🦆 The Duck Pond

Two fixtures, three ducks, and Linton Park CC on the receiving end of both wickets taken against opposition wearing our own colours — the annual Married v Unknown affair rolled round again, and the exclusive zero club welcomed its usual trickle of new business. Unknown XI v Linton Park CC Tim Thirkell continued his long and distinguished residency at the top table, caught Mike Bains bowled Steve Cheesman for his 2nd duck of the season and 61st of a career that now sits 4th on the all-time list of 1,119 unfortunates. A genuine club institution — Duck of the Year 1972, a place in the Ducks on the Road and Homebody Duck top tens, and the small matter of a Full House, having now been dismissed for nought from every position 1 through 11, a feat of comprehensive uselessness few will ever match. The Thirkell name runs deep in these records too: brother Nigel (42 career ducks) is currently propping up this very season's top five, siblings Simon (23) and Stuart (1) also paid-up members, and father John leads the clan on 90. On this very day in 1988, Paul Sendles was going through an identical ordeal down at Hastings & St Leonards Priory CC — misery, it seems, keeps a calendar. Nick Froom fared little better, run out without troubling the scorers for his 1st senior duck from just 5 innings — no fault of his own bat, more a mix-up in the middle, but the ledger doesn't do nuance. Curiously, he too finds a kindred spirit in Paul Sendles' Hastings misadventure of this same date twelve months prior. Married v Linton Park CC Allan Cooper was bowled by Piers McDonald for his 1st duck of the season, his 38th in senior colours, keeping him handsomely placed at 11th all-time. Allan's honours board reads like a lonely hearts column of Only Two Quacks entries — paired historically with Jim Hall, Jon Harris and Trevor Back, though none of that trio troubled the scorers this week to make it a reunion. And, fittingly, Allan joins the growing 1 October chorus line behind Paul Sendles' 1988 special at Hastings. Week in Summary Three ducks from two matches, and Linton Park CC did the damage in both — some will call it a coincidence, others a conspiracy. No pairs, no king pairs, no family affairs this time round, just three honest men walking back for nought in reasonably good company. Duck Hunting Season leaderboard - Matt Large — 4 ducks in 19 innings (21.05%) - Dave Charlton — 3 ducks in 11 innings (27.27%) - Peter Whyte — 3 ducks in 30 innings (10.0%) - Nigel Thirkell — 3 ducks in 36 innings (8.33%) - Ron Kemp — 2 ducks in 4 innings (50.0%) 🍩 The season race remains wide open, Ron Kemp quietly posting the most alarming strike rate of the lot. Next fixture awaits — pads on, bats ready, and the zero club stands by to welcome its next member. 🦆🏏0️⃣

As the season winds toward its close, the ducks proved a shy quarry this week — just the one bagged from two fixtures. Quality over quantity, as they say in the exclusive zero club. Saturday – 1st XI v Anchorians CC (Home) Piers McDonald, in at five, departed lbw to Barry Diplock without troubling the scorers — the second duck of his season and the fourth of his LPCC career from 46 innings, installing him at 141 of 1119 in the all-time standings. A fully paid-up member of both the Lone Duck and Tourist Duck top 10s, Piers continues his season-long audition for the honours board with the quiet consistency of a man who has made not scoring something of a speciality. Neatly enough, on this very day back in 1977, none other than Jim Hall was doing exactly the same thing — falling for nought, en route to a career haul of 68 ducks that still sits him at a mighty 2nd of 1119 all time. A three-time Duck of the Year (1970, 1977 and 1985) and a man who found the art of not scoring on debut and never quite let go, Hall remains the standard by which all Linton failure is measured. Piers has some way to go to catch him, but every journey to immortality begins with a single lbw. The 1s' Sunday outing, and the club's other fixture across the period, passed off entirely fowl-free — eleven batters apiece, not a quack to be heard. Week in Summary A tidy little haul of one duck from two matches — the ducks, it seems, took the last weekend of September off. Still, one is all it takes to keep the honours boards ticking over, and Piers McDonald has done his bit for the cause. Duck Hunting Season leaderboard - Matt Large — 4 ducks / 18 innings (22.22%) - Dave Charlton — 3 ducks / 11 innings (27.27%) - Peter Whyte — 3 ducks / 28 innings (10.71%) - Nigel Thirkell — 3 ducks / 33 innings (9.09%) - Ron Kemp — 2 ducks / 4 innings (50.00%) Ron Kemp's 50% strike rate remains one to admire from a safe distance, while Matt Large sits pretty atop the pile heading into the season's final stretch. That's your lot for this period, but the ducks never sleep for long — roll on the next fixture, and with it, no doubt, fresh additions to the roll of dubious honour. 🦆🍩

A single fixture on the books this week, and — brace yourselves — not a single one of our own troubled the umpire's raised finger for nought. The 1989 season's harvest sits untouched for once, the exclusive zero club left to twiddle its webbed thumbs on the sidelines. It happens. Even the most dedicated congregation of the scoreless needs the odd week off, and Linton Park's batting order apparently decided, en masse, to actually trouble the scorers. Whether this represents a genuine outbreak of competence or merely a temporary ceasefire in hostilities against the number zero remains to be seen. The Duck Club committee views it with polite suspicion. Rest assured, the ducks have not retired — they are merely regrouping, sharpening their beaks, and waiting for a rash shot or an unplayable yorker to bring them out of hibernation. Normal service, we are confident, will resume shortly. Duck Hunting Season leaderboard - Matt Large — 4 ducks from 18 innings (22.22%) - Dave Charlton — 3 ducks from 11 innings (27.27%) - Peter Whyte — 3 ducks from 27 innings (11.11%) - Nigel Thirkell — 3 ducks from 31 innings (9.68%) - Ron Kemp — 2 ducks from just 4 innings, a truly alarming 50% strike rate Ron Kemp's figures deserve a special mention here — two ducks from four trips to the crease is the kind of consistency of a very particular kind that the club exists to celebrate. Keep it up, Ron, membership beckons. 📅 Looking ahead With the ducks lying dormant this week, all eyes turn to the next fixture. Matt Large leads the chase for Duck of the Year honours, but Dave Charlton's blistering conversion rate suggests this contest is far from settled. Somewhere out there, a Linton Park batsman is shouldering arms to a straight one, or shuffling across their stumps for a fatal lbw, just waiting for their moment of dubious glory. We watch. We wait. We celebrate — next week, no doubt, will not disappoint. 🦆0️⃣

Two fixtures on the books this stretch, and the exclusive zero club opened its doors exactly once — but when it did, it did so with real conviction. 🏏 Saturday 9th — 1st XI away at Sibton Park CC The top order set the tone early. Trevor Back, promoted to number 2, departed caught Andy Allon bowled S Stickles for his first duck of the season and the 29th of an increasingly distinguished career — 22nd on the all-time list of 1,119. Trevor arrives here a paid-up committee man of ducking, a fixture of the Ducks on the Road and Homebody Duck top tens, and a proud half of two standing partnerships on the honours board, Only Two Quacks with Allan Cooper and Quacking Together with Jon Harris. Fittingly, on this very day in 1955 — thirty-four years to the week — John "-'s" Taylor was walking back for nought of his own against Old Roffensians, en route to 15 career ducks across his 1949–1963 span. History, it seems, keeps a diary. Down at number 8, Alan Boyns followed suit, caught S Stickles bowled S Butler, his second duck of the season and eighth of his career from just 59 innings — 77th on the all-time roll. A tidier statistical footprint than his captain's, but the same instinct for arriving and departing without incident, and he too shares this day's spectral company with the 1955 vintage. And to round out a collapse that reached all the way to the tail, Matt Large — caught David Stewart bowled S Butler at number 10 — logged his fourth duck of the season, his 22nd overall, and moves to 35th of 1,119 in the all-time table. Matt is no stranger to this fixture list: a three-time reigning Duck of the Year for 1987, 1988 and now 1989 — a hat-trick very much alive this very season — plus a Debutante Duck (he ducked on debut, long before this week's effort) and a nearly-man for the Full House, having now visited 10 of the 11 batting positions in pursuit of the complete set. Like his top-order colleagues, the ghost of 1955's Old Roffensians duck kept him company on the walk back. Three wickets, three ducks, positions 2 through 10 — a proper top-to-tail collapse, and a rare instance of an entire batting card haunted by the same 34-year-old echo. Sunday's other fixture, mercifully for the scorers, stayed vegan — not a duck in sight. 📊 Week in summary: 3 ducks from 2 matches, all in the same innings at Sibton Park CC. Consistency of a very particular kind. 🥇 Duck Hunting Season leaderboard 1. Matt Large — 4 ducks / 18 innings (22.2%) 2. Dave Charlton — 3 ducks / 11 innings (27.3%) 3. Peter Whyte — 3 ducks / 26 innings (11.5%) 4. Nigel Thirkell — 3 ducks / 30 innings (10.0%) 5. Ron Kemp — 2 ducks / 4 innings (50.0%) Ron Kemp's strike rate remains the one to fear. Roll on the next fixture — the club always finds room for a few more members.

Greetings from the far south-west, where the Tour XI ventured deep into Cornish territory and discovered that Beacon CC's bowling — and, on two occasions, Tour XI's own running between the wickets — travels rather better than the batting did. Of the two fixtures played on this leg of the tour, it was the trip to Beacon CC that yielded the quacking, and yielded it in some style: four ducks in a single innings, a proper collection for the away kitbag. 🏏 Tour XI at Beacon CC Peter Whyte, in early at first drop, departed c Bryn Martin b S Harris for his 3rd duck of the season and 7th of an increasingly distinguished career, from 57 innings — 95th in the all-time reckoning. Curiously, on this very day back in 1972, Benny Bell (1966–1975, 30 ducks, 18th all-time) was also nought not out against Staplehurst CC. The 3rd of September, it seems, has form. Mark Stevenson followed him back not long after, bowled S Harris for a second-ball-of-the-season nought, his 2nd career duck from a tidy 22 innings, 242nd of 1119 on the club's grim all-time roll. And — remarkably — on this same date in 1972, Benny Bell was, once again, doing precisely the same thing against Staplehurst. The calendar has clearly got a taste for it. Down at seven, Mike Bains was run out — the scorer noting only "Unsure," which tells its own story — for his 2nd duck of the season and career alike, from 16 innings, 243rd all-time. And yes, 3rd September 1972 strikes a third time: Benny Bell, same duck, same date, seventeen years apart in spirit if nothing else. David Castle then joined him in the run-out queue, also given "Unsure," for his 2nd duck of this season and 13th of a long and storied career across 190 innings — good enough for 48th all-time and a paid-up place on the Tourist Duck top 10, appropriately enough for a man doing his damage on tour. Benny Bell, 1972, Staplehurst CC, once more — by now the date itself deserves an honorary membership. Whatever the mix-up was that claimed Bains and Castle in quick succession, it clearly ran in the family of misfortune rather than the family of relatives — no shared surnames here, just shared bad luck. 📊 Week in Summary Four ducks, one unfortunate Cornish afternoon, and a running theme — quite literally — of mix-ups in the middle. Two clean bowled, two run out in confusion, and not a golden duck among them, so at least everyone had the decency to trouble the scorers for a ball or two before the inevitable. Duck Hunting Season leaderboard 🥇 1. Dave Charlton — 3 ducks / 10 innings (30.0%) 2. Matt Large — 3 ducks / 17 innings (17.65%) 3. Peter Whyte — 3 ducks / 25 innings (12.0%) 4. Nigel Thirkell — 3 ducks / 29 innings (10.34%) 5. Ron Kemp — 2 ducks / 4 innings (50.0%) Peter Whyte's afternoon at Beacon CC keeps him lodged in the season's top three — a podium finish nobody actually wants. 🦆 The tour rolls on, and so, evidently, does the Duck Club. Next fixture, same risk, same reward — see you in the exclusive zero club.

Five ducks laid across five matches this week as the tourists made hay abroad and Bearsted did the honours at home. The exclusive zero club welcomes a fresh intake. 🏏 1st XI v Bearsted CC (28 August) Nigel Thirkell fell at three, caught Bateman off Chandrasekera, for his 3rd duck of the season and 42nd of an extraordinary career — 9th in the all-time table from 669 innings. Duck of the Year back in 1986, and one half of "Only Two Quacks" with club great Jim Hall. It rather runs in the family: father John Thirkell tops the all-time list outright on 90, brother Tim sits 4th on 60, and brother Simon isn't far behind on 23 — a Thirkell dynasty built on the art of not scoring. On this very day in 1974, Roland Parr also strolled back for nought against Gravesend CC. Batting at nine, Sean Charlton joined him in the column, bowled by Chandrasekera for his 1st duck of the season and 3rd career, 184th in the all-time reckoning. Sean is a paid-up Debutante Duck club member from his first-ever knock — and keeps it in the family, with brother Dave Charlton already prowling the top of this season's leaderboard. Sean shares Nigel's on-this-day company in Roland Parr, 1974 vintage. ✈️ Tour XI — Falmouth and Troon Touring duty proved no protection. Against Falmouth CC on the 29th, Stewart Morrison was caught behind off Steven Young at five, his 1st duck of the season and 6th career, 109th on the all-time table, and a Lone Duck top-tenner besides. Stan Wratten made a duck on this very date back in 1954, against D Hambrook XI. Two batters later, Tim Lush followed him back at nine, caught Gimpson bowled Young, and did so in some style — this was his very first senior innings for the club. A Debutante Duck the moment he walked out, now ranked 501 of 1119, with the whole career still ahead of him. He shares Stewart's on-this-day company in Stan Wratten, 1954. Then on to Troon CC on the 31st, where Piers McDonald was caught Dunstan bowled Williams at four for his 1st duck of the season and 3rd career, 177th all-time, and another name on the Lone Duck and Tourist Duck top tens. Allan Cooper made his own duck on this date back in 1980, against Staplehurst CC. 📋 The Week in Brief Five ducks, five matches, honours shared fairly between home soil and away fixtures — Bearsted, Falmouth and Troon each claimed a scalp. No pairs, no king pairs, and the family honours boards stayed untroubled this week, though the Thirkells and Charltons both proved the gene runs strong. Duck Hunting Season Leaderboard 1. Dave Charlton — 3 ducks in 10 innings (30.0%) 2. Matt Large — 3 ducks in 17 innings (17.65%) 3. Nigel Thirkell — 3 ducks in 28 innings (10.71%) 4. Ron Kemp — 2 ducks in 4 innings (50.0%) 5. Simon Thirkell — 2 ducks in 9 innings (22.22%) Two Thirkells in the season's top five — a family affair at the top of the table — while Dave Charlton leads the chase with brother Sean now also on the board. The next fixtures await, and with them, no doubt, further contributions to the cause. See you at the crease. 🦆🍩

A quiet weekend on the Duck Club front, members. Two fixtures came and went across Saturday and Sunday, and — remarkably — not a single soul troubled the scorers for nought. Eleven-strong Linton XIs turning out twice over and the zero club couldn't land a single new recruit. The ducks, it seems, took the weekend off. Whether this represents a triumph of application at the crease or simply a shortage of victims for the bowlers, the archive cannot say. Either way, the exclusive zero club remains exactly as exclusive as it was on Friday — no new members, no fresh ignominy, nothing to report. Even the art of not scoring needs a day of rest occasionally. Still, the season's charge for Duck of the Year rolls on regardless, and this lull will do nothing to cool the top of the table. A blank weekend is not a truce — merely a pause before the next collapse. 🍩 Duck Hunting Season leaderboard 1. Dave Charlton — 9 innings, 3 ducks (33.33%) 2. Matt Large — 13 innings, 3 ducks (23.08%) 3. Ron Kemp — 4 innings, 2 ducks (50.0%) 4. Simon Thirkell — 7 innings, 2 ducks (28.57%) 5. Peter Whyte — 18 innings, 2 ducks (11.11%) Ron Kemp's 50% strike rate remains the statistical marvel of the season so far — a genuine coin-flip every time he walks out. Dave Charlton and Matt Large keep pace at the summit, level on three apiece, while Peter Whyte quietly accumulates volume with eighteen innings under his belt and no sign of slowing his collection. 📅 Onwards to the next fixture, then, where normal service will surely resume. The bowlers will be back, the bats will be nervous, and the honours board waits patiently for its next name. Pads on, guard taken, fingers crossed for the club — though not, of course, for the batsmen. 0️⃣🦆

A restrained couple of days for the wider club, but the exclusive zero club still processed two fresh entries from the 1st XI over the weekend, one against Headcorn and one against Benenden. 🏏 1st XI Saturday at Headcorn CC saw Simon Thirkell depart for his 2nd duck of the season, caught Mick Everitt off the bowling of Rob Mansell batting at number 8. It's his 23rd career duck from 93 innings, good enough to hold 32nd spot in the all-time list of 1,117 names, and he arrives with pedigree attached — Duck of the Year 1983, a place among the Ducks on the Road and Tourist Duck elites, and 59 career noughts logged on the 50 Before a 50 board against a high score of just 48. Triumph through adversity, truly. Consistency of a very particular kind runs in the family too: father John sits on 90 career ducks, brothers Tim and Nigel on 60 and 41 respectively, and family member Stuart Thirkell has just the one to his name so far — plenty of scope to catch up. On this very date back in 1970, Mike Iliffe was doing exactly the same thing against Gravesend CC, part of a career haul of 43 that still holds him 8th on the all-time roll. Some traditions simply refuse to die. Sunday's trip to Benenden CC claimed Dave Charlton, run out for nought at number 2, the identity of the fielder lost to history along with the run. It's his 3rd duck of the campaign and 4th of a still-young career, 15 innings deep, which lands him 130th on the club's long and dishonourable list. Brother Sean is already on the board with 2 career ducks of his own, so the Charltons look to be quietly building a dynasty of their own. And on this same date in 1960, Pat Hardwick was doing his own bit against Bowaters CC, a performance that helped earn him the Duck of the Year title that season — the calendar has a long memory. 📊 Week in Summary Two matches, two ducks, one apiece — a modest haul by Duck Club standards, but both arriving with proper credentials. No pairs and no family affairs this time, just two lone campaigners doing their duty for the art of not scoring. 🏆 Duck Hunting Season Leaderboard - Dave Charlton — 3 ducks / 9 innings (33.3%) - Matt Large — 3 ducks / 13 innings (23.1%) - Ron Kemp — 2 ducks / 4 innings (50.0%) - Simon Thirkell — 2 ducks / 7 innings (28.6%) - Peter Whyte — 2 ducks / 16 innings (12.5%) Dave Charlton takes the honours twice over this week — top of both the weekend's card and the season's table. With Ron Kemp lurking on a frankly alarming 50% strike rate, the race for Duck of the Year is very much alive. 🦆 The season rolls on. Same invitation as ever stands for next weekend: middle stump, first ball, and a reserved seat in the honours book. See you out there.

A quieter week for the exclusive zero club, but quality over quantity as ever — three ducks across four fixtures, including a fresh face making the most inauspicious of first impressions. ☀️ Sunday 6th August — 1st XI v Chadwell Thors Oak CC A curious symmetry at the crease this weekend, as two Linton batsmen fell to the identical combination of c Manning b Hewson within the same innings — proof, if any were needed, that misery does love company. First to go was Dave Charlton, holing out at number five for his 2nd duck of the season and 3rd of an increasingly eventful career, moving to 156th of 1117 in the all-time standings from just 13 innings. Dave shares a surname with the noughts if not (yet) the numbers — sibling Sean Charlton already carries 2 career ducks of his own, so the family ledger is filling in nicely. On this very day in 1975, Paul Brattle was doing much the same against Sennocke CC, en route to 25 career ducks (28th all-time) and a place on the Debutante Duck board. Moments later, Peter Whyte followed him back for his own 2nd duck of the season, his 6th overall, sliding to 108th of 1117 from 48 innings. Peter, too, finds himself keeping company with Paul Brattle's ghost of 1975 — the calendar clearly has a soft spot for Sennocke CC ducks. 🌙 Thursday 10th August — Midweek XI v Mundford CC The Midweek fixture at Mundford produced a full initiation ceremony, as Keith Francis marked his very first senior innings — three balls survived, then bowled by T Sizer — with a duck on debut. A genuine arrival into the club's most dubious of traditions, Keith goes straight onto the Debutante Duck board, his opening account reading 1 duck from 1 innings, 420th of 1117 all-time. Not the start he'd have scripted, but the Duck Club welcomes him warmly all the same. On this day in 1958, Roy Clarke suffered similarly against Harrietsham CC on his way to a mighty 40 career ducks, the Duck of the Year crown in 1959, and a shared Quacking Together entry alongside the legendary John Ames — exalted company for a first outing. 📊 Week in Summary Three ducks from four matches, with the 1st XI supplying a matching pair against Chadwell Thors Oak and the Midweek boys inducting a brand new member into the fold. A tidy, unspectacular week by Duck Club standards — but the season race remains very much alive. 🏆 Duck Hunting Season Leaderboard - Matt Large — 3 ducks, 11 innings (27.27%) - Ron Kemp — 2 ducks, 4 innings (50.00%) - Dave Charlton — 2 ducks, 7 innings (28.57%) - Peter Whyte — 2 ducks, 16 innings (12.50%) - Nigel Thirkell — 2 ducks, 22 innings (9.09%) Ron Kemp's 50% strike rate remains the most alarming figure on the board — a coin toss with a bat in hand. Meanwhile the chasing pack is stacked and ready to pounce on Matt Large's lead. 🦆 Until the next fixture, when the middle order will once again be tested and, in all likelihood, found gloriously wanting. Get your ducks in a row, Linton.

A quieter week in the hunting grounds, but the exclusive zero club still found three new members to welcome through Bearsted, The Mote and Moreton. Quality over quantity, as ever, in the art of not scoring. 🏏 1st XI Away at Hollingbourne CC on the 29th, Matt Large strolled to the crease at number 10 and departed as briskly as he arrived, c Geoff Griffiths b Dave Kay. It's his 3rd duck of the season and 21st for his career, good enough for 36th on the all-time list of 1,116. A two-time reigning Duck of the Year (1987 and 1988), and on the current season standings below he's setting the early pace to make it three titles on the spin. He remains a nearly-man on the Full House board too, still hunting that elusive duck at every position from 1 to 11, and is a fixture of the Ducks on the Road, Homebody Duck and Lone Duck top 10s besides. On this very day back in 1963, Gordon Fenner (34 career ducks, 1941–1973, 15th all-time) was also trudging off against Birkenhead Grasshoppers CC — some things never change. The very next day at The Mote, Nigel Thirkell fell for nought at number 3, c Neil Tillott b Bruce Nissen. His 2nd of the season and 41st of his career lifts him to a mighty 9th on the all-time table. A former Duck of the Year (1986), a paid-up member of the Homebody and Tourist top 10s, and one half of Only Two Quacks with Jim Hall. Nigel also carries the family name proudly — his father John Thirkell sits top of the entire club's all-time list with 90 ducks, while siblings Tim (60, 4th all-time) and Simon (22) and cousin Stuart (1) round out cricket's most committed duck dynasty. On this day in 1972, Andrew Moss made his own nought against Glynde & Beddingham CC, one of 10 in a career that ran 1968 to 1987. ⏰ Midweek XI At home to Moreton CC on the 3rd, Ron Kemp was trapped lbw by T Murley batting at number 8. Tidy symmetry here — it's his 2nd duck of the season and, remarkably, only his 2nd in 15 senior innings altogether, keeping him 257th on the all-time roll. Ron is already a card-carrying member of the Retirement Duck club from a previous innings' farewell, long before this one. On this day back in 1952, Gordon Fenner was also making a habit of it — one of the 34 that took him to 15th on the all-time list across a career running 1941 to 1973. 📊 Week in Summary Three matches, three ducks, no pairs and no family affairs to report this time round — the Duck Club's bloodline categories will have to wait for next weekend. Still, with Matt Large motoring towards a third straight Duck of the Year and the Thirkell name appearing twice over on the honours boards, consistency of a very particular kind remains alive and well at Linton Park. 🏆 Duck Hunting Season leaderboard - Matt Large — 3 ducks / 11 innings (27.27%) - Ron Kemp — 2 ducks / 4 innings (50.00%) - Nigel Thirkell — 2 ducks / 21 innings (9.52%) - Adrian Simmonds — 1 duck / 1 innings (100%) - D Sharp — 1 duck / 1 innings (100%) Triumph through adversity continues next weekend — bats at the ready, ducks at large. See you out there. 🦆🏏0️⃣

Four fixtures, four ducks, and one repeat offender making sure the week didn't pass quietly. Welcome to this week's gathering of the exclusive zero club. Saturday 22nd July 1st XI v Gravesend CC — Matt Large opened his account for the season in the least welcome way, caught D Sancto bowled Mark Mullins without troubling the scorers. His 1st duck of 1989 and 19th of a distinguished career, level with Tony Snell (1952–1960, 19 in 58 innings) and sitting 37th of 1116 in the all-time table. On this very day in 1973, Cliff Anscombe was doing much the same against Sevenoaks Vine CC — some traditions run deep. Matt remains a fixture of the Duck of the Year honours in 1987, 1988 and now chasing a hat-trick in 1989, and is one position shy of completing the Full House — duck at every batting slot 1 to 11. Sunday 23rd July Sunday NVKC v Hambledon CC, Hants — a grim afternoon at the top and bottom of the order alike. Opener David Castle, of all people, was bowled by Colin Pay for nought, his 1st duck of the season and 12th of his career, drawing him into the same company as Bert Buckoke (1928–1953) and Jack Fryer (1881–1906), both also parked on a dozen. He climbs to 52nd of 1116 all time and remains a paid-up member of the Tourist Duck top 10. Moments later Dave Charlton fell to the very same bowler, same dismissal, for his 1st duck of the season and 2nd career nought from just 11 innings — a chip off the old block, with sibling Sean Charlton also carrying 2 career ducks of his own. Both Hambledon victims share their parallel with Brian Relf, whose duck against Tovil on this day in 1960 is now nearly three decades old but clearly still fashionable. Monday 24th July Midweek XI v Coleshill CC, Warks — and there he was again. Matt Large, fresh from Saturday's disappointment, edged behind off N White to A McWalter for his 2nd duck of the week and 20th of his career, completing a proper pair inside 48 hours. A grim double, though mercifully not the king pair — he did trouble the umpire for at least one delivery each time. This one echoes Frank Brattle's duck against Folkestone CC on this day in 1960, and keeps Matt firmly perched in the Ducks on the Road and Homebody Duck top 10s — a man equally capable of failing home or away. Week in summary Four matches, four ducks, one determined repeat customer. Consistency of a very particular kind from Matt Large, who alone accounts for half the week's harvest, while Hambledon claimed a top-and-tail double at NVKC. Triumph through adversity, as ever. 🏆 Duck Hunting Season leaderboard - Matt Large — 10 innings, 2 ducks, 20% - Adrian Simmonds — 1 innings, 1 duck, 100% - D Sharp — 1 innings, 1 duck, 100% - Martin Mears — 1 innings, 1 duck, 100% - Paul Stevens — 1 innings, 1 duck, 100% Plenty of room still to break into that top five before the season's out. Next fixture awaits — bats at the ready, ducks on standby. 🦆🏏0️⃣

Four fixtures out on the paddock this week and the ducks, on the whole, made themselves scarce. Only one soul answered the call of the exclusive zero club — but he did it with proper old-school application, so let's give him his due. 🏏 1st XI — Folkestone CC (away), 16th July Paul Gibson, first drop and presumably feeling confident about it, was undone by the sharpest of combinations — caught Peter Hodges, bowled Paul Downey — for the first duck of his season. It's his 13th career duck from 172 innings, a tally that plants him firmly at 49th of 1,115 in the all-time standings. Consistency of a very particular kind. On this very day back in 1960, Gordon Fenner — a Linton stalwart of 1941–1973 fame, and himself sat 15th all-time on 34 — was also trudging back to the pavilion for nought, against Rumwood CC. Some things about July simply don't change. 📋 Week in Summary One duck from four completed matches is a lean return by Duck Club standards — the other three sides evidently kept their discipline, or their luck, intact. Still, a duck's a duck, and Paul Gibson has ensured the season's honours board isn't gathering dust. Early days yet — plenty of season left for the rest of the club to catch him up. 🥇 Duck Hunting Season Leaderboard — Top 5 - Adrian Simmonds — 1 innings, 1 duck (100%) - D Sharp — 1 innings, 1 duck (100%) - Martin Mears — 1 innings, 1 duck (100%) - Paul Stevens — 1 innings, 1 duck (100%) - Trevor Hales — 1 innings, 1 duck (100%) A leaderboard in a dead heat five ways — everyone at a flawless 100%, which is either an embarrassment of riches or just very early season maths. Someone will need to blink first. 🍩 Next fixture beckons, and with it, more opportunities for triumph through adversity. The art of not scoring waits for no one — see you at the crease. 0️⃣🦆

Three fixtures, six ducks, and the exclusive zero club welcomes a fresh clutch of members this week. Saturday 8th — 1st XI v Staplehurst CC Jim Hall departed caught and bowled by P Dickens, chalking up his 1st duck of the season and a staggering 68th of his career — good enough for 2nd on the all-time list, a whisker behind the legendary John Thirkell. Jim remains a cornerstone of the honours board: three-time Duck of the Year (1970, 1977, 1985), a Full House nearly-man on 10 of 11 positions, and a charter member of Only Two Quacks and Quacking Together with half the club's roll of honour. On this very day in 1975, John Thirkell — the club's all-time No.1 with 90 ducks, who played from 1943 to 1977 — also strolled back for nought against West Farleigh CC. Some traditions simply endure. Sunday 9th — NVKC v Blackheath CC, Surrey Brian Piper edged behind to Blackheath's H Heard off J Card, his 1st duck of the season and 16th for the club from 258 innings — a steady, unfussy accumulator's rate. His sibling David Piper is no stranger to the club either, with 7 career ducks of his own, so the nought clearly runs in the family. On this day back in 1902, F E Wallis — who played between 1887 and 1908 and finished with 4 career ducks — was doing exactly the same thing against Town Malling CC. Wednesday 12th — Midweek XI v Gravesend CC A proper collapse at Gravesend saw four Linton batsmen queue up for the zero club in a single innings. Mike Bains fell caught behind off David Lackford for his 1st ever club duck from just 10 innings. On this day in 1964, Len Conway — 12 ducks across an eleven-year career — was doing likewise against the travelling Claributs Circus. Simon Hammond followed, trapped lbw by Ben Williams, also his maiden club duck. Simon is already a paid-up member of the Retirement Duck club from a past farewell innings, and keeps it in the family too — his relative Ian Hammond carries a career duck of his own. Simon Thirkell then fell caught and bowled by Lackford, his 1st of the season and 22nd of a Thirkell dynasty that dominates this report almost as thoroughly as it dominates the club: father John (90 career ducks), siblings Tim (60) and Nigel (40), and cousin Stuart (1) all feature on the honours boards. Simon himself is a Duck of the Year alumnus (1983) and a proud member of the rarefied 50 Before a 50 club. He now draws level on 22 with Alan Wilkes, who reached the same mark across 96 innings between 1953 and 1978. And to complete the rout, debutant D Sharp fell lbw to Lackford in his very first senior innings — a genuine golden entry onto the Debutante Duck board. He now sits, delightfully or ominously, on the brink of both One and Done and the presumptively-titled Retirement Duck club. We shall reserve judgement until he bats again. Week in summary Six ducks from three matches, four of them arriving in one grim Gravesend innings — proof, if any were needed, that ducks do indeed travel in flocks. The art of not scoring remains alive and well at Linton Park. Duck Hunting Season leaderboard 🥇 Adrian Simmonds — 1 innings, 1 duck, 100% 🥇 D Sharp — 1 innings, 1 duck, 100% 🥇 Martin Mears — 1 innings, 1 duck, 100% 🥇 Paul Stevens — 1 innings, 1 duck, 100% 🥇 Ron Kemp — 1 innings, 1 duck, 100% Early season, and the entire top five sit on a perfect record of imperfection. Plenty of time for someone to break away — or for more names to join them. Roll on the next fixture, where the zero club always has room for one more. 🦆🏏0️⃣

Two fixtures out on the paddock this weekend and the ducks, true to form, kept mostly to themselves — bar one very determined visitor at Meopham. 🏏 Saturday — 1st XI at Meopham CC Coming in at number 8 with the innings needing steadying, Trevor Hales instead found Jimmy Ward's bowling far too persuasive, departing bowled for nought. It's his 1st duck of the 1989 season and the 3rd of a career now standing at 7 innings — enough to install him at 185th of 1112 in the all-time roll of dishonour. Trevor is also a long-standing member of the Retirement Duck honours board, having bowed out on a duck at some point in his LPCC career — a badge worn quietly rather than earned again today. Fittingly, he keeps it in the family too: both Dave Hales and Andrew Hales carry two career ducks apiece, so the Hales name is no stranger to the exclusive zero club. Neatly enough, on this very day back in 1962, Len Conway also strolled back for nought — against Tilling Steven of all sides — en route to a career haul of 12 ducks (1954–1965), good for 52nd of 1112 all-time and a fellow member of the Debutante Duck club. Ninety-two years apart, same fate, same date. 🌱 The other fixture Elsewhere over the two days the ducks proved frustratingly elusive — a rare weekend where the opposition bowlers simply couldn't get one over the line. Enjoy it while it lasts. 📋 Week in Summary Just the one duck recorded from two matches this period — a lean weekend by Duck Club standards, but quality over quantity, and Trevor's effort keeps the season ticking over nicely. 🥇 Duck Hunting Season Leaderboard All square at the top with one apiece so far: - Adrian Simmonds — 1 inns, 1 duck, 100% - Martin Mears — 1 inns, 1 duck, 100% - Paul Stevens — 1 inns, 1 duck, 100% - Ron Kemp — 1 inns, 1 duck, 100% - Trevor Hales — 1 inns, 1 duck, 100% Wide open at the summit — plenty of season left for someone to break clear, or for the field to close ranks behind them. 🍩 Same time, same place next weekend — the ducks never stay quiet for long. See you out there!

A rare and troubling weekend for the Duck Club faithful: two fixtures played, two full complements of batsmen, and not a single nought to show for it. The exclusive zero club, so often oversubscribed, sat with its doors firmly shut this week. Every batter who walked to the crease at some point walked back having troubled the scorers first. Whether by luck, application, or simple bloody-mindedness, the art of not scoring was nowhere to be found on either day. Somewhere, the honours board gathers dust and waits. It happens. Even the most dedicated membership drive needs the odd fallow weekend, if only to remind us how precious these things are when they come. Consistency of a very particular kind cannot be manufactured on demand — sometimes the ducks simply evade capture. Spare a thought, too, for the season's early pace-setters below, all sitting on a single golden failure apiece and no doubt relieved not to have been made to share the limelight this week. Duck Hunting Season leaderboard 🥇🍩 - Adrian Simmonds — 1 innings, 1 duck (100%) - Martin Mears — 1 innings, 1 duck (100%) - Paul Stevens — 1 innings, 1 duck (100%) - Ron Kemp — 1 innings, 1 duck (100%) - Mark Stevenson — 2 innings, 1 duck (50%) Four names locked at a perfect strike rate of failure, and Mark Stevenson keeping his powder dry with one blot in two attempts — plenty of season left for him to either join the century club of consistency or quietly slip away from it. Fear not, members. The 1989 season is young, the fixture list is long, and Linton Park's top order has never gone two weekends running without offering someone up to the cause. Get down to the ground next time out — there's bound to be a fresh nought or two with your name on it. 🏏0️⃣

Four fixtures in the diary this week, but the ducks kept a low profile — only two matches troubled the compiler, for a tidy haul of three noughts. Modest, but never dull. 1st XI — Sunday 18 June, v Bexhill CC 🏏 Richard Matthews had a game to remember, claiming a matching pair of lbw's in the middle order. First to go was Nigel Thirkell at four, trapped in front for his 1st duck of the season and a career total that now reads 40 — good enough for 9th on the all-time list of 1,112. Nigel is a paid-up name on the honours board already: Duck of the Year 1986, a fixture in the Homebody Duck and Tourist Duck top tens, and one half of Only Two Quacks with Jim Hall. On this very day back in 1961, Robert Murray (1958–1965, 17 career ducks) was doing exactly the same thing against Halfway House — some traditions really do endure. Worth noting too that the Thirkell surname is doing heavy lifting in the club's duck dynasty: parent John on 90, siblings Tim (60) and Simon (21), and cousin Stuart (1) all fellow members of the zero club. One over later, Mark Stevenson followed him back for the identical dismissal — lbw b Richard Matthews, his 1st duck of the season and, more strikingly, his 1st career duck from just 7 innings. Ranked 434th of 1,112, Mark joins Nigel in doffing the cap to Robert Murray's 1961 vintage on this same date. A back-to-back lbw double for Matthews — the sort of spell that makes the Duck Club's job considerably easier. Midweek XI — Wednesday 21 June, v Sevenoaks & District Wednesday CC 🍩 Martin Mears fell bowled by S Hallbrook at six, his 1st duck of the season and 15th of a fine career spanning 73 innings — 45th on the all-time chart. Martin shares Quacking Together honours with Jim Hall, which makes two separate club legends touched by the Jim Hall name this week alone — busy man, wherever he is. On this day in 1987, Stewart Morrison (1987–1989, 5 career ducks) made his own contribution against Dimanchians CC, a reminder that late June has form for producing noughts. Week in summary Three ducks from two matches, with the 1st XI supplying two of them in the same over — the art of not scoring, demonstrated twice for the price of one. The other two fixtures in the period passed without incident, which the Duck Club notes with mild suspicion. Duck Hunting Season leaderboard 🥇 1. Adrian Simmonds — 1 inns, 1 duck, 100% 2. Martin Mears — 1 inns, 1 duck, 100% 3. Paul Stevens — 1 inns, 1 duck, 100% 4. Ron Kemp — 1 inns, 1 duck, 100% 5. Mark Stevenson — 2 inns, 1 duck, 50% A crowded top of the table on a perfect record — plenty of scope for someone to break away, or indeed for the whole lot to be gently overtaken. Next fixture, the exclusive zero club stands ready to welcome its newest members. 0️⃣🦆

A quiet weekend on the poultry front, I'm afraid. Two matches came and went at Linton Park and, remarkably, not a single soul could be persuaded into the exclusive zero club. Eleven-a-side, twice over, and every single bat found a run somewhere. The art of not scoring, it seems, took the weekend off. Whether this was defiant application from the top order or simply a collective failure of nerve, the record books will never say. Either way, the Duck Hunting Season log stays untouched — no new entries, no fresh milestones, no honours board arrivals. Frankly, unheard of. Rest assured this is merely a stay of execution, not a pardon. The ducks are out there, biding their time, and given this club's historic devotion to the noble nought, normal service will resume shortly. 🏆 Duck Hunting Season 1989 — Leaderboard A blanket finish at the summit, as things stand: - Adrian Simmonds — 1 innings, 1 duck (100%) - Paul Stevens — 1 innings, 1 duck (100%) - Ron Kemp — 1 innings, 1 duck (100%) - Alan Boyns — 2 innings, 1 duck (50%) - Peter Whyte — 7 innings, 1 duck (14.29%) Three men sat on a perfect record of futility, one steadying with a second innings under his belt, and Peter Whyte grinding away in the background with the patience of a man who knows his day is coming. 🦆 A rare weekend of runs for everyone, but don't get comfortable — next fixture is another twenty-two chances for someone to join the party. The Duck Club never sleeps for long.

A quiet week at the crease, ducklings. One match played across the club this weekend, and — against all the laws of probability and the finest traditions of Linton Park batting — not a single soul walked back for nought. Eleven pairs of pads went out, eleven pairs of pads presumably came back having troubled the scorers at least once. The zero club's membership secretary can confirm: no new admissions, no re-elections, no honours board activity whatsoever. Frankly, it's unsettling. The art of not scoring is not meant to go a whole weekend unpractised. Somewhere out there a specialist top-order batsman has, through sheer bad luck, actually middled one. We can only assume normal service resumes shortly — the ducks are not extinct, merely regrouping. 🍩 Duck Hunting Season leaderboard The 1989 charts remain gloriously congested at the summit, with four players locked together on a flawless strike rate of failure: - Adrian Simmonds — 1 innings, 1 duck (100%) - Alan Boyns — 1 innings, 1 duck (100%) - Paul Stevens — 1 innings, 1 duck (100%) - Ron Kemp — 1 innings, 1 duck (100%) - Peter Whyte — 7 innings, 1 duck (14.29%) Four men currently boasting a perfect, undefeated record of failure — one duck from one knock apiece, a statistical purity the rest of the club can only dream of. Peter Whyte, meanwhile, plays the long game: seven innings of honest toil for a single blemish, proof that even the patient eventually get their invitation to the club. 📅 Looking ahead A rare, quiet weekend for the honours board, but the season is young and Linton batsmen have never let a good defensive technique get in the way of a golden opportunity. Next fixture, normal transmission should resume — the ducks are out there, and they will be found. We watch. We wait. We celebrate. 🦆

Four fixtures took the field this week and, for the most part, Linton Park batted with uncharacteristic competence. Only one man answered the Duck Club's call to duty — but what a man, and what a duck. 🏏 1st XI — Castle Hill CC, Kent (away) Batting at four, club legend Tim Thirkell departed in the most theatrical fashion available to a batsman: stumped. "St N Bardsley b Brian Henley" reads the scorebook — out of his ground for 0️⃣, his 1st duck of the 1989 season and the 60th of an extraordinary career spanning 513 innings. That tally plants him at a rarefied 4th on the all-time list of 1111 — most club cricketers only dream of a top four finish, just not usually this one. Tim arrives at 60 in fine historical company: on this very day back in 1980, Malcolm Pay (1965–1989) was also trudging off for nought, against Burghill & Tillington CC no less, on his way to 26 career ducks and 25th on the all-time roll. The honours board barely has room left for the Thirkell name. A former Duck of the Year (1972), a permanent fixture in both the Homebody Duck and Ducks on the Road top tens — proof he ducks with equal enthusiasm home or away — and proud holder of the rare Full House, a duck registered at every single position from 1 to 11. Throw in Quacking Together status alongside Jim Hall from seasons gone by, and you begin to see why the scorer keeps a spare pen reserved for T. Thirkell. It runs in the blood, too. Son John Thirkell sits top of the entire all-time chart on 90 career ducks, while siblings Nigel (39) and Simon (21), plus family man Stuart (1), round out a Thirkell dynasty built, brick by brick, on not scoring. 📅 Week in Summary A quiet week by Duck Club standards — just the single nought harvested from four matches, and Tim did the honours single-handedly. The other three fixtures passed by disappointingly duck-free. Steady on, gentlemen — there's a reputation to maintain. 🥇 Duck Hunting Season Leaderboard Adrian Simmonds — 1 duck / 1 innings (100%) Alan Boyns — 1 duck / 1 innings (100%) Paul Stevens — 1 duck / 1 innings (100%) Ron Kemp — 1 duck / 1 innings (100%) Peter Whyte — 1 duck / 6 innings (16.67%) Four names locked at a perfect 100% early in the season — nowhere to go but down, or gloriously further up. Watch this space. 🍩 Next fixture brings fresh opportunities for glorious failure. Pads on, guard taken, and may the Duck Club see you there.

A weekend that will not trouble the honours board. Two fixtures played, two full complements of batsmen sent out into the Kent sunshine, and not a single one of them could manage the one feat this newsletter actually celebrates. The ducks, it seems, went to ground. No noughts at either match. Every LPCC bat found his way off the mark, which is frankly selfish behaviour from a membership that knows full well there's a leaderboard to maintain. Somewhere out there Adrian Simmonds, Alan Boyns, Paul Stevens and Ron Kemp — each already sitting on a flawless 100% duck rate for the season — will have been watching from the boundary rope wondering why nobody joined them for solidarity. Consistency, as the old boys say, is a very particular kind of triumph. This weekend LPCC's batting order chose the wrong kind — runs. We can only hope it's a blip. 🥇 Duck Hunting Season Leaderboard 1. Adrian Simmonds — 1 innings, 1 duck (100%) 2. Alan Boyns — 1 innings, 1 duck (100%) 3. Paul Stevens — 1 innings, 1 duck (100%) 4. Ron Kemp — 1 innings, 1 duck (100%) 5. Peter Whyte — 5 innings, 1 duck (20%) The top of the table remains a perfect, undefeated wall of four — nobody has yet diluted their average with the indignity of actually scoring. Peter Whyte brings up the rear of the top five the honest way, grinding out a 20% rate across five visits to the crease, proof that the art of not scoring can be pursued as either a sprint or a marathon. Fear not, members — the season is young, the square is quick, and Linton Park's bowlers up and down the county will surely be sharpening something nasty for next weekend. The exclusive zero club keeps its doors open. Bring a bat, leave without troubling the scorers, and your name could be here yet. Until then — quack on. 🦆🍩

A quiet weekend for the hunting season, but the club record books never sleep — one duck found its way onto the board, precisely on cue, on the Sunday. Saturday passed by disappointingly duck-free — a vegan fixture if ever there was one, eleven bats and not a single failure to report. Onwards to Sunday, where the real business was done. 🏏 Sunday — NVKC vs High Halstow CC (home) Coming in at number 9, Alan Boyns couldn't trouble the scorers, departing c D Smith b D Swadling for nought. It's his 1st duck of the fledgling 1989 season and his 7th for the club from 46 innings — a tally that plants him at a solid 91st of 1111 in the all-time standings, the art of not scoring alive and well. And in a delightful quirk of the calendar, on this day in 1978, Allan Cooper also made a duck against High Halstow CC — the very same opposition, eleven years to the day. Cooper's career (1971–1988) finished on 37 ducks, good for 12th all-time, and he remains a three-time inductee of the "Only Two Quacks" club, sharing the ignominy with Jim Hall, Jon Harris and Trevor Back apiece. Some things, it seems, High Halstow just brings out in a batsman. 📊 Week in Summary - 2 matches played, 1 duck recorded — a lean harvest, but quality over quantity - The honour falls entirely to the Sunday NVKC side - No pairs, no king pairs, no family affairs this week — the ducks kept themselves to themselves 🥇 Duck Hunting Season leaderboard - Adrian Simmonds — 1 inn, 1 duck (100%) - Alan Boyns — 1 inn, 1 duck (100%) - Paul Stevens — 1 inn, 1 duck (100%) - Ron Kemp — 1 inn, 1 duck (100%) - Peter Whyte — 3 inn, 1 duck (33.33%) A perfect four-way tie atop the standings this early in the season — plenty of cricket left for someone to break away, or indeed for the chasing pack to join the fun. Whyte holds down 5th purely on the strength of having actually survived a couple of innings, showing restraint bordering on recklessness. 🍩 Roll on next weekend — the ducks never rest for long at Linton Park, and someone out there is due. See you at the crease.

A quiet weekend by Duck Club standards, but the 1st XI made sure the honours board didn't gather dust — three ducks recorded, all in senior colours, and one genuine arrival into the exclusive zero club. 🏏 1st XI Away at Sandwich Town CC, Colin Aldred helped himself to a brace of Linton scalps in the same innings — proof that consistency of a very particular kind cuts both ways. First to go was Ron Kemp, bowled by Aldred at six, opening his season account and moving to a solitary career duck from 12 innings — 477th on the all-time list of 1111. Kemp's name already sits, from way back in his ledger, among the Retirement Duck alumni — a badge best not dwelt on mid-innings. On this very day in 1978, Malcolm Pay was doing the same thing against Biddenden CC, en route to a career haul of 26 and a very respectable 25th on the all-time roll. Moments later Adrian Simmonds fell to the same bowler at number eight, his fourth career duck from a dozen innings and his first of the summer, good enough for 123rd of 1111. Adrian's own career sheet already carries the Debutante Duck and Quack-to-Quack honours — the sort of pedigree that suggests the art of not scoring runs in his blood. He too shares Malcolm Pay's 1978 vintage for the on-this-day parallel — the great man clearly had form for early-May carnage. Then, at home to West Farleigh CC, the club welcomed its newest member to the fold in the most dramatic fashion possible. Paul Stevens, making his senior bow at number four, was bowled by Tim Baker without troubling the scorers — a Debutante Duck secured at the very first time of asking, and with it a place on the One and Done board for the 1989 season, a career of a single duck so far. A baptism of fire, but a proud one — the Duck Club always welcomes new blood with open wings. On this day in 1959, Brian Mills suffered an identical fate against St Lukes Maidstone CC, on his way to four career ducks in a two-season stint. 📊 Week in Summary Three matches, three ducks, and every single one of them a 1st XI affair — the 2nds and 3rds got off lightly this time. Colin Aldred's twin strike at Sandwich Town was the standout piece of destruction, while Paul Stevens' immediate initiation shows the Duck Club never sleeps, even on debut day. 🥇 Duck Hunting Season leaderboard - Adrian Simmonds — 1 innings, 1 duck, 100% - Paul Stevens — 1 innings, 1 duck, 100% - Ron Kemp — 1 innings, 1 duck, 100% - Peter Whyte — 2 innings, 1 duck, 50% - Paul Bowles — 3 innings, 1 duck, 33.33% Early days yet in the 1989 race, with a three-way tie at the summit on a perfect strike rate apiece. Plenty of season left for someone to break clear — or for the field to catch up. 🍩 Same time next fixture — the ducks never rest, and neither does the Club. Bring your bat, and bring your sense of humour. 0️⃣🦆

The 1989 campaign wastes no time reminding us why this club exists. Day one of the season, and the exclusive zero club already has two new entries to process. 🏏 1st XI v Sheldwich CC (home) Opening the innings and, evidently, opening the ledger too, Paul Bowles fell lbw to Brian Beale without troubling the scorers. It's the 1st duck of his season but the 46th of an extraordinary career spanning 721 innings — a tally that plants him a lofty 7th of 1110 in the all-time standings, a rarefied postcode he shares with two Duck of the Year crowns (1966 and 1968), a place in the Ducks on the Road top ten, and an "Only Two Quacks" double act alongside Adam Pooley. Consistency of a very particular kind. Fittingly, on this very day back in 1955, John --'s Taylor was doing exactly the same thing against West Farleigh CC, one of the 15 ducks that carried him to 44th of 1110 across a 1949–1960 career — the art of not scoring, it seems, travels well across the decades. Batting at four, Peter Whyte was bowled by Phillip Stanford for his 1st duck of the campaign and 5th of his career, from 33 innings, slotting in at 116th of 1110 on the club's grand roll of dishonour. No boards to his name yet, but every Full Member started somewhere — and he too, by happy coincidence, joins the 1955 vintage: on this very day, John --'s Taylor was also departing for nought against West Farleigh CC en route to those same 15 career ducks. Two Linton men, thirty-four years apart, undone by the same calendar date. 📅 Week in Summary One match, two ducks, and the top order doing the damage — positions one and four both back in the pavilion without scoring. A modest haul by the standards of a full club weekend, but the season is one match old and there is a long, promising road of naught ahead. Duck Hunting Season leaderboard 1. Paul Bowles — 1 innings, 1 duck, 100% 2. Peter Whyte — 1 innings, 1 duck, 100% A wafer-thin field for now, and both locked at a flawless strike rate of failure. Plenty of time yet for the chasing pack to make their case — or for these two to be joined, embarrassingly, by half the batting order. Next fixture beckons, and with it, no doubt, further additions to the honours board. We watch. We wait. We celebrate. 🦆🍩