🧢 Captain's Log

Sun 22 Sep 1991 🧢 1st XIv AC Anchorians CC · HomeformWLWDD

Sunday last saw us welcome Anchorians CC, and losing the toss meant an afternoon in the field to open proceedings — never my favourite way to spend a Sunday, but there it is. Keith Wooding had other ideas about our afternoon, carving out a superb unbeaten 122 that anchored their innings from start to finish, with Graham Siveyer (29) and Ray Willis (22) chipping in either side of a stubborn 58-run second-wicket stand. We chipped away where we could — Rob Doick the pick of the attack with 1-29, Jon Harris weighing in with 1-36, and I managed to prise one out myself for 38 runs, which felt like fair reward for an honest afternoon's toil. Matt Large, meanwhile, bowled with the miserliness of a man counting out his own tea money, sending down two maidens. They closed on 215/4 from their 41 overs — a target that looked, from the boundary rope at least, rather more imposing than it turned out to be.

Because what followed with the bat was as good as anything we've produced all season. David Castle and Piers McDonald put on 124 for the first wicket before Anchorians so much as glimpsed a breakthrough, and from there the platform was simply too good to waste. Castle went on to a fine 62, McDonald a well-made 53, and Peter Whyte added a classy 52 to see us home with 217/4 in 38.1 overs.

A six-wicket win, then, built on a partnership for the ages and bowling tight enough to keep the target honest. Onwards indeed — and long may David Castle's charge up the season's run charts continue.

Sat 21 Sep 1991 🧢 1st XIv West Farleigh CC · HomeformWWLWD

Saturday 21 September 1991, and West Farleigh CC came calling at Linton Park. I won the toss and, with barely a flicker of hesitation, sent us in to bat.

What a platform we built. The openers put on 99 for the first wicket before the breakthrough came, and from there David Castle simply refused to leave, compiling a glorious unbeaten 103. Paul Bowles chipped in handsomely with 62, and Dave Charlton's 38 rounded out a total of 223/3 from our forty overs that had the tea urn rattling with anticipation.

Defending it proved rather more of a grind. Andy Golding gave us an early sniff with a wicket for just 8 on the board, but Golding himself then dug in for 84 and, with Micky Back's 60 alongside him, the pair added a chastening 129 for the second wicket. Dave Latter's 23 kept the total ticking, and D Todd departed for a duck without troubling the scorers, but by the close they'd reached 210/5 from 39 overs. Ian Brattle bowled his heart out for 3-57, with two tidy maidens thrown in, and Paul Bowles backed him up with 2-54 — though poor Roly Edwards had a torrid afternoon behind the stumps, twelve byes finding their way past him.

In the end honours were shared, neither side quite able to force the door open. A draw, then — fair reflection of a match that gave rather more than it settled, and no bad way to spend a Saturday.

Sun 15 Sep 1991 🧢 1st XIv NS Northend Sunday · HomeformLWWLW

Sunday 15 September brought Northend Sunday to Linton Park, and having won the toss I never seriously considered bowling first – on a day like that, you bat. It proved a shrewd, if entirely unsurprising, decision. I found some early form and it simply refused to leave, carrying me all the way to a hundred, while Piers McDonald played beautifully alongside me for 72 as we put on 172 for the second wicket – the kind of stand that makes a captain's job embarrassingly easy. We closed on 217/3 from our 41 overs, and I allowed myself a quiet, entirely un-English moment of satisfaction at bringing up three figures.

In reply, Northend never quite got away from us, though J Bolding gave it a fair go with a well-made 52, helped by N Twiddy (24) and D Abernathy (22) in an opening stand of 54. Jon Harris was the story of the innings, though – six for 55 is the sort of spell you buy a man a pint for, several pints in fact, and richly deserved. Paul Gibson (1-1) and Matt Large (1-22) chipped in, Alan Boyns bowled three miserly maidens, and poor N Wood departed without so much as troubling the scorers. Northend limped to 158/9 from their 49, never threatening to chase us down but never quite folding either.

So honours shared, a draw when neither side could force the issue – not the result the scoreline suggested we deserved, but cricket has a way of humbling even a captain having a rather good day.

Sat 14 Sep 1991 🧢 2nd XIv BK Beverley CC, Kent · AwayformDLLDD

Left, I lost the toss at Beverley CC on 14 September 1991 and dutifully led us out into the field, resigned to the sort of afternoon that tests a captain's optimism. P Martin promptly reminded us why openers should perhaps not be given quite so warm a welcome, carving out a majestic 115, while M Collingwood strolled to 94 not out and M Foden chipped in an unbeaten 26 as their innings sailed to 245/1 from 46 overs. Tim Thirkell toiled manfully for his solitary wicket at a cost of 58 — the kind of figures that suggest the pitch, and possibly the umpires, were not on our side.

Chasing 245 always felt a stretch, but our openers set about it in fine style, putting on 77 before the first wicket fell — the best stand of the innings and a platform we sadly failed to fully capitalise on. Mike Elworthy's 44 and Malcolm Pay's 39 kept the scoreboard honest, and I was pleased to contribute 51 not out, a half-century that at least made the runs that mattered. A spirited last-wicket stand of 61 gave the total a respectability it might not otherwise have deserved, with 28 extras doing their bit too, as we closed on 194/6 from our 47 overs.

So honours were shared — a draw, when neither side could quite land the killer blow. With the season charts showing me leading the 2nd XI run-scorers on 260 and Tim fourth in the wickets column, there's plenty to be cheerful about even in a match we couldn't win. All told: a fair result against a very good side, and no shame in that whatsoever.

Sat 14 Sep 1991 🧢 1st XIv SC Southborough CC · HomeformLLWWL

We won the toss on Saturday 14 September 1991, and with Southborough CC visiting on a good drying pitch I had no hesitation putting them in the field first. Paul Bowles led the way with a fine 43, Peter Whyte (36 not out) and Dave Charlton (34 not out) steadied things nicely, and their second-wicket stand of 63 was the innings' backbone. The tail wagged merrily to add a further 76 and leave the fielding side thoroughly out of sorts, though poor Piers McDonald will not thank me for mentioning his duck — the walk of shame, immortalised. A generous 28 extras rounded us out to 173 for 6 from our 46 overs, which felt about right for the conditions.

With the ball, Jon Harris was quite simply magnificent, ripping through with 3 for 8, while Matt Large (3 for 28, four maidens and miserly with it) and Ian Brattle (2 for 43) squeezed the life out of the rest. Simon Fisher's fifty was the lone bright spark for the visitors, but an early wobble to 7 for 1 set the tone, and the slide from 100 for 7 to all out for 109 in 37.5 overs told its own story — G Lanham and Steven Thomas both departed without troubling the scorers. I contributed a modest 17 with the bat and rather enjoyed watching from the field as Ian Brattle's two wickets nudged him past Tony Snell into 17th on the club's all-time list.

A comfortable 64-run win, then, and a thoroughly satisfying afternoon's work all round. Onwards we go.

Wed 11 Sep 1991 🧢 Midweek XIv The Mote CC · AwayformDDLDW

Not out yet, but the perfect example of a Wednesday in club cricket. Wednesday 11 September had us on the road to The Mote, and having won the toss my instinct was to bowl first — sorry, bat first, I put us in. We got to 141 all out in 42.5 overs, which felt like scratching a living from unpromising soil after slipping to 3-1 with the ink barely dry on the scorebook. David Castle (42) and Jeremy Chapman (41) dragged us back into respectability with a third-wicket stand of 67, while poor Fred Cheesman's golden duck reminded us all that cricket remains a cruel game played by optimists.

Defending 141 always demands nerve rather than method, and for a good while it looked beyond us as The Mote's S Patel (37) and N Barr (30) threatened to bat us out of the gazette entirely. But cricket has a way of turning on an afternoon, and we ran through the middle and lower order — 123-6 became 132-9 almost before the tea urn had cooled, Malcolm Bristow and Julian Taylor both dismissed without troubling the scorers. I found some rhythm with the ball and finished with 5-42, a five-for I shan't pretend not to be pleased with, well supported by Ian Brattle's 4-50 and four miserly maidens from C Lambert that gave the batters nothing to work with.

Five runs. That was the final margin, and I'll take it with both hands and a grateful heart. Two points, thoroughly earned, and a timely reminder that this Midweek XI — with Chapman's bat and, I'm proud to say, my own bowling both flying at the top of the season's charts — knows how to make a match of it.

Sun 08 Sep 1991 🧢 1st XIv Sibton Park CC · HomeformLLLWW

I won the toss on a fine Sunday at the start of September and, with Sibton Park CC our visitors, didn't hesitate for a moment — batting first, no question. The lads made a real fist of it too: Piers McDonald played the innings of the day, sailing past his fifty to finish on 75, with David Castle a fine foil for 35. Seventy-five runs were on the board before either fell, a first-wicket stand worth every one of those runs, and we closed on a handsome 180 for 6 from our 45 overs.

Defending it proved rather more of an adventure. Sibton Park lost an early wicket at 8 for 1 and I allowed myself a flicker of optimism, but P Fox and E Marden had other ideas, putting on 73 for the second wicket to drag the game back their way — Fox making a well-crafted 62, Marden unbeaten on 43, with L Woods chipping in 26. We did send G Kirk and G Clarke back without troubling the scorers, and nobody gave runs away lightly — Matt Large led the attack manfully with 2 for 64, Paul Bowles and Trevor Back chipped in a wicket apiece, and Jon Harris bowled two tidy maidens — but Sibton Park got there in 38.5 overs, four wickets in hand.

Beaten by four wickets, then, though I take some comfort in still leading our run charts for the season. We'll be better for it next week.

Sat 07 Sep 1991 🧢 1st XIv SC Sandwich Town CC · AwayformWLLLW

Lost the toss again on Saturday — I'm beginning to suspect the coin itself has views on my captaincy — and off to Sandwich Town CC we trundled, condemned to field first on what looked a shirtfront of a pitch. So it proved: their openers put on a positively indecent 126 before we so much as troubled the scorers, and by the time Kevin Beaumont fell for a magnificent 95 — one short of the milestone he thoroughly deserved — the total was already looking ominous. S Smith's fifty (69) and S Strickland's 26 padded things out nicely from their end, and they closed on 244 for 4 from their 46 overs. Credit where due: Jon Harris kept plugging away for 3-47, with Paul Bowles chipping in a wicket for 46.

Chasing 245 always promised a long afternoon at the crease, but our openers set about it in style, sharing 98 before the first wicket went down — though poor Dave Charlton's name will appear in the book with a duck beside it, the sort of thing that happens to the best of us. David Castle played a lovely supporting hand of 62, Paul Bowles weighed in with 45, and I'm rather pleased to say I found some form myself, top-scoring with 93 in what I can only call a satisfying personal contribution. David Castle's afternoon behind the stumps was less serene — 12 byes tell their own tale.

We got there with five wickets and four overs to spare: 245 for 5, victory by 3 wickets, two points banked and thoroughly earned.

Sat 07 Sep 1991 🧢 2nd XIv PC Petts Wood CC · HomeformWDLLD

Skipper's Log — Saturday 07 September 1991

There are days when you win, days when you lose, and days when the cricketing gods simply shrug and leave both sides to argue it out over the teas. Saturday was very much the latter, as we welcomed Petts Wood CC for a match that had a bit of everything and, in the end, decided precisely nothing.

Batting first, we crawled and occasionally sprinted to 163 for 8 from our 45 overs, a total that owed most of its respectability to Roly Edwards, whose 33 was the backbone of the innings, with Fred Cheesman (25) and Malcolm Pay (23) chipping in handsomely around him. I contributed a workmanlike 22 myself, more graft than grace, but every run counts when you're stitching together a defendable total from limited materials.

In the field we made the sort of start captains dream of, reducing Petts Wood to 4 for 1 with poor Eddie Sharr back in the pavilion without troubling the scorers. But cricket has a habit of punishing early optimism, and Neil Speers settled in to compile a fine unbeaten 52, marshalling their tail admirably as they closed on 128 for 9 from 39 overs. Tim Thirkell was superb with the ball, finishing with 4 for 43, while Rob Doick (3 for 30, and stingy enough to bowl three maidens) and Colin Bentwood (1 for 21) kept the pressure on throughout.

In the end, neither side could quite find the finishing move, and honours were shared. A fair result, if I'm honest — though the lads will fancy we had the better of it.

Thu 05 Sep 1991 🧢 Midweek XIv MC Mullion CC · HomeformDDDLD

Thursday 5th September 1991, and Mullion CC came to visit us at Linton Park with the sun, mercifully, still shining on the season. I lost the toss — no great surprise, my coin-calling record remains a source of ongoing club merriment — and we were asked to field first. Not the outcome I'd have chosen, but the lads set about it with good cheer regardless.

Mullion made themselves at home, racking up 208/6 from their 38 overs, built chiefly around J Chapman's polished 56 and Tim Baker's 46, with C Lambert unbeaten on 37 for good measure. Their fifth-wicket pair put on a rather inconvenient 75 that threatened to take the game away from us. It was Matt Large who dragged us back into it with a startling 2 for 1, while Ian Brattle bowled with real discipline — 2 for 46 and a couple of maidens to show for his patience — and Rob Doick chipped in with 1 for 24.

Chasing 209, we barely broke sweat. Paul Bowles played an innings of real class, 112 not out, and found a willing ally in Trevor Back, whose 81 kept the scoreboard humming along nicely — the pair seeing us home in 37.3 overs for the loss of a single wicket. Poor Piers McDonald had a trying afternoon behind the stumps, 8 byes leaking away, but nobody was counting once the runs were in.

Two points, thoroughly earned, and a nine-wicket win to send everyone home happy. A fine day's cricket, and Bowles in particular will sleep well tonight.

Mon 02 Sep 1991 🧢 Tour XIv RC Redruth CC · AwayformWWWLW

Redruth CC, home turf and – as ever – happy to see us coming, since the toss went their way and they trotted out to bat while we trudged into the field on a Monday evening that promised more midge bites than glory. P Thomas played the anchor role rather better than any of our attempts to dislodge him, 30 to his name with Mike Leeson chipping in a useful 21, and between them they nudged Redruth to 116/7 off their twenty. Small mercy: S York departed for a duck, proof that even village cricket has its moments of instant justice. Mike Bains was the pick of us by some distance, 3-15 and bowling like a man with somewhere to be, while David Castle's 2-18 (two maidens, no less – the parsimony of a church-fete raffle organiser) and Simon Thirkell's 1-20 kept the total from ballooning further.

Chasing 117 to win, we made a proper fist of it. Dave Charlton batted with the calm of a man who knows the tea urn isn't going anywhere, finishing unbeaten on 42, Nigel Thirkell kept him company with 28 not out, and Bob Lines weighed in with 23 before the target was duly swallowed, 118/3 in 18.4 overs. Peter Whyte and Mike Bains continue to loiter, quite respectably, in second place in this season's Tour XI run and wicket charts – not front-runners, but not far off the pace either.

Five wickets in hand at the finish, and not a drop of sweat wasted that wasn't earned. A thoroughly good day for the club.

Sun 01 Sep 1991 🧢 Tour XIv BC Beacon CC, Cornwall · AwayformWWWWL

Down in Cornwall to face Beacon CC, and the coin let us down as usual — losing the toss has become something of a specialist skill of mine. Still, put in to bowl, we can hardly complain, and the lads set about it with more discipline than I dared hope for on a Sunday morning this far from home.

Beacon looked well set for a while, Larry Martin compiling a fine 62 and Kevin Gill chipping in with 25, the pair adding 59 for the fourth wicket to give their innings some backbone. But once Matt Large got his rhythm — five miserly maidens among his 3 for 31 — the middle order rather lost its nerve, tumbling from 144 for 6 to 155 for 9 in a hurry, Darren Collick gone without troubling the scorers. Jon Harris (2-33) and Alan Boyns (1-3) mopped up the tail and they were all out for 165 in 43.4 overs.

Chasing that down, our openers set the tone with 61 before the first wicket fell, and David Castle, purring past his fifty to 58, added a further 65 with Dave Charlton (32), while Nigel Thirkell weighed in with a tidy 30. We coasted home at 166 for 3 in 43.3 overs, seven wickets to spare.

A thoroughly satisfying afternoon's work — Castle now leads our 1991 run charts with 138, Large sits second among the wicket-takers with 5, and the tea, I'm reliably informed, was rather good too.

Sat 31 Aug 1991 🧢 2nd XIv Rainham (Kent) CC · HomeformWWDLL

I put us in on winning the toss, so anything less than a proper score would have looked rather foolish. As it turned out, Keith Hatcher made sure I needn't have worried, compiling a superb unbeaten hundred that carried us to 207/5 from our 46 overs, Malcolm Pay chipping in nicely with 29 and the pair putting on 68 for the second wicket to give the innings its backbone. Twenty-eight extras rounded things out nicely — Rainham's bowlers doing their bit for the cause whether they meant to or not.

Defending it, we made early inroads when R Fisher departed without so much as troubling the scorers, and I confess I rather enjoyed finding some rhythm with the ball myself, finishing with 3-38 and three maidens to show for my efforts, with Richard Piper (2-21) and Rob Doick (2-51) chipping away at the other end. But Chris Yates had other ideas, playing a well-made fifty of 63 to anchor their reply, ably assisted by Matthew Newton's unbeaten 41 and Ken Newton's 24, and Rainham eventually closed on 173/8 from their 44, just short of the finish line.

So honours were shared, neither side quite able to force the issue — which, given the effort Hatcher and the bowlers put in, felt almost a shame, but a draw earned the hard way beats one handed to you. All in all, a proper day's cricket, and with 26 wickets and 187 runs to my name in the seconds this season, I'll not complain about where things stand.

Fri 30 Aug 1991 🧢 Tour XIv MC Mullion CC · AwayformWWWWW

The coin fell kindly for once, and down at Mullion CC I had no hesitation in sending us in — a decision that looked rather clever for twenty overs and rather less so by the close. We lost an early wicket with just 7 on the board, the sort of nervous jolt that has everyone suddenly fascinated by the state of the outfield, but Peter Whyte settled things beautifully with a fine 86, finding an ally in Tim Thirkell for a stand of 79 for the fourth wicket that gave the innings real substance. Tim finished unbeaten on 40, Steve Cheesman chipped in an unbeaten 21, and 191/4 from our 40 overs looked, on paper, like a total to defend.

On paper. Gary Pollard had other ideas, and 132 not out from the Mullion order is not an innings anyone legislates for, ably supported by Tim Baker's 26. We did have our moments — their opener gone for 4-1, and three of their number, Kevin Bosustow, D Bostock and Tony Matthews, back in the pavilion without troubling the scorers at all. I kept at it from one end and finished with 8-76, easily my best return of the season, with Jon Harris chipping in a wicket of his own for good measure. But their last pair found 42 runs we could ill afford to gift them, and got home by the cruellest of margins — one wicket.

Peter now leads our Tour XI run charts with 92, and I find myself out in front with the ball on 8 wickets — small consolation on a day when we did almost everything right and still finished on the wrong side of the result. We'll be better for it next week.

Thu 29 Aug 1991 🧢 Tour XIv FC Falmouth CC · AwayformWWWWW

We travelled down to Falmouth on Thursday, and the coin did us the favour of landing right — a rare enough treat that I put us in without a second thought.

The lads made handsome use of it. Paul Gibson led the charge with a fine 48, Tim Thirkell anchored things beautifully for an unbeaten 40, and Paul Bowles chipped in a useful 32, their fourth-wicket stand of 55 the platform on which the innings was built. The tail then had its say, cracking on for a final 37 that left the Falmouth fielders rather wearier than they'd hoped, and we closed on a healthy 223/7 from our 45.

Defending it, we set about them with the ball and never quite let go. N Barrington played a lovely hand of 77 with support from Scott Thompson's 28, and their sixth-wicket pair threatened to spoil the afternoon with 60 together — but Alan Boyns (3-30) had other ideas, backed up nicely by Tim Thirkell (2-25) and Mike Bains (2-28), while John Thompson and Mike Hoban both departed without troubling the scorers. Poor Peter Whyte had a torrid time behind the stumps, 14 byes going astray, and I did my modest bit with 22. All out for 190 in the 41st, and the job was done — a win by 33 runs.

A word for the mantelpiece: Tim's 40 sees him move past Brian Piper into sixth on the club's all-time run charts, which is no small thing. A satisfying day's work all round, and onwards we go.

Wed 28 Aug 1991 🧢 Tour XIv SC St Austell CC · AwayformWWWWW

Wednesday 28th August, and off we trundled to St Austell CC in reasonably good spirits, which evaporated slightly when I lost the toss and watched them elect to bat. Still, first use of the new ball on a fresh pitch has its compensations, and so it proved. They huffed and puffed to 148 all out in 43.1 overs, with an early wicket at just 3 suggesting a rout was on, before Stephen Jarman (47) and Matthew Nile (25) knitted together a stubborn 62-run fourth-wicket stand to drag things back into respectability. No matter — the floodgates duly opened, 111-5 crumbling to 122-8 in a hurry, with Jeremy Grigg and G Furse both back in the pavilion without so much as a single to their names. I had the pleasure of leading the attack figures with 2-18, well supported by Mike Bains (2-23) and Jon Harris (2-24), while Matt Large bowled with a miser's discipline for three maidens and barely a boundary to show for the opposition's efforts.

Chasing 149, David Castle and Andrew Hales made an utter mockery of the target, cantering home in 33.2 overs for the loss of a single wicket. Castle's 72 was the innings' backbone — and doubled as a rather special milestone, for it brought up 8,000 career runs for the club, a landmark worth raising a glass to. Hales finished unbeaten on a well-crafted 58. Only Peter Whyte had cause for complaint, his afternoon behind the stumps rather undone by eight byes that slipped past him like they had a train to catch.

An eight-wicket win, two points banked, and Castle now sitting proudly atop this season's run charts. A fine day's work, and one I shan't be modest about — even if my keeper rather was.

Mon 26 Aug 1991 🧢 1st XIv Bearsted CC · HomeformWWLLL

Won the toss on Monday and had no hesitation in taking first knock — the right call, as it turned out, though I can't claim much credit for what followed with the bat myself. We batted through to 240/5 off our 62 overs, Brian Piper the architect with a glorious 82 not out, well supported by Sean Charlton (52 not out) and David Castle's tidy 39, the pair of them putting on 65 for the fifth wicket to give the innings its backbone. As for the skipper, I contributed precisely nothing — out for a golden blob, the full ignominious walk before I'd troubled the scorers. A captain should lead by example; today I led by cautionary tale.

Two hundred and forty looked a defendable total, and so it proved. Bearsted slid to 6 for 1 early on, and though Mark Stevens (58) and David Gibson (29) mounted some resistance, they were bowled out for 161 in 45.3 overs. Sean Charlton, having already done his bit with the bat, was magnificent with the ball too — 4-36 — with Matt Large (3-42) and the miserly Dave Todd (2-25, four maidens) squeezing the life out of things. Poor Jim Hall had a torrid time behind the stumps, 13 byes leaking away, but no matter.

A day of milestones besides — Dave Charlton to 1,000 career runs, and Brian Piper's innings easing him past Tim Thirkell into sixth on the all-time list. A comfortable 79-run victory, and thoroughly deserved — even with the captain's contribution best forgotten.

Sun 25 Aug 1991 🧢 1st XIv OC Old Anchorians CC · HomeformWWWLL

I called it right at the toss and, with a good pitch under grey English skies, never doubted the decision to bat. It didn't feel like vindication for long — three down for one had the makings of a horror show — but Paul Gibson and Piers McDonald steadied things beautifully, the pair putting on 126 for the second wicket in a stand that frankly saved our bacon. Gibson eventually fell for a fine 68, McDonald for 55, and Keith Hatcher chipped in a useful 39. Then, as is our tradition, we contrived to make hard work of a good position: 184 for 5 became 195 for 8 before you could say "tea's ready", with poor Dave Charlton bagging a duck for his troubles. Extras weighed in with 26 — arguably our most reliable batsman this season. We closed on 195 for 8 from 48.4 overs.

Defending it, we fought hard. Old Anchorians lost an early wicket at 6 and looked shaky, but M Heather's composed 58, well supported by R Bethell's 41 and S Langdon's unbeaten 39, steered them home. Gibson led the attack superbly with 3 for 43, Matt Large was miserly with 2 for 39 and two maidens, and I picked up 1 for 32 for what it was worth. They reached 198 for 6 in 39.5 overs, sneaking it by four wickets.

There was cause for real cheer, though: Piers McDonald brought up 2,000 career runs for the club, a landmark thoroughly deserved. Beaten, bruised, but far from despondent — we'll be better for it next week.

Sat 24 Aug 1991 🧢 1st XIv PC Petts Wood CC · HomeformWWWWL

Wednesday nights of nets and a nagging shoulder don't prepare a man for the coin toss, but the coin fell our way and I sent Petts Wood out into the field. It looked a shrewd move when we posted 169, Tim Thirkell playing the innings of the day with 46, well backed up by Mike Bains's 25. Mind you, "posted" makes it sound tidier than it was — we lost our first wicket without a run on the board, then somehow contrived to go from 0-1 to 14-4 before anyone had properly finished their tea. Paul Bowles's golden duck did little to steady nerves, and only some gutsy lower-order graft got us to a defendable 169 all out from 43 overs.

Defending it, we made Petts Wood work hard for their runs — their own innings stumbled early at 2-1 before Peter Howard set about repairing the damage with a fine 82, and Steve Lewis chipped in an unbeaten 39. The sixth-wicket pair put on a match-shaping 118, which is precisely the sort of partnership captains lie awake dreading. Rob Doick bowled beautifully for 3-29, I managed 2-27 myself, Mike Bains chipped in with one, and Fred Cheesman was miserly throughout with three maidens — Eddie Sharr, Chris Watson and Greg Snape all fell without scoring, for what little comfort that brought.

In the end Petts Wood got home by four wickets from 39.4 overs, and a word for Tim Thirkell, whose 46 now sees him leapfrog John Ames into 6th on the club's all-time run-scorers list — a fine achievement on a day of otherwise mixed fortunes. We were beaten, fair and square, but not disgraced. We'll be better for it next week.

Wed 21 Aug 1991 🧢 Midweek XIv Gravesend CC · AwayformDDDDL

Blown in on a grey Wednesday to Gravesend, I lost the toss and was promptly invited to go and stand in a field for the afternoon — the classic away fixture greeting. Gravesend batted with real purpose: Glen Giddings compiled a handsome fifty, 65 in the end, well supported by Paul Putland's 46 and Dave Elliott's 31, the pair putting on a chastening 96 for the fourth wicket. For a while it looked ominous, 180 for 7 and threatening to run away from us, but the tail folded in a hurry and they were all out for 191 in 40.3 overs — poor Pete Best departing without so much as troubling the scorers.

I'll confess to a decent afternoon with the ball myself, finishing with 4 for 24, well backed up by Fred Cheesman's 3 for 29 and Rob Doick's miserly 1 for 26 from three maidens — the sort of bowling that at least made the long walk back to the pavilion bearable.

With the bat we never quite got away, closing on 151 for 9 from our 44 overs. Darren Brame's 45 was the innings' backbone, Kevin Mullins chipping in an unbeaten 31, though Fred Cheesman and D Bray both fell without scoring, and I joined them for nought — we shall draw a veil over that. Jim Hall had a sticky time behind the stumps, 11 byes escaping his gloves. One bright note: Keith Hatcher's 18 eased him past Ray Howard into 20th on the club's all-time run charts.

A draw, then — honours shared, and on reflection a fair result for an afternoon neither side quite deserved to win.

Sun 18 Aug 1991 🧢 1st XIv Whitstable CC · AwayformDWWWW

Won the toss at Whitstable and, with a pitch that looked made for batting, I never seriously considered doing anything but batting first. Ideas changed cheaper than we'd have liked when the second man went with just 2 on the board — a properly nervy start that had the boundary rope glancing nervously at me. I did what any captain in a crisis should do and set the perfect example by dragging one that shouldn't have troubled a village green batsman, gone for a duck before I'd troubled the scorers. Mercifully, others had rather better ideas. Paul Bowles played an innings of real substance, unbeaten on 101, and Trevor Back gave him fine company with a well-made 62 not out, Alan Boyns chipping in with 22, as we motored to a very respectable 207 for 4 from our 47.1 overs.

Out in the field, Whitstable's openers set about building a platform of 76 before the first wicket fell, and a stubborn sixth-wicket stand of 77 kept them in the hunt. Andy Simpson's unbeaten 59 was the innings that mattered most, with nick denly (41) and Andy Stroud (28) lending support. Matt Large was quite magnificent — 5 for 52 with four maidens thrown in for good measure — ably backed by Jon Harris's 2 for 55, while poor Peter Whyte had a torrid afternoon behind the stumps, 16 byes going begging.

In the end it wasn't quite enough, beaten by 3 wickets. Not our day, but with Bowles now sitting proudly atop the run charts and Large leading the wickets, there's plenty to build on. Back to the nets.

Sat 17 Aug 1991 🧢 2nd XIv BC Bethersden CC · AwayformLWWDL

The toss went against us, as it so often does down at Bethersden, and we found ourselves in the field with nothing but forced smiles. Their innings ran to 177/9 from 30.1 overs, built chiefly on R Banks's fine 91 and a watchful 34 from R Wills, the pair adding 83 for the third wicket to set the tone we spent the rest of the day chasing. Credit to the lads for hauling things back from 164-5 to 171-8 when it might have got away from us entirely, with M Manktelow, G Russell and P Castle all departing without troubling the scorer. I had the good fortune to spin my way to 5-69, with Rob Doick (2-27) and Fred Cheesman (2-66) chipping in handsomely - and a nod to Fred, who reached his 50th career wicket along the way, a landmark thoroughly earned.

With the bat, 145 all out from 42 overs was never quite enough. I was pleased to lead from the front with an unbeaten 64, edging - so I'm reliably informed - past Brian Piper into 7th on the club's all-time run charts, which is the sort of thing one tries not to look too smug about. Stewart Morrison supported well with 32, though Davidson and Richard Piper both went for ducks, and eight byes told their own tale of a testing day behind the stumps for Morrison. On the season charts, he still leads the 2nd XI with 259 runs, and Doick sits second among the wicket-takers on 21.

Down by 32 runs, then. Heads up, and back to the nets.

Sat 17 Aug 1991 🧢 1st XIv HC Harrietsham CC · AwayformWDWWW

What a day at Harrietsham. I won the toss and, with the sun out and the outfield quick, didn't hesitate to bat first — a decision that repaid us handsomely.

Paul Bowles and I put on 201 for the second wicket, both of us reaching three figures — his 103 not out the platform, and I was pleased to lead from the front with 102 of my own. Add in a generous 27 extras from our hosts and we closed on a mighty 254 for 2 off our 43 overs. Declarations were scarcely needed; the total did the talking.

If batting was the feast, bowling was the demolition. Harrietsham lost their first wicket for just 6, and from there it was carnage — 83 for 5 became 90 for 8 in the blink of an eye, with poor P Cooper and Michael Gear both back in the pavilion without so much as troubling the scorers. Only Keith Chaney, with a battling 33, offered any real resistance. Paul Bowles, not content with his century, mopped up with a superb 4 for 7, Ian Brattle chipped in with 3 for 33, and Jon Harris bowled a miserly 2 for 26 including four maidens — not a run given away lightly. Harrietsham were done for 90 in 36.4 overs.

A 164-run victory, two points banked, and my run tally for the season now sits proudly at the top of the charts. A thoroughly satisfying afternoon's work — the sort of cricket that makes the drive home fly by.

Wed 14 Aug 1991 🧢 Midweek XIv LC Lashings World CC · AwayformDDDDD

Wednesday last, we set off for Lashings World CC in good spirits, somewhat dampened when I lost the toss and duly found us in the field. Early encouragement came thick and fast — a wicket with the score still on nought, C Walter and J Thorpe both back in the pavilion without troubling the scorers. But Lashings steadied themselves, N Fairclough top-scoring with 26, well supported by Alan Butcher and D Howson, 24 apiece, as they crawled to 142 all out in 47.4 overs. I can't claim too much modesty here: I finished with 4 for 29, six of those overs maidens, with Paul Bowles (3-17) and Trevor Back (1-6) chipping in nicely.

Chasing 143 looked eminently gettable, and for a while it was — until it wasn't. Rob Doick's 25 and useful contributions from Paul Bowles (24) and Stewart Morrison (21) promised much, but 26 for 1 became 28 for 4 in a collapse that will live long in the memory, with Fred Cheesman, Trevor Back and Steve Cheesman all failing to trouble the scorers. We were bowled out for 133 in 34.1 overs. Poor Piers McDonald had a torrid time behind the stumps too, 22 byes going begging, though he remains our leading run-scorer this season with 203, while Rob Doick heads the wicket charts with 7.

Beaten by 9 runs in the end. Honest effort, wasteful finish — we'll sharpen up and come again next week.

Sun 11 Aug 1991 🧢 1st XIv BC Benenden CC · AwayformLWDWW

Skipper's Log — Sunday 11 August 1991, away at Benenden CC.

Won the toss, took one look at the wicket and never seriously considered bowling — a captain's prerogative I intend to keep exercising while it keeps paying off. We batted ourselves into a handsome 211/2 off our forty, built around a second-wicket stand of 51 that set the tone nicely. I was in the mood to make a day of it and finished unbeaten on 97, though the credit is shared plenty around — Paul Bowles played his part with 53, and Trevor Back saw us home unbeaten on 26. Two short of the hundred and not a soul in the side who'll let me forget it.

Defending 211 always feels comfortable on paper and considerably less so in practice, but Benenden obliged by losing their first wicket for just 5. Andrew Cloke threatened to spoil the afternoon with a well-made 60, well supported by A LeServe (36) and Toby Phelps (21), and a seventh-wicket stand of 59 gave us a nervy spell — but poor Ed Holmes departed for a duck at our hands, and the innings folded for 174 in 31.5 overs. Paul Bowles was magnificent with the ball, ripping through them for 5-38, with Matt Large (4-35) and Jon Harris (1-34) mopping up the rest.

A fine win by 37 runs, and a day for the mantelpiece besides — Paul Gibson raised 6,000 career runs for the club, and I brought up 24,000 of my own. Onwards.

Sat 10 Aug 1991 🧢 1st XIv Headcorn CC · HomeformDLWDW

I elected to bat when we won the toss on Saturday, and for once the decision looked as good at close of play as it had at eleven o'clock. Paul Bowles led our reply with 48, Piers McDonald finished unbeaten on 38, and Dave Charlton chipped in a tidy 30, the three of them building a third-wicket stand of 61 that gave the innings its spine. We closed on 159/7 from our 42 overs, though not every name troubled the scorers — Paul Gibson and Peter Whyte both departed for ducks, the sort of afternoon a batsman would rather forget.

Defending it, Headcorn made a decent fist of things through Dave Harden's 25 and Simon Phipps's 22, but once they slid from 48-3 to 60-6 the innings never recovered, G Wickens departing for a duck along the way. Paul Bowles, having already done his bit with the bat, turned in a spell of genuine mastery — 5-18 with six maidens, spinning it past bat after bat — with Matt Large (2-13) and Paul Gibson (1-0) mopping up the rest. Headcorn were all out for 104 in 36.2 overs. Jim Hall had a trickier time of it behind the stumps, 17 byes going begging, and I'll happily take a share of the blame for whatever it was that kept beating him.

Up in the season's charts I remain top run-scorer for the year with 550, and Matt Large leads the wicket-takers with 35 — figures that owe a good deal to afternoons like this one. A fine win by 55 runs, and a thoroughly satisfying way to spend a Saturday.

Sat 10 Aug 1991 🧢 2nd XIv Bearsted CC · AwayformWLWWD

Down by 7 wickets on the road at Bearsted — 130/9 batting first, then watching them cruise home in 30 overs. Time to write up Tim Thirkell's captain's log.

Saturday, 10th August, and the coach pointed towards Bearsted with the sun rather better organised than our top order would later prove to be. Winning the toss, I had no hesitation in batting first — the right call, I still maintain, whatever the scorebook says about what followed. Stewart Morrison led us sensibly with 34, Mike Elworthy chipped in a tidy 31, and I managed 20 of my own before the middle order rather lost its nerve. From a healthy 112-5 we contrived to stumble to 119-8 in what felt like the time it takes to pour a tea, with Simon Thirkell, Rob Doick and Nick Stephens all departing without troubling the scorers. We limped to 130/9 from our 46 overs — respectable, not commanding.

In the field we fought hard without ever quite landing the blow we needed. Keith Hatcher was the pick of the attack with 1-15, and I took some consolation from 1-23 of my own, but Martin Constable had other ideas, compiling a fine 61 and anchoring a 66-run second-wicket stand with David Gibson, unbeaten on 25, that took the game away from us at a canter — 132/3 in just 30 overs told its own story.

There were bright spots amid the gloom: Mike Elworthy brought up 1,000 career runs for the club, a landmark worth raising a glass to, while Keith Hatcher's runs saw him leapfrog Mike Iliffe into 21st on the all-time list. Stewart Morrison continues to lead our season's run charts, and I'm quietly pleased to sit fourth among the 2nd XI's wicket-takers.

Not our day, then — beaten by seven wickets, heads up, and back to the nets.

Wed 07 Aug 1991 🧢 Midweek XIv BC Bexley CC · HomeformWDDDD

Wednesday 07 August 1991, and Bexley CC came calling with the sun out and, alas, the coin against us — lost the toss, asked to field. Not the afternoon we'd have chosen, but that's cricket.

They made themselves thoroughly at home. Paul Ladbrook and John Flaherty put on 118 for the first wicket as if they'd booked the crease for the season, Ladbrook finishing unbeaten on a serene 90 and Flaherty cashing in for 73. Stuart Hume chipped in a brisk 48 before Jeff Todd finally prised things open with 2-46, Ian Brattle lending a hand with 1-48, as Bexley closed on a hefty 225/3 from their 45 overs.

Chasing that lot in the time remaining was never really the plan, and so it proved. Trevor Back opened our reply and departed for a golden duck 🦆 — the sort of contribution best filed under "character building" — and we finished on 3/1 from 4.3 overs before honours were shared. A draw, then, with neither side able to force the issue, though it must be said Bexley did rather more of the forcing.

Still, Jeff Todd can take some quiet satisfaction sitting 5th in the Midweek XI wicket charts this season, and the rest of us can take the closing of the pavilion bar as consolation enough. A day for the scorebook rather than the highlight reel — we live to fight, and field, another Wednesday.

Sun 04 Aug 1991 🧢 1st XIv BC Battle CC · HomeformWDLWD

Battle CC arrived at Linton Park on Sunday, and by the time the tea urn had cooled we'd made it a very pleasant Sunday indeed. Put in to bat, we crept and occasionally cantered our way to 136 for 5 off 36.5 overs — the kind of total that owes more to application than fireworks, which rather suits our club's spirit. David Castle was the man of the hour, easing past his fifty to finish on 54, and he did it with the quiet authority of a man who's clearly been doing this all summer — he now sits third in the 1st XI's 1991 run charts with 497 to his name. He shared a 52-run stand for the second wicket that gave the innings its spine, ably backed up by Piers McDonald with a tidy 31 and Keith Hatcher, unbeaten on 27, mopping up the tail-end nerves with the calm of a man who knows the job is nearly done.

It wasn't a total to strike fear into anyone on paper, but cricket, as ever, had other ideas, and our bowlers and fielders made sure Battle never got comfortable chasing it. Five wickets in hand at the finish tells its own story — a win with something to spare, and two points banked without undue alarm.

All told, a thoroughly satisfying afternoon's work: Castle in fine touch, the middle order doing its duty, and the visitors sent home wondering quite where the game got away from them. Chalk this one up as job done, no fuss, no drama — just the way we like it.

Sat 03 Aug 1991 🧢 2nd XIv SC Sheldwich CC · HomeformWWLWW

Saturday saw Sheldwich CC roll up the drive, the sun doing its best village-green impression, and when the coin fell our way I decided we'd bat first and see what all the fuss was about. Fifty-eight overs and no little application later, we'd posted 169 for 9 — respectable enough, and built chiefly on Keith Hatcher's unbeaten 57, a proper captain's-innings half-century, with Tim Thirkell chipping in a handy 41 alongside him.

Defending that total, we set about Sheldwich with more enthusiasm than their scorebook probably enjoyed. Tony Marsh top-scored with 39, well supported by A Creed's 26 and Nigel Mannouch's 22, but from 128 for 5 to 141 for 8 we turned the screw in a hurry, and poor Will Brookes trudged off without troubling the scorers. Keith Hatcher, evidently not content with his heroics earlier in the day, led the attack beautifully with 3 for 9, I chipped in with 3 for 47 of my own, and Rob Doick bowled a tight, miserly spell — two maidens among his 1 for 36 — that gave away precious little.

In the end Sheldwich crawled to 154 for 9 off their 42, and honours were shared. A draw, then — not quite the winning conclusion the bowling effort perhaps deserved, but an honest afternoon's cricket. And with Stewart Morrison leading our 2nd XI run charts on 193 for the season, and the wicket charts currently sitting rather nicely in my own favour, there's plenty still to play for before the summer's out.

Wed 31 Jul 1991 🧢 Midweek XIv HC Hunton Wanderers CC · AwayformLWDDD

The road to Hunton Wanderers is a fair old trek on a Wednesday evening, but the coin at least behaved itself, and I had no hesitation in sticking us in. Piers McDonald batted like a man with a season's reputation to protect — and protect it he did, a fine fifty that anchored 149 for 3 from our 41 overs, with the openers laying a proper platform of 70 for the first wicket before the breakthrough came. Peter Whyte chipped in handsomely with 41, and Jeremy Chapman finished unbeaten on 27, so the runs, while not exactly a torrent, felt like enough to defend on a ground where boundaries don't come cheap.

And so it proved, more or less. Hunton stumbled to 6 for 1 and never quite shook off the wobble, despite Alan Hawkins and N Potter putting bat to ball for 39 and 33 respectively, and a stubborn 66-run stand for the fourth wicket that threatened to undo us. But we found a second wind, tearing through the middle order from 96 for 4 to 105 for 7 in a blink, with three batsmen sent back without troubling the scorers. Trevor Back was superb, 4 for 15, well supported by Paul Bowles and David Castle, while I was happy enough to potter through four maidens of my own. Peter Whyte's gloves let in eight byes, the only untidy note in an otherwise disciplined display.

In the end honours were shared — a draw that flattered neither side, but satisfied both. A fair result, and a fair evening's cricket.

Sun 28 Jul 1991 🧢 1st XIv The Mote CC · AwayformWWDLW

Sunday last saw us make the trip to The Mote, and having called correctly for once in my captaincy career, I had no hesitation in sticking us in. Whether that hesitation should have arrived about three overs later is another matter entirely, as we shipped an early wicket with the scoreboard still reading a rather embarrassing nought. Credit to the middle order for steadying the ship: Keith Hatcher played a lovely fifty, well backed up by Dave Charlton with a fifty of his own, and the pair in the fifth-wicket stand chipped in a valuable 52 when we needed it most. Not everyone's name will live long in the memory — Paul Gibson and Steve Cheesman both departed for golden ducks — but 174 all out from 52.5 overs felt like a defendable total on a used pitch, even allowing for our usual lower-order collapse.

In the field we made them work hard for every run. Their openers gave us a fright with 75 for the first wicket, and Matthew Dunk's fifty threatened to bat us out of it, well supported by N Wright's 28. But Paul Gibson made amends for his duck in style, ripping through with 2 for 7, while Matt Large bowled with real discipline — two maidens on his way to 1 for 12 — and Alan Boyns weighed in with 1 for 21. P Swan, at least, joined the ducks' club alongside our own men. They finished 131 for 7 from their 41, and honours were shared.

A word too on Keith Hatcher's magnificent 3,000 career runs for the club — a landmark worth raising a glass to in the bar. As for the draw itself: no losers today, and on a ground where we've had harder afternoons, I'll happily take it.

Sat 27 Jul 1991 🧢 1st XIv HC Hollingbourne CC · AwayformWWWDL

Called it right at the toss and, with a pitch that looked full of runs, there was never much debate — we batted. Paul Gibson set about compiling a gem of a 93, and when he and I put on a crucial 71 for the third wicket I felt entitled to consider my own 23 a minor masterpiece rather than the fortunate nurdling it actually was. Brian Piper chipped in with a tidy 27, and between us we hauled the total to a highly satisfactory 199 for 7 from our 46 overs. Poor Dave Charlton, meanwhile, will not thank me for recording that he contributed a golden duck to proceedings — these things happen to the best of us, Dave, and rarely to me only because I bat further up the order.

In the field, Hollingbourne never quite got away from us, despite Mike Donald's polished 53 and useful unbeaten contributions from Dave Kay and M Winters steadying their innings. We struck early — the first wicket falling for just 2 — and Ian Brattle was superb, ripping through with 3 for 33, well backed by Sean Charlton, Jon Harris, and a typically miserly Matt Large, four maidens and not a run given away cheaply. Their last pair wagged annoyingly, adding 57 we could have done without, but it was never enough.

A fine win by 40 runs, and thoroughly deserved. Onwards to Hollingbourne's return fixture with our tails well and truly up.

Sun 21 Jul 1991 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv KX Kon UD Deventer CC (Holland) Tour XI · HomeformW

Sunday 21 July found us at home to the Kon Ud Deventer CC Tour XI, over from Holland and no doubt wondering what English hospitality and English weather had in store for them. The coin behaved itself for once, and I had no hesitation in putting us in to bat.

What followed was as fine a batting display as I can remember signing off on. David Castle set the tone with an imperious 84, built on a platform he and his opening partner constructed together — 122 for the first wicket is the sort of start that makes a captain's job easy, and lets him potter about in the field with a spring in his step. Piers McDonald chipped in handsomely with 57, and I managed to get among the runs myself with 47, rounding off a total of 279 for 6 from our 45 overs that had the Dutch lads' eyes watering before a ball had been bowled at them.

Defending that kind of score ought to be straightforward, and so it proved, though L Hartong's gutsy 26 and M Winters' 20 gave the innings some shape before the wickets began to tumble. Matt Large was magnificent, prising out three for a miserly 12 with two maidens thrown in for good measure, while Jon Harris and Paul Gibson mopped up the rest between them. The visitors folded to 143 for 9, and we strolled home by 136 runs.

A splendid afternoon, capped by David Castle's innings nudging him past Basil Sears into 4th on the club's all-time run-scorers list. A very good day for the club indeed.

Sun 21 Jul 1991 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv TO Tonbridge Onward · HomeformW

Sunday 21 July found Tonbridge Onward paying us a visit, and having called correctly at the toss, I had no hesitation whatsoever in electing to bat — a decision I like to think showed strategic acumen, though truthfully I just fancied batting first. We compiled a solid 162 for 7 from our 49 overs, built on a fine 56-run opening stand. Ron McCormick led the way with 36, Stewart Morrison chipped in handsomely with 34, and I saw us to a defendable total with an unbeaten 25. Not every man enjoyed the sunshine, mind — poor Rob Doick departed for a duck, a blot on an otherwise respectable card.

With the total posted, it was over to the bowlers to defend it, and defend it we did. Tonbridge Onward were bowled out for 131 in 37 overs, despite a spirited top order featuring B Nixon's 49 and M McKeown's 33, and a battling 51-run stand for their third wicket. But once they slipped from 103 for 3 to 116 for 6, the game was as good as ours — McAuslan, N Barratt and A Moon all fell for ducks as the pressure told. Tim Thirkell was outstanding, leading the attack with 3 for 7, while I found some rhythm of my own with 3 for 34, and Alan Boyns bowled a miserly spell of 2 for 32, including three maidens.

Two points, thoroughly earned, and a 31-run victory to show for a fine team effort all round. Not a bad way to spend a Sunday.

Sat 20 Jul 1991 🧢 2nd XIv SC Southborough CC · HomeformWWWLW

I called correctly at the toss on Saturday and, with the sun out and Southborough CC our guests, there was never much debate in my mind — we were batting.

And bat we did. Dave Charlton played the innings of the day, a well-crafted 65, while Tim Thirkell chipped in handsomely with 49 and young Simon Thirkell saw us home unbeaten on 23. The two of them shared a third-wicket stand worth 131 that took the game away from Southborough before tea was even a thought, and with a generous 29 extras thrown in for good measure, we declared our innings closed at 216/5 from 46 overs feeling rather pleased with ourselves.

Defending it was another matter — Southborough don't come quietly, and David Thorpe's 59 and George Gilmour's 26 built a fourth-wicket stand of 67 that had a few of us checking our watches nervously. But Fred Cheesman, marking his 100th appearance in Linton colours in the most fitting style imaginable, ran through them with 4-36, ably backed by Paul Lines (2-44, two miserly maidens) and Rob Doick (2-50). Southborough fell short at 190/9 from their 44 overs.

Twenty-six runs the margin, two points the reward, and thoroughly earned. A red-letter day all round — not least for Fred, who I suspect will be dining out on that ton-up for weeks. Tea, as ever, was the real MVP.

Thu 18 Jul 1991 🧢 1st XIv The Mote CC · AwayformWWWWD

Good, that's within range.

Thursday the 18th of July found us on the road to The Mote, a fixture I approached with the usual dread that comes from losing the toss. Lose it I duly did, and their captain wasted no time sending us out into the field.

Sixteen overs later we'd shipped 154 for 4, S Pal ambling to an unbeaten 53 while Nigel Mullarkey (38) and Neil Tillott (36) made our afternoon longer than it needed to be. Sean Charlton bowled beautifully for his 2-43, Alan Boyns chipped in with 1-13, and I managed to prise out one for 37 of my own, more through persistence than menace.

Chasing 155 was always going to be brisk work, and for a while we looked capable of it. I top-scored with 42, Dave Charlton finished unbeaten on 28 and David Castle added a tidy 24, but between 78 for 2 and 88 for 5 the innings rather fell out of the tree all at once, and we closed on 134 for 5 from our sixteen. Twenty runs short in the end.

Amid all that, the day's proudest moment belonged to Piers McDonald, turning out for his 100th appearance in Linton colours — a landmark that rather puts my own contributions in perspective. I find myself leading the run charts this season with 518, and sitting third among the bowlers with 16 wickets, for whatever comfort that provides.

A defeat, fairly earned by the better side. We'll be sharper for it next week.

Sun 14 Jul 1991 🧢 1st XIv FC Folkestone CC · HomeformDWWWW

Sunday 14 July, and Folkestone CC rolled into Linton Park under skies that made no promises either way. I lost the toss, which these days feels less like bad luck and more like a personal rivalry the coin has struck up with me, and we were put into the field.

Roy Downey gave us a long afternoon of it, motoring to 95 with Peter Hodges (45) and Ian Hansen (36 not out) offering sturdy company either side of a third-wicket stand worth 89 — the sort of partnership that has opposition captains rearranging fields and muttering to themselves, both of which I did liberally. Alan Boyns did the damage that mattered, 2-63, while Sean Charlton bowled with real discipline, three maidens and a wicket for his trouble, and I chipped in with 1-36, more out of persistence than menace. Folkestone declared their innings closed at 225/5 off 50.5 overs, a total that asked serious questions of our chase.

We never quite found the rhythm to answer them. Three on the board and already a wicket down is not the platform anyone dreams up over Saturday night's pint, and poor Trevor Back's duck did little to settle the nerves. Stewart Morrison (35 not out) and Dave Charlton (33) steadied things admirably, and I added 17 down the order, but 120/6 off 41 was as far as we got — Piers McDonald's 12 byes a reminder that nobody's afternoon was entirely tidy behind the stumps either.

A draw, then — honours shared, pride intact, and both sides left, I suspect, quietly relieved to have avoided a result.

Sat 13 Jul 1991 🧢 2nd XIv HC Horton Kirby CC · AwayformDWWWL

Saturday 13 July 1991, and off we trundled to Horton Kirby with the coin gods smiling on me for once — I called correctly, saw a pitch that looked worth batting on, and stuck them in the field first. Brian Piper made the decision look positively inspired, compiling a lovely unbeaten 78, and found the perfect foil in Stewart Morrison, whose 41 helped the pair add a match-defining 110 for the fourth wicket. Not everything gleamed, mind — poor Dave Charlton departed for a duck — but 176/5 from our 46 overs was a total to bowl at.

And bowl at it we did. Horton Kirby never got going, losing an opener at 5-1 before I Wise's defiant 32 briefly threatened to hold things up. It didn't last: we ripped through the middle order from 63-4 to 68-7 in the blink of an eye, with B Tester, K Tidmus and M Howard all shipped out without so much as a run to their names. The afternoon belonged to Alan Boyns, whose 6-24 — three of those overs maidens — was a spell of real quality and thoroughly deserved its five-for. I chipped in with 2-8, and Rob Doick mopped up with 2-39, as the innings folded for 75 in 33.4 overs.

A comfortable 101-run win, then, and two points banked without much argument. Stewart Morrison continues to lead our 2nd XI run charts for the season with 167, and I'll confess a quiet satisfaction at topping the wicket charts myself with 20 — though I'd sooner boast about the lads' effort in the field. All told, a proper team performance, and a thoroughly earned victory.

Wed 10 Jul 1991 🧢 Midweek XIv Gravesend CC · HomeformWLWDD

As a nervy start turned into a 112-run fifth-wicket stand can only mean, we somehow contrived a result that pleased and infuriated both dressing rooms in equal measure. Winning the toss would have been nice, but Gravesend's decision to bat first gave us a proper afternoon's work in the field. D Summerfield's 66 and Glen Giddings' handsome 51 did most of the damage, with L Mann's 42 filling in the gaps, and that third-wicket stand of 78 was the sort of partnership that has a captain rearranging his field for the tenth time and wondering why he bothered. Ian Wicks was the pick of our attack with 1-15, well backed up by Stewart Morrison and Fred Cheesman, while Rob Doick's two maidens suggested a man in no mood to be taken lightly. Gravesend closed on 232/6.

Chasing 233, we lost an early wicket with just 2 on the board and I confess the pavilion went rather quiet. Enter Jeremy Chapman, who proceeded to play the innings of the summer — a magnificent 141 — ably supported by Alan Pattenden's 45, the pair sharing a match-defining stand of 112 for the fifth wicket. We fell short at 225/8 from our 42, though not without a nod to the Duck Club, whose ledger swelled with entries for Stewart Morrison, Trevor Back and Jim Hall — the walk of shame duly performed. Poor Morrison also had his gloves given a working-over behind the stumps, ten byes the price of an eventful day's keeping.

A draw it was, then — honours shared, pride mostly intact, and Chapman's ton the talk of the tea interval. Given where we stood at 2 for 1, I'll happily take it.

Sun 07 Jul 1991 🧢 1st XIv HC Hollingbourne CC · HomeformDDWWW

Rain held off but my luck with the coin didn't — Hollingbourne won the toss on Sunday and sent us into the field, which on a July afternoon felt like being made to do the washing-up before you've even had your dinner. They were bowled out for 152 in 47.5 overs, a total that flattered to deceive: Trevor Scrivens compiled a fine half-century, well supported by twenties from Andrew Hales and Simon Hammond, and after losing their first wicket for just 3 they steadied with a stand of 62. But the middle order came apart at the seams — 138 for 5 became 142 for 8 in the blink of an eye, with K Vanns, Colin Pack and Dave Latter all back in the pavilion without so much as a nibble. The bowling honours belonged entirely to Jon Harris, whose 6 for 32 (four maidens, no less) was a spell of real quality, ably backed by Paul Bowles (2-31) and Rob Doick (1-37).

Chasing 153, we wobbled early too — 1 for 1 — before Paul Gibson played the anchor role beautifully for a well-made 57, with Tim Thirkell (38) and Trevor Back (30) lending sturdy support around a crucial second-wicket stand of 98. Dave Charlton and Nick Stephens both departed for ducks, and Gibson's afternoon behind the stumps cost us 11 byes, which he will no doubt hear about in the bar. We got home on 155 for 7 with three wickets and precious little else to spare. Two points, thoroughly earned, and a proper club cricket scrap from start to finish.

Sat 06 Jul 1991 🧢 1st XIv Staplehurst CC · HomeformWDDWW

From the captain's chair, Saturday saw Staplehurst CC roll into Linton Park for what promised to be a proper contest, and having won the toss I had no hesitation in asking the lads to bat first — a decision that for once did not come back to haunt me.

We posted a healthy 178 for 6 from our 46 overs, built on a lovely unbeaten half-century from Brian Piper, 52 not out, in fine company with Piers McDonald's watchful 48. The pair added a priceless 88 for the sixth wicket, papering over whatever cracks the top order left behind. I chipped in with 23 down the order, which I shall claim as a captain's innings and say no more about.

In the field, Staplehurst never really got going. We had them 7 for 1 early doors and might have wrapped things up rather more tidily had their last pair not clung on for an irritating 46 runs we could well have done without. John Robins held firm for an unbeaten 32, well supported by A Henson's 23, but Ian Brattle was in thoroughly unplayable form, spinning his way to 5 for 33 with six miserly maidens, while I added 1 for 21 and Matt Large 1 for 37. Poor Peter Whyte had a torrid afternoon behind the stumps, 13 byes testament to some lively bowling rather than any lapse in concentration.

Staplehurst finished 127 for 7, 51 runs shy of our total. With Paul Bowles still setting the pace in the season's run charts and Matt Large leading the wicket-takers, the engine room of this side remains in rude health. Two points, thoroughly earned, and a result to send us home content.

Sat 06 Jul 1991 🧢 2nd XIv Staplehurst CC · AwayformWDWWW

Well, the omens weren't good from the start — I lost the toss at Staplehurst and watched them elect to bat, which on a flat one like that is about as welcome as rain on Wimbledon fortnight. And bat they did. L Bull gave us a proper chasing, 117 not out of pure class, with M Robinson chipping in a tidy 23 to help them post 198 for 4 off their 46. I'll admit to a quiet satisfaction with the ball, though — 3 for 81 with a couple of maidens thrown in, and Tim Thirkell chipped away for 1 for 49. Small mercies.

Chasing 199 was always going to ask questions of us, and we answered rather badly. An early wicket at 0 for 1 set the tone, and though we rallied gamely — I was pleased to lead from the front with an unbeaten 52, ably supported by Paul Davey's 28 — the middle order simply melted away. From a respectable-ish 113 for 7 we contrived to lose our last three wickets without troubling the scorers further, bowled out for 121. Spare a thought for Stewart Morrison, A Jesshope and Richard Piper, who all took that lonely walk back for nought — the Duck Club welcomes three new members this week.

Up and down the season the story remains a happier one: Paul Davey still tops our 2nd XI run charts with 166, and I'm keeping my nose ahead in the wickets column with 18. But today wasn't our day — beaten by 77 runs, heads up, and back to the nets we go.

Sat 22 Jun 1991 🧢 1st XIv West Farleigh CC · HomeformWWDDW

Saturday 22 June, and West Farleigh CC came out to a Linton Park looking rather fine in the June sun. The coin favoured us, and — with more optimism than science — I stuck us in. It paid off: 209 for 9 from 46 overs, built around a lovely 79-run stand for the third wicket. Paul Gibson led with a well-crafted 62, Peter Whyte chipped in 47, and Keith Hatcher added a useful 28. Not every name graced the honours board, mind — Dave Charlton and A Stevens both fell for ducks, quietly rejoining us in the shade with nothing but bruised pride.

Two hundred and nine looked a handsome total, and so it proved. West Farleigh never settled, sliding from 71 for 4 to 79 for 7 in a rapid collapse, poor Paul Webster among those sent back without troubling the scorers. Mick Holness fought a lone rearguard with a well-made 55, but it wasn't enough — bowled out for 126 in 34.3 overs. I found some rhythm with the ball, finishing with 4 for 39 and a couple of tidy maidens, Paul Bowles (2 for 10) and Jon Harris (2 for 28) chipping in alongside.

There was cause for extra celebration too: Peter Whyte brought up 2,000 career runs for the club, and Keith Hatcher's 28 eased him past Terry Whittaker into 22nd on our all-time run-scorers' list. Paul Bowles tops the season's run charts with 450, and I'm rather chuffed to lead the wicket-takers with 30. An 83-run win, and a thoroughly satisfying afternoon's work. Onwards.

Sat 22 Jun 1991 🧢 2nd XIv SC St Lawrence CC · AwayformWWDWW

Here's the match report:

Well, the coin let us down again — St Lawrence called correctly and stuck us in the field, which on a Saturday is rarely the tonic the lads are hoping for. But what a response. Tim Thirkell steamed in for a magnificent 3-22, Rob Doick was positively parsimonious with 3-26 and five maidens to match, and I managed to sneak in on the act with 2-4 of my own. T Martin departed for a golden duck, and between us we had St Lawrence bowled out for 122 in 40.5 overs, Sharp's defiant 46 aside.

Chasing 123, we made distinctly light work of it. Malcolm Pay played the innings of the day, an unbeaten 76 that anchored the whole reply, while I chipped in with a tidy 16 to help see us home. Poor Roly Edwards had a torrid afternoon behind the stumps, 10 byes going begging, but even that couldn't dampen the mood as we cruised to 125/3 in 30.2 overs, a comfortable seven-wicket win.

A word for Tim Thirkell too, whose 5 runs today saw him leapfrog Stan Wratten into 8th on the club's all-time run-scorers list — a proper milestone on a good day all round.

Two points, thoroughly earned, and a满意ing drive home. When the ball does what Thirkell and Doick asked of it today, and Malcolm Pay bats like that, we're a hard side to live with.

Thu 20 Jun 1991 🧢 1st XIv Leeds & Broomfield CC · HomeformWWWDD

Thursday the 20th of June saw Leeds & Broomfield CC roll into Linton Park, and my coin-tossing form remained as reliable as ever — call lost, and we were put into the field.

They never quite got going. The first wicket tumbled for just 6, and though P Thomas held firm for an unbeaten 39, the rest of the order departed in a hurry — 33 for 4 became 45 for 7 before anyone could reach for a second cup of tea. Geoff Hunt and B Williams both walked back without troubling the scorers, and I found some rare rhythm with the ball, finishing with 4 for 9. Matt Large chipped in with 2 for 29 and Alan Boyns picked up 1 for 11 as we bowled them out for 85 for 8 off their sixteen overs.

Chasing such a modest total ought to be straightforward, and for once it was — 89 for the loss of a single wicket in just 13 overs, with your captain seeing us home unbeaten on 40. A tidy day all round, and with the season charts now showing me on 429 runs and Matt Large leading the wickets with 26, there's a decent case building that this might, just possibly, be our year.

Home in time for tea, five wickets in hand — you can't ask for much more than that from a Thursday evening's cricket. A good day for the club, and no mistake.

Wed 19 Jun 1991 🧢 Midweek XIv SC Sevenoaks & District Wednesday CC · HomeformLWLWD

From the captain's chair — Wednesday 19th June found us hosting Sevenoaks & District Wednesday CC, and my luck at the coin held true to form: I lost the toss yet again, so we were sent into the field. Sevenoaks made themselves thoroughly at home, closing on a hearty 219 for 6 from their 45 overs. B Angus led the charge with a polished 62, well supported by P Holdstock's 59 and P Styles' 40, the pair putting on a crucial 51 for the second wicket while poor P Tapper trudged off for a golden duck. Rob Doick was superb with the ball — 2 for 30 and three maidens to show for his miserly spell — while I chipped in with 2 for 45 and Ian Grognet picked up one for 43.

Chasing 220, we made a nervy start, losing an early wicket with just 3 runs on the board, and it might have unravelled there and then. But Piers McDonald had other ideas, playing an innings of real substance — a magnificent 113 — anchoring the innings while Darren Brame's 24 helped forge a matchwinning-looking stand of 73 for the fourth wicket. Sadly Fred Cheesman and Tim Thirkell both departed for ducks, and we finished on 178 for 6 from our 44, agonisingly short.

Honours shared, then, and on reflection a fair result — McDonald's continued heroics keep him top of our run charts this season, with Doick's miserly bowling leading the wickets. A draw that felt, somehow, entirely fitting.

Sat 15 Jun 1991 🧢 1st XIv MC Maidstone Dissidents CC · HomeformLWWWD

As we called correctly and elected to bat on a fine Saturday against Maidstone Dissidents, I confess my first thought was less tactical genius and more "well, the sun's out, might as well have a go." As it turned out, that particular hunch paid handsomely.

Dave Charlton set the tone with a thoroughly good-looking 69, and Paul Gibson kept him honest company with 56 of his own, the pair putting on 112 for the third wicket in a stand that did most of the heavy lifting while the rest of us looked on approvingly from the boundary. I chipped in with an unbeaten 33 down the order, more grateful passenger than architect, as we motored on to a very respectable 221 for 5 off our 41 overs. There's a certain quiet joy in watching your middle order simply take the game away from the opposition while you sip your tea and offer the occasional unnecessary word of encouragement.

Then came the small matter of defending it, and here the less said the better — the Dissidents' openers strolled to 19 without loss in barely four overs before the heavens, or at least the umpires' patience, intervened, and honours were shared. A draw wasn't quite the story our batting deserved, but cricket has never been in the business of fairness. Elsewhere, credit where it's due — Paul Gibson's efforts this summer have him sitting fifth in the club's 1991 run charts, a fine effort and no mean feat.

All told: a batting performance to be proud of, a bowling effort mercifully cut short by circumstance, and a draw that satisfies nobody but offends no one either.

Sat 08 Jun 1991 🧢 1st XIv RC Rumwood CC · HomeformWLWWW

Saturday saw Rumwood CC visit us on a day when the toss went against me and, with little ceremony, we were asked to trot straight out into the field. Rumwood made themselves at home, racing to 180 for 7 from their 53 overs, built chiefly around Peter Humphries' fine half-century of 52, with useful support from P Smith (38) and Rod Bailey (31) — the pair adding a stand of 68 for the second wicket that gave their innings its spine. We fought back where we could: Keith Hatcher was the pick of the attack with 4 for 48, Alan Boyns chipped in with 2 for 26, and Jon Harris bowled with admirable meanness, sending down three maidens.

Our reply was, in truth, a mixed affair. Brian Piper played the innings of the day, an unbeaten 61 that held everything together, well supported by Keith Hatcher's 29, the two of them adding 77 for the fourth wicket. Beyond that, though, the middle order rather evaporated — Piers McDonald and Nick Stephens both departed for ducks, and I must confess I did no better myself, contributing a golden blob of my own. A captain is meant to lead by example; today that example was best not followed.

We closed on 129 for 7 from 39 overs, some way short, and honours were shared — a draw when neither side could quite force the issue. Elsewhere there was cheer: David Castle's 10 runs eased him past John Ames into 5th on the club's all-time run-scorers list, a nice reward on an otherwise scratchy afternoon for the willow.

Sat 08 Jun 1991 🧢 2nd XIv RC Rumwood CC · AwayformDWWDW

Saturday 8 June found us on the road to Rumwood, and winning the toss I did what any captain with a decent breakfast inside him does — I had a bat. The right call, as it turned out. Stewart Morrison played the innings of the day, a crisp fifty, with Mike Elworthy (46) and A Hayward (20) lending sturdy support; their fifth-wicket stand of 62 was the spine of the innings as we posted 188 for 7 off our 46 overs. Yours truly contributed a watchful 16, more nudge than dash, but every run counts when you're paying for the teas.

Defending a total like that, you dream of a start like the one we got — Rumwood two down before the board had barely opened, and from there the nerves never quite left them. Rob Doick was magnificent, four wickets for 32 with four maidens thrown in for good measure, hardly giving away a run let alone a boundary. Mike Elworthy backed him up superbly with 3 for 29, and Phillip Morrison chipped in too. Three ducks along the way didn't help Rumwood's cause, and though P Page fought hard for his 23, the innings folded for 89 in 30 overs — the middle order simply couldn't stem the collapse from 76 for 7 to all out.

Ninety-nine runs the margin, two points thoroughly banked, and Stewart Morrison and Rob Doick continue to sit proudly second in this season's run and wicket charts respectively. A fine day's work, and one the tea urn thoroughly deserved.

Thu 06 Jun 1991 🧢 1st XIv West Farleigh CC · HomeformLWLWW

Won the toss on a bright Thursday evening against West Farleigh, and I had no hesitation in taking first knock — the sort of decision that looks either shrewd or daft depending entirely on what follows, and for once I'll take the credit. We rattled along nicely to 122 for 5 from our sixteen overs, and I'll confess to no small satisfaction in seeing my own contribution carry through to 62 not out, sailing past the half-century mark with rather more fluency than my usual stodgy fare. David Castle chipped in handsomely with 26, and between us we gave the innings the spine it needed.

Defending 122 in sixteen overs is never a formality, and West Farleigh made us work for it, reaching 102 for 8 before the overs ran out. Adrian Smith gave us the trickiest afternoon with a fine 35, well supported by Andy Golding's 23, but our bowlers kept chipping away — Tim Baker and Don Fermor both departed without troubling the scorers, ducks the pair of them. Matt Large was superb, leading the attack with 3 for 16, with Sean Charlton (3-26) and Alan Boyns (1-8) mopping up either end.

A special mention, too, for Keith Hatcher, who brought up his 100th appearance in Linton colours — a milestone that rather puts my own evening's efforts in perspective. We got over the line by 20 runs. A thoroughly good day for the club.

Tue 04 Jun 1991 🧢 1st XIv KH KCC Highways · HomeformWLWLW

I lost the toss on a Tuesday evening that Kcc Highways clearly fancied their chances on, and their decision to put us in the field first told its own story. It didn't take long for that decision to look questionable. Paul Lines steamed in and ripped through their order with 3-16, Rob Doick chipped away for 2-18, and Matt Large did his bit for 1-8, the three of them squeezing the innings shut for 66/8 from sixteen overs. Poor John Woodhams will not remember the evening fondly, sent back for a golden duck without so much as a look at the scoreboard.

Chasing a target that modest ought never to look nervy, and to our credit we made sure it never did. David Castle strode out and simply took the game away from them, finishing unbeaten on 46, with Keith Hatcher playing the perfect foil for an unbeaten 21 at the other end. Eight overs, no wickets down, target overhauled with the minimum of fuss and the maximum of froth on the tea afterwards.

It is worth noting, for the record books if nothing else, that Castle now sits second in our 1991 run charts with 333 to his name, while Large tops the wicket pile with 20. Form like that does not happen by accident.

A ten wicket win, and about as one sided as club cricket gets. We'll take it, and we'll not apologise for it either. Onwards.

Sun 02 Jun 1991 🧢 Sunday NVKCv Castle Hill CC, Kent · AwayformWWWLW

Sunday 2 June found the Linton Park bandwagon rolling into Castle Hill, and having won the toss I had no hesitation in taking first knock on what looked, and proved, a belter of a pitch. Two hundred and fifty-three for six from our forty overs was a mightily satisfying return — I'll confess to rather enjoying my own 88, a knock I'm assured qualifies as "a fine half-century" by the generous mathematics of the Linton Park scorebook, while Matt Large's unbeaten 53 and David Castle's 45 gave the innings real backbone, their fourth-wicket stand of 81 the platform for everything that followed. The tail then wagged with real enthusiasm, cramming on a further 57 to leave Castle Hill facing a truly daunting target.

If our batting had been handsome, our bowling was positively ruthless. Castle Hill stumbled to 2-1 and never remotely recovered, the innings collapsing from 57-6 to 76-9 in the sort of spell that has fielding sides reaching for the tea urn early. Poor O Rhys-Jones departed without so much as troubling the scorers. Paul Gibson was the chief tormentor, spinning his way to a magnificent 5-15, with Ian Brattle chipping in handsomely at 3-5 and yours truly adding 2-12 with a couple of maidens thrown in for good measure. All out for 76 in 31.4 overs told its own story.

A word too for Ian Brattle, whose three wickets nudged him past Frank Taylor into eighteenth on the club's all-time list — quiet history being made while the rest of us celebrated. A 177-run victory, two points banked, and a Sunday that reminded us all why we bother turning up.

Sat 01 Jun 1991 🧢 1st XIv Milstead CC · HomeformWWLWL

Saturday last brought Milstead CC to Linton Park, and for once I called correctly on nothing at all, since they won the toss, elected to bat, and I was left to ponder my field placings before a ball had been bowled. Milstead built a total that always looked a shade too healthy — 191 for 9 off their 46 overs, built around a composed half-century from N Fisher and useful support from Mike Sellar and S Chandler. We did at least have our moments in the field: P Savage departed without troubling the scorers, and I was fortunate enough to find some rhythm with the ball, finishing with three for 44, well backed up by Alan Boyns and Matt Large, the latter bowling three tidy maidens and not giving away a run he didn't have to.

Chasing 192 always felt a task rather than a formality, but Paul Bowles and David Castle had other ideas, putting on 96 for the first wicket in a partnership that set the tone for the whole innings. Bowles went on to a fine 73, Castle a well-crafted 62, and I chipped in with 41 to help see us home in some comfort. In truth, once that opening stand was in full flow the chase rarely looked in doubt, and we crossed the line with seven wickets and no shortage of relief to spare.

A thoroughly satisfying afternoon's work, then — bowled with discipline, batted with real class at the top, and a result that will do nicely for the season charts as well as the collective mood in the clubhouse.

Sat 01 Jun 1991 🧢 2nd XIv Milstead CC · AwayformDDWWD

Skipper's Log — Saturday 1st June 1991. The road took us to Milstead, and I won the toss and had no hesitation in calling us in to bat — the right call, I felt, and for once I wasn't proved a fool by tea.

We posted a useful 168 for 7 from our 46 overs, built on a brisk opening stand of 57. Mike Elworthy led the way with 36, with Stewart Morrison and Malcolm Pay each chipping in 28 apiece to give us something to defend. Spare a thought, as ever, for the Duck Club ledger — poor Fred Cheesman took the long walk back for nought, and no doubt bought the first round for his trouble.

Milstead threw everything at us in reply, and for a while Brian Spicer's 34, ably supported by J Roberts' 32 and an unbeaten 30 from Ken West, threatened to make a nonsense of our total, especially once their third wicket added 53. But we'd struck early — 7 for 1 — and I found some rhythm with the ball, finishing with 5 for 46, backed up nicely by Elworthy (2-27) and a typically tidy Rob Doick (2-52, two maidens). Three more Milstead batsmen joined Fred in the Duck Club, while poor Roly Edwards had a torrid afternoon behind the stumps, coughing up nine byes.

They fell 15 runs short, all out for 153 in 39 overs. Two points, thoroughly earned, and a fine day to be captain.

Wed 29 May 1991 🧢 Midweek XIv BC Burghill & Tillington CC · HomeformWLWLW

Losing the toss on a fine Wednesday evening and being invited to field is not, whatever the coaching manuals say, always a hardship — though by the time Burghill & Tillington had racked up 226 for 6 off their 39 overs, I was beginning to wonder. P Sparrow made merry to the tune of 70, with P Hinkley (36) and S Wilton (36 not out) keeping him honest company, and their third-wicket pair put on a chastening 106. Just when we thought we had them shut in, their last pair had the cheek to bolt on an unwanted 55. Trevor Back was the pick of us with 2 for 28, Rob Doick chipped in manfully with 2 for 67, and I managed 1 for 45 for my evening's toil, which felt about right for the effort involved.

Chasing 227 was always going to be a tall order, and 145 for 7 off our 41 overs tells its own story. Dave Todd anchored things beautifully with an unbeaten 45, well supported by Trevor Back (26) and Piers McDonald (23), and a defiant last-wicket stand of 36 lent the total a dignity it barely deserved. Poor Paul Brattle departed for a golden duck, bless him.

The real news of the day was Dave Todd's innings bringing up 1,000 career runs for the club — a landmark thoroughly earned and warmly applauded. All told, honours shared felt fair: a draw that pleased nobody and offended nobody, which in village cricket is sometimes the very best you can hope for.

Tue 28 May 1991 🧢 1st XIv The Mote CC · HomeformWWWLW

Tuesday 28 May 1991 saw The Mote CC roll into Linton Park, and having lost the toss, we found ourselves out in the field first while the sun did its best to needle us into an early loose delivery.

The Mote clawed their way to 134/9 from their sixteen overs, Micky Ruler top-scoring with a stubborn 48, nicely supported by Nick Pitt's 29. Glynn Thompson and J Wood both departed without troubling the scorers, which at least gave the tea urn something to talk about. Matt Large did the real damage with 2-12, I chipped in with 2-26, and Jon Harris picked up 1-8 for good measure — between us we kept a decent total from becoming an alarming one.

Chasing 135, we mustered 97/3 from our sixteen — a touch short in the end. I made 29 at the top, ably supported by Keith Hatcher's unbeaten 29 and Piers McDonald's unbeaten 20, but the required rate crept away from us and we fell 37 runs short.

Two bits of good news amid the gloom: I passed 1200 career wickets, and David Castle brought up his 50th — milestones worth raising a glass to, even in defeat. I'm now sitting second in this year's run charts with 286, with Matt Large still out in front with the ball on 17 wickets for the season.

Beaten, then, but not disgraced. We'll dust ourselves down and come back stronger next week.

Mon 27 May 1991 🧢 1st XIv XM XII Men · HomeformWWWWL

Chasing leather on a fine Monday, the 27th of May, Xii Men arrived at Linton Park and promptly had the better of the toss — I called wrong, as is tradition — so out we went to field first.

It was a long afternoon in the sun. Their innings stretched to 246 for 7 off 59 overs, built almost entirely on A Pattenden's superb 145 not out, well supported by Hamish Anthony's 22 and John Hartridge's 20, the pair putting on a hefty 138 for the fifth wicket that threatened, for a spell, to bat us clean out of contention. Nigel Sharp did at least depart for a duck at our hands, small mercies. Paul Bowles worked hardest with the ball for 2 for 86, Paul Gibson and Jon Harris chipped in with a wicket each, and Matt Large was miserliness itself, four maidens to his name.

Set 247 to win, we barely broke sweat. Paul Bowles, having toiled all afternoon in the field, simply carried on with the bat and struck a glorious 144 not out — and en route brought up 25,000 career runs for the club, a landmark that had the whole side on its feet. Keith Hatcher played the perfect foil with a fine 87, and between them we cruised to 249 for 1 in 59.5 overs. Peter Whyte had a fidgety time of it behind the stumps, ten byes going astray.

Nine wickets to the good, and Bowles now sits atop our 1991 run charts with 353 and second in the wickets too. A fine result all round. Onwards.

Sun 26 May 1991 🧢 1st XIv BC Benenden CC · HomeformLWWWW

Sunday 26th May, and Benenden CC came calling on a good drying pitch — the sort of day that makes you glad you didn't oversleep. I won the toss and had no hesitation batting first; with a wicket like that, you bat, and I'll stand by the call.

We didn't start well — 1 for 1 was hardly the launchpad we wanted, and poor Piers McDonald's golden duck did nothing to settle the nerves. But cricket has a way of rewarding patience, and the middle order duly obliged. Tim Thirkell played the innings of the day, a really fine 58, while Dave Charlton's 46 and Brian Piper's 27 gave it proper substance — their third-wicket stand of 97 was the platform the whole innings was built on. A generous 33 extras rounded us out to a healthy 197 for 8 from 46.4 overs, which felt like a par score with a bit to spare.

Defending it, though, proved a different story. Ray Harding simply refused to leave, compiling a superb 92, and with Nigel Phelps unbeaten on 48 and Gary Marshall chipping in 25, their third-wicket pair added 91 to see the game away from us. I did my bit with the ball, picking up 1 for 42 — leading me to 15 wickets for the season so far — while Rob Doick and Mike Elworthy also chipped in with a wicket apiece, but Benenden reached 199 for 3 in 41.4 overs to win by five wickets.

Not our day, all told. Heads up, chins high, and back to the nets we go.

Sat 25 May 1991 🧢 2nd XIv DC Ditton CC · HomeformDDWW

Saturday 25 May, and we welcomed Ditton CC to Linton Park under skies that promised rather more than English weather usually delivers. I won the toss and, fancying the pitch had runs in it, had no hesitation in asking us to bat first.

Paul Davey then reminded everyone why he's worth the subs alone, cracking a superb 121 that formed the spine of our 214 for 6 off 44 overs. Bob Lines chipped in nicely with 39, Stewart Morrison added a tidy 21, and elsewhere the less said the better — Fred Cheesman and Rob Doick both took the long walk back for nought, two fresh entries in the Duck Club ledger, neither man looking especially thrilled about it.

With the ball, Ditton dug in for their 184 for 8 from 47 overs, X Field's 69 and Roger Fowle's 45 doing most of the damage, though S Field went cheaply for a duck to even things up a touch. I found some rhythm of my own, finishing with 4 for 41 including four maidens, while Fred Cheesman (3-50) and Rob Doick (1-32) kept honest at the other end. Spare a thought for poor Roly Edwards behind the stumps — 16 byes slipped past him, not an afternoon he'll frame.

So, honours shared and a draw to show for it. With Paul leading the season's run charts and me atop the wicket pile, I'd call that a thoroughly satisfactory day's work — even if the scorebook says nobody quite won.

Sat 25 May 1991 🧢 1st XIv Castle Hill CC, Kent · AwayformWLWWW

I'll be pleased to lead from the front with 85.

I lost the toss at Castle Hill and duly found myself leading the lads out into the Kent sunshine, which is traditionally where my captaincy peaks — nobody can blame my field placings if I'm not required to make any. Castle Hill batted with real intent, and young T Rudd played an innings of real class, ton­ning up to 109 while we toiled away trying to find an edge that never quite came. N Bardsley chipped in with 36 and Peter Beale 23, the pair putting on 113 for the second wicket in a stand that did most of the damage. Alan Boyns was superb with the ball, tight as you like with three maidens and figures of 1-23, while Matt Large and Jon Harris shared the remaining wickets between them for reasonable expense. 198/6 from their 46 overs felt a competitive total on a good pitch.

Chasing it down was never going to be straightforward, but I was fortunate enough to find some form and middled a fair few, finishing 85 not out as we got home with something to spare. Piers McDonald played beautifully alongside me for an unbeaten 40, and David Castle's 35 kept the required rate in check throughout. We reached 202/4 in 42.5 overs for a thoroughly satisfying six-wicket win.

A long trip to Kent, but a happy one — the sort of afternoon that makes the motorway miles worthwhile. With the runs now taking my season tally to 257 and Matt Large's wickets ticking along nicely at 14, the campaign has real momentum. Onwards indeed.

Thu 23 May 1991 🧢 1st XIv MC Maidstone Invicta CC · AwayformWWLWW

Lost the toss again on Thursday — I really must learn to call something other than heads — and Maidstone Invicta duly stuck us in the field first. It could have gone worse early on, with their innings stumbling to 2-1, and duly did rather well from there: G Lock and P Webster both departed for ducks to our attack, while Matt Large bowled beautifully for 2-11, Paul Lines chipped in with 1-18, and I managed 2-32 of my own, more through hope than method. Richard Feltham anchored things with an unbeaten 22, ably supported by B Reynolds' unbeaten 20, and Maidstone closed on 103/6 from their sixteen overs — competitive, but not, I felt, insurmountable.

So it proved. Paul Bowles played the innings of the day, 43 full of the kind of certainty I can only admire from the non-striker's end, with Keith Hatcher unbeaten on 20 in fine support. Piers McDonald's duck was the one blemish on an otherwise tidy chase, and I added a watchful 19 to help see us home. We reached 104/4 with an over to spare, winning by three wickets and pocketing two thoroughly deserved points.

Paul Bowles now sits second in our 1991 run charts with 193, and Matt Large leads the wicket-takers with 13 — the engine room of the season, while the rest of us cling gratefully to the coat-tails. A proper away win, and one to enjoy on the coach home.

Tue 21 May 1991 🧢 1st XIv LC Leybourne CC · HomeformDWWLW

Tuesday 21 May, and Leybourne CC rolled up to find us losing the toss and being asked to have a bowl first — never my favourite start to proceedings, but there we are. The lads did us proud in the field, restricting the visitors to 123/5 from their sixteen overs, though P Bridger (35) and P Rowe (25) put on a stubborn 51 for the fourth wicket to give their total some respectability. Rob Doick was the pick of the attack by some distance, snaring three for 32, with Matt Large chipping in for one for 21 — and we did at least have the satisfaction of seeing Mark Folkard back in the pavilion without troubling the scorers.

Chasing 124, Keith Hatcher (38) and Tim Thirkell (23) added a fine 53 for the second wicket to set us up nicely, before the innings wobbled alarmingly from 77 for 2 to 84 for 5 in the blink of an eye — David Castle, Martin Larkin, and yours truly all departing for golden ducks in the collapse. A captain is supposed to lead from the front; on this occasion I led rather more from the pavilion steps, bat tucked firmly under my arm. Twenty-three wides and no-balls gifted to the opposition did nothing for the blood pressure either.

Somehow, against all sense, we scrambled home by two wickets — a result far better than the cricket deserved, though Keith Hatcher's 38 (now 23rd on the all-time run list, no less) was the innings that got us there. Two points banked, nerves rather more frayed than the scorebook suggests.

Sun 19 May 1991 🧢 Sunday NVKCv CC Crockham Hill CC · HomeformWWWWL

Sunday the 19th of May found Crockham Hill CC visiting Linton Park, and having won the toss I did what any captain raised on tea and tradition would do — stuck us in to bat, and for once it looked like genuine cricketing wisdom rather than a coin-flip guess. We compiled 183 for 6 from our forty overs, built around a fourth-wicket stand worth 74, with David Castle (22) and Brian Piper (22) doing the graft either side of my own contribution — I was fortunate enough to find some form and finish unbeaten on 94, which felt rather like Christmas coming early.

Crockham Hill replied with 165 for 7, and it was never quite the stroll the scoreboard might suggest. P Holdstock threatened to take the game away from us with 43, well supported by T Peters (34 not out) and T Bourke (27), the pair adding a stubborn 56 for the seventh wicket that had us all glancing nervously at our watches. Stuart Seal and T Reynolds departed without troubling the scorers, proof that ducks respect no reputation. Paul Gibson did the real damage with 2 for 24, Ian Brattle chipped in with 2 for 26, and I did my best impression of a miser with three maidens.

We got home by 18 runs — tighter than the tea-interval sandwiches suggested it would be, but a thoroughly good day for the club nonetheless.

Sat 18 May 1991 🧢 1st XIv Headcorn CC · AwayformDDWWL

I've a bit of good news from the pretty ground at Headcorn, penned while the beer's still going down nicely.

Losing the toss and being asked to chase is never the way you'd draw it up, but a Saturday spent in the field can teach a side a thing or two, and so it proved. Headcorn set about building an innings around Simon Phipps, who cruised past his fifty and finished with a splendid 89, with Alastair Lee (32) a willing lieutenant in a second-wicket stand of 102 that threatened to bat us out of the game entirely. From 141 for 3 the floodgates opened rather suddenly to 154 for 6, and poor Rob Mansell went back to the pavilion without so much as a single to his name. Paul Bowles was the chief architect of the fightback, spinning a web through the middle order for a magnificent 5 for 26, with Matt Large chipping in miserly figures of 2 for 64 including two maidens, and I managed to prise one out myself for 16 runs. All told, 177 for 9 from their 46 overs felt like a target within reach.

And reach it we did, with plenty to spare. I found some form I'd rather forgotten I had, batting through for 74 not out, well supported by Paul Bowles (43 not out) and Paul Gibson (31 not out), as we cantered home to 179 for 1 in 41.3 overs. A personal 74 was satisfying, though the real credit belongs to the calm heads either side of me.

A fine win by 9 wickets, then, and a timely reminder that this Linton Park side has both the patience to bowl a big total back and the composure to chase one down. Onwards indeed.

Sat 18 May 1991 🧢 2nd XIv BC Borden CC · AwayformDDW

Saturday 18 May 1991, and the road took us to Borden — the sort of fixture where you check the forecast twice and the sandwiches once. I called correctly at the toss, which these days feels like half the battle won, and with a good look at the strip I had no hesitation in sticking us in to bat.

It proved the right call. We ground our way to 185 all out from 42 overs, a total built on solid rather than spectacular foundations, with Stewart Morrison (27) and Rob Doick (27) both playing their part. I was pleased to lead from the front with 62 — one of those innings where everything you middle finds a gap, and for once I wasn't complaining. Spare a thought, though, for poor Brian Piper, whose walk of shame for a duck will no doubt follow him round the clubhouse for weeks yet.

With the ball, Borden never got close. Fred Cheesman was magnificent, ripping through with 3-5, backed up neatly by Nick Stephens (1-8) and Rob Doick (1-15), and they were bowled out for 134 despite a battling 33 not out from Martin Clout and 29 from David Roche. Poor Roly Edwards had a torrid afternoon behind the stumps, conceding 16 byes, but nobody seemed to mind much given the result.

A 51-run win, two points banked, and I go top of the 2nd XI run charts while Doick leads the wickets — happy days for the Duck Club ledger, if not for Brian.

Sun 12 May 1991 🧢 1st XIv CP Canterbury Pilgrims · AwayformDDDWW

Sunday brought us to Dummy Site with sunshine, sandwiches, and the toss in my pocket — I called correctly and, with what I like to think was captain's instinct rather than blind optimism, elected to bat. Paul Gibson set about the bowling in fine style, cruising past his fifty to 64, while Keith Hatcher chipped in a handy 41 and David Castle a tidy 23. Gibson and Castle's third-wicket stand of 117 was the innings' backbone, and for a while 200-plus looked a formality. Then, as is our club's grand tradition, the wheels came clean off — 164 for 3 became 168 for 6 before anyone had finished their tea, and we limped home to 180 for 7 from 48 overs, saved from further embarrassment by the umpires calling last over.

Defending it, we simply couldn't find the breakthroughs. M Dobson played the innings of the day, an unbeaten 85, ushered along by G Bennett's 49 and P Henderson's unbeaten 36. Keith Hatcher, at least, had the satisfaction of a wicket for his 39 runs, and poor Peter Whyte behind the stumps had a torrid afternoon of it, coughing up 8 byes as the ball did its own thing off the seam.

Beaten by 8 wickets, then, and no arguing with it. Paul Gibson continues to bat like a man with 206 runs to his name this season and a point to prove — the rest of us will simply have to catch him up, starting next week.

Sat 11 May 1991 🧢 1st XIv RC Rumwood CC · AwayformDDDDW

Saturday took us down to Rumwood, and for once the coin obliged me kindly at the toss — no hesitation, we were batting. David Castle set the tone with a fine fifty, 51 well constructed, and found sturdy company in Piers McDonald, unbeaten on 38, while Matt Large chipped in a useful 23. The opening pair's stand of 51 gave us the platform we needed, though the card wasn't entirely spotless — Tim Thirkell and Tom Whyte both departed without troubling the scorers. All told, 164 for 9 off our 46 overs felt like a total with something in it.

And so it proved. Rumwood never quite got going, Peter Humphries' well-made 61 aside, and three of their number — D Hales, Kevin Mullins and G Hoile — joined the ranks of the ornithologically afflicted, back in the pavilion without scoring. Alan Boyns was magnificent, five wickets for a miserly 19, the pick of a fine attack backed up admirably by Paul Gibson's four for 49 and Ian Brattle's one for 16; Matt Large bowled six tidy maidens without loosening his grip. Piers McDonald had a livelier time behind the stumps, 22 byes testament to a lively surface rather than any want of effort. All out for 115 in 41.5 overs.

A fine win by 49 runs, then, and a thoroughly satisfying afternoon's work. With Paul Gibson now leading our run charts and handily placed among the wicket-takers too, the season has a decided spring in its step. Onwards.

Sat 11 May 1991 🧢 2nd XIv RC Rumwood CC · HomeformDD

Here's the match report:

Saturday last saw Rumwood CC roll up at Linton Park, and true to form the coin gave me nothing to work with — they won the toss, elected to bat, and I resigned myself to a long afternoon in the field. As it turned out, I needn't have worried. We bowled tidily throughout, and Rumwood never really got going, subsiding to 115 all out in 45.1 overs, Curtis's 39 the only real resistance. I managed to find some rhythm and finished with 4-38, well backed up by Rob Doick's miserly 3-18 (five maidens — not a run given away lightly) and Malcolm Pay's 2-19.

Chasing 116, we made harder work of it than the target deserved, losing Darren Brame and Stroud without either troubling the scorers, but Malcolm Pay again proved the man for the occasion, batting through for an unbeaten 37, ably supported by Nick Stephens's 33. We got there on 116/4 with a few overs unused. Spare a thought for poor Roly Edwards behind the stumps, who had a torrid time of it with the gloves and shipped eight byes for his troubles — no doubt he'll have a quiet word with the bowlers about hitting a length.

All told, a comfortable six-wicket win, and with Malcolm Pay now topping our 1991 run charts and yours truly leading the wickets column, the season is shaping up rather nicely. Onwards, then, with spirits high and byes hopefully fewer.

Mon 06 May 1991 🧢 1st XIv Bearsted CC · AwayformWDDDD

Monday the 6th of May found us on the road to Bearsted, and for once the coin fell my way — I had no hesitation in asking Bearsted to field first, and I still think it was the right call. We lost an early wicket for nothing more than a whisker at 4-1, which had my tea going cold rather quicker than I'd have liked, but Paul Gibson and Keith Hatcher steadied things, and then Gibson and David Castle put on a magnificent 107 for the fourth wicket to drag us to respectability. Gibson finished unbeaten on 88, Castle chipping in 32 and Hatcher 32, as we closed on a handsome 193 for 4 from our 46 overs.

With the ball, we were rampant. Bearsted lost an early wicket at 4-1 of their own and briefly threatened to make a fist of it through Mark Stevens (69) and Andy Naish (27), the pair adding 96 for the fourth wicket — but from 130 for 6 to 141 for 9 they simply came apart at the seams. Matt Large was quite unplayable, spinning his way to 5 for 33, with Ian Brattle miserly and menacing in equal measure (3 for 22, seven maidens) and Paul Bowles chipping in with 1 for 7, despite a leaky afternoon behind the stumps that cost 12 byes. They folded for 149.

A word too for Peter Whyte, who made his 100th appearance in Linton colours — a proper milestone — while Castle's 32 nudged him past Tim Thirkell into 7th on the club's all-time run列表... I mean, run-scorers list. I managed 28 myself, more workmanlike than watchable. Gibson now leads our 1991 run charts with 133, Large the wickets with 8.

Two points, and thoroughly deserved: a 44-run win, and a very satisfactory afternoon's work.

Sun 28 Apr 1991 🧢 1st XIv SC Sheldwich CC · HomeformDWDDD

Sunday 28 April brought Sheldwich CC to Linton Park, and with the coin landing kindly, I had no hesitation in sending us in — a decision that, for once, nobody in the pavilion questioned before tea.

We batted with more application than elegance, ambling to 190 for 6 off 44.5 overs. Piers McDonald was the class act with a well-made fifty (51), and he had sterling company from Paul Gibson (45) and David Castle (38), the pair adding a stand of 50 for the first wicket that set the tone. It was, by our standards, a proper foundation — the sort of total that lets a captain enjoy his tea rather than gulp it.

In the field we scrapped hard without quite landing the killer blow. Sheldwich crept to 158 for 8 off their 46, Martin Mills the chief obstacle with an unbeaten 37, well supported by A Collard (29) and James Creed (27); Robert Heward and Phillip Stanford both departed without troubling the scorers. Jon Harris did the damage with 3 for 49, Matt Large chipped in with 2 for 12 and five miserly maidens, and I was pleased to add 2 for 19 myself to the effort. Peter Whyte had a torrid afternoon behind the stumps, nine byes testifying to some lively bowling.

A word for David Castle, whose 38 nudged him past Tim Thirkell into 7th on the club's all-time run-scorers list — a fine personal landmark on an afternoon of honours shared. In the end neither side could force the door open, and a draw was a fair, if slightly unsatisfying, verdict on a good day's cricket.

Sat 27 Apr 1991 🧢 1st XIv Penshurst Park CC · HomeformWDWDD

Just off Saturday's play, so I put us in against Penshurst Park CC and asked the lads to make a game of it.

We batted first and made a handsome fist of it — 207 for 3 off our 37 overs. Paul Bowles played the innings of the day, 90 not out and looking every inch a man who fancied the century that never quite came. Tim Thirkell chipped in nicely with 47 not out, and their unbroken stand did the heavy lifting after a solid third-wicket partnership of 58 had set things up. I managed 30 myself, which I'll happily take. Poor Piers McDonald will want to forget his duck, though 27 extras from a generous Penshurst attack more than made up for it.

Defending 207 is never as comfortable as the scorebook suggests, and so it proved. Penshurst lost an early wicket for nought, which had us dreaming, but Simon Leegood settled them with a composed 57 not out, well supported by John Darby's 42 and John Hicks's 35, and a second-wicket stand of 61 took the sting out of our morning. Paul Bowles struck again with the ball, 1 for 9, with Matt Large and Dave Todd also among the wickets. Mark Jenner departed without troubling the scorers, but Peter Whyte behind the stumps had a torrid time of it — 11 byes tell their own story. They closed on 170 for 3.

A word of genuine pride: Tim Thirkell's 47 sees him leapfrog David Castle into 7th on the club's all-time run charts — a fine achievement.

A draw, then, honours even, and on this evidence neither side deserved to lose it.