🧢 Captain's Log

Sun 22 Sep 2013 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv TC Tenterden CC · HomeformWWWLW

It was Tenterden CC who joined us at home on Sunday, and losing the toss meant a spell in the field before we'd so much as unpacked the flask of tea. Not that it mattered in the end — put in to bowl first, they instead found themselves on the wrong end of a proper Sunday flogging.

James Piper was simply immense, carrying his bat to an unbeaten century, with Will Thirkell chipping in a handsome 66 and Richard Knowler 22 for good measure. We did wobble to 2-1 early doors — enough to have me reaching for the Rennies — but Piper and Thirkell's 125-run stand for the fifth wicket put the game beyond doubt, poor Mark Christmas's golden duck notwithstanding. 229/6 from 41.1 overs was a total to be proud of.

In the field, Christmas made amends in style, ripping through with 3-12, well supported by Thirkell (3-16) and Michael Beeney (3-48), while Richard Knowler kept things tight with two maidens. Tenterden rallied through Ben Price (61) and James Rand (44), but three ducks and a middle-order collapse from 93-3 to 99-6 did for them, and they folded for 188. As for your skipper, a golden blob with the bat was somewhat softened by three wickets with the ball — least I could do.

A word too for Will Thirkell, who brought up 3,000 runs for the club — a wonderful landmark, thoroughly deserved. Nine byes gave poor Kevin Presneill a torrid afternoon behind the stumps, but no matter: victory by 41 runs, two points banked, and a very satisfying drive home.

Wed 18 Sep 2013 🧢 Midweek XIv Penshurst Park CC · AwayformLWLDL

It was fielding first for me on Wednesday 18th, when we made the trip out to Penshurst Park CC — and I'll admit I rather fancied our chances putting them in. The right call, as it turned out. Penshurst crawled to 120/8 from their forty overs, with only Sean Axtell (34 not out) offering any real resistance. Tom Fordyce and Mike Croft were sent back for ducks apiece, and the real story was with the ball: Thomas Beeney was a menace, mopping up 3-13, with James Piper (1-13) and the ever-parsimonious Matthew Carter (1-15, three maidens and not a run given away lightly) squeezing the life out of the innings around him.

Chasing 121 should never have been the formality it looked, but Richard Piper's 30 set us on our way, and Peter Whyte (26 not out) and James Piper (24 not out) saw us home in some comfort — 121/3 in 31.4 overs, seven wickets to spare. Poor Will Thew will want to forget his contribution, bagging a golden duck, but nobody remembers the blot when the job's done.

A nice personal landmark too: James Piper brought up his 50th career wicket, and with it further burnished his claim to top spot in this season's Midweek XI run charts, while Thomas Beeney's 3-13 nudges him along nicely in the wicket column. All told, a thoroughly good day at the office — professional with the ball, comfortable with the bat, and the sort of win that makes the drive home feel a good deal shorter.

Sun 08 Sep 2013 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv TC Tyler Hill CC · HomeformWWWWL

As tricky an afternoon as a losing toss can promise turned into a rather satisfying one for Linton Park. Put in to field on a Sunday when the coin, as ever, ignored our calls entirely, we made hay with the bat: 196/7 from our 40 overs, built around a lovely unbeaten fifty from Craig Sands (54 not out) and fine support from Mark Christmas (40), with the extras column chipping in a generous 26 of its own — proof, if any were needed, that Tyler Hill's bowlers were as generous with their line as our lads were ruthless in punishing it.

Defending it should have been the nervy part, but 159/9 tells its own story. Richard Keir batted beautifully for his 57 and Dan Savage's 37 kept the required rate honest for a while, but James Dash departed without so much as a run to his name, and the middle order never quite got the innings purring. Mark Christmas was the pick with the ball, 3-25, backed up handsomely by Will Thirkell (3-39) and Joshua Knowler (2-32) — a genuine team effort with the cherry. Poor Kevin Presneill had a torrid time behind the stumps, ten byes escaping his gloves, though he'll no doubt claim the pitch was doing more than the scorebook lets on.

The day belonged in part to Mark Christmas, who brought up 6,000 career runs for the club and, with his 40, leapfrogged Jim Hall into 23rd on the all-time run-scorers list — and he now leads our 2013 Sunday charts with 386 runs, with Thomas Beeney topping the wickets on 24. A 37-run win, two points banked, and a thoroughly deserved pint at the bar afterwards.

Sat 07 Sep 2013 🧢 2nd XIv West Farleigh CC · HomeformWWLLW

Here's the match report:

Saturday, and I'll confess I did the sensible thing for once — won the toss and stuck West Farleigh in, more instinct than genius, but it came off a treat. Chris Newman was in irresistible form with the ball, ripping through them for 3-11, while Richard Knowler chipped in with 2-8 and Michael Beeney bowled with the sort of miserly discipline (2-23, four maidens) that makes a captain's job look easy. Paul Beck's 25 was as good as it got for the visitors as they folded for 106 off 41.5 overs. I even managed three wickets myself, which I shall be mentioning at the bar for weeks to come.

With the ball having done the heavy lifting, the run chase was a formality dressed up as entertainment. David Castle set about the target with real authority, finishing unbeaten on 43, while Richard Piper (29 not out) and Glen Rawson (21) made sure there was never a flicker of doubt. We cruised home at 107/1 in 26 overs — Tony Williams and James Beck barely troubled the scorers, but nobody minded when the top order's doing that sort of business.

A special day all round: David Castle's 800th appearance in Linton colours, and Richard Piper reaching 11,000 career runs for the club — the sort of milestones that put a mere nine-wicket win in its proper perspective. Two points, thoroughly banked, and a very happy drive home.

Wed 04 Sep 2013 🧢 Midweek XIv The Mote CC · AwayformWLWLD

Beaten by 19 runs on a warm Wednesday at The Mote, and honestly, we'll live with that.

Losing the toss on 4th September never feels like good news, and so it proved as we trudged into the field for the long haul. The Mote ground out a healthy 205/7 from their forty, built chiefly around Gamindu Kanishka's classy 54, with Robin Dooley (41 not out) and Matthew White (38) filling in the gaps rather too comfortably for our liking. Credit where due, though — Sam Boyns was a nuisance all afternoon, snaring 3-27 with two miserly maidens thrown in, and picked up handy support from Joshua Knowler (2-22) and Thomas Beeney (1-39). Howard Waters and Samuel Evington at least departed cheaply for us, back in the hutch without troubling the scorers.

Chasing 206, we made a fair fist of it without quite getting there, closing on 186/9. James Piper played the innings of the day, a composed 52, with Lewis Burnham lending good support on 38 — though Trevor Back and Michael Beeney will want to forget their own contributions of nought in a hurry. I'll confess to a quiet satisfaction at contributing 52 of my own, for what it's worth on a losing afternoon.

The real story, though, was Mark Christmas bringing up his 300th appearance in Linton colours — a magnificent effort, and rather puts a middling defeat into perspective. Piper continues to lead our run charts this summer, Beeney climbs the wickets table, and we head home nineteen runs light but with plenty to build on.

Sun 01 Sep 2013 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv KC Knockers CC · HomeformDWWWW

Beaten but not bowed at home to Knockers CC this Sunday – and there's a fair story in the numbers if you care to look.

Losing the toss and being asked to field is never the tonic a captain wants before his tea, but the lads set about it with the ball in fine style. Knockers posted a healthy 188/9 off their 35, built around a couple of well-crafted fifties from Paul Seldon (58) and Guy Howe (57), and for a while it looked like a long afternoon in the field was on the cards. Enter Martin Harris, who bowled with the kind of relentless nagging accuracy that has visitors muttering into their tea – 6-55, two maidens, and figures a county pro would frame. Tim Thirkell (2-37) and Nat Presneill (1-18) chipped in gamely around him. Down the order, Martin Harris and H Elliot both went back for ducks, which even the most sympathetic scorer couldn't dress up.

Chasing 189, James Piper played the innings of the day with a classy 54, well supported by Richard Piper (29) and Glen Rawson (24), plus a generous 30 in extras that nobody will thank but everyone will take. We fell 21 runs short in the end, closing on 167/5.

Two proper mantelpiece moments amid the defeat: Glen Rawson brought up his 200th appearance in Linton colours, and Martin Harris – appropriately, given the day he'd just had – passed 200 career wickets, and now sits second in this season's Sunday 1st XI charts on 18. Beaten by 21 runs, but with milestones like that, we'll take the positives and be better for it next week.

Sat 31 Aug 2013 🧢 1st XIv SC Staplehurst CC · AwayformWWWWD

It was over to Staplehurst on a fine Saturday, and for once I actually won something at the toss — I put us in, which felt bold at breakfast and slightly less so by tea. The lads made me look sensible, though: 245/7 from our 45 overs, built around a lovely fifty from Lewis Burnham (63), with Kevin Presneill (47) and Will Thirkell (34) filling in nicely, and the extras column doing its usual honest shift with 27.

Defending that, we found ourselves up against Graham Ward, who simply decided the day belonged to him — 116, three figures, no less, with Colin Breed (26) offering support. Aaron Davey and Matthew Collard came and went without so much as a squeak from the scorebook, which is never a fun walk back. But Richard Knowler had other ideas, running thoroughly riot with 6-32, backed up by Will Thirkell (2-48) and a typically tidy Joshua Knowler (1-35, three maidens and not a run given away cheaply). I even got in on the act myself with 47. Staplehurst were bowled out for 224 — 21 runs short.

Special mention to Glen Rawson, whose 23 today nudged him past Stuart Cheesman into 20th on the club's all-time run-scorers list — quietly done, richly deserved.

Two points, and thoroughly earned. A proper team effort, and a result that reminds you why you put yourself in when the coin falls kindly.

Mon 26 Aug 2013 🧢 1st XIv MC Maidstone Dissidents CC · HomeformWWWWW

It was a cricket match at home to Maidstone Dissidents on Bank Holiday Monday, and the toss fell kindly — I had no hesitation in electing to bat, and for once the decision looked shrewd rather than stubborn.

The openers set the tone with 76 before the first stump was disturbed, and by the time Joshua Knowler (47) and the fourth-wicket pair of Lewis Burnham (45) and Mark Christmas (45) had done their work — adding a priceless 96 together — we had built something substantial. I contributed my own 45 down the order, and 194/6 from 47.4 overs felt like a total to bowl at rather than chase.

And bowl at it we did. Martin Harris was magnificent, 3-19 with five overs given away for nothing, Will Thirkell chipped in handsomely with 3-23, and Joshua Knowler, evidently not content with his runs, took a wicket too. Poor Tim Lush departed for a duck, though David Castle stood rather defiantly against the tide with a well-made 75, ably assisted by Mike Duggan's 21, to drag the Dissidents to 155/9. Our 14 byes rather gave the game away about Sam Boyns's afternoon behind the stumps — a lesson for the nets, that one.

In the end neither side could force the door open, and honours were shared. With Mark Christmas now second in our season's run charts and Will Thirkell leading the wicket-takers, the signs for the rest of the summer are encouraging. A draw, then — but a thoroughly honest one, earned rather than settled for.

Sun 25 Aug 2013 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv Holcombe & Blue Bell Hill CC · HomeformWLLWW

Sunday 25 August 2013, and Holcombe & Blue Bell Hill CC rolled into Linton Park with the sun out and the covers long since put away. I won the toss and had no hesitation in taking first knock — the right call, I still maintain, whatever the scorebook eventually had to say about it.

We laboured a touch to 138/6 from our forty overs, Trevor Back the pick of the bunch with a tidy 26, though it must be said our most productive partnership all afternoon was with the extras column, which chipped in a generous 35. Not the total we'd dreamed of over the pre-match tea and biscuits, but defendable, we felt, with a fair wind and some discipline in the field.

And discipline there was. Tim Thirkell was magnificent with the ball, 2-23 including three maidens — not a run given away lightly, as they say — with Luke Welsman and Michael Beeney both weighing in for one apiece. Alas, Clifton Phillips had other ideas, cracking a fine 36, and with Leigh Short unbeaten on 31 and Jack Attridge chipping in 28, the visitors edged us out at 139/6, sneaking home by four wickets.

A defeat, then, but not a disgrace — more a reminder that 138 rarely wins you the argument on a good pitch. Elsewhere, Richard Piper continues his fine season, second in the Sunday 2nd XI run charts with 264, while Martin Harris leads the wickets column with 19. We'll dust ourselves down and be better for it next week.

Sun 25 Aug 2013 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv Mersham Sports CC · AwayformWDWWW

Sunday 25th August found us on the road to Mersham Sports CC, and losing the toss meant an afternoon in the field to open proceedings – never quite how I'd have scripted it, but there we are.

Runs came hard on a pitch that clearly had opinions of its own. A wicket down for just 2 had the tea urn rattling nervously, but Adam Jackson settled things with a fine 70, finding a willing ally in Mark Christmas (22) as the pair added a crucial 55 for the third wicket. Elsewhere the card told a sorrier tale, with Thomas Beeney, Ray Dixon and Will Bramley-Harker all failing to trouble the scorers, and we were eventually all out for 141 in the 37th over. Not a total to frighten anyone, on the face of it.

Mersham, though, seemed determined to make hard work of the chase. They too lost an early wicket for 2, and while David Harman's unbeaten 62 and Craig Calvert's 25 threatened to see them home, our bowlers had other ideas. Thomas Beeney atoned for his blob with bat by ripping through the order for 4-23, Sam Boyns chipped in with 3-27, and Matthew Carter bowled with miserly discipline – five maidens and 1-6 – to help bowl them out for 125.

Sixteen runs the margin, two points the reward, and thoroughly earned. A scratchy day with the bat rescued by a proper team bowling performance – you'll take that every time.

Wed 21 Aug 2013 🧢 Midweek XIv TC Tunbridge Wells Wednesday CC · HomeformWWLWL

Skipper's Log — Wednesday 21st August 2013, and a fair old crowd gathered to watch us take on Tunbridge Wells Wednesday CC. I lost the toss, as is tradition, and duly volunteered us into the field, which at least spared me the indignity of an early trudge back to the pavilion.

The Wells openers settled in nicely and posted 200/9 from their 52 overs, D. Thompson unbeaten on 41 and S. Hammond chipping in with 37. Honours, though, belonged to Will Thirkell, whose 4-10 — six of his overs maidens, would you believe — verged on the miserly, ably backed up by Martin Harris (2-13) and Luke Welsman (1-20). Word reached me at tea that Will had also sailed past 200 career wickets, a milestone that deserved rather more fanfare than a passing mention in the scorebook.

With 201 to chase, Craig Sands played the innings of the day — 81 of the finest, James Piper lending sturdy support with 41 — and we motored to 191/5 from 39 overs before the overs, and our nerve, ran their course. Poor Peter Whyte had a torrid time behind the stumps, 34 byes testament to a pitch with ideas of its own.

So, honours shared, a draw that satisfied nobody and offended nobody either — the fairest sort of injustice cricket can offer.

Sun 18 Aug 2013 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv DC Detling CC · HomeformLWLLW

Sunday 18 August 2013 brought Detling CC to Linton Park, and having called correctly at the toss, I had no hesitation in taking first use of the strip — the right call, I still maintain, whatever the scorebook might later suggest. Batting first we laboured to 131/9 from our 40 overs, a total that owed everything to Tim Thirkell's watchful 36 and Joshua Knowler's brisk 20 in support. James Piper and Gregory Ralph both departed for ducks, proof if any were needed that this remains a game of fine margins and cruel symmetry.

Defending 131 against a side of Detling's calibre felt a stretch, but cricket delights in humbling the pessimist. An early wicket at 0-1 set the tone, and though Paul Batchelor batted beautifully for his unbeaten 61, the rest of the order simply couldn't stay with him — 116-7 became 127 all out in a startling hurry, Mark Roberts, Joe Dunmore and Dan Cale all back in the pavilion without scoring. Joshua Knowler was magnificent with the ball, 3-28 to cap a fine all-round afternoon, well supported by my own 2-9 and Martin Harris's 2-31, while Michael Beeney kept things admirably tight with two maidens.

A word too for Joshua, who passed 100 career wickets in this very match — a landmark thoroughly deserved. Four runs was the final margin, agonisingly tight but two points are two points. A scratchy, nerve-shredding win, and all the sweeter for it.

Sun 18 Aug 2013 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv BC Benenden CC · AwayformWWDWW

Sunday 18 August took us to Benenden, and with the coin obliging, I did what any captain with a nervous disposition and a suspicious cloud formation does — I stuck them in.

For a while it looked like standard operating procedure: Mark Dodd and Samuel Martin both got in and got 26 apiece, Andrew Morrison chipped in with 23, and Benenden built themselves a total that had the makings of trouble. But Thomas Beeney had other ideas, ripping through them for 3-16, with Mark Christmas (2-13) and Chris Newman (2-39) tidying up the rest. All out for 153 in 33.1 overs — a very fair effort in the field, if I do say so myself.

Our reply began with the sort of jolt that makes a captain reach for the flask a little early — five on the board and already a wicket down. But Beeney, evidently not content with just bowling us to victory, stuck around to bat us there too, finishing unbeaten on 36. Matthew Gladwell (25) and Will Thirkell (24) played their parts, I rustled up 18 of my own, and we crept home at 159/6 in 24.4 overs.

A four-wicket win, then, and a thoroughly deserved one. With Christmas topping the run charts on 324 and Beeney leading the wickets on 19, the pair of them are fast becoming the engine room of our season. Onwards indeed.

Sat 17 Aug 2013 🧢 2nd XIv Marden CC, Kent · AwayformWWWLL

From the captain's chair — Saturday 17 August 2013, and off we trundled to Marden CC, Kent, for what turned out to be rather a splendid day's cricket.

I won the toss, and there was never much doubt in my mind: we'd bowl. Marden made a solid fist of it, reaching 172 for 5 from their 45 overs, built around a handsome half-century from Nick Burdge (66), well supported by Martin Hoare's unbeaten 54. Credit where it's due to our attack, though — Tim Thirkell was the pick of the bowlers with 2 for 17, Luke Welsman chipped in with 2 for 27, and Iain Rawson picked up one for 24. Darren Styles, meanwhile, bowled with the sort of miserly discipline that makes opening batsmen weep, sending down two maidens for good measure.

Chasing 173, we got there with five wickets and a few overs to spare — 173 for 5 in 43.4 overs. Sam Boyns played the innings of the day, an unbeaten fifty, ably assisted by Iain Rawson's 49 and a useful 20 from Will Thew. Poor Will had a wretched time of it behind the stumps, mind — 11 byes is the sort of statistic that keeps a wicketkeeper awake at night — though with 260 runs he still sits proudly atop our 2nd XI run charts this season, and Rawson's five wickets have him nicely placed in fifth in the bowling standings. I even managed a modest 15 of my own, for whatever that's worth.

All told, a thoroughly earned two points and a five-wicket win — the kind of afternoon that makes the long drive home feel considerably shorter.

Sat 17 Aug 2013 🧢 1st XIv Marden CC, Kent · HomeformWWWWW

Saturday 17th August 2013, and Marden CC came calling. We lost the toss, which around these parts is roughly equivalent to losing the match before it's begun, but on this occasion the cricketing gods were only teasing — they sent us out to bowl, and bowl we did.

Marden's innings never got out of first gear. Arun Samuel, Phil Lyle and Matthew Blythin were all shown the door without so much as a nudge to the scoreboard, and from there it was a procession — 57 all out in 33 overs told its own story. Thomas Beeney was the chief tormentor, a superb 4-13 with five maidens to boot, the sort of spell that has opposition batsmen muttering into their tea. Will Thirkell (3-15) and Mark Christmas (2-10) tidied up the rest with the enthusiasm of men who quite fancied an early finish.

Chasing 58 should be a formality, and mostly it was, though we did our best to make a drama of it — the first wicket fell for just 1, and poor Adam Jackson bagged a duck to keep the card honest. No matter: Daniel Thirkell settled things with an unbeaten 31, and we strolled home by 6 wickets in a brisk 8.2 overs.

A nod, too, to Kevin Presneill, whose modest 2 runs today nudged him past Russell Baldwin and into 25th on the club's all-time run-scorers list — quiet history, made in the least dramatic fashion imaginable.

All told: ruthless with the ball, comfortable with the bat, and a thoroughly good day for the club.

Fri 16 Aug 2013 🧢 Midweek XIv The Dragons CC · HomeformDWWLW

Skipper's Log — Friday 16 August 2013. We lost the toss, which these days feels less like bad luck and more like a formality, and The Dragons duly stuck us in the field. They made themselves at home to the tune of 185/7 off their 35, with Charlie Farrant compiling a handsome fifty and Josh Mihill (46) and P Abraham (25) filling in nicely around him. Credit where due to Will Thirkell, who bowled with real purpose for 2-35, backed up by Martin Harris (2-39) and Michael Beeney (1-14) — and a small mercy in Chris Arnold departing for nought at our hands.

Chasing 186 always felt a stretch on that surface, and so it proved. James Piper played a lovely, mature fifty and Laurie Probert chipped in with 32, but wickets tumbled around them and we folded for 143 in 30.5 overs — Will Thirkell and Luke Welsman both undone for ducks, a reminder that batting is a cruel game even to bowlers who'd earned their tea. Poor Craig Sands had one of those afternoons behind the stumps too, eight byes going begging, the sort of day best filed under "character building."

Elsewhere in the Midweek XI, Will Thew continues to purr along at the top of the run charts with 262, and Martin Harris sits second in the wickets column with 11 — reassurance, at least, that not everything is falling apart around us.

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

Wed 14 Aug 2013 🧢 Midweek XIv TC Tenterden CC · AwayformDDWWL

Wednesday 14th August, and off we trotted down the lanes to Tenterden CC with the sun (mostly) on our side and the coin, mercifully, on mine — I called correctly and had no hesitation putting them in.

It looked a shrewd call for a while, then didn't, then did again. Simon Berry made hay with 66, and got rather too much company from Fred Pearman (45) and Charlie McSweeney (42), the pair of them stitching together a stubborn 105 for the sixth wicket just as we thought we had them wobbling. But this is where the report turns rather pleasingly in our favour: Martin Harris was magnificent, ripping through with 4-53, backed up by Tim Wright's tidy 2-11 and Stuart Cheesman's 2-31, with Thomas Beeney refusing to leak a run for two full overs. All out 226 from 49.4 — a target, not a mountain.

With the bat we strolled to it in some style. Tim Wright (74) and Joshua Knowler (72 not out) shared a commanding 102 for the second wicket, Will Thew chipping in a handy 21, and we cruised home at 230/5. Milestones abounded — Knowler brought up 1,000 career runs for the club, and Cheesman's 18 nudged him past Glen Rawson into 20th on the all-time list.

Five wickets, two points, and a thoroughly satisfying afternoon's work. Tenterden gave it a good go; we simply gave it a better one.

Mon 12 Aug 2013 🧢 Midweek XIv OK Old Suttonians, Kent · AwayformDDDWW

Skipper's Log — Dummy Site, Monday 12 August 2013. Winning the toss ought to be an omen, but all it earns you these days is first use of the outfield's dodgier bounce. We sent them in, and were made to graft for every wicket as they piled up 198/4 from their forty overs. T Watts got in and stayed in for a well-made 98, with M- Russell-Vick (43 not out) and M Day (32) tidying up nicely around him — a stand of 80 for the third wicket did most of the damage after a brisk 72-1 opening. Credit where due: Matthew Carter (2-38) led the attack with real purpose, Luke Welsman and Martin Harris chipped in, and Thomas Beeney bowled three maidens that not many sides would have managed on that pitch.

Chasing 199 looked a tall order on paper. In practice, James Piper made it look like a Sunday knock-up in the garden, cruising to a magnificent 103 not out, with Lewis Burnham (85) playing the perfect foil in a monumental 185-run stand for the second wicket. Poor Will Thew's contribution began and ended with a golden duck, but with partners like that, who's counting.

Runs on the board, wickets in the bag, Burnham now second in the Midweek run charts and Harris third among the bowlers — by any sensible measure we should have won this. Eight wickets down the wrong way says otherwise. Not our day. Heads up, chins forward, back to the nets.

Sun 11 Aug 2013 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv BC Bobbing Court and Lower Halstow CC · AwayformWLWLL

Sunday saw us head down to Bobbing Court to take on Lower Halstow, and after losing the toss I was rather hoping the powers-that-be would let us bowl. No such luck — chasing it was, though we did at least have first use of the ball in the field, which I'm reliably informed still counts.

Our bowlers did us proud on a day when nothing came easily for the batsmen. Tim Thirkell was the pick of them with 2-21, ably supported by Joshua Knowler's 2-28 and a tidy 1-14 from Luke Welsman, while Ian Hollingworth simply refused to give anything away, bowling three maidens as if runs were rationed. Iain Foster's 44 was the only real resistance, and Alan Clark departed without so much as a nibble at the strike bowling. Lower Halstow closed on 121/8 from their forty — a target that felt gettable, if not exactly a formality.

And so it proved. Our reply wobbled more than once — Jamie Ratcliffe and Tim Thirkell both walked back for ducks, and I contributed my own particular brand of nothing, about which the less said the better. But Richard Piper, calm as you like, compiled a magnificent 74 not out to see us home on 122/8 with two overs to spare. With 242 runs to his name this season he sits second in the Sunday 2nd XI charts, while Martin Harris continues to lead the wicket-takers with 16.

A scratchy, nerve-jangling, thoroughly satisfying two-wicket win. We'll take it.

Sun 11 Aug 2013 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv BK Blue House CC, Kent · HomeformWWWDW

Skipper's Log — Sunday 11 August 2013, and the sun was out, the outfield was fast, and Blue House CC of Kent came calling. I lost the toss, which these days I take almost as a personal compliment to my poker face, and we were put into the field.

The visitors ground their way to 161/9 from their forty overs, Dave Reed the chief architect with a well-constructed 42, backed up nicely by Stephen Davies's 24, the pair putting on 57 for the second wicket before we found a way through. Mark Christmas was the pick of the attack by some distance, hustling in for figures of 3-25 including two maidens that must have felt like torture for anyone facing them, with Chris Newman (2-42) and Jordan Austin (1-12) chipping in for good measure. Special mention, too, for the mercy we showed poor Ray Cass, sent back for a duck without so much as troubling the scorers — these things happen to the best of us.

Set 162 to win, we made an absolute mockery of the chase. Jordan Austin, in the form of his life, cracked a chanceless 65 not out, ably assisted by Will Thew's classy 52 and Laurie Probert's unbeaten 39, and we cantered home in just 18.4 overs for the loss of a single wicket.

Nine wickets, overs to spare, and the tea urn barely had time to cool. A thoroughly good day at the office for Linton Park.

Sat 10 Aug 2013 🧢 2nd XIv Headcorn CC · HomeformLWWWL

From the captain's chair, 10 August 2013 — a bright Saturday spoiled only by the cricket. Headcorn CC came calling, I won the toss and elected to bat, and I stand by that decision even now, in the way that captains must stand by decisions that go badly wrong. What followed was 89 all out in 29.2 overs, a total that flattered no one, though Richard Piper's 20 at least offered something for the scorebook to be proud of, and enough runs on the season to keep him sitting fourth in the 2nd XI charts with 130 for the year.

Eighty-nine was always going to ask serious questions of our bowling, and Headcorn answered every one of them without so much as raising a sweat, cruising home at 90 without loss in just 19.3 overs. Luke Mangold made merry with an unbeaten 56, the sort of innings that has visiting captains beaming and home captains suddenly very interested in their bootlaces, and he found willing company in Mike Donnelly's unbeaten 21. Between them they barely gave us a sniff.

So, seven wickets the wrong way and a long walk back to the pavilion. Not our day, not our week, arguably not our decade at the toss — but heads up, chins out, and back to the nets we go. There'll be sunnier Saturdays yet.

Sat 10 Aug 2013 🧢 1st XIv Milstead CC · AwayformWWWWW

Saturday 10 August 2013 saw us take the road to Milstead CC, and I lost the toss — no great surprise there, my coin-flipping record remains a work in progress — so we were put into the field first. It could have gone worse. Mike Sellar gave us the full tour of the ground on his way to a classy 79, with Richard Cusworth chipping in a tidy 30, but our bowlers kept chipping away in return. Matthew Carter led the charge with 2-20, Joshua Knowler backed him up nicely with 2-26, Martin Harris picked up 1-7, and Will Thirkell simply refused to be hit, sending down five maidens as if the boundary rope had personally offended him. Milstead were shut out for 151/8 from their 45 overs — a score that felt eminently gettable on a good surface.

And gettable it proved. Kevin Presneill, who continues to make a habit of these things, strode to 75 and now sits proudly atop our 2013 run charts with 435 to his name. James Piper supported him handsomely with 49, and between them the openers put on a magnificent 126 before the first wicket finally fell — the stand of the innings by some distance. Daniel Thirkell saw us home unbeaten on 21 as we cruised to 152/2 in just 30.5 overs.

An eight-wicket win, then, achieved with time and wickets to spare, and with Thomas Beeney's 30 wickets still leading the season's charts, the old firm looks in fine order. Onwards indeed.

Thu 08 Aug 2013 🧢 Midweek XIv BC Boughton & Eastwell CC · AwayformLDDDW

As we won the toss on that August Thursday out at Boughton & Eastwell, there was never really a debate — the pitch looked a belter, and I stuck us in to bat. And how it repaid us. Lewis Burnham played an innings for the ages, 105 of pure class, and along the way brought up 1,000 career runs for the club — the sort of milestone that gets you a warm pint and a warmer round of applause in the bar afterwards. Kevin Presneill's 39 and Craig Sands' unbeaten 26 gave the innings real backbone, and 217/4 off our 41 overs felt like a total with some teeth in it.

Teeth it had. Boughton came at us hard, Andrew Carney counter-attacking his way to 93, well supported by W Walkinton (32) and Craig Mannering (25), and for a good while it looked like our total might not be quite enough. But cricket has a wonderful way of finding its heroes, and Tim Wright was ours — 4-30 with three miserly maidens, backed up nobly by Tim Thirkell (2-35) and Will Thirkell (1-28). Two Boughton batsmen departed without so much as a nibble, and when the innings folded for 210 off 48 overs, we had our seven runs to spare.

A nervy finish, a famous milestone, and two points banked — with Burnham now second in the run charts and Wright top of the wickets, this was a day that will live long in the Linton Park memory. Thoroughly, gloriously earned.

Tue 06 Aug 2013 🧢 Midweek XIv BC Bexley CC · HomeformWLDDD

We hosted Bexley CC on Tuesday, and for once the coin let us down at the toss — not that it mattered much in the end. Put into the field, the lads set about Bexley with real purpose, bowling them out for 127 in 33 overs. Michael Ladbrook was the chief obstacle with 30, but Tim Wright made a proper nuisance of himself, mopping up four for 25, with Martin Harris (3-18) and Will Thirkell (2-9) squeezing from the other end and Sam Boyns refusing to concede a run for two whole overs. Poor Ben Peters departed without troubling the scorers at all.

A target of 128 should have been a formality, and in truth we made rather a meal of it before Stuart Cheesman (33 not out) and Thomas Beeney (26 not out) steadied things, with Will Thirkell chipping in 25 and yours truly adding a scratchy 33. It took a defiant last-wicket stand of 48 to see us home with something to spare — the sort of finish that has spectators reaching for their flasks rather than their scorecards. Craig Sands had a wretched time of it behind the stumps, 11 byes going begging, though nobody's holding that against him.

The real story of the day was Will Thew reaching 2,000 career runs for the club — a landmark thoroughly deserving of the tea-room applause it received, and one that keeps him top of this year's Midweek XI run charts, with Thirkell leading the wickets. Two points, four wickets, and a scare or two along the way — but a win's a win, and we'll take it gladly.

Sun 04 Aug 2013 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv Linden Park CC · HomeformLWWWD

We lost the toss on Sunday and were sent in to bowl - not the worst outcome when your batting order has been as flighty as ours this season. Linden Park ground out 154/8 from their 42 overs, with Corne Van Pletzen the chief architect of our afternoon's toil via a well-crafted 61, Brian Gasking chipping in an unbeaten 25. Will Thirkell was the pick of the attack with 3-31, Christopher Bridle and Chris Newman lent a hand (2-7 and 2-24 respectively), and Thomas Beeney bowled with the miserliness of a man checking the pub's till roll - four maidens and barely a run given away.

Chasing 155, we did our level best to make it interesting, slipping to 4-1 almost before the tea urn had boiled - Luke Jennings and James Champion departed without scoring in the first innings, and Benjamin Austin kept the family tradition of golden ducks alive with a second-innings blob. But Will Thirkell (43) and Mark Christmas (39 not out) put together the innings' backbone, adding a priceless 65 for the fourth wicket, with Jordan Austin's 32 rounding things off nicely. We got home on 158/4 with overs and, more importantly, nerves to spare.

Mark Christmas continues to top the Sunday run charts with 317 for the season, and Thomas Beeney leads the wickets with 15 - the old firm doing what the old firm does.

A six-wicket win, and a thoroughly satisfying one at that. Onwards.

Sun 04 Aug 2013 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv SC Sidcup CC · AwayformWWLWL

Sunday 4 August took us to Sidcup, where the coin let us down and we were sent into the field first — never our preferred order of business, but the lads got on with it. Sidcup ground out 180/5 from their forty, Bradley Sargent the chief architect with a fine unbeaten 72, well supported by George Bradley (33) and Laurence Hill (25). Credit where due: Michael Beeney bowled beautifully for 3-15 with three maidens thrown in for good measure, while Tim Thirkell and Ian Hollingworth chipped in a wicket apiece.

Chasing 181, we made a fair fist of it without quite getting there, closing on 159/8. Will Thew's 32 was the innings' backbone, Michael Beeney followed his bowling exploits with an unbeaten 31, and Trevor Back weighed in with 23. Tim Thirkell and Ian Hollingworth, sadly, took the walk back for golden ducks 🦆 — and as for your skipper, a golden blob is not the example one hopes to set from the top, though lead I did, if only by demonstrating how not to do it.

Happier news amid the gloom: Tim Wright brought up his 200th appearance in Linton colours, a landmark worth raising a glass to 🧢. Richard Piper and Michael Beeney also continue to sit proudly second in the Sunday 2nd XI run and wicket charts respectively.

In the end, twenty-one runs shy and a day to file away and forget. Heads up, and back to the nets.

Sat 03 Aug 2013 🧢 2nd XIv LC Lenham CC · AwayformLLWWW

Down by four wickets at Lenham, and I've filed happier reports than this one. Lost the toss, got put in to field — or rather, told we'd be batting last, which these days feels like being sent in to bat first at snooker. Still, 203/6 off our 45 wasn't a bad afternoon's work: Iain Rawson batted beautifully for 53, Jack Gwynn ticked along nicely to 27 not out, and Will Thew chipped in with 25. A special mention, as ever, for the extras column — 47 of the blighters, practically an all-rounder in its own right. Less happily, Richard Piper endured the walk of shame for nought; commiserations, skipper's round is on you.

Out in the field, we simply couldn't quite close the door. Lenham chased down 205/6 from their 44, with Tom Curtis playing the innings of the day for 76 and Alan Barr not far behind on a well-crafted 63 — the pair of them doing rather more damage than we'd have liked. Richard Knowler toiled manfully for 3-57, well backed up by Tim Wright (1-11) and Chris Newman (1-23), while Michael Beeney bowled two tidy maidens for his trouble. Small mercies: we did at least send Pete Humphries packing for a duck of his own.

Elsewhere in the 2nd XI's season, Will Thew continues to lead the run charts on 240, and Tim Wright the wickets on 13 — proof there's method behind the madness even when results don't follow.

Verdict: outscored where it mattered, out-nerved when it counted. Nothing for it but nets, humility pie, and next Saturday.

Sat 03 Aug 2013 🧢 1st XIv Meopham CC · HomeformWWWWW

Saturday 3rd August, and we welcomed Meopham CC to Linton Park under grey club-cricket skies and the eternal hope that the tea urn wouldn't run dry. I lost the toss — I'm beginning to suspect the coin has it in for me personally — and we were duly invited to bat first, which at least spared us the ignominy of losing the toss AND fielding first in the heat.

To the crease we went, and 175/7 from our 45 overs was a score built the proper village way: not through fireworks, but through application. Craig Sands led from the front with a fine 38, Kevin Presneill (34) and Will Thirkell (32) lent stout support, and the fourth-wicket pair's 63 was the innings' backbone. That the extras column weighed in with 32 tells you all you need to know about Meopham's discipline with the ball — or lack thereof.

With ball in hand we were rather more clinical. Meopham slipped to 5-1 early and never truly recovered, Carl Oliver's defiant 40 and James Fotheringham's 20 aside. From 105-6 to 111-9 in the blink of an eye, they folded for 111 in 41.2 overs. Mark Christmas was the chief destroyer with 3-14 and four miserly maidens, well backed by Thomas Beeney (2-27) and Will Thirkell (2-33), while I managed to sneak in three of my own — purely, I insist, through guile rather than pace.

A 64-run victory, then, and thoroughly deserved. A very good day for the club.

Sun 28 Jul 2013 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv High Halstow CC · HomeformWWWLW

Since 28 July 2013 was the losing high-scoring thriller — down by 8 wickets despite posting 201. Let me write the report.

Toss? We lost the toss and were put in—wait, they had first say and chose to field, meaning we batted first. Let me draft this now.

There's no news that dawns brighter than losing the toss and being asked to bat, and so it proved once again as High Halstow rolled into Linton Park with the sun, if not the coin, on their side. We made the very best of it, racking up a handsome 201 for the loss of only two wickets in our forty overs. Lewis Burnham led from the front with a superb 69, Glen Rawson followed him past his own half-century with 59, and Richard Piper rounded things off in style with an unbeaten fifty. Two hundred and one looked, on paper at least, like a proper defendable total.

Paper, alas, is not where cricket is played. High Halstow's openers set about us with an alarming lack of respect, putting on 133 before the first wicket finally fell, and from there Chris Lally simply refused to leave, cashing in with a magnificent 88. David Sibley chipped in with 46 and Joe Bowles finished unbeaten on 33 as the visitors cruised home on 202 for 2 with nearly two overs to spare. Tim Thirkell toiled manfully for his 2 for 27 and Ian Hollingworth bowled two tidy maidens, but eight byes down the leg side rather summed up an afternoon where nothing quite stuck.

There was a crumb of comfort amid the wreckage: Glen Rawson's 59 eased him past Stuart Cheesman into 20th on the club's all-time run-scorers list, and he now sits proudly atop our 2013 Sunday 2nd XI run charts with 329, with Tim Thirkell 4th among the wicket-takers on 7. Small mercies. The honest verdict: outbatted with the bat and comprehensively outbatted with the ball too — heads up, and back to the nets.

Sun 28 Jul 2013 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv IC Ightham CC · AwayformWLWWW

Lost the toss on a Sunday that promised runs, and Ightham duly stuck us in — which, on reflection, did us no harm at all. Will Thirkell played the innings of the summer, a truly magnificent 117, while Daniel Thirkell (31) got the show on the road and the pair put on 87 for the first wicket before anyone troubled the scoreboard with a wicket falling. Mark Christmas then batted us home with an unbeaten 40, and even when the middle order rather fell apart in a flurry of ducks — Jordan Austin, Nat Presneill and Mark Austin all back in the pavilion without scoring — a defiant last-wicket stand of 42 gave 244/8 from our 38 overs the respectability it deserved.

Chasing that lot, Ightham never quite found their rhythm, stumbling to 8-1 early and never truly recovering. Jordan Austin made amends for his golden duck with a fine 2-12 with the ball, backed up nicely by Nat Presneill and Mark Christmas, while Daniel Thirkell strangled the middle overs with three tidy maidens. Only Richard Bridge, with a well-made unbeaten 54, kept Ightham in the contest, dragging them to 109/7 from their 40 — Tom Bentall's duck the solitary blemish for us in the field.

Mark Christmas continues to top our Sunday run charts with 278 for the season, and Thomas Beeney the wickets with 14 — quiet men doing loud work. In the end neither side could force it home, and honours were shared. A draw, then, but one that felt rather more like a job well done than a chance missed.

Sat 27 Jul 2013 🧢 1st XIv Milstead CC · HomeformWWWWW

Saturday 27th July found Milstead CC our guests, and for once the coin did as it was told — I called correctly and never seriously considered bowling first on such a shirtfront. A shaky start (4-1) threatened to spoil the picnic, but Daniel Thirkell and David Castle put paid to any Milstead optimism with a stand of 206 for the second wicket that had their fielders wilting quicker than the sandwiches. Daniel went on to a magnificent 147, Castle a fine 62, and Craig Sands's brisk 21 rounded us off at a formidable 293/6 from our 45 overs.

Defending that sort of total ought to be the easy part, and so it proved. Conor Annand's 37 and Mike Sellar's 29 were the only real resistance, Richard Cusworth adding an unbeaten 21, while Michael Yates and Martin Green departed for ducks at our hands. Will Thirkell was the pick of the attack with 3-29, Mark Christmas (3-33) and Matthew Carter (2-31) chipped in handsomely, Thomas Beeney bowled five miserly maidens, and I even found some rhythm myself with three wickets. Milstead were bowled out for 132 in 44.3 overs.

A word for the scorebook: Daniel's 147 lifts him past Tim Thirkell into 6th on our all-time run-scorers list — not bad company. With Mark Christmas (340) and Thomas Beeney (27 wickets) still leading the season charts, the side is in rude health. A comfortable win by 161 runs, and thoroughly deserved. Onwards.

Sat 27 Jul 2013 🧢 2nd XIv West Farleigh CC · AwayformLLLWW

Saturday last took us down to West Farleigh, where the toss went against us and we were invited to have a bowl first — no great hardship for a captain who'd rather chase leather than runs on a warm afternoon. West Farleigh crawled to 130 all out in 37.2 overs, Matt Brooke (31) and Paul Beck (23) doing the honest graft, before the innings rather fell apart under us — 87 for 5 became 95 for 8 in the blink of an eye, with Josh Lake and Thom Williams both back in the pavilion without troubling the scorers. Michael Beeney was the chief architect, 3 for 13 with three miserly maidens thrown in for good measure, ably backed up by Chris Newman (2 for 10) and Jack Gwynn (2 for 17). Not a run given away lightly, and not much sympathy shown either.

With 131 needed, Glen Rawson and Will Thew simply strolled to it, unbeaten on 72 and 45 respectively, wrapping the whole business up inside 24 overs without so much as a hint of a alarm. A word for Glen, whose 72 nudges him past William Buck and up to 21st on the club's all-time run-scoring list — the ledgers of Linton Park quietly rewritten over a Saturday tea. Will Thew, meanwhile, continues to lead the 2nd XI's season run charts with 215, while Tim Wright sits proudly atop the wicket-takers with 12.

Ten wickets to the good and home in time for a pint — a thoroughly good day for the club.

Sun 21 Jul 2013 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv LC Littlebourne CC · AwayformLWWWL

As the club's honorary bard, the toss, the runs and the loose wides all speak for themselves, so here's the report.

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Winning the toss on a Sunday jaunt down to Littlebourne is the sort of decision that requires no great cricketing brain, and I confess I didn't trouble mine unduly — we batted, and thank heavens we did. Glen Rawson set about the Littlebourne attack with real purpose, his 57 the innings' backbone, while Richard Perkins played the anchor beautifully with an unbeaten 39 and Tim Wright chipped in a tidy 25. All told, 194 for 5 from our forty overs felt like a total with enough about it to make a game of it, though none of us quite knew how tight a game it would turn out to be.

Littlebourne came at us hard in reply, Robert Lawson and Robbie Lawson both making useful 30-somethings and Ian Attenborough not far behind, and for a while it looked rather too comfortable for the home side. Credit where it's due — Luke Welsman led the attack superbly with 2 for 35, Ian Hollingworth kept things honest with 2 for 45, and Richard Knowler was miserly as ever, two maidens among his figures of 1 for 18. Less creditable was our habit of posting the odd extra like Christmas cards — 23 wides and no-balls is the sort of generosity that gives a captain grey hairs.

In the end 191 for 8 wasn't enough, and we scraped home by 3 runs — the kind of margin that has you reliving every misfield on the drive home. Two points, thoroughly earned, and a timely reminder that in club cricket the extras column can be as decisive as the scorebook proper.

Sun 21 Jul 2013 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv Bearsted CC · HomeformWWLWW

Sunday 21st July, Bearsted CC the visitors, and for once the coin obliged me — I called correctly and had no hesitation in taking first knock, a decision I shall be quietly smug about for weeks to come. Daniel Thirkell set about proving why he's fast becoming a fixture at the top of our order, compiling a fine 51, with James Piper (45) and Richard Piper (33) lending sturdy support and the pair putting on 76 for the second wicket to give the innings its backbone. And then, as is so often the way with this lot, it all rather fell apart — 155 for 5 became 161 for 8 before anyone could reach for their scorebook, with Adam Jackson, Will Thirkell and Mark Christmas each contributing nothing more than a well-earned quack 🦆. Still, 191 for 9 from our forty overs felt like a defendable total, if not an especially comfortable one.

So it proved. Bearsted battled to 164 for 7, Mark Sandhu playing the innings of the day with a well-crafted 55, ably assisted by Yannick Oakland's unbeaten 45 and David Patton's 22. But the damage was done elsewhere — Matthew Carter (2-20), Mark Christmas (2-20, with two miserly maidens thrown in) and Sam Boyns (2-30) chipped away relentlessly. Ten byes, mind you, made for uncomfortable reading behind the stumps — a testing afternoon for poor Craig Sands.

There was cause for real celebration too: Thirkell's fifty nudged him past Trevor Back into 7th on the club's all-time run-scoring list, and sees him sitting proudly 2nd in this year's Sunday 1st XI charts on 233. A 27-run victory, two points banked, and — collapse notwithstanding — thoroughly deserved.

Sat 20 Jul 2013 🧢 2nd XIv SC Staplehurst CC · AwayformLLLLW

As a good sport with no runs at all — a duck for David Castle — should shape the report as colour, not a gag at his expense.

Skipper's Log, Saturday 20 July 2013. The road took us to Staplehurst, the toss fell kindly, and — never one to overthink these things — I had few qualms about having a bat.

What followed was as handsome a batting effort as the lads have put together all season. Will Thew set the tone with a rollicking 96, falling agonisingly short of what would have been a very well-earned hundred, while Will Thirkell anchored things beautifully with an unbeaten 83 and Glen Rawson chipped in a fine half-century of his own with 66. Poor David Castle will want to forget his afternoon rather quicker than the rest of us — out for a duck — but with the extras column alone contributing a generous 49, and the total swelling to a mighty 314 for 4 off our 45 overs, nobody dwelt on it for long.

Defending that kind of score ought to be the easy part, and so it proved. Staplehurst never got close, subsiding to 152 for 9, with only Colin Breed's well-made fifty (51) and support from Ben Spragg (27) offering any real resistance. Gez Saunders and Jack Lusher departed without troubling the scorers. Jack Gwynn led the charge with 3 for 38, backed up nicely by Tim Wright (2-15, and five miserly maidens to boot) and Darren Styles (2-38) — though poor Will Thirkell had a torrid time behind the stumps, shipping nine byes for his trouble.

We ran out winners by 162 runs. A thoroughly good day for the club, and one worth savouring on the journey home.

Wed 17 Jul 2013 🧢 Midweek XIv LX Lord Cornwallis XI · HomeformWWLDD

Sitting down at the crease of memory with a strong brew, I can report that Wednesday's affair against Dummy Site was, in the finest traditions of the club, honours even.

Winning the toss, I had no hesitation in batting first, a decision that felt rather clever right up until Trevor Back's golden duck reminded us all that cricket is a great leveller. No matter — Will Thew played a proper captain's innings of his own, 98 well-crafted runs that had us purring, with James Piper (40) and Tim Wright (26) chipping in nicely as we posted a healthy 213/7 from 41.4 overs.

Out in the field, it looked for a while like we might have bowled ourselves out of a job. Montgomery (56) and Churchill (54) put together the kind of stand that makes captains reach for the antacids, with Cornwallis unbeaten on 22 for good measure. But Will Thirkell turned in a spell to remember, 5-65 of pure wizardry, well supported by Tim Thirkell (2-18) and the metronomic Matthew Carter (2-23, four maidens no less). Claire Taylor departed without so much as a scratch on the scorers' pencil. Poor Peter Whyte had a torrid time behind the stumps, mind — 14 byes is not a number one forgets in a hurry.

In the end their innings closed on 203/9, ten runs shy, and honours were shared. A draw, then — not the glory of victory, but a thoroughly good day's cricket, and Will Thew and Will Thirkell can walk tall atop the season's charts.

Sun 14 Jul 2013 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv HC Hunton Wanderers CC · HomeformTLWWW

Sunday 14 July 2013 and the sun was out, spirits were high, and I did the thing every village captain does when the pitch looks flat and the opposition's coach pulls in: I won the toss and put Hunton Wanderers in. The right call, I still maintain, though 271/6 off their forty overs rather undercut my confidence. Dan Taylor made a magnificent 136, Jack Hart chipped in with 57, and Alex Newman's 36 rounded things off nicely — the openers put on 111 for the first wicket before we finally prised one loose. Tim Wright toiled manfully for 2-52, Michael Beeney chimed in with 2-56, and Jon Harris picked up 1-18, but by then the damage had long been done.

Chasing 272 was always going to be a stretch, and so it proved. Glen Rawson battled hard for 35, but three of ours — Richard Perkins, Martin Harris and Nat Presneill — took the long walk back for ducks apiece, and we subsided to 146 all out in 37.2 overs, saved a little dignity only by 40 extras, which frankly outbatted half the top order.

There was, mind you, one shining moment amid the wreckage: Joshua Knowler brought up his 100th appearance in Linton colours, a landmark worth more than any scoreline. Glen Rawson still leads our Sunday 2nd XI run charts and Martin Harris the wickets, so the season's bigger picture remains intact even if Sunday's chapter was a grim one.

Beaten by 125 runs, then — not our day by any stretch. Heads up, chins out, and back to the nets.

Sun 14 Jul 2013 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv HC Higham & Mockbeggar CC · AwayformWWWLW

Lost the toss on Sunday, sent out to Higham & Mockbeggar, and asked to bowl first — not the afternoon I'd have chosen, but the lads made handsome amends. Higham posted 159 all out in 39.3 overs, built chiefly around Gurjit "Sunny" Singh's well-made 71 and useful support from Jake Miller's 36. Elsewhere it was a grim day for the top order in green, with Dominic Hart, Rajinder Sidhu and Ben Murray all back in the shed without troubling the scorer. Thomas Beeney was the chief tormentor with a fine 4-22, backed up nicely by Matthew Carter (2-12) and Will Thirkell (2-33), while Mark Christmas bowled a positively miserly spell, four maidens and not a run given away lightly.

With the bat we strolled to 160/3 in 25.4 overs, though the openers gave us a wobble, one gone for just 6. From there Daniel Thirkell took charge, an unbeaten 71 doing the bulk of the damage, ably supported by Will Thirkell's 45, the pair sharing a match-defining stand of 97 for the third wicket. Benjamin Austin's contribution was rather more modest — a golden duck to nothing. Daniel also had a trying afternoon behind the stumps, leaking 12 byes, but no matter: it was his 400th appearance in Linton colours, a landmark worth toasting long and loud.

Mark Christmas continues to lead the Sunday run charts with 238, Ian Hollingworth the wickets with 13. Home by seven wickets — a thoroughly good day for the club.

Sat 13 Jul 2013 🧢 2nd XIv Meopham CC · HomeformWLLLL

Saturday 13 July, and we welcomed Meopham CC in what would prove a proper cricketing tussle. Losing the toss and being sent into the field is never how you'd script it, but 185/8 from our 45 overs was a total we could be reasonably proud of. Glen Rawson, in fine touch, cracked a fluent 70, with Tim Wright (22) and Richard Knowler (21) chipping in nicely. We'd raced to 92 without loss before the first breakthrough, and for a while it looked serene — until the middle order decided to make things interesting, sliding from 116-2 to 130-5 with alarming haste. Special mention, as ever, for the Duck Club: young Joshua Knowler walked off for a golden nought, bless him. Thirty-six extras kept the total honest.

Out in the field, Meopham matched us shot for shot, reaching 179/6. Mick Clark's unbeaten 43 anchored their innings, well supported by Jack Dickety (29) and George Tompkins (26), and a stubborn 61-run second-wicket stand threatened to spoil our afternoon. But Richard Knowler was the difference, snaring 2-35, with Tim Wright (1-27) and Luke Welsman (1-37) chipping away, and Joshua Knowler — duck notwithstanding — bowling two tidy maidens to atone.

Your correspondent, for the record, also made a duck — we shan't dwell on it. Richard Knowler's 100th appearance in Linton colours deserves its moment on the mantelpiece, coming as it did in a match he all but won for us.

Verdict: home by six runs, nerves jangling, honour intact. A proper good day for the club.

Sat 13 Jul 2013 🧢 1st XIv BC Boughton & Eastwell CC · AwayformWWWWW

Skipper's Log, Saturday 13 July 2013, away to Boughton & Eastwell CC.

Won the toss, and there was never any doubt I'd bat first on a day like that — village cricket wisdom says runs on the board, not runs chased in the fading light. It didn't start well, mind: 0-1 had the changing room reaching nervously for the biscuit tin before Richard Piper and Will Thirkell had even got their pads dirty, both departing for ducks. But cricket has a wonderful habit of righting itself, and a sturdy 55-run stand for the third wicket steadied the ship. Craig Sands was the man of the innings, unbeaten on a superb 65, with Kevin Presneill (45) and Daniel Thirkell (28) lending fine support, and a defiant last-wicket flourish of 39 runs gave 188/6 off our 45 overs a proper look of respectability.

Then came the fun part. Boughton & Eastwell suffered their own early wobble at 0-1, and from there it was largely one-way traffic — David Gray, Edward Schryver and Chris Fountain all back in the hutch without scoring, Andrew Carney's 37 the only real resistance. Thomas Beeney was superb with 3-27, backed up by Matthew Carter (2-12) and a typically miserly Mark Christmas (2-18, three maidens), and they folded for 103. I chipped in with 27 with the ball for good measure.

A splendid personal footnote too: Daniel Thirkell reached 13,000 career runs for the club, while Mark Christmas's runs today nudged him past Russell Baldwin into 24th on the all-time list. A fine win by 85 runs — the tea urn has rarely tasted sweeter. Onwards.

Tue 09 Jul 2013 🧢 Twenty20v Meopham CC · HomeformLWWWW

Down by 62, David Pollard 33 all out for 138, that Ray Dixon duck. Time to write it up.

Tuesday's fixture against Meopham CC will not, I fear, be troubling the highlights reel, but a captain owes his club an honest account, so here it is. Losing the toss meant we were sent to field first, and I'll say this for the lads: with ball in hand we were far from disgraced. Matthew Carter was the pick of the attack, prising out two for 31, with Will Thirkell (2-39) and Martin Harris (1-14) chipping in gamely. We even had the satisfaction of three ducks for our troubles — Miles Richardson, George Pearce and Richard Boot all back in the pavilion without scoring. Alas, David Pollard's 33 anchored the innings, and useful unbeaten knocks from James Fotheringham (31 not out) and Adam Roxburgh (31 not out) carried Meopham to 138 all out from their twenty overs — a target that, in the cold light of day, always looked a stretch too far.

And so it proved. Our reply never found its rhythm, subsiding to 76 all out in 17 overs, with poor Ray Dixon contributing the least welcome kind of nought to the cause. A defeat by 62 runs, then — no dressing that one up in flannel.

Elsewhere in the season's ledger there is cheer to be had: Tim Wright continues to top the T20 run charts with 58, and Martin Harris leads the wickets column with eight scalps, proof that not everything at Linton Park is heading south.

Verdict: a chastening afternoon with the bat overshadowing honest toil in the field. Heads up, chins out, and back to the nets we go.

Sun 07 Jul 2013 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv LC Lydd CC · AwayformLTLWW

Skipper's Log, Sunday 07 July 2013 — Lydd CC, away.

Lost the toss again — my one reliable talent this season — and duly found ourselves asked to bat. Not the ideal start, and it got worse before it got better: 4 for 1 had a few of us reaching for the flask of tea rather early. Darren Styles and Ian Hollingworth both departed for ducks, the sort of double blow that has grown men muttering into their pads, but Tim Wright dug in for a fine 23 to give the innings some backbone, and a generous 31 extras from our hosts did more heavy lifting than any of us would care to admit. All out for 119 in the 40 overs — not a total to frighten anyone, but not one to be entirely ashamed of either.

Then the ball, and suddenly Ian Hollingworth remembered what he was good at, snaring 4 for 37 to make amends for his golden duck, with Martin Harris (3-20) and Darren Styles (2-14) chipping away either side of him. Lydd's L Unwin (24) and Stephen Fletcher (21) threatened to make a match of it, but once they slipped from 94 for 6 to 100 for 9 the writing was on the pavilion wall, S Smith and Edward Goddard both back in the hutch without scoring.

We got home by 19 runs — scrappy, unglamorous, and thoroughly satisfying. With Glen Rawson still topping the season's run charts and Martin Harris leading the wickets, the engine room is purring nicely. A good day for the club, and, dare I say, for the captain's blood pressure too.

Sun 07 Jul 2013 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv Beckenham CC · HomeformLWWWL

We had the toss go our way, and with a good pitch underfoot and Beckenham's opening bowlers looking distinctly friendly, I had no hesitation in taking first knock. It proved a shrewd call. David Castle set about the bowling with real intent for a fine 68, and once he and Daniel Thirkell (55) got their eye in, the pair put on 115 for the second wicket and rather took the game away from the visitors. Craig Sands chipped in with 45, and even the extras column got in on the act with a generous 26. Poor Richard Knowler was the one blot on an otherwise handsome scorecard, undone for a duck — though he'd more than make amends later. We closed on a formidable 242/7 from our 41 overs.

If our batting had been a stroll in the sunshine, our bowling was a mugging in broad daylight. Beckenham never got going, sliding from 67-6 to 74-9 with the kind of speed that leaves visiting scorers reaching for their pencils in disbelief. Sam Boyns led the charge with 3-23, well supported by Joshua Knowler (3-23) and Richard Knowler, whose 2-9 with three miserly maidens was rich revenge for his golden duck. Poor Will Harris, David Valder and Chris Harris departed without troubling the scorers themselves. Mark Christmas had a busy afternoon behind the stumps, 8 byes the only mild dent in a fine display, while I pottered along to 24 with the bat.

A red-letter day all round, too, with David Castle raising his 26,000th run for the club. We ran out winners by 162 runs — the sort of afternoon that makes all those wet Sundays worthwhile.

Sat 06 Jul 2013 🧢 1st XIv SC Sheldwich CC · HomeformWWWWW

Saturday, 06 July 2013 — Sheldwich CC visited us, and having lost the toss, we found ourselves asked to bowl. Not our favourite start to a Saturday, but the lads set about it well enough. James Creed gave us all a lesson in patience with a chanceless-looking 66, well supported by Jon Taylor's 21, as Sheldwich crept to 138/8 from their 45 overs. Credit where due: Thomas Beeney was the chief tormentor with 3-21, Matthew Carter bowled with a miser's discipline (2-15, five maidens — the lads' electricity bill would approve), and Iain Rawson chipped in with 1-15. A total of 138 felt gettable, and gettable it proved.

With the bat, Kevin Presneill led from the front with 38, Mark Christmas made a handsome 31, and Daniel Thirkell saw us home unbeaten on 28. An opening stand of 66 set us up nicely before the inevitable Linton Park wobble arrived — Maxine Blythin and Kenny Veck back in the pavilion without scratch, and poor Will Thirkell collecting a duck of his own to keep Sheldwich's earlier effort company. I contributed a watchful 31 in the middle, more relief than style.

In the end, 142/6 from 33 overs got us there with four wickets and a decent margin of overs to spare. Two points, thoroughly earned, and a timely reminder that on our day, we can chase down most things — even our own nerves.

Wed 03 Jul 2013 🧢 Midweek XIv SC Sevenoaks & District Wednesday CC · HomeformLWWLD

Here's the report:

We shuffled out to the middle against Sevenoaks & District Wednesday with the sun out and expectations modest, and promptly lost an early wicket with just 6 on the board — the sort of nervy start that has captains reaching for the tea urn a little too early. But Will Thew had other ideas, and in making his 100th appearance in Linton colours he marked the milestone in the only way that matters: with a magnificent 113. He and Joshua Knowler, unbeaten on 53, put on 132 for the fifth wicket to drag us up to a handsome 219/5 from our 35 overs. One for the scrapbook, that.

With the ball, the lads were in no mood to be generous. Craig Sands battled hard for his 40, but found little support — Mark Sumpter departed without troubling the scorers, and eight byes told their own tale of a tricky day for the Sevenoaks man behind the stumps. Stuart Cheesman was superb, 3-13 and, in the process, easing past Dick Langridge into 25th on the club's all-time wicket-takers list. Tim Wright (2-15, five maidens) bowled with real miserliness, and Thomas Beeney chipped in with 2-18 as Sevenoaks subsided to 105/9.

We couldn't quite force the win, and honours were shared. But with Thew's century, Cheesman's slice of history, and both men topping our season charts, this was a draw that felt very much like ours.

Sun 30 Jun 2013 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv EC Exiles at Ash CC · AwayformWLTLW

Skipper's Log — 30th June 2013, away at Exiles at Ash CC.

Lost the toss, got put into the field, and I confess my heart sank a little as we trudged out under the Ash sun. But the lads had other ideas. Glen Rawson set about rebuilding both his reputation and the scoreboard, a fine 67 the backbone of our 159/6 from the 40 — and generous of the extras column to chip in 27 of its own, though I'll take runs however they arrive.

Defending 159 always feels like guarding a sandcastle against the tide, but Darren Styles simply refused to let it wash away, his 3-40 the difference between a nervous finish and a comfortable one. Tim Thirkell and Martin Harris backed him up handsomely with two apiece, while William Burdge and Jack Cussen departed for ducks at our hands — sympathies to both. Exiles fought hard through Matt Luckhurst (34), John Rivers (32) and Kevin Hollyhock (24), but 139 all out from 34.2 overs was as far as they could stretch it.

A word for the mantelpiece: Glen Rawson brought up 6,000 career runs for the club during his innings — a landmark achieved with typical understatement, as if he'd merely popped out for a single. He now tops our 2013 Sunday 2nd XI run charts with 173, while Martin Harris leads the wickets with 10.

Verdict: a fine win by 20 runs, earned the hard way. Onwards.

Sun 30 Jun 2013 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv EC Elvington and Tilmanstone Colliery Welfare CC · HomeformLLWWW

Beaten by 81 runs, but by heavens we made the visitors work for every one of them.

Sunday 30 June, and Elvington and Tilmanstone Colliery Welfare CC rolled into Linton Park with the look of a side who fancied their chances. I lost the toss — no great surprise there, my coin-calling continues to be the weakest part of my captaincy — and we were asked to field first. They made themselves thoroughly at home, racking up 231/7 from their forty overs on the back of a fine opening stand: Andrew McNicholas top-scored with 48, well supported by Michael Mcnicholas (44) and M Palmer (39). Credit where due — Richard Knowler bowled beautifully for 3-24, with Joshua Knowler (3-49) and Ian Hollingworth (1-39) chipping in to keep us in the contest, at least on paper.

Chasing 232 was always going to ask questions of the lower order's nerve, and while Richard Piper played a lovely knock of 32, ably backed up by Chris Newman's 24, we never quite found the momentum to trouble the target. Extras did their bit with a generous 34, but we subsided to 150/9 from 36.3 overs. Special mention, in the grand tradition of the Duck Club ledger, to Michael Beeney, who made the long walk back for nought.

Elsewhere, the season ticks along nicely — Piper now 4th in the Sunday 1st XI run charts, Hollingworth 2nd among the wicket-takers. As for Sunday's effort: honest, occasionally handsome, ultimately 81 runs short. We'll be better for it next week.

Sun 30 Jun 2013 🧢 Sunday NVKCv RC Rowledge CC · HomeformWLWWD

Sunday 30 June brought Rowledge CC to Linton Park, and winning the toss I had no hesitation in taking first knock — a decision I stand by, even if the scorebook makes for grim reading. We were 0-1 before some of us had found our guard, and what followed was less a batting collapse than a full evacuation: 11-4 inside a handful of overs. Jordan Austin and Craig Sands both departed for ducks, and by the time we'd been shot out for 81 in 26.3 overs, there wasn't much dignity left to salvage, let alone runs.

Still, cricket is a game of two innings, and with the total looking distinctly modest, the ball was our only hope of a story worth telling. Mark Christmas led from the front with 1-16 and two tidy maidens, ably backed up by Will Thirkell's 1-22, and for a while we made Rowledge work for it. But Chris "Jnr" Yates batted with the calm of a man who'd seen the pitch report and decided it was all a bit overblown, finishing unbeaten on 29, with Rob Smith's 26 easing things along nicely after an opening stand of 60 laid the platform. They cruised home at 82-2 from 22 overs, beating us by 8 wickets.

A chastening afternoon all round, though Kevin Presneill's 72 runs keep him third in the Sunday run charts, and Mark Christmas still tops the wicket-takers with six. As for the rest of us — we'll be better for it next week. We rather have to be.

Sat 29 Jun 2013 🧢 1st XIv Stowting CC · HomeformWWWWW

Saturday 29 June 2013, Stowting CC at home, and rarely has a toss been called with more misplaced confidence than mine — though for once the swagger was justified. I put us in, and while losing our first wicket for just 5 had the tea urn practically trembling, the middle order steadied the ship handsomely. Mark Christmas played the innings of the day, unbeaten on 85, with Will Thew (27) and Iain Rawson (22) offering fine support, and a stout 62-run stand for the seventh wicket did the heavy lifting. A cheeky last-wicket flourish of 37 runs — the sort of batting that owes more to bravado than technique — pushed us on to a very presentable 196/7 from our 45 overs.

Defending that total, we bowled with real discipline. Stowting's Matthew Cox (41) and Clifford Ball (37) threatened to make a match of it, but Martin Harris was in inspired form, snaring 4-23, with Thomas Beeney (3-18) and Matthew Carter (1-18, and five miserly maidens to boot) squeezing the life from the innings. They were bowled out for 144 in 42.2 overs, and the job was done.

A word, if I may permit myself one, on my own contribution — 85 runs from the top of the order isn't a bad way to lead by example, and it keeps me handily atop the season's run charts on 277, with Thomas Beeney a fine second in the bowling列表 on 20 wickets.

Two points, a 52-run win, and a very satisfactory Saturday all round.

Thu 27 Jun 2013 🧢 Twenty20v SC Smarden CC · AwayformLLWWW

Away at Smarden CC on Thursday 27 June, and if you'd told me at 49-6 that we'd walk off with two points, I'd have offered you a cup of tea and a lie down. We'd stumbled early — 7-1 — then rather more spectacularly from 40-3 to 49-6, the kind of collapse that has grown men muttering into their pads. Poor Thomas Beeney had a match to forget with the bat, back in the hutch for a duck. But cricket, like the English weather, delights in changing its mind: a defiant last-wicket stand added 57 priceless runs to drag us to a respectable-looking 106/6 from our 20 overs, Adam Jackson (26 not out) and Matthew Carter (21 not out) seeing us home with the calm of men who knew someone had to.

Defending 106 felt like guarding a sandcastle against the tide, but the bowlers had other ideas. Thomas Beeney, evidently deciding batting wasn't his day but bowling might be, tore in for 2-14, with Mark Christmas (2-21) and Martin Harris (2-25) offering fine support — and rather satisfyingly, David Collins and Ben Wright both found themselves back in the pavilion for ducks of their own. I chipped in with 21, more out of curiosity than heroics. Smarden fell for 97, and we'd won it by 9 runs.

A match that threatened to unravel and instead turned into one to savour — two points, thoroughly earned, and a timely reminder that in this game the story isn't over until the last wicket falls.

Tue 25 Jun 2013 🧢 Twenty20v Bearsted CC · HomeformWLLWW

Wednesday nights are for winning the toss and taking first knock, and against Bearsted CC that's exactly what I did — no hesitation, no second-guessing, straight in to bat.

We rattled up 145/7 from our 20, though "rattled" undersells the wobble in the middle. Mark Christmas (31 not out) and Craig Sands (31 not out) shared a fine unbroken partnership between them, with the third-wicket stand of 68 doing the heavy lifting. Then, as club cricket so often insists, the wheels came clean off — 95/3 to 113/6 quicker than you can say "have a look at this one." Poor Thomas Beeney contributed a duck for his troubles, though the extras column, ever the reliable middle-order batsman, chipped in a generous 31.

With 145 to defend, the lads turned it on with the ball. Stephen Pearce went for a duck of his own at the other end of the innings, but no matter — Matthew Carter was magnificent, ripping through with 3-16, well backed by Martin Harris (3-22) and Joshua Knowler (1-0). Bearsted folded for 89 in 16.3 overs, and I'll confess to a quiet satisfaction in adding 3 wickets myself to the skipper's tally.

Up on the season table, Tim Wright continues to lead the run charts with 36, and Martin Harris tops the wickets with 5 — both men very much in form.

A win by 56 runs, then, and a thoroughly satisfying one at that. Onwards.

Sun 23 Jun 2013 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv WC West Peckham CC · AwayformLWLTL

Sunday 23rd June, and off to West Peckham we went with the sun on our backs and, for once, a plan. Winning the toss and choosing to bat felt like the right call at the time, and I'll stand by it still — 168 all out from 38.1 overs is a respectable afternoon's work, built chiefly on Glen Rawson's 40 and Richard Piper's watchful 39. Elsewhere the card told a sorrier tale, with Trevor Back, Nat Presneill and Tim Thirkell all departing for nought, rescued only by 53 extras that did more for the total than several of us managed with the bat. I include myself in that indictment — a duck of my own, on which the less said, the better.

Defending 168 is rarely comfortable, and West Peckham made us sweat every one of their 164 all out in 41.1 overs, Angus Buchanan's 78 the innings that threatened to sink us, with useful support from H Pearce and C Reading. But this was Martin Harris's day through and through — 7-54, including two miserly maidens, backed up by Tim Thirkell and Tim Wright chipping in a wicket apiece, while Will Edwards, R- Outram and W Collins went cheaply at the other end.

Four runs. That's all it was. A nerve-shredding, thoroughly deserved two points, and a timely reminder that cricket, like life at Linton Park, is rarely won by comfort.

Sun 23 Jun 2013 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv NC New Ifield CC · HomeformLLLWW

Sunday 23 June saw New Ifield roll into Linton Park under grey skies and greyer prospects for our top order, though as it turned out the boot ended up on the other foot entirely. I lost the toss — a habit I'm cultivating into something of an art form — and we were put into the field. New Ifield's openers made themselves thoroughly at home, ambling to 73 without loss before we finally prised one out, but from there the innings rather fell off a cliff: 146 all out in the 43rd over. Will Thirkell was the chief architect of the collapse, four wickets for a miserly 16 runs (four maidens besides — the sort of spell that makes tea taste sweeter), with Mark Christmas and Luke Welsman chipping in either side of him.

Our reply was a rather more sedate affair. Darren Delport, David Homewood and Nick Bodle all fell without scoring — three ducks is not a statistic one boasts about in the clubhouse, though I shall mention it here anyway — but Daniel Thirkell played the innings of the day, 56 of good, honest running between the wickets, with Jordan Austin's 24 keeping him company. Between them they steered us home to 148 for 6 with overs to spare.

A four-wicket win, then, and a thoroughly deserved one. Mark Christmas continues to top our Sunday run charts and Will Thirkell now sits third among the wicket-takers — form which, on this evidence, shows no sign of deserting either man. Onwards.

Sat 22 Jun 2013 🧢 2nd XIv Marden CC, Kent · HomeformDWLLL

As the honorary match reporter, from the captain's chair on Saturday 22 June 2013:

Lost the toss again — story of my season — and Marden CC duly stuck us in. What followed was a batting effort best described as "solid, in patches." We crawled and occasionally sprinted to 175/9 from our 45, with Richard Piper the standout, top-scoring with a fine 42. Michael Beeney chipped in 29 and Tim Wright 28, though poor Nat Presneill will want this report shredded before his mother reads it — out for a golden duck, bless him.

If 175 felt gettable, Marden made it look positively easy. Jon Lugg played the innings of the day, a classy 53, with sturdy support from Nick Burdge (46) and John Scott, unbeaten on 38 — the sort of top order that makes a captain wish he'd bowled first after all. Richard Thomas at least kept us company in the duck club, back in the hutch without troubling the scorers. The one shaft of sunlight was Tim Wright, relentless with the ball — 3 for 21 off his overs, three of them maidens, proper miserly stuff — well backed by Michael Beeney (1-20) and Joshua Knowler (1-35). It simply wasn't enough; Marden strolled home by four wickets.

Small mercies: Richard Piper now sits second in our 2nd XI run charts with 106, and Tim Wright leads the wicket-takers with 8 — proof there's method amid the muddle. Verdict: not our day, but not a disgrace either. Heads up, chins out, back to the nets.

Sat 22 Jun 2013 🧢 1st XIv Marden CC, Kent · AwayformLWWWW

23 June 2013 dawned bright over the M20, and the good ship Linton Park rolled into Marden CC with hope in our hearts and rather less certainty in our top order. I lost the toss — some things never change — and Marden had no hesitation shoving us out to bat first.

We recovered well enough. Kevin Presneill batted with real substance for his 59, and a handy 70-run stand for the second wicket with Mark Christmas (44) gave the innings a spine it badly needed, Daniel Thirkell's 35 adding further ballast. But then, as is our tradition, we conspired to make things interesting: 159 for 5 became 168 for 8 before you could say "cup of tea," with Laurie Probert and Iain Rawson both departing for ducks. Still, 216 all out from 41.5 overs was a total with some teeth in it.

And how those teeth bit. Marden's reply disintegrated in a hurry — 7 for 1 became 38 for 4, became 49 for 7 — as Alfie Gordine, Arun Samuel and James Taylor all bagged ducks of their own. Will Thirkell was quite unplayable, spinning his way to 6 for 13, with Matthew Carter (2 for 11, four maidens — not a run given away lightly) and Mark Christmas (1 for 14) tidying up the rest. Marden were bowled out for a meagre 69.

A word too for the record books: Christmas's 44 shuffled him past Presneill into 25th on the all-time run charts, and Carter's brace of wickets nudged him past John Thirkell into 15th among the club's wicket-takers.

A comprehensive 147-run win. Onwards indeed.

Sun 16 Jun 2013 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv BC Borden CC · AwayformDLWLT

Beaten again by the coin before a ball was bowled, we trooped out to Borden and duly found ourselves put in to bat. Forty overs later we'd limped to 136 for 8, a total that owed almost everything to Trevor Back, whose unbeaten 62 was the innings' one real thread of composure, with Will Thew chipping in a handy 36 alongside him. The lower order, it must be said, had rather less to write home about — Matthew Gladwell, Matt Bramley-Harker and Will Bramley-Harker all departed for ducks, a trio of blobs that will not trouble the ghostwriters of Wisden.

Defending 136 was always going to want something special, and though our bowlers toiled honestly, Borden had other ideas. Nat Presneill led the attack well for his 1 for 3, Tim Wright bowled two tidy maidens on his way to 1 for 11, and Michael Beeney picked up 1 for 30, but Sandip Patel's unbeaten 66 and Samir Shah's 31 built an unanswerable 80-run third-wicket stand, and Borden strolled home at 137 for 3. Nine byes off our gloves rather summed up the afternoon behind the stumps.

Trevor Back continues to lead our Sunday 2nd XI run-scorers this summer, and Tim Wright sits proudly third among the wicket-takers, so all is not gloom. But beaten by seven wickets is beaten by seven wickets — we'll dust ourselves down and come back stronger next week.

Sun 16 Jun 2013 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv EC Eastchurch CC · AwayformWLLLW

Sunday, 16th June 2013, and off we trundled to Eastchurch CC in reasonably hopeful spirits. Winning the toss, I put them in — the sort of decision that can make a captain look either shrewd or utterly foolish by teatime, and I'm delighted to report it was the former.

Eastchurch made a fair fist of things, posting 146 all out in 36.2 overs, built chiefly around Ashley Hayward's fine 62 and useful support from Callum Hughes with 30. But our attack had the last laugh. Ian Hollingworth was superb, snaring 4-16 with three miserly maidens thrown in for good measure, while Richard Knowler (3-57) and Martin Harris (2-16) mopped up the rest. Special mention, if you can call it that, for John Hammon, sent back for a golden duck.

Chasing 147, we made harder work of it than the target perhaps deserved, but got there with something to spare — 147/4 in 34.2 overs. Richard Piper anchored the innings superbly with an unbeaten 40, Benjamin Austin chipped in a handy 38, and Richard Knowler added 26. Richard Perkins will want to forget his golden duck, though the extras column's generous 34 rather made up for any indiscipline elsewhere.

Benjamin Austin now sits fourth in this season's Sunday run charts, and Martin Harris continues to lead the wicket-takers with a dozen scalps.

Six wickets, two points, and a thoroughly satisfying afternoon's work — the lads can be proud of that one.

Sun 16 Jun 2013 🧢 Sunday NVKCv BC Bidborough CC · HomeformWWLWW

Skipper's Log — Sunday 16 June 2013. Lost the toss, put in to bowl, which around these parts is less a decision than a formality. We battled to 145/8 from our forty, though "battled" undersells the panic of losing a wicket with the scoreboard still reading nothing — never the calmest way to begin a Sunday. Glen Rawson steadied matters with a fine 23, well supported by Will Thirkell (21) and Craig Sands (20), and the tail, bless them, wagged furiously enough to add a frustrating 36 at the death. Not everyone shared in the glory, mind — Jordan Austin and Stuart Cheesman both took that long, lonely walk back for ducks, and the Duck Club ledger duly noted their contributions. 🦆

Defending 145 against Bidborough looked a stretch on paper, but cricket rarely reads the script. An early wobble at 1-1 set the tone, and though Michael Waller (30) threatened to bat us out of it, well backed by Stuart Pinchin (25) and Jack Redden (20), the innings collapsed spectacularly from 85-3 to 95-6. James Baldock, Pat Rossiter and Charlie Harding all fell for ducks of their own, evening the ledger nicely. Stuart Cheesman, redeeming his golden duck in some style, ran through them with 4-14, Will Thirkell chipped in with 3-25 and Sam Boyns took 1-11 as Bidborough folded for 117 in 37.3 overs.

Craig Sands continues to lead our 2013 Sunday run charts with 84, and Thomas Beeney tops the wickets with six — form worth watching as the summer rolls on.

In the end, honours shared: a draw when neither side could quite land the killer blow. Not a classic, but honest club cricket, and we'll take it.

Sat 15 Jun 2013 🧢 2nd XIv RC Rumwood CC · AwayformWDWLL

Saturday 15 June 2013, and off we trundled to Rumwood CC with the sun out and, for once, my toss-calling arm in decent working order. Correct call, and I didn't hesitate for a second in sending them in — a decision that, for 45 overs, looked rather clever indeed.

Rumwood closed on 132/6, built chiefly around Ben Austin's unbeaten 40 and useful support from Jordan Austin's 34, while poor Joe Millen trudged off without so much as a nibble at the scorers' pencil. But the bowling had real teeth: Darren Styles was the pick, 2-24 with two tidy maidens thrown in for good measure, while Iain Rawson (2-32) and Jack Gwynn (1-3) chipped away nicely. A fine team effort with the ball, and 132 looked eminently gettable.

Except, dear reader, it wasn't. Our reply subsided to 82/9 from the full 45 overs, Richard Piper doing his level best with a battling 29 while the rest of us rather let the innings drift. Tim Wright's golden duck summed up the general mood at the crease.

Elsewhere, the season marches on regardless — David Castle still tops the 2nd XI run charts with 181, and Iain Rawson sits second in the wickets with 3, so not everything is doom and gloom.

Fifty runs the wrong side of the ledger, then. A day where the bowlers did their job and the batsmen forgot to turn up. Heads up, chins high, and back to the nets we go.

Sat 15 Jun 2013 🧢 1st XIv SC Staplehurst CC · HomeformLLWWW

Saturday 15 June 2013, and we welcomed Staplehurst CC to Linton Park under skies that, for once, threatened nothing worse than a bit of a breeze. I won the toss and, with the sort of confidence that later required some justifying, stuck us in.

It paid off handsomely. Staplehurst were shot out for 116 in 44.5 overs, Tim Watts's well-made fifty (53) the only real resistance to a bowling effort that had Mark Christmas rolling in beautifully for 2-13, well supported by Matthew Carter's 2-26 and the metronomic Martin Harris, whose 1-4 and three maidens suggested batsmen were queuing up simply to admire the accuracy. Paul Motum departed for a duck to set the tone early, and the innings never recovered.

Chasing 117 should have been a formality, and it very nearly wasn't - three of our number, Craig Sands, Glen Rawson and Will Thew, all fell without troubling the scorers, and for a nervous spell the extras column looked our most reliable batsman. Step forward Will Thirkell, whose composed 59 anchored the reply, with Kevin Presneill's brisk 21 keeping the required rate honest, and we scrambled home at 117/7 with three wickets to spare.

A scrappy, nerve-jangling, thoroughly satisfying win. We'll take it - and quietly hope for fewer ducks next weekend.

Thu 13 Jun 2013 🧢 Twenty20v LC Lenham CC · AwayformWWLLW

From the captain's chair — Thursday 13 June 2013. We travelled to Lenham CC on a day that felt, from the toss onwards, like it might go our way, and for once instinct served us well. I called correctly and, needing no second invitation, stuck them in.

It looked a canny decision when Lenham could only post 117/8 from their twenty overs. Martin Harris was the chief architect with a fine 2-4, backed up nicely by Sam Boyns (2-16) and Matthew Carter (1-13), while Pete Humphries, Steve Livesy and Jack Ambrose all trudged off for ducks — the Duck Club doing brisk business. Tom Curtis's 26, with support from Alan Barr and Dan Russell (23 apiece), kept Lenham respectable rather than dangerous.

With the bat, 118 was never going to trouble us unduly, though we contrived to make it interesting, stumbling to 120/6 in 17.1 overs. Tim Wright anchored things beautifully with an unbeaten 32, well supported by Thomas Beeney's unbeaten 25, while Martin Harris, Chris Newman and Matthew Carter completed miserable doubles for the Duck Club ledger. Your correspondent, for the record, contributed a duck of his own — the less said, frankly, the better.

Four wickets the margin, and a thoroughly good day for the club. Tim Wright now leads our run charts and Sam Boyns the wickets — early season honours, but honours nonetheless. We'll take that all the way home.

Sun 09 Jun 2013 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv HC Holborough Anchorians CC · AwayformWDLWL

Sunday last saw us make the journey to Holborough Anchorians CC, and the coin, as it so often does when I'm the one flipping it, betrayed us at once — they had a look and fancied fielding first. No matter: the lads settled in nicely, with the openers putting on 63 for the first wicket before the breakthrough finally came. Glen Rawson then took charge with a handsome 66, and found willing company in Chris Newman, unbeaten on 41, and Richard Piper with a tidy 32. A generous 26 in extras rounded out a total of 200 for 4 from our 40 overs — the sort of score that lets a captain enjoy his tea rather than chew through his fingernails.

Out in the field, though, Holborough had other ideas. Sunil Landa played the innings of the day with 63, ushered along by Imran Gill's 47 and Ata Siddiqui's 22, and try as we might we simply couldn't shake them loose. Michael Beeney worked hardest for his reward with 2 for 37, Tim Wright chipped in with 2 for 48, Chris Newman took one, and Ian Hollingworth bowled beautifully tight, three maidens and barely a run to be had off him. Yet Holborough matched us stroke for stroke, finishing level on 200 for 7.

A tie, then — honours shared, and not a blade of grass between us after a full day's honest toil. Rawson and Newman continue their fine seasons in the club charts, and if this match proved anything, it's that Linton Park don't know how to make anything easy, for ourselves or anyone else.

Sun 09 Jun 2013 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv CC Charing CC · HomeformWWLLL

Off the top of the head, having won precisely nothing at the toss, we watched Charing CC elect to field, and one does wonder whether they'd studied our top order's recent form. Whatever their reasoning, they'll have regretted it by the time we'd posted 161 all out in 39.3 overs. Matthew Carter led the way with a fine 46, well supported by Craig Sands (32) and Mark Christmas (23), the pair adding 59 for the fourth wicket to give the innings its backbone. Spare a thought, though, for poor Benjamin Austin, whose contribution to the ledger was a duck of the most public variety — the walk of shame indeed.

Defending 161, we set about Charing with real purpose. An early wicket at 7 had them rattled, and when they slumped from 45-4 to 56-7 the game was as good as won, Dave Riley and Ben Cook both sent back without troubling the scorers for good measure. Thomas Beeney was the pick of the attack with 3-13, Martin Harris chipped in with 3-15, and Will Thirkell claimed 2-10 — though he'll want a word with himself over those 10 byes conceded behind the stumps. Mark Christmas, not content with his runs, bowled two tidy maidens. I managed 46 myself, which I shall mention only in passing, being a modest sort.

Charing were bowled out for 93 in 28.2 overs, and we ran out winners by 68 runs. With Mark Christmas topping the Sunday run charts and Martin Harris leading the wickets, the season is shaping up rather nicely. A fine win, and onwards we go.

Sat 08 Jun 2013 🧢 2nd XIv RC Rumwood CC · HomeformWWDWL

Beaten by one wicket, and I still can't quite bring myself to be cross about it.

Saturday saw Rumwood CC visit for what turned out to be a proper old-fashioned nail-biter. Batting first, we were rocked early — 5 for 1 is not the start any captain dreams of over his breakfast toast — but David Castle set about repairing things with a fine 44, and Tim Wright chipped in nicely with 20 to help us to a respectable 147 for 7 from our 45 overs. Not a total to frighten anyone, perhaps, but enough to make a game of it.

And what a game it was. Rumwood replied with 148 for 9 from 43.3 overs, with Joe Millen (48) and Jordan Austin (44) doing the early damage. But then came the collapse every home dressing room dreams of — 129 for 3 crumbling to 129 for 6, with Mark Austin, Ben Austin and Patrick Hill all removed without troubling the scorers 🦆. Tim Wright was quite magnificent, snaffling 5 for 5 in a spell that deserves its own place in club folklore, with Martin Harris (2 for 32, three tidy maidens) and Darren Styles (1 for 17) squeezing from the other end.

Alas, one wicket was all that stood between glorious triumph and gallant defeat, and it stood firm. Castle now tops our 2nd XI run charts with 179 for the summer, and Wright leads the wickets with 5 — small consolation, but consolation nonetheless. We'll be better for it next week.

Sat 08 Jun 2013 🧢 1st XIv SC Sheldwich CC · AwayformDLLWW

Saturday 08 June 2013 – away to Sheldwich, and having won the toss I did the sensible thing for once and stuck us in to bat. Whether it was sensible cricket or sheer stubbornness the lads were too polite to say, but 192/8 off our 45 overs suggested I'd got away with it. Kevin Presneill was the architect, a superbly composed 78, and he found a willing ally in Glen Rawson, whose 29 helped build a second-wicket stand of 70 that was very much the innings within the innings. The rest of us pottered about usefully around the edges, as is tradition.

Out in the field, Sheldwich never quite got the total in their sights. Maxine Blythin battled to 46 and Nick Collins chipped in with 31, but beyond that our attack simply strangled the life out of the reply — Martin Mills, Alex Roe and Matt Smyth all trooping back for ducks, three sore heads to nurse over the teas. Matt Bramley-Harker was the chief tormentor with 3-17, Will Thirkell bowled with the miserly precision of a man checking his change (2-16, three maidens), and Richard Knowler chipped in with 2-37. Sheldwich were done for 130 in 42.1 overs.

A win by 62 runs, then, and a thoroughly satisfying afternoon's work. Glen Rawson continues to top the run charts with 205 for the season, and Thomas Beeney still leads the wickets with 15 — the engine room is purring nicely. Onwards.

Sun 02 Jun 2013 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv HC Herne CC · AwayformLWDLW

Sunday last saw us take the road down to Herne, where the coin fell their way and they sent us in — never a good sign against a side who clearly fancied a bowl.

We laboured to 119 all out in 39.5 overs, a total that owed rather more to the extras column (a generous 30) than to anything resembling a batting collapse being avoided. Trevor Back top-scored with a battling 23, while Martin Harris and Alan Boyns both contributed the sort of golden duck that makes you suddenly very interested in your bootlaces. Not our finest hour with the willow, if we're honest.

Defending 119 was always going to require something special, and for a while the bowlers gave us hope. Will Bramley-Harker was the pick of them with 2-20, Tim Wright bowled tidily for 1-12 with two maidens to his name, and Martin Harris chipped in with 1-26. But Herne's Alex Taylor (39 not out) and Daniel Macer (38 not out) had other ideas, seeing the visitors home at 120/4 with overs to spare.

Amid the gloom, one shaft of sunlight: Trevor Back brought up 13,000 career runs for the club, a landmark worth raising a glass to even in defeat.

A six-wicket loss, then, and no dressing it up. Heads up, chins out, and back to the nets — there's work to do before next weekend.

Sun 02 Jun 2013 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv NC Norton Sports CC · HomeformLWWLL

Norton Sports CC came to Linton Park on Sunday 2 June, we lost the toss, and were duly asked to bowl first upon our own ground — never the ideal start to a Sunday, but such is the cricketing life.

With the bat, it must be said, we were not at our fluent best. 103/9 from our forty overs was scratchy stuff, held together largely by Richard Knowler's 20, and undone by a horror stretch from 88-4 to 92-7 that will not feature in the club's showreel. Chris Newman and Nat Presneill both departed for ducks, and your correspondent, in a display of solidarity I could have done without, made one himself. We shall move swiftly on.

In the field, though, we showed rather more of our true colours. Peter Davies was superb with 2-5, Richard Knowler chipped in with 1-26, and Darren Styles bowled three tight maidens that kept the scoreboard honest for long spells. Norton, for their part, batted sensibly through Daniel Marshall's 39 and Darren Killick's 22 to reach 106/4 from 34.2 overs and take the match by six wickets.

A defeat, then, but not a disgrace — the bowling gave us genuine heart amid a batting performance best filed under "character-building". We'll regroup, dust off the bats, and be better for it next week.

Sun 02 Jun 2013 🧢 Sunday NVKCv EC Eynsford CC · HomeformLWWLW

It was Eynsford CC at home on Sunday, and for once the coin didn't even bother pretending to be fair to us — they had first use of what looked, and played, like a decent track.

Put in the field, we let them build early, the openers settling in for 74 before the breakthrough finally came. Howard Collins (45) and Ben Wise (25) threatened to bat us out of the day entirely, but credit where it's due: the lads regrouped superbly, ripping through the middle and lower order from 126-6 to 137-9 in what felt like the time it takes to pour a tea. Thomas Beeney was the chief destroyer with 3-23, Sam Boyns and Mark Christmas chipped in with two apiece, and Will Thirkell bowled with the kind of miserly discipline that makes batsmen question their life choices. All out for 139 — a total we fancied chasing.

And chase we did, thanks almost entirely to Jordan Austin, who batted with real class for an unbeaten 77, well supported by Kevin Presneill's 26 in a stand of 59 for the third wicket. Mark Christmas's duck was the only real blemish on an otherwise tidy pursuit — well, that and my own effort, about which the less said the better. Twelve byes suggested Craig Sands had rather a testing afternoon behind the stumps too.

Six wickets, two points, and Austin now tops our Sunday run charts while Christmas leads the wickets — a thoroughly deserved win, even if my own contribution was strictly ornamental.

Sat 01 Jun 2013 🧢 1st XIv Stowting CC · AwayformLDLLW

As Skipper reflected, Saturday 1st June 2013 at Stowting CC.

Lost the toss, put in to bat, which these days feels less like misfortune and more like tradition. But 198 for 7 off our 45 was a proper score, built the way we like them — patient, then punchy. The openers gave us 61 for the first wicket before the axe fell, and Glen Rawson simply carried on from there, ghosting past his fifty to finish on a magnificent 89. Craig Sands chipped in nicely with 47 and Richard Piper's 22 kept the middle order honest, the third-wicket pair stitching together 82 crucial runs. Then, as is our way, we found a way to make it interesting — 190 for 4 became 195 for 7 before anyone could reach for the scorebook pen. Still, a total to defend.

And defend it we did, in some style. Stowting were held to 104 for 7 from their 45, David Jackson's unbeaten 52 the lone bright spark in an innings that otherwise fell apart at the seams — 55 for 2 crumbling to 69 for 5 in short order, with Clifford Ball and Sam Pepper dispatched without so much as a run to their names. Thomas Beeney was magnificent, tearing through with 4 for 28, well supported by Matt Bramley-Harker and Matthew Carter, while Iain Rawson bowled with the meanness of a man protecting his allotment, four maidens and all.

A day of milestones too — Beeney's 1,000 club runs, Rawson climbing the run charts, Carter up among the wicket-takers. A fine win by 94 runs. We'll take that all season long.

Sun 26 May 2013 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv BC Band of Brothers CC · HomeformWLWWL

Sunday 26th May, and Band of Brothers CC rolled up to our place with the sun out and the tea urn on. I lost the toss — as tradition demands — and we were sent out to field first, which at least meant nobody had to watch me pad up in a hurry.

With the bat we scratched together 148 for 8 off our twenty, a total that felt distinctly middling as it happened but somehow held its nerve. Matthew Carter played the anchor role beautifully for 28, with Jordan Austin chipping in a brisk 21, and I contributed a fairly unremarkable 28 of my own — enough to feel useful, not enough to feel heroic.

In the field, Martin Harris was the story of the day, ripping through the top order with 3 for 7 in what can only be described as a mugging in whites. Mark Christmas and Ian Hollingworth backed him up nicely with a wicket apiece, and we even had X Rhodes back in the pavilion for a duck. But Band of Brothers had other ideas: X Copestake anchored superbly for an unbeaten 35, with Toby Marriott (30 not out) and Alex Norwood-Hill (29) doing just enough to see them home at 152 for 8, sneaking it by two wickets.

Credit where it's due — Mark Christmas now tops our Sunday run charts for the season with 170, and Martin Harris leads the wickets with 7, so the engine room is purring even when the scoreboard isn't. Not our day, then. Heads up, chins high, and back to the nets we go.

Sun 26 May 2013 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv Sissinghurst CC · AwayformWLWDL

Sunday 26 May 2013, and off we trundled to Sissinghurst with the season's optimism still largely intact. Winning the toss, I did what any captain with a batting-friendly pitch and a stubborn streak does — I stuck us in without a flicker of doubt. Will Thew played the innings of the day, a proper fifty worth 53, with Richard Piper (31) and an unbeaten 25 from Gareth Davies filling in nicely around him. Poor Nat Presneill's golden duck was the one blot on an otherwise handsome scorecard, and even the extras got in on the act with a generous 54. We closed on 217/8 from our 38 overs — a total that looked competitive, if not entirely unassailable, over tea.

Defending it was another matter entirely once Luke Sheridan decided he fancied a hundred, and duly helped himself to a magnificent 120. For a good while it felt like our afternoon might be gatecrashed by one man and his bat. But cricket, mercifully, is a team game, and Chris Newman had other ideas, ripping through the middle order for 4-24, with Luke Welsman (2-22) and Tim Thirkell (1-26) chipping away either side of him. Three Sissinghurst batsmen — Freddie Wood, Nathan Staines and Rodger Burgess — departed without troubling the scorers, and the opposition were dismissed for 197 in the 37th over.

A twenty-run victory, then, earned the hard way — one glorious individual innings from them, met by one glorious individual bowling spell from us. Verdict: a proper win, and a very good day for the club.

Sat 25 May 2013 🧢 2nd XIv Meopham CC · AwayformLWWDW

Meopham CC, Saturday 25th May – and not one for the scrapbook, I'm afraid.

Losing the toss, we were put in, and 92 all out from 39.5 overs told its own story of a pitch and a morning that never quite let us settle. Michael Beeney top-scored with a battling 29, but with Joshua Knowler and Jack Gwynn both back in the pavilion for ducks — and your captain contributing a nought of his own, over which the less said the better — it was a card with more gaps than substance. Ninety-two was always going to need some fireworks from the ball.

They never really came. Andrew Bryant played a composed, unbeaten 55 that took the game away from us, with Darren Deeks's 20 lending sturdy support, and Meopham strolled home on 93/1 from 29 overs. Will Bramley-Harker at least had the satisfaction of removing a wicket for just 6, and Darren Styles bowled with real discipline, four maidens a rare bright thread in a threadbare afternoon.

There was, mercifully, cause for a raised glass amid the gloom: Michael Beeney brought up 2,000 career runs for the club, a landmark thoroughly earned, while Richard Piper's 15 eased him past Clive Newman into 12th on the all-time run-scorers' list. Small mercies, but mercies nonetheless.

Beaten by nine wickets, then, and no dressing it up. Heads up, chins high, and back to the nets — there'll be sunnier Saturdays than this one.

Sat 25 May 2013 🧢 1st XIv BC Boughton & Eastwell CC · HomeformLLDLL

It was a golden afternoon at Linton Park, and I make no apology for calling correctly at the toss and sticking Boughton & Eastwell straight in — a decision that took roughly no thought at all and, for once, looked rather clever by teatime.

The lads were magnificent in the field. Boughton & Eastwell limped to 100 all out in 37.5 overs, David Gray's 38 the only real resistance, as we tore through the middle order from 63-2 to 71-5 in the blink of an eye — Josh Lindsay and Nick Beaumont both departed for ducks at our hands. Thomas Beeney was quite simply superb, taking 4-21 with four maidens thrown in for good measure — the sort of miserly spell that has opposition batsmen muttering into their tea. Will Thirkell (3-23) and Mark Christmas (2-26) tidied up the rest.

Chasing 101, we made rather harder work of it than the target deserved, stumbling to 5-1 early and never quite settling — Craig Sands's golden duck summing up the jitters — before Will Thirkell anchored things with a fine unbeaten-in-spirit half-century, 51 well-earned runs, to see us home 101/7 from 31 overs.

A word too for Stuart Cheesman, whose five runs today were enough to nudge him past William Buck into 20th on the club's all-time run-scorers list — quiet history made while the rest of us fretted over the run chase.

A scratchy, nervy, thoroughly entertaining win by three wickets. We'll take it, and we march onwards.

Sun 19 May 2013 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv SC Stockbury CC · HomeformWWLWD

As Sunday 19 May 2013 turned out for us against Stockbury CC, the day would be remembered for one number above all: 150 not out from Clifton Muil, who batted like a man who'd left the milk on and wasn't coming home till he'd finished. Ably supported by Joe Martin's 36, they piled up 231/7 from their forty overs, and by the time Simon Clare and Phil Monk had trudged back without so much as a scoreboard tickle, we knew we'd been served a proper Sunday roast of an innings. Credit where due — Nigel Thirkell fought back manfully with 3-42, Luke Welsman and Simon Henley chipped in a wicket apiece, and Henley bowled two maidens so mean you'd think he was charging for the overs personally.

Chasing 232, we gave it a real go. Simon Henley batted with real substance for his 82 not out, and Nigel Thirkell, not to be outdone with the bat having toiled with the ball, cracked a fine 70. I'll confess to a quiet satisfaction in contributing 70 of my own, and finding some rhythm with three wickets earlier in the day made for a decent all-round outing personally. Welsman, Bridle and Presneill, alas, all fell for ducks, and 213/8 left us eighteen runs shy at the death.

Not our day, in truth — beaten by a special innings rather than our own shortcomings. Heads up, chins out, and back to the nets we go.

Sun 19 May 2013 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv RC Rodmersham CC · AwayformWWLWW

Sunday 19 May 2013, away to Rodmersham CC, and for once the coin obliged me before the day could. I called correctly, chose to bat, and stand by it still — a shirtfront of a pitch if ever there was one. Benjamin Austin led the way with a well-made 33, Tim Wright chipped in a tidy 27 and Ray Dixon 23, while poor Will Thew and Martin Harris both departed for ducks, presumably having left their bats in the changing room. Even so, with the extras column doing heroic work to the tune of 51, we posted a healthy 189/8 from our forty, and I confess I fancied our chances walking off.

Rodmersham, however, had other ideas. Liam Ansley set about us with a magnificent 92, and Dylan Emmett stood firm at the other end unbeaten on 62, and between them they simply batted us out of the game. Martin Harris, atoning handsomely for his golden duck with the bat, picked up 2-40 with the ball, and got fine support from Benjamin Austin (1-26) and Darren Styles (1-30) — but 192/4 from 32 overs told its own story, and my own contribution of 17 with the bat did little to stem the tide.

Tim Wright's 27 keeps him second in the season's run charts, and Martin Harris's efforts have him third among the wicket-takers — small consolations on a day we finished five wickets shy of victory. Not our finest hour; heads up, chins forward, and back to the nets we go.

Sun 19 May 2013 🧢 Sunday NVKCv HC Hollingbourne CC · AwayformWLWWL

From the captain's chair — Sunday 19 May 2013, and the road took us to Hollingbourne CC on what turned into a proper old-fashioned nerve-jangler.

Lost the toss, put in to bat, and I can't say the prospect thrilled me, but 166 all out from 39.4 overs was a score built on Craig Sands' fine 62 and Kevin Presneill's steady 32, the pair putting on 50 together for the third wicket and giving the innings a spine. Elsewhere the card had its usual quota of village-green heartbreak — ducks for both Richard Knowler and Matthew Carter — but 166 felt like something to bowl at.

And bowl at it we did. Hollingbourne got themselves to 159/8 from their 40, Ian Playfoot (36) and Simon Hammond (31) putting on 70 for the second wicket and threatening to make a mockery of our total, but Mark Christmas was magnificent, 3 for 22 and top of the pile, with Thomas Beeney (2-25) and Will Thirkell (1-27, three miserly maidens) squeezing the middle overs dry. Poor Daniel Thirkell had a torrid afternoon behind the stumps, 11 byes to his name, and I chipped in with 15 with the bat and 3 wickets with the ball, which I shall modestly file under "captain leading from the front."

Craig Sands now tops the 2013 Sunday run charts and Mark Christmas the wicket charts — fitting reward for two performances that won us this match by seven runs. Scrappy, nervy, occasionally comic, but two points is two points. We'll take it and say nothing more.

Sat 18 May 2013 🧢 2nd XIv Headcorn CC · AwayformLLWWD

Wednesday's not the day for excuses, and neither was Saturday 18 May, when we made the trip out to Headcorn CC with the coin firmly against us. They won the toss, chose to bat, and I trudged back to the boundary to set a field wondering what the pitch would give away. Not much sympathy, as it turned out — Mike Donnelly and Richard Raye put on a stand of 164 for the first wicket that had our bowlers checking the fixture list for sympathy fixtures, Donnelly going on to an imperious 106 not out and Raye chipping in with a classy 59. But credit the lads for not folding: once that stand finally broke we ripped through the middle order, 164-1 becoming 169-4 in a blur, with Chris Newman (2-34), Tim Thirkell (2-34) and the metronomic Iain Rawson (1-28, two maidens) doing the damage. Headcorn closed on 203/6 from their 45 — competitive, but not quite the mountain their openers had threatened.

Chasing 204, we owed everything to David Castle, who played the innings of a lifetime — 113 not out, calm as you like while wickets fell around him — ably assisted by Tim Thirkell's unbeaten 22. The tail, bless them, decided to make a match of it with a nerve-jangling final stand of 55 that had me pacing rather more than a captain ought to admit, before we got over the line at 204/6 with four wickets and a fair bit of relief to spare.

A fine win, then, and one that owes Castle a great many pints. Onwards.

Sat 18 May 2013 🧢 1st XIv Headcorn CC · HomeformWLLDL

Put in to bowl first on a bright Saturday at home to Headcorn, I confess my heart sank somewhat when the coin landed the wrong way up — though as it turned out, batting first might not have saved us much blushing either. We laboured to 145 all out in 44.4 overs, rescued from a rather thin look by Daniel Thirkell's excellent 75, a proper well-made fifty that gave the innings some backbone. Less happily, Matthew Carter's afternoon with the bat began and ended in the same over, a golden duck to mark what was otherwise a rather special day for him.

With the ball we asked plenty of questions without quite getting the last word. Headcorn eased to 149 for 6 in 43.4 overs, built chiefly around Simon Phipps's unbeaten 76 and a watchful 23 from James Barker, the pair putting on 72 for the second wicket that effectively settled matters. Mark Christmas was the pick of our attack, tidy and testing for 2-17 with three maidens, well supported by Will Thirkell's 2-32 and Thomas Beeney's 1-22. Poor Craig Sands had a torrid time behind the stumps, shipping eight byes on a pitch clearly not reading his mind.

The real story, though, was Matthew Carter bringing up his 200th appearance in Linton colours — duck notwithstanding, that is an innings of loyalty and longevity worth toasting. Beaten by four wickets in the end, we leave Headcorn a little bruised but not remotely dispirited. We'll be better for it next week.

Sun 12 May 2013 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv XC XIIth Men CC · HomeformWWWLW

We came up short of the toss and, sure enough, found ourselves in the field on a fine Sunday, XIIth Men CC electing to bat as visitors so often do. They ground their way to 159/8 from the full forty, D. Colville the chief architect with a polished 52, backed up by L. Wilson (24) and E. O'Dowell (21). Our bowling did us proud though — Will Thirkell the pick with 2-19, Benjamin Austin (2-21, and two miserly maidens to boot) and Will Bramley-Harker (2-35) all chipping away, and Jay Penny sent packing without so much as a whimper for the scorers. Poor Glen Rawson had one of those afternoons behind the stumps, eight byes escaping his grasp like eels — but nobody's perfect, least of all a wicketkeeper on a warm May afternoon.

Chasing 160, we set about our business with rather more urgency than dignity requires, racing to 71/0 off just twelve overs before the players (or the weather, or good sense) called a halt. Will Thirkell, having already done sterling work with the ball, carried his bat for an unbeaten 41, with Benjamin Austin (21 not out) keeping him fine company. I contributed 41 myself, which I shall modestly describe as a career highlight until someone checks the scorebook.

A draw, then — honours even, and nobody terribly put out about it. Thirkell now tops both our run and — alongside Bramley-Harker — our bowling charts for the season, which tells you rather a lot about where the real value lay this Sunday.

Sat 11 May 2013 🧢 1st XIv Meopham CC · AwayformWWLLD

Cricket, as any club captain will tell you, has a cruel sense of humour, and Meopham on the 11th of May was no exception. Lost the toss, put in to bat, and off we went — 179 all out in 44.1 overs, which felt a touch light on a good pitch. Mark Christmas was the rock of the innings with a superbly crafted 68, ably shepherded along by Laurie Probert's 31 and Kevin Presneill's 25, the pair putting on 80 for the fifth wicket when things were threatening to unravel. Less said the better about the top order's contribution to the Duck Club — Craig Sands, Will Thirkell and Matthew Carter all took the walk of shame for nought, which is one way to keep the changing room humble.

Defending 179 always felt like asking a lot, and so it proved. David Pollard simply took the game away from us with a magnificent, chanceless hundred — 119 of the finest — finding willing partners in Gavin Tovey (31) and Simon Burton (24). The damage was done early: 117 for the first wicket before Will Thirkell finally prised out the breakthrough, finishing with 2-61, with Thomas Beeney chipping in for 1-36. They cantered home at 180/3.

I did my bit with the bat, 68 not being enough to save us, and we went down by seven wickets. A chastening afternoon, but Christmas and Thirkell continue to lead our run and wicket charts respectively, so the engine room is in good order. We'll dust ourselves off and come back stronger next Saturday.

Mon 06 May 2013 🧢 1st XIv SC Selsdon CC · HomeformWWWLL

We hosted Selsdon CC on Monday and I lost the toss, which meant an afternoon leathering the ball around before we'd even had a bat. Batting first ourselves, mind, once we got in — Tim Wright led the way with a tidy 42, Mark Christmas matched him unbeaten on the same number, and Jeff Dummett chipped in a fine 34, while an opening stand of 51 gave the innings the platform it needed. I'll confess to a modest 42 of my own, and even the extras column turned out for us with 27 — not the tidiest cricket, but runs are runs. All told, 200/6 from our 41 overs felt like a total with a bit of substance to it.

Defending it was another matter entirely. Selsdon set about it sensibly, with Marcus Robertson striking a composed 62 and David Shivmangal (33) and David Hermanstein (21 not out) keeping the innings ticking along nicely from their own 51-run opening stand. It was left to the bowlers to drag us back into it, and drag they did — Nat Presneill probing away for 3-39, Mark Christmas backing him up with 2-20, and Thomas Beeney bowling with the miserly discipline of a man guarding his allotment, five maidens and 1-17 to show for it. Selsdon finished on 173/7 from their 45, short of the target but not undone.

So, honours shared, and a draw when neither side could quite land the killer blow. A day of fine individual efforts and no losers — which, in this game, is about as English an outcome as they come.

Sun 05 May 2013 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv Wingham CC · AwayformLWWLW

Wingham, Sunday 5 May 2013 — and the coin, as it so often seems to when I'm calling it, landed the wrong way up. Put in to bowl, and after Wingham wobbled early to lose a wicket with just 6 on the board, they steadied themselves nicely to reach 162/6 from their 40 overs, with David Clipstone stroking a composed 67 and Harry Mansell chipping in a tidy 22. Credit to the attack, mind: Ian Hollingworth was excellent up front with 2-33, while Mark Christmas bowled with the sort of miserly discipline (1-4, two maidens) that makes a captain's job look easy, and Will Thirkell weighed in with 1-11.

Chasing 163, we made a real fist of it — 63 on the board before the first wicket fell, which for us counts as positively Australian. Mark Christmas, having done his bit with the ball, then set about doing the same with the bat, finishing unbeaten on 32 and seeing us home. Tim Wright (31) and Glen Rawson (25) played their parts too, and the extras column did its usual quiet heavy lifting with 39 — I dread to think where we'd be without the opposition's generosity some weeks.

Five wickets the margin, two points the reward, and thoroughly earned all round. Christmas now leads our Sunday run charts for the season, Hollingworth the wickets — the form men doing the form-men things. A thoroughly satisfactory afternoon's work, and one I shall enjoy reliving rather more than the toss that preceded it.

Sat 04 May 2013 🧢 1st XIv Chestfield CC · HomeformDWWWL

Lost the toss on Saturday and, as is tradition round these parts, watched Chestfield CC elect to bat first while I trudged off to field. Joshua Lock made merry with 81, Harry Bee chipped in a tidy fifty, and Daniel Patching finished unbeaten on 49 as they racked up 224/4 from their forty overs. Credit where due — Will Thirkell was the pick of our attack with 1-14, and Martin Harris toiled manfully for his 1-50, though the scoreboard rather got away from the rest of us.

Chasing 225 was always going to want application, and for a while we had none. Nineteen for one became twenty-six for four in the time it takes to put the kettle on, and the Duck Club ledger swelled nicely: Glen Rawson, Daniel Thirkell and Mark Christmas all took the walk of shame without troubling the scorers 🦆. As for your captain — a golden blob, first ball, out for nought. Leading from the front is all well and good, but not, it turns out, when it means leading the collapse. Eight byes leaked behind the stumps only added insult to injury, and we folded for 53 in 26.5 overs.

Small mercies: Thomas Beeney still sits second in our 2013 run charts on 23, and Will Thirkell leads the wickets column with four. A drubbing by 171 runs, then — heads well and truly up, and back to the nets we go.

Sun 28 Apr 2013 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv BC Brasted & Sundridge CC · HomeformWLWWL

It was Brasted & Sundridge who edged us into the field first on Sunday, having done us the discourtesy of winning the toss, and for a while it looked as though they might have got the better of the arrangement too. An early wobble at 7-1 threatened to turn into a rout, but Sam Plumb (39) and Colin Foreman (38) steadied things nicely, and a stubborn 60-run stand for the seventh wicket — with Tom Rutter unbeaten on 25 — dragged them up to a respectable 163/8 from their forty overs. Luke Welsman was the pick of the bowlers with 2-24, ably assisted by Matthew Carter's 2-31 and a spell of proper old-fashioned meanness from Will Thirkell, whose 1-5 and two maidens suggested the batsmen simply couldn't get him away. Poor Dave Bentley, meanwhile, departed for a duck without so much as troubling the scorers.

Chasing 164, we too contrived an early stumble, losing a wicket with just 2 on the board, and Craig Sands's golden duck did nothing to settle the nerves in the pavilion. But this is where I shall permit myself a small indulgence: I found some form at just the right moment, carrying my bat to 92 not out, with Matthew Carter (32 not out) and Will Thirkell (23) offering fine support as we cruised home to 164/3 with overs to spare.

A satisfying personal contribution, and better still, a fine win by seven wickets. Onwards.

Sat 27 Apr 2013 🧢 1st XIv Mersham Sports CC · AwayformWDWWW

Skipper's Log, Saturday 27th April 2013 — away to Mersham Sports CC.

Won the toss and, in a fit of confidence I'd like to say was tactical rather than merely optimistic, stuck them in. For a while it looked shrewd: Mersham crawled to 119 all out from their forty overs, with Will Thirkell bowling beautifully for 3-23, Thomas Beeney and Chris Newman chipping in with two apiece, and Jack Gwynn tying things down with a couple of maidens. Kyle McAlister went for a duck at our hands, which felt like a small victory in itself. Will Thew (36) and Alan Stevens (28) did the damage for them, but 119 seemed a target well within our compass.

It was not to be. Glen Rawson batted with real class for 46, but around him the innings fell away alarmingly — Will Thew, Kevin Presneill and Chris Newman all back in the pavilion without troubling the scorers, and yours truly contributing a golden blob that rather undercut any pretence of leading from the front. Poor Craig Sands had a torrid time behind the stumps too, eight byes going begging. All told we mustered 78 for 9 from 28.5 overs and fell 41 runs short.

A chastening afternoon, then, and proof that winning the toss is the easy part. Rawson's 46 keeps him top of our run charts, Thirkell's 3-23 leads the wickets, and the skipper's golden duck will, I fear, live rather longer in the memory than either. We'll be better for it next week.

Sun 21 Apr 2013 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv HC Horton Kirby CC · HomeformWWLWW

Sunday 21 April, and Horton Kirby arrived to find us losing the toss and being invited to bat first — the traditional captain's curse.

We shuffled to 125 for 9 off our 40, which on reflection felt like scraping change out of the sofa. Mark Christmas was the standout with a fighting 28, and Martin Harris saw us home with a composed 21 not out, but around them the innings had all the structural integrity of a garden shed in a gale — 5 for 1 inside the first over set the tone, and Tim Wright, Will Thirkell and Ray Dixon each returned home with a golden duck for their trouble. That the extras column, on 25, was our second-highest contributor tells you everything you need to know about the quality of our batting on the day. I chipped in with 28 of my own from the skipper's slot, for what little comfort that offers.

With the ball we fought hard but Ian Playfoot had other ideas, farming us calmly for an unbeaten 66, well supported by Jack Boxall's 21, their second-wicket pair putting on 56 to take the game away from us. Ian Hollingworth was our shining light — tight as a drum with two maidens and figures of 1 for 13 — and Michael Beeney chipped in a wicket too. Poor Craig Sands, meanwhile, had a torrid afternoon behind the stumps, 13 byes standing as grim testament.

Beaten by eight wickets, then, and no arguing with it. Back to the nets, heads up, and onwards.