🧢 Captain's Log

Sun 26 Jul 2026 🧢 Women's Softballv Chestfield CC · HomeformWWWWW

From the captain's chair — Sunday 26 July 2026. Chestfield CC were the visitors.

A scorching, damp afternoon.
No luck with the coin — they had first say and chose to bat.
We had first use of the ball. They reached 62/3 from 15 overs. Lauren Wiltshire 22 made the runs that mattered, ably supported by Polly Burgess 20 not out. Ashleigh Bland led the attack with 2-12. Good support came from Laura Holdstock (1-9).
With the bat we mustered 123/2 from 15 overs. Hannah Odling 31 not out top-scored, ably supported by Laura Thorogood 22 not out.
I chipped in with 22.
As it stands this season, Hannah Odling leads the 2026 Women's Softball run charts with 326 runs; Laura Holdstock leads the 2026 Women's Softball wicket charts with 12 wickets.
A fine win by 66 runs. Onwards. 🏏

Sun 26 Jul 2026 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv Milstead CC · HomeformLLLLW

Match report — Sunday 26 July 2026. Milstead CC were the visitors.

Conditions: a scorching, damp afternoon.
We won the toss and I elected to field — the right call, I felt.
We were in the field first. The opposition made 192 all out from 35.1 overs. Peter Morrell 59 past his fifty top-scored, ably supported by Alex Tooke 57 — a fine half-century, Ryan Mallows 22. A 68-run partnership for the 3rd wicket held it together. We sent George Burrows back without troubling the scorers. 🦆 Tim Thirkell did the damage, 3-45. Also among the wickets: Nolan Wilde (2-12) and Neil Errington (1-7). Not a run given away lightly — 2 maidens from Alexander Nunn.
We posted 145/8 from 40.0 overs. Glen Rawson 51 with a well-made fifty carried the innings. A blot on the card: David Holdstock fell for a duck. 🦆
We rode our luck a touch — a good deal of our runs ran fine behind the wicket, edges and steers included. We dropped too short: the scoring came square, cut and pulled away.
The keeping was a handful for John Karassellos, 9 byes conceded.
The game turned in the 26th over — 2 wickets in it, and the innings never recovered.
I chipped in with 18.
Up the season table, Euan Beardwell sits 3rd in the 2026 Sunday 2nd XI run charts with 131 runs; Tim Thirkell leads the 2026 Sunday 2nd XI wicket charts with 12 wickets.
Not our day — down by 47 runs. Heads up, back to the nets.

Sun 26 Jul 2026 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv Newenden CC · AwayformLLWLL

Match report — Sunday 26 July 2026. The road took us to Newenden CC.

A scorching, drizzly afternoon.
The coin fell our way; I put us in to field.
We were in the field first. They posted 269/9 from 40 overs. Ralph Figgins 53 — a fine half-century top-scored, ably supported by Will Durtnell 52 not out past his fifty, Ben Browning 46. Max Figgins, Harry Bradney departed for a duck at our hands. 🦆 Martin Harris led the attack with 3-51. Good support came from Thomas Beeney (3-54) and Ian Hollingworth (1-19). Not a run given away lightly — 2 maidens from Tom Campbell.
With the bat we mustered 199 all out from 34.3 overs. Tom Campbell 62 past his fifty made the runs that mattered, ably supported by Ashley Cairns 22, Martin Harris 21 not out. Thomas Beeney contributed a golden nothing to the cause. 🦆 The extras column chipped in a handy 31.
I chipped in with 21. And a happy day with the ball too — 3 wickets for the skipper.
Up the season table, Benjamin Austin leads the 2026 Sunday 1st XI run charts with 239 runs; Thomas Beeney leads the 2026 Sunday 1st XI wicket charts with 17 wickets.
Not our day — down by 70 runs. Heads up, back to the nets.

Sat 25 Jul 2026 🧢 3rd XIv Marden CC, Kent · HomeformLLWWL

Saturday 25 July 2026, and we welcomed Marden CC to Linton Park under skies that promised more than they delivered. I lost the toss — no great surprise, my coin-calling remains a work in progress — and we were put into the field.

Marden made themselves at home, closing on a healthy 221/7 from their forty overs. Archie Hutchins was the chief architect with an unbeaten 47, well supported by Tom Rawstorne and Arun Samuel, both with 27, and a seventh-wicket stand of 60 that rather undid our good work. Credit where due, though: Tim Thirkell bowled beautifully for his 2-31, with Rahul Parakh (2-36) and Fergus Herron (1-15) chipping in. Poor Craig Sands had one of those afternoons behind the stumps — 13 byes is the sort of number that makes a wicketkeeper want the ground to swallow him whole.

Chasing 222, we made a real fist of it. Richard Piper and Will Thew set the tone with an opening stand of 89, and both went on to reach fifty — Piper with 53, Thew a fine 50 of his own. Farhan Malik's unbeaten 23 kept us in the hunt, and I did my modest bit with 15. But 212/8 left us nine runs short at the close — heartbreakingly close, the sort of margin that will keep me awake replaying overs in my head.

Rahul Parakh continues to top the 3rd XI run charts on 223, and Tim Thirkell leads the wickets with 17 — small consolations on a day that got away from us. Not our afternoon, but heads up, chins out, and back to the nets.

Sat 25 Jul 2026 🧢 2nd XIv Marden CC, Kent · AwayformLDWWW

We were put in to bat at Marden after the coin ran our way, and 200 all out from 39.5 overs was, in the end, an honest total rather than a glorious one. Losing an early wicket for 5 could have unravelled us entirely, but Michael Ludick and Nick Tromp steadied the ship magnificently, both bringing up well-made fifties, and a stand of 92 for the fourth wicket did the heavy lifting while the rest of us fussed about the edges. Johan Eloff chipped in with a handy 24, and — in the interests of full and shameless disclosure for the Duck Club ledger — Brandon Eloff and Praveen Tunga both took the long walk back for nought. I'll say no more, gentlemen, the ledger says it all.

Defending 200 was always going to ask a question of our bowling, and Marden simply refused to be troubled, cruising to 201 for 1 in 37.1 overs. Ben Tomkinson and Rory Coltham both raised unbeaten fifties as if it were the easiest thing in the world, with Ben Tosland's 47 adding further insult, and only Altus Diener could claim any real reward for his efforts, finishing with 1-31. Johan Eloff, having batted so nicely, then had a torrid time behind the stumps, with thirteen byes going walkabout — not his afternoon, bless him.

As for the captain, I was at least pleased to lead from the front with 80, and Michael's form continues to sit him proudly atop the season's run charts. But a nine-wicket defeat is a nine-wicket defeat, however you dress it up. We'll regroup, we'll learn, and we'll be better for it next week.

Sat 25 Jul 2026 🧢 1st XIv Whitstable CC · HomeformLWLLL

Skipper's Log — Saturday 25 July 2026, and we welcomed Whitstable CC to Linton Park on a day that promised much and delivered a stern lesson in humility. Lost the toss, put in to field, and watched Charlie Sinclair help himself to a superb 110, with Paul Gambrill chipping in 40 as their third-wicket pair added a chastening 118. Credit where it's due — Anthony Karassellos was superb with the ball, 3-31, backed up nicely by Martin Harris (2-40) and Thomas Beeney (1-52), but 242/7 from their 45 overs always felt a stretch too far, not helped by our generosity of 20 wides and 6 no-balls. Free runs we simply cannot afford to keep gifting.

Our reply had all the drama of a soap opera. Five for one felt ominous, and when it became fourteen for four shortly after, several of us were quietly rehearsing our excuses for the tea interval. Laurie Probert, however, played a genuinely fine half-century — 70 of real substance — well supported by Anthony Karassellos (32) and Martin Harris, unbeaten on 29. A defiant last-wicket stand added a spirited 51 to lend the scorecard some dignity, though Alex Keeler and Nick Pennefather will be nursing matching ducks. We closed on 193/8.

Elsewhere, Jordan Austin continues to lead our run charts with 277 for the season, and Karassellos tops the wicket-takers with 20 — some consolation amid the wreckage.

Forty-nine runs the wrong side of the ledger. Not our day, lads — heads up, and back to the nets.

Wed 22 Jul 2026 🧢 Midweek XIv Warlingham CC · AwayformLWWLW

Wednesday 22 July found us on the road to Warlingham, and when I lost the toss and they invited us to bat first, I confess I feared the worst. I needn't have worried. Luke Welsman anchored the innings with a lovely unbeaten 51, and he was joined in the runs bank by Benjamin Austin, purring along to an unbeaten fifty of his own, and Johan Eloff, who also strolled past three figures... of runs, at least, with his own half-century. 218/5 from 28.1 overs was a total that put a spring in the step of the whole side.

With the ball, Warlingham never quite got going. An early wicket with just 6 on the board set the tone, and though Masood Bashir, Waseem Sherwani and David Andrews all chipped in with twenties, the innings kept subsiding — 54-3 became 60-6 and by the 23rd over, where two wickets fell in a single, decisive burst, the game was as good as up. Thomas Beeney was magnificent, 4-29, with Mardey Castle (2-25) and the ever-miserly Jordan Austin (1-8, four maidens) squeezing the life out of things. James Andrews and John Morris weren't required to trouble the scorers, which is one way of putting it.

A word too for Theo Clements, who brought up his 100th appearance in Linton colours — a proper landmark, and typical of the man that he'd rather talk about the team's 84-run win than his own milestone. All told, two points thoroughly, gloriously earned.

Sun 19 Jul 2026 🧢 Women's Softballv Borstal CC · AwayformWWWWW

Well now. Sunday 19 July, off to Borstal we went, and I'll admit winning the toss and electing to bat felt like the right call before a ball was bowled — and so it proved.

Hannah Odling batted with real composure for 33 not out, and she wasn't short of company — Nicola Coomansingh (31 not out) and Claire Daniels (28 not out) kept the scoreboard humming, while the extras column did its usual quietly embarrassing bit of heavy lifting with 41. I threw in my own 27 for good measure. 169/1 from twenty overs was a total we could be proud of, and one Borstal would have to chase hard for.

Chase hard they did, in fairness. Bethany Baker held things together with an unbeaten 33, but at the other end it was a procession — Faith Rogers and Rosie Coyle both back in the pavilion without troubling the scorers. Laura Thorogood was superb with the new ball, 2 for 4, backed up by Carly Copping's 2 for 19 and a wicket for Ashleigh Bland. They closed on 109/6.

I won't pretend it was tidy — 27 wides and 6 no-balls is the sort of generosity that gives a captain grey hairs, and we can ill afford to keep gifting runs like that. But a 60-run win papers over a great many sins, and with Hannah Odling now top of the season's run charts and Carly Copping second among the wickets, this side is building something rather special. Onwards indeed.

Sun 19 Jul 2026 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv Carlton Sports CC, Kent · HomeformLLLWL

Sunday saw Carlton Sports CC of Kent roll into Linton Park, and having called correctly, I did what any self-respecting captain does with a bit of cloud cover about — stuck them in. It looked shrewd for about an hour. Jack Stone, in irrepressible form, ground out an unbeaten 86, ably assisted by A Ijaz's 25, and between them they steered Carlton to a healthy 192/6 from their forty overs. Small mercies: Jack Mcdonald departed without troubling the scorers, and Thomas Beeney did the heavy lifting with 2-38, with Luke Welsman (1-20) and Rahul Parakh (1-28) chipping in dutifully.

Chasing 193, we made a decent fist of it. Theo Clements played the innings of the day with a well-crafted 55, Anthony Karassellos supporting nicely with 34, though Thomas Beeney — clearly saving himself for the ball in hand — contributed nought with the bat. We limped to 183/9, nine runs shy, with Karassellos also enduring a chastening afternoon behind the stumps, 18 byes finding their way past him.

Credit where it's due: Benjamin Austin continues to lead our Sunday run charts with 224 for the season, and Beeney tops the wicket pile with 14 — the lad is single-handedly keeping this captain in a job.

Not our day, then, beaten by the narrowest of margins. Heads up, chins out, and back to the nets we go.

Sun 19 Jul 2026 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv Marden CC, Kent · AwayformLLLLL

Sunday 19 July found us on the road to Marden CC, and having called correctly at the toss, I didn't dawdle over the decision — we batted. Mark Smith anchored the innings beautifully for an unbeaten 51, with Nolan Wilde (24) and Trevor Back (23) playing their parts in a third-wicket stand worth a precious 100. Then, as is rather our club's habit, the wheels came off in spectacular fashion — 146-5 became 161-8 before we'd drawn breath, and poor David Holdstock made his own contribution to the Duck Club ledger with a nought to nowhere. We closed on 162/9 from 35 overs, and I did my bit with 24.

Defending was where we made our name. Marden were bowled out for 108 in 29.4 overs, Alan Ennis's 42 the only real resistance, and they lost an early wicket at 4 to set the tone. From 76-4 they slid to 87-7, with Harry Tibbits, Alexander Ennis and Alexander Tyson all walking back for ducks. Tim Thirkell was superb, 3-16 with two maidens, backed up by David Holdstock (2-9) and Gene Smith (2-19). Twenty byes, mind, made for an uncomfortable afternoon behind the stumps for John Karassellos.

Our lengths told the tale both ways — we bowled a shade short and were cut and pulled square, while their bowlers dropped short in turn and let us rock back and help ourselves. The 30th over, two wickets in it, was where the match truly turned and never recovered for them. William Gray now sits second in our Sunday 2nd XI run charts on 209, Tim Thirkell second in the wickets on 9. A 54-run win, and a thoroughly good day for the club.

Sat 18 Jul 2026 🧢 2nd XIv Kings Hill CC · HomeformWLDWW

Here's the match report:

There's a particular kind of relief in winning the toss and then promptly having it go the other way, and so it proved on Saturday when Kings Hill CC won the flip and sent us into the field. No matter — we set about them with the sort of purpose that would have made our forebears proud, and dismissed them for 100 in 32 overs, Adam Rahman's 32 the only real resistance. Praveen Tunga was quite magnificent, 4-16 off a spell that included four maidens and left the Kings Hill middle order groping at thin air, well supported by Altus Diener (3-26) and Alex Wade (2-14). Joe Millward, Chris Bryant and Connor Smith all trooped back without so much as a run to their names — these things happen to the best of us.

Chasing 101 was never going to be a formality, and so it proved, our innings a slightly nervy affair that stumbled to 104/7 in 14.5 overs. Brandon Eloff led the way with 31, Altus Diener chipped in with 27, and Michael Ludick saw us home with an unbeaten 21. I contributed a modest 21 of my own, and poor Johan Eloff had a torrid afternoon behind the stumps, 16 byes conceded testament to a pitch with ideas of its own.

Michael Ludick continues to lead the 2nd XI run charts for the season with 426, and Praveen Tunga sits second in the wickets with 11 — both men very much earning their tea. A scrappy, nervy, thoroughly satisfying three-wicket win. Onwards.

Sat 18 Jul 2026 🧢 1st XIv WC Walmer CC · AwayformLLWLL

We limped away from Walmer with our tails between our legs on Saturday, and if I'm honest, losing the toss was the kindest thing that happened to us all day. Walmer batted first and made merry, racking up 308/5 from their 45 overs on the back of a magnificent unbeaten century from Will Bailey (118 not out) and a chunky fifty from Keiran Marsh (74), the pair adding 80 for the fifth wicket while the rest of us stood about rearranging the field. Thomas Mitchell chipped in with 25. Martin Harris kept us respectable with 2-47, and Alex Keeler and Thomas Beeney picked up a wicket apiece, but 17 wides and 6 no-balls tell you all you need to know about our discipline that afternoon.

Chasing 309 was always going to be a tall order, and at 1-1 the tone was set before most of us had found our guard. We subsided to 108 all out in 28.1 overs, losing two wickets in a ruinous 23rd over, with ducks for Anthony Karassellos, Mark Christmas and Thomas Beeney. Laurie Probert battled to 29 top score, and did at least bring up 5,000 career runs for the club along the way — a landmark worth raising a glass to. Thomas Beeney's solitary wicket nudged him past Alan Wilkes into 11th on the club's all-time list, another small silver lining. As for the skipper, a golden blob — leading from the front is meant to be about example, not the exact opposite of it.

A chastening 200-run defeat, then. Nets beckon, and quickly.

Fri 17 Jul 2026 🧢 Midweek XIv CK Castle Hill CC, Kent · AwayformWLWWL

As we travelled down to Castle Hill CC on Friday last, the sun was out and, for once, so was my sense of timing — winning the toss and electing to bat felt, if I do say so myself, like the right call before a ball had even been bowled.

We settled in nicely, posting 241/4 from our full 100 overs. Altus Diener was in imperious touch with 76 not out, and Nick Tromp matched him stride for stride with a classy 68 not out — the pair of them batting like they'd booked the crease for the afternoon and had no intention of giving it back. Mardey Castle chipped in handsomely with 43. Not everyone enjoyed the sunshine quite so much — Brandon Eloff endured the walk of shame for a nought, though he more than made amends later, as we'll come to.

With the ball, we were relentless. Castle Hill battled to 148/7 from their 100, Alan Spoule (40), Andrew Caldwell (37) and Hugo Bromley (37) offering the only real resistance, while Jordan X trudged off for a duck. Anthony Karassellos was superb, leading the line with 2-25, well backed by Jordan Austin (1-7) and the redeemed Brandon Eloff (1-14), while Christian Eloff strangled the scoring with six miserly maidens.

A personal 76 was, I'll admit, rather satisfying — and Altus now leads our Midweek XI run charts for the season with 171.

A fine win by 93 runs. Onwards.

Wed 15 Jul 2026 🧢 Midweek XIv ? · HomeformLWLWW

Beaten by 8 runs, and I daresay it was the closest thing to good honest cricket you'll see on a Wednesday evening. Winning the toss on 15th July, I never so much as flirted with the idea of bowling first — 177/7 from our 30 overs felt about right, built on the back of Luke Welsman's unbeaten 52 and Nick Pennefather's steady 41 alongside him. A total we all fancied would be enough.

It very nearly was. The opposition were bowled out for 169 in 29.2 overs, but not without a fight — Thomas Beeney's 41 the backbone, with Luke Welsman and Mardey Castle both chipping in with 26 apiece. We did have our moments: Ian Lowe accounted for a golden duck with the ball even as he endured one himself with the bat, and Jordan Austin was the pick of the attack with a fine 3-39, well supported by Luke Welsman (2-27, having already done his bit with the willow) and Ian Lowe (2-34).

Elsewhere in the season's ledger, Rahul Parakh continues to churn out the runs and sits second in the Midweek XI charts on 91, while Mardey Castle leads the wicket-takers with 6 — form he'll want to carry into the run column too, on this evidence.

In the end, eight runs was the margin, and no amount of tea and sympathy changes that. We were beaten by a side who wanted it fractionally more in the closing overs — but there was enough character in that performance to suggest we'll have the better of this fixture before the season's out.

Tue 14 Jul 2026 🧢 Women's Softballv Platt Junior CC · HomeformWWWWW

Tuesday the fourteenth of July brought Platt Junior CC to Linton Park, and true to summer form the coin did us no favours whatsoever — they called correctly, elected to field, and left us to make first use of a decent-looking strip.

Make use of it we did. Laura Boorman anchored things beautifully with 33 not out, and found excellent company in Hannah Odling (32 not out) and Laura Thorogood (32 not out), the three of them steering us to a handsome 149 for 3 from our twenty overs. I contributed a modest 33 of my own into the mix, which I'm claiming as a captain's innings whether or not the scorebook agrees. Spare a thought, though, for poor Alison Brown, whose nought earns her the walk of shame and a fresh entry in the Duck Club ledger.

Defending it, we were rather too generous hosts in the field — nineteen wides and thirteen no-balls is not the kind of hospitality any captain wants to extend, and Platt's Jo Woolf (31 not out) and Marichele Beckett (28) helped themselves to some of that largesse. But Laura Boorman, superb with bat and ball alike, picked up 1 for 18, with Laura Holdstock chipping in at 1 for 22, and 121 for 2 was as far as Platt could stretch it.

A 28-run win, then, for all our wayward generosity — and with Hannah Odling topping the season's run charts and Laura Holdstock the wickets, this club is in rude health. Onwards.

Sun 12 Jul 2026 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv GC Gills Green CC · AwayformWLLLL

Someone from Gills Green, or up from the boundary rope — either way, here's the report.

We travelled to Gills Green CC on Sunday, and my luck at the toss remains in the same sorry state it has been all season: lost it again, and they had no hesitation in sending us in to bat. Not the start we'd have chosen, and not, in truth, the innings we got. We were bowled out for 72 in 35.1 overs, a total that owed almost everything to Daniel Baker's gutsy 41 — the man is in irrepressible form and now sits proudly atop the 2026 Sunday 2nd XI run charts with 288 for the season. Elsewhere the scorebook made grim reading, with William Gray, Nolan Wilde and Ben Wheeler all completing the walk of shame for ducks, and your correspondent must confess to joining them — I shan't dwell on it, except to say the less said, the better.

Seventy-two was never going to trouble anyone, and so it proved. Gills Green cantered to 75 for 1 in just 10.1 overs, Matt McKinnon striking an unbeaten 44 with Tom Herbert giving able support on 20 not out. Praveen Tunga at least gave us something to cheer, prising out a wicket for 17 runs, but it was scant consolation as we slid to defeat by nine wickets.

A chastening afternoon all round, but these things have a way of sharpening the appetite. We'll be better for it next week.

Sun 12 Jul 2026 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv Mersham Le Hatch CC · HomeformWLLLW

We lost the toss on a fine Sunday and were duly invited to have a bowl first – which, given how the day unfolded, may have been the friendliest thing Mersham Le Hatch did to us all afternoon. They flew out of the blocks with Edge and Chilcott putting on 94 for the first wicket before Martin Harris finally prised one loose, finishing with 2-43 and some very handy support from Mardey Castle (1-16) and Thomas Beeney (1-39). Edge (55) and Chilcott (55) both passed fifty, Godden chipped in with 48, and the visitors declared themselves satisfied at 235/5 from their forty overs. We'd have taken a touch less generosity, frankly.

In reply, Brandon Eloff played a genuinely lovely innings for 58, and found an unlikely ally at number nine as he and Thomas Beeney (33) put on 87 to drag us back into a game that had looked all but gone. Jordan Austin's 31 added further backbone, and 25 useful extras rounded out the effort – though the less said about Castle, Karassellos and Welsman's collective golden ducks the better; three noughts in one card takes some doing. All out for 195 in 36.4 overs, we fell 40 runs short.

A defeat, then, but not a disgraceful one, and there's real heart to take from that ninth-wicket rescue act. Benjamin Austin continues to lead our run charts with 220 for the season, and Thomas Beeney tops the wickets with 12 – both quietly getting on with it while the rest of us provide the comic relief. We'll be better for it next week.

Sat 11 Jul 2026 🧢 4th XIv OC Orpington Ocelots CC · AwayformWLWLL

Saturday last took us out to Orpington Ocelots, where I lost the toss and, with a certain inevitability, was invited to bowl first — sorry, field first, though by the end of our innings it rather felt like the wrong way round. We were 0 for the loss of a wicket before some of us had found our guard, which is never the tone you want to set. Nolan Wilde battled through for a top score of 28 and dragged us to 96-6, at which point the innings simply fell off a cliff — 103-9 arrived in what felt like three balls, with ducks for David Day, Zach Wilde and Luke P completing a rather sorry tail. All out for 103 from our thirty overs; not a total to frighten anyone.

And so it proved. Vishal Malhotra (43) and Sandeep Tayal (36 not out) put on 68 for the second wicket and simply strolled us out of the game, reaching 104-2 in 16.4 overs. Zach Wilde, atoning nicely for his golden duck, picked up 1-13, and Ian Lowe chipped in with 1-42, but a costly 13th over — seventeen runs — rather took the last of the fight out of us. Beaten by eight wickets.

Small mercies: Nolan Wilde now sits fourth in the 4th XI's season run charts, and Zach Wilde leads the wicket-takers with a dozen scalps. As for the rest of us — back to the nets, and back next week rather better than this.

Sat 11 Jul 2026 🧢 3rd XIv OC Orpington Ocelots CC · HomeformLLLWW

It rather begins, as these things often do, with me winning the toss and — against every instinct of self-preservation my teammates might have wished upon me — deciding we'd bat. Openers Hughes and Baker set about the Ocelots' attack with real intent, hauling us to 104 for the loss of just one, and for a good while it looked like the platform of the season. Hughes fell for a well-made 45, Baker for 44, and young Tim Thirkell finished unbeaten on 39 to see us home to 200 — though "home" is generous, given the last three wickets went down 198 to 200 in what can only be described as a stampede for the pavilion. Fergus Herron, Gene Smith and Paul Baker all contributed the traditional duck, bless them, while the extras column — ever the most reliable man in the side — chipped in 33.

Defending 200 always felt like a tall order, and so it proved. Aditya Punja played a proper captain's innings of 71, ably assisted by Aadarsh Raghavan's 34 and an unbeaten 24 from Aman Msn, the pair adding 96 for the third wicket to bat us out of it. Srikrishna Challa toiled manfully for 3-33 and John Karassellos chipped in with one, but the opposition simply bowled short and watched us — sorry, them — cut and pull to all corners. A ruinous 40th over cost two wickets and any lingering hope, and we went down by five wickets.

Daniel Baker leads our run charts for the season regardless, which is some consolation. We'll be better for it next week.

Sat 11 Jul 2026 🧢 2nd XIv HC Holborough Anchorians CC · AwayformWWLDW

Not many overs of that kind of chasing get remembered fondly, but this one earned its place in the log.

Saturday took us down the road to Holborough Anchorians, and when the coin fell my way I didn't dither — a good pitch and a full 40 overs ahead meant we were batting. Michael Ludick set about the bowling with real intent, ticking past fifty and on to 79 before he was done, while Tim Ludick matched him stride for stride with a classy 72. Altus Diener chipped in a handy 49, and between them we posted a formidable 266/6 — the sort of total that has the tea urn boiling with quiet confidence.

Defending it was never going to be a stroll, and so it proved. Mahmood Khanwaziri played the innings of the day, ushering the Anchorians past their own fifty and all the way to an unbeaten 60, well backed by Bilal Sarwan (48) and Masood Khanwaziri (46). Poor Saif Mukhtar departed for a duck without so much as a nibble. It was Praveen Tunga who did the real damage with 3-49, Brandon Eloff chipped away for 2-22 and Luke Welsman took 1-23 — enough, just, to keep the chasing pack at bay. Johan Eloff had a torrid afternoon behind the stumps, nine byes testament to a wicket with ideas of its own, and I'll admit my own 79 gave me no little satisfaction.

We got home by seven runs — heart in mouth, but home nonetheless. With Michael Ludick now our leading run-scorer this season and Brandon Eloff top of the wicket pile, this was, without exaggeration, a very good day for the club.

Sat 11 Jul 2026 🧢 1st XIv Lordswood CC · HomeformLLLWL

I called correctly at the toss on Saturday and, fancying us to make early inroads, put Lordswood CC in. It rather backfired. They raced to 122 before we so much as bent the shine off the ball, Owen Palmer eventually accounting for a superb, chanceless 121, well supported by Bradley Goldsack's fine 54 and Arav Nair's 39. Their second-wicket pair alone put on 129, and though a double strike in the 41st over gave us a flicker of hope, the floodgates had already opened — 251-2 becoming 263-5 in a hurry — and they closed on a daunting 300/5 from their 45 overs. Anthony Karassellos led the attack manfully for 2-54, with Will Hughes (1-58) and Thomas Beeney (1-67) among the wickets. We did our bowlers no favours either, Benjamin Austin enduring 8 byes behind the stumps while 31 wides and 4 no-balls disappeared, unforgivably, into the extras column.

Chasing 301 was never a realistic proposition, but we gave it a go. Anthony Karassellos, having bowled his heart out, then top-scored with 38, Nick Pennefather made a tidy 23, and a fifth-wicket stand of 66 was the one bright passage of play. Poor Will Thew's golden duck said it all, and even 26 extras couldn't disguise a collapse — all out for 161 in 38.2 overs.

Beaten by 139 runs in the end, and rightly so. Jordan Austin remains our leading run-scorer this season on 272, with Anthony Karassellos second in the wicket-takers' list on 16 — crumbs of comfort on an otherwise chastening Saturday. We'll be better for it next week.

Wed 08 Jul 2026 🧢 Midweek XIv Marden CC, Kent · HomeformWLWLW

Here's the match report:

Wednesday last saw Marden CC roll into Linton Park, and having won the toss I didn't so much as blink before choosing to bat — a decision I shall be dining out on for weeks. Openers Jordan Austin and Will Hughes set about proceedings with real intent, the pair putting on 81 before the first wicket fell, and from there Austin barely drew breath, motoring to an unbeaten 62. Altus Diener chipped in a classy 31 not out, complete with the shot of the day — a straight six back over the bowler's head that had the boundary boards rattling — while Hughes finished with 27 not out and I managed a workmanlike 31 myself. A generous 34 extras rounded out a highly satisfactory 195/3 from our 100 overs.

If batting was pleasant, bowling was pure theatre. Marden lost a wicket before a run was troubled, and it rather set the tone: Josh Smitherman, Louis Hutchins and Jack Tibbits all departed for ducks, a double strike in the sixth over doing much of the damage. Michael Ludick led the charge with 3-18, Mardey Castle and Ashley Cairns took two apiece, and Brandon Eloff was miserly beyond words with 16 maidens. Only Dan Long, with 29, offered any real resistance as Marden subsided to 81/8.

A win by 114 runs, then — full lengths driven handsomely, short ones dispatched squarely, and not a great deal for our visitors to smile about. Onwards indeed.

Sun 05 Jul 2026 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv SC Sandwich Town CC · AwayformLWLLL

Sunday last took us down to Sandwich Town, and having called it right at the toss I fancied a bat first on a day that felt made for it. And how the lads repaid that faith — Mardey Castle purring to 62, Luke Welsman batting right through for an unbeaten 60, and Johan Eloff chipping in with a classy 54, though we'd wobbled early at 6-1 and needed the good sense to remember our footwork. The 84-run stand for the third wicket was the making of the innings, and with a generous 37 extras thrown in for good measure, 252/6 off our forty overs felt like a total with some teeth in it.

Defending it, we were made to work — Harry Baldwin's 56 and a stubborn second-wicket stand of 60 kept Sandwich interested despite an early loss of their own at 3-1. But once we found our groove it turned swift and rather satisfying, three ducks and a clatter of wickets between 171 and 181 doing for them in short order. Luke Welsman backed up his batting with 2-10, Mardey Castle chimed in with 2-21, Johan Eloff took one, and Nick Tromp bowled two miserly maidens to strangle any hope of a chase. Benjamin Austin's gloves had a busy afternoon — ten byes the only blemish — but a double strike in the 36th over put the game beyond doubt, and 186 all out left us home by 66 runs.

Two points, thoroughly earned, and a fine advert for batting first when the captain's in a generous mood.

Sun 05 Jul 2026 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv Addington Village CC · AwayformWWLLL

Beaten but not bowed at Addington Village on Sunday, though I confess the toss – which I won, and duly chose to field – looked rather cleverer at tea than it did by the close. Alain Tolhurst gave us a proper going-over, 84 of good, honest runs, with Marcus Harrod-Reid (34) and Edward Montgomery (30) chipping in either side of a ninth-wicket stand of 86 that really ought to have been strangled long before it reached double figures. Ben Wheeler toiled manfully for his 4-51, with Spencer Gray and Anthony Karassellos (2-11 and 2-21 respectively) doing their bit, but 244 all out from 39.1 overs was always going to take some chasing – not helped by an over 27 in which we shipped 17 runs, nor by a generous 20 wides and 3 no-balls that we more or less posted to them by second-class mail.

With the bat we made a fist of it. Daniel Baker's 43 led the way, backed up nicely by Euan Beardwell (30) and an unbeaten 27 from Tim Thirkell, while openers gave us a rollicking start of 62 before the first wicket fell. Even the extras column pulled its weight with 36. But 201/5 from our 40 overs left us 43 runs shy at the death.

Daniel Baker continues to top the Sunday 2nd XI run charts with 247 for the season, and Tim Thirkell sits third among the wicket-takers with six – small consolations on a day the better side won fair and square. We'll dust ourselves down, sort out our line and length, and be better for it next week.

Sat 04 Jul 2026 🧢 4th XIv BC Bapchild CC · AwayformWWLWL

As captain, winning the toss at Bapchild on Saturday 4th July felt like the easy part of the day — I stuck us in, and rather wished I hadn't by the close.

With bat in hand we never quite got going, scrapping to 83/9 from 27.2 overs. Mohamed Safeer Ibra Lebbe's 23 was the lone bright spark in an innings that unravelled at pace — 12/1 became 23/4 before most of us had finished our tea, and the Duck Club welcomed two new members as Trevor Back and Ian Lowe both walked back for nought. 🦆

Eighty-three was never going to be a total to frighten anyone, but we set about defending it with more hope than expectation. Andrew Joseph did his level best to keep us in it, snaring 2-33, and there was a flicker of promise in the sixth over when two wickets fell in a hurry. Sadly Simon Rose had other ideas, batting through unbeaten on 48 as Bapchild strolled home to 84/2 in just 20.1 overs.

Beaten by eight wickets, then, and no dressing it up as anything other than a chastening afternoon. Small consolations remain — Toby Joseph continues his fine season, now second in the 4th XI run charts on 133, with Andrew Joseph fourth in the wicket charts on 5. We'll regroup, we'll lick our wounds, and we'll be better for it next week.

Sat 04 Jul 2026 🧢 2nd XIv OC Offham CC · HomeformWWWLD

Lost the toss again — Offham took one look at the square and fancied fielding first, which after last week's efforts I could hardly blame them for. Still, we made hay: 219 for 6 from our forty overs, with Johan Eloff striking a fine 56 to lead the charge, and Altus Diener (49) and Nick Pennefather (44) both playing their part in what turned into a proper batting effort. A total to be pleased with, and one that gave us something to bowl at.

Defending it, we did rather more sweating than the scoreboard might suggest. Offham chipped away to 182 for 8, with Felix Eyre (34), Marcus Faithfull (32) and William Godfrey (26) all threatening to make a match of it before Luke Welsman's tidy 2 for 10 pulled things back our way, ably assisted by Brandon Eloff (2-21) and Nick Tromp (1-22). Sam Willis, mercifully for us, departed for a duck. Our wicketkeeper endured a torrid afternoon — 15 byes is not a figure anyone wants next to their name — and 22 wides suggests discipline took the day off entirely, but somehow we got away with it.

Elsewhere, Brandon Eloff continues his splendid season, sitting second in the 2nd XI run charts on 225 and out in front of the wicket-takers with 13. A scrappy, generous, thoroughly English afternoon's cricket — but two points are two points, and 37 runs is 37 runs. We'll take it, and quietly hope the keeper gets his gloves sorted before next week.

Sat 04 Jul 2026 🧢 1st XIv OC Offham CC · AwayformLLLLW

Off to Offham, and never was the toss so cruelly lost — asked to bowl first on what turned out to be a shirtfront, we watched Jack Stanton-Gleaves compile a truly magnificent 169 not out, ably supported by Ben Gittings's own hundred (102). We had them 8-1 and thought, briefly, that mercy might be shown; instead a 233-run third-wicket stand quietly buried us, and their last pair had the cheek to bolt on 43 more we could well have done without. Their 323/6 stood as a monument to our misfortune, though there were bright spots with the ball — Mardey Castle toiled superbly for 3-67, Mark Christmas chipped in 2-12, and Matthew Carter bowled two tidy maidens on his way to 1-58. Small mercy: Charlie Razey went for a duck at our hands.

Chasing 324 was always a tall order, and 185 all out in 33.4 overs told its own story, brightened only by Anthony Karassellos's gritty unbeaten 62, with Matthew Carter (26) and Jordan Austin (22) offering support. A defiant 73-run last-wicket stand was the innings' one flash of stubbornness, though Benjamin Austin and Henry Campbell both departed for ducks, and even our extras (33) outscored several of the top order.

One moment of real pride amid the wreckage: Anthony Karassellos brought up 3,000 career runs for the club — a landmark worth savouring, whatever the scoreboard said. Jordan Austin still leads our 2026 run charts on 258, Mark Christmas our wickets on 20.

In short: comprehensively beaten by 138 runs. Not our day. Back to the nets.

Wed 01 Jul 2026 🧢 Midweek XIv Warlingham CC · HomeformLWLWL

Wednesday brought Warlingham CC to Linton Park, and the coin did its usual trick of siding against me — asked to chase, though with the small mercy of first use of the ball, which at least meant I could hide in the field a while longer before facing the music with the bat.

Warlingham posted 171 for 9 off their 44, built around a well-made fifty from Nigel Field (54), with Waseem Sherwani unbeaten on 34 and Masood Bashir chipping in 25. Poor Imran Bashir will not remember the day fondly, sent back without troubling the scorers. Our attack, though, had the look of men who meant business: Benjamin Austin was pick of the bunch with 3 for 17, Mardey Castle matched him in spirit with 3 for 18, Luke Welsman took 2 for 12, and Ian Lowe strangled the runs with two maidens for good measure.

Chasing 172, we made it look almost civilised, reaching the target for the loss of just three wickets in 32 overs. Tobey Castle was magnificent, striding to 88 and in doing so easing past Basil Sears into 19th on the club's all-time run-scorers list — no small thing for a Wednesday afternoon. Aaron Hughes offered fine support with a well-made fifty of his own, unbeaten on 61.

Two points, seven wickets to spare, and Tobey Castle and Benjamin Austin both sitting proudly atop this season's Midweek XI charts. A thoroughly satisfactory day at the office.

Sun 28 Jun 2026 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv SC Southfleet CC · HomeformLWWLL

As it stands this season, William Gray sits 2nd in the 2026 Sunday 2nd XI run charts with 185 runs, and Tim Thirkell 4th in the wicket charts with 5 — though on this Sunday it was Gray's willow doing the talking rather than Thirkell's arm.

Southfleet won the toss, elected to bat, and duly set about reminding us why sending down the first ball is a mixed blessing. Sandeep Vijai played the innings of the day, 62 well beyond his fifty, with James Bonner (46) and Joel Mulley-Goodbarne (31) keeping the scoreboard turning until they closed on a healthy 195/6. Credit where due: Euan Beardwell led the attack beautifully with 1-10, backed up by Jacob Landman (1-15) and David Holdstock (1-28), while William Gray kept things admirably tight with two maidens. Sean Coleman, at least, departed for a duck without so much as troubling the scorers — small mercies.

Chasing 196, we made a fair fist of it. William Gray, having bowled so tidily, then rolled his sleeves up with the bat for a well-crafted 56, ably supported by Beardwell (41, evidently a man in form all round) and Nolan Wilde, unbeaten on 29. I contributed a workmanlike 29 of my own. Alas, eight byes gifted behind the stumps proved costly padding to Southfleet's total, and we fell short by 33 runs in the end.

A losing afternoon, but not a chastening one — plenty to build on, and we'll be better for it next week.

Sun 28 Jun 2026 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv RC Rolvenden CC · AwayformLLWLL

Beaten again, but not without a fight – and not without a fine 96 from Brandon Eloff that had us dreaming of something rather grander for a good while.

We lost the toss at Rolvenden and were put in, which on reflection suited nobody but the pitch. Brandon Eloff, batting like a man who knew exactly what he was doing (a rare and precious thing), top-scored with 96, stitching together a 96-run fourth-wicket stand with Johan Eloff (35) that dragged us from ordinary to respectable. Benjamin Austin chipped in with 26, and I added a modest 24, before the innings did what club cricket innings so often do and fell over in a heap – 233 for 7 collapsing to 237 all out. Ian Lowe and Ian Hollingworth both walked the walk of shame for ducks, and the Duck Club ledger grows fatter still.

Defending 237 should have been enough on a pitched-up afternoon, and for a long while it looked it – Rolvenden's bowlers dropped short and we, rather wonderfully, rocked back and helped ourselves square of the wicket. J Austin's six wide of mid-off was the shot of the day and deserved a bigger stage. Brandon Eloff backed up his batting with the ball, taking 2-26, well supported by Ian Hollingworth (2-41) and Thomas Beeney (2-52), and we had Carlin Smith back in the hut without scoring. But Omar Ahmed's fine 65, with Tom Laver (46) and Omar Zaman (35) in support, and an 80-run second-wicket stand, saw them home despite poor Johan Eloff having a torrid time behind the stumps, 12 byes going astray, and 2 wickets falling in the pivotal 38th over never quite undoing the damage.

Beaten by two wickets, then, agonisingly close. We'll be better for it next week.

Sat 27 Jun 2026 🧢 3rd XIv FC Faversham CC · AwayformLLLLW

Faversham CC, Saturday 27 June — the coin toss deserted me, as it so often does, and we were sent into the field with the sort of instruction that never bodes well for the tea urn. No matter: 164/7 from our forty overs was a fair old total to defend, built on a busy 33 from Rahul Parakh and 31 from Nolan Wilde, with Spencer Gray unbeaten on 25 to see us home. Jonathan Sisley, meanwhile, made his way back to the pavilion for a duck — the walk of shame performed with all the dignity he could muster.

Defending it, we found our range early and never really let Faversham settle. Richard Knowler was magnificent, 3-22 with three maidens thrown in for good measure — not a run given away lightly, and not much sympathy shown either. William Gray (3-31) and Tim Thirkell (2-15) chipped in handsomely, and though Tom Harris (40) and Brandan Monteiro (34) put on a stubborn fifty for the sixth wicket, it was never quite enough. Danny Smith and Ollie Bellerby Brown departed for ducks of their own, and Faversham folded for 130 in the 39th over. I even found time for a useful 31 myself.

Won by 34 runs, and two points thoroughly banked. Daniel Baker still tops our run charts this season, Tim Thirkell our wickets — and on this evidence, both totals will keep climbing. A proper away-day win, that.

Sat 27 Jun 2026 🧢 2nd XIv SC Staplehurst CC · AwayformWWWWL

From the captain's chair — Saturday 27 June 2026.

We rolled up at Staplehurst with the sun out and, for once, my toss-calling instincts firing on all cylinders — heads it was, and there was never any doubt what we'd do with it. Batting first on a good deck felt like the right call, and so it proved.

Michael Ludick set about proving it in some style, compiling a superb 103 that was the innings' backbone, while Brandon Eloff played the perfect foil with an unbeaten 72, and Tim Ludick chipped in a tidy 35 to help us post 261/5 from our 37.3 overs — a total that had the tea urn practically boiling over with anticipation. And there was extra reason to celebrate: Michael brought up 1,000 career runs for the club along the way, a proper mantelpiece moment and thoroughly deserved, given he now leads our 2nd XI run charts for the season with 326.

Then it was our turn to bowl, and here I confess a rare moment of personal pride — I led from the front with the bat earlier, but with the ball our attack simply strangled the life out of Staplehurst's reply, bowling them out for precisely nothing. Remarkable stuff, though the scorebook and the gods of cricket conspired to leave us with honours shared rather than the win our efforts merited.

A draw, then — but with a century, a fifty, and a thousand-run milestone in the bag, nobody at Linton Park will be complaining too loudly on the drive home.

Sat 27 Jun 2026 🧢 1st XIv AC Ashford Town CC · HomeformLLLLL

Here's the match report.

Saturday last, and with Ashford Town CC visiting, the coin obliged me and I had no hesitation putting us in. It didn't look clever at 0-1, but Linton Park has never been a side to panic on the scorecard alone — Mark Christmas (41) and Laurie Probert (38) rebuilt with real substance, and Benjamin Austin's 22 kept the total honest. A 95-run stand for the fifth wicket was the innings' spine, before the tail did its level best to give it all back, tumbling from 147-5 to 153-8 in what felt like the time it takes to pour a tea. Jordan Austin's nought earns him this week's walk of shame and a place in the Duck Club ledger. We closed on 170 all out — not our tidiest, but enough, as it turned out.

With ball in hand we were a different animal. Ashford lost an early one at 8 and never truly settled, subsiding from 80-7 to 93 all out. Mark Christmas, fresh from his runs, ran through them with 3-12, backed superbly by Thomas Beeney (2-9) and the ever-miserly Tom Campbell (2-25, three maidens). Sam Grove departed without troubling the scorers — another for the ledger. As for the skipper, I'll allow myself a quiet smile: 41 with the bat and 3 wickets with the ball.

A 77-run win, then, and a thoroughly satisfying one. Onwards.

Wed 24 Jun 2026 🧢 Midweek XIv Cudham Wyse CC · AwayformDLWLW

Not our day, but by the sounds of it, a proper cricketing thriller. Here's the report.

Wednesday 24 June saw us take the road to Cudham Wyse, and having won the toss I had no hesitation in electing to bat — a decision I'll happily take credit for, whatever the final scoreline suggests. Losing our first wicket for just one run was hardly the platform I'd envisioned, but Rahul Parakh played the innings of the day, a fine 75, well supported by Jonathon McDonald and Theo Clements, both 33. Credit too to the tail, who added a priceless 54 for the last wicket to drag us to 222 all out from 34 overs. Less credit to Jordan Austin and Henry Campbell, who both made the long walk back for nought — the ducks are noted in the ledger, gentlemen.

Defending 222, we asked plenty of questions but Cudham Wyse kept finding answers. Herman De Jaeger's 39 anchored their reply, with Jakria Ahmed (33) and Moazzam Sultan (30) chipping in handsomely. Ian Lowe was superb with the ball, 3-45, well backed by both McDonalds — Jonathon (2-26) and Toby (2-44) — and Bob Fraser was sent packing without troubling the scorers. But eleven byes told their own story about the state of our wicketkeeping, and in a match this tight, those extras mattered.

In the end, 226/9 from 39.3 overs saw them home by the barest of margins — one wicket. A match that swung on a handful of runs and a fistful of byes. Not our day. Heads up, and back to the nets.

Sun 21 Jun 2026 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv ? · HomeformLLWWL

Theo Clements 74, William Gray 64 not out, and I won the toss and put us in – that much went to plan, at least.

We put together 173 for 3 in our 35 overs on Sunday, which on a lazy summer's afternoon felt like a total worth defending. Theo Clements led from the front with a well-crafted 74, and William Gray gave him fine support with an unbeaten 64 – a knock that keeps him second in our 2026 Sunday 2nd XI run charts on 129 for the season. Spencer Gray, alas, will want to forget his contribution entirely, back in the pavilion for a duck before he'd had time to adjust his box.

In the field, we could hardly have asked for a better start. John Karassellos was in unplayable form, spinning his way to 5 for 19 and leaving the visitors' order in tatters, while Zach Wilde chipped in with 2 for 24 and Tim Thirkell picked up 1 for 11. Only Daniel Baker, with a battling 21, offered any real resistance as the visitors folded for 103 in 28.5 overs – Zach Wilde among those to fall to our bowling for a duck, which must have stung. Wilde still leads our 2026 Sunday 2nd XI wicket charts with 10 for the season, so no lasting damage done there.

And yet, in the great tradition of this fixture, we somehow contrived to lose by 70 runs. Not our day, then – heads up, and back to the nets.

Sat 20 Jun 2026 🧢 3rd XIv Kings Hill CC · HomeformLLLLL

Saturday 20 June saw us welcome Kings Hill CC, and after losing the toss we found ourselves condemned to field first – never quite my favourite outcome, but there we are, the toss remains the one contest we can't legislate for.

Batting first, we posted a respectable 163/9 from our 40 overs, built nicely around Rahul Parakh's 39, with Nick Pennefather (32) and William Gray (31) both playing their part. Less gloriously, Spencer Gray and Gene Smith made the lonely walk back for nought apiece, joining the Duck Club ledger – commiserations to both, the tea urn awaits your company.

If our batting was merely solid, our bowling was something else entirely. Kings Hill were bundled out for a threadbare 70 in 26.5 overs, with Nick Cranmer, Daniel Pullen and Nirvan Pieris all departing without troubling the scorers themselves. The day belonged to Tim Thirkell, whose 5-22 (three maidens, no less) was a spell of real quality, backed up handsomely by Richard Knowler (3-16) and James Gray (2-19).

Milestones abounded: Daniel Baker brought up 1,000 career runs for the club, Richard Knowler reached 2,000, and Tim Thirkell's five-for eased him past Martin Harris into 6th on the all-time wicket-takers' list. Baker also leads our 2026 3rd XI run charts on 138, with Thirkell topping the wickets on 11.

We ran out winners by 93 runs. A thoroughly good day for the club – and one for the scrapbook rather than the Duck Club ledger.

Sat 20 Jun 2026 🧢 2nd XIv SC Snodland Community CC · HomeformWWWWW

It was 20 June, Snodland Community CC on our patch, and the coin did what coins so often do to me — landed the wrong way up. They put us in, and we shuffled to 109 all out in 33 overs, a total that flattered to deceive. Altus Diener held things together with a fine 33, and young Will Hughes chipped in an unbeaten 22 to give the innings some shape. Less happily, Brandon Eloff departed for a duck, and yours truly matched him for style, if not distinction, falling for nought myself. We shall, as is traditional, draw a veil over the captain's contribution.

Defending 109 was always going to want something special, and for a while we very nearly conjured it. Snodland were nudged and squeezed to 113 for 6 in 35.2 overs, Sam Tucker seeing them home with a composed 37 not out. Michael Ludick was magnificent with the ball — 3 for 17 with five miserly maidens — and found good company in Brandon Eloff (2 for 21) and Alex Wade (1 for 10). Sukirthan Sellaththurai, Tim Merry and John Burbidge all went cheaply with the bat. Sadly, 18 wides and 9 no-balls handed Snodland runs we simply couldn't spare.

Four wickets the wrong way, then, and a reminder that generosity is a virtue best reserved for the tea table. Michael Ludick tops our 2nd XI run charts on 223, Brandon Eloff leads the wickets on 11 — bright spots in an otherwise chastening afternoon. Back to the nets, heads up, and onward.

Sat 20 Jun 2026 🧢 1st XIv SC Sibton Park CC · AwayformLLLLL

Ah, Sibton Park away — a fixture that always seems to bring out the theatrical in us.

Winning the toss on a Saturday morning, I did what any captain fuelled by confidence and a full English does: I looked at the pitch, ignored every warning sign, and put us in to bat. It went about as well as you'd expect. Ninety-four all out in 24.4 overs, with Benjamin Austin (26 not out) and Jordan Austin (21) doing their level best to paper over the cracks, before the middle order decided to stage a full-scale evacuation — 49 for 3 became 54 for 6 quicker than you could say "shot selection." Laurie Probert, Luke Welsman and Mark Christmas all walked back for ducks, and I shan't dwell on my own contribution, except to say the scorebook's "0" was doing some heavy lifting.

With the ball we fought back handsomely. Mark Christmas was superb, 2 for 17, backed up nicely by Henry Campbell (1 for 3) and Anthony Karassellos (1 for 19), and we even had Joseph Allon back for a duck of his own. But Josh Woodward's 42, with Satyajeet Jadhav unbeaten on 20, steered Sibton home at 95 for 5. A calamitous 14th over, costing three wickets, was really the difference — momentum is a fickle thing at village level.

Amid the wreckage, a genuine highlight: Will Thew's 14 runs nudged him past Stan Wratten to 24th on the club's all-time run list — a man quietly climbing the ladder while the rest of us fell off it.

Beaten by five wickets. No disgrace, plenty to learn, and — as ever — better times surely lie ahead.

Sun 14 Jun 2026 🧢 Women's Softballv The Mote CC · HomeformWWWWW

Sunday 14th brought The Mote to Linton Park for what turned into one of those afternoons that reminds you why you bother with the toss at all. I called it right, didn't think twice about batting first, and watched us assemble a very respectable 128/5 from our twenty. Hannah Odling was the innings' backbone, unbeaten on 32, though I'll confess our extras column — a generous 44 — did rather more heavy lifting than any captain likes to admit in print.

Defending it, we made life needlessly interesting for ourselves. The Mote lost Carole Bacon for a duck with the scoreboard still reading nought, which had us purring, but Liz Keaveney dug in for an unbeaten 31 and dragged them to 116/8, keeping the run chase alive right to the closing overs. Our bowling had real teeth throughout — Claire Rootes the pick with 2-14, Laura Holdstock chipping in 2-21, and Laura Boorman snaring one for just 3 — but we did our level best to gift it all back with 26 wides and 20 no-balls, generosity bordering on the reckless.

Somehow, despite ourselves, we got home by 12 runs. With Hannah Odling now sitting proudly atop the season's run charts and Laura Holdstock leading the wickets, the signs for the summer are rather promising. A scrappy, wide-strewn, thoroughly entertaining win — and on the balance of the day's madness, a jolly good one for the club.

Sun 14 Jun 2026 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv HC Harvel CC · AwayformLLLWW

Here's the match report for the gazette:

Sunday 14th June found us on the road to Harvel CC, and my luck ran out at the toss before a ball was bowled — asked to bowl first, we duly took the field with hope in our hearts, if not much else. Philip Darby made those hopes look rather thin, compiling a magnificent century, well supported by Jack MacDonald's fine half-century and Daniel Walker's brisk 22, as Harvel racked up 259/6 from their forty overs. Zach Wilde toiled manfully for his 4-72, with Euan Beardwell and Ben Wheeler chipping in a wicket apiece — honest labour on an unforgiving afternoon.

Chasing 260 was always going to ask searching questions of our top order, and the answers, on the whole, were not the ones we wanted. Daniel Baker's 33 and William Gray's matching 33 were the innings' backbone, with Spencer Gray's 20 offering brief encouragement, but three ducks on the card — Beardwell, Holdstock and Wheeler all departing for nought — told their own sorry tale. As for your captain, I can report a golden blob: out first ball, leading by example in precisely the wrong direction. We limped to 141/9.

A defeat by 118 runs, then, and no amount of purple prose will dress it up as anything else. Daniel Baker continues to lead our Sunday 2nd XI run charts and Zach Wilde the wickets, which offers some consolation. For the rest of us: heads up, chins out, and back to the nets.

Sun 14 Jun 2026 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv Kings Hill CC · HomeformWLLWL

Sunday 14 June, and Kings Hill CC rolled up looking altogether too pleased with themselves. I lost the toss — no great surprise, my coin-calling remains a batting-order-length list of failures — and we were put into the field.

They made merry early on. Jack Doyle and Robert Whitfield put on 124 for the first wicket with the unhurried confidence of men who'd read the pitch report and not shared it with us, Doyle going on to 77 and Whitfield to a tidy 68. Credit to the lads for not folding: Thomas Beeney found his rhythm to return 4-25 with two maidens thrown in for good measure, Farhan Malik chipped away with 3-32, and Brandon Eloff picked up one. Poor Daniel Pullen departed without troubling the scorers. All told, 208/9 from their forty overs felt like a par score with a bit extra for cheek.

Chasing it, we never quite found our stride. Theo Clements top-scored with a spirited 39, Jordan Austin gave him good company with 37, but wickets fell around them and we were bowled out for 178 in 37.1 overs — undone as much by our own generosity as their bowling, with fifteen byes leaking through behind the stumps.

Beaten by 30 runs, then, but not without honours: Thomas Beeney's four wickets nudged him past Ian Brattle into 12th on the club's all-time list, and he now leads our Sunday wicket charts with nine, with Austin top of the run-scorers on 140. Character shown, lesson learned — we'll be better for it next week.

Sat 13 Jun 2026 🧢 3rd XIv RC Rodmersham CC · HomeformLLLLL

It was 1662 hours when we lost the toss last Saturday against Rodmersham CC, and Rodmersham, quite reasonably, decided we'd look better in the field. Forty overs later they'd posted 121/7 — David Cogger leading the charge with 24, Nigel Pullen unbeaten on 20 to shepherd the tail. Richard Knowler was the chief tormentor, ripping through with 4-27, with William Gray and Tim Thirkell chipping in a wicket apiece, and James Gray bowling three overs so parsimonious you'd think he owned the tea money personally. Special mention to Oscar Whitlock, who was sent back for a duck without so much as troubling the scorers — these things happen to the best of us.

Our reply, alas, read rather more modestly. 109 all out from 36 overs, with extras our top contributor on 32 — always a slightly hollow feeling, being out-batted by the byes. Twelve runs short in the end, a margin that stings just enough to keep you up rearranging the shot you should have played.

There was a silver lining amid the gloom: Tim Thirkell's solitary wicket was enough to nudge him past Martin Harris and into 6th on the club's all-time wicket-takers list — a nice bit of history to file away while the rest of us licked our wounds. He also leads our 2026 3rd XI wicket charts with 6, while Daniel Baker tops the run charts with 130.

Beaten by 12 runs, then, but not disgraced. We'll regroup, we'll bat with a bit more conviction, and we'll be better for it next week.

Sat 13 Jun 2026 🧢 2nd XIv Tonbridge CC · HomeformLWWWW

Wet outfield, sharp elbows and a scoreboard that flattered no one on Saturday 13 June — Tonbridge CC visited, we lost the toss, and were duly invited to have a bat on what turned out to be a decidedly two-paced surface.

We limped to 108 all out in 25.3 overs, which even by our own modest standards felt like scraping the barrel with both hands. Nick Tromp held things together with a top score of 42, and Brandon Eloff chipped in a handy 27, but the middle order rather fell on its sword — Alex Wade, Euan Beardwell and Praveen Tunga all contributing that most democratic of cricketing gifts, the golden duck. Three in a row is the sort of thing that gets you bought a pint and mercilessly reminded of it for weeks.

Somehow, defending 108 felt less like a plan and more like a prayer — yet Praveen Tunga, clearly deciding batting wasn't his day, tore in for 3-17, with Brandon Eloff (2-8) and Altus Diener (2-16, three maidens and not a run given away cheaply) squeezing the life out of Tonbridge's reply. Finley Evans and Anthony Shepherd both departed without scoring, and I even managed 27 with the ball myself. Tonbridge were bowled out for 75.

A tidy footnote: Brandon Eloff reached 50 career wickets, and sits handsomely atop the 2nd XI charts this season. Over the line by 33 runs — a scruffy performance redeemed by ruthless bowling, and a very good day for the club.

Sat 13 Jun 2026 🧢 1st XIv Mersham Sports CC · AwayformLLLLL

From the captain's chair, Saturday 13 June, and the road took us out to Mersham Sports CC — never my favourite venue to lose a toss at, and lose it we duly did, so out into the field we trooped.

Batting first ourselves, in reply — sorry, batting was the order handed to Mersham, but you know how village cricket goes, someone has to bat and someone has to graft in the field, and it was very much our turn to graft first with the willow. We limped to 5-1 before Laurie Probert and yours truly steadied things. I'll confess to a slightly indulgent 43 not out along the way, and I'm told it nudged my career tally at the club past 10,000 runs — a number that makes me feel every one of my aching knees, but a nice one to have on the record all the same. Laurie's 29 and a stubborn 53-run stand for the sixth wicket dragged us to 146/7 off 45, with 29 handy extras thrown in and a golden duck apiece for Theo Clements and Anthony Karassellos to remind us nobody's spared.

With the ball, Anthony made amends in style with 2-25, well supported by Thomas Beeney's 1-32 and Matthew Carter's two miserly maidens, but a rapid 80-run opening stand from Mersham set the tone, and too many wides and byes gifted them the rest. Beaten by seven wickets. Not our day — heads up, back to the nets.

Sun 07 Jun 2026 🧢 Women's Softballv HC Hythe CC · HomeformWWWWW

Laura Boorman's unbeaten 24 anchors a 72-run win. Here's the report.

At the toss on Sunday I called correctly, and there really wasn't a moment's hesitation - with early June sunshine overhead I stuck us in the field, much to the surprise of absolutely no one who knows how my mind works.

Hythe CC were duly dismissed for nought, a collapse orchestrated with real venom by Martha Beardwell, whose 3-11 did the damage up top, while Claire Rootes (1-3) and Carly Copping (1-7) tidied up in support. It was, in truth, rather clinical bowling wrapped around some distinctly untidy fielding - twenty wides and ten no-balls is the sort of generosity we simply cannot keep extending to visiting sides, and I shall be having quiet words at nets.

With the ball evidently doing all the talking, we replied with nought all out ourselves, Laura Boorman carrying her bat for an unbeaten 24 of real substance and composure while wickets fell around her. Elsewhere in the season's ledger, Hannah Odling continues to lord it over the Women's Softball run charts with 127, and Martha Beardwell's spell only extends her grip on the wicket-takers' list to 8 - form both of them will want to carry into next week.

So: two points, seventy-two runs to the good, and a scoreline that flatters our fielding rather more than it deserves. A fine win nonetheless - now let's tidy up those extras before somebody notices.

Sun 07 Jun 2026 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv Town Malling CC · AwayformWWLLW

We travelled down to Town Malling CC on Sunday, lost the toss, and were invited to bat first — the sort of instruction that Linton Park captains have learned to receive with polite dread. We were duly bowled out for 104 in 32.5 overs, a total that flattered to deceive. Navjot Singh held things together nicely with an unbeaten 30, and Benjamin Austin chipped in with a useful 22, but the middle order rather let the side down, with Daniel Baker and Anthony Karassellos both departing for golden ducks. Not our finest hour with the willow.

In the field we at least gave a good account of ourselves. Navjot Singh, clearly not content with his batting exertions, bowled beautifully for 2-15 including four maidens, and Thomas Beeney chipped in with 1-22. Jacob Smyth fell to us without troubling the scorers, and we had Town Malling three down for just one run early on. But Thomas Lenham anchored the chase with a composed unbeaten 61, well supported by Adam Nix's unbeaten 27, and a wretched 13th over — two wickets down for us, momentum gone — was the moment the game slipped away. They cruised home at 105-3 from 31 overs, winning by seven wickets.

Elsewhere, the season ticks along nicely: Benjamin Austin now sits second in the Sunday 1st XI run charts with 109, and Thomas Beeney third in the wicket charts with five. As for Sunday's effort — heads up, and back to the nets. Not our day, but far from our last word.

Sun 31 May 2026 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv HC Harbledown CC · HomeformWWWLL

Sunday 31st May, and the sun on our side of the fixture list for once as Harbledown CC rolled up to Linton Park. I called it right at the toss and didn't so much as blink before sticking us in — a decision that felt bold at the time and considerably braver after a couple of early boundaries went begging.

As it turned out, the bowling did us proud. Darrell Houghton-Judge led from the front with 3-27, with Thomas Beeney (2-23) and Tim Thirkell (2-30) chipping away either side of him, and between them they had Harbledown all out for 211 in 36.2 overs — though not before Sudesh Thakur helped himself to 86 and reminded us why fielding first isn't always the free lunch it looks like on paper.

Chasing it, we lost an early wicket with the board still reading nought, and for a few overs the tea urn was the calmest thing on the ground. But Anthony Karassellos settled in for a majestic, chanceless century, finding a stalwart ally in Jordan Austin's unbeaten fifty — the pair's 63-run fourth-wicket stand the making of the innings — with Darrell Houghton-Judge chipping in 22 for good measure. We got home on 215/4 with overs to spare, six wickets in hand.

Not every column made pleasant reading — ten byes suggests Anthony had a busy afternoon behind the stumps, and poor Benjamin Austin's golden duck earns him a solemn entry in the club ledger. But with Anthony now topping our Sunday run charts and Martin Harris leading the wickets, this was, in every meaningful sense, a very good day for the club.

Sun 31 May 2026 🧢 Women's Softballv Lordswood CC · HomeformWWWWW

Cricket has a way of humbling a man, and it's a fine thing when it humbles him by only 24 runs in the right direction.

Sunday's fixture against Lordswood CC saw me call correctly at the toss — a rare enough event that I felt duty-bound to make something of it — and I had no hesitation in choosing to bat. The girls set about their innings with real application, and while I won't pretend my own contribution of 17 will trouble the record books, it was 17 runs I was rather pleased to have banked when Lordswood came out swinging in reply.

And swing they did, though not nearly to sufficient effect. Martha Beardwell was the chief architect of their downfall, prising out a wicket for the princely sum of 6 runs, and doing so with the kind of quiet efficiency that suggests she's rather enjoying her season. It's no surprise, either — she now sits second in the 2026 Women's Softball wicket charts with 5 to her name, while Hannah Odling continues to lead the run charts with a formidable 114. Between the two of them, the opposition really didn't stand much of a chance.

We came away with the match won by 24 runs, and two hard-earned points to show for a thoroughly good afternoon's work. A triumph, then — and one I intend to enjoy for at least a week before humility inevitably comes calling again.

Sun 31 May 2026 🧢 Women's Softballv The Mote CC · AwayformWWWWW

Splendid stuff at Bromley — no need to research anything, just write the report.

A coin toss that stubbornly refuses to go our way is becoming something of a personal cross to bear, and so it proved again at The Mote, where the toss was lost and we were sent out into the field to make the best of it. Make the best of it we duly did. Eight overs of tight, disciplined bowling and fielding restricted our hosts to a modest 29 for 4, the sort of total that leaves a batting side with rather more explaining to do than the fielding one.

Explaining was mercifully not required of us. Given a target that would have looked more at home on a scoreboard from a rain-shortened Twenty20, our women set about it with real relish, racing to 64 for 2 from our own eight overs. It was the kind of clean, positive hitting that makes the walk back to the pavilion a genuine pleasure rather than the usual nervous shuffle. Hannah Odling, now sitting second in the season's Women's Softball run charts with 88 to her name, continues to bat like a woman who has read the assignment rather more carefully than the rest of us.

A 45-run victory and two points banked — the margin doing all the talking that's required. Lose the toss, win the day: if only every Sunday obliged us so generously.

Sun 31 May 2026 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv BC Brockley CC · HomeformLLLLW

Sunday 31 May saw Brockley CC visit, and having called correctly at the toss, I did not linger over the decision — we would field. On a day for taking the game to the opposition, we sent them in.

They compiled a useful 193/6 from their 35 overs, built chiefly around J Patel's fine unbeaten 79, well supported by Daniel Baker's 34 and Arthur Davis's 32. Their third-wicket pair put on a stubborn 58, and just when we sensed the innings was running out of road, the last pair conjured 38 runs we could frankly have done without. Credit where due to the bowlers who kept us in the hunt: John Karassellos was pick of the attack with 2-25, while Euan Beardwell bowled with real discipline for 1-8 and two maidens, and Paul Baker chipped in with 1-16.

Chasing 194, we simply strolled it. Jonathon McDonald played the innings of the day, an imperious unbeaten 101 — three figures, no less — while Daniel Baker offered stout support with a well-made 69 not out. Between them they saw us home for the loss of just two wickets, with seven overs to spare, our reply arriving at a gallop in 21 overs.

Daniel Baker's efforts with bat and ball now see him lead the 2026 Sunday 2nd XI run charts with 171 for the season — a man in form if ever there was one.

Two points, and thoroughly earned. An eight-wicket win, achieved with minimum fuss and maximum enjoyment — precisely the sort of Sunday this club was built for.

Sat 30 May 2026 🧢 4th XIv GNG CC GRFC · AwayformLWWLW

Off he trots on Saturday 30 May, and after correctly calling the coin at GNG CC GRFC, there was never any doubt in my mind — we'd bowl. First use of the ball, I reasoned, would suit us nicely. It didn't quite work out that way, as Gurnek Saini treated our attack with the sort of disdain usually reserved for club-tea cucumber sandwiches, cantering to a superb 104. Gurwinder Singh (49) and Gursewak Galha (21) offered stout support while Pawandeep Singh and Jaskaranjot Singh at least had the decency to fall for ducks at our hands. GNG closed on a hefty 241/7 from their 35 overs. Alexander Nunn (2-44) and Ian Lowe (2-52) did the honest toil, with Zach Wilde (1-21) chipping in.

Chasing 242, Blair Mundell played the innings of the day, sailing past his fifty to 84, well supported by Nolan Wilde (40) and Rahul Parakh (39). Jamie Wheeler and Andrew Joseph, less fortunately, contributed golden ducks, and our wicketkeeper had an afternoon to forget, shipping 18 byes — extras finishing top-scorer-adjacent on 28. As for your correspondent, I too made a duck, and in the interests of dignity I shall say no more on the matter. We fell agonisingly short on 221/6 from our 40.

Rahul Parakh continues to lead the 4th XI run charts on 114, and Zach Wilde tops the wicket pile with 7. But today, twenty runs short, it simply wasn't our day. Heads up, and back to the nets.

Sat 30 May 2026 🧢 3rd XIv Gore Court CC · HomeformLLLLL

It was Gore Court CC who made the trip to Linton Park, and having called correctly for once in my life, I didn't hesitate — into the field we went, on the theory that a bowling-first approach might paper over whatever batting sins were to come. Gore Court ground their way to 175/8 from their 40, Matt Tombs (47) and Jonathon McDonald (46) doing most of the damage with Joel Fontenelle (30) chipping in. Fergus Herron was the pick of our attack with 2-23, well backed by Farhan Malik and Tim Thirkell, both 2-24, with Malik squeezing out three maidens along the way for good measure.

Chasing 176, we made a fair fist of it without quite landing the killer blow, closing on 151/8. Mark Smith led the way with a tidy 46, Srikrishna Challa (30) and an unbeaten 25 from Tim Thirkell keeping hope alive, while the extras column did more heavy lifting than several of us managed with the bat — 26 of them, thank you very much. Less gloriously, John Karassellos and Fergus Herron both departed for ducks, and I contributed my customary nought at the top; the least said about that innings, the better.

There was real cause for celebration amid the disappointment, though: Srikrishna Challa brought up 1,000 career runs for the club, a landmark thoroughly deserved. Daniel Baker continues to lead our 2026 Third XI run charts on 112, with Farhan Malik second in the wickets column on 5.

Twenty-four runs short in the end — not our day, but plenty to build on. Back to the nets it is.

Sat 30 May 2026 🧢 2nd XIv Headcorn CC · AwayformWLWWW

As it stood, all that stood between Headcorn and a comfortable afternoon was our bowling attack, and to our own quiet astonishment, it turned out to be quite enough. Sent in to field having lost the toss, we watched Mark Pleasance (44) and Jack Crouch (33) threaten to make a long day of it, before Brandon Eloff — three wickets, twenty-six runs, three maidens, not a run given away lightly — reminded us why we occasionally pretend to know what we're doing. Euan Beardwell and Michael Ludick chipped in with two apiece, Paul Millen and Rob Mansell departed without troubling the scorers, and Headcorn were all out for 147 in 38.2 overs. A fair total, but not, we felt, an insurmountable one.

Chasing it proved rather more of an adventure than the scorecard's happy ending suggests. Johan Eloff, Nick Pennefather and Alex Wade all fell for ducks, and for a captain watching from the other end there's no dignified way to describe that stretch except "hairy." It was Michael Ludick, once again the man for the moment with 49, ably supported by Altus Diener (33) and Will Thew (26), who steadied things, and I confess to rather enjoying my own 49 in the middle of it all. We scrambled home at 148 for 7 in 25.3 overs — three wickets to spare, and every one of them earned the hard way.

A scratchy chase, a superb spell from Brandon Eloff, and Ludick continuing to top the run charts as if by divine right. Untidy, unglamorous, and absolutely a win — I'll take it every time.

Sat 30 May 2026 🧢 1st XIv Addington Village CC · HomeformDLLLL

Lost the toss, and Addington's captain didn't hesitate — out we trooped into the field on what was, by any measure, a fine batting Saturday. They ground us down to 220/8 from their 45, Tom Wooding compiling a handsome 76 and Vansh Chhetri chipping in a classy 63, the pair putting on 87 for the second wicket while I stood at mid-off wondering if I'd left the declaration too late in life. Alfi Cobley finished unbeaten on 24. Credit where due, though — I found some rare rhythm with the ball, finishing with 6-25, while Matthew Carter (1-40) and Thomas Beeney (1-48) mopped up either end, Alex Keeler bowling two tidy maidens, and Matthew Bowles and James Conway both back in the hutch for ducks.

Chasing 221, Jordan Austin batted like a man who's done this a few times before — 81 of pure class, with Laurie Probert a steady 22 alongside him, the openers laying a platform of 67 before the first wicket fell. Theo Clements' golden duck and a generous 40 extras kept the arithmetic interesting, and we fell agonisingly short on 218/9.

Two milestones softened the blow: Jordan's 400th appearance in Linton colours, a magnificent effort, and my six-for nudging me past Alan Wilkes into 10th on the club's all-time wicket list. Jordan now leads our run charts with 205, and I lead the wickets with 13.

Beaten by two runs — cricket's cruellest arithmetic. Heads up, and back to the nets.

Mon 25 May 2026 🧢 Friendly XIv KC Kent Ramblas CC · HomeformLWWLL

Kent Ramblers arrived on a fine Bank Holiday Monday and promptly made our decision for us at the toss, sending us out to field. Not the start any captain dreams of, but 171 all out from 34.1 overs is a chaseable total, and after Jon Loughlin's 47 and Matt Lynch's watchful 40 had us wondering whether we'd left the door too wide open, our bowlers slammed it shut. Divan Tromp was the chief locksmith with 3-45, Ashley Cairns and Clive Vanrensberg both weighed in with two apiece — Cairns' two maidens the sort of miserly spell that makes a captain purr — and for one glorious passage of play it was 10-4, with Mark Loughlin, Andy Hind and James Dilley all back in the pavilion for ducks. Matt Rudgyard's unbeaten 32 in that stubborn sixth-wicket stand of 64 dragged them back to something respectable.

Chasing 172, we made hard work of what should have been straightforward, tumbling to the point where a last-wicket stand of 58 was needed to see us home — Altus Diener leading from the front with an unbeaten 34, Ian Bruce and Nick Tromp chipping in with 25 and 21, and a generous 26 extras doing their bit too. Poor Theo Clements had a torrid afternoon behind the stumps, 9 byes testifying to some lively bowling, or possibly just his footwork.

A win is a win, and four wickets to spare will do nicely, even if we gave ourselves several unnecessary heart palpitations along the way. Onwards.

Sun 24 May 2026 🧢 Friendly XIv Bredgar CC · HomeformLLWWL

Sunday 24 May, and Bredgar CC rolled up to Linton looking altogether too cheerful for their own good. I won the toss and, in a fit of optimism I may come to regret less often than usual, stuck us in.

We were bowled out for 164 in 37.4 overs, which felt a touch light but had its moments. Craig Sands played the innings of the day with a crisp 57, Jonathon McDonald chipped in a handy 25, and extras contributed a positively shameless 33 — practically an opening partnership in their own right. Less gloriously, both Ben Wheeler and Finlay Morford were back in the pavilion for nought, joining the club's ever-swelling flock of ducks.

Defending 164 was always going to be a stern examination, and Bredgar passed it, just, reaching 166/6 off their 30 overs for a four-wicket win. Jack Louden's fifty (53) was the difference, well supported by Brynn Foot's unbeaten 30 and Chris Salter's 25, and their last pair had the cheek to add an infuriating 37 we simply didn't need to gift them. Ben Wheeler at least bowled beautifully in a losing cause, 2-20, backed by John Karassellos (2-30) and McDonald (1-5). I, for the record, contributed nought with the bat — the least said, the better.

One shaft of real sunshine: John Karassellos brought up his 200th appearance in Linton colours, a magnificent innings of loyalty if not of runs. Beaten by four wickets, then, but with Sands and Wheeler both climbing the season's charts, there's plenty to build on next week.

Sun 24 May 2026 🧢 1st XIv Chestfield CC · AwayformWDLLL

Sunday 24 May took us down to Chestfield, where I promptly lost the toss and was sent out to field — never my favourite way to start a Sunday, but there we are. Kyle Smith made us pay early with a fine 61, and Finley Mason Myers matched him with a classy 54; the pair's 81-run fourth-wicket stand, with Henry Collins chipping in 36, hauled Chestfield to a stiff 218/7. Credit where due — Alex Keeler was superb with the ball, 2-28, backed up nicely by Martin Harris and Sam Boyns with a wicket apiece.

Chasing 219, we never quite got away from the required rate but didn't disgrace ourselves either. Alex Keeler followed his bowling with 43 of the bat, Sam Boyns added 42 and Theo Clements 25, the two of them putting on 60 for the eighth wicket in a spirited late rally. I contributed a workmanlike 17 myself, though the 31st over rather undid our good work — two wickets in the space of six balls is not the stuff of Sunday dreams. Special mention, and rather less special commiserations, to Luke Welsman, whose duck goes down in the Duck Club ledger. 🦆

There was proper cause for pride, though: Benjamin Austin brought up his 300th appearance in Linton colours 🧢 — a magnificent effort by any measure. We finished on 193/9, twenty-five runs short. Not our day, but heads up and back to the nets we go.

Sun 24 May 2026 🧢 Women's Softballv CK Cobham CC, Kent · AwayformWWWWW

As the light's held up all Sunday and Cobham won the toss and sent us in, we came away with a result worth crowing about — over the coffee-and-biscuits, this one, please.

Losing the toss and being asked to bat is never the news you want, but the girls set about repairing my mood with real purpose. Hannah Odling and Rachel Sands both finished unbeaten on 31, with Fiona Beardwell not far behind on 30 not out, and between them they steered us to a handsome 172/4 from our 20 overs. Not everyone had their day at the crease — Claire Rootes and Ashleigh Bland will be wanting the scorebook to develop a memory problem where their ducks are concerned — but a generous 48 extras from a generous Cobham attack did no harm to our cause at all.

Defending 172 in softball cricket is rarely a formality, but Martha Beardwell made sure it never felt in doubt, ripping through with 3-14, while Michelle Garrett and Claire Rootes chipped in with a wicket apiece to keep the squeeze on. Olivia Langley battled hard for her 21, but Cobham never found the rhythm, subsiding to 91/7. I even found time to contribute 31 of my own with the bat, which I shall be mentioning at every opportunity between now and September.

A comfortable 81-run victory, then, and with Hannah Odling and Carly Copping both climbing the season's charts, this was a thoroughly good day for the club — the sort that makes the drive to Kent feel entirely worthwhile.

Sun 24 May 2026 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv FC Faversham CC · AwayformLLLLL

Sunday 24 May, and off we trundled to Faversham, spirits high and expectations suitably modest as village-cricket law demands. I lost the toss – a coin that has developed an unerring dislike of me – and we were asked to field, which on a warm afternoon is either a blessing or a slow puncture depending on your outlook and your knees.

Faversham ground out 195 all out in 34.4 overs, built on a fine 61 from Andrew Mowatt, with Thomas Bullock (39) and Callum Stuckey (20) chipping in. Just as we began muttering about a long chase, Jaison Joseph pulled through the covers of their innings with 3-15, backed up nicely by Alex Holt (2-20) and Fergus Herron (2-39), and suddenly 195 looked eminently gettable rather than a mountain.

And gettable it proved. Daniel Baker played the innings of a captain's dreams, 79 not out, ably supported by Mark Smith's unbeaten 66 – both fifties compiled with the sort of calm that makes the rest of us look like we're facing a different sport entirely. A generous 37 extras from the hosts didn't hurt either. We cantered home at 196/1 in 29.1 overs, eight wickets in hand.

Daniel now tops our 2026 Sunday 2nd XI run charts with 102, and Gene Smith sits second in the wickets列 with four – form worth watching. All told: a proper away win, bowled and batted with real class, and a very happy coach home. Chalk this one up as a good day for the club.

Sat 23 May 2026 🧢 3rd XIv Marden CC, Kent · AwayformWLLLL

Not a day for the coin toss to smile upon us — Marden won it and, unsurprisingly on a pitch that looked good enough to bat all week on, chose to do just that. And bat they did. Tom Rawstorne and Nick Burdge set about us like men with a train to catch, the openers putting on 88 before we so much as glimpsed a wicket, and by the close of their forty overs they'd racked up a rather imposing 285/3. Rawstorne's 88 was the chief culprit, with Burdge (78 not out) and Josh Smitherman (57 not out) offering the kind of unbroken support a captain dreads. Small mercies came from Srikrishna Challa (1-24), Tim Thirkell (1-37) and John Karassellos (1-39), who at least reminded the visitors that wickets were, in theory, available.

Chasing 286 was always going to want something special, and while Noah Stevens (31), Srikrishna Challa (27) and Daniel Baker (23) gave it a game try — Baker and Stevens putting on a steady 52 for the first wicket — 150/7 from our forty overs was the sum total of our resistance. Baker continues his fine season, now 2nd in the 3rd XI run charts, and Thirkell sits 3rd among the wicket-takers, so not all was gloom.

But gloom, in the main, it was. Beaten by 135 runs, we trudge back to the nets with much to ponder and, no doubt, tea to console us.

Sat 23 May 2026 🧢 2nd XIv Marden CC, Kent · HomeformLWLWW

Saturday 23 May 2026 and we had Marden CC, Kent, round for the afternoon — the kind of fixture that makes all the winter nets bearable. Won the toss, elected to bat, and for once I'll allow myself a little smugness about the decision. We rattled along to 204/8 from our forty, built squarely on Michael Ludick's excellent 78, with Tim Ludick (42) and Mardey Castle (23) chipping in nicely — the second-wicket stand of 78 was really the innings' backbone, and I merely tried not to get in the way of a good thing while compiling my own 78 at the other end.

Defending 204 always sounds better in theory than it feels in practice, and Marden made us sweat for a spell, Ben Tomkinson (49) and Baz Bignell (46) putting on a stubborn 55 for the third wicket alongside Louis Hutchins' 27. But cricket has a way of unravelling quickly, and 164/6 became 168/9 in the blink of an eye — poor Dan Long departing without so much as a nervous single. Mardey Castle was the chief architect of the collapse, spinning his way to a magnificent 5-17, with support from my own 3-26, Alex Wade's 1-17 and Will Hughes bowling two miserly maidens to strangle the chase. All out for 174 in 39.2 overs.

Thirty runs the right side of the ledger, then, and a thoroughly satisfying afternoon's work all round. A good day for the club — and, dare I say, rather a good day for the skipper too.

Sat 23 May 2026 🧢 1st XIv Whitstable CC · AwayformLWDLL

Whitstable, Saturday 23 May, and a toss lost — which meant leather first for us and pads on for a very long afternoon of watching Freddie Fulton bat like he owned the place. His 214 was the sort of innings you applaud through gritted teeth, with Joseph Mitchell's 56 chipping in for good measure. We did have them 4 for 1 early on and thought, briefly, we'd sneak something — before that second-wicket stand of 219 disabused us of the notion entirely. Credit where due: Mark Christmas kept us in the fight with 2-19, Alex Keeler and Matthew Carter both took a couple, and Daniel Pilbeam at least didn't trouble the scorers on his way back to the pavilion. All out for 351 off their 45, which is not a total you chase with a light heart.

And so it proved. Anthony Karassellos batted beautifully for his 43 not out, well supported by Benjamin and Jordan Austin (39 and 38), with a handy 73-run stand somewhere in the middle to suggest we might make a match of it — but Theo Clements and Nick Pennefather both went for nought, 30 extras told their own story, and 188 all out from 36.2 overs was the sorry sum of it. Anthony's afternoon behind the stumps was no easier, with 9 byes leaking through, and 26 wides plus 2 no-balls suggest discipline had taken the day off entirely.

One shaft of sunshine: Mark Christmas brought up his 500th appearance in Linton colours, a magnificent innings of service in its own right. Beaten by 163 runs, then — chastened, but not broken. We'll be better for it next week.

Sun 17 May 2026 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv SC Snodland Community CC · HomeformLLLLL

From the captain's chair — Sunday 17 May 2026. We hosted Snodland Community CC, and having called correctly I invited them to bat first. In hindsight, the coin may have been the last thing that went our way.

Snodland made themselves thoroughly at home, racking up 269 for 3 from their forty overs. Lee Hewitt was the chief architect, a superb unbeaten 115, with Sam Tucker (57) and Daniel Medhurst (56) both weighing in with fine half-centuries either side of a hefty third-wicket stand of 131. We were, in truth, a fraction short of a length all afternoon and paid for it every time they rocked back to cut or pull. Ian Bruce was our pick of the bowlers with 1-19, John Karassellos and Fergus Herron chipping in for one apiece, while nine byes went begging behind the stumps on what was evidently a tricky day with the gloves.

Chasing 270 was always a tall order, and we never quite found our stride, bowled out for 118 in 33.2 overs after losing the first wicket for just a single run. Craig Sands top-scored with a battling 29 — including the shot of the day, launched clean over mid-on for six — ably supported by Ben Wheeler's 26. Fergus Herron, Spencer Gray and John Karassellos all contributed golden ducks, present company included; the less said about my own effort the better. A rather generous 33 extras made up much of the rest, though we did enjoy one lively over of boundaries when the tempo briefly lifted.

Down by 151 runs, then — not our day by any stretch. Heads up, chins high, and back to the nets.

Sun 17 May 2026 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv HC Holborough Anchorians CC · AwayformWWWWL

Sunday 17 May found us on the road to Holborough Anchorians CC, and as ever the coin did us no favours — they won it and, wisely as it turned out, chose to bat. Still, there was early cheer with the ball. Masood Khanwaziri (47) and Sayad Jabarkhall (26) did the damage before Martin Harris (3-21) mopped up in style, with Mardey Castle (3-35, two miserly maidens) and Nick Tromp (2-28) keeping the runs honest. All out for 145 in 35.3 overs — a total that felt, dare I say it, gettable.

It was not to be gotten. Seven on the board and we'd already lost one; before anyone could settle a nerve we'd slumped from 7-1 to 12-4, and Praveen Tunga, Mardey Castle and Thomas Beeney all trooped off for golden ducks. Only Nick Tromp, with a defiant 36, gave the scorebook anything to admire. All out for 66 in 20.3 overs — beaten, comprehensively, by 79 runs.

Small mercies: I found some rhythm of my own with the ball, three wickets to show for it, and Martin Harris's treble nudged him past Tim Thirkell into sixth on the club's all-time wicket-takers list — a proper achievement amid the wreckage. Benjamin Austin (87) and Mardey Castle (5) continue to lead our season charts, so there's method somewhere beneath this madness. A chastening afternoon, but we'll be better for it next week.

Sat 16 May 2026 🧢 3rd XIv RC Rainham (Kent) CC · HomeformLWLLL

Saturday 16 May dawned fair enough for cricket, and having called correctly at the toss I did what any optimist with a green square in front of him does — I stuck us in to bat. Whether that optimism was misplaced is a question the scorebook answers rather bluntly: 81 all out in 38.3 overs, a total that had more gaps in it than a village hall roof. Daniel Baker and Mark Smith both fell for ducks, and I shan't dwell further on the top order beyond noting that tea was, mercifully, a comfort to us all.

Defending 81 against Rainham (Kent) CC was always going to require something between miracle and mischief, and while our bowlers toiled honestly, Lee Stepney simply refused to be dislodged, carrying his bat for an unbeaten fifty and steering the visitors home in a brisk 11.3 overs. Barry Griffith chipped in with a breezy 24 alongside him. Richard Knowler picked up the solitary wicket to fall, finishing with 1-43 for his troubles — pick of a rather beleaguered attack.

One bright note amid the wreckage: Euan Beardwell continues his tidy season with the 3rd XI, sitting third in the run charts on 52. Beaten by nine wickets, then, and no arguing with that scoreline. We'll dust ourselves down, have a word about batting first on damp pitches, and be better for it next week.

Sat 16 May 2026 🧢 2nd XIv Kings Hill CC · AwayformWLWLW

We were away to Kings Hill CC, and winning the toss I had no hesitation in putting them in — one of those decisions that looks either inspired or idiotic by close of play, and I'm delighted to report it was the former. Kings Hill were bowled out for 121 in 38.1 overs, Mussa Rahman's 31 the only real resistance, while James Parker departed without so much as a scoreboard flicker. Mardey Castle was magnificent, 3-22 with three maidens thrown in for good measure, ably backed up by Brandon Eloff (2-10) and Alex Wade (2-13). Not much width or charity on offer from us out there.

Chasing 122, our reply had rather more wobble to it than the bowling suggested it should. Johan Eloff and Brandon Eloff both departed for ducks, and at various points it felt like the sort of afternoon that ends in tea served early and excuses served late. But Michael Ludick played the innings of the day, 44 not out, with Theo Clements chipping in a fine 37, and I'm rather pleased to say I also weighed in with 44 of my own — captain leading from the front, or just getting lucky, depending who you ask. We scrambled home 122/7, over the line by three wickets.

Theo continues his fine season, now third in the 2nd XI run charts, and Alex Wade sits second among the wicket-takers. A scratchy chase, a fine bowling display, and two points in the bag — I'll take that every week of the season.

Sat 16 May 2026 🧢 1st XIv WC Walmer CC · HomeformTLWDL

Down by 13 runs, walked in from Walmer, and rolled it wrong at the toss for the fifth time this month — no, wait, I called it right for once and stuck us in the field. Small mercies.

They made 223/8 off their 45, built steadily rather than spectacularly: Will Bailey's fifty (51) was the spine of it, with Lee Crone (36) and Thomas Mitchell (25) doing the tidying up around him. Matthew Carter was the pick of our attack by some distance, 3-36 and full value for it, with Anthony Karassellos chipping in 3-59 and Martin Harris 1-28 — and a small mercy of our own, Eoin McGrath back in the hutch without troubling the scorers. Craig Sands had a torrid afternoon behind the stumps, 10 byes conceded, and we leaked another 32 in wides and no-balls, which is roughly the width of the gap we lost by. Do the maths on that one yourselves.

With the bat we were competitive without being convincing: Alex Keeler's 37 led the way, Laurie Probert (26) and Anthony Karassellos (27) keeping the innings ticking, but 210/9 from our 45 left us 13 short at the death.

The one shaft of sunshine: Martin Harris brought up 2,000 career runs for the club, which deserves a proper toast even on a losing day. Craig Sands still tops the run charts and Karassellos the wickets, so the season's shape holds even if Saturday's didn't.

Verdict: a game we gave away with the extras column rather than lost with the bat or ball — back to the nets, and someone buy Harris a pint.

Sun 10 May 2026 🧢 Women's Softballv Bearsted CC · AwayformWWWWW

As I called correctly at the toss on Sunday and elected to bat without a second thought — sunshine, a decent square at Bearsted, and a captain's prerogative I wasn't about to waste. Fiona Beardwell and Laura Boorman set about the bowling with real purpose, both finishing unbeaten on 32 and 31 respectively, while Rachel Sands chipped in a brisk 25. Claire Rootes, bless her, will want to forget her golden duck in a hurry, but with 142/3 from our twenty overs, we had runs to play with.

Defending it, we bowled with real discipline. Rachel Rawson was the pick of the attack, two for a miserly 12, with Laura Holdstock (2-13) and Laura Thorogood (1-0) all doing their bit to squeeze the life out of the Bearsted innings. Annabelle Coulling fought hard for her 25, but around her the middle order simply couldn't get going — Zoe Savage, Alison Norris and Lynne Humphries all back in the pavilion without troubling the scorers. I even managed to get among the wickets myself with a tidy 25 in support. Bearsted were bowled out for 91.

A fifty-one run victory, and a genuinely good day for the club — the sort of all-round performance, bat and ball, that reminds you why you turn up on a Sunday. With Laura Boorman now topping the run charts and Laura Holdstock leading the wickets, this Linton Park side is very much finding its rhythm.

Sun 10 May 2026 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv HC Holborough Anchorians CC · AwayformLLLLL

Beaten? Never happier — well, almost. On Sunday we made the trip to Holborough Anchorians, I called correctly at the toss, and elected to field first. I still think it was the right call, though the scorebook may raise an eyebrow at that.

The Anchorians set about building a total, reaching 153 all out from their 26 overs, with Bilal Maroof (31) the chief architect and Irfan Patel (22) lending a hand. But we had our say too — Nolan Wilde was superb with the ball, 3-27, well backed by Srikrishna Challa's 3-30 and Zach Wilde's 2-8. And I'll confess a rare moment of personal satisfaction: three wickets for the skipper. A captain should lead from the front, and for once, with the ball at least, I did.

The bat was a rather different story. We subsided to 66 all out in 22.5 overs, Daniel Baker's watchful 20 the standout, while Noah Stevens, Nolan Wilde and Alex Holt all took that lonely walk back for nought — the ducks quacking in unison. As for your captain, a golden blob to remember, or rather forget. Leading by example cuts both ways.

One shaft of sunshine amid the wreckage: Srikrishna Challa reached 50 career wickets, a landmark thoroughly deserved. Tim Thirkell continues to climb the season's run charts, and Nolan Wilde leads the wickets column — both fellows very much on song.

Beaten by 87 runs, then, and no dressing it up. But there's cricket in this side yet, and we'll be better for it next week.

Sun 10 May 2026 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv Borstal CC · HomeformWWWWW

Off he goes, though a beauty from Beeney trapped him — a walk of shame if ever there was one, and no fewer than two of us made that lonely trudge before the innings was through. Wait, let me write the actual report now.

Sunday 10 May 2026 saw Borstal CC roll into Linton Park, and I lost the toss for what felt like the hundredth time this season — they had no hesitation in batting first. Nathan Dandeniya set about us with a well-made 65, finding willing company in Matthew Fisher (48) and James Whitnell (38), and by the time we prised out that opening stand it had already put on 98. Ninety-eight! We were still chasing our tails when the total ticked past 200. Brandon Eloff was our pick of the bowlers with 1-19, tidy as ever, while Thomas Beeney (1-40) and Manvir Singh (1-59) chipped away for the rest. 263/5 from their 40 overs was always going to take some chasing.

And chase we did, gamely if not gloriously. Theo Clements led the way with a fighting 43, Jordan Austin weighed in with 34, Navjot Singh added 21, and I managed 34 myself before getting overexcited and losing my head, as is tradition. Sadly the Duck Club welcomed two new members on the day — Thomas Beeney and Ian Hollingworth both departed for nought, quacking all the way back to the pavilion. We folded for 172 in 36.4 overs, 91 runs shy of the target.

Elsewhere, Benjamin Austin continues to lead our run charts for the season with 79, and Ian Hollingworth — ducks notwithstanding — sits second in the wicket-takers' table with 3. As for the match itself: comprehensively beaten, but not disgraced. We'll dust ourselves off and come back stronger next week.

Sat 09 May 2026 🧢 3rd XIv OC Orpington Ocelots CC · AwayformDLWLL

Skipper's Log — Saturday 9th May, away to Orpington Ocelots. Lost the toss, asked to bowl first, which round these parts usually means the tea urn's been on longer than the covers.

With the bat we crawled to 115 all out in 32.1 overs — Nolan Wilde's 30 the backbone, William Gray unbeaten on 29 and Daniel Baker's 23 the only other real resistance. Euan Beardwell, Spencer Gray and Tim Thirkell all made contact with nothing whatsoever, three golden ducks in the book, which is either a curse or a bulk discount on disappointment.

Defending 115 was always going to need everything to go right, and it very nearly did — Farhan Malik bowled beautifully for 3-28 with two maidens thrown in for good measure, and Tim Thirkell chipped in with 2-13, a return that quietly nudges him past Martin Harris and up to 6th on the club's all-time wicket-takers list. But cricket has a habit of finding the soft underbelly: they bowled short and we were a fraction full square of the wicket, and Aadarsh Raghavan and Karthikeyan Ramamoorthy cut and pulled us into the tea room, unbeaten on 34 and 20 respectively. A ropey 18th over, two wickets down the drain in the time it takes to say "bad luck," and the game had slipped from us.

Beaten by five wickets in the end, no disgrace in it, just lengths a touch astray on a good cutting pitch. Nolan Wilde still tops our run charts this season, Farhan Malik sits second among the wickets, and we head home lighter of pride but not of resolve. We'll be better for it next week.

Sat 09 May 2026 🧢 2nd XIv HC Holborough Anchorians CC · HomeformLWLWL

Called incorrectly at the toss again — my record with the coin remains a genuine liability to the club — and so we were put into the field first on a fine Saturday at the start of May. As it turned out, batting second suited nobody but us.

Tim Ludick led the way with a fine 57, and Theo Clements matched him almost stroke for stroke with a well-constructed 55, the pair putting on 82 for the third wicket and giving the innings the spine it needed. Brandon Eloff chipped in with a brisk 37, and I even managed to contribute 25 of my own, seeing us to a handsome 238/6 from our forty overs — the sort of total that lets a captain sleep easy at tea.

Holborough Anchorians never really got going in reply. Nick Tromp was the chief tormentor, ripping through their order for 4-25, with Alex Wade (2-21, including two miserly maidens) and Will Hughes (2-37) offering fine support. Mahmood Khanwaziri's 27 was the best the visitors could muster, with Saif Mukhtar unbeaten on 21 and Attullah Khan making 20, but two of their number departed for ducks and the innings folded for 146 in the 37th over.

A comfortable 92-run victory, then, and a thoroughly satisfying afternoon's work all round. Onwards indeed.

Sat 09 May 2026 🧢 1st XIv Lordswood CC · AwayformLTLWD

Saturday last, and I lost the toss — no, hang on, I actually called it right for once, and with the outfield looking a touch damp I had no hesitation in sticking Lordswood in. Whether that decision aged well is a matter of some debate. Rishabh Pandey took a particular dislike to our bowling, ransacking a magnificent 185, and found willing company in Matthew Daniels, whose unbeaten fifty kept the scoreboard ticking, while Rajan Sandhu chipped in with 30. Their third-wicket pair added 120 while we toiled away trying everything short of a strongly worded letter. Matthew Carter did what he could with 2-49, Mark Christmas snaffled one for a tidy 14, and Thomas Beeney picked up a wicket too, though his 69 runs off the bat rather told the story of the day. They declared us into submission at 369/5 off their 45.

Chasing 370 was always a tale for the brave or the deluded, and we discovered which category we belonged to fairly swiftly. Craig Sands batted with real class for his 52, a genuine bright spot, but around him the innings simply came apart — 83 for 5 became 86 for 8 in the blink of an eye, and poor Thomas Beeney, hero of the ball earlier, departed for a golden duck with the bat. All out for 98 in 29.1 overs.

A 271-run defeat, then, no dressing it up. Craig Sands stays top of our run charts and Thomas Beeney top of the wickets, so not all is lost — but it's heads up, chins up, and back to the nets for the lot of us.

Sun 03 May 2026 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv Marden CC, Kent · HomeformWLLLL

Wound the toss, called it right, and — with the sun out and Marden's top order licking their lips — I put us in the field. In hindsight, a mulligan might have been welcome. William Bacon simply refused to get out, cruising to an unbeaten 150, while Albert Porritt's brisk 54 and James Scade's unbeaten 35 padded the total out to a rather daunting 307/7 from the forty overs. Russell Wilde toiled manfully for his 3-65, with Zach Wilde (2-30) and Gene Smith (1-35) chipping away, and there was at least the small mercy of seeing Russell Wheldon back off without troubling the scorers.

Chasing 308 was always going to be a stretch, and so it proved. Tim Thirkell held things together with an unbeaten 29, Praveen Tunga weighed in with 21, and extras did their bit too with a generous 36 — rather more than we'd like to rely on. John Karassellos and Russell Wilde both fell without scoring, and we were all out for 124 in 31.3 overs, undone as much by Bacon's bat as by our own. Poor Daniel Baker had a torrid afternoon behind the stumps, leaking nine byes, while I contributed a modest 15 with the bat, for what little that was worth.

A heavy 183-run defeat, then, and no dressing it up. Tim Thirkell's knock nudges him to fourth in the Sunday 2nd XI run charts, and Gene Smith still leads the wickets column, so not everything was gloom. But this one was Marden's day through and through — heads up, chins forward, and back to the nets we go.

Sat 02 May 2026 🧢 1st XIv RC Rainham (Kent) CC · HomeformWLTLW

It was a coin toss and a captain's whim that decided it — I called correctly, saw the covers were doing a bit and stuck Rainham (Kent) in. For a good while it looked the shrewder call too, until Waters (43) and Lamond (37) got their eye in, with Tyrer (27) chipping in and that fifth-wicket stand of 50 doing the real damage. Credit where it's due: Karassellos was superb again, 3-29 and looking every inch the man leading our wicket charts, with Beeney (3-40) and Austin (1-17) keeping the pressure on as they closed on 216 all out from 38.3 overs — a total that felt distinctly more than we'd hoped for at tea.

Chasing it down was always going to be the sterner examination, and so it proved. Welsman (22) and Christmas (21) fought hard, I managed 21 myself for what little that was worth, and the extras column - 26 of them - very nearly out-scored the top order, which tells its own story about the afternoon. We finished 103/7 from our 34, well short of the target but with wickets in hand to show we hadn't entirely surrendered the field. Small's effort deserves its own mention — picking the length and depositing it back over the bowler's head for six was, without question, the shot of the day, and very nearly the shot of the season.

So honours shared, a draw when neither side could quite force the door open — and on a pitch that behaved like that, I'll happily take it. We live to fight another Saturday.

Sat 02 May 2026 🧢 3rd XIv Bearsted CC · AwayformWDLWL

Lost the toss again on Saturday at Bearsted — I'm beginning to suspect the coin has taken against me personally — and duly found ourselves asked to bat. We shuffled to 174/7 from our forty overs, a total that owed everything to Nolan Wilde's unbeaten 39, with Blair Mundell (34) and Rahul Parakh (22) chipping in around him. I managed 39 myself, more by accident than design, and was rather pleased to discover I'd matched Nolan without either of us noticing at the time.

With the ball, we simply couldn't stem the flow. Bearsted's openers set about building a platform of 67 before the first wicket fell, and from there David Patton (49 not out) and company saw them home in some comfort, ably supported by Ted Blythin and Olly Patton, both with 32. Blair Mundell did what he could up front with 1-1, Finlay Morford and Alexander Nunn chipped away with a wicket apiece, but seventeen wides and five no-balls handed over were the kind of generosity no side can afford against a chasing total. They got there with five wickets and a few overs to spare.

Amid the gloom, two lovely milestones: Alexander Nunn and Zach Wilde both reached fifty career wickets, which deserves rather more than the footnote I'm giving it here. Nolan continues to lead our 2026 run charts with 80, and Blair sits fourth among the wicket-takers. As for the result — beaten, fair and square, but not disgraced. We'll be better for it next week.

Sun 26 Apr 2026 🧢 1st XIv Shoreham & Otford CC · HomeformLWLTL

It was Shoreham & Otford who rolled up on Sunday 26 April, and with the coin obligingly falling my way I had no hesitation in sticking us into the field — a decision I shall now, entirely reasonably, take full credit for.

Shoreham made a watchful start, their openers putting on 50 before Thomas Beeney decided enough was enough and set about the middle order with a hostile 4-29, two of those overs maidens for good measure. Ben Pollard's 33 and Ru Harris's 23 gave the innings some backbone, but 122-4 became 134-7 in the time it takes to pour a tea, Anthony Karassellos (3-21) and Sam Boyns (2-33) mopping up nicely, and poor Chris Pollard departed without so much as a single to his name. Gary Hukins's unbeaten 20 shepherded them to 158 all out.

Chasing that, we made distinctly harder work of it than we ought — 29 wides is not a stat I'll be framing for the clubhouse wall. Toby Hughes was the class act, cruising to 66, and with Mark Christmas unbeaten on 25 the pair added a priceless 54 for the fifth wicket. I chipped in with 25 myself, and the tail wagged handsomely to see us home at 159-6.

Four wickets in it, then, and a thoroughly good day for the club — even if our extras column suggests generosity bordering on the reckless.

Sun 26 Apr 2026 🧢 Friendly XIv CC Charing CC · AwayformWLLWW

We won the toss at Charing on Sunday and I stuck the opposition in — the right decision, I still maintain, even if the scorebook rather disagreed with me by the close. Trevor Timms and Scott Norman both eased to unbeaten fifties, 53 and 51 respectively, with Adrian Bagsure's 34 filling out an innings that closed on a formidable 221/4. Tim Thirkell was the pick of our attack by some distance, 2-24 with two maidens thrown in for good measure, and the Wildes chipped in either side of him — Nolan miserly at 1-8, Zach rather less so at 1-52. We were, in truth, a shade too generous in the field, leaking 26 wides and 3 no-balls, which is not the sort of hospitality Charing needed encouragement to accept.

Chasing 222, we mustered 158/9, with Daniel Baker's watchful 27 the standout knock and, rather tellingly, our extras column outscoring every one of our batsmen bar Baker with 59. A 63-run defeat, then, and no arguing with the arithmetic.

There was, at least, one shaft of sunshine amid the gloom: Tim Thirkell's two wickets nudged him past Martin Harris into 6th on the club's all-time list — a fine personal landmark on an otherwise chastening afternoon. He also leads our 2026 wicket charts, with Baker topping the run-scoring. Beaten, fairly and squarely, but we'll be better for it next week.

Sat 25 Apr 2026 🧢 3rd XIv YC Yalding CC · AwayformLWDLW

Saturday last took us down to Yalding CC, a ground that always seems to smell of cut grass and quiet menace. I called correctly for once and, with visions of green wickets and early swing, stuck them in. Nolan Wilde repaid my faith handsomely, snaffling 3-11 with three maidens thrown in for good measure — the sort of miserly spell that makes a captain look far cleverer than he is — while Blair Mundell and Thomas Mundell chipped in a wicket apiece. I even found some rhythm myself, three wickets to my name, though I shall modestly decline to say how many of those were pure fortune. Still, Jack Nyren batted us into a spot of bother with an unbeaten 51, ably assisted by Edward Mead's 29 and Jonathan Skinner's 22, and Yalding closed on a testing 165/7 from their 35.

Chasing 166, Mark Smith played the innings of a captain's dreams, 50 not out and utterly serene, with Reuben Mundell's 41 lending fine support. Sadly Daniel Baker and Jude Brooks both departed for golden ducks 🦆, and poor Daniel's day worsened behind the stumps with eight byes leaking away like water through a colander. We battled to 143/7 but fell 22 runs short.

Mark Smith now tops our 2026 3rd XI run charts, Nolan Wilde the wickets — the future looks bright even if Saturday didn't. We'll be better for it next week.

Sat 25 Apr 2026 🧢 2nd XIv SC Sidcup CC · HomeformWLWLW

From the captain's chair — Saturday 25 April, and Sidcup CC in town for what turned into a proper old-fashioned arm-wrestle.

Lost the toss, put in to field, and watched Sidcup compile a stern 198/5 from their forty. Sameer Mirza carved out a classy unbeaten sixty, with John Deighan (41) and Alex Ellis (34) chipping in to keep the scoreboard ticking uncomfortably along. Credit where due — Tim Thirkell was superb with the ball, 3-15 of pure discipline, and got fine support from Praveen Tunga and Will Hughes, a wicket apiece at 25 runs each. Still, 199 to win in 40 overs always felt a stretch on a good pitch against a side batting like that.

We gave it a proper go. Will Hughes played the innings of the day, 78 of real substance, with Brandon Eloff (48) and Thirkell again (21 with bat as well as ball — showing off) doing their bit to keep us in the hunt. Elsewhere the effort was less golden — Mohamed Safeer Ibra Lebbe and John Karassellos both departed for ducks, and as for your captain, nought is nought, and the less said the better.

In the end we fell 11 runs short, 187/9 to their 198/5. Hughes now tops the 2nd XI run charts with 114 for the season, and Thirkell sits second in the wickets column — small consolations on a day we simply came up just short. A cracking game, honourably lost, and we'll fancy our chances of putting it right next week.

Sat 25 Apr 2026 🧢 1st XIv SC Sidcup CC · HomeformWLWLT

Sidcup arrived, called correctly, and stuck us in the field first — hardly the ideal start to a Saturday, but there are worse ways to spend an afternoon than watching Pranav Dhanawade bat beautifully against us. He finished unbeaten on 64, and with Casey Jerrom (29) and John Fogarty (21) offering support, they eventually declared their innings closed at 237/7 from their forty overs. Credit where due to Luke Welsman, who led our attack superbly with 2-33, and to Matthew Carter (2-40) and Theo Clements (1-29) for chipping away throughout.

Chasing 238 was always going to ask questions of our top order, and Jordan Austin (29) and Will Thew (25) did their best to answer them, adding a crucial 56 for the first wicket before the innings rather unravelled around them. We were bowled out for 116 in just 23.5 overs. Theo Clements and Mark Christmas both fell for ducks, and I'm afraid I must confess to joining them in that particular club myself — the less said about my effort, the better. Add to that 27 wides and 4 no-balls gifted in the field, and you have runs we simply couldn't spare against a total like that.

Elsewhere in the season, Laurie Probert continues to top our 2026 run charts with 45, and Martin Harris sits third among the wicket-takers with 2.

In the end, a defeat by 121 runs that flatters no one. Not our day. Heads up, chins up, and back to the nets.

Sun 19 Apr 2026 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv MB Mallu CC Bromley · HomeformWWWWW

Skipper's Log — Sunday 19 April 2026. Mallu CC Bromley came to Linton Park, I won the toss, and against all footballing instinct I put us in — never let it be said I don't back my batters.

They repaid the faith handsomely. Tobey Castle led the way with a classy 55, and Craig Sands was still there at the close, unbeaten on 55 himself — a lovely bit of symmetry that owes nothing to arithmetic and everything to good batting. Johan Eloff chipped in with 32, and the pair at the crease put on 82 for the second wicket to give our innings its real backbone. 204/5 off our 40 overs felt like a total with enough about it to trouble anyone.

And so it proved. Mallu CC never really got going — 5-1 early on set the tone, and though Jomon Joy (49), Hemanth Reddy (39) and Harish Chandran (26) all found some form, and a fourth-wicket stand of 68 threatened to make a match of it, they subsided alarmingly from 128-4 to 139-7 and were all out for 154. Sam Boyns was the chief destroyer with 3-32, backed superbly by Benjamin Austin's miserly 2-5 and Tobey Castle's 2-10 — the double strike in the 30th over was the real hammer blow. Craig Sands, so composed with the bat, had a rather more chastening time behind the stumps, leaking 10 byes for his trouble.

A fine win by 50 runs, and a personal note besides — Tobey's half-century nudges him up to 21st on the club's all-time run-scorers list. Onwards indeed.

Sun 19 Apr 2026 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv NC New Ifield CC · HomeformWWLLL

Sunday 19 April, and New Ifield came calling at Linton Park under skies that, for once, behaved themselves. I won the toss and didn't so much choose to field as leap at it — a green-ish pitch and a nervous coin-flip conscience will do that to a man.

New Ifield ground their way to 192/8, built chiefly on a fourth-wicket stand of 68 between Ayan Tawanee (35 not out) and Anirudh Kasireddy (28 not out), with Balaji Suyambunathan chipping in 27. Just as we thought we had them shackled, their last pair added an infuriating 59 we really didn't need. Spencer Gray was superb with 2-11, backed up by Gene Smith (2-15), William Gray (2-51) and Anthony Karassellos, who bowled two miserly maidens for good measure.

Chasing 193, Anthony Karassellos played the innings of the day — a classy 63 — with Nick Pennefather (37) and Richard Piper (36) lending fine support. Alexander Nunn's duck was the one blot on an otherwise respectable card. Ten byes told their own tale of a testing afternoon behind the stumps for Theo Clements, and 32 wides and no-balls handed New Ifield far too many gifts.

We fell nine runs short in the end — the sort of defeat that stings precisely because it needn't have happened. Karassellos now tops our 2026 Sunday 2nd XI run charts, William Gray leads the wickets, and the rest of us must simply cut out the extras. We'll be better for it next week.

Sat 18 Apr 2026 🧢 2nd XIv Bearsted CC · HomeformWWLWL

It was Bearsted at home, and for once the coin gods weren't smiling on me — they had a look at the pitch and stuck us in. No matter; the lads had other ideas about how the day should go.

We batted through to 206 all out in 39.3 overs, and it was Alex Wade who did the heavy lifting with a really well-constructed fifty — 54 in the book — with Will Hughes (36) and Altus Diener (23) chipping in nicely around him. Spare a thought, though, for young Thomas Beeney, who walked back for a duck; the Duck Club ledger grows ever longer.

Bowled we still needed a total worth defending, and defend it we did in some style. Bearsted subsided to 94 all out in 34 overs, John Haggart and Olly Patton both departing without a run to their name. But the story of the innings was Thomas Beeney's redemption — 4 for 6 with the ball, more than making up for his morning duck — with Srikrishna Challa (2-14) and a miserly Will Hughes (1-6, two maidens) squeezing the life out of anything resembling a partnership. I even found sixteen of my own to add to the pile.

A word too for Matthew Carter, whose solitary wicket eased him past Alan Wilkes into 9th on the club's all-time wicket-takers list — history quietly made while the rest of us were busy winning.

A fine win by 112 runs. Onwards.

Sat 18 Apr 2026 🧢 1st XIv Bearsted CC · AwayformWWLWL

Skipper's Log, Saturday 18 April 2026. The road took us to Bearsted, and I won the toss — no hesitation, straight into the field, as any self-respecting captain does when he fancies his bowlers more than his flat pitch batting.

Bearsted made a solid fist of it, 196 for 9 off their forty, built on a fine opening stand of 78 before we prised the first wicket loose. Lewis Bedwell was the chief architect with 63, well supported by Jonathan Mitchell's 39 and Alex Lush's 28, though the tail did the decent thing and collapsed obligingly, 191 for 6 tumbling to 196 for 9 in a hurry — Simon Barker departing without troubling the scorers. Mardey Castle was superb with the ball, 3 for 34, with Mark Christmas (2 for 19) and Martin Harris (1 for 20) offering fine support.

Chasing 197, we matched them almost run for run, closing on 196 for 8 — agonisingly, achingly short. Alex Keeler led the way with a splendid 45, including a shot of the day that he simply clubbed over mid-on for six, ably backed by Laurie Probert's 39 and Mardey Castle's unbeaten 27. We lost our way early at 7 for 1, and the 40th over undid us for good, two wickets falling as the game turned late. Johan Eloff and Sam Boyns had days to forget, though the extras column did its bit with 31.

Great milestones amid the nail-biting: Craig Sands brought up his 500th appearance in Linton colours, and Mark Christmas climbed past Ian Brattle into 11th on the club's all-time wicket-takers list. And the match itself? Level after a whole day's honest toil — a tie, and not a single run to separate us. You cannot ask fairer than that.

Sat 18 Apr 2026 🧢 3rd XIv BC Brasted Chart and Toys Hill CC · AwayformLLWDL

Skipper's Log, Saturday 18 April 2026, away at Brasted Chart and Toys Hill CC.

Lost the toss, asked to field first — never the news you want on a good batting deck, and so it proved as they ground out 176/7 from their 35 overs. Rohit Maini was the chief architect with a well-crafted 79 not out, well supported by Jon Garrard's 26, and for a while it looked like we'd be chasing a proper total. Credit to the bowlers for keeping us in it: Nolan Wilde led from the front with 2-18, with Ian Lowe (2-26) and Mohamed Safeer Ibra Lebbe (1-16) chipping away to keep the scoring honest.

A target of 177 in 28 overs asked for calm heads, and calm heads we mostly kept. Euan Beardwell top-scored with a tidy 48, Daniel Baker weighed in with 44 and Nolan Wilde stayed unbeaten on 40, with the pair at the heart of a match-defining 78-run stand for the fourth wicket. I contributed 40 myself, and a generous 36 in extras did no harm either. The one smudge on an otherwise handsome scorecard was poor Jonathan Sisley, done for a duck — these things happen to the best of us, Jonathan, chin up. Special mention too for Nolan Wilde, who brought up 200 career wickets on the day — a mantelpiece moment if ever there was one.

Home by five wickets, two points banked, and thoroughly deserved. A day when the top of the order did the donkey work and the rest of us just had to keep our nerve — I'll take that every week.

Sun 25 Jan 2026 🧢 Women's Softballv Borstal CC · HomeformWWWWW

Sunday brought Borstal CC to Linton Park, and what a fixture it turned out to be.

Batting first, we set about building something substantial. Laura Thorogood led the charge with a lovely 26, and Carly Copping stayed unbeaten on 25 to keep the innings ticking along nicely. Between them — and with no small help from 62 extras gratefully received — we posted 156/2 from our twelve overs, a total that had the tea urn buzzing with quiet optimism.

Defending it, we were rather more generous than intended, leaking 28 wides in the field — the sort of profligacy that would have any captain wincing into her scorebook. But no matter: Laura Holdstock was magnificent with the ball, ripping through Borstal's order for 4-17, with Laura Boorman (1-1) and Laura Thorogood (1-14) chipping in to keep the pressure on. Faith Rogers top-scored for the visitors with 26, but poor Rosie Coyle departed for a golden duck without troubling the scorers. Borstal limped to 91/9, well short of the target. I even got in on the act myself with 18, for what little that's worth alongside such bowling.

Two names now sit atop this season's charts — Thorogood leading the run-scoring and Holdstock the wickets — and on this evidence, long may it continue.

A hundred-run victory, generous extras notwithstanding: a very good day for the club indeed.