similar number of balls, miscued to Paul L at mid off. While this left Hertford at 158 for 6, it brought Adam Carlson (who scored 145 in last year’s game) to the wicket and with 20-plus overs still to bowl, we knew it was very much game on.

However, as George Pavey had got a little bogged down at the other end, Ashley S was re-introduced and this paid dividends as Phil D took the first of his two stumpings to remove him.  The ten overs Ashley and Tom bowled together in the middle of the last 20 went perfectly for us as Ashley combined yet again with Phil to remove the dangerous Adam Carlson for 47, but our attacking fields meant that Hertford only needed 32 off the last six overs with two wickets left.

In the first three of those six, we conceded just five runs – Rob J’s over costing just one run – and Ashley’s five-wicket haul was completed when Jamie W took an excellent catch at slip. However, Dan Ashley had been whirling his arms in the outfield for some considerable time – and his time arrived with Hertford nine down. Despite having a confident lbw shout turned down first ball, he conceded ten runs in his first over, keeping Hertford in touch. With Ashley conceding six in his last over – some of which he bowled to his friend, Hesh Abeywickrema, Hertford needed nine off the last over to complete would have been a famous victory. As Danno tells it “If they had needed ten or more off the last over, we would have had to use an occasional bowler, but as it was only nine, there was only one man for the job.’ Danno’s first ball was hit just wide of Faisal at extra cover, and ignoring the hamstring injury, Faisal swooped and returned the ball to Danno to run Hesh out and complete a Southgate victory by eight runs.

In the absence of Robert Urquhart, Martin Fletcher presented the Hertgate Trophy to the winning captain. This means that we have won the Trophy ten times in sixteen years, having lost five games, with a no contest in 2004. There have been some fantastic games in that time – but no draws – and this was yet another excellent contest between two (relatively) evenly matched sides, scoring over 520 runs between them.

For once, our side only had four players the wrong side of 30, and the performances of our four teenagers – Phil, Tom, Ashley and Paul – were really encouraging and they made significant contributions to our victory. Again, can I thank Andrew Parkin and Geoff Burton for umpiring and scoring, respectively, and of course we must thank the players, officials and supporters of Hertford Cricket Club for their fantastic hospitality. As I said when accepting the trophy, the real winner was the spirit of cricket, exemplified by Jack Anderson  who walked after being advised by Paul L that he had deflected the batsman’s drive onto the stumps.

Whilst RUC was missed it was not by the captain, who is continually reminded of his two centuries over the last two years – his two dropped catches costing 136 and 111 respectively – and is pleased to note that his 8 not out off just three balls this year (for you Twenty20 stattos it is a strike rate of 267%) was the difference between winning and the game ending in a tie!!

Roll on 2011 – and for the benefit of those booking holidays, it will be played on Monday 25 July! Geoff Blackmore

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And finally

Thanks to everyone who has contributed to the Geoff Slipper tribute on the website. If you haven’t already had a look, go there now and, if you like, leave a comment.

Have a prosperous weekend.