🦆 The Duck Pond

🏏 1st XI v The Mote CC (Home) Only one fixture on the books this week, but Linton's top and tail order made sure the Duck Club had plenty to file. Richard Piper opened the innings and closed his afternoon almost as fast — ct James Waterson b Nathan Hinkley — his 1st duck of the season. It's the 86th of an extraordinary career spanning 811 innings, holding him at a lofty 5th in the all-time standings, a shelf that also carries Duck of the Year 2003, membership of the Full House club (a duck at every position, 1 to 11), and top-ten billing in both Homebody and Ducks on the Road. Fittingly, on this very date back in 1965, Roy Clarke (1957–1966, 40 career ducks, 21st all-time) also strolled back for nought against Linton Park — some anniversaries insist on repeating themselves. Then the tail belonged entirely to the Karassellos family. Anthony Karassellos departed at number nine — ct Theeshan Satkunaseelan b Lewis Bone — his 2nd duck of the season and 3rd of his career from just 32 innings, drawing level with Archie Fairfax-Ross (2018–2020, 24 innings). Anthony is already a Debutante Duck man, having ducked on his very first outing, and has since gone one better by completing his own Full House. Two wickets later his father John Karassellos rounded things off at number eleven, run out for his 4th duck of the season and 27th career nought from 79 innings, level with Jordan Austin (2008–2020, 202 innings) and sitting 51st all-time. John is a three-time reigning Duck of the Year — 2018, 2019 and, this innings confirms, 2020 again — a man riding a run of 5 Ducks in a Row and agonisingly one position shy of his own Full House. 🎖️ Duck and Ducklings A parent and child both back in the pavilion for nought in the same innings is one of the rarest ceremonies the club can offer, and Linton delivered it with style: John Karassellos and son Anthony Karassellos, both undone by The Mote CC on the same afternoon. Somewhere a family WhatsApp group has gone very quiet. 📊 The Week in Numbers Three ducks from one match, and the Karassellos household accounted for two of them. A tidy strike rate for a single fixture, and proof the art of not scoring runs in the family. Duck Hunting Season Leaderboard - John Karassellos — 4 ducks in 6 innings (66.67%) - Alex Wade — 3 ducks in 9 innings (33.33%) - Henry Bourdillon — 3 ducks in 9 innings (33.33%) - James West — 3 ducks in 9 innings (33.33%) - Alex Keeler — 3 ducks in 13 innings (23.08%) John Karassellos leads by a distance and has already banked the 2020 crown — the only question left is how far clear he can pull. Bring your bats, gentlemen, and your bad luck. The Duck Club will be watching next weekend. 🦆🍩

A remarkably quiet weekend for the Duck Club — four matches played across the fixture list, and the ducks proved elusive for all but one unlucky soul. Even the art of not scoring needs a rest now and then. 🏏 2nd XI v Sheldwich CC The lone representative of the exclusive zero club this week was James West, caught by Sam Evans off the bowling of Andrew Clayson from the number four slot. He faced five balls before departing — no golden duck here, just a solid graft towards absolutely nothing. It's West's 3rd duck of the season and 3rd of his career from 20 innings, sliding him to 266th of 1501 in the all-time standings, a place of dubious distinction he now shares with Archie Fairfax-Ross, who reached the very same tally of 3 in 24 innings across 2018-2020. Kindred spirits on the nought count, separated by two seasons and not a single run. 📊 Week in Summary Just the one duck to report from four matches — a genuinely lean spell for the club's less celebrated discipline. Whether it's a blip or the calm before next weekend's storm, only the middle order knows for certain. 🏆 Duck Hunting Season Leaderboard 1. John Karassellos — 3 ducks from 5 innings (60%) 2. Alex Wade — 3 ducks from 9 innings (33.33%) 3. Henry Bourdillon — 3 ducks from 9 innings (33.33%) 4. James West — 3 ducks from 9 innings (33.33%), this week's man of the moment holding steady in the pack 5. Alex Keeler — 3 ducks from 12 innings (25%) John Karassellos leads the Duck of the Year race with a fearsome 60% strike rate — a triumph through adversity if ever there was one. Can anyone catch him before the season's out? 🍩 Same time next week, same dubious honour up for grabs. Get out there, get in, and get out for nought — the club awaits its next member.

Five fixtures, seven ducks, and the exclusive zero club welcomed its usual assortment of the unlucky, the unfortunate and the entirely deserving. On with the ceremony. 🏏 Saturday 12th September 1st XI away at Outwood CC - James Piper opened the innings and departed just as promptly, bowled by Matthew Norman. His 1st duck of the season but a well-worn one in the career column — his 19th in 357 innings draws him level with Glen Rawson, who played 2005–2019 and reached the same mark in 309. - Alex Keeler followed him back, bowled by Tom Matthews, for his 3rd of the season and 7th career duck from 61 innings. On this very day in 1959, S Lusher made his own contribution to the noughts against Bowaters CC — the club's ranks stretch back further than most realise. 2nd XI at home to Cudham Wyse CC - Fred Taylor lasted a respectable four balls before Raezur Rahman had him — no golden duck, but a duck all the same, his 2nd of the season. A card-carrying Debutante Duck (out first ball on his club debut), he now stands on 7 in just 10 innings, keeping S Lusher's 1959 company once more. A family trait too — sibling George Taylor already carries 4 of his own. 🌱 Sunday 13th September — Sunday 2nd XI v Brasted Invicta CC (home) A generous afternoon for the Duck Club, four names added at a stroke: - James West, lbw, for his 2nd duck of the season and career alike, from 18 innings. On this day in 2003, Christopher Thirkell also walked for nought, against Upchurch CC. - George Rogers, bowled by Brian Young, for his 2nd of the season and — remarkably — his 2nd career duck in only 2 innings. A Debutante Duck through and through, and he shares his on-this-day companion Christopher Thirkell with James above. - Davy Matthews, caught, his 1st duck of the season and of his career from 4 innings. A paid-up Retirement Duck club member from a past farewell, he now sits level on 1 with – Howard, whose entire senior career amounted to a single innings back in 2006 and a permanent home in the One and Done honours. - John Karassellos, lbw to Stuart Young, for his 3rd duck of the season and 26th of a storied career in 77 innings — level with Paul Brattle, who played 1969–2008 across 308 innings for the same total. John remains the club's reigning Duck of the Year threat, chasing a hat-trick of titles after 2018 and 2019, and keeps adding to his own Ducks in a Row and Full House nearly-man ledgers. Watching on with pride, presumably, are his kin Michaela and Anthony Karassellos, both already established members with 2 career ducks apiece. 📋 Week in summary: 7 ducks from 5 matches — Sunday's Brasted Invicta fixture alone accounted for more than half the week's harvest. Cudham Wyse and Outwood CC will be feeling rather pleased with their bowling figures. 🏆 Duck Hunting Season leaderboard 1. John Karassellos — 3 ducks / 4 innings (75%) 2. Alex Wade — 3 ducks / 8 innings (37.5%) 3. Henry Bourdillon — 3 ducks / 8 innings (37.5%) 4. Alex Keeler — 3 ducks / 11 innings (27.3%) 5. George Rogers — 2 ducks / 2 innings (100%) John Karassellos sets the pace, but George Rogers' perfect record is one to watch nervously. See you all next fixture — the noughts wait for no one. 🦆🏏0️⃣

Season's dying embers, but the ducks weren't done with us yet. Seven noughts across five matches as the club limped towards the finish line. 🏏 Saturday 5th September 1st XI away at Bidborough saw Toby Hughes bowled by Ed Shepherdson for his first duck of the season and 3rd of a 23-innings career, ranking him 290th of 1499 all-time. He now sits shoulder to shoulder with Archie Fairfax-Ross, who plied his trade 2018–2020 and parked himself on exactly the same tally of 3. Moments later Alex Keeler edged behind for his 2nd of the season, his 6th career duck from 59 innings, 165th on the all-time roll. On this very day back in 1970, David T Lowen was doing much the same thing against A.Trembeths — history repeating itself, quietly, in the classifieds of failure. Down at home, the 2nd XI entertained Bearsted and obliged them twice over. Martin Rivers fell for his 1st career duck in just 12 innings — bowled off 3 balls, so at least he had a look at it — landing him alongside the briefest of careers, the mysterious "- Howard", whose entire Linton legacy was a single duck on debut back in 2006, complete with Retirement Duck honours to match. Not the company Martin will be hoping to keep for long. Then Alex Wade departed caught behind for his 3rd of the season and 4th career duck — a genuinely brisk campaign already, 4 ducks from just 12 career innings. He joins -Matthew Ward (2011–2012, 10 innings) on the same tally, proof that some players simply skip the apprenticeship and go straight for consistency of a very particular kind. 🌱 Sunday 6th September — the Karassellos Occasion Sunday 2nd XI travelled to Loose CC and delivered the rarest ceremony the Duck Club offers — a genuine Duck and Ducklings. Fred Taylor opened the misery, bowled for 11 balls' worth of defiance before succumbing — his 1st duck of the season, 6th career, and a paid-up member of the Debutante Duck club from his very first innings. On this day in 1998, Richard Piper — LPCC's own Full House laureate — was doing the same against Beacon CC, Cornwall. Then came the family business. John Karassellos, three-time reigning Duck of the Year (2018, 2019, 2020, no less) and owner of 5 Ducks in a Row, ran himself out first ball for a golden duck — his 2nd of the season and landmark 25th career, drawing level with club stalwart Dave Charlton (223 innings, 1988–2018) on the very same total. And moments later his son Anthony followed him back to the pavilion, caught off the very first ball he faced — another golden duck, his 1st of the season and 2nd career, level with Abishek Pushpavinothan on the same tally. Father and son, ducks in the same innings, same match, same wretched afternoon — a bona fide Duck and Ducklings for the honours board, the sort of shared ignominy the club exists to celebrate. Take a bow, the Karassellos family. 📊 Week in Summary Seven ducks, five matches, one glorious family double act. The golden duck count stood at two, both claimed by the same household — a hereditary talent for departing without troubling the scorers, it seems. 🥇 Duck Hunting Season Leaderboard 1. Alex Wade — 6 innings, 3 ducks, 50.0% 2. Henry Bourdillon — 7 innings, 3 ducks, 42.86% 3. John Karassellos — 2 innings, 2 ducks, 100.0% 4. Alex Keeler — 9 innings, 2 ducks, 22.22% 5. Darrell Houghton-Judge — 13 innings, 2 ducks, 15.38% With John Karassellos sat on a perfect 100% conversion rate this season, the race for Duck of the Year remains very much alive. The season may be winding down, but the ducks rarely read the calendar — see you at the next fixture, where someone, somewhere, will surely add to the tally. 🦆 0️⃣ 🏏

Saturday – Bidborough CC (home) The 2nd XI opened the weekend's account in tidy fashion. Darrell Houghton-Judge was run out for nought, his 2nd duck of the season and the 29th of a career now sitting 46th on the all-time list. Darrell remains a Full House nearly-man, having ducked at 10 of the 11 batting positions and forever eyeing that last stubborn slot. Pleasingly symmetrical timing too — on this very day in 2003, John Taylor (1950–2004) was doing exactly the same thing against Mullion CC, bringing up his 7th. Moments later Alex Wade fell to James Masters, moving to 2 career ducks from just 10 innings — level with Abishek Pushpavinothan (2017–2020, 35 innings), who as it happens bowed out of his Linton career on that very number, a paid-up member of the Retirement Duck club. Alex, mercifully, was not finished for the weekend. Elsewhere a third fixture passed entirely fowl-free — even the ducks need a day off occasionally. Sunday – Borstal CC (away) The Sunday 2nd XI travelled to Borstal and found trouble of their own. Trevor Back was bowled by Andy Routledge for his 1st duck of the season but his 89th career nought — 4th on the all-time leaderboard, a mere three ducks off the podium, and a fixture of the Ducks on the Road, Homebody Duck and Lone Duck top tens, with shared quacking honours alongside Allan Cooper and Jon Harris down the years. On this same date in 1965, Frank Brattle (1937–1971) was similarly dismissed for nought, his 38th of a long and dedicated career. And then, inevitably, Alex Wade again — also bowled by Andy Routledge, completing a proper pair for the weekend. Saturday's edge to Masters and Sunday's bowled by Routledge bookend a grim little double, taking him to 2 ducks for the season and 3 for his career. A weekend to forget, immortalised forever in the Duck Club ledger. Week in Summary Four ducks across three matches — a modest but respectable haul, headlined by Alex Wade's unwanted pair and Trevor Back's continued march up the all-time charts. Consistency of a very particular kind on display at both ends of the weekend. Duck Hunting Season leaderboard 🥇🍩 1. Henry Bourdillon — 3 ducks in 6 innings (50%) 2. Alex Wade — 2 ducks in 4 innings (50%) 3. Darrell Houghton-Judge — 2 ducks in 11 innings (18.18%) 4. George Rogers — 1 duck in 1 innings (100%) 5. John Karassellos — 1 duck in 1 innings (100%) The season race stays wide open, and with fixtures still to come there's every chance for fresh blood to gatecrash the top five. Get out there next weekend, and may the zeros continue to find you 🦆0️⃣

Four fixtures out at the park this weekend, and the exclusive zero club kept remarkably good behaviour — just two new arrivals to log, both from the very same innings, at the very same ground. Sunday 1st XI v Sheldwich CC The Sheldwich fixture was the only one to trouble the honours board — but it made sure to do so twice. Nolan Wilde, batting at 9, was ct James Creed b Joshua Gallagher for his 1st duck of the season and 1st of a career now standing at 4 innings, easing him to 636th of 1499 in the all-time standings. Spookily, on this very day back in 1981, Brian Piper (1973–2019) was going through the identical ordeal against Old Anchorians CC — one of an eventual 24 ducks that carries him to 60th on the all-time list. Next in was James West at 10, bowled by Michael Barber, similarly opening his season's account with duck number 1, and his 1st career duck from 14 senior innings — good for 577th of 1499. And by the same quirk of the calendar, James shares his parallel with Nolan almost to the letter: it was also on the 23rd of August 1981 that Brian Piper made his duck against Old Anchorians CC. Two Lintonians separated by thirty-nine years, united by the same unfortunate date. The other three fixtures this weekend were entirely fowl-free — a rare weekend where the majority of the club remembered how the scoring side of the game works. Week in Summary Just 2 ducks from 4 matches — a positively restrained showing by the zero club's usual standards, both confined to the tail end of the Sunday 1st XI innings against Sheldwich. The bowlers elsewhere will need to try harder. Duck Hunting Season leaderboard 🥇 1. Henry Bourdillon — 3 ducks from 6 innings (50%) 2. George Rogers — 1 duck from 1 innings (100%) 3. John Karassellos — 1 duck from 1 innings (100%) 4. Anton Bourdillon — 1 duck from 2 innings (50%) 5. George Taylor — 1 duck from 2 innings (50%) Henry Bourdillon holds a commanding lead at the top of the table, but George Rogers and John Karassellos are quietly perfecting the art of not scoring with a flawless strike rate of their own. Roll on next weekend's fixtures — the zero club never sleeps, and there's always a nervous nine or ten waiting to write themselves into history. 🦆🏏0️⃣

A quiet weekend for the Duck Club accountants — just two fixtures on the board and three names added to the ledger — but quality over quantity, as ever, in the art of not scoring. 1st XI v Bearsted CC (home) - Tobey Castle strolled to the crease at four and was promptly run out by Piers Cottee Jones for his 1st duck of the season and 18th of an increasingly distinguished career, nudging him to 82nd of 1499 in the all-time roll. That tally draws him level with Benjamin Austin, who reached the same 18 across 131 innings between 2011 and 2020 and still carries the Debutante Duck ribbon for having ducked on arrival. Castle blood runs thick with noughts too — kin David Castle (47 career ducks) and Mardey Castle (2) keep the family honours board well stocked. - George Taylor followed him back at six, run out by Ben Johnston, for a 1st season duck and 4th career duck, rank 217 of 1499. George is himself a paid-up Debutante Duck club member — his own maiden innings, some time ago, also yielded nought — though today's effort is very much a repeat offence, not the debut itself. He now sits level with Matthew Ward, who banked his 4th duck in just 10 innings back in 2011-12. Brother Fred Taylor isn't far behind on 5 career ducks of his own — the Taylor name clearly breeds for this. 2nd XI v Bidborough CC (away) - Aaron Hughes was bowled by James Woodmansee at first drop, his 1st duck of the season and 5th of his career, rank 179 of 1499. He joins Alex Keeler on the same total, who reached 5 ducks in 54 innings across 2016-2020. The Hughes name is well represented in the wider club too — Toby Hughes (2 career ducks) and Will Hughes (1) round out a household evidently allergic to the middle of the bat. Week in summary Three ducks from two matches — a modest harvest, but each one lovingly logged. No pairs, no family doubles this time round, just three individual acts of quiet ignominy. 🏆 Duck Hunting Season leaderboard - Henry Bourdillon — 5 innings, 3 ducks (60%) - George Rogers — 1 innings, 1 duck (100%) - George Taylor — 1 innings, 1 duck (100%) — straight onto the podium after today's effort - John Karassellos — 1 innings, 1 duck (100%) - Anton Bourdillon — 2 innings, 1 duck (50%) Henry Bourdillon holds a commanding lead at the top, but with three players locked at a perfect 100%, the race for Duck of the Year remains very much alive. Next fixture, more volunteers required — the exclusive zero club never turns anyone away. 🥇🍩0️⃣

Four fixtures. Four full scorecards. Zero ducks. Let the record show that on this particular weekend, the LPCC top order took one look at the exclusive zero club, its membership rolls and its solemn honours boards, and declined the invitation entirely. Not a single batsman anywhere in the club could summon the special blend of misfortune and horror required for admission. Frankly, it's a bit much — the art of not scoring is a proud tradition round here, and this week nobody bothered to practise it. Somewhere, the Duck Club committee sits in stunned silence. Was it good batting? Generous bowling? A collective pact to deny the correspondent his copy? We may never know. Ducks are, after all, notoriously camouflaged — they evaded capture this time, but rest assured the traps remain set for next weekend. No pairs, no king pairs, and certainly no family affairs to report — the honours boards stay exactly as they were on Friday evening. A quiet weekend for the sport of not scoring, if not for cricket itself. Duck Hunting Season leaderboard 🏆🦆 1. Henry Bourdillon — 3 ducks from 4 innings (75%) 2. George Rogers — 1 duck from 1 innings (100%) 3. John Karassellos — 1 duck from 1 innings (100%) 4. Anton Bourdillon — 1 duck from 2 innings (50%) 5. Reece Merenda — 1 duck from 2 innings (50%) Henry Bourdillon retains a commanding lead at the top of the 2020 table on a fearsome 75% strike rate, though George Rogers and John Karassellos both boast the rarer distinction of a perfect 100% record — admittedly from a sample size of one, but standards are standards. 📅 Looking ahead A blank weekend is no reason for complacency — if anything, it only sharpens the appetite. The next fixtures will surely restock the pond. Openers, middle order, and any bowler foolish enough to bat below number nine: consider yourselves on notice. We watch. We wait. We celebrate — hopefully with rather more material next time. 🦆0️⃣

A quiet weekend in the exclusive zero club, but Sissinghurst Green still managed to claim a brace for the honours board. Four fixtures played, two victims found — the art of not scoring lives on, even in short supply. 🏏 Saturday — 1st XI away at Sissinghurst CC First to fall was Thomas Roxburgh, caught Trevor Wright, bowled Bilal Omar, at number five. A tidy little dismissal that opens his account for the season and, more notably, his account for life — this is career duck number one, slotting him in at 699th of 1499 in the all-time standings. He joins a rather poignant name on exactly one career duck: the mysterious "- Howard", who played a single innings back in 2006, made a duck in it, and never played again — a founder member of both the Debutante Duck and One and Done clubs, and presumed (as these things always are) to have bowed out on the very same ball. Thomas will be hoping for a longer stay in the middle, and a longer stay in the record book. Not to be outdone, Luke Welsman followed at six, bowled by Will Freeman for the club's second nought of the day. It's his first duck of the season but very much not his first duck full stop — this is career quack number 33, keeping him steady at 33rd of 1499 all-time. Luke is a paid-up member of the Debutante Duck club, a three-time Duck of the Year (2015, 2016, 2017) and cruelly sits as a Full House nearly-man, having ducked at ten of the eleven batting positions — a full set forever one short. He draws level on 33 with club stalwart Will Thew (2009–2020, 241 innings), himself a Debutante Duck alumnus and Duck of the Year for 2012. Two very different eras, the same very particular kind of consistency. The other three fixtures across the weekend passed off entirely duck-free — a triumph of adversity avoided, if you can call batting competently a triumph. 📊 Week in Summary Two ducks from four matches, both arriving in the same over of misfortune for the 1st XI at Sissinghurst. No pairs, no families, no king ducks — just two honest men doing their bit for the collection. Quality over quantity this week. 🏆 Duck Hunting Season Leaderboard 1. Henry Bourdillon — 3 ducks from 4 innings (75%) 2. George Rogers — 1 duck from 1 innings (100%) 3. John Karassellos — 1 duck from 1 innings (100%) 4. Anton Bourdillon — 1 duck from 2 innings (50%) 5. Reece Merenda — 1 duck from 2 innings (50%) Henry Bourdillon sets the pace with a rate that ought to worry him, but there's plenty of season left for the chasing pack to close the gap — or indeed for someone to sneak in from nowhere, as is tradition. 🦆 Same time next weekend, same dubious honour up for grabs. Get out there, middle it or don't — either way, the Duck Club is watching.

A modest but perfectly formed haul this weekend as the Duck Club's exclusive zero club welcomed four new entries to the books, all of them arriving on Sunday. Saturday, rather disappointingly, was a vegan affair — not a nought to be found anywhere on the card. Sunday 1st XI — Sissinghurst CC Henry Bourdillon departed at first wicket down, caught Paul Dyas off the bowling of Nathan Staines, for his 3rd duck of the season and 5th of a career now sitting 187th on the all-time list of 1499. Three ducks already puts Henry firmly in the early running for Duck of the Year, and the noughts run in the family — relative Anton Bourdillon carries 10 career ducks of his own and pops up further down this very leaderboard. On this exact date back in 2008, Tom Murphy was busy doing much the same thing against Rumwood CC, en route to 11 career ducks and 117th on the all-time roll. Reece Merenda followed him back to the pavilion moments later, bowled by Tom Woolgar, for his 1st duck of the season and, from just 2 career innings, his very first LPCC duck too. Reece already holds a spot on the club's Retirement Duck honours board from a past farewell — a fine thing to have banked early. Like Henry, he shares this particular calendar date in history with Tom Murphy's 2008 vintage at Rumwood. Sunday 2nd XI — Chelsfield Park CC A proper baptism for George Rogers, run out on the very first appearance of his senior career — straight onto the Debutante Duck honours board, that most exclusive of welcoming committees. Tom Murphy, naturally, was marking the same date in 2008 with a duck of his own. Sunday NVKC — High Halstow CC Alex Keeler completed the set, caught behind off James Marrable, his 1st duck of the season and 5th for a career now standing at 180th of 1499 all-time. And yes — Tom Murphy was there again in 2008, quietly making history on this same date for the third time this report. Four ducks, three sides, one very busy calendar anniversary. Henry Bourdillon's hat-trick of noughts already has him setting the pace at the top of the season standings — the rest of the club has some catching up to do. Duck Hunting Season leaderboard - Henry Bourdillon — 3 innings, 3 ducks, 100% - George Rogers — 1 innings, 1 duck, 100% - John Karassellos — 1 innings, 1 duck, 100% - Anton Bourdillon — 2 innings, 1 duck, 50% - Mark Christmas — 2 innings, 1 duck, 50% Four down for the weekend — the art of not scoring remains alive and well at Linton Park. See you next fixture for the inevitable additions to the honours board 🦆🏏0️⃣

Only two matches on the board this week, but Eynsford CC made sure the 2nd XI came home with a brace of fresh entries for the zero club. 🏏 2nd XI at Eynsford CC In at first drop, Henry Bourdillon departed caught Callum Hamill bowled Joseph Wheeler — his 2nd duck of the season and the 4th of a career now standing at 15 innings, good for 216th on the all-time list. He joins Matthew Ward on that tally of 4, a name from 2011–2012 who needed only 10 innings to get there — efficient work, if nothing else. Keep an eye on the family ledger too, with parent Anton Bourdillon already sitting on 10 career noughts of his own — clearly the art of not scoring is hereditary at the Bourdillon household. Further down at number 10, John Karassellos was run out for nought — his 1st duck of the campaign but a substantial 24th of his Linton career from 74 innings, drawing him level with 1970s–2010s stalwart Brian Piper, who took 446 innings to reach the same number. John arrives already garlanded with Duck of the Year honours for 2018, 2019 and now 2020, plus Ducks in a Row (5 consecutive) and a Full House nearly-man badge for ducking in 10 of the 11 batting positions. Consistency, of a very particular kind, remains very much his trademark — and with Michaela (2) and Anthony (1) Karassellos both already on the honours board, this looks like a proper family trade. 📊 The Week in Noughts Just two ducks from two fixtures — a quiet week by recent standards, but both arrived in the same 2nd XI innings away at Eynsford, one via a smart catch and one via a mix-up in the middle. Triumph through adversity, as ever, was in short supply. 🥇 Duck Hunting Season leaderboard - Henry Bourdillon — 2 innings, 2 ducks, 100% - John Karassellos — 1 innings, 1 duck, 100% - Anton Bourdillon — 2 innings, 1 duck, 50% - Mark Christmas — 2 innings, 1 duck, 50% - Ryan Silk — 2 innings, 1 duck, 50% Henry and John share top spot on a flawless — if entirely unwanted — 100% record. Next fixture is already looming, and with it fresh opportunities for the exclusive zero club to welcome new members, willing or otherwise. Pads on, bails ready. 🦆🍩0️⃣

Six fixtures, seven ducks, and a spot of family ignominy — the Club's least wanted membership had a busy week. 🏏 Saturday 11 July — v Linton Park CC 1st XI Henry Bourdillon fell early at 2, run out by Sam Boyns for his maiden season duck and 3rd of his career from 14 innings — 261st of 1497 all time. He joins Archie Fairfax-Ross, who reached the same tally across 2018–2020, level on three apiece. Ryan Silk was caught and bowled by David T Lowen, moving to 5 career ducks from 17 innings, 196th all time — a fully paid-up member of the Retirement Duck club from a past farewell, though nobody's hanging up the boots on this one. He draws level with Engarshal Sinnaraja (2017–2018), also on five. 2nd XI Family honours were the story here. Anton Bourdillon, batting at 7, was caught off the bowling of his own son Henry — Quacked by Kin, and being 2020, this one's fresh off the press rather than the archives. Anton's 10th career duck from 26 innings, 118th all time, puts him level with Jack Jenner (2003–2008, 53 innings). Combined with Henry's effort up in the 1s, the Bourdillons complete a proper Duck and Ducklings — parent and child both back in the hutch on the same afternoon. A rare ceremony, and the Club salutes it in full. Benjamin Austin also departed, caught Welsman bowled Harris, his 18th career duck from 128 innings, 77th all time — a Debutante Duck alumnus of old, now level with James Piper (1998–2020, 349 innings). He arrives with pedigree too: sibling Jordan Austin already sits on 27 career noughts. 3rd XI Darrell Houghton-Judge was bowled by Toby Hughes for his 28th career duck from 167 innings, 47th all time — a Full House nearly-man, agonisingly missing just the one batting position for the complete set — drawing level with Christopher Thirkell (1998–2015), 2005's Duck of the Year, on the same tally. Mark Christmas was bowled by Anthony Karassellos, his 38th career duck from a mighty 412 innings, 25th all time — 2008's Duck of the Year and another Full House nearly-man — now sharing his number with Michael Beeney (1995–2015). Will Thew was run out for his 33rd career duck from 240 innings, 33rd all time, a Debutante Duck and 2012's Duck of the Year in his own right. On this very day in 1967, Mike Stephens also strolled back for nought against West Farleigh CC — the calendar has a long memory. 📊 The Week in Numbers Seven ducks across six matches, evenly spread over all three XIs, with the Bourdillons providing the week's headline act — a father undone by his own flesh and blood. No pairs, no king pairs this time, just honest failure all round. Duck Hunting Season leaderboard - Henry Bourdillon — 1 inn, 1 duck, 100% - Ryan Silk — 1 inn, 1 duck, 100% - Anton Bourdillon — 2 inn, 1 duck, 50% - Mark Christmas — 2 inn, 1 duck, 50% - Darrell Houghton-Judge — 3 inn, 1 duck, 33.33% Early season, wide open field. Plenty of time yet for the chasing pack to make their move — see you next weekend, when the Club's least exclusive door swings open again 🦆🍩