🧢 Captain's Log

Sat 06 Oct 1979 🧢 1st XIv BC Boughton Monchelsea CC · AwayformWWWDD

Boughton Monchelsea, Saturday last, and for once the coin fell their way — they had first knock and, more fool them, made rather a meal of it. 188 all out in 46.4 overs, which sounds respectable until you note that Nigel Thirkell was among the wickets again — 2-12, tidy as you like, part of a run that's seen him climb to second in our own wicket charts this summer. Ross Brice and Paul Bowles chipped in with two apiece, and Howard Usher went for a duck at our hands, which I mention only because he'll be mortified to see it in print. Well played anyway, Howard — could happen to anyone.

Chasing 189, we made an absolute mess of the opposition's morning by simply not getting out. Eighty-one on the board before the first wicket fell — a stand to make a captain's tea taste sweeter than usual — before Paul Bowles went on to 69, David Carden 43, and Tim Thirkell saw us home unbeaten on 28. We finished 189/4 in 35.2 overs, which is the sort of arithmetic I could get used to.

A word too for Bowles, whose two wickets that morning quietly nudged him past John Ames into third on the club's all-time list — the kind of milestone nobody notices until someone points it out, so: noticed.

Six wickets, then, and a fine one at that. Onwards indeed.

Sat 29 Sep 1979 🧢 1st XIv Lordswood CC · HomeformDWWWD

29th September, 1979 — Lordswood CC over from across the county, and not a cloud in the sky to hide behind should things go awry, which, as you'll see, they very nearly did.

I lost the toss — I generally do — and Lordswood elected to bat, leaving us to toil away with the new ball on what I'm reliably informed was a decent surface. Jon Harris was in inspired form, tearing through their order to finish with 4-27, while Paul Bowles and John Bloomfield chipped away either side of him, Bloomfield's three maidens the very picture of a man refusing to be driven off his line. R Brown top-scored with 27, J Hendon stuck around unbeaten for the same, and Alan Pattenden made a useful 24, but for all their graft they never quite got away from us, closing on 142/8 from 51.1 overs. Poor Colin Gardener will not remember his afternoon fondly — back in the pavilion without so much as a run to his name.

Our reply, I confess, was rather more of an adventure than the scorebook suggests it should have been. A wicket down for nought had the tea urn rattling with nerves, and when 50/3 became 62/6 in the time it takes to butter a scone, three of our number — Bowles, Fermor and Iliffe — departing without scoring, I began composing my apologies for the gazette. Nigel Thirkell, though, top-scored handsomely with 39, Martin Thompson held firm unbeaten on 20, and between them they dragged us to 91/9 off our 39 overs — short of the target, but enough, mercifully, to see out the draw. Graham Cove had a torrid time behind the stumps, eight byes the cost of it, though I redeemed myself somewhat with 4 wickets of my own.

Honours shared, then, and on this evidence deservedly so — a scrap of a match that neither side quite had the nerve to win.

Sun 23 Sep 1979 🧢 1st XIv AC Anchorians CC · HomeformDDWWW

A wobbly start with the bat, a demon spell of spin, and honours shared at the close.

Sunday 23 September brought Anchorians CC to Linton Park, and winning the toss I had no hesitation in taking first knock — proper cricket weather calls for proper decisions, and I stand by this one. Alas, we were 6 for 1 before some of the lads had found their guard, and for a while it looked like a long afternoon in the field beckoned. Credit then to David Carden, whose well-made fifty (51) was the innings' backbone, with Tim Thirkell's brisk 21 lending sturdy support as we hauled our way to 154 all out from 43 overs. As for my own contribution — nought, and the less said the better. We shall, as promised, draw a veil over it.

With the bat put away, it fell to us to defend, and defend we did. Anchorians built steadily through John Prodger's own well-made fifty (56) and a handy third-wicket stand of 50, and for a spell 117 looked a distant, worrying target. But then the floodgates opened — 108 for 5 became 109 for 8 in the blink of an eye, with G. Tappin, Jim Fish and Don Wykes all ducking out without troubling the scorers. Allan Cooper was the chief tormentor, spinning his way to a magnificent 5 for 18, with Jon Harris (3 for 58, four maidens and not an inch given) chipping in handsomely — and I confess a quiet satisfaction at my own 3 wickets too. Mike Iliffe's 16 runs nudged him past Jim Hall into 15th on the club's all-time run-scorers list, a tidy footnote to a scrappy day.

In the end, Anchorians finished 117 for 9 — short of our total, but we couldn't quite prise out that last wicket. A draw, then: honours shared, pride largely intact, and my duck already fading gently into club folklore.

Sat 22 Sep 1979 🧢 1st XIv West Farleigh CC · HomeformDDDWW

Skipper's Log, 22nd September 1979 — West Farleigh CC, at home. Lost the toss, put in to field, and I confess my heart did its usual small sink as it always does when asked to chase; but there's a certain honest pleasure in bowling first on a Saturday and seeing what the pitch has to say.

West Farleigh got off to a jittery start, three on the board and a wicket already down, which cheered us no end — only for a stand of 70 for the second wicket to remind us that cricket rarely lets you off that easily. Barry Brigden played the anchor beautifully for 80 not out, with Roger Crooks chipping in a handy 37, and between them they steered West Farleigh to 177 for 4 off their 44. Nigel Thirkell was the pick of our attack, tight as you like with six maidens and figures of 2 for 29, while John Bloomfield and Paul Bowles picked up a wicket apiece to keep things honest.

Chasing 178, we barely broke sweat. Paul Bowles played the innings of the day, 91 not out and immovable, with David Carden a fine foil on 49 and Thirkell — evidently determined to have a hand in everything — unbeaten on 31. We cantered home by nine wickets with overs to spare, and I'll admit ninety-one of my own felt rather satisfying, thank you for asking.

A thoroughly good day for the club, and with Thirkell now top of our run charts and second among the wicket-takers for the season, one begins to wonder whether the rest of us are merely there to make up the numbers.

Wed 19 Sep 1979 🧢 Midweek XIv The Mote CC · AwayformLLWDW

We won the toss at The Mote and, quite against tradition for a Linton Park side, I decided we should bat first. For once I got a decision right, and Paul Bowles made me look positively clairvoyant with a magnificent 110 not out, his third figure of the summer and enough to keep him clear at the top of the season's run charts on 297. Steve Gower chipped in a handsome 59, and between them the pair put on 129 for the third wicket while the rest of us watched from the boundary with cups of tea and growing optimism. We closed on 202/3 from our 39 overs, which felt like a total to be proud of.

Then came the small matter of defending it. The Mote's Robert Holmes had other ideas, batting through for an unbeaten 109 of his own, and though we prised out an early wicket with just 3 on the board, a stubborn 72-run third-wicket stand dragged the game away from us. Chris Milsted did at least fall for a duck, courtesy of some tidy work from our attack — John Hartridge (1-34), Steve Petty (1-46) and Jon Harris (1-58, still second in the wicket-takers' table) all had their moments, but it wasn't quite enough. Poor Jim Hall had a torrid afternoon behind the stumps, leaking 13 byes, which can't have helped the mood.

In the end we went down by four wickets — a game we probably deserved a share of, but cricket, like the Kent weather, rarely deals in fairness. We'll dust ourselves off and be better for it next week.

Sun 16 Sep 1979 🧢 1st XIv Mersham Le Hatch CC · AwayformWDDDW

As it stands, the toss did us no favours, but there are worse fates on a September Sunday than a bowl first at Mersham Le Hatch, and so it proved. Copeland and Bruce Campbell put together the bulk of a total that always looked a touch shy of dangerous, their seventh-wicket pair adding a stubborn 58 that threatened briefly to run away from us before Tony Gauna, spinning it square all afternoon, mopped up for a magnificent 7-80. Jon Harris did the unglamorous work at the other end, seven maidens and 2-34, the sort of miserly spell that doesn't win man of the match but wins matches. M Epps departed for a duck, which I shan't pretend troubled my conscience.

Chasing 137, we contrived to make life harder than it needed to be, slipping to 5-1 before anyone had really settled, and Jim Hall's own duck did nothing to steady nerves. But Graham Cove played the innings of the day with a fine 38, Jon Harris chipped in an unbeaten 36, and I managed 36 of my own to nudge us over the line with three wickets in hand.

Two points, thoroughly earned, and a timely reminder that this side has more substance than its wobbles suggest. Harris continues his quiet march up both charts — fourth in the runs, top of the bowling — and if he keeps this up we may have to start calling him something other than "miserly."

Sat 15 Sep 1979 🧢 1st XIv SC Southborough CC · HomeformDWDDD

Saturday last, 15 September, Southborough came to Linton Park, the coin obliged, and I had no hesitation in sticking us in. It didn't entirely repay the confidence. We laboured to 104 all out in 40.4 overs, Jim Hall leading the way with a watchful 28, David Carden chipping in with 24 and Jon Harris unbeaten on 22, before the middle order rather lost its nerve — 53 for 4 became 72 for 7 with alarming haste. Poor Malcolm Pay made his way back for a duck, the walk of shame performed with as much dignity as the occasion allowed.

A hundred and four looked distinctly modest defending, but cricket, mercifully, does not always behave as expected. Southborough were reduced to 0 for 1 before they'd drawn breath, Ken White and Paul Rickwood both back in the pavilion without scoring, and though Gordon Baldwin dug in for 31, they were bowled out for 103 in 42 overs. Jon Harris was quite magnificent, 5 for 29 with eight miserly maidens, ably backed by David Iliffe (2-26) and John Bloomfield (2-32) — I managed 22 with the bat and picked up five wickets myself, for what little that's worth against Jon's spell. Fourteen byes rather gave the game away about Malcolm's afternoon behind the stumps.

Worth noting Jim Hall's 28 nudged him past Mike Iliffe into 15th on the club's all-time run charts, while Jon Harris continues his splendid season, fourth in the 1979 run charts and top of the wicket pile with 56. A win by one solitary run — the narrowest, sweatiest, most thoroughly deserved margin of the summer.

Sun 09 Sep 1979 🧢 Tour XIv BC Beacon CC, Cornwall · AwayformWWWLW

Sunday the 9th of September found us on the road to Beacon CC in Cornwall, a fixture I approach each year with equal parts affection and dread, given what the pasties do to the fielding after tea. I won the toss — a rare enough event to merit its own entry in the log — and, sensing runs in the pitch, had no hesitation in batting. Mike Tritton set the tone with a fine 55, and Nigel Thirkell, ever the reliable sort, chipped in an unbeaten 47, with Paul Bowles's 28 knitting things together nicely. A commanding 100-run stand for the sixth wicket did most of the heavy lifting, and we closed on 186/6 from our forty overs feeling rather pleased with ourselves.

Defending it proved a nervier business than the scoreboard now suggests. Beacon rallied through R Tonkin's unbeaten 38 and useful contributions from D Piper and Jonathan Lean, both 28, but they never quite escaped the grip Ron Hickman had on proceedings — 3-26 with three maidens, miserly as ever. Paul Bowles and Allan Cooper chimed in with two apiece, and three Beacon batsmen departed without troubling the scorers at all. Allan did have a torrid afternoon behind the stumps, 16 byes gifted like stray sixpences, but no matter — Beacon fell for 165.

We got home by 21 runs, and Nigel Thirkell quietly brought up 7,000 career runs for the club along the way — a landmark worth toasting properly at the bar. A good day for the club, and a thoroughly satisfying one for its captain.

Sat 08 Sep 1979 🧢 Tour XIv PC Perranarworthal CC · AwayformLWWWL

Perranarworthal, Saturday 8th September 1979. Called it right at the toss and never seriously considered anything but batting — the pitch had that look about it. Forty overs later we'd limped to 121/8, which felt on the light side of adequate. Nigel Thirkell top-scored with a watchful 34, and David Buck chipped in nicely with 21, the pair putting on 61 for the fourth wicket that was, in truth, the innings. Elsewhere the scorebook makes for modest reading, and I include my own 34 in that assessment of the collective effort more than any individual credit.

Then came the bowling, and here the afternoon turned thoroughly in our favour. The home side never got going — 6-1 inside the first over set the tone, and Robert Richards, G Sloggett and Peter Fazakerley all departed for ducks without troubling the scorers. Nigel Thirkell, not content with his runs, ran quite riot with the ball — 7 for 19 is the sort of figure one dines out on for a decade. Paul Bowles bowled beautifully in support, 3 for 42 including seven miserly maidens, and I managed to find some rhythm myself for 7 wickets. Only John Hall, with a defiant 31, kept the total respectable at 84 all out. Poor Fred Greenfield had a torrid time behind the stumps, 19 byes going astray — the one blemish on an otherwise gleaming afternoon.

A win by 37 runs, then, and Thirkell now sits proudly atop both the run and wicket charts for the season. Onwards indeed.

Fri 07 Sep 1979 🧢 Tour XIv TC Troon CC · AwayformLLWWW

From the captain's chair, Friday 7th September 1979, away at Troon. Lost the toss — no surprises there, my coin-calling remains a stubbornly consistent failure — and were asked to have first use of the ball, which on reflection was no bad thing.

Troon settled in nicely, a brisk 55 for their first wicket setting the tone, and G Husband was the chief architect of our afternoon's toil, 51 not out and rarely troubled, with J Spry (32) and Trevor Angove (20) offering sturdy support. They closed on 177 for 9 from their 44 overs — a target that felt gettable, if never comfortable. Credit where due: Paul Bowles was superb, 3 for 20, with Nigel Thirkell (3-41) and Allan Cooper (1-34) chipping in, and S White departed without so much as a nibble at the strike rate.

Chasing 178, we lost an early wicket with just 1 on the board and hearts duly sank, but a fine 59-run stand for the fifth wicket dragged us back into contention. I was fortunate enough to find some form myself, 69 that felt better than it had any right to, ably backed by David Buck (28) and Tim Thirkell (26), though poor Jim Hall's golden duck will haunt his dreams a while yet. We finished on 175 for 7 — agonisingly, painfully, two runs short.

Not our day, then, though a proud one nonetheless: Paul Bowles brought up 600 career wickets, a landmark worth savouring even in defeat. Heads up, chins high, back to the nets.

Thu 06 Sep 1979 🧢 Tour XIv GC Grampound Road CC · AwayformWLLWW

Thursday 06 September 1979 — the coach rolled into Grampound Road with our confidence intact, and I duly called correctly at the toss. Batting first felt like the only sensible option, and so it proved. Paul Bowles played the innings of the day, a chanceless 85 that had the tea urn practically boiling over in anticipation, and he found a willing partner in Mike Tritton (42) as the pair put on 85 for the first wicket before the opposition so much as smelled a breakthrough. Nigel Thirkell chipped in a tidy 29 as we closed on a handsome 189 for 4.

With the ball, things got interesting. Grampound Road built through J Warne's fine fifty and a battling stand of 51 for the third wicket, and for a while 154 looked a distinctly awkward chase for us to defend. But the lower order simply had nowhere to hide — we went from 125-6 to 139-9 at a canter, with D Greet and T Maddern both back in the pavilion without so much as a run to their names. Paul Bowles, not content with his runs, then took the ball and ran through them for 3-24, well backed by Allan Cooper's 3-26 and three miserly maidens from Nigel Thirkell. Poor Fred Greenfield had a torrid time behind the stumps, ten byes going begging, but no matter.

A 35-run win, then, and Paul Bowles's afternoon nudged him past Terry Whittaker into 4th on the club's all-time wicket-takers list. A thoroughly good day for Linton Park.

Wed 05 Sep 1979 🧢 Tour XIv PC Penryn St Gluvias CC · AwayformWWLLW

Wednesday 5th September saw us take the road to Penryn St Gluvias, and having won the toss I chose to bat — and for once I shall permit myself a small pat on the back, because it proved the right call. We rattled along to 148/9 from our 40 overs, though "rattled" rather undersells the discomfort of losing the first wicket for just 6. It was Nigel Thirkell who steadied the ship in some style, cracking a fine 62, while Fred Greenfield chipped in an unbeaten 38 and the pair added 98 for the fifth wicket to give the innings its backbone. Not everyone's afternoon sparkled, mind — John Hartridge and Paul Bowles both departed for golden ducks, and as for your captain, the less said of my own golden blob the better. Leadership by example is a fine principle; sadly not one I honoured with the bat.

Out in the field, though, we were a different proposition entirely. Penryn were bowled out for 121 in 37.2 overs, C. Reid's 21 the only real resistance, while poor Mike "Bert" Webber trudged back without so much as troubling the scorers. Jon Harris was magnificent, snaring five for 31, with Paul Bowles (2-17) and Nigel Thirkell (1-26, two tidy maidens) squeezing the rest of the innings dry. Richard Ashby had his gloves worked hard, 14 byes the only blemish on an otherwise disciplined display.

We got over the line by 27 runs — a thoroughly good day for the club, Nigel and Jon once again proving why they sit atop the season's charts.

Tue 04 Sep 1979 🧢 Tour XIv PC Paul CC · AwayformWWWLL

We fielded strong at Paul CC on 4 September 1979, and I was rather glad I called correctly, because putting the opposition in — sorry, putting us in — set the tone for a proper day's cricket.

Winning the toss, I had few qualms about batting first, and the lads repaid the faith handsomely, posting 190 for 5 from our 45 overs. Nigel Thirkell was in imperious touch, ambling to a well-crafted 83, and found a willing ally in his brother Tim, unbeaten on 38, the pair adding 62 for the fifth wicket to give our total real substance. I confess I did little more than watch admiringly from the boundary rope, tea in hand.

With the ball, Paul CC never quite got going. J Bailey and G Mitchell both fell without troubling the scorers — 0 for 1 after the first wicket rather set the tune — and though Craig Osborne battled to a gutsy fifty, he found few dancing partners. Jon Harris was magnificent, 4 for 41, well supported by Allan Cooper (2-6), Ross Brice (1-1), and Ron Hickman, who bowled five miserly maidens and barely conceded a run worth speaking of. I chipped in with 4 wickets myself, which I shall be mentioning at the bar for some weeks yet.

Nigel now tops the Tour XI run charts, Jon Harris leads the wickets — and we ran out winners by a handsome 75 runs. A thoroughly good day for the club, and one to savour on the drive home.

Sun 02 Sep 1979 🧢 1st XIv SC Staplehurst CC · AwayformLDWDD

From the captain's chair — Sunday 02 September 1979. We travelled to Staplehurst CC, and I lost the toss for what felt like the hundredth time this season. They chose to bat, and their openers made us pay for it early doors, putting on a hardy 74 before we so much as glimpsed a breakthrough. B- Wibberley made a fine 50, with Malcolm Bristow (35) and B- Penny (21) chipping in usefully, and Staplehurst looked set fair for something rather larger than the 164/9 they eventually settled for from their 48 overs.

Credit where it's due — once we found our line, we ran through the middle order like a dose of salts, 125-3 becoming 129-6 in the blink of an eye, John Robins sent back without so much as troubling the scorers. Jon Harris was magnificent, 4-32 with three maidens thrown in for good measure, and found willing company in Paul Bowles (4-48) and Nigel Thirkell (1-20). Bowling like that on a Sunday really ought to be against club rules.

Our reply never quite got out of second gear. Nigel Thirkell top-scored with 29, backed up by D- Gardener's 26, but Trevor Back and Allan Cooper both endured the walk of shame for ducks, and 132/8 from our 42 overs was as far as we stretched. I did at least manage 4 wickets myself earlier, which offered some small consolation on the walk back to the pavilion.

A draw, then — honours shared, and nobody quite deserving more than the other. A fair result on a day when the bat never quite matched the ball.

Wed 29 Aug 1979 🧢 Midweek XIv Gravesend CC · AwayformDLLWD

Wednesday 29th August found us on the road to Gravesend, and for once the coin behaved itself — I called correctly, elected to bat, and patted myself on the back for it before a ball was bowled. We were duly rewarded with 184 for 8 off our 39 overs, built around a handsome fifty from Roger Crooks (58) and fine support from Mick Filmer (49) and an unbeaten Malcolm Pay (24), with the eighth-wicket pair chiselling out a priceless 54 when things threatened to stall. Extras chipped in a generous 28, which we'll gladly bank, while poor David Iliffe endured the walk of shame for a golden duck — these things happen to the best of us, and he took it on the chin.

In the field we set about defending it, and Gravesend never quite got comfortable, losing an early wicket at 5 for 1 before Colin Myers (51) and Jonathan Hinks (25) steadied things with a stand of 60 for the sixth wicket. But Paul Bowles was in irresistible form, scything through with 6 for 64 including two miserly maidens, well backed by Steve Petty (3-40) and Trevor Back (1-0) — and I even found a spell of rhythm myself, picking up 6 wickets along the way. Gravesend fell for 136, and we came home 48 runs the better side.

A thoroughly good day at the office, and Bowles and Crooks continue to lead the season's charts in fine style.

Mon 27 Aug 1979 🧢 1st XIv Bearsted CC · AwayformLLDWD

Bearsted CC, Monday 27th August 1979 — lose the toss, get asked to bowl. There are worse fates in this life, and after young Colin Fleetwood had helped himself to 61 of our best deliveries, with Mike Read (29) and Ian Lambert (27) not far behind, I did wonder if we'd bowled at all. We had them 3-1 at one stage, which was promising, and then watched a third-wicket stand of 50 quietly dismantle that promise. But the lads regrouped magnificently — 149-5 became 166-8 before Bearsted knew what had hit them, Jon Harris tearing in for 3-35 and Tony Gauna, three maidens the richer, mopping up 3-51. Nigel Thirkell chipped in with a wicket too. They finished on 167/9 from 58.4 overs — a target that looked considerably larger on paper than it turned out to be in the field.

Our reply was a study in careful accumulation rather than swashbuckling: 118/6 from 48 overs, Nigel Thirkell top-scoring with 32, Paul Bowles giving him company with 29. Poor Jim Hall, meanwhile, made his contribution to the Duck Club ledger — a golden nought, and the walk of shame duly taken. I found some rhythm with the ball myself, three wickets to show for it, which I shall modestly mention only once.

A draw, then — honours shared, neither side quite able to force the issue. Nigel Thirkell continues to lead our run charts for the season with 420, and Jon Harris the wickets with 47, so the engine room remains in fine order. A fair result, and a fair afternoon's cricket.

Sun 26 Aug 1979 🧢 1st XIv OC Old Anchorians CC · HomeformDLLDW

From the captain's chair — Sunday 26 August 1979, and Old Anchorians CC were our visitors on a day that, in the end, satisfied nobody and offended nobody either. I lost the toss, which these days feels less like bad luck and more like a settled arrangement between myself and the coin, and we were put into the field. A Jones and P- Francis put on 127 for the third wicket, the sort of stand that makes a captain reach for the sunscreen and resign himself to his fate, before their innings rather sportingly fell apart from 145-3 to 159-6, sparing our blushes somewhat. Tony Gauna span his way to 5-51 and looked, frankly, unplayable — a description I intend to borrow at the earliest opportunity for something I've done myself. Allan Cooper toiled away for 2-38 with eight maidens, proving that not every over needs to be an event. They finished on 170/7, I- Barratt gone for a duck along the way.

Our reply was, shall we say, a study in fragility. From 51-3 we contrived to be 56-6 in the blink of an eye, and only Jim Hall's watchful 21 kept the innings from complete collapse — a knock that, incidentally, nudges him past Robert Chance into 16th on the club's all-time run-scorers list, so the history books will remember this match fondly even if the scorebook doesn't. Tim Thirkell and Fred Greenfield both took the long walk for nought, and as for the skipper — a golden blob, because leading by example apparently only applies when it suits me.

We closed on 87/7. Honours shared, then: a draw born not of dominance but of mutual inability to finish the job. I shall call it tactical.

Sat 25 Aug 1979 🧢 1st XIv SC St Lukes Maidstone CC · HomeformLDLLD

Saturday 25 August 1979, and St Lukes Maidstone rolled up to find us losing the toss and being put in to bowl — never a bad thing for morale, whatever the purists say. Jon Harris was in irresistible form, 4-23, and had the visitors reeling early doors; John Bloomfield chipped in with one for 19, while Martin Thompson bowled with the sort of miserly discipline (4-35 and ten — ten! — maidens) that leaves batsmen muttering into their tea. St Lukes were shot out for 82 off 48.5 overs, and a happy captain can report 4 wickets fell to his own modest right arm.

Our reply was, by contrast, a stroll in the Kent sunshine marred only by the sight of three of our top order trudging back without so much as a run to their name — K- Pride, P- Hoare and P- Morris all ducks, which set early nerves jangling at 5-1. But Malcolm Pay strode in and simply refused to be dislodged, 43 not out of watchful, well-earned application, with David Carden keeping him fine company on 30 not out. Together they eased us home to 86 for 1 in 32.2 overs without further alarm.

Nine wickets the margin, and a thoroughly good day for the club. Pay continues to make his case in the season's run charts, sitting fourth with 202, while Harris now leads the wicket-takers with 44 — the lad's on a mission. As for the openers who ducked off first ball: gentlemen, there's always next week.

Wed 22 Aug 1979 🧢 Midweek XIv Gravesend CC · HomeformDDLLW

Wednesday 22nd August, and Gravesend CC rolled up the drive for what turned out to be a proper old-fashioned tussle. Won the toss, fancied batting first, and for once the pitch report in my head matched the pitch itself. Roger Crooks and Brian Piper set about proceedings with an opening stand of 77 that had me quietly purring on the boundary rope, Crooks eventually falling for a well-made 54 and Piper following suit with 51 of his own. Paul Bowles chipped in with a busy 48, and we closed on a healthy 177 for 3 from our 44.5 overs — the sort of total that makes tea taste that bit sweeter.

Defending it, though, was another matter entirely. Stuart Waterton simply refused to leave, ghosting to a magnificent unbeaten century while Les Curtis kept him honest with 43, the pair putting on 150 for the first wicket before we so much as glimpsed a breakthrough. Bowles did what damage he could with the ball, 1 for 53, and Ian Brattle bowled with the miserly discipline of a man who begrudges every run, four maidens to his name. Poor Trevor Back had a torrid afternoon behind the stumps, 13 byes testament to a pitch that clearly had ideas of its own.

There was cause for cheer amid the toil: Bowles brought up 11,000 career runs for the club, and Piper's fifty eased him past John Taylor into 19th on our all-time run charts. In the end honours were shared, a draw that flattered neither side nor shamed either. A fair result, all told — Gravesend will remember Waterton's ton; we'll remember getting away with it.

Sun 19 Aug 1979 🧢 1st XIv Whitstable CC · HomeformDLDLL

Sunday 19 August 1979, and Whitstable CC rolled into Linton Park on a day when the coin, at least, knew what it was doing. I called correctly and, with the sort of confidence I'd later have cause to examine, chose to bat.

For a while it looked a sound decision. Allan Cooper played the anchor role beautifully for 34, with Malcolm Pay (31) and David Carden (30) building steadily alongside him — 68 for 3 and looking every inch a total to trouble the visitors. Then, as club cricket so loves to remind us, the wheels came off with startling efficiency: 68-3 became 88-6 before anyone had quite worked out what was happening, and we limped home to 148 for 8 from our 60.3 overs, grateful for the shelter of the pavilion.

In the field, sanity was restored. David Iliffe struck early and often enough to finish with 1 for 8, while Nigel Thirkell bowled with the miserly discipline of a man guarding the tea urn, sending down four maidens and giving Whitstable precious little to work with. They crept to 48 for 1 from 18.4 overs before honours were shared.

A nod, too, to Brian Piper, whose 14 runs eased him past Andrew Moss into 20th on the club's all-time run-scorers list — a quiet milestone on a loud afternoon. Nigel continues to lead our 1979 run charts with 388. A draw, then — not the glory we batted for, but not the collapse we deserved either. Honest cricket, honestly shared.

Sat 18 Aug 1979 🧢 1st XIv BC Bobbing Court CC · HomeformLDLDL

The Duck Club lads suffered heads or tails woe before a ball was bowled — Bobbing Court won the toss, chose to bat, and set about proving why. Half a century into their innings we were still chasing shadows, until G Davis (45) and Roy Weller (37) put on 61 for the sixth wicket and set a target that would have flattered a stronger batting order than ours. J Gorf's 21 rounded off a total of 162/6 from their 49.3 overs — not a total to lose sleep over, one might think. John Bloomfield certainly thought so, snaring 3-34 with the sort of relish that suggested he'd had a word with David Elgar beforehand about ducks; Ian Brattle chipped in with 3-60, and Jon Harris bowled four maidens with the miserliness of a man checking the club bar tab.

Then we batted. Reader, I shan't dwell on it. From 9-1 to 21-4 in the space of a few overs, the innings resembled less a cricket match than a magic trick — now you see the Duck Club batsmen, now you don't. Malcolm Pay, C. Phillips and Stan Wratten all made the long walk back for nought, and 59 all out from 31 overs was the miserable sum of it. I managed 19, for what little comfort that offers, and take some genuine pride in Jon Harris's own 19 runs, which nudged him past George Champion to 22nd on the club's all-time run list — a rare shaft of sunlight on an otherwise soggy afternoon.

Beaten by 103 runs, then, and fairly so. Nothing for it but heads up, and back to the nets.

Sun 12 Aug 1979 🧢 1st XIv SC Sibton Park CC · HomeformLLDLD

Sunday 12th August 1979 saw Sibton Park CC pay us a visit, and having called correctly at the toss I didn't dawdle over the decision — a good pitch, and we'd bat.

We were duly reminded that batting is rarely the formality it looks on paper. The first wicket fell for just 6, and for a wobbly moment it felt like a long afternoon in the offing. But Jim Hall settled things beautifully, motoring past his fifty to finish with 51, with Brian Piper (34) and Paul Brattle (20) lending sterling support. A 79-run stand for the third wicket was the innings' backbone, and just when 153 all out looked a fair reward for the labour, the last few wickets went in a heap — 149 for 7 became 153 all out before anyone had quite caught their breath. Fifty overs and one ball of honest toil.

In the field we scrapped hard. Jon Harris bowled beautifully for 3-48, Allan Cooper was miserly as ever with 2-31 and six maidens, and I even found a spot of rhythm myself with three wickets — proof that captaincy doesn't entirely addle the arm. But David Rawlings, unbeaten on 49, and P. Woodward's 42 saw Sibton home on 154-6, built on a rock-solid opening stand of 62.

Four wickets the wrong way, then, though not without its footnotes — Allan Cooper reaching 300 career wickets, and Jim Hall's fifty easing him past Maurice Fenner into 17th on the club's all-time run list. Small mercies. Heads up, lads — back to the nets.

Sat 11 Aug 1979 🧢 1st XIv Headcorn CC · HomeformLLLDL

Skipper's Log — Saturday 11 August 1979. Headcorn CC the visitors, and the coin did me a favour for once, so in we went.

Not our tidiest effort with the bat, if I'm honest. 143/8 from our 49 overs, with poor David Buck and Ross Brice both back in the pavilion without troubling the scorers — two ducks before lunch is not what the doctor orders. But Paul Brattle batted with real sense for his unbeaten 44, Malcolm Pay chipped in a handy 22, and Roger Craske's 21 kept the innings from becoming an embarrassment. That we owed 25 runs to extras tells its own story about the accuracy on offer from Headcorn's bowlers.

Defending it looked a tall order, and Paul Millen's unbeaten 41 for the visitors, backed up by Brian Penney's 21, had us fretting into our tea. But this is where the lads earned their corn: Jon Harris bowled beautifully for 4-60, Martin Thompson chipped away with 1-17, and I managed to have a rare old time of it myself with four wickets — happiest I've felt with a cricket ball in years. Andrew Chapman fell for a duck at our hands to keep the pressure on, and Headcorn were held to 133/7.

So honours shared, a draw when neither side could quite land the killer blow. Paul Brattle continues his steady climb up the season's run charts, Jon Harris keeps leading the wickets table, and I trudge home content: not a classic, but a proper afternoon of village cricket, fought fair to the last ball.

Fri 10 Aug 1979 🧢 Midweek XIv SC Sennocke CC · AwayformLDDLL

Here is the match report:

There's a particular flavour of English optimism required to be sent in to field at Sennocke, and on Friday the toss did us no favours whatsoever. Still, the lads set about their overs with good cheer, and Sennocke were eventually shepherded out for 136 in the 44th, C. Taylor's fifty (56) the innings' backbone, well supported by Tim Wood's 30, though it was Reg Oldfield who did the real damage with a fine 3-21, backed handsomely by Paul Bowles's 3-32 — three maidens included, not a run given away lightly — and a tidy 1-24 from Ian Webb. Sennocke wobbled from a healthy 129-7 to all out at 136, which rather suggests the closing overs concentrated a few minds.

Poor Robert Bloomfield will not remember his innings fondly, dispatched for a duck without so much as troubling the scorers, but Nigel Thirkell made ample amends for anyone's nerves with a composed 76, the innings' clear architect, and a crucial fourth-wicket stand of 84 did the heavy lifting. We got there at 137-5 with overs to spare.

A tidy five-wicket win, then, and one that leaves Thirkell handily placed second in the season's run charts and Bowles sitting proudly atop the wicket-takers. Sennocke were competitive, but on this evidence we're not a bad side to be chasing. Onwards indeed.

Wed 08 Aug 1979 🧢 Midweek XIv ? · HomeformLLDDL

Here is the report.

Wednesday saw us play host, and I'll confess I fancied our chances when we had the visitors in early trouble at 3 for the loss of a wicket. What followed was a proper old-fashioned collapse — 71 for 5 became 71 for 8 before you could get the urn on, with Sands and Paul Kinnell both departing without troubling the scorers. Ian Webb was quite magnificent, ripping through with 4 for 6, ably backed by Steve Petty's miserly 2 for 10 (four maidens, no less — the man barely let the ball off the square) and Brian Piper's 2 for 26. Bailey's defiant 40 was the only thing keeping the visitors respectable as they folded for 78.

Chasing such a modest total, one might have expected a canter. Instead we contrived to make hard work of easy work, sliding from 38 for 3 to 42 for 6 in the sort of collapse we'd rather have kept for ourselves alone. Brian Piper held firm with a watchful 22 not out, and the tail — bless them — wagged gamely to drag us to 80 for 6, frustrating the fielders no end, though not quite enough. Paul Brattle's duck goes straight into the club ledger alongside Kinnell's.

Not our day, then — beaten by four wickets when we really ought to have made much lighter work of it. Heads up, chins high, and back to the nets.

Sat 04 Aug 1979 🧢 Sunday NVKCv LC Langleybury CC · HomeformWWWWW

Saturday 04 August 1979, and it was Langleybury CC who paid us a visit — though not before the coin let us down and we were asked to field first, which is never quite how I'd script it.

Batting first is a mixed blessing when you'd rather have had a bowl, but the lads knuckled down well enough to post 123/7 from our 40 overs. Brian Piper was the mainstay with a fine 35, and Malcolm Pay chipped in handsomely with 26 — the pair of them putting on 53 for the fifth wicket, which, on a day when wickets were falling, was worth its weight in tea and cake.

Defending 123 was always going to be a nervy afternoon's work, and so it proved. Langleybury's Martin Brown played the innings of the day, a composed 63 that gave their chase real backbone. For a spell we had them rattled — 102/5 became 104/8 in a blur, Simon Palmer and T. Hogan both departing without troubling the scorers, and it felt, briefly, as though the impossible might be on. Nigel Thirkell was magnificent throughout, 4-31 with three maidens thrown in for good measure, well backed by Allan Cooper (2-19) and Paul Bowles (2-26). But Langleybury's tail wagged just enough, and they scrambled home 124/9 from 39.4 overs — beaten by the barest of margins, a single wicket.

Cruel arithmetic for a side that fought so hard, but there's no shame in it. Nigel continues to lead our Sunday charts for both runs and wickets, and if the rest of us can lend him even a fraction of that form, we'll turn these nail-biters into victories. We'll be better for it next week.

Tue 31 Jul 1979 🧢 Midweek XIv MC Margate CC · AwayformLLLDD

Tuesday 31 July 1979, and off we trotted to Margate CC in what I can only describe as misplaced optimism. Winning the toss, I took the bold decision to bat first — the right call, I still maintain, whatever the scorebook might suggest to the contrary. That scorebook shows 55 all out from 32 overs, with the top order departing as though late for evensong: 6 for 1 became 14 for 4 before anyone had really settled into their stride. Ross Brice, Paul Brattle and Graham Cove all contributed identical, golden nothings — a hat-trick of ducks that I shall generously call "solidarity."

With the ball, we at least gave a good account of ourselves. Margate cantered to 58 for 2 in 21.2 overs, but not without some real quality from our attack — Ron Hickman leading the line with 1 for 7 and two tidy maidens, well supported by Paul Bowles's 1 for 15. Small mercies, but mercies nonetheless.

As for your captain, I contributed nought with the bat, and the less said about that innings the better — we shall draw a veil over it, as promised, and move swiftly on.

Paul Bowles continues to lead both the run charts and the wicket charts for the 1979 Midweek XI, which is either deeply reassuring or faintly embarrassing for the rest of us, depending on your outlook.

Beaten by 8 wickets, then — not our day. Heads up, chins out, and back to the nets.

Sat 28 Jul 1979 🧢 1st XIv SC Sibton Park CC · AwayformWLLLD

Saturday 28th July, and off we trundled to Sibton Park with the sun out and expectations modest. I called correctly for once and never seriously considered doing anything but batting first — a decision that felt shrewder for about forty overs than it did by the end of the day.

138 all out from our 44 overs was, in truth, a par-ish score dressed up by some decent contributions rather than one big one. Graham Cove led the way with 30, Tim Thirkell chipped in a tidy 22 and Malcolm Pay 21, and the third-wicket pair put on a really important 54 that for a while had us thinking we might push on properly. Then, as so often happens on a Saturday, the innings folded in a heap — 136 for 6 became 138 for 9 in the blink of an eye, wickets tumbling like dominoes. Poor Clive Stacey's afternoon began and ended with a golden duck, for which he will no doubt be reminded at length in the clubhouse.

In the field we huffed and puffed but couldn't quite land the killer blow. Ian Webb led the attack nicely with 1 for 13, John Bloomfield was admirably tight with 1 for 17 and four maidens, and Jon Harris took 1 for 37, but K. Swaffer's unbeaten 58 and R. Arnold's 49, built around an 85-run third-wicket stand, saw Sibton home at 141 for 3.

Beaten by seven wickets, then — not our day, but heads up and back to the nets we go.

Sun 22 Jul 1979 🧢 Sunday NVKCv OC Outwood CC · HomeformWWWWW

Sunday 22 July, and the coin did us a favour for once — I called it right and, with the sky doing that classic Kent-in-July thing of threatening everything and delivering nothing, sent Outwood in to have a bat.

It proved a shrewd afternoon's work, or possibly just luck dressed up as tactics. Outwood were shepherded out for 100 in 38.5 overs, with only M. McLeod digging in for an unbeaten 32 while wickets tumbled around him — D. Sinclair and A. Christie both back in the pavilion without troubling the scorers. Nigel Thirkell was the chief tormentor with 3-17, Tony Gauna chipped in admirably with 3-22, and Jon Harris took a couple for 2-34. Special mention, too, for Allan Cooper, who bowled four maidens and gave Outwood absolutely nothing to work with — the sort of miserly spell that makes a captain's job look easy.

Chasing 101, we made steadier if unspectacular progress, reaching 103 for 2 in 35.5 overs. David Carden led the way with a fine 34, Nigel Thirkell continued his golden season with 31 not out, and Paul Bowles added a tidy 23. Thirkell now sits atop the 1979 Sunday NVKC run charts with 177, while Gauna is up to second in the wicket-takers with 12 — form which, frankly, the rest of us are simply riding on.

An eight-wicket win, then, and a thoroughly good day for the club — even if half of us spent it congratulating others.

Wed 18 Jul 1979 🧢 Midweek XIv ? · HomeformDLLLD

Wednesday 18 July 1979, and Linton Park had the pleasure of hosting all comers on a day that promised much and, in the end, delivered a good deal of honest toil for very little reward.

Winning the toss, I did what any captain raised on tea and optimism does — I stuck us in. It didn't quite come off as planned. We were bowled out for 135 in 47.4 overs, a scoreline that speaks of grit rather than glamour. Brian Piper held things together with a watchful 23, while David Tolhurst (21) and David Carden (20) chipped in their bit to stop the innings collapsing into farce. Credit to the lads for making a game of it when it might easily have unravelled.

Then came our turn in the field, and here the wheels well and truly came off — the opposition raced to 6 without loss in just 3.2 overs before, mercifully for our bowling figures, the heavens or the clock intervened and the match was left drawn. Neither side could force the issue, though I suspect only one of us was breathing a quiet sigh of relief at the umpires calling it a day.

Elsewhere, Paul Bowles continues to lead our 1979 Midweek XI run charts with 124 to his name — a reminder that somewhere in this club, someone is doing things properly.

A draw, then, honours shared. Not our finest hour with bat or ball, but nobody went home embarrassed, and in club cricket that's a result worth toasting.

Sun 15 Jul 1979 🧢 1st XIv SC Sennocke CC · HomeformLWLLL

Sunday 15 July, and Sennocke CC rolled up the drive to find your correspondent in unusually decisive mood. Won the toss, elected to bat — the right call, I felt, and for once nobody in the pavilion disagreed with me. We lost an early wicket with just 7 on the board, which had the tea urn rattling nervously, but Trevor Back settled things beautifully, motoring to 82 not out, with Jon Harris (26) and Tim Thirkell (25) chipping in either side of a stand of 72 for the fifth wicket that really won us the day. Poor Fred Greenfield made his way back for nought, and the ducks were quacking loudly at his expense. We closed on 193/7 from our 51 overs — a total with a bit of substance to it.

In the field, Jon Harris was magnificent, 4-45 and, more remarkably, past 700 wickets for the club — a number I can barely count that high without losing my place. Allan Cooper (3-24) and John Bloomfield (1-8) tidied up around him, while Tony Gauna bowled five miserly maidens that Sennocke never forgave him for. I managed 26 with the bat and 4 wickets with the ball, which felt like a fair morning's work. Peter Wright's defiant 33 kept the visitors afloat, but a- Dovey departed without troubling the scorers, and they finished 118/9.

Brian Piper's 22 runs eased him past George Champion into 21st on the all-time run list — he now sits third in this season's charts with 223, with Harris top of the wicket pile on 32. A draw, then — honours shared, and honour, I think, satisfied all round.

Sat 14 Jul 1979 🧢 1st XIv BC Bowaters CC · HomeformLLWLL

Bowaters CC came calling on Saturday 14 July, I lost the toss, they had the good sense to bat first, and by the close I had rather more to reflect on than celebrate.

Their innings ticked along nicely enough to 189/7 off 49 overs, built on a sturdy fourth-wicket stand of 67 between Martin Williams — 50 past his fifty, and a proper captain's headache to bowl at — and Tony Williams, who chipped in 46. John Henderson's 26 kept the scoreboard honest, and though we briefly threatened to pull things back as 167/4 became 175/7 in a hurry, it wasn't quite enough. Bob Bourne did at least depart for a duck at our hands, which I'll take any day. Jon Harris was pick of the attack with 3-70, Terry Donovan chiselled away for 2-40 with three tidy maidens, David Iliffe picked up 1-30, and I had the rare pleasure of three wickets myself — proof that even a captain gets lucky once in a while.

Chasing 190, we simply never got going, bundled out for 92 in 38.4 overs. My own 17 was scant consolation on a day when the bat let us down badly. So it's back to the nets with heads bowed, beaten by 97 runs — though Tim Thirkell's steady climb to 4th in the run charts, and Jon Harris's commanding lead atop the wickets table with 28, remind us the season isn't lost yet. Not our day, gentlemen. Onwards.

Sun 08 Jul 1979 🧢 Sunday NVKCv GC Glynde & Beddingham CC · HomeformWWWWW

The lads and I hosted Glynde & Beddingham on a Sunday in July, and I won the toss and stuck us in the field — a decision I'm rather pleased to say vindicated itself before the tea urn had even cooled. Glynde ground their way to 146/7 from their forty overs, Graham Baker top-scoring with 44 and Derek Pullen unbeaten on 38, the pair putting on 68 for the second wicket while the rest of us looked on with growing respect. Poor R Clayton departed for a duck without so much as a nibble at the scorebook. Trevor Back was the pick of our attack with 3-53, Nigel Thirkell chipped in with 2-20, Paul Bowles took one, and Jon Harris bowled two maidens as tight as his top button on a Sunday.

Chasing 147, we contrived to make life difficult for ourselves, slipping to 5-1 almost before anyone had found their guard — the sort of start that has spectators reaching for the biscuit tin rather than the scorebook. But Tim Thirkell (31) and Nigel Thirkell (27) steadied things with a stand of 58 for the fourth wicket, and Trevor Back saw us home unbeaten on 27, wrapping it up at 149/7 in 38.1 overs.

Three wickets, two points, and thoroughly deserved — a proper club cricket afternoon, nerves and all.

Sat 07 Jul 1979 🧢 1st XIv ? · HomeformLLLWL

Saturday 07 July 1979 dawned fair, and having called correctly at the toss, I had no hesitation in taking first knock — the sort of decision that looks either shrewd or daft by teatime, and I'm glad to say it was the former.

Six on the board and we'd lost one — the kind of start that has a captain reaching for the flask before the tea urn's even warm. But Nigel Thirkell settled things beautifully, compiling a handsome 63, and found a willing ally in Graham Cove, unbeaten on 40, the pair building a fifth-wicket stand of 65 that put real substance back into the innings. We closed on a healthy 165/6 from our fifty overs. Spare a thought, though, for poor Paul Brattle, whose golden duck earns him this week's unwanted spot in the Duck Club ledger.

In the field, it was our afternoon through and through. The opposition never got comfortable, subsiding from 72-5 to 86-8 in a hurry, and were all out for 87 in 36.5 overs — Weir's 31 the only real resistance, and Brooks joining our own duck-collector with a golden one of his own. Paul Bowles was magnificent, snaring 3-7, with Jon Harris (3-25, three miserly maidens) and Terry Donovan (2-17) chipping in handsomely — and I confess a quiet satisfaction at picking up three wickets myself. Jon Harris also nudged past Gordon Fenner into 23rd on the club's all-time run list along the way.

Beaten by 78 runs, then, with barely a murmur of complaint from this corner — a proper thumping delivered, and thoroughly deserved.

Tue 03 Jul 1979 🧢 1st XIv West Farleigh CC · AwayformDLLLW

Put in to field at West Farleigh on a Tuesday that promised more than it delivered, we somehow contrived to lose the toss and the match, in that order. Our innings got away to the shakiest possible start — gone at 0-1 before some of us had finished our tea flask — but Nigel Thirkell and Brian Piper set about repairing the damage with a stand of 83 for the second wicket that turned a crisis into a total. Thirkell's 51 was the innings of the day, Piper's 40 the perfect foil, and we closed on 103/4 from our sixteen overs. Poor Paul Bowles contributed the traditional golden duck, for which he was roundly and affectionately mocked in the tearoom.

Defending 103 was always going to ask questions of us, and West Farleigh, through Roger Crooks' 31 and Don Fermor's unbeaten 29, ably backed by Fred Baker's 20, found the answers more often than we'd have liked. Small mercies: we did for Trevor Back and Simon Day without either troubling the scorebook, and Thirkell — every inch the man of the moment — chipped in with the ball too, 2-37, well supported by Bowles' 1-19, redemption of sorts for his golden duck. Ten byes, though, told their own tale of a trying afternoon behind the stumps for Jim Hall.

We fell by five wickets in the end, no disgrace given the fight we showed. Thirkell continues his splendid season, second in the run charts and top of the wicket pile, and carries us on his shoulders more than he perhaps realises. We'll dust ourselves down and come again next week — chastened, not chastened enough to stop hoping.

Sun 01 Jul 1979 🧢 Sunday NVKCv YC Yalding CC · AwayformWWWWW

On Sunday we made our way to Yalding, lost the toss – no change there then – and were duly asked to have a bowl.

Yalding's 108/9 off their forty owed almost everything to Phil Jackson, whose unbeaten 53 was the only real substance in the innings and the sort of knock captains dread from the opposition. Elsewhere we kept things admirably tight: young T. Oyler was sent packing without so much as a nibble at the strike, Jon Harris was the pick of the attack with a fine 2-16, Paul Bowles (2-18) and Nigel Thirkell (1-20) chipped in nicely, and Tony Gauna bowled two maidens as if runs were rationed. A total of 108 always looked a touch light on that surface, and so it proved.

We knocked the runs off with a minimum of fuss, reaching 112/1 in just 30.1 overs. David Carden anchored things with an unbeaten 50, and Nigel Thirkell played the perfect supporting hand with 46 not out — an innings that also carried him past William Buck and into 6th on the club's all-time run-scorers list, which called for a pint or two afterwards. Thirkell continues to lead our 1979 Sunday NVKC run charts with 119, while Trevor Back tops the wicket-takers with 11.

A comfortable nine-wicket win, then, and a thoroughly satisfying afternoon's work. Onwards.

Wed 27 Jun 1979 🧢 Midweek XIv SC Sevenoaks & District Wednesday CC · HomeformDDLLL

Wednesday 27th June, and we welcomed Sevenoaks & District Wednesday CC in what turned out to be honours shared all round. I won the toss and had no hesitation putting us in to bat — the sort of decision that looks either inspired or idiotic by teatime, and for once I'll take the former.

We didn't half make it interesting. A wicket down before the board had troubled the scorer set nerves jangling early, but Paul Bowles and John Hartridge steadied things beautifully, their fourth-wicket stand of 110 the real backbone of the innings. Bowles went on to a fine 73, Hartridge chipping in with 48, before we contrived a collapse of the sort only village cricket can produce — 144 for 4 becoming 153 for 7 before anyone had finished their tea. David Buck and J. Brooks both fell without troubling the scorers, but 154 for 8 off our 48.3 overs felt like a defendable total.

And so it proved, almost. Sevenoaks replied with D. Walker (40) and Peter Day (20) doing the early work, but I had the afternoon of my life with the ball — 6 for 43, spinning them into all sorts of knots as 90 for 4 became 102 for 7. Nigel Thirkell (2-39) chipped in handsomely too, moving him past Gordon Fenner into 6th on the club's all-time wicket list, while Mike Chapman bowled tightly for 1-8 with three maidens. Bowles had a wretched time behind the stumps, mind — 11 byes his one blemish on an otherwise golden day.

In the end neither side could force it home: 122 for 9 at the close, a draw that felt fair to both. A cracking match, and honours shared is no bad way to spend a Wednesday.

Tue 26 Jun 1979 🧢 1st XIv HC Hunton Wanderers CC · HomeformLDLLL

Tuesday, 26 June, and I lost the toss again — Hunton Wanderers, quite reasonably, fancied first knock. No matter; there's a particular English pleasure in bowling first on a good morning, and the lads set about it with real purpose.

It could scarcely have started better. An early wicket at 7-1 had them rattled, and though M Beckwith played the lone hand of substance for his 26, wickets kept tumbling round him — 46-5 sliding to 59-8 as the middle order simply couldn't get out of the blocks. Poor J Brook Jr never even got off the mark, back in the pavilion without so much as a single to his name. Sixteen overs, 65/9, and honestly we might have wrapped it up sooner had we not been enjoying ourselves so much. Tony Gauna was magnificent, 4-27 the pick of a fine attack, with Nigel Thirkell (3-20) and Ron Hickman (2-10) doing rather more than mopping up.

Chasing 66, we strolled home for the loss of a single wicket in 13 overs, Nigel Thirkell — clearly not content with terrorising batsmen — carrying his bat for an unbeaten 39 and rounding off a proper captain's-dream afternoon with the willow too. He continues to sit second in the season's wicket charts, while Paul Bowles leads the run-scoring with 314 to his name; between them the top of the table is starting to look rather Linton Park-shaped.

A comfortable nine-wicket win, then, and a thoroughly satisfying one. Onwards indeed.

Sat 23 Jun 1979 🧢 1st XIv HC Hythe CC · HomeformWLDLL

Saturday 23 June 1979, and Hythe CC rolled up on a day that promised much and delivered, I'm afraid, rather less. Winning the toss, I fancied a bat first — a decision I was quietly reconsidering by the time we'd lost our opener with the score still reading nought. It went from bad to worse in a hurry: 0 for 1 became 8 for 4 before anyone had really settled, and the innings never recovered its poise. We were bowled out for 44 in 28.2 overs, with David Carden, Fred Greenfield and Mike Iliffe all making the sorrowful walk back for ducks — the Duck Club ledger swelling nicely, more's the pity.

With such a modest total to defend, we always knew the afternoon would be an uphill task, and so it proved. Terry Donovan did everything asked of him and more, bowling with real discipline for figures of 1 for 22 and three maidens to boot — a shining light on an otherwise gloomy day. But Ralph Carter batted us out of it with a composed 22 not out, and Hythe strolled home at 47 for 1 in 18.2 overs. Eight byes down the leg side didn't help our cause, and nine wickets was the final margin of defeat.

Not our finest hour, then, though Tim Thirkell's 127 runs and Terry Donovan's 6 wickets keep our season honours board looking respectable enough. We'll dust ourselves down, have a stern word with the bat, and be better for it next week.

Tue 19 Jun 1979 🧢 1st XIv ? · HomeformLWLDL

Skipper's Log, Tuesday 19 June 1979. Won the toss at home, and there was never much debate in my mind about what to do with it — up to bat we went, and by close of our innings I felt rather clever for it. Nigel Thirkell played the innings of a man who'd read the pitch report and decided not to share it with anyone, 46 not out, while Jon Harris kept him company with an unbeaten 31. We closed on 121/4 from our sixteen overs, which felt like a healthy total to defend, if not quite a fortress.

It didn't quite hold. Andy Bryan gave us the fright of the afternoon with 27 well-made runs, and for a spell it looked ominous. But cricket has a wonderful way of unravelling for the batting side all at once, and 44-3 became 58-6 before anyone had really settled back into their deckchair. C. Hooker departed without so much as troubling the scorers, which I shall diplomatically call unfortunate rather than comic. Nigel Thirkell backed up his batting with the ball too, 2-22, well supported by Ron Hickman (2-31) and Jon Harris (1-2). I chipped in with 31 myself, more through stubbornness than technique.

For all that, they got home by 32 runs, and we'll not pretend otherwise. One bright note: Jim Hall's 19 runs eased him past Andrew Moss into 19th on the club's all-time run list — a small personal triumph amid the wreckage. We were second best on the day, but better sides than ours have lost by less graciously. Onwards to next week.

Sun 17 Jun 1979 🧢 1st XIv ? · HomeformDLWLD

Skipper's Log, 17 June 1979: won the toss, elected to bat, and for once the decision looked sound rather than stubborn. We limped and lurched our way to 119/9 off our forty, with Nigel Thirkell top-scoring on 25, Brian Piper chipping in 23 and Paul Brattle 22 — a score that felt, at tea, roughly as substantial as the club's egg sandwiches.

Defending it looked a tall order, and when their innings stumbled to 4-1 and kept stumbling to 23-4, I allowed myself a quiet smile behind the sunhat. Jon Harris was the chief tormentor with 4-41, Allan Cooper miserly as ever with three maidens and 1-3, and Brian Piper picked up 1-4 for good measure — even C Ricketts departed for a golden duck at our hands, small mercies. I had a happy afternoon myself with four wickets, which I shall be mentioning at every opportunity for weeks to come. But Colin Cowdrey, immovable on 33 not out, and a pesky last pair who added an unwanted 37, dragged them past us to 120/8 in 39.3 overs.

Down by two wickets, then — the narrowest and most infuriating of margins. Small consolations: Brian Piper's runs push him past Gordon Fenner to 22nd on the club's all-time run list, and Allan Cooper's wicket edges him past Dick Langridge into 12th among our bowlers. Not our day, but heads up — back to the nets, and next time we finish the job.

Sat 16 Jun 1979 🧢 1st XIv MC Maidstone YMCA CC · AwayformLDLWL

Saturday 16 June 1979, and away to Maidstone YMCA CC on a day when the toss went against us and we were sent out to bowl.

Not that we minded overmuch. The lads settled into their work well enough as Maidstone crept to 158 for 7 off their 49 overs, Rod Warboys top-scoring with a tidy 38, well backed up by R. Bassett's unbeaten 32 and S. Wyles's 28. It was Jon Harris who did the real damage, though — 5 for 68 of pure, relentless menace, the sort of spell that has opposition batsmen checking the fixture list for our next visit. Terry Donovan, meanwhile, bowled as if runs were rationed, three maidens and barely a boundary ball in him all afternoon.

Set 159 to win, we made a fair fist of the chase without ever quite laying a glove on victory, closing on 98 for 4 from our 41 overs. Tim Thirkell was the mainstay with 36, Fred Greenfield unbeaten on 28 keeping him honest company, but the required rate got away from us in the end and we settled for what we could hold onto. I even found some rhythm with the ball myself, five wickets to show for it — though I shan't dwell on that, captains talking up their own bowling being a well-known hazard of this column.

Thirkell continues to press his case as third in the season's run charts, and Harris now sits proudly atop the wicket-takers with 17. A draw, then — honours shared, pride intact, and the tea, I'm reliably informed, was excellent.

Sun 10 Jun 1979 🧢 Sunday NVKCv Marden CC, Kent · HomeformWWWWW

It was Marden CC of Kent who came calling on the 10th of June, and true to form the coin let us down before a ball was bowled — they had first use of it and chose to field, leaving us to make what we could of a good drying pitch.

Make what we could we did, up to a point. Nigel Thirkell batted with real application for his fifty not out, the innings' one column of granite among rather more wobbly neighbours, and we limped home to 126/8 from our forty overs. Allan Cooper's contribution, sadly, amounted to a duck — though he would more than make amends with the ball later, as we shall see.

Defending 126 against Kent opposition felt, at tea, like backing a village fete raffle against the pools. But cricket is a game of turning tides, and Marden's top order simply refused to fire — 3-1 for the first wicket set the tone, and when they slid from 92-5 to 100-8 in what felt like the time it takes to pour a pint, the game was ours for the taking. Trevor Back was the chief tormentor with 3-13 — and, we're told, brought up his hundredth career wicket in the process, a landmark worth raising a glass to — well supported by Tony Gauna (2-22), Nigel Thirkell (2-28), and a typically miserly two maidens from Allan Cooper, duck forgiven. Jeremy Cornwallis's 38 and Rob Finn's 25 threatened to spoil the party but arrived too late; Marden folded on 107/9.

A win by 19 runs, then — scrappy in construction, splendid in execution. Onwards indeed.

Sat 09 Jun 1979 🧢 1st XIv RC Rumwood CC · HomeformWLDLW

We hosted Rumwood on a fine Saturday, 9 June, and lost the toss — asked to chase, as ever seems our lot. Given first use of the ball, we made a decent early fist of it before Brian Aiston (60) and Geoff Griffith (49 not out) put on a punishing 76 for the first wicket and never really let us back in. Terry Donovan toiled hardest for 2-69 with three tidy maidens, Jon Harris chipped in with 2-76, and John Bloomfield struck once for 9 — though we did at least have Norman Cox back in the hutch without troubling the scorers. All told, 185/6 from 47 overs was a stiff ask.

And what an ask it proved. Nought on the board when the first wicket fell set the tone, and from a wobbly 16-3 we were suddenly 24-6 before anyone had quite worked out what was happening. Martin Thompson, Mike Iliffe and Jon Harris all made the sorrowful walk for ducks, and I shall draw a discreet veil over my own contribution beyond confirming it too was a duck — the less said, genuinely, the better. Thirty-three all out in 29.5 overs was as grim as it sounds.

Beaten by 152 runs, then, and no dressing it up. Paul Brattle continues to fly the flag, now fourth in the season's run charts, and Jon Harris sits second among the wicket-takers despite his afternoon with the bat. As for the rest of us — back to the nets, and onward to next week.

Wed 06 Jun 1979 🧢 Midweek XIv ? · HomeformDDDLL

Wednesday the 6th of June found us at home, and having won the toss I opted for first use of the ball — a decision I stood by rather better than my later one to face it. They battled to 154 all out in 44.3 overs, Rogers top-scoring with 31, well supported by Marshall (26) and J. Hunt (21), while poor Massie trudged off for a duck without troubling the scorers. John Hartridge was magnificent, snaring 4 for 31, Mick Filmer chipped in with 3 for 17, and Warhurst picked up 1 for 16. Trevor Back bowled with such miserly intent that two overs passed without a run leaking through.

Our reply promised plenty, though not without the usual wobble. Wickets tumbled alarmingly from 77 for 5 to 83 for 8 in a rush that had spectators reaching for their flasks, and Andrew Hales, Copeland and Mick Filmer all walked back for ducks of their own — the club ledger growing fatter by the week. Thankfully Paul Bowles held firm for an unbeaten 47, John Hartridge again showed his worth with 30, and Steve Gower saw us home with 23 not out. My own 47 counted for something, even if it wasn't quite enough.

In the end we were beaten by 2 wickets — narrow, painful, and entirely of our own making after such promising work in the field. Steve Gower now leads our 1979 run charts with 53, and Hartridge sits second among the bowlers with 4 wickets. We'll be better for it next week.

Tue 05 Jun 1979 🧢 1st XIv LC Leybourne CC · AwayformLWLDL

Tuesday the 5th of June found us on the road to Leybourne, where the toss went against us and we were asked to field first — never my preferred start to an evening, but the lads took to it well enough. Leybourne crawled to 81 for 5 off their sixteen overs, N. Lumbard the chief architect with a watchful 32 not out, well supported by E. Harris's 20. We struck early, the first wicket falling for just a single run, and M. Saunders departed for a duck at our hands, which always cheers a fielding side more than it probably should. Nigel Thirkell was magnificent with the ball, tearing through with 3 for 21, and Martin Thompson chipped in usefully with 2 for 26.

Eighty-two to win was never going to trouble us on that surface, and so it proved. We knocked off the target in 15.2 overs for the loss of a single wicket, Paul Bowles batting with real class for an unbeaten 43, Nigel Thirkell weighing in with 33 of his own — quite the double act, ball and bat both. Bowles now sits proudly atop the season's run charts with 279, while Thirkell leads the wicket-takers with 17 — a fine advertisement for keeping one player fresh for both disciplines.

Two points, and thoroughly earned. A nine-wicket win of the tidy, unfussy variety — the sort where you're home in time for a pint and nobody's blood pressure troubles the umpire.

Sun 03 Jun 1979 🧢 1st XIv SI St Lawrence & Highland Court CC (inactive) · AwayformWLWLD

Since 3 June 1979, back at cross-purposes with St Lawrence & Highland Court, one of those grounds where the tea is always better than our top order.

Winning the toss, I fancied batting first — a decision I stand by, even if the scorebook now reads a rather threadbare 116 all out from 49 overs. Brian Piper's 35 was the innings' backbone, with Paul Brattle chipping in 25 of good sense, but between them and the tail we contrived to go from a perfectly respectable 56-2 to a distinctly wobbly 61-5 in the time it takes to say "shall I have another custard cream." Tim Thirkell, Trevor Back and G. Husband all made the long walk back for nought — the Duck Club swelling nicely — and your correspondent, I'm rather ashamed to report, joined them. We shall speak no more of it.

In the field we fought hard. Nigel Thirkell bowled beautifully for 2-27, six of his overs maidens, ably backed by Paul Bowles (1-23) and Trevor Back (1-24), and we did for W. Burridge without troubling the scorers. But P. Rodway's polished 60, well supported by K. Mayne's 26 and an opening stand of 51, saw them home by five wickets with overs to spare.

One bright note amid the gloom: Brian Piper's 35 nudges him past Jon Harris to 23rd on the club's all-time run list — a small mantelpiece consolation on an otherwise chastening afternoon. We'll regroup, we'll bat with a touch more resolve, and we'll be better for it next week.

Sat 02 Jun 1979 🧢 1st XIv BK Beverley CC, Kent · HomeformWWLWL

We didn't have to win the toss to lose it, and lose it we duly did, Beverley CC of Kent opting to bat and settling in for the long haul under a Saturday sun that, for once, played fair.

They ground their way to 160 for 8 off 59.3 overs, S. Richardson top-scoring with 45, well backed by R. Askham (24) and J. Keir (22), their third-wicket pair adding 50 before we hauled them back. Martin Thompson was magnificent with the ball — 4 for 61 and five maidens that must have felt like a personal insult to the Beverley batsmen — with Terry Donovan (3-34) and Jon Harris (1-61) tidying up the rest.

Chasing 161, Paul Brattle played the innings of the day, 64 of real class, and found a willing ally in Martin Thompson (24) and Fred Greenfield (24) as the second wicket added a handsome 85. Then, as is tradition round these parts, the innings rather lost the plot — 140 for 5 became 150 for 8 quicker than you could say "have a word with the selectors," with Ross Brice and A. Donovan both ducking out for nought and joining the club's rather crowded Duck ledger. We closed on 150 for 9.

Small consolations amid the wreckage: Jon Harris's watchful 9 eased him past Brian Piper into 23rd on the all-time run charts, while Tim Thirkell (65) and Harris himself (10 wickets) continue to hold their own in this summer's charts.

A draw, then — honest, hard-fought, and entirely fitting for two sides neither able to finish the job.

Thu 31 May 1979 🧢 Midweek XIv BC Burghill & Tillington CC · HomeformLDDDL

We hosted Burghill & Tillington on Thursday, and for once the coin let us down before a ball was bowled — asked to field, we duly obliged. P Quested had clearly done his homework, ghosting to 74 not out in an innings that owed much to K Hook's watchful 34 alongside him, and between them they nudged the visitors to a stiff 137/3 from their thirty. Credit where due: Brian Piper toiled manfully for 1-21, with Jon Harris chipping in at the other end for 1-33 — honest figures against batting that simply refused to give us a sniff.

A chase of 138 always demands nerve, and ours held for a while before wobbling spectacularly — 59-2 became 76-5 in the sort of collapse that has the tea urn boiling with sympathetic mutters. Roger Crooks and Steve Gower both made tidy 30s, John Bloomfield had the sort of afternoon best forgotten with a duck to his name, and I did my bit with 38. It was Jon Harris, though, who carried real authority, finishing unbeaten on 38 and dragging us agonisingly close before the innings ran out of overs at 125/9.

Twelve runs short in the end — the margin of a missed single, a wide too many, take your pick. Small consolation that Jon's solitary wicket saw him leapfrog Alan Wilkes to the top of the club's all-time wicket-takers list, and he now leads both our run and wicket charts for the season besides. The lad's in the form of his life; the rest of us will simply have to catch him up. We'll be better for this one next week.

Mon 28 May 1979 🧢 Midweek XIv ? · HomeformWLDDD

Monday 28th May, and Linton Park welcomed the opposition to our ground under skies that promised more than they delivered — rather like our batting, as it turned out. I won the toss and sent them in, a decision that looked shrewd for about an hour and rather less so thereafter.

Their openers put on 96 before we so much as troubled the scorers, and from there D. Burgess set about compiling a fine 96, well supported by N. Hayat's 52 and C. Smith's unbeaten 26. They closed on 217/7 from their 62 overs, though credit where due — we did claw back some order in the middle, with 193/4 becoming 204/7 in a small flurry of luck and application. Jon Harris was the pick of us with 4-65, Allan Cooper miserly as ever with three maidens in his 1-60, and Tony Gauna chipping in with 1-67.

Chasing 218, we contrived to make a real drama of it, losing our first wicket with the score on 1 and then, not content with that, collapsing from 1-1 to 9-4 while Ian Webb, John Bloomfield and David Iliffe all made ducks. We were bowled out for 44 in 31.4 overs — a number I shan't dwell on longer than necessary. My own 4 wickets with the ball were scant consolation on such an afternoon.

Beaten by 173 runs, then, and no dressing it up. We'll be better for it next week.

Sun 27 May 1979 🧢 Sunday NVKCv CC Crockham Hill CC · AwayformWWWWW

Sunday 27 May 1979, away at Crockham Hill CC, and the coin let us down before a ball was bowled — they chose to bat, and we trudged into the field wondering what sort of afternoon lay ahead.

It began promisingly enough, with P- Day back in the pavilion for a golden duck and just 1 run on the board. But Crockham Hill steadied themselves and crept to 128/9 from their forty overs, L Fordham's 34 the backbone of it, with useful support from Chris Harding (23 not out) and Stuart Taylor (20). Credit where it's due — Nigel Thirkell bowled beautifully for 3-21, Tony Gauna chipped in with 3-27, Trevor Back took 2-18, and Allan Cooper was positively miserly with four maidens. A fine team effort with the ball, and 128 always felt gettable.

Getting it, of course, is another matter entirely. We wobbled our way to 130/7 from 37.5 overs, rather more overs than we'd have liked, with Brian Piper the mainstay on 40, Tim Thirkell adding 27 and Paul Brattle 21. Nigel Thirkell, having done his bit with the ball, contributed nothing at all with the bat — a duck to match his earlier heroics, the sort of symmetry only cricket provides.

Three wickets to spare, then, and a scrappy but thoroughly satisfying win on the road. Not pretty, but a good day for the club all the same — and I'll happily take that over losing the toss and the match.

Tue 22 May 1979 🧢 1st XIv BC Boughton Monchelsea CC · HomeformLWWLW

Lost the toss, lost the match, won the tea interval comfortably — Tuesday's meeting with Boughton Monchelsea CC will not, I fear, live long in the memory, though it certainly earns its place in the ledger.

Put into the field, we watched Steve Kember bat with the sort of easy authority that makes a captain's shoulders sag a little more with every boundary, his 56 the backbone of their 119/5, with Pete Adams (21 not out) keeping him company through a stand of 53 for the second wicket that rather took the game away from us. Credit where due: Allan Cooper bowled his heart out for 3-29, and Jon Harris chipped away for 2-56, but 119 from sixteen overs always looked a stretch on a ground where the boundaries don't come cheap.

Chasing it, Paul Bowles played the innings of the day, a crisp and correct 80 that for a while had us dreaming, but wickets fell around him at the other end — not least poor Allan Cooper, who having toiled so nobly with the ball, departed for a golden duck without so much as troubling the scorer. We limped to 117/8, two runs short, and stood about afterwards doing the traditional English thing of insisting we weren't that bothered, really.

Season honours, at least, are in good order: Bowles now leads the 1st XI run charts with 225, and Harris sits second in the wickets with 9 — small consolations to carry back to the nets. Verdict: gallant, nearly, but not our day.

Sat 19 May 1979 🧢 1st XIv Headcorn CC · AwayformDLWWL

Saturday 19 May 1979, away to Headcorn CC, and the coin let us down before we'd even taken guard — they won the toss and stuck us in the field, which on a warm afternoon is not always the kindness the opposition thinks it is.

Headcorn made hay early doors, their openers putting on a rollicking 90 before we so much as looked at a breakthrough, and they eventually declared themselves happy on 171/6 from their forty overs, Paul Millen (59) and Glyn Wickens (53 not out) doing the damage with John Phipps chipping in a useful 31. It rather looked like being a long day in the field until Jon Harris decided enough was enough and turned the ball square for a magnificent 5-49, with David Iliffe tidying up at the other end for 1-23. Suddenly 171 looked eminently gettable.

And gettable it proved. Malcolm Pay led our reply with a composed 48, Tim Thirkell weighed in with 41 and Jim Hall 25, the middle order gluing things together with a handy 53-run stand for the third wicket. I contributed a modest 19 with the bat, though I confess I enjoyed myself rather more with the ball, five wickets falling to the skipper along the way. We crossed the line with four wickets in hand and 172 on the board.

A thoroughly good day's cricket, capped by Jon Harris climbing to second in the 1979 wicket charts and Malcolm Pay to third with the bat. Headcorn will wonder how 90 without loss became a losing cause — we shan't ask too many questions, and shall simply enjoy the drive home.

Fri 18 May 1979 🧢 1st XIv Leeds & Broomfield CC · AwayformWDLWW

Friday the 18th of May took us to Leeds & Broomfield, where I lost the toss yet again and was asked to bowl first — no great hardship, as it turned out. The home side were shot out for 116 in sixteen overs, Peter Bowden's fine 65 the chief obstacle, built around a watchful 59-run stand for the second wicket after the first fell for just 1. From 99 for 5 the innings rather came apart at the seams, tumbling to 112 for 8 in a hurry, with Andy Creamer among those sent back for a duck. Nigel Thirkell was in unplayable form, spinning his way to 5 for 33, with Allan Cooper (3 for 27) and Jon Harris (1 for 21) mopping up around him.

Chasing 117, we could only manage 108 for 7 from our sixteen overs. Nigel Thirkell followed his heroics with the ball by top-scoring with 31, well supported by Brian Piper's 30. Allan Cooper, so miserly with the ball, had a day to forget with the bat, out for a duck.

There was plenty to raise a glass to amid the gloom: Malcolm Pay brought up 1,000 career runs for the club, Nigel Thirkell passed 500 career wickets, and Brian Piper's innings lifted him past Jon Harris into 23rd on our all-time run-scorers list. Paul Bowles continues to lead our 1979 run charts with 145, Thirkell the wickets with 12.

Eight runs short in the end — a game we really ought to have had. Heads up, and back to the nets.

Tue 15 May 1979 🧢 1st XIv RC Reeds CC · HomeformWWDLW

Won the toss on a fine Tuesday, 15 May, and with Reeds CC arriving looking rather too pleased with themselves, I had no hesitation in sticking us in. Sixteen overs later we'd posted 135/3, which on our ground counts as putting the kettle on and the biscuits out. Paul Bowles played the innings of the day, 51 crafted with the sort of calm that makes the rest of us look like we're swatting wasps, while Brian Piper's unbeaten 37 kept the scoreboard honest at the other end — the pair adding 72 for the second wicket and, in doing so, easing Brian past Jon Harris into 23rd on the club's all-time run charts. Not bad for a Tuesday.

With the ball, it was scrappier stuff. Reeds lost an early wicket for just 8 and looked there for the taking, but a stubborn 54-run third-wicket stand, anchored by John Swift's determined 49, threatened to spoil the afternoon. Then we found our groove, tearing through them from 80-3 to 95-6, with poor Longley trudging off without so much as a run to his name. Nigel Thirkell was superb, 4-24, backed up nicely by Bowles again (3-6, greedy man) and Martin Thompson (2-16). Nine byes did slip past Jim Hall, bless him, but nobody's perfect behind the stumps on a Tuesday.

Won by 37 runs, two points banked, and thoroughly deserved. A jolly good day out.

Sun 13 May 1979 🧢 Sunday NVKCv SC Shipbourne CC · HomeformWWWWW

Sunday 13th May, and Shipbourne rolled up looking altogether too pleased with themselves. We lost the toss — no great surprise, my coin-calling form remaining as patchy as ever — and were put out into the field, which suited us just fine.

Shipbourne never quite found their footing. A wicket down for nought had them rocking before they'd got their boots properly muddy, and though they steadied a touch, the innings collapsed from 60 for 4 to 66 for 7 in a spell that had our lads grinning from slip to fine leg. Trevor Back was simply unplayable, tearing through with 5 for 8, ably backed up by Nigel Thirkell's 1 for 16 and Allan Cooper's 1 for 19, while Tony Gauna strangled the life out of the middle overs with five maidens. Robin Marchant, Jim Sly and John Wakeman were each sent back for ducks — a hat-trick of blobs that I shan't let them forget over the winter. All out for 79 in 40 overs, they never really got going.

Chasing was a formality in the end. Paul Bowles played the innings of a man in ominous form, striking 42 and carrying us home at a canter, 81 for 1 off 29 overs — he now sits proudly atop the season's run charts. Nine wickets, two points, and hardly a bead of sweat spared.

A thoroughly satisfying afternoon's work — Shipbourne outbowled, outbatted, and sent home to reconsider their life choices.

Mon 07 May 1979 🧢 1st XIv Bearsted CC · HomeformLWWDL

Monday, 7 May 1979. Bearsted CC came calling, I lost the toss, and duly found myself leading the lads out into the field with all the enthusiasm of a man volunteering for extra fielding practice. Bearsted ground out 167 for 8 from their 59 overs, with Mike Read (39) and Brian Burnett (37) doing the early damage, well supported by Anthony Hunt's 25, and a sixth-wicket stand of 51 that threatened to get away from us. But Nigel Thirkell had other ideas, steaming in for a fine 3 for 33, with Tony Gauna miserly as ever (2 for 26, four maidens — the man barely let the ball off the square) and Martin Thompson chipping in with 1 for 10.

A target of 168 looked eminently gettable, and so it proved. Paul Bowles played the innings of the day, 81 not out and looking set to bat until closing time, while Nigel Thirkell — evidently not content with his exertions in the field — added an unbeaten 58 with the bat for good measure. We cantered home on 169 for 1 in just 38.1 overs.

Special mention for Nigel, who brought up 6,000 career runs for the club along the way — a landmark to raise a glass to, gloves or no gloves. And gloves there certainly were trouble with: 11 byes went begging behind the stumps, a tricky afternoon for whoever was standing back there.

A comfortable nine-wicket win, then, and a thoroughly satisfying one. Onwards.

Sun 06 May 1979 🧢 1st XIv CC Chatham Nomads CC · HomeformWLWWD

Wonderful April weather it wasn't in early May, but Chatham Nomads made the trip regardless, and I duly called correctly at the toss and elected to bat — the right call, I still maintain, whatever the scorebook might later suggest.

We laboured to 133 all out in 41.4 overs, a total that owed most of its substance to Trevor Back's watchful 28, with Jon Harris (25) and Tim Thirkell (22) chipping in gamely around him. Elsewhere the middle order rather came and went, and poor Ross Brice's name goes into the Duck Club ledger for a golden nought — the walk of shame indeed, though we've all been there, Ross, and we'll all be there again.

In the field we fought hard for our 133, and for a good while it looked like it might just be enough. Brian Piper bowled beautifully for 2-10, with Tony Gauna (1-19) and Jon Harris (1-41) offering support, and Allan Cooper tying an end down with three tidy maidens. But Barry Martin had other ideas, striking a fine unbeaten-in-spirit 59, and with D Chambers (44) put on 99 for the third wicket that took the game clean away from us. The Nomads closed on 135/4 from 39.3 overs. I contributed a personal 25 with the bat, for what little comfort that offers.

Not our day, then — beaten by six wickets, heads up all the same, and it's back to the nets this week. Early season, plenty of cricket left in us yet.

Sun 29 Apr 1979 🧢 Sunday NVKCv AC Ash CC · AwayformWWWWW

Ash CC entertained us on Sunday and, having lost the toss, we trooped straight out into the field — never the ideal start to a Sunday, but such is the lot of the cricketing captain. Runs proved hard to come by on a pitch that clearly favoured caution over flamboyance, and while Paul Bowles set about compiling a watchful 33, the rest of the order rather nibbled around him. Poor Trevor Back will not want reminding of his duck, though I'm reliably informed the ducks on the boundary showed rather more composure than he did. We closed on 131/8 from our forty overs — not a total to frighten anyone, but as it turned out, quite enough.

Because then the ball did the talking. Ash's reply never found its feet: an early wicket with just 8 on the board set the tone, and a collapse from 24-2 to 31-5 finished the argument before it had properly started. W Laslett and R Gibbons both departed without troubling the scorers, and Jon Harris span his way to a remarkable 5-7, ably supported by Tony Gauna's miserly 3-23 (two maidens, not a run given away lightly) and Allan Cooper's 2-16. I confess to a quiet satisfaction at picking up five wickets myself — a captain's log entry worth savouring.

Ash were bowled out for 56, and we ran out winners by 75 runs. A word too for Jon Harris, whose 11 runs eased him past Brian Piper to 23rd on the club's all-time run-scorers list, and who now sits atop both the season's run and wicket charts. All in all, a thoroughly good day for the club.