🧢 Captain's Log

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

Skipper's Log — Sunday 22 September 2013. Tenterden CC at home, and having lost the toss we were put into the field, which on a fine September afternoon felt less like a hardship than an invitation to enjoy the sunshine before the real work began.

Work it duly was. We slipped to 2-1 early doors, the sort of stumble that has grown men reaching for the biscuit tin, but James Piper had other ideas, compiling a magnificent unbeaten century while Will Thirkell chipped in a fine fifty and Richard Knowler weighed in with 22. Their fifth-wicket stand of 125 was the innings' backbone, and 229/6 from 41.1 overs felt like a total worth defending — even after I contributed a duck to proceedings, a blot on the card I shall gloss over quickly.

Tenterden made a decent fist of the chase, Ben Price's fifty and useful knocks from James Rand and Tom Richards keeping them in it, but once the middle order folded from 93-3 to 99-6 the game was as good as ours. I found some rhythm with the ball to finish with 3-12, well supported by Thirkell's 3-16 and Beeney's 3-48, with Knowler tying an end down for two maidens. Nine byes gave poor Kevin Presneill a torrid afternoon behind the stumps.

A golden blob for the skipper, then, but a win by 41 runs for the side. I'll take that trade every time.

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

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 · HomeformDWDDD

Skipper's Log — Saturday 07 September 2013, West Farleigh CC at home.

Won the toss and, in a fit of confidence I can only put down to the tea urn being on early, stuck them in. It came off rather nicely. West Farleigh were bowled out for 106 in 41.5 overs, Paul Beck battling to 25 while the rest offered fitful resistance, and I'll admit a quiet satisfaction in sending both Tony Williams and James Beck back without so much as a run to their name. I had a hand in the carnage myself, finishing with 3-11, though the real class was Richard Knowler's canny 2-8 and Michael Beeney's miserly 2-23 off four maidens — the sort of bowling that makes a captain's job embarrassingly easy.

Chasing 107, we barely broke sweat. David Castle anchored things beautifully with an unbeaten 43, Richard Piper purred along to 29 not out, and Glen Rawson chipped in with 21 as we cantered home for the loss of a single wicket inside 26 overs.

A landmark afternoon all round: Glen Rawson's 200th appearance in Linton colours, David Castle's 800th, and Richard Piper bringing up 11,000 career runs for the club — you don't see that sort of company assembled on a village green every week.

Nine wickets, two points, and a thoroughly satisfying day's work. We'll take that all season long.

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

The road to The Mote CC on a Wednesday evening always feels like a small pilgrimage, and this one began with the coin letting us down — Gamindu Kanishka's men chose to bat, and by the close of their forty overs we'd conceded a stiff-looking 205/7. Kanishka himself made merry with a fine 54, Robin Dooley farmed the tail beautifully for an unbeaten 41, and Matthew White chipped in with 38 — Howard Waters and Samuel Evington at least fell to us for nought apiece. Credit where due: Sam Boyns bowled with real discipline, 3-27 including two maidens, backed up nicely by Joshua Knowler's 2-22 and Thomas Beeney's 1-39.

Chasing 206, we never quite got the platform right, losing Trevor Back and Michael Beeney both without troubling the scorers. I found some form of my own, though, and a well-made 52 gave the innings a spine, with Lewis Burnham's 38 keeping us in the hunt. In the end 186/9 wasn't quite enough, and we fell 19 runs short.

There was a warmer story running alongside the cricket, mind: Mark Christmas brought up his 300th appearance in Linton colours, and his 16 runs nudged him past Jim Hall into 23rd on the club's all-time run charts — no small feat, and rightly the toast of the changing room. Personally I'm sitting atop the 2013 Midweek XI run charts with 296, and Thomas Beeney lurks fifth among the wicket-takers.

A losing evening, then, but one with too much to be cheerful about to sulk for long. We'll be better for it next week.

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

Beaten by 21 runs, but there was a distinct spring in my step walking off the field on Sunday. Losing the toss to Knockers CC meant we were asked to bowl, and truth be told I'll take that on our day — first use of the ball is a captain's dream, and Martin Harris made it sing. His 6-55 was the spell of the season, two maidens included, and along the way he sailed past 200 career wickets — a milestone that deserves rather more than the polite ripple of applause it got in the field. I chipped in with 2-37 myself, and Nat Presneill picked up one, but this was Harris's afternoon through and through. Their 188/9 owed everything to half-centuries from Paul Seldon and Guy Howe, and when Martin Harris and H Elliot went for ducks early in reply, I did wonder whether we'd left ourselves too much to do.

James Piper's composed 54 gave the chase real shape, with Richard Piper and Glen Rawson both weighing in, and thirty extras arrived like an unexpected round at the bar. Glen's 24 nudged him past Stuart Cheesman and into 20th on the club's all-time run-scorers list, which is the sort of quiet history that makes this game worth playing. In the end 167/5 from our 35 overs wasn't quite enough, and 21 runs separated the sides at the close.

A defeat, then, but one laced with silverware for the scrapbook — Harris's 200 wickets and Rawson's climb up the charts. We'll dust ourselves down and come back stronger next week.

Sat 31 Aug 2013 🧢 1st XIv Staplehurst CC · AwayformDDDDD

Kevin Presneill's Skipper's Log, Staplehurst CC, Saturday 31 August 2013

Won the toss, and against all my better instincts I chose to bowl first — sorry, bat first. The old grey cells still work occasionally. And how the lads repaid the faith: 245/7 from our 45 overs, built on a fine, well-crafted fifty from Lewis Burnham (63), with Will Thirkell (34) chipping in nicely. I managed 47 myself, which I mention now and shall resist mentioning again, on pain of being accused of self-promotion in my own newsletter. Even the extras column pitched up with 27, which at Staplehurst passes for a top-order contribution.

Defending it looked a tall order once Graham Ward decided he fancied three figures — 116 of pure, unanswerable class, with Colin Breed (26) lending support. For a while it felt like we'd handed him the keys to the ground. But cricket has a way of rewarding patience, and ours came in the shape of Richard Knowler, who simply ran riot — 6-32 of the highest quality — while Will Thirkell (2-48) and the miserly Joshua Knowler (1-35, three maidens and not a run given away lightly) squeezed from the other end. Aaron Davey and Matthew Collard departed without troubling the scorers, and Staplehurst were bowled out for 224.

Twenty-one runs the right way, two points banked, and — quietly, for the record books — my 47 nudged me up to 25th on the club's all-time run charts. Not bad for a Saturday that started with me getting the toss decision monumentally overthought.

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

Captain's Log — Monday 26 August 2013, and a glorious one for it. Maidstone Dissidents came to us at home, I won the toss, and elected to bat — the right call, I felt, and for once nobody in the pavilion disagreed.

We batted with real purpose, the openers putting on 76 before the first wicket went down, and a crucial stand of 96 for the fourth wicket kept the innings ticking along nicely. Joshua Knowler top-scored with 47, Lewis Burnham chipped in a handsome 45, and I was rather pleased to add 45 of my own to the pile. All told we posted 194/6 from our 47.4 overs — a total that felt like it had a bit of everything about it.

Then it was our turn to bowl, and what a job the lads made of it. Martin Harris was the pick of the attack, 3-19 with five miserly maidens thrown in for good measure, while Will Thirkell weighed in with 3-23 and, in doing so, passed 200 career wickets — one for the mantelpiece indeed. Joshua Knowler took 1-5, and poor Tim Lush departed for a golden duck. Their David Castle played a lovely lone hand of 75, well supported by Mike Duggan's 21, to drag them to 155/9 from their 49 overs. Fourteen byes told their own tale of a testing afternoon behind the stumps for Lewis Burnham.

In the end neither side could force it, and honours were shared. A draw, but an honourable one — and frankly, with cricket like that, nobody left disappointed.

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

Sunday 25th August, and Holcombe & Blue Bell Hill rolled up for what turned into a proper arm-wrestle of a match. I won the toss and had no hesitation in taking first knock — the right call, I still maintain, whatever the scorebook might suggest by close of play.

Batting first, we ground our way to 138/6 from the full 40 overs, with Trevor Back the pick of the order on 26. It says a good deal about the shape of our innings that a splendid 35 extras was our next-best contributor — generous of the visitors, though not exactly the platform I'd hoped to set.

Defending 138 was always going to want discipline, and for long stretches we had it. Clifton Phillips built the Holcombe innings around a fine 36, with Leigh Short unbeaten on 31 and Jack Attridge chipping in 28 to keep them ticking over. I did what I could with the ball, taking 2-23 with three maidens thrown in for good measure, while Luke Welsman and Michael Beeney picked up a wicket apiece to keep the pressure on. In the end, though, 139/6 got them home by four wickets — narrow enough to sting, wide enough to accept.

So: beaten, not disgraced. There's plenty to work on with the bat, and rather too much reliance on extras for my liking, but the bowling and fielding gave us every chance. We'll regroup, have a stiff word about our running between the wickets, and come back stronger next week.

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

Skipper's Log — Sunday 25 August 2013

Off to Mersham Sports CC we trundled, lost the toss, and were duly invited to have a bat first — never the news you want to hear on a morning when the tea urn's still cold. Two runs in and we'd already lost a wicket, the sort of start that has you checking whether the car park exit is still open. But Adam Jackson settled things with a fine 70, and once he and Mark Christmas (22) had put together a crucial stand, the innings found some shape. Not everyone's name will be etched on the honours board this week, mind — Thomas Beeney, Ray Dixon and Will Bramley-Harker all trooped back for ducks — but 141 all out from 36.1 overs felt like something to bowl at rather than merely survive.

And bowl at it we did. Mersham also stumbled to 2 for 1 early on, and when Morgan Regardsoe and James Allen both departed without scoring, I allowed myself a small, private smile. Thomas Beeney was magnificent, tearing through with 4-23, backed up superbly by Sam Boyns's 3-27. I chipped in with 1-6 and five maidens, which I mention only once and shall not be labouring further, however tempted. David Harman's unbeaten 62, well supported by Craig Calvert's 25, dragged Mersham agonisingly close, but they fell 16 runs short, all out for 125.

Two points, thoroughly earned, and a very pleasant drive home.

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

Skipper's Log — Wednesday 21 August 2013

Well, the coin let us down before a ball was bowled — Tunbridge Wells Wednesday CC called it right and stuck us in the field, which on a warm afternoon is rarely the tonic a captain wants. Still, the lads knuckled down, and it was Will Thirkell who did the real damage, weaving through their order with figures of 4-10 and six maidens to boot — the sort of spell that makes a skipper's job look easy. Martin Harris chipped in nicely with 2-13 and Luke Welsman picked up one, but D. Thompson (41 not out) and S. Hammond (37) steadied things enough to see the visitors to 200/9 from their 52 overs. Poor Peter Whyte had a torrid time of it behind the stumps, 34 byes going begging — not his finest afternoon with the gloves, though I dare say we've all had days like it.

With 201 to chase, Craig Sands played the innings of the day, an excellent 81, well supported by James Piper's 41, and between them they gave us every chance. I managed to contribute my own small hand along the way, though it was Sands's innings that will live longest in the memory. In the end we fell short at 191/5 from 39 overs, honours even and neither side quite able to land the decisive blow.

A draw, then — not the win we craved after such promising bowling, but with Will Thirkell now leading our wicket charts with 15 and Will Thew top of the run pile on 274, the season ticks along nicely. Tea was, as ever, the real winner of the day.

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

Not to be forgotten, Sunday 18th August: Detling CC roll into the ground and, four hours later, we've somehow got the result. I won't dress it up as one for the coaching manuals, but 131/9 from our 40 was always going to need a proper stand-up job with the ball, and the lads delivered it.

Batting first, we made hard work of easy conditions. I managed 36, which kept the scoreboard ticking rather than galloping, and Joshua Knowler's 20 gave it some backbone, but a total of 131/9 with James Piper and Gregory Ralph both back in the pavilion without troubling the scorer told its own story. Not our finest hour with the willow, if I'm honest.

Where we won the match was in the field. Detling's Paul Batchelor played a lovely, obstinate 61 not out and looked for a long while like he might see them home on his own, but the rest of their order simply couldn't lay a bat on us — Mark Roberts, Joe Dunmore and Dan Cale all walked back for ducks, and the innings folded for 127 in 34.4 overs. Joshua Knowler was magnificent, 3-28, and chipped in with 2-9 myself for good measure, while Martin Harris (2-31) and a typically tight Michael Beeney kept the screws turned throughout.

A word too for the club records: Joshua Knowler reached 1,000 career runs and 100 career wickets in the same afternoon, which is the sort of milestone you don't see twice. Ragged in patches, but a win to savour, and we'll take it gladly.

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 · AwayformDDWDD

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 · HomeformDDDDD

Losing the toss on a bright Saturday against Marden CC is never quite the tonic one hopes for, but being asked to chase suited us rather nicely — it meant ball in hand first, and against this Marden line-up that proved no bad thing at all. Thomas Beeney was in imperious form, scything through the top order for 4-13 with five miserly maidens thrown in for good measure, the sort of spell that makes a captain's job embarrassingly easy. Will Thirkell chipped in with 3-15, and I managed to get among the wickets myself with 2-10, which I shall modestly describe as "doing my bit." Between us we sent Arun Samuel, Phil Lyle and Matthew Blythin back without so much as a raised eyebrow from the scorer, and Marden were bowled out for a distinctly modest 57 from their 33 overs.

Chasing such a total ought to be a formality, and in truth it very nearly wasn't — the first wicket fell for just 1, and poor Adam Jackson departed for a golden duck, briefly threatening a wobble. But Daniel Thirkell steadied the ship beautifully, finishing unbeaten on 31 as we cantered home to 61/4 in a brisk 8.2 overs.

A thoroughly satisfying day's work, then, and a reminder — as if Kevin Presneill's 437 runs and Thomas Beeney's 34 wickets this season weren't reminder enough — that this side has some real quality running through it. Six-wicket win, home tea deserved, and honour entirely intact.

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

Friday the 16th of August saw us host The Dragons CC, and we spent the first half of the afternoon in the field. It proved hard going. Charlie Farrant compiled a fine half-century, well supported by Josh Mihill's 46 and P Abraham's 25, as the visitors ground their way to 185/7 from 35 overs. There were flickers of encouragement amid it all: Chris Arnold departed without troubling the scorers, and Will Thirkell was pick of our attack with 2-35, with Martin Harris (2-39) and Michael Beeney (1-14) chipping in gamely to keep the damage from being worse still.

Chasing 185 is no small order for a club side on a Friday evening, and so it proved. James Piper's well-made fifty was the innings' backbone, ably supported by Laurie Probert's 32, but wickets fell steadily around them and our innings closed at 143/9 after 30.5 overs. Will Thirkell, having toiled so honestly with the ball, and Luke Welsman both fell without scoring, a pair of ducks that rather summed up a day when little quite came off with the bat.

Elsewhere in the club's season, Will Thew continues to lead our run charts with 262, while Martin Harris's canny bowling keeps him second on the wicket list with 11. As for Friday, there's no dressing it up: a defeat, and one to learn from rather than dwell on.

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

Wednesday 14 August 2013, and off we trundled to Tenterden CC, sunshine and optimism in equal measure. I won the toss and, in a fit of tactical daring, stuck them in — a decision I'd like to claim was born of shrewd analysis rather than a reluctance to pad up first.

They made us work for it. Simon Berry ground out a fine 66, with Fred Pearman (45) and Charlie McSweeney (42) lending sturdy support, and a stand of 105 for the sixth wicket threatened to bat us out of the game entirely. Only some tidy bowling hauled it back: Martin Harris was superb with 4-53, Tim Wright chipped in with 2-11 and Stuart Cheesman 2-31, while Thomas Beeney's two maidens were bowled with the miserly precision of a man who begrudges every run. At the other end, Mark Kokkinos and Oliver Potter departed for ducks, which is one way to keep an innings brisk. All out 226 from 49.4 overs — competitive, but not insurmountable.

Chasing it down, I settled in and did my bit with the bat before Tim Wright took over in style, cracking 74, with Joshua Knowler unbeaten on 72 and Will Thew adding a brisk 21. Their 102-run second-wicket stand was really the innings' backbone, and we cruised home at 230/5 with overs to spare.

A fine win by five wickets, then — and with Thew and Wright both flying at the top of this season's charts, the Midweek XI is very much the form side. Onwards indeed.

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

Skipper's Log — Monday 12 August 2013, away at Old Suttonians, Kent.

Winning the toss and putting them in seemed a fine idea right up until T Watts settled in and made 98 of the most well-organised runs I've seen off our bowling this season, backed up handsomely by M Russell-Vick's unbeaten 43 and M Day's 32. Their openers gave themselves a proper platform, 72 for the first wicket, and a stand of 80 for the third did the rest of the damage, leaving them a healthy 198 for 4 off their forty overs. To our credit, nobody let the ball go cheaply — Thomas Beeney sent down three maidens without so much as a murmur of complaint, Matthew Carter picked up 2 for 38, and Luke Welsman and Martin Harris chipped in a wicket apiece. I'll admit 198 looked a stiff ask walking off.

It didn't feel that way for long. James Piper played the innings of his life, an unbeaten 103, and found the perfect foil in Lewis Burnham's 85, the pair putting on 185 for the second wicket and turning what should have been a tense run chase into something altogether more serene. Poor Will Thew was the one blemish on the card, out for a duck, but with batting like that around him it barely registered. I contributed my own small part along the way, glad simply to be on the winning side of it.

We came home eight wickets to the good. A thoroughly good day for the club, and one for the scrapbook.

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

Sunday 11 August 2013, and off we trooped to Bobbing Court and Lower Halstow, losing the toss and being sent out to field – which, given how the day ended, might just have been the making of us.

With the new ball in hand we made early inroads, sending Alan Clark packing without so much as a sniff at the scorers' pencil. I like to think I set the tone with the ball myself, finishing with 2-21, while Joshua Knowler chipped in with 2-28 and Luke Welsman 1-14. Ian Hollingworth, meanwhile, was in no mood to be hit, bowling three miserly maidens. Only Iain Foster, with a well-crafted 44, threatened to take the game away from us, but 121/8 from their forty overs felt, on a good pitch, distinctly gettable.

Gettable, yes – but not without the customary Linton Park palpitations. Jamie Ratcliffe and I both departed for ducks (I shall draw a veil over the manner of mine), and at various points it looked as though we might contrive to make a modest target look Everest-like. Enter Richard Piper, calm as you like, compiling a superb unbeaten 74 to see us home. We scrambled over the line by two wickets with 122/8 from 38.2 overs – rather more overs than my nerves would have liked.

A special mention, too, for Joshua Knowler, who brought up his 100th appearance in Linton colours – a landmark earned the hard way, out in the field doing the unglamorous work. All told: a scratchy, nervy, thoroughly English victory, and I wouldn't have swapped it for a comfortable one.

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

Sunday the 11th of August found us hosting Blue House CC, Kent, and with the toss won I opted to bowl first — a decision that felt rather bold at the time but which the lads repaid handsomely. Blue House ground their way to 161 for 9 from their forty overs, Dave Reed the chief architect with a well-made 42, nudged along by Stephen Davies' 24. But it was Mark Christmas who stole the afternoon's headlines, prising out three for a miserly 25 runs including two maidens, and having the misfortune to see Ray Cass depart for a duck. Chris Newman chipped in with two for 42 and Jordan Austin picked up one for 12, and between them our attack kept Blue House tethered to a total that never quite felt out of reach.

Chasing it, we barely broke sweat. Jordan Austin, in the form of his life, cracked a superb 65 not out, ably supported by Will Thew's brisk 52 and Laurie Probert's unbeaten 39, and we cantered home at 164 for 1 in just 18.4 overs — the sort of chase that has the tea urn barely warm before it's all over.

A thoroughly satisfying performance with bat and ball alike, and a timely reminder, as Jordan climbs the run charts and Thomas Beeney continues to lead the wickets column, that this side has strength in depth. Over the line, and a very good day for the club indeed.

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

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 · AwayformDDDDD

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 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

Skipper's Log — Tuesday 06 August 2013. Bexley CC came to visit, I called wrong at the toss, and duly found myself leading the lads out into the field with rather more enthusiasm than expectation.

Bexley made a decent enough fist of things early on, but the middle order never quite kicked on, and 127 all out from 33 overs felt like a total we could chase down over tea and biscuits. Michael Ladbrook's 30 was the only real resistance; poor Ben Peters departed without troubling the scorers at all. The real story, though, was Tim Wright, scything through with 4-25 like a man with a train to catch, backed up handsomely by Martin Harris (3-18) and Will Thirkell (2-9), while Sam Boyns bowled two maidens that gave Bexley absolutely nothing to work with.

Chasing 128, we made an absolute meal of it, stumbling to 129/6 from 33.4 overs when it really ought to have been more comfortable viewing. I was pleased to see us home with 33 not out, and Thomas Beeney's unbeaten 26 and Will Thirkell's 25 kept the required rate honest, but it took a defiant last-wicket stand of 48 to drag us over the line — the sort of cricket that ages a captain by several years in a single afternoon. Craig Sands had a torrid time behind the stumps, gifting 11 byes, though we'll forgive him given Will Thew's landmark 2,000 club runs gave everyone something to smile about.

A scrappy, nerve-jangling win, but a win nonetheless: four wickets, two points, and a story for the clubhouse.

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

The road to Sidcup CC on Sunday last was a pleasant enough drive, though the pleasantness rather ran out the moment I lost the toss and watched them elect to bat. Bradley Sargent had clearly had his Weetabix, motoring to 72 not out, with George Bradley (33) and Laurence Hill (25) offering solid support as their total climbed to a stiff 180 for 5 from the forty. Michael Beeney was the pick of us with the ball, a tidy 3 for 15 including three maidens that must have felt like a personal insult to the Sidcup middle order, while I chipped in with 1 for 25 and Ian Hollingworth picked up 1 for 28.

Chasing 181, Will Thew's 32 gave us something to build on, and Michael Beeney followed his bowling with 31 not out, ably assisted by Trevor Back's 23. Sadly the top of the order rather let the side down — Ian Hollingworth and I both contributed golden ducks, and as captain I felt duty-bound to lead from the front, delivering a golden blob of my very own. Leading by example is all well and good until the example is quite so egg-shaped.

We fell 21 runs short in the end. Happier news came from the milestones: Tim Wright brought up his 200th appearance in Linton colours, a magnificent achievement whatever the scoreline, while Richard Piper (168 runs) and Michael Beeney (9 wickets) both sit second in this season's Sunday 2nd XI charts. Not our day, but heads up — back to the nets.

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

I burned down my luck with the coin at Lenham, and Duke of Wellington himself couldn't have talked them out of fielding first. Not that we minded much once bat found ball — 203 for 6 off our 45 overs was a tidy return, built on the back of Iain Rawson's classy 53, with Jack Gwynn (27 not out) and Will Thew (25) chipping in nicely. Extras got in on the act too, a whopping 47 of them, which either speaks well of our running between the wickets or rather less well of Lenham's line and length — I couldn't possibly comment. Poor Richard Piper endured the walk of shame for a golden duck, and was made to feel every step of it.

Two-hundred-and-three looked defendable on paper, which is precisely the kind of sentence captains regret writing. Tom Curtis had other ideas, compiling a fine 76, ably supported by Alan Barr's well-struck 63, and between them they simply outlasted us. Richard Knowler toiled hardest for 3 for 57, Tim Wright chipped in with 1 for 11, and I managed to prise out one for 23 myself, for what little comfort that offered. Michael Beeney bowled two tidy maidens, and we did at least have Pete Humphries back in the pavilion for nought to cheer about.

In the end they got home by 4 wickets, and a promising total went begging. Not our day, then — heads up, chins up, and back to the nets for the lot of us.

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

There are worse ways to spend a Saturday than losing the toss and being sent out to field on a warm August afternoon, but that's exactly how it began against Meopham CC — and, as ever, we simply got on with it. With the bat we ground our way to a respectable 175/7 from our 45 overs, built on a fine knock of 38 from Craig Sands, well supported by Kevin Presneill's 34 and Will Thirkell's 32. The fourth-wicket pair put on a vital 63 to give the innings a spine, and even the extras column pitched in with 32 — not the most elegant of contributions, but we'll take runs however the umpires care to gift them.

Defending 175 is never a formality, and when Meopham lost their first wicket for just 5 we allowed ourselves a quiet smile. Carl Oliver played the lone hand of real substance, top-scoring with 40 and getting able support from James Fotheringham's 20, but once we found our groove the innings unravelled in a heap — 105/6 became 111 all out in no time at all. I managed to find some rhythm with the ball myself, picking up 3 wickets including four maidens along the way, while Thomas Beeney (2-27) and Will Thirkell (2-33) tightened the screws from the other end.

A 64-run victory, then, and a thoroughly good day for the club — the sort of afternoon that makes the teas taste that much sweeter.

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

Not our day, but a match worth telling.

We lost the toss on Sunday and High Halstow chose to bowl, which suited us rather nicely as it turned out. Lewis Burnham set the tone with a fine 69, Glen Rawson chipped in with a stylish 59, and Richard Piper anchored things beautifully with an unbeaten fifty, steering us to a healthy 201 for 2 off our forty overs. Tea was taken with the sort of quiet confidence that, in village cricket, is usually the prelude to disaster.

And so it proved. High Halstow's openers simply refused to leave, putting on a monstrous 133 before the first wicket finally fell — by which point the game had rather got away from us. Chris Lally batted like a man who'd had an excellent lunch, cruising to 88, with David Sibley (46) and Joe Bowles (33 not out) mopping up the rest with cheerful efficiency. I did what I could with the ball, taking 2 for 27, and Ian Hollingworth bowled two miserly maidens to at least make them work for it, but 202 for 2 came with more than an over and a half to spare. Poor Glen Rawson, having batted so well, then had a torrid time behind the stumps, gifting eight byes to the cause.

There was a silver lining amid the wreckage: Glen's 59 nudged him past Stuart Cheesman and into 20th on the club's all-time run charts, and he continues to lead our 2013 Sunday 2nd XI run tally, with my seven wickets keeping me a respectable fourth in the bowling. Small mercies. Verdict: outbatted by our own total and outbowled by our own bowling figures — beaten by eight wickets, and back to the nets we go.

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 · HomeformDDDDD

Saturday the 27th of July brought Milstead CC to Linton Park, and what a day it turned into. We were put in, and though I say it myself, we made rather a meal of ourselves as hosts, racking up 293 for 6 from our 45 overs. Daniel Thirkell was the architect of it all, a magnificent 147 that had the teas committee reaching for extra sandwiches, with David Castle striding to a fine 62 and Craig Sands chipping in a brisk 21. Quite apart from the runs themselves, Daniel's century carried him past Tim Thirkell and up to sixth on the club's all-time run-scorers list, which is the sort of thing that gets mentioned in the bar for weeks.

Milstead's reply never quite got going. They were bowled out for 132 in 44.3 overs, Conor Annand top-scoring with 37 and Mike Sellar adding 29, while Richard Cusworth's unbeaten 21 came too late to matter. Michael Yates and Martin Green both departed without troubling the scorers. Will Thirkell led our attack beautifully with 3-29, I was fortunate enough to chip in with 3-33 of my own, Matthew Carter took 2-31, and Thomas Beeney was miserly throughout with five maidens.

A tidy season too, it must be said, with me leading the 1st XI's run charts on 340 and Thomas topping the wicket-takers on 27. But for all our dominance with bat and ball, neither side could force the issue, and honours were shared. A draw, then, but one that felt, in every meaningful sense, like ours.

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

Skipper's Log — Saturday 27 July 2013. West Farleigh CC, and a toss lost meant we were put in the field first, which on a warm afternoon is either a kindness or a trap depending on your outlook.

As it turned out, it was rather more the latter for our hosts. West Farleigh got themselves nicely set with Matt Brooke's 31 and Paul Beck's 23 doing the early donkey work, but once the middle order started arriving and departing in a hurry — 87 for 5 becoming 95 for 8 before anyone could reach for their tea — the innings rather unravelled. Josh Lake and Thom Williams both walked back without troubling the scorers, and by the time the last man fell for 130 off 37.2 overs, it was clear the damage had been done with the ball rather than the bat. Michael Beeney was the chief architect, a superb 3 for 13 including three maidens — not a run given away lightly, as they say — with Jack Gwynn (2-17) chipping in handsomely. I managed to get among the wickets myself, taking 2 for 10, which I shall modestly file under "doing my bit."

Chasing 131 should never have been straightforward, but Glen Rawson and Will Thew made an absolute mockery of it, cantering to victory without so much as a hiccup — Rawson unbeaten on 72, Thew unbeaten on 45, job done in 23.2 overs for the loss of precisely no wickets. Rawson's innings also nudged him past William Buck into 21st on the club's all-time run charts, which is the sort of thing that gets a nod in the bar. A thoroughly good day for the club, ten wickets to spare and hardly a bead of sweat required.

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

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

From the captain's chair — Sunday 21 July 2013. Bearsted CC at home, and I won the toss and elected to bat, a decision I shall claim full credit for regardless of how the day panned out.

We posted 191/9 from our forty overs, and it was a proper team effort with a wobble thrown in for dramatic effect. Daniel Thirkell led the way with a fine 51, well supported by James Piper's 45 and Richard Piper's 33, the pair putting on 76 for the second wicket to give the innings its backbone. Then, as is tradition at this club, we contrived to turn 155/5 into 161/8 before anyone had finished their tea. Adam Jackson, Will Thirkell and Mark Christmas all made ducks in the process — three golden eggs laid in quick succession, bless them.

With the ball, we held our nerve. Bearsted reached 164/7, Mark Sandhu compiling a classy 55 and Yannick Oakland unbeaten on 45, with David Patton chipping in 22. I managed to do my bit with 2-20, while Mark Christmas (2-20, two miserly maidens) and Sam Boyns (2-30) shared the rest of the damage. Ten byes did rather give poor Craig Sands away.

A word of celebration amid the toil: Daniel Thirkell's 51 nudged him past Trevor Back into 7th on the club's all-time run charts, and he now sits 2nd in this year's Sunday 1st XI standings with 233 runs — the man is in irresistible form.

Verdict: two points, and thoroughly earned. A win by 27 runs, a few too many ducks for comfort, but a very satisfactory Sunday all told.

Sat 20 Jul 2013 🧢 2nd XIv Staplehurst CC · AwayformDDDDD

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, and Hunton Wanderers CC arrived at Linton Park to find us in the field first, which in hindsight rather set the tone for the afternoon. Dan Taylor batted as though the boundary owed him money, motoring to a superb 136, with Jack Hart's well made fifty of 57 and Alex Newman's brisk 36 keeping him company as Hunton racked up 271 for 6 from their forty overs. We did have our moments with the ball: Tim Wright picked up 2 for 52, Michael Beeney matched him with 2 for 56, and I chipped in with 1 for 18. Dave Niblett, at least, departed for a duck, which offered some consolation.

Chasing 272 was always going to be a stretch, and so it proved. We were bowled out for 146 in 37.2 overs, with only Glen Rawson, who top scored on 35, offering much resistance. It was a grim day for the top order, with Richard Perkins, Martin Harris and Nat Presneill all back in the pavilion without troubling the scorers, ducks all round. Extras, generous to the tune of 40, very nearly outdid our top scorer, which tells its own story.

Elsewhere in the season, Glen Rawson continues to lead our Sunday 2nd XI run charts with 213, and Martin Harris tops the wicket takers with 14, proof, if any were needed, that today's collapse was the exception rather than the rule. Beaten this time. We go again.

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

Lost the toss on Sunday and watched Higham & Mockbeggar saunter out to bat first — which, in my experience, usually means a long afternoon in the field with the tea urn taunting you from the pavilion. As it turned out, we rather enjoyed ourselves. They were bowled out for 159 in 39.3 overs, Gurjit "Sunny" Singh top-scoring with a classy 71 and Jake Miller chipping in with 36, but the real story was with the ball. Thomas Beeney was in inspired form, ripping through with 4-22, while I managed a tidy 2-12 and Will Thirkell picked up 2-33. Mark Christmas bowled like a man with a grudge against the scoreboard, four maidens and barely a run given away, and Dominic Hart, Rajinder Sidhu and Ben Murray all departed for ducks at our hands.

Chasing 160, we made hard work of the top order — 6-1 is never the ideal start to a Sunday — but Daniel Thirkell and Will Thirkell put that right with a magnificent stand of 97 for the third wicket. Daniel finished unbeaten on a well-crafted 71, Will weighing in with 45, and we cruised home at 160/3 with plenty of overs to spare. Poor Benjamin Austin will want to forget his duck, and Daniel's afternoon behind the stumps was rather leaky — 12 byes he won't be advertising — though nothing could dampen the day, marking as it did his 400th appearance in Linton colours. A proper win, and a proper milestone. We'll take that every week.

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

Saturday 13 July 2013, and we welcomed Meopham CC to Linton on a day that would end, somehow, in our favour despite my own best efforts to sabotage it.

Losing the toss and being sent into the field first felt, in hindsight, like a small mercy given what awaited me with the bat. Our innings began in fine style, Glen Rawson striking a commanding 70 to lead the way, well supported by Tim Wright's 22 and Richard Knowler's 21, the pair putting on 92 for the first wicket before Meopham found a breakthrough. From there the innings rather lost its nerve — 116 for 2 became 130 for 5 in the blink of an eye, and I must confess my own contribution to the collapse: a golden duck, the full walk of shame, no ceremony required. Mercifully the extras column, ever the unsung hero, chipped in 36 to help us reach a respectable 185 for 8 from our 45 overs.

In the field we held our nerve better than we'd held our bats. Mick Clark's unbeaten 43 anchored Meopham's reply, with Jack Dickety and George Tompkins chipping in, but Richard Knowler bowled beautifully for 2 for 35, backed up by Tim Wright and Luke Welsman with a wicket apiece. I managed two tidy maidens myself, some small redemption for the duck. Meopham fell six runs short on 179 for 6.

A note for the ages: Richard Knowler's 100th appearance in Linton colours — a landmark far outshining anything I managed with the bat. A scrappy, nervy, thoroughly English win, and a jolly good day for the club.

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

Saturday found us on the road at Boughton & Eastwell, and for once the coin behaved itself — I called correctly and never seriously considered anything but batting first on what looked a decent surface.

We didn't make it easy for ourselves, losing our first wicket without a run on the board, but the lads dug in. Craig Sands played the innings of the day, finishing unbeaten on a fine 65, with Kevin Presneill (45) and Daniel Thirkell (28) lending sturdy support either side of a watchful 55-run stand for the third wicket. I added 27 down the order, and a defiant last pair somehow conjured 39 more to drag us to a respectable 188 for 6 off our 45 overs — though Richard Piper and Will Thirkell will want to forget their afternoons, both departing for golden ducks.

Defending that total, we struck early — Boughton & Eastwell also lost their first wicket for none — and never let them settle, sending David Gray, Edward Schryver and Chris Fountain back without troubling the scorers. Only Andrew Carney (37) threatened to build an innings before we wrapped them up for 103 in 31.2 overs. Thomas Beeney was pick of the attack with 3 for 27, Matthew Carter chipped in with 2 for 12, and I was pleased enough with 2 for 18 and three maidens of my own.

There was extra cause for celebration: Daniel Thirkell brought up 13,000 career runs for the club, while my modest knock was enough to edge me past Russell Baldwin into 24th on the all-time run-scorers list — and with 335 runs I now lead the 2013 first-team run charts, Beeney topping the bowling on 26 wickets. A fine win by 85 runs. Onwards.

Tue 09 Jul 2013 🧢 Twenty20v Meopham CC · HomeformLWWWW

I'll admit it now: putting Meopham Park in first with the ball felt like a good idea at the time. They rattled along to 138/8 from their twenty, with David Pollard doing the early damage on 33 before James Fotheringham and Adam Roxburgh both finished unbeaten on 31 to give the total some late gloss. Credit where due to the bowling though — I chipped in with 2-31, Will Thirkell picked up 2-39 and Martin Harris chimed in with 1-14, and between us we had Miles Richardson, George Pearce and Richard Boot all back in the pavilion without troubling the scorers. Three ducks is not a bad afternoon's work with the ball, whatever happened next.

What happened next was, regrettably, us. A target of 139 should have been within reach on a decent pitch, but our innings never got out of second gear and we were bowled out for 76 in just seventeen overs. Ray Dixon's contribution to the Duck Club ledger — a golden nought — rather summed up the mood in the middle order. There is no dressing this one up as a plucky defeat; it was a comprehensive one, and the bat let down the good work done in the field.

Elsewhere in the season, Tim Wright continues to lead our run charts with 58, and Martin Harris tops the wicket-takers with 8, so there is plenty to be cheerful about beyond this scoreline. But today belonged to Meopham Park, and we go home with our tails between our legs, a fair bit of homework to do with the bat, and a defeat we shall be learning from rather than dwelling on.

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

Sunday found us on the road to Lydd CC, and if you'd told me before play that we'd win off a total of 119, I'd have suggested you'd had one too many at the bar. Tim Wright held the innings together with a battling 23, though the rest of us rather let the side down — Darren Styles and Ian Hollingworth both departed for golden ducks, and it was left to the extras column, a generous 31, to do almost as much work as our top scorer. Forty overs, 119 all out. Not exactly a declaration of intent.

Still, cricket has a habit of humbling the confident and rescuing the humbled, and so it proved. Lydd's batsmen found Ian Hollingworth in unplayable mood, finishing with 4-37 to atone handsomely for his duck. Martin Harris chipped in with 3-20, and Darren Styles, restoring his own reputation with the ball, took 2-14. S Smith and Edward Goddard both fell for ducks of their own, and Lydd's resistance, built around L Unwin's 24 and Stephen Fletcher's 21, petered out at 100 all out in just 24.3 overs.

Elsewhere in the season's ledger, Glen Rawson continues to lead our Sunday 2nd XI run charts with 178, and Martin Harris now tops the wicket pile with 13 — fair reward for another tidy spell.

A scrappy, unconvincing effort with the bat, rescued by bowling of real substance. We got over the line, and on a day like this, nineteen runs of daylight beats a pretty scorecard every time.

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

We won by 162 runs, chasing nothing but bowling Beckenham out for a paltry 80 – so let's start there.

I'll confess the toss offered no dilemma at all; on a good-looking morning at Linton Park, we were batting, no question. And bat we did. David Castle set the tone with a fine 68, finding an able ally in Daniel Thirkell, who nudged past his own fifty with 55, the pair adding 115 for the second wicket while the rest of us looked on rather admiringly from the boundary. Craig Sands chipped in with a brisk 45, the extras column did its bit with 26, and even poor Richard Knowler's untroubled duck couldn't dent a total of 242/7 that had Beckenham's fielders looking distinctly weary by the 41st over.

If batting was the appetiser, the bowling was the main course. Beckenham never got going, and we tore through them like a dog through a hedge – 67-6 becoming 74-9 almost before the tea urn had cooled. Will Harris, David Valder and Chris Harris departed without so much as a single to their names, while Sam Boyns (3-23) and Joshua Knowler (3-23) shared the spoils, Richard Knowler adding 2-9 with three miserly maidens for good measure. Poor Craig Sands had a busy afternoon behind the stumps, 8 byes and all, and I did my modest bit with 24 with the bat.

A red-letter day all round, too, with David Castle raising his 26,000th run for the club. A thumping, one-sided victory, and precisely the sort of afternoon that makes club cricket worth the aching knees.

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

Skipper's Log — Saturday 6th July, 2013. Sheldwich CC visited, and having lost the toss I found us doing what Linton Park does best: standing about in a field wondering where our fielding form had gone. It didn't take long to find out. Maxine Blythin and Kenny Veck departed cheaply, 3 down for 1, and for a moment it looked like we might be chasing leather all afternoon. James Creed had other ideas, ambling to a fine 66 with Jon Taylor's 21 alongside him, and Sheldwich crawled to 138/8 off their 45. Credit where it's due, though — Thomas Beeney was a menace with 3-21, Matthew Carter bowled like a man auditioning for the Bank of England with 2-15 and five maidens, and Iain Rawson chipped in with 1-15. A workable target, we told ourselves, trying to sound convincing.

With the bat, Kevin Presneill and Will Thirkell put on a breezy 66 for the first wicket before either fell — though poor Will's own contribution was a golden duck, which he took with the good grace this club expects. Presneill carried on to 38, I managed 31 myself, and Daniel Thirkell saw us home unbeaten on 28 as we reached 142/6 with overs to spare. A word too for Will Thew, who brought up his 100th appearance in Linton colours — a landmark rather more dependable than our top order.

Four wickets, two points, and a job thoroughly, if occasionally nervously, done.

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 — Sunday 30 June 2013. Away to Exiles at Ash CC, and the coin let us down as usual, so it was pads on and off we went into the field first while they had the good sense to bowl.

Batting first, we compiled a workmanlike 159/6 from our forty overs, the total given real backbone by Glen Rawson, who cruised serenely past fifty to finish on 67 — and, more remarkably, brought up 6,000 career runs for the club along the way. A mantelpiece moment if ever there was one. The extras column also had a fine match, chipping in 27, which I like to think reflects the discipline of their attack rather than the wildness of ours.

Defending it, we were made to work, though the wickets column tells its own tale of two departing without troubling the scorers — William Burdge and Jack Cussen both gone without scoring. Matt Luckhurst (34) and John Rivers (32) threatened to make a real fist of the chase, with Kevin Hollyhock (24) chipping in too, but Darren Styles was in irresistible form, ripping through with 3-40, and I was pleased to lend a hand with 2-22 alongside Martin Harris's 2-29 as they folded for 139 in 34.2 overs.

A fine win by 20 runs, then, and a thoroughly satisfying afternoon all round — Glen's milestone alone would have made the tea worth staying for. 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 · HomeformWLWWW

Sunday 30th June saw us welcome Rowledge CC, and with the toss won I did what any captain armed with sunshine and false confidence does — I put us in to bat. In hindsight I'm still calling it the right decision, though the scorebook tells a rather different story. A wicket down with the total still on nought set an ominous tone, and things unravelled with alarming speed as we slumped from 0-1 to 11-4 before most of us had found our rhythm. Jordan Austin and Craig Sands both departed for ducks, and by the time we were bowled out for 81 in the 27th over, there was a fair amount of studying of bootlaces going on in the pavilion.

Eighty-one was never going to be a total to frighten anyone, but we set about defending it with the stubbornness club cricket demands. I'm pleased to say I did my bit with the ball, taking 1-16 with two maidens thrown in for good measure, and Will Thirkell chipped in nicely alongside me with 1-22. For a while we even dared to dream, but Rowledge's openers laid a platform of 60 for the first wicket, and Chris "Jnr" Yates saw them home unbeaten on 29, well supported by Rob Smith's 26, as they cruised to 82-2.

Beaten by eight wickets, then — no dressing that one up. A batting collapse we'll want to forget in a hurry, though there were individual crumbs of comfort, not least for me sitting proudly atop the wicket charts for the season. We'll regroup, we'll bat with rather more conviction, and we'll be back next week ready to make amends.

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

Skipper's Log — Saturday 29 June, and Stowting CC were the visitors on a day when I rather fancied our chances, so winning the toss and having a bat felt like the only sensible decision available to me.

We laboured a touch early on — 5-1 is never the platform you dream of — but the middle order dug in nicely, Will Thew's 27 and Iain Rawson's 22 steadying things, and a sturdy 62-run stand for the seventh wicket did the real work of rebuilding the innings. I was fortunate enough to still be there at the end, 85 not out, and a defiant last-wicket flourish of 37 runs gave our 196/7 from 45 overs a distinctly respectable look on the board — rather better than the shaky start had promised.

In the field we were relentless. Martin Harris was superb, ripping through with 4-23, Thomas Beeney chipped in handsomely with 3-18, and Matthew Carter bowled with real discipline — five maidens and a wicket for just 18. Stowting fought hard, Matthew Cox's 41 and Clifford Ball's 37 the backbone of their reply, but 144 all out from 42.2 overs was always going to fall short of our target.

A 52-run win, two points banked, and a thoroughly satisfying afternoon's work all round — I'll happily take that, and the tea urn tasted all the sweeter for it.

Thu 27 Jun 2013 🧢 Twenty20v SC Smarden CC · AwayformLLWWW

As it stands, we've had worse Thursdays. Away at Smarden, we limped to 106/6 from our twenty, and it wasn't pretty for long stretches. An early wobble at 7-1 set a nervous tone, and when we slid from 40-3 to 49-6 there was talk in the changing room of a very short evening indeed. Thomas Beeney's golden duck didn't help the mood. But a defiant last-wicket stand added a priceless 57, with Adam Jackson unbeaten on 26 and myself alongside him on 21 not out, and suddenly a scrappy total had a bit of respectability about it.

Defending 106 against Smarden felt, at the toss of a coin, like defending a sandcastle against the tide. But cricket delights in making fools of captains who think that way. Thomas Beeney set the tone with the ball, bowling with real venom to finish 2-14, and got fine support from Mark Christmas (2-21) and Martin Harris (2-25) — Harris continuing to lead our wicket charts this season with 7 in all. I got my own name on the board too, chipping in with 21. David Collins and Ben Wright both departed without troubling the scorers, and Smarden's last man fell with the total at 97, some nineteen overs and four balls in.

Nine runs. That's all it was in the end, but it felt like considerably more standing in the field. A proper team win — scrappy with the bat, splendid with the ball — and thoroughly earned. Two points banked and the tea, I'm told, was rather good too.

Tue 25 Jun 2013 🧢 Twenty20v Bearsted CC · HomeformWLLWW

I won the toss and, with the sun out and a good pitch under our boots, there was never any real debate — we batted first. It didn't start smoothly, and it certainly didn't finish smoothly, but for twenty overs we found a way to make 145/7, which on reflection I'll happily take. The innings turned on a lovely third-wicket stand between Mark Christmas and Craig Sands, both finishing unbeaten on 31, who added 68 together and dragged us from a fidgety start into something respectable. Then, as club cricket so often insists on, the wheels came off in spectacular fashion — 95-3 became 113-6 before anyone had time to reach for another cup of tea. Thomas Beeney's golden duck did little to arrest the slide, though I'm reliably informed the extras column batted better than most of us, chipping in 31.

Defending 145 always feels like a coin toss of its own, but the ball did the talking this time. Stephen Pearce departed without so much as a glance at the scoreboard, and from there Bearsted never got going, bowled out for 89 in 16.3 overs. I had one of those days where everything comes out right, finishing with 3-16, with Martin Harris (3-22) and Joshua Knowler (1-0) mopping up the rest in style.

A fine win by 56 runs, and frankly more comfortable in the telling than it felt in the middle overs. Onwards.

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

Won the toss, elected to bat — and for once nobody in the changing room disagreed with the decision, which felt like a good omen in itself. Glen Rawson batted beautifully for his 40, and Richard Piper matched him stride for stride with 39, a knock that — we discovered afterwards — nudged him past Mike Elworthy and up to 11th on the club's all-time run charts, a fact I intend to remind him of at every opportunity. Sadly the card wasn't all glory: Trevor Back, Nat Presneill and I all trooped back for ducks, and it was left to a heroic 53 extras — more sundries than sense, some might say — to drag us to 168 all out in 38.1 overs.

Defending that total felt a stiff ask against a West Peckham side propelled by Angus Buchanan's 78, well supported by H Pearce (28) and C Reading (23). But Martin Harris had other ideas, scything through them with a magnificent 7-54 including two maidens — the sort of spell bowlers dream about and captains quietly thank their lucky stars for. I chipped in with 1-19, and Tim Wright took 1-26, while Will Edwards, R- Outram and W Collins all fell without troubling the scorers. West Peckham were bowled out for 164 in 41.1 overs — four runs short of the target.

A nerve-shredding, thoroughly deserved win, and two points banked. Glen Rawson now sits second in our 2nd XI's season run charts, Martin Harris top of the wickets — and I, having contributed a golden duck to proceedings, shall go quietly and find some throw-downs before next week.

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

It was a fine Sunday for the gazette to record — New Ifield CC visited us on the 23rd of June and were sent home with the shorter end of the stick. Winning the toss, or perhaps just losing the argument about who fancied a bowl in the sunshine, I put us into the field first, and the lads set about their work with real purpose. New Ifield were bowled out for 146 in 42.3 overs, Robert Walker's 40 and Joe Lawrence's 39 the backbone of their innings, with Tom Crowther chipping in 26. Credit to our attack, though — Will Thirkell was magnificent, 4-16 with four maidens thrown in for good measure, ably backed by Mark Christmas (3-21) and Luke Welsman (2-27), and three of their batsmen, Darren Delport, David Homewood and Nick Bodle, never troubled the scorers at all.

Chasing 147, we made rather harder work of it than the target perhaps deserved, but Daniel Thirkell played beautifully for his 56, well supported by Jordan Austin's 24, and I was glad to get a few runs of my own under my belt along the way as we edged home to 148/6 off 32 overs.

A word too for the season so far: Mark Christmas now leads our 2013 Sunday 1st XI run charts with 203, and Will Thirkell sits third in the wicket-taking table with 8 to his name. Every reason, then, to call this a win worth savouring.

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

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 · AwayformDDDDD

Lost the toss again — Marden's captain barely disguised his glee at putting us in, and off we trundled to Kent wondering if the coin had it in for me personally. Still, needs must, and Kevin Presneill made sure the day started well with a thoroughly well-made fifty, 59 of the finest, while I chipped in with 44 and Daniel Thirkell added 35 — a stand of 70 for the second wicket that had us purring. Then, as is our custom, we found a way to make it interesting: 159 for 5 became 168 for 8 in what felt like the time it takes to pour a tea, with Laurie Probert and Iain Rawson both departing for ducks. All out for 216 in 41.5 overs — respectable, if a little more dramatic than necessary.

Defending it, though, was a different story entirely. Marden's innings resembled a house of cards in a gentle breeze — 7 for 1 became 38 for 4 became 49 for 7, with Alfie Gordine, Arun Samuel and James Taylor all sent back without so much as a scoring stroke. Will Thirkell was simply unplayable, spinning his way to 6 for 13, while Matthew Carter strangled the life out of the middle overs with 2 for 11 and four maidens, and I added 1 for 14 for good measure. All out for 69.

A 147-run victory, and two points thoroughly earned. Not a bad way to spend a Saturday in Kent.

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 · AwayformWDDDD

Saturday 15 June found us on the road at Rumwood CC, and we took first use of the ball — a decision that felt rather clever right up until their openers settled in for the long haul.

Rumwood ground their way to 132/6 from the full 45 overs, Ben Austin unbeaten on 40 and Jordan Austin chipping in with 34 as the total crept beyond anything our outfielding deserved. There was some cheer for us, mind: Joe Millen departed without troubling the scorers, sent back for a duck by an attack that had its moments. Darren Styles was pick of the bunch, 2-24 including two tidy maidens, with Iain Rawson (2-32) and Jack Gwynn (1-3) offering good support.

Our reply never quite found its rhythm. We limped to 82/9 from our 45, a total that owed almost everything to Richard Piper's gritty 29, while poor Tim Wright will want to forget his duck as quickly as the scorebook allows.

Elsewhere, the season rolls on regardless of one damp Saturday's fortunes — David Castle continues to top the 2nd XI run charts with 181 for the summer, and Iain Rawson's efforts with the ball have him second in the wicket standings on three.

In the end neither side could force the issue, and honours were shared. Given how our top order fared, I'll happily take a draw and the drive home in one piece.

Sat 15 Jun 2013 🧢 1st XIv Staplehurst CC · HomeformDDDDD

I put us in to field on winning the toss, and Staplehurst duly obliged by batting through 44.5 overs for 116 all out – Tim Watts the chief architect with a fluent 53, though we had the last laugh with the ball. Paul Motum went cheaply with the first wicket down at 3-1, and I'll admit to a spot of quiet satisfaction with figures of 2-13, the pick of a tidy attack. Matthew Carter chipped in with 2-26, and Martin Harris was positively parsimonious – 1-4 with three maidens, the sort of spell that has batsmen playing shots in their sleep that never come off.

Chasing 117 was never going to be a stroll, and so it proved. We lost our first wicket cheaply too, at 1-1, and the top order rather fancied taking it in turns to walk back for nought – Craig Sands, Glen Rawson and Will Thew all fell without troubling the scorers, which is not a sentence any captain enjoys writing. Thankfully Will Thirkell played the innings of the day, 59 to guide us home, well supported by Kevin Presneill's composed 21, and we scraped over the line by three wickets with something to spare on the overs.

A word too for Matthew Carter, whose two wickets nudged him past John Thirkell into 15th on the club's all-time list – history quietly being made while the tea urn cooled. Two hard-earned points, a few ducks to laugh about in the bar, and a scorecard we can all be rather proud of.

Thu 13 Jun 2013 🧢 Twenty20v LC Lenham CC · AwayformWWLLW

Since we called correctly and stuck Lenham in, I felt rather pleased with myself before a ball had been bowled — always a dangerous state for a captain to be in. Twenty overs later they'd posted 117 for 8, a total that owed much to Tom Curtis's watchful 26, with Alan Barr and Dan Russell chipping in 23 apiece to keep the scoreboard honest. At the other end it was carnage of a different sort: Pete Humphries, Steve Livesy and Jack Ambrose all trooped off for ducks, undone by a rampant Martin Harris, who bowled like a man with a grievance to finish with 2 for 4. Sam Boyns picked up a couple more, and I managed to sneak in with 1 for 13, which I shall claim as a solid, unspectacular contribution to the cause.

Chasing 118 is never quite the formality the scorebook suggests, and 120 for 6 in 17.1 overs tells you we made rather harder work of it than we needed to. Tim Wright batted with real composure for his unbeaten 32, well supported by Thomas Beeney's equally calm 25 not out, while the rest of us did our best impression of tail-enders in a hurry. I contributed nothing whatsoever — a duck, gained in the manner one might describe as "brief" — joining Martin Harris and Chris Newman in that increasingly well-subscribed club. Tim Wright now tops our season's run charts, Sam Boyns leads the wickets, and the Duck Club ledger grows fatter by the week.

Still, four wickets to the good, and a win is a win, however scruffily assembled. A good day for the club, even if my own contributions with bat and ball rather cancelled each other out.

Sun 09 Jun 2013 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv 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

Onwards from a decent toss to lose and no complaints thereafter. Charing put us in on a Sunday that felt made for batting, and by the time we'd racked up 161 all out in 39.3 overs I was rather pleased with how things had gone, not least because I found some form myself with 46 at the top of the order. Craig Sands chipped in nicely with 32 and Mark Christmas with 23, the pair of them putting on 59 for the fourth wicket to give the innings some backbone. Spare a thought, though, for poor Benjamin Austin, whose duck will earn him a prominent place on the club's wall of shame.

Defending 161 always has an edge of anxiety to it, but Charing obliged by losing an early wicket with just 7 on the board and never really settled, slumping from 45 for 4 to 56 for 7 as the pressure told. Thomas Beeney was the pick of the attack with 3 for 13, well backed up by Martin Harris (3-15) and Will Thirkell (2-10), while Mark Christmas bowled two tidy maidens for good measure. Dave Riley and Ben Cook departed without troubling the scorers, and Charing were bowled out for 93 in 28.2 overs. Craig Sands had a busier afternoon behind the stumps than he'd have liked, with 10 byes going begging.

A comfortable win by 68 runs, then, and a fine advert for Sunday cricket in the sunshine. Mark Christmas continues to top our season's run charts and Martin Harris the wickets — long may both continue. Onwards indeed.

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

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 · AwayformDDDDD

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

Splendid Sunday it wasn't, but here's how it went at Linton Park.

We lost the toss, were duly sent out to field, and spent the afternoon plotting our reply. When our turn with the willow came, 103/9 from our forty overs felt like a score assembled with sticky tape and good intentions. Richard Knowler shouldered the bulk of it with a watchful 20, and for a while we looked like building something respectable — 88 for 4 wasn't disgraceful. Then, in the time it takes to put the kettle on, we were 92 for 7. I contributed to the collapse in the most economical way possible: a golden duck, keeping Nat Presneill company back in the pavilion for the same reason. Least said, soonest mended.

With the ball, we fought harder than the scorecard perhaps suggests. Peter Davies was the pick of the attack, snapping up 2 for 5, with Richard Knowler chipping in a wicket of his own, and Darren Styles bowling with the discipline of a man who simply refused to be hit, sending down three maidens. But Norton's Daniel Marshall had other ideas, compiling a fine 39 with Darren Killick's 22 alongside him, and they eased home to 106 for 4 with overs and wickets to spare.

Beaten by six wickets, then — no disgrace, but no cause for champagne either. We'll regroup, dust off the pads, and come back stronger next week.

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

Up the Dukes at Linton Park, and 2 June found us squaring up to Eynsford CC on home turf, sun (allegedly) on our backs. I lost the toss, they had a bat, and I confess my heart sank slightly — but the lads had other ideas. Howard Collins (45) and Ben Wise (25) built Eynsford a platform, and a first-wicket stand of 74 threatened to make a long afternoon of it. But we clawed it back with real menace, ripping through the middle and tail — 126-6 to 137-9 in a blur, with Lindsay Hamill, Stewart Michelsen and Andy Claxton all sent back without troubling the scorers. Thomas Beeney led the charge superbly (3-23), Sam Boyns chipped in (2-26), Will Thirkell bowled two miserly maidens, and I managed to get among the wickets myself with 2-31. Eynsford all out for 139.

A gettable target, and Jordan Austin made an absolute mockery of it — 77 not out, calm as you like, with Kevin Presneill (26) lending fine support and the pair adding 59 for the third wicket. We cruised home at 142-4. As for my own contribution with the bat, the less said the better — sent back without scoring, and if Craig Sands's 12 byes are anything to go by, it was a testing day behind the stumps for everyone.

Still, a red-letter day: Jordan Austin brought up 1,000 career runs for the club, and sits atop both the run and — thanks to my bowling — the wicket charts this season. Six wickets, thoroughly deserved, and a result to be proud of.

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

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

Here is the match report:

There are days when the toss goes against you and you know it's going to be one of those Sundays — and so it proved when Band of Brothers CC visited on 26th May and had us in the field first. Batting first has never been our preferred order of business at the best of times, so this felt like an early setback before a ball was bowled.

We scrapped our way to 148 for 8 from the twenty overs, a total that owed most of its respectability to a watchful 28 from yours truly, well backed up by Jordan Austin's brisk 21. Not a score to frighten anyone, but enough, we hoped, to give the bowlers something to defend.

And defend it we very nearly did. Martin Harris was superb with the new ball, ripping through with 3 for 7 and even claiming a golden duck along the way, with Mark Christmas and Ian Hollingworth chipping in dutifully either side of him. But Band of Brothers had other ideas: X Copestake anchored the chase with an unbeaten 35, ushered home by Toby Marriott's unbeaten 30 and Alex Norwood-Hill's 29, and they crept past us with 152 for 8.

Two wickets the wrong side of victory, then — not our day, and no use pretending otherwise. Heads up, chins up, and back to the nets we go.

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

Sunday, 26 May 2013, and Sissinghurst was our destination, the sun doing its best village-green impression as I won the toss and, with the pitch looking a belter, never seriously considered doing anything but batting.

And bat we did, to 217/8 off our 38 overs — a proper total built on Will Thew's fifty (53, and a well-made one at that), with Richard Piper's 31 and Gareth Davies's unbeaten 25 filling in the gaps nicely. Poor Nat Presneill will not be troubling the scorers this week beyond a duck, though the extras column, on 54, batted rather better than several of us put together.

Defending it, we made hard work of what should have been comfortable, as Luke Sheridan treated us to a magnificent, chastening century — 120 of pure carnage — that for a good while had me wondering whether I'd made a terrible mistake at the toss. But cricket has a way of balancing its books: Freddie Wood, Nathan Staines and Rodger Burgess all departed for ducks, Chris Newman ran through the rest with 4-24, Luke Welsman chipped in with 2-22, and I managed to grab a wicket myself for 26 to round things off nicely.

We held on for a 20-run win. One century, four ducks, and a captain who'll happily take the credit for the toss and precious little else — a proper day out, and a good day for the club.

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

Saturday saw us take the road down to Meopham, and if the toss had gone our way I like to think events might have unfolded rather differently — but it didn't, and they put us in.

Ninety-two all out in 39.5 overs was never going to trouble the scorers, and while Michael Beeney's 29 gave the innings some backbone, the rest of us rather let the side down. Jack Gwynn and I both fell for ducks, which is the sort of shared misery that at least makes for good company back in the pavilion, if not good reading in the scorebook.

With the bat having let us down, the ball needed to work a minor miracle, and for a while it looked possible. Will Bramley-Harker struck early with a tidy 1-6, and Darren Styles bowled with real discipline, four maidens keeping the scoreboard honest. But Andrew Bryant had other ideas, easing to an unbeaten 55, well supported by Darren Deeks' 20, and Meopham strolled home on 93/1 with overs to spare.

There was, at least, cause for celebration amid the gloom. Michael Beeney brought up 2,000 career runs for the club — a landmark thoroughly earned — while Richard Piper's 15 saw him leapfrog Clive Newman into 12th on our all-time run-scorers list. Small mercies, but real ones.

As for the result: a nine-wicket defeat, no dressing it up. Not our day. Heads up, and back to the nets we go.

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

Called it right at the toss on Saturday and, with a glint in my eye that even I found slightly optimistic, sent Boughton & Eastwell in. For once the plan actually worked: they laboured to 100 all out in 37.5 overs, David Gray doing the heavy lifting with 38, before we turned the screw from 63-2 to 71-5 in the blink of an eye, Josh Lindsay and Nick Beaumont both trudging back for ducks. Thomas Beeney was quite magnificent, four wickets for a miserly 21 runs off four maidens, with Will Thirkell (3-23) snapping up the rest and I chipped in with 2-26 to round things off nicely.

A hundred to chase should have been a formality, and cricket duly reminded us why nothing ever is. We slumped to 5-1 before Will Thirkell decided enough was enough, playing a lovely, composed half-century to drag us home. Craig Sands's contribution was, shall we say, brief and duckish, but nobody minded much by the close.

We scraped over the line at 101/7 — a win by three wickets, ugly in places but a win nonetheless. I sit atop the season's run charts with 129, and Will now leads the wickets column with 11, so the old legs are still doing something right. A scratchy afternoon, but three points is three points. Onwards.

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

Sunday the nineteenth of May, Stockbury CC the visitors, and I won little more than the right to have a look at the pitch before deciding to bowl first — a decision that looked increasingly regrettable as Clifton Muil settled in and simply declined to get out, finishing unbeaten on a magnificent 150. Joe Martin chipped in with a useful 36, and between them they hauled Stockbury to 231/7 from their forty overs. Small mercies: I managed to prise out three wickets for 42, Luke Welsman and Simon Henley picked up one apiece, and Henley bowled two overs so mean he'd have made a Yorkshireman proud. Simon Clare and Phil Monk both trudged off for ducks, which was about the only unqualified good news of the innings.

Chasing 232, we made a fair fist of it. Simon Henley played the innings of the day, 82 not out and calm as you like, and I found some rhythm of my own with the bat for 70 — a personal highlight, and about as close as I've come to a proper contribution with both bat and ball in the same afternoon. Sadly Luke Welsman, Christopher Bridle and Nat Presneill all fell for golden ducks, and despite our best efforts we closed on 213/8, eighteen runs short.

Not our day, then — heads up, chins out, and back to the nets. Henley leads our Sunday runs charts for the season, and Will Bramley-Harker tops the wickets, so there's plenty to be cheerful about even in defeat.

Sun 19 May 2013 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv 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

Sunday the nineteenth of May found us on the road to Hollingbourne, and the coin did its usual trick of ignoring my call entirely — they had us in the field... or so I thought, until it turned out they'd put us in to bat. Craig Sands set about repairing my toss-losing reputation with a lovely, chanceless 62, and found a willing ally in Kevin Presneill's 32, the pair adding a priceless 50 for the third wicket. Elsewhere the card wasn't so kind — poor Richard Knowler and Matthew Carter both walked back without troubling the scorers — but 166 all out from 39.4 overs felt like a total with some fight in it.

And fight it did. Hollingbourne threatened to stroll it when Ian Playfoot (36) and Simon Hammond (31) put on 70 for the second wicket, but the bowlers kept chipping away — Thomas Beeney a tidy 2-25, Will Thirkell miserly as ever with three maidens on his way to 1-27, and I had one of those days where everything comes out right, finishing with 3-22. Craig's afternoon behind the stumps was rather less serene, 11 byes testament to a pitch with ideas of its own, and I added a scratchy 15 with the bat for good measure. A word too for Stuart Cheesman, whose 6 runs quietly nudged him past William Buck into 20th on the club's all-time run list.

Seven runs the margin, two points the reward, and a thoroughly satisfying way to spend a Sunday.

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

Chris Newman here, and for once the coin gods weren't smiling on me — Headcorn won the toss and stuck us in the field on a Saturday that promised runs for somebody. It turned out to be Mike Donnelly's day rather than ours, his unbeaten 106 the backbone of their 203/6, well supported by Richard Raye's tidy 59. The pair put on 164 for the first wicket before we so much as got a sniff, and I confess there were moments in that stand when I wondered if I'd left my captaincy at home. But we regrouped: from 164-1 we tore through to 169-4 in a blur, sending Ahmed Arief and Freddie Yeandle back without scoring. I chipped in with 2-34, Tim Thirkell matched me stride for stride with 2-34 of his own, and Iain Rawson bowled beautifully for 1-28, including two maidens that Headcorn simply couldn't get away.

Chasing 204, it was David Castle who took the game by the scruff of the neck with a magnificent unbeaten 113, ushered along by Tim Thirkell's composed 22 not out. The tail wagged just enough to rattle Headcorn's nerves in the closing overs, and we got home 204/6 with four wickets in hand.

A fine away win, then, built on Castle's brilliance and a bowling effort that did just enough when it mattered. Tea, as ever, was the real MVP. Onwards.

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

We lost the toss on a bright May afternoon and Headcorn, visitors for the day, invited us to bowl first — which as any captain knows is groundsman-speak for "we fancy batting last, thanks". With the willow in hand ourselves, we could only muster 145 all out in 44.4 overs, rescued from embarrassment by Daniel Thirkell's fine 75, a proper captain's-innings fifty and then some. Elsewhere the scorebook was less kind — Matthew Carter, marking his 200th appearance in Linton colours, was greeted not with a guard of honour but a golden duck. Cricket has a cruel sense of occasion.

In the field we scrapped hard. Headcorn replied with 149 for 6 in 43.4 overs, built around Simon Phipps's unbeaten 76 and a watchful 23 from James Barker, the pair adding 72 for the second wicket that really shaped the game. I did what I could with the ball, 2 for 17 with three maidens to keep things tight, while Will Thirkell (2-32) and Thomas Beeney (1-22) chipped away at the other end. Poor Craig Sands had a torrid afternoon behind the stumps, 8 byes going begging.

Beaten by four wickets in the end, and no arguing with it. Still, with Will leading the wicket charts and I currently topping the run-scoring for the summer, there's plenty to build on — we'll be better for it next week.

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

I'm ready to give straight answers as Will Thirkell — here's the match report.

A rare thing happened at Linton Park this Sunday: I lost the toss, XIIth Men CC had a bat, and for once the sun stayed out long enough to see the whole thing through to a result nobody could quite claim. Colville set about us with a crisp half-century, and had willing company from Wilson and O-Dowell as the total ticked along to a respectable 159/8 off their forty overs — though Jay Penny will be filing this one under "forgettable," dismissed for a blob without so much as a single to his name. With the ball I was fortunate enough to strike early and often, finishing with 2-19, while Benjamin Austin bowled a tidy, miserly spell for 2-21 including a couple of maidens, and Will Bramley-Harker chipped in with 2-35 to keep the scoreboard honest. Poor Glen Rawson had a torrid afternoon behind the stumps, eight byes escaping his gloves like nobody had told them the game was still on.

Chasing 160, we made it look almost indecent in its simplicity — 71 without loss in just twelve overs, Austin unbeaten on 21 and I saw us home with an unbeaten 41 of my own before the rain, or perhaps just good sense, called a halt to proceedings. With honours shared, it was the sort of draw that pleases nobody and offends nobody in equal measure — a fair result, if not quite the story we'd have chosen to tell.

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

The road to Meopham on a fine May Saturday, and the coin let us down as usual — we were put into the field before we'd even had a chance to finish our tea. Batting first is never our preferred order of business, but there we were.

With bat in hand we put together 179 all out in 44.1 overs, and I'm rather proud to say I found some form myself, carrying the innings with 68. Laurie Probert chipped in nicely with 31 and Kevin Presneill added a tidy 25, the pair of us combining for an 80-run stand at the fifth wicket that gave the total some respectability. Less said the better about Craig Sands, Will Thirkell and Matthew Carter, who all took the walk of shame back to the pavilion for ducks — the Duck Club ledger grows ever fatter.

In the field, we simply couldn't stem the tide. Meopham raced to 117 without loss before we so much as glimpsed a wicket, and David Pollard was the chief tormentor, striking a superb 119 that put the result well beyond doubt. Gavin Tovey's 31 and Simon Burton's 24 kept the scoreboard ticking, and they closed on 180/3 in just 31.2 overs. Will Thirkell toiled hardest with 2-61, well supported by Thomas Beeney's 1-36, but it wasn't enough.

Beaten by seven wickets, then, and no arguing with the margin. We'll dust ourselves down and be better for it next week.

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

Here's the match report:

There are days when losing the toss feels like a mercy, but Monday wasn't one of them — Selsdon put us in, and it was up to us to make it count. Tim Wright led the way with a fine 42, and I was glad to chip in with an unbeaten 42 of my own, while Jeff Dummett's 34 kept the innings ticking along nicely. A useful opening stand of 51 gave us the platform, and with the extras column doing its bit to the tune of 27, we closed on a respectable 200/6 from our 41 overs.

Defending it was always going to be the harder half of the day's work. Selsdon set about the chase with Marcus Robertson playing the innings of the match — a well-crafted 62 — well supported by David Shivmangal's 33 and David Hermanstein's unbeaten 21, built on their own solid opening stand of 51. But the bowlers refused to let the game drift entirely out of reach: Nat Presneill was excellent up front with 3-39, I found some reward with 2-20, and Thomas Beeney bowled with real discipline for 1-17, five of his overs going for nothing at all. Selsdon finished on 173/7 from their 45.

Honours shared, then — a draw when neither side could quite force the issue. Small consolation on the personal front: those 42 runs nudged me past Keith Hatcher into 25th on the club's all-time run charts, which is either a proud moment or a sign I've been playing far too long. Either way, a fair result, fairly earned by both sides.

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 · HomeformDDWWL

Losing the toss on a bright May Saturday is never the start you want, and being put in against Chestfield CC did us no favours whatsoever. Joshua Lock set about us in fine style for 81, with Harry Bee's polished half-century and Daniel Patching's unbeaten 49 ensuring the visitors racked up 224 for 4 from their forty overs. Credit where due — Will Thirkell was the pick of our attack with 1-14, tidy and mean, while Martin Harris chipped in with 1-50 for his troubles. Kevin Presneill had a torrid afternoon behind the stumps, eight byes finding their way through, which tells its own story about the state of the pitch and, frankly, our day.

Chasing 225 was always a stretch, but 53 all out in 26.5 overs was a collapse of truly spectacular proportions — 19 for 1 became 26 for 4 before most of us had found our rhythm, let alone our timing. The Duck Club ledger swelled alarmingly: Glen Rawson and Daniel Thirkell both walked back for nought, and I completed the golden hat-trick of ducks with a first-ball blob of my own — a captain is supposed to lead by example, and on this occasion I did, just not in the way I'd have chosen.

Small consolations: Thomas Beeney sits second in this year's run charts, Will Thirkell tops the wickets. But 171 runs is 171 runs. Heads up, chins up, and back to the nets — this one's best filed under character-building.

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

Onwards then. Sunday 28 April saw Brasted & Sundridge CC come to us, and having lost the toss I found us put into the field — never quite the news you want with the coffee still kicking in. They ground their way to 163/8 from their forty overs, Sam Plumb (39) and Colin Foreman (38) doing the heavy lifting either side of an early wobble at 7-1, with Tom Rutter (25 not out) tidying up the tail. A 60-run stand for the seventh wicket threatened to get away from us before the bowlers dragged it back. Luke Welsman was the pick of the attack with 2-24, Matthew Carter chipped in 2-31, and Will Thirkell bowled with real discipline for 1-5 and two maidens — miserly doesn't begin to cover it. Poor Dave Bentley trudged off for a duck without so much as a single to console him.

Chasing 164, we lost an early wicket with the score on just 2 — the sort of start that has a captain reaching for the flask rather than the scorebook — and Craig Sands added his own golden duck to the ledger. But from there it was a formality. I found some form and battled to 92 not out, well supported by Matthew Carter's unbeaten 32 and Will Thirkell's 23, and we cantered home on 164/3 with overs to spare. A personal 92 was thoroughly satisfying, and it now sees me atop the season's run charts with 120, Carter leading the bowling with two wickets. A fine win by seven wickets — the sort of Sunday that makes the drive home feel considerably shorter. Onwards.

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

Skipper's Log — Saturday 27th April 2013, away at Mersham Sports CC. Winning the toss on a morning that felt made for bowling, I had no hesitation sending Mersham in — and for a while it looked the shrewdest call I'd made all year. Will Thirkell was in imperious form to return 3-23, Thomas Beeney chipped in with 2-11, and I managed to get among the wickets myself with 2-20, while Jack Gwynn strangled the runs with a couple of tidy maidens. Kyle McAlister departed without troubling the scorers, but Will Thew (36) and Alan Stevens (28) dragged Mersham up to a defendable 119 all out. Not a total to lose sleep over, we thought.

How wrong we were. Chasing 120, we subsided to 78/9, with Will Thew, Kevin Presneill and yours truly all failing to trouble the umpire's finger for anything other than a raised one. Glen Rawson, to his enormous credit, stood firm for 46 and gave the innings the only shape it had. Poor Craig Sands had a torrid time behind the stumps, eight byes escaping his gloves, though frankly the batting gave him little cover. As for the skipper's own contribution with the willow — a golden blob. They say a captain must lead by example; on this occasion I led rather too enthusiastically back to the pavilion.

Beaten by 41 runs, then, and a chastening drive home. But there's genuine promise in that bowling attack, and a batting order that finds its nerve will make amends soon enough.

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

Sunday 21 April, and Horton Kirby came to Linton Park with the sun making half an effort. The coin fell their way and they had no hesitation sending us in, which rather set the tone.

It did not begin well. Five for one before most of us had found our sightscreen legs, and Tim Wright, Will Thirkell and Ray Dixon then formed an orderly queue to make ducks, one after the other, as though someone had put it about that it was compulsory. Somehow we ground our way to 125 for 9 from the full forty overs, with 28 of the more useful runs coming off my own bat and Martin Harris holding the innings together with a composed 21 not out. The extras column did its bit too, chipping in a generous 25 — no medal for effort, but gratefully received.

With the ball we toiled honestly without ever quite finding the breakthrough that mattered. Ian Playfoot batted beautifully for an unbeaten 66, well supported by Jack Boxall's 21, the pair putting on 56 for the second wicket while we searched high and low for inspiration. Ian Hollingworth was tidiest of all, two maidens and 1 for 13, with Michael Beeney also getting among the wickets. Thirteen byes rather told poor Craig Sands's story for him.

Horton Kirby cantered home by eight wickets, and there's no dressing that up. Not our day — heads up, chins up, and back to the nets.