🧢 Captain's Log

Sun 24 Sep 2017 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv TC Tenterden CC · AwayformWWDWD

Wednesday, 24th September, Tenterden – away from home and, having lost the toss, straight into the field of dreams first. A pleasant grey afternoon, the sort that asks nothing of you and gives even less away, though our batting had other ideas once we finally got the bat on.

We posted 191/8 from our 41 overs, the innings really carried by Tobey Castle's unbeaten 86 – class, patience, and evidently no intention of getting out. Darrell Houghton-Judge chipped in a handy 33, the pair adding 58 for the fourth wicket to give the total some backbone. Poor Luke Welsman, meanwhile, was reminded that cricket is a cruel game, departing for a golden duck.

Defending 191 in 44 overs is no picnic, but Tobey Castle wasn't finished with the bat in hand – he turned his arm over to superb effect, taking 4-30 and looking every inch the club's form player. Tim Thirkell bowled beautifully in support, 2-18 with four maidens that gave Tenterden precious little to work with, and James Piper picked up one more. Guy Day's 61, backed by Joe Betteridge's 40 and Mark Kokkinos's 20, kept the chase alive, and a stubborn 55-run sixth-wicket stand nearly saw them home. Nine byes told their own tale of a testing afternoon behind the stumps for Nat Presneill, though Matt Goldsmith at least departed for nought at our hands.

In the end neither side could force it, and honours were shared. A fitting stage, too, for Darrell Houghton-Judge's 100th appearance in Linton colours – a landmark earned the hard way, on a day when a draw felt entirely fair.

Sat 23 Sep 2017 🧢 1st XIv SC Selling CC · AwayformWLWWW

From the captain's chair — Saturday 23 September 2017. We were away at Selling CC on a pleasant, cloudy afternoon, and my luck with the coin was as reliable as ever: they called correctly and stuck us in the field.

They made themselves thoroughly at home, racking up 262/7 from their forty overs. Sohail Asilzada was the chief architect of our afternoon's toil, a superb 103, with Nick Myers chipping in a well-made 60 and Richard Ingram a tidy 25. We did at least have the small mercy of sending Fahid Qurashi back for a duck. With the ball, Abishek Pushpavinothan was pick of the bunch with 2-36, while Henry Bourdillon (1-21) and Kevin Presneill (1-28) kept things honest without ever quite putting the brakes on.

Chasing 263 was always going to want a big effort, and losing an early wicket with just 8 on the board set a nervy tone we never fully shook off. Richard Piper played the innings of the day, 56 well made, well supported by Luke Welsman (27) and Nat Presneill (27), but wickets fell steadily around them and Anton Bourdillon's duck was a blot nobody needed. All out for 174 in the forty overs.

For the record books, Kevin Presneill continues his fine season, now 4th in the 1st XI run charts with 271, while Martin Harris sits 4th among the wicket-takers with 17.

Not our day, then — beaten by 88 runs. Heads up, and back to the nets.

Sun 17 Sep 2017 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv SC Sidcup CC · HomeformWWWDW

Sunday 17 September, and Sidcup CC rolled into Linton Park on a damp, faintly menacing afternoon — the kind where the covers grumble but the game goes on regardless. I lost the toss, as is customary these days, and Sidcup elected to bat, leaving us to make first use of a ball that, for once, actually did some talking.

And talk it did. Sidcup were bowled out for 101 in 30.2 overs, never quite finding their rhythm after losing an early wicket with just the solitary run on the board. Daniel Seaman (26) and Lalit Mangalarapu (25) did their best to steady things, but the damage was already being inflicted at the other end — Darrell Houghton-Judge simply ran through them with a superb 4-21, backed up handsomely by Luke Welsman (3-21) and the ever-parsimonious Tobey Castle, who took 2-7 including three maidens that must have felt like penance to face.

Chasing 102, we made a start of sorts — 18/1 from five overs — before the heavens, or the umpires, or perhaps just good sense intervened, and honours were shared. David Rolls and Andrew Copp will want their names back off the pavilion honours board of ducks, but no matter.

A draw, then, and on another day we surely finish the job. Still, with bowling like that on show, I'll take it as a very useful afternoon's work.

Sat 16 Sep 2017 🧢 1st XIv Stowting CC · HomeformWWLWW

From the captain's chair, Saturday 16 September 2017, and a pleasant, damp afternoon saw Stowting CC roll up as our visitors. I won the toss and had no hesitation electing to bat — the right call, I felt, and for once I was right. Kevin Presneill and Richard Piper set about proving it, cantering to 161 for the first wicket before anyone troubled the scorers with a bowling change that mattered. Presneill made a superb 86, Piper a well-crafted 66, and Tobey Castle finished unbeaten on 39 to see us home at 220 for 3 from our 40 overs. Spare a thought, though, for poor Trevor Back, whose walk of shame yielded a duck for the ledger.

With the ball, we made life interesting for ourselves. Stowting stumbled early to 6 for 1, and just when it looked routine again, Mick Jackson's fine 61, backed by Nick Graham's 42 and Troy Harding's 23, dragged them into contention via a stubborn 82-run fourth-wicket stand. But the lads held their nerve as the innings subsided from 180 for 6 to 183 for 9 — Mark Jackson departing for a duck of his own along the way. Anton Bourdillon led the attack superbly with 3 for 34, Abishek Pushpavinothan was miserly with 2 for 16 and three maidens, and Tim Thirkell chipped in 2 for 18, edging past Alan Boyns into 19th on the club's all-time wicket-takers list. I was pleased to lead from the front with 66.

A fine team performance, thoroughly earned: victory by 37 runs.

Wed 13 Sep 2017 🧢 Midweek XIv Penshurst Park CC · AwayformLLDWW

Skipper's Log — Wednesday 13 September 2017. A trip out to Penshurst Park CC on a pleasant, damp, blustery afternoon — the sort of day that makes winning the toss feel like a triumph in itself, even before a ball's bowled. Win it I did, and I put us in, fancying there'd be something in it for the bowlers.

For a while it looked shrewd. Tim Thirkell steamed in for 3-38 with Benjamin Austin (2-11) and Martin Harris (1-23) squeezing hard, Darren Styles tying up two maidens for good measure. But Martin Semmens had other ideas, compiling a fine 94 to drag Penshurst to 190/7 off their 39, Barney Scott (23) and Graham Nicholls (23 not out) lending a hand. A touch more than we'd have liked chasing.

With the bat, Richard Piper (35), Sam Boyns (30 not out) and Aaron Hughes (24) gave us real hope, and that opening stand of 74 had me thinking we were cruising. Then, as so often at this level, the roof fell in — 74-1 became 77-4 in the blink of an eye, and we stumbled to 139/8. Trevor Back and John Karassellos both walked for ducks, joining the club's less illustrious ledger.

One shaft of sunshine: Sam Boyns brought up 1,000 career runs for the club — a landmark thoroughly deserved and warmly applauded.

Fifty-one runs short in the end. Not our day, but the lads know it — back to the nets, heads up, and onwards.

Sun 10 Sep 2017 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv CK Cobham CC, Kent · HomeformDWWWD

As we won the toss, I opted to have a bowl first — and for once, the tactical dice landed kindly.

Sunday 10 September 2017, and Cobham CC came down to Linton on a proper club-cricket afternoon: drizzly, blustery, the sort of day that makes you glad of a jumper under the whites. Winning the toss, I fancied our chances in the field, and the lads didn't let me down. Cobham crept to 8-1 before the wheels well and truly wobbled — 22-4 in short order — though Nick Kraus (46) and David Andrews (27) did their best to drag them back towards respectability. Credit to Tobey Castle, whose 2-10 was the pick of a fine attack, well backed by Will Thew (2-19) and Martin Harris (1-9), while Joshua Knowler strangled the middle overs with three miserly maidens. Cobham closed on 122/8 from their 40 — a target that felt gettable, if not gift-wrapped.

Chasing it, we made our own nervous start, 0-1 before we'd barely got going, and poor Benjamin Austin's afternoon began and ended with a golden duck. But Sam Boyns (35) and Will Thew (26), with handy support from Tobey Castle (25), steadied the ship and saw us home at 124/6 with three overs to spare. Fittingly, it was a landmark day all round — Sam Boyns's 100th appearance in Linton colours, Will Thew's 200th — caps duly doffed to both.

Two points, thoroughly earned, and a result to be quietly proud of on a day when the weather did its level best to spoil the fun.

Sat 09 Sep 2017 🧢 1st XIv OC Offham CC · HomeformWWWLW

It was a fine, showery Saturday to be at the toss, and for once my coin-calling instincts were as reliable as my knees allow — I had no hesitation putting Offham CC into the field. Luke Welsman played the innings of the day, 70 to the good, with Darrell Houghton-Judge (29 not out) and Richard Piper (24) lending sturdy support and a 62-run fifth-wicket stand giving the innings its spine. A defiant last-wicket stand of 38 added a touch of gloss, and we closed on a handsome 217/8 from our 40. Less gloriously, the Duck Club welcomed Nat Presneill and Charles Curteis for the walk of shame — no runs, no ceremony, just the long trudge back.

With ball in hand we were relentless. Offham never got going, losing an early wicket with just 2 on the board, and though Anthony Smith (27) and James Duncan (26no) tried to build something, they could only limp to 92/9 from 27. Tim Thirkell was the chief tormentor with 3-15, backed superbly by Will Thew (2-0) and a miserly Martin Harris (1-6, three maidens). Adam Kent and Oliver Longley joined the ducks' parade, while our nine byes gave poor Nat Presneill a day to forget behind the stumps. I chipped in with 20 of my own.

Beyond the scorecard, a day of milestones: James Piper's 300th appearance in Linton colours, Darrell Houghton-Judge's 1,000th career run, and Tim Thirkell climbing past Tony Gauna to 20th on the all-time wicket list. A 125-run win, then, and thoroughly deserved. Onwards.

Sun 03 Sep 2017 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv Sherwood CC, Kent · AwayformWWWLW

Down by 9 wickets to Sherwood on 3rd September, but heads up, we live to fight another Sunday.

Winning the toss on a bright Sunday down at Sherwood CC felt like the easy part of the day, and looking back, it rather was. I fancied batting first, and for a while it looked the right call — Jordan Austin played every bit the senior partner with a classy 51, and Tobey Castle chipped in nicely with 23. But 122 all out in 35.1 overs tells its own story of a middle order that rather lost the plot, with Benjamin Austin and John Karassellos both departing for ducks. Respectable enough on the day, but never going to be enough against a side with any application.

So it proved. Anthony-Lee Peat set about us with an unbeaten 54, Simon Preston kept him company with 37, and David Jones saw them home with 24 not out — the visitors cruising to 124/1 in just 27.2 overs. Martin Harris was our lone shining light with the ball, prising out the solitary wicket for 17, but one breakthrough was never going to trouble a chase that comfortable.

Amid the gloom, one thing worth raising a glass to: Jordan Austin brought up 3,000 career runs for the club, a landmark achieved in defeat but no less deserved for it. Richard Piper, meanwhile, continues to lead our 2017 Sunday 2nd XI run charts with 289, a rare source of cheer on an otherwise chastening afternoon.

Not our day, gentlemen. Nine wickets down, pride dented, but the tea was decent and the nets await.

Sat 02 Sep 2017 🧢 2nd XIv Meopham CC · AwayformLWWLL

Down by two wickets at Meopham, and I'll admit the drive home was quieter than the drive there.

We'd batted first and made a fight of 153 all out from 39.2 overs, propped up nicely by Thomas Beeney's 42, Darrell Houghton-Judge's 40 and a handy 26 from Charles Curteis. Poor Luke Welsman will want to forget his golden duck entirely, and frankly so would I, though I suspect the tea-hut scorers have longer memories than they let on.

In the field we scrapped hard. Tobey Castle was superb, 3-20 and always asking questions, with Thomas Beeney chipping in 2-29 and Riley Butler doing the unglamorous work beautifully — 1-23 with four maidens, not a run given away lightly. Darren Deeks fell for a duck at our hands, which was some small consolation. But Tony Pearce's 47 and Dan Plumb's 32 nudged Meopham home at 154/8 from 38.5 overs, and 14 byes off poor George Taylor behind the stumps didn't help our cause one bit — a hard shift for him regardless.

Elsewhere the season ticks along nicely, with Richard Piper 2nd in the 2nd XI run charts and Tobey Castle 2nd in the wickets. Not our day, this one — heads up, back to the nets, and on to the next.

Sat 02 Sep 2017 🧢 1st XIv Meopham CC · HomeformLWWWL

James Piper's fifty and 10,000 club runs headline this one — let me write the report.

Saturday last, and Meopham CC rolled up under skies that couldn't quite decide whether to spoil our afternoon — overcast, mild, and about as pleasant as English cricket allows. I won the toss and had no hesitation in batting first; the pitch looked one to bat on, and for once my instincts didn't betray me.

James Piper played the innings of the day, a composed 65 that also brought up a remarkable 10,000 career runs for the club — the sort of milestone that deserves a pause in the tea queue and a proper round of applause, which he duly received. Lewis Burnham (47) and Daniel Thirkell (31) gave him fine support, the pair building an 84-run stand for the second wicket that set the platform, while the extras column pitched in a generous 25. Poor Kevin Presneill, meanwhile, made the long walk back for a duck — the Duck Club welcomes another member. We closed on a healthy 200/5.

In the field, Richard Knowler was magnificent, his 4-41 not only doing the damage but carrying him past Terry Donovan into 25th on the club's all-time wicket list. Joshua Knowler chipped in with 2-25 and three tidy maidens, Thirkell added 2-29, and though Mark Lewis-Ranwell (53) and Alex Bryant (32) threatened with an opening stand of 60, the middle order never found its feet. Meopham fell for 162.

A 38-run win, then, and a day that will live long in the scorebook — Piper's milestone alone made it one to savour. Onwards indeed.

Sun 27 Aug 2017 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv CC Chiddingstone CC · HomeformWDWWW

Sunday 27 August found us at home to Chiddingstone CC, the sky doing its best English impression of "warm, but can't quite commit to sunshine." I lost the toss, yet somehow we still found ourselves out in the middle first with bats in hand — I shan't ask questions when fortune smiles rather than smirks.

Benjamin Austin and Tobey Castle put on 73 for the first wicket before anyone laid a glove on us, and Austin simply refused to stop, motoring to a magnificent 102 not out — three figures, no less, the sort of innings that earns a knowing nod from the old boys by the boundary rope. Trevor Back chipped in an unbeaten 47 and Castle himself made 33, carrying us to a formidable 234/5 from 36.4 overs.

Defending that lot, we knew Chiddingstone wouldn't roll over, and Tony Cooper made sure they didn't with a fine unbeaten 73, well supported by Brian Leppard's 33 not out and Alex Hanwell's 21 — their fourth-wicket pair adding a stubborn 66. James Piper was pick of our attack with 2-19, backed up by Harrison Fermor (1-12) and Darrell Houghton-Judge (1-29), while Castle bowled two tidy maidens for good measure. Castle now tops our 2017 Sunday 1st XI run charts with 447, and Houghton-Judge sits fourth among the season's wicket-takers with 8.

In the end neither side could force it home, and honours were shared. A draw, then — but a thoroughly good one to have been part of.

Sat 26 Aug 2017 🧢 2nd XIv LC Limpsfield Chart CC · HomeformLLWWL

From the captain's chair — Saturday 26 August 2017. A warm, grey afternoon at Linton Park, and I lost the toss for the umpteenth time this season, which meant Limpsfield Chart CC had their pads on and we had our fielding boots on before I'd even finished the coin's flight.

They made themselves quite at home, racking up 222/9 from their forty overs. Syed Hasan led the charge with 42, well supported by Ashraful Talukdar's 29 and an unbeaten 29 from Mark McCaffery, the pair of them stitching together a stubborn 68 for the eighth wicket just when we thought we had them. Credit where it's due — Tobey Castle bowled beautifully for 3-41, with Darren Styles (2-15) and Tim Thirkell (2-56) chipping away either side of him. Still, 222 felt like a hill rather than a molehill.

Our reply never quite got us over it. Richard Piper played a lovely innings for his 65, and I'll admit a personal contribution of that size was rather satisfying given how the rest of the order fared — Darrell Houghton-Judge chipped in with a handy 33, and the two of them shared 56 for the fifth wicket. Poor Tobey Castle, hero with the ball, was less fortunate with the bat, departing for a golden duck. We closed on 165/8, 57 runs shy.

Not our day, then — heads up, chins up, and back to the nets. Thuraiappah Pushpavinothan continues to lead our run charts with 334 for the season, and Tim Thirkell tops the bowling with 14 wickets, so there's plenty to be cheerful about even when the scoreboard isn't.

Sat 26 Aug 2017 🧢 1st XIv SC Shipbourne CC · AwayformLLWWW

Saturday 26 August found us on the road at Shipbourne, and the coin did us no favours — down went the toss, and down went our hopes of batting first on what looked a good one. Still, ball in hand we set about it, though George Willis had other ideas, compiling an unbeaten 86 that did most of the damage, with Sam Spink's well-crafted 66 and Neil Lee-Amies's 21 padding things out to a stiff 230/7 from their 40 overs. Joshua Knowler was excellent with the ball, 4-48 his reward, Alex Keeler tidy and miserly alongside him with 2-42 and a pair of maidens, and Matthew Carter chipping in with 1-35.

Chasing 231 was always going to ask questions of us, and Angus Willis and James McCulley were both undone for ducks before we'd properly settled. Daniel Thirkell led the recovery with 37, I matched him with 37 of my own for what it's worth, Craig Sands made a handy 29, and a generous 26 extras rounded out our 153 all out in 34.3 overs — brave, but well short of the target.

Beaten by 77 runs, then, and no arguing with the gulf on the day. Small consolation that Craig Sands still tops our 2017 run charts with 495 and Joshua Knowler leads the wickets with 25 — the engine room is running nicely even when the scoreboard isn't. We'll dust ourselves down and be better for it next week.

Wed 23 Aug 2017 🧢 Midweek XIv TC Tunbridge Wells Wednesday CC · HomeformLLLDW

Wednesday 23 August 2017 saw Tunbridge Wells Wednesday CC roll up to Linton Park, and no sooner had the coin left my thumb than I knew we'd be bowling first. Not that anyone was complaining once the lads got stuck in. The visitors built steadily through Rob Yardy's fine 57 and S- Suleman's 34, their openers putting on 78 before the roof started to leak: 139 for 4 became 151 for 7 as the pressure told, and they were eventually mopped up for 172 in 47.2 overs. Abishek Pushpavinothan was superb with the ball, 3 for 28, well supported by Adrian Samson (3-30) and a typically frugal Harrison Fermor, whose 2 for 7 with three maidens suggested the batsmen were bowling at a brick wall with a sense of humour.

Chasing 173, we barely broke sweat. Thuraiappah Pushpavinothan played the innings of the day, an unbeaten 81, with Luke Welsman keeping him company on a classy 65 not out and Benjamin Austin chipping in with 21. We cantered home on 173 for 1 in just 25 overs. Poor Peter Whyte had a torrid time behind the stumps, shipping nine byes, and poor Peter Howard makes the walk back with a duck against his name — these things happen to the best of us.

A comprehensive nine-wicket win, then, and one that keeps Welsman top of the run charts and Beeney top of the wickets. Onwards indeed.

Sun 20 Aug 2017 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv BK Blue House CC, Kent · AwayformLWWWL

Sunday 20 August found us on the road to Blue House CC, Kent, under skies that couldn't decide whether to rain or shine — a fittingly indecisive backdrop for a coin toss that, predictably, we lost. They chose to bat, and we set about them with the ball in warm, showery conditions.

Blue House compiled 174 all out in 38.2 overs, propped up by Mark Davies' 33 and useful contributions from Paul Dall'Occo (31) and Andy Tarling (27), but once we got among them — sliding from 154-6 to 174-9 with startling efficiency — the innings had nowhere left to go. Jacob Ryan was the pick of a fine attack with 3-30, Darrell Houghton-Judge chipped in 3-60, and Tim Thirkell bowled with real discipline, 2-21 including two maidens, not a run given away lightly.

With 175 to chase, our openers laid the platform we'd have signed for in advance — 66 for the first wicket before the breakthrough came — and from there Benjamin Austin simply took charge, 67 not out, a proper fifty of substance, ushered along by Russell Dack's unbeaten 37 and Richard Piper's 31. Even the extras got in on the act with a generous 29. We cantered home on 175-2 with 35 overs gone, eight wickets in hand and time to spare.

Two points, thoroughly earned, and a reminder that on our day this side can bowl sides out and chase down targets without breaking sweat — showers and lost tosses notwithstanding.

Sun 20 Aug 2017 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv Mersham Le Hatch CC · AwayformLWDWW

Here's the match report:

Sunday 20 August found us at Mersham Le Hatch CC, the heavens doing their level best to dampen proceedings without ever quite committing to it. I called correctly at the toss and, drizzle or no drizzle, there was never much doubt I'd have us bat first.

It proved a sound if unspectacular decision. We laboured to 159 all out from our 40 overs, Will Thirkell leading the charge with a tidy 40, James Piper chipping in 29 and Will Thew 24. Less said the better about Joshua Knowler and Harrison Fermor, both of whom departed for ducks — though I'm sure the wet outfield had nothing whatsoever to do with it.

With the ball, though, we were a different proposition entirely. Martin Harris was magnificent, ripping through the order for 3-26, with able support from Harrison Fermor (2-23) and Sam Boyns (1-12), while Angus Knowler kept things miserly with two maidens. Mersham Le Hatch battled to 28 from Alex Markwick and 20 from Kevin Baker, but the collapse from 105-6 to 124-9 was a thing of beauty from where I was standing at slip, with Rob Benn and Bruce McTaggart both back in the pavilion without troubling the scorers. I even managed 24 of my own, for what it's worth.

We came home 23 runs to the good. A splendid team performance, drizzle and all — the sort of afternoon that reminds you why you bother with this daft, wonderful game.

Sat 19 Aug 2017 🧢 2nd XIv BC Betsham CC · AwayformLLLWW

Saturday 19 August 2017, and the road took us to Betsham CC on a pleasant, cloudy afternoon — the sort of day that promises much and, as it turned out, delivered rather less for our lot.

Winning the toss, I elected to bat, and I still maintain it was the right call. Sadly the pitch and the opposition's bowling had other ideas, and we were bowled out for a modest 94 in 31.5 overs. Matthew Gladwell top-scored with a gritty 27, well supported by Jack Gwynn's 26, but beyond that the innings rather fell away. Spare a sympathetic thought for Darrell Houghton-Judge and Toby Fermor, who both contributed golden ducks to proceedings — these things happen to the best of us, gentlemen, chin up.

Defending 94 was always going to be a stiff ask, and so it proved. Kieran Wells and Bradley Millbank simply helped themselves, cantering to 96 without loss in just 11.4 overs — Wells unbeaten on 47, Millbank an equally untroubled 35 not out. We barely laid a glove on them.

On the bright side, Luke Welsman continues his fine season, sitting second in the 2nd XI run charts with 315 to his name — a rare crumb of comfort on an otherwise chastening afternoon.

Ten wickets is about as comprehensive a defeat as this game offers, and there's no dressing it up. Heads up, lads — back to the nets, and on to the next one.

Sat 19 Aug 2017 🧢 1st XIv Bearsted CC · HomeformLLLWW

Saturday 19 August 2017, and Bearsted CC rolled up on a pleasant, cloudy afternoon rather hoping we'd forgotten how to bat. We hadn't. Winning the toss, I had no hesitation in batting first, and the lads duly obliged with 208/7 from our 40 overs. Adam Jackson was the chief architect, unbeaten on 60, with James Piper (40) and Mark Christmas (39) filling in the brushwork nicely — and a sixth-wicket stand of 80 did the real damage. I contributed a workmanlike 39 of my own, mostly by standing at the other end looking encouraging.

If 208 felt handsome, what followed was a rout. Bearsted were bowled out for 129 in 35.1 overs, Noel Johnston (33) and Abhishek Poddar (26) offering the only real resistance before we simply ran through them — from 119-6 to 128-9 in a blur, poor Steven Benjamin and Will Terry trudging back without so much as a run to their names. Richard Knowler was magnificent, 4-12 and probing all afternoon, with Martin Harris (3-22) and Alex Keeler (1-25) tidying up, and Joshua Knowler refusing to concede a run of note across three maidens.

A win by 79 runs, then, and a thoroughly satisfying one — bat, ball and biscuits all present and correct. Craig Sands continues to lead our run charts for the season with 466, and Richard Knowler tops the wickets with 25, so the engine room is well stocked. Onwards.

Fri 18 Aug 2017 🧢 Midweek XIv The Dragons CC · HomeformLLLLD

Friday the 18th of August found us at home to The Dragons CC, under skies that could only be described as pleasantly rain-soaked — the sort of afternoon that makes an Englishman feel thoroughly at one with his surroundings. I lost the toss, which these days I take almost as read, and we were asked to chase. Small mercies: we had first use of the ball, and I fancied our chances of containing them before our lot had to do the hard yards with the bat.

Those fancies took something of a battering. James Churchman played the innings of the day, an unbeaten 117, and found a willing ally in Jack Killen, whose 67 kept the scoreboard humming nicely — the pair adding a rather chastening 161 for the second wicket. We did at least have our moments: Greg Mihill departed for a duck at our hands, and Joe Peck was pick of the attack with 1-24, well supported by Harrison Fermor, whose 1-36 came with two miserly maidens to his name. Even so, 217/3 from their forty overs left us a proper mountain to climb.

Climb it we did. Luke Welsman's fifty-one was the innings' backbone, Joe Peck chipped in an unbeaten 40 with the bat as well as the ball, and Kevin Presneill's 32 anchored a vital 56-run third-wicket stand. We crossed the line with five wickets in hand — a thoroughly good day for the club, and one Benjamin Austin will be glad saw him climb to second in the season's run charts.

Thu 17 Aug 2017 🧢 Midweek XIv BC Band of Brothers CC · HomeformDLLLL

Thursday 17 August found us hosting Band of Brothers CC, and having lost the toss we were sent out to field — never the news a captain wants to hear on a warm afternoon, but there it is. Any hopes of a swift declaration were soon dashed as M Churchill and A Newport put on 157 for the second wicket, Churchill motoring to a superb 114 and Newport following him to three figures with an unbeaten 109, Tom Davey chipping in with 41 as they racked up 292/3 from their 40.5 overs. Will Thew was the pick of our attack with 1-22, with Tobey Castle (1-49) and Martin Harris (1-74) also among the wickets, toiling manfully on an unforgiving day.

Chasing 293, we began in the finest style, the openers putting on 65 before the first wicket fell, though the middle order rather ran out of road thereafter. Jordan Austin held things together with a well-made 58 not out, ably supported by Richard Piper's 43 and Thew's 23, but Luke Welsman and Harrison Fermor both departed without scoring, and your correspondent's own contribution — a duck — is best left undiscussed. We closed on 188/8 from 58 overs, honours shared.

Special mention must go to Jon Harris, who made his 700th appearance in Linton colours — a truly remarkable innings of service. A draw, then, and on this evidence a fair one: neither side could quite force the door.

Sun 13 Aug 2017 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv SC Sturry CC · AwayformLLWWW

Sunday 13 August, away at Sturry, and the toss went the way tosses so often go for us this year — straight into their pocket. They chose to bat under warm, cloudy skies, and set about making us pay for it.

David Hards was the chief architect of our afternoon's toil, a fine, unhurried century (115) that we simply couldn't dislodge, with Jack Fagg (24) offering support. To our credit, we scrapped hard — Jordan Austin bowled beautifully for 3-31 with two maidens thrown in for good measure, Tim Wright chipping in with 3-41, and Mark Reynolds was sent back without so much as a sniff. Sturry closed on 208/6 from their 40 overs — a stiff ask.

With the bat, Jordan Austin, having already done his bit with the ball, produced a splendid 56, and alongside Darrell Houghton-Judge (40) built a magnificent 88-run stand for the seventh wicket that had us daring to dream. Then, as so often happens in this maddening game, the innings imploded — from 154-7 to 157-10 in the blink of an eye, Richard Piper and Luke Welsman both walking back for ducks, and your correspondent joining them in that ignominious club. Extras did their honest bit with 27. All out for 158 in 35.5 overs, we fell 50 runs short.

Not our day, then, but there were green shoots amid the wreckage — Will Thew and Tim Wright both quietly climbing the season's charts. Heads up, back to the nets, and on to the next one.

Sun 13 Aug 2017 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv SC Selsted CC · HomeformLLWDW

From the captain's chair — Sunday 13 August 2017, and a warm, grey afternoon greeted Selsted CC as our visitors. I called correctly at the toss for once in my life, and there was never any doubt in my mind: we'd bat.

What followed was as handsome a batting display as this diary has seen for some while. Tobey Castle brought up three figures in majestic fashion, 109 to his name, while Will Thirkell sailed past his fifty to finish on 71. Joshua Knowler weighed in with a composed 42 not out, and the pair of them - Castle and Thirkell - shared a stand of 145 for the fourth wicket that did the real damage. I even chipped in with 42 of my own, more through good fortune than good technique. All told, 289 for 5 from our forty overs - a total that had Selsted's openers looking rather pale before a ball had even been bowled in reply.

Defending it, we were relentless. Harrison Fermor set the tone with 2 for 20, Angus Knowler was miserly as ever with two maidens en route to 2 for 27, and Martin Harris chimed in with 2 for 29. Jack Conlon (32) and David Jones (31) offered the only real resistance, while poor Michael Appleton departed without troubling the scorers. Selsted were bowled out for 149 in 29.4 overs. Craig Sands had a torrid time behind the stumps - fifteen byes tells its own story - but no matter.

A 140-run victory, two points banked, and thoroughly earned. Not a bad afternoon's work at all.

Sat 12 Aug 2017 🧢 2nd XIv Linden Park CC · HomeformLLLLW

We hosted Linden Park on a warm, drizzly 12th August, lost the toss and were put straight into the field — never the afternoon's preferred order of business, but the lads got on with it regardless.

With the ball we bowled Linden Park out for a modest 95 in 25.2 overs, a proper collapse built on some fine, disciplined bowling. Darrell Houghton-Judge was in imperious form, ripping through the middle order for 4-9 with two maidens thrown in for good measure — miserly barely covers it. Will Thew (2-11) and Mardey Castle (2-24) chipped in handsomely, while David Kifford and Ollie White departed without so much as a run to their names. Only Harry Brannan, unbeaten on 25, and Jayaprakash Seluthiyan with 24 offered any real resistance.

Batting first, mind, we'd already laid the platform: 214 all out in 39.1 overs, anchored by Glen Rawson's fine 59, with George Taylor (35) and Will Thew (32) lending sturdy support. Spare a thought, though, for poor Tobey Castle, who made the long walk back for a duck — the club ledger shows no mercy.

With Rawson now sitting second in the 2nd XI run charts and Houghton-Judge second in the wickets, the season's shaping up nicely for both.

A comfortable win by 119 runs, then, and a thoroughly satisfying way to spend a soggy Saturday. Onwards.

Sat 12 Aug 2017 🧢 1st XIv HC Horsmonden CC · AwayformWLLLW

Saturday 12 August 2017 saw us make the trip to Horsmonden CC, and having won the toss I fancied a bowl at some runs on the board first, so in we went to bat. It wasn't the tidiest of starts — two down on the board and hearts in mouths early on — but Daniel Thirkell (68) and Craig Sands (54) steadied the ship handsomely, the pair adding 86 for the third wicket to drag us back onto the front foot. Adam Jackson chipped in with a breezy 25, and we posted 201 for 8 from our forty overs — a total with a bit of meat on it, even allowing for James Piper and Lewis Burnham both departing without troubling the scorers.

Out in the field, Horsmonden gave us a fright with Baz Bignell (43), Will Mahoney (29) and T Mash (26) all getting their eye in, but we kept chipping away. Joshua Knowler was the pick of the attack, thrifty as you like with two maidens on his way to 2 for 26, with Martin Harris (2-38) and Daniel Thirkell (2-40) doing the rest of the damage. Thomas Cobb and Andrew Steadman never got off the mark, and the innings folded for 178 in 37.4 overs.

A 23-run win, then, and two points thoroughly banked. Sands continues to bat like a man possessed for the season (464 runs and counting), while Knowler senior leads the wicket charts on 21 — but on this showing, it's very much a team effort down at Linton Park.

Tue 08 Aug 2017 🧢 Midweek XIv BC Bexley CC · HomeformLDLLL

Beaten by 8 wickets we may have been, but rain-soaked Tuesdays like this are what club cricket's for. Won the toss, took one look at the sky and the square, and had no hesitation in batting first — a decision I stand by, whatever the scorebook says about the second innings. We rattled along nicely to 166/6 off our forty, with Michael Ladbrook the anchor of the piece, an unbeaten 54 that never looked in doubt, ably backed up by Benjamin Austin's 37 and Paul Bourdillon's 23 — their second-wicket stand of 57 was the innings' spine. Poor Luke Welsman, meanwhile, will be looking to forget his golden duck rather quicker than the rest of us will let him.

Defending it, we simply ran into a force of nature. Harry Furze made an imperious hundred, the sort of innings that has you applauding him back to the pavilion while quietly cursing your bowling figures, and he had willing company in Sebastian Naylor (29 not out) and Sandeep Bains (24) as their second-wicket pair put on 120 and effectively settled matters there and then. Riley Butler was our pick of the attack with 1-34, Anton Bourdillon chipping in with 1-42, but 170 came up in under thirty overs and there wasn't much more to be done about it.

So, eight wickets the wrong way, and a lesson in what a truly top-class innings looks like from the other end. We'll dust ourselves down, take the positives from a competitive total, and be better for it next week.

Sun 06 Aug 2017 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv KK Kennington CC, Kent · AwayformLLLWW

Sunday 6th August found us on the road to Kennington CC, a fixture that always demands more from the legs than the scorebook lets on. Losing the toss and being asked to field is rarely welcome news, but there are worse ways to spend an afternoon than watching Charles Curteis run through a top order — his 4-15 was the pick of a disciplined attack, with Darrell Houghton-Judge (3-47) and Jordan Austin (1-50) chipping in gamely. Kennington's openers gave us a torrid time of it, adding 99 before we found a breakthrough, and James Iles (76) and Liam Tegg (61) both made hundreds of runs look easy, but 214 all out from 39.4 overs was a target we could live with.

Chasing it, Jordan Austin played the innings of the day — 86 not out, calm as you like — ably assisted by Glen Rawson (37) and Richard Piper, unbeaten on 31. I did my modest bit with 31 of my own, while poor Stuart Campbell trudged off for a duck, joining Matt Dale on the Duck Club ledger from the first innings — two feathers for the club scrapbook. Will Thew had a torrid afternoon behind the stumps, eight byes escaping his gloves, though nobody's perfect on a Sunday.

We got home by four wickets, and a good day for the club it was — Richard Piper and Darrell Houghton-Judge continue to top the season's charts, and the rest of us continue to make up the numbers admirably.

Sun 06 Aug 2017 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv Borstal CC · HomeformWLLWD

Sunday 6th August dawned pleasant enough, if determinedly grey, and Borstal CC arrived as our guests. The coin, as is its custom with me, let us down again, and we were put into the field. There are worse fates than bowling first on a grey afternoon, and so it proved: Martin Harris led the attack beautifully with 2-24, Sam Boyns and Tobey Castle chipped in gamely either side of him, and between us we kept Borstal to 193/9 from their forty overs. James Whitnell's 31, Nassar Raja's 30 and Luke Butcher's 29 gave their innings its spine, with a third-wicket stand of 54 threatening to run away from us before we hauled things back. Special mention, too, for the sight of David Round trudging off without troubling the scorers — the duck being one of cricket's few genuine free entertainments.

A target of 194 is never a formality in this league, but the openers set about it in glorious style, putting on 109 before the first wicket finally fell — the stand of the innings by some distance. I'll confess a certain quiet pride in contributing 53 myself, though Mark Christmas rather stole the show with a fine 63, well supported by Joshua Knowler's 53 and Craig Sands's unbeaten 24 to see us home.

We finished on 194/5 with overs to spare, a five-wicket win that owed as much to Harris's early breakthroughs as to some handsome strokeplay later on. Tobey Castle continues to lead our run and wicket charts for the season, and long may that continue. A thoroughly satisfying afternoon's work — onwards indeed.

Sat 05 Aug 2017 🧢 2nd XIv CC Chevening Amblers CC · AwayformWLLLL

As the away side, we lost the toss and were put in to field first – no complaints, that's the way the coin bounces at Chevening.

Chevening Amblers set the tone with a spell of showers doing their best to spoil the afternoon, but our batting line-up refused to be dampened. Glen Rawson (84 not out) and Tobey Castle (78) put on a magnificent 167 for the fourth wicket, the pair simply refusing to let the Amblers back into it, and we closed on a handsome 205/4 from our 40 overs. Poor Luke Welsman was the exception to the good cheer, back in the pavilion for a golden duck before he'd had time to take guard – these things happen to the best of us.

With the ball, it was Thuraiappah Pushpavinothan who set about the Amblers' order, his 3-11 the pick of the bowling, backed up handsomely by Tim Thirkell (2-27, with two miserly maidens) and Harrison Fermor (2-35). Mark Challis (79 not out) and Jonathan Recaldin (24) threatened a rearguard with 73 for the fifth wicket, but it wasn't quite enough, and the Amblers subsided to 166/9. We were, it must be said, generous hosts with the extras – 10 byes had poor John Karassellos chasing leather all day, and 22 wides and no-balls off our bowling won't have pleased the skipper one bit.

The individual highlight, though, belonged to Tim Thirkell, who brought up 400 career wickets – a landmark worth raising a glass to. We got over the line by 39 runs. All in all, a fine day's work, extras notwithstanding.

Sat 05 Aug 2017 🧢 1st XIv PC Plaxtol CC · HomeformLWLLL

Saturday 5 August 2017 dawned pleasant and showery, the sort of afternoon that makes an England cricket ground the most contrary place on earth, and we welcomed Plaxtol CC to Linton Park. I lost the toss, they put us in, and for once I've never been happier to be wrong about anything, because what followed was a proper carnival.

The openers gave us the platform we ask for and rarely get, 60 for the first wicket, before Craig Sands strode out and simply took the day by the scruff of the neck. A magnificent 154 — three figures and then some — anchored by a third-wicket stand of 113, with Daniel Thirkell (39) and James Piper (30) offering fine support. We closed on 265/4 from our 40, a total that had the tea urn trembling.

Defending it, the lads were relentless. Plaxtol rallied briefly through Tom Isaac (41), Hugh Betts (35) and Dan Beynon (25), with a second-wicket stand of 54 the only real resistance, but they were bowled out for 159 in 35.5 overs. Richard Knowler was magnificent, 3-9, with Martin Harris (2-30) and Daniel Thirkell (2-33) chipping in gleefully, and poor Philip Perry departed for a duck without so much as troubling the scorers.

Craig now leads the club's run charts with 410, Richard the wickets with 19 — form which, on this evidence, shows no sign of loosening its grip. A 106-run victory, two points banked, and a genuinely proud captain's log entry.

Sun 30 Jul 2017 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv CC Chelsfield Park CC · HomeformLLLLW

We hosted Chelsfield Park CC on a drizzly Sunday, and I confess I lost the toss – not that it mattered much in the end.

Put in to bat, we lurched to 1-1 early, the sort of start that makes a captain reach for the flask rather than the scorebook. But Richard Piper's 35, with sturdy support from Trevor Back (26) and Benjamin Austin (22), steadied the ship, and a crucial 75-run stand for the fifth wicket dragged us to a very respectable 171 all out. The extras column, ever reliable, chipped in 44 of its own – arguably our best all-rounder. Less gloriously, Jordan Austin and Martin Harris both made the long walk back for nought, ducks apiece for the ledger.

Chelsfield replied gamely, Mark Dowsing striding to 58 and an opening stand of 58 giving them real hope. But once we found our radar it became a procession – 67-2 became 83-5 in the blink of an eye, with Stanbridge, Mehigan and Abhi all back without scoring. Will Thew was superb with 3-23, backed by Houghton-Judge (2-10), Boyns (2-11) and two tidy maidens from Benjamin Austin, though poor Sam Boyns had a torrid time behind the stumps, 12 byes going begging.

A word too for Trevor Back, who brought up 14,000 career runs for the club – a landmark worth more than any single afternoon's cricket.

We got home by 20 runs. A scrappy, drizzly, thoroughly satisfying day at the office.

Sun 23 Jul 2017 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv Gravesend CC · AwayformWWLLW

Skipper's Log, Sunday 23 July 2017 — away at Gravesend CC.

Won the toss, and there was never much debate in my mind: on went the pads. It proved the right call, as Tobey Castle and James Piper set about the Gravesend attack with the kind of purpose that makes a captain's job embarrassingly easy. Castle fell agonisingly short of a century on 96, Piper matched him almost run for run with a classy 95, and between them they hauled us to a handsome 228/4 from our forty overs. I did very little except admire the scoreboard ticking over from the boundary rope.

Defending it, we made early inroads but couldn't quite finish the job. Gravesend, anchored by an unbeaten 46 from Pujhla S, calmly reeled us in to 84/2 from 20.5 overs before the covers, or common sense, called a halt. Castle, not content with runs, chipped in with the ball too — 1-19 the pick of the bowling figures on a day when we simply couldn't find the breakthroughs to match our batting. Spare a thought for Nat Presneill behind the stumps, whose afternoon is rather given away by eight byes on the sheet — these things happen to the best of us.

So honours shared, a draw when neither side had quite enough about them to force it home. Castle continues to lead the way in both our run and wicket charts this season, and on this evidence, long may it continue. A fair result, all told — though I suspect we left a win out there on the field somewhere.

Sun 23 Jul 2017 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv LC Loose CC · HomeformLLLLL

Sunday 23 July brought a pleasant, damp afternoon and Loose CC to our ground, and if I'm honest their captain did us a favour losing the toss argument for us — he put us in, which suited nobody quite so well as Will Thirkell. What followed was as fine an innings as I've had the pleasure of watching from the other end of a scorebook: 119, a proper hundred, built around a second-wicket stand of 168 with Richard Piper, who made a classy 65 of his own. Benjamin Austin came in and cracked on with an unbeaten 39, and suddenly 259/5 from our forty overs looked less like a total and more like a small mountain range.

Defending it should have been the easy part, and in fairness Loose gave it a proper go — Chris Cooper's 60 and a second-wicket stand of 79 with Peter Kenward (40) kept us honest for a while. But Darrell Houghton-Judge had other ideas, tearing through with 5-23 and three maidens of positively miserly intent, well backed by Tim Thirkell's 2-20 and Stuart Campbell's chip-in. Andrew Harris departed without troubling the scorers, poor soul. Poor Trevor Back had a torrid afternoon behind the stumps, leaking eight byes, but even that couldn't dent the day.

179 all told was never going to be enough, and we ran out winners by 79 runs. A proper club performance, top to bottom. Onwards.

Sat 22 Jul 2017 🧢 2nd XIv LC Locksbottom CC · HomeformWWLLL

Well, we lost the toss again — I'm starting to think the coin has it in for me — and Locksbottom, sensing damp air and a green-ish outfield, sent us in. A pleasant enough afternoon for it, all things considered, and we set about building something defendable. Thuraiappah Pushpavinothan was in fine touch, cracking a lovely 79 that formed the spine of our innings, with Richard Piper chipping in a tidy 28 to help us to 170 for 5 off our 40. I even found time to nudge along 28 of my own — one for the memoirs, however brief the chapter.

Defending 170 always feels like a night at the casino, and so it proved. Locksbottom's openers simply refused to leave, carting us to 83 before we prised out the first wicket — Jordan Austin, admirably economical throughout with 3 maidens and 1 for 30, finally the man to break the stand. Jack Gwynn chipped in with 1 for 44, but Ed King (48), Keith Sawyer (42) and an unbeaten Dave Mason (40) simply had too many answers, seeing them home at 171 for 2 with overs to spare.

Eight wickets is a proper hiding, no dressing it up. But Pushpavinothan continues to top our 2nd XI run charts with 314 for the season, and Gwynn sits handily in the wickets list, so the season's bigger picture still has plenty to admire. Heads up, back to the nets — there's cricket yet to be won.

Sun 16 Jul 2017 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv CK Cobham CC, Kent · AwayformWLLLL

Skipper's Log, Sunday 16 July 2017. Down the A2 we trundled to Cobham CC, Kent, under skies that couldn't decide whether to rain or simply sulk. I lost the toss – a habit I'm cultivating with worrying consistency – and Cobham had no hesitation in batting first, leaving us to graze the outfield in the drizzle.

They ground their way to 245/9 from their forty overs, built chiefly on Stewart Kidd's fine 65, with Simon Murray (49) and Joe Bowles (33 not out) filling in the gaps rather too generously for our liking. Credit where due: Tim Thirkell was superb, 4-33, with Jacob Ryan (2-50) and Darrell Houghton-Judge (2-59) chipping away too. A word for Nat Presneill behind the stumps, who had a torrid afternoon of it – 9 byes is a fair workout for anyone.

In reply, 245 always looked a mountain, and so it proved. Luke Welsman's 40 was the innings' backbone, Trevor Back (23) and Ray Dixon (21) lending a hand, but we folded for 142 in 38 overs – Darrell Houghton-Judge's golden duck rather summing up our afternoon with the willow.

There were silver linings: my own 4-fer with the ball was some consolation, and Tim Thirkell's four wickets nudged him past Dave Todd into 21st on the club's all-time list – one for the scrapbook. Welsman and Thirkell continue to lead our Sunday charts handsomely.

Verdict: beaten by 103 runs, out-batted and slightly out-lucked. Back to the nets, chins up.

Sun 16 Jul 2017 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv TC Tyler Hill CC · HomeformWWWLL

It was a warm, damp sort of afternoon at Linton Park on Sunday 16th July, the kind where the covers loiter suspiciously nearby, and we welcomed Tyler Hill CC for what turned into rather a one-sided affair. Winning the toss, I had no hesitation in electing to bat — and for once my judgement was vindicated rather than mocked over tea. We slipped to 6-1 early on, the sort of start that has captains reaching for the antacids, but Tobey Castle and Stuart Cheesman restored order in some style, adding a priceless 136 for the third wicket. Castle went on to an imperious unbeaten hundred, Cheesman chipped in a handsome 72, the extras column weighed in with a generous 39, and we closed on a formidable 277/7. Joshua Knowler's contribution was rather more modest — a golden duck — though he'd make amends later.

Defending such a total is the pleasant end of captaincy, and Ryan Boyns made light work of it, spinning through Tyler Hill's order for 5-10 with the miser's touch of two maidens thrown in. Mardey Castle (3-6) and Knowler (1-22) mopped up the rest, and three of their number — Coleman, Rayner and Askham — departed without troubling the scorers. Only Richard Keir (28) and Adam Arnold (24) offered any real resistance as they folded for 86 in 23.1 overs.

As for your correspondent, I contributed a duck of my own — the less said, the better.

A thumping 191-run victory, two points banked, and Tobey Castle now sits proudly atop the run charts. A thoroughly satisfying Sunday's work.

Sat 15 Jul 2017 🧢 2nd XIv Sissinghurst CC · AwayformWWWLL

Skipper's Log — Saturday 15 July 2017. The road took us to Sissinghurst, and I'll confess to a flutter of nerves winning the toss, but electing to bat felt right, and so it proved. Glen Rawson and Richard Piper set about proceedings with real intent, the pair putting on 116 for the first wicket before either was parted from the crease — the sort of start that lets a captain enjoy his tea rather than chew through it. Rawson made a fine 57, Piper eased past his own fifty to 53, and Thuraiappah Pushpavinothan chipped in 34 to see us to a healthy 190/6 from our 40. Poor Matthew Gladwell will want this one struck from the record, departing for a duck, but the top order had done more than enough to cover for him.

Out in the field, Sissinghurst's Joel Bygraves gave us a fright with 42, Andrew Knowler stayed unbeaten on 37, and Colin Jenkins added 31, their third-wicket pair adding a stubborn 56. Darrell Houghton-Judge was our pick with the ball, 2-43, while Tim Thirkell bowled with real discipline — five maidens and 1-15 — well backed by Engarshal Sinnaraja's 1-26. Slowly but surely they hauled themselves to 191/5 in 36.2 overs and squeezed home by five wickets.

Small consolations amid the defeat: my own 53 was satisfying, and Richard Piper quietly brought up 14,000 career runs for the club — no small thing. We'll be better for it next week.

Sat 15 Jul 2017 🧢 1st XIv BC Bidborough CC · HomeformWLWLL

Lost the toss on a warm, damp afternoon at Linton Park, and there's a particular flavour of dread in being asked to bowl first against a side who fancy their chances — a dread that proved entirely justified. Bidborough's openers set about us with real purpose, cantering to 78 before we so much as troubled the scorers, and by the time Charlie Harding had ground out a fine 83, with James Baldock (38) and Jonny Shepherdson (35) offering stout support, 236/6 from their 40 overs felt like rather a lot to chase. Credit where due, though: Richard Knowler was superb, 3-30 of genuine hostility, backed up nobly by Martin Harris with 3-57, and there was some small comfort in seeing Daniel Page depart for a golden duck at our hands — every cloud, and all that.

With the bat we never quite got going, subsiding to 155/8 from our 40, Craig Sands the honourable exception with a battling 42 that at least gave the scoreboard some dignity. Poor Adam Jackson had an afternoon to forget behind the stumps, 16 byes conceded telling its own damp, slippery tale.

Elsewhere there's cheer to be had — Lewis Burnham sits 2nd in the season's run charts with 292, and Richard Knowler 3rd among the wicket-takers with 16 — so the individual furniture is in good order even if the team result wasn't. Beaten by 81 runs in the end, no arguing with that margin. A afternoon to file, learn from, and forget by Tuesday nets — we'll be better for it next week.

Wed 12 Jul 2017 🧢 Midweek XIv ? · HomeformDLDLL

Wednesday 12 July, and the visitors rolled up to find Linton Park bathed in that peculiarly English combination of warm sunshine and driving rain — the sort of afternoon that makes you wonder whether the covers or the sun cream take priority. We won the toss, or lost it, or possibly just forgot to ask; either way, we batted, and were eventually bowled out. Tobey Castle was the class act, striking a fine 77 well past his fifty, and found a willing ally in Richard Piper, whose 37 helped forge a sturdy 99 for the fourth wicket. Poor Benjamin Austin, though, will want this innings struck from the record — a golden duck to his name.

With the ball, we turned the tables, if only briefly. The visitors were eventually dismissed too, built largely around J Van Rensburg's classy 76 and A Mills' 24, the pair adding 60 for the fifth wicket. But once that stand broke, the innings unravelled wonderfully in our favour — 158 for 5 became 166 for 8 in a blur, with D Lock and N Pearce both departing without scoring. Thomas Beeney was superb, snaring 4 for 31, backed up by Will Thew and Riley Butler with two apiece, while Benjamin Austin made amends with the ball, bowling two tidy maidens.

Piper and Beeney both etched their names further into the club record books, and Castle and Beeney continue to top our season charts. Alas, it wasn't quite enough — beaten by a single wicket. Cruel, cricket, but we'll be better for it next week.

Sun 09 Jul 2017 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv BC Bobbing Court and Lower Halstow CC · HomeformLWLLL

We staggered from the field as reluctant hosts having lost the toss on a warm, grey Sunday, watching Bobbing Court and Lower Halstow post 266/5 from their forty overs. Paul Dennington's polished 63 was the innings' spine, with Trevor Earl (60) and Simon May (47) providing sturdy company either side of a springboard opening stand of 61 and a hefty 86 for the second wicket. Stuart Campbell toiled admirably for 2-52, with William Bourdillon and Tim Thirkell chipping in a wicket apiece — Thirkell's two maidens a rare pocket of discipline in an afternoon where, frankly, we handed out 52 in wides and no-balls like sweets at a village fete.

Chasing 267, we made a proper fist of it. Luke Welsman batted with real class for 64, Richard Piper stroked a fine 57, and Darrell Houghton-Judge finished unbeaten on 44 to keep hope flickering, the pair sharing a handsome 118 for the second wicket. Twenty-nine extras did their bit too. Alas, 207/4 left us 59 runs shy at the close — though special mention must go to Stuart Campbell, who having bowled his heart out, returned to record a golden duck with the bat. The ducks were out in force on both counts.

Welsman continues to lead our Sunday 2nd XI run charts with 189 for the season, and Thirkell tops the wicket pile with seven — proof that even in defeat, the engine room keeps purring. Verdict: a good toss to lose, a wayward day with the ball, and a batting effort that promised more than it delivered. Back to the nets, lads — there's work to do.

Sun 09 Jul 2017 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv HC Harvel CC · AwayformWWWWL

Sunday 09 July, and we rocked up to Harvel under a warm, overcast sky — the kind of afternoon that promises rain and delivers just enough sun to sunburn one forearm. I won the toss, elected to bat, and for once nobody in the pavilion questioned my sanity out loud.

We were bowled out for 170 in 33.4 overs, which felt about right for the surface. Tobey Castle led the way with a well-made 36, Joshua Knowler chipped in a tidy 24, and Jordan Austin added 20 — I contributed my own 24, more through stubbornness than style. A defendable total, we told ourselves, and meant it at the time.

Then Harvel batted, and Dominic Saunders had other ideas, cruising to 84 not out while Al Saunders kept him company with an unbeaten 59 and Jack MacDonald added a brisk 26. Martin Harris was our pick of the bowlers with 1-37, toiling manfully while the rest of us admired the scenery. The 24th over did for us properly — twenty runs off it, and the game went from contest to procession in the time it takes to change ends. They closed on 174/1 from just 22.1 overs.

Beaten by nine wickets, then, and no arguments to be had about it. Credit where due — Jordan Austin still leads our Sunday run charts with 140 for the season, and Martin sits second in the wickets with eight, so all is not lost. We'll dust ourselves down and be better for it next week.

Sat 08 Jul 2017 🧢 2nd XIv FC Four Elms CC · HomeformWWWWL

Ah, Four Elms. Four Elms always seem to arrive with the sun out and leave with our bowling figures in tatters.

Saturday 8th July, and losing the toss on a warm, overcast afternoon meant we were shepherded into the field first — never the worst fate, until Ben Allatt decided he fancied a hundred and duly helped himself to 119, with Alan Crowhurst content to play second fiddle for a handsome 76. Between them they hauled Four Elms to 271/8 from their forty overs, a target that looked, from the boundary rope, roughly the size of Kent. Small mercies: W Levett departed without troubling the scorers, and Thuraiappah Pushpavinothan bowled beautifully for 3-40, with Tim Wright (3-52) and Darren Styles (1-16) chipping away gamely at the other end.

Chasing 272 was always going to want something special, and while Abishek Pushpavinothan (25 not out) and Thuraiappah Pushpavinothan and Trevor Back (22 apiece) did their honest best, we subsided to 123/9. Tim Wright, John Karassellos and Fred Taylor all contributed golden ducks, and your correspondent, batting with all the authority of a man who'd left his technique in the clubhouse, made precisely nought himself. The less said, as ever, the better.

A hefty 148-run defeat, then, and no dressing it up as anything else. But Thuraiappah Pushpavinothan continues to purr along nicely in the run charts, Tim Wright likewise with the ball, and there's cricket yet to be played. Heads up, chins out, back to the nets.

Sat 08 Jul 2017 🧢 1st XIv FC Four Elms CC · AwayformLWLWL

Saturday 8 July 2017 saw us take the road to Four Elms CC under a warm, grey sky that promised more than it delivered — much like our luck at the toss, which we duly lost, with the home side electing to field.

Batting first, we posted a healthy 183/4 from our forty overs, built on a fine opening stand of 57. Glen Rawson was the innings' backbone, ticking past his fifty to finish 58 not out, with Kevin Presneill (32) and Lewis Burnham (28) chipping in handsomely either side of him. It felt, at tea, like a total we could defend.

It was not to be. Paul Gammage and Benjamin Crowhurst simply refused to be parted, each raising a fine half-century — 87 not out and 66 not out respectively — and seeing their side home unbeaten in just 32.5 overs. Our bowlers, it must be said, did them no favours: 25 wides and no-balls is the sort of generosity you simply cannot extend to batsmen in that kind of form, and Four Elms cashed in without mercy, wrapping things up by ten wickets.

Amid the gloom, one moment shone through: Luke Welsman brought up his 100th appearance in Linton colours, a landmark worthy of far better circumstances, while Lewis Burnham's 28 keeps him handily placed second in our 2017 first-team run charts on 273. As for the result — a chastening afternoon, but the lads will be better for it next week.

Fri 07 Jul 2017 🧢 Midweek XIv ? · HomeformDDLDL

Friday 7 July, and the sun did its level best to bake us into submission — scorching, overcast, the sort of afternoon where you're never quite sure whether to reach for sun cream or a jumper. We won the toss, bowled first, and lived to regret it. Tom Holland (145 not out, three figures no less) and Kel Mullins (100 not out, likewise) put on 261 together for the third wicket after we'd nipped out an early one with just 5 on the board — a nervy start that promptly evaporated. Damian Sidney chipped in an unbeaten 20, and they declared us into submission at 318/4 from their 45. Ryan Boyns kept his dignity intact with 2-37; the rest of us mostly kept the boundary boards warm.

Chasing 319 was always a stretch, and 168 all out from 32 overs confirmed it. Benjamin Austin and Craig Sands both made watchable 32s, Darrell Houghton-Judge added 25, and the third-wicket pair's 68 was the one bright passage of resistance. Jordan Austin, alas, walked for a duck — into the Duck Club ledger he goes. Sam Boyns had a torrid time behind the stumps, 20 byes the unhappy testament. On the plus side, Richard Piper brought up his 700th appearance in Linton colours — a genuinely staggering number, and about the only thing worth applauding all afternoon.

Down by 150 runs, then. Not our day, heads up, back to the nets — Piper's milestone the only silverware we're taking home.

Thu 06 Jul 2017 🧢 Midweek XIv ? · HomeformLDDLD

The scorching, rain-soaked afternoon we hosted felt like England summoned all four seasons at once, but the coin, at least, played fair and fell my way. I put us in, and the lads did me proud: 152 for 4 off our twenty overs was a proper score, built on a lovely late flourish from Adam Jackson (22 not out), with Riley Butler (21 not out) and Darrell Houghton-Judge (20 not out) both unbeaten and clearly enjoying the sunshine between showers.

Defending it, we made a real fist of it. Martin Harris was superb with the ball, 2 for 9 and full value for his place atop the season's wicket charts, backed up nicely by Luke Welsman (2-9) and Riley Butler chipping in for good measure (1-3). We had V Shah, Joe Panter and Ryan Boyns back in the shed without so much as a run to their name — three ducks is not a stat we'll be framing for the clubhouse wall. Sathasm X, though, had other ideas, digging in for 22 and steering them home to 113 for 8, just enough to see us off by 39 runs.

Not our day, in the end — a total we'd normally defend with something to spare slipped through our fingers along with the weather. Heads up, though: Tobey Castle sits proudly second in the run charts, Harris leads the wickets, and there's plenty of season left. Back to the nets, and back again next week.

Wed 05 Jul 2017 🧢 Midweek XIv SC Sevenoaks & District Wednesday CC · HomeformLLDDL

Here's the match report:

We took the field on a warm, cloudy Wednesday afternoon, having lost the toss and been sent out to bowl at home to Sevenoaks & District Wednesday CC — which, given how the day panned out, may have been the least of our misfortunes. Oliver Barnes (59) and Graham Nicholls (54) put together the kind of stand that has opposing captains reaching for the sun cream and quietly reassessing their life choices, with Dominic Ramjag (41 not out) mopping up in support as the visitors declared their innings closed at a healthy 220/4 from 46 overs. Credit where due: John Karassellos was our pick of the attack with 1-21, Martin Harris and Tim Wright chipped in with a wicket apiece, and Jordan Austin's two maidens suggested at least somebody was in the mood to make life difficult.

Chasing 220 was always going to be a stretch, and so it proved. We slipped to 4-1 almost before the tea urn had boiled, and a horror stretch from 59-4 to 70-7 rather took the gloss off proceedings. Thomas Beeney (39 not out) batted with real sense to keep us respectable, and the tail wagged gamely to add a final 46, but 116/7 from our 40 overs was never truly threatening the target. Oliver Holdstock's afternoon summed up the day nicely — a duck with the bat, and thirteen byes on the card behind the stumps.

A draw, then, honours shared — though on the day's evidence, we'll happily take it as a point salvaged rather than a chance missed.

Sat 01 Jul 2017 🧢 2nd XIv Meopham CC · HomeformLWWWW

We were beaten by 39 runs, but never mind — the coin let us down before a ball was bowled, Meopham had first use of a warm, showery Saturday, and there wasn't much we could do about the rest.

Put into the field, we toiled through 40 overs as Meopham built a stubborn 187/6. Mick Clark was the chief tormentor with an unbeaten 56, well supported by Gavin Tovey's 41 and George Williams's 21. There was one small mercy — Tony Pearce back in the pavilion without troubling the scorers. Tim Wright led the attack manfully, finishing with 2-32, while Anton Bourdillon and Riley Butler chipped in with a wicket apiece. Runs, though, kept dribbling through our fingers, and 25 wides and no-balls off our own bowling did us no favours whatsoever.

In reply, 148 all out in 37.2 overs told its own story of a chase that never quite got going. Tobey Castle was the shining light with a well-crafted 52 — and, rather wonderfully, brought up 1,000 career runs for the club along the way, which is exactly the sort of thing that ought to be toasted in the bar. Poor Tim Wright, so miserly with the ball, endured the ignominy of a duck with the bat. I contributed a workmanlike 15, and 28 extras did more for our total than most of us managed.

So, beaten by 39 runs — no disgrace against a well-drilled Meopham side, but plenty to tidy up before next week. Richard Piper (4th in the 2nd XI run charts) and Tobey Castle (2nd in the wickets, and now a four-figure run-scorer) remind us there's real quality in this side. We'll regroup, cut out the extras, and come again.

Sat 01 Jul 2017 🧢 1st XIv Meopham CC · AwayformLLWLW

Down at Meopham this Saturday, and it began the way these things so often do — I lost the toss, they had a look at the sky and stuck us in.

We shuffled our way to 155/9 off our forty, a total that owed everything to Joshua Knowler's unbeaten 41 and Kevin Presneill's watchful 40 alongside him; between them they did most of the carrying while the rest of us made up the numbers. Not everyone can be a hero, of course — Craig Sands and Will Thew both took that lonely walk back for nought, and the Duck Club ledger duly welcomed two new members.

In the field we gave it a real go. Richard Knowler was superb, ripping through with 3-33, backed up nicely by Martin Harris (1-18) and Matthew Carter (1-26) — though David Pollard added his own name to the ducks column for good measure. Sadly Andrew Powney had other ideas, a classy 67 that, with Gary Howorth's 36 alongside, saw them home at 156/5 with overs to spare.

There was, though, a genuinely proud moment amid the disappointment: Martin Harris brought up 1,000 career runs for the club, a landmark thoroughly deserved and warmly applauded by all.

Five wickets the wrong way, then, and a reminder that the nets await. Not our day — but Martin's milestone means it wasn't entirely a bad one either.

Sun 25 Jun 2017 🧢 Sunday NVKCv HC Horndon On The Hill CC · AwayformWLWWW

It rather sums up our season that a warm, showery afternoon at Horndon on the Hill saw us lose the toss, get put in, and somehow contrive to make a match of it before losing anyway. Lewis Burnham's 41 and Will Thirkell's 25 gave our 127 all out some respectability, but three ducks in the book — Adam Jackson, Benjamin Austin and Joshua Knowler all back in the hutch without troubling the scorers — tell their own sorry tale, as does the collapse from 81-3 to 86-6 that had me wincing on the boundary. I chipped in with 15, which felt like a king's ransom on the day.

With the ball we at least made a fist of it. Sam Boyns was superb, 2-16 with three maidens thrown in for good measure, and got useful support from Will Thirkell (1-21) and Daniel Thirkell (1-29), the latter accounting for James Stitson's golden duck. But Jeff West's unbeaten 46 and Daniel Stone's unbeaten 30 saw Horndon home comfortably, our resistance finally cracking with two wickets shipped in one ruinous 25th over.

Elsewhere in the league, Craig Sands continues to top the Sunday NVKC run charts on 235, and Daniel Thirkell leads the wicket-takers with 7 — small consolation from a difficult afternoon.

A defeat by six wickets, then, and not our day by any stretch. Heads up, chins out, and back to the nets we go.

Sun 25 Jun 2017 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv PC Pett CC · HomeformLLWLL

We lost the toss on a pleasant, showery afternoon at home to Pett CC, and, being asked to chase, we at least had first use of the ball to console ourselves with. Pett made full use of theirs, closing on a hefty 276/4 from their forty overs, built around a fine 73-run third-wicket stand — Abdul Aziz (53 not out) and Deluar Ahmed (51) both raising their bats, with Ollie Janman (48 not out) keeping the scoreboard ticking merrily along. Mardey Castle was our pick of the bowlers with 1-18, well backed by Sam Smith and Michael Wilson-Pestell, while Ian Hollingworth's two maidens suggested a man in no mood to give anything away — a shame the rest of us weren't quite so miserly.

Chasing 277, we made a proper fist of it. An early wicket for nought was a nervy way to start, but David Castle (95) and Stuart Campbell (82) put it right with a magnificent 172-run third-wicket stand that had us dreaming. Then, as these things do, it all went a bit wobbly — 234-3 became 243-6 before we could catch breath, with Ian Hollingworth, Toby Fermor and Mardey Castle all contributing ducks to the cause. Fifteen byes told their own tale of a testing afternoon behind the stumps for Oliver Holdstock, and even a generous 46 extras couldn't quite paper over the cracks.

We fell short by 14 runs on 262/8 — my own 95 a personal high point in an otherwise chastening collapse. Heads up, then, and back to the nets: this one got away from us, but the bones of a good side are plainly there.

Sun 25 Jun 2017 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv SC Smarden CC · AwayformWWWWW

Beaten by six wickets at Smarden, and if I'm honest, the scoreboard tells the story fairly enough. In to bat first, we never quite got the innings up on its feet, subsiding to 109 all out in 27.2 overs. Martin Harris played the anchor role nicely for his 36, though most of us around him treated batting as more of a spectator sport, none more so than poor Russell Dack, whose golden duck will feature in the clubhouse retelling long after the actual cricket is forgotten.

Defending 109 was always going to require some heroics with the ball, and to the lads' great credit, we very nearly conjured them. Tim Wright was superb, tearing in for figures of 2-12 with two maidens thrown in for good measure — the sort of spell that makes a captain's job easy. Nuradha Amarakoon chipped in handsomely with 2-26, and Toby Raphael was sent back for a duck of his own, so the bowlers were doing their level best to drag us back into it. But Smarden had answers of their own: Julian Bashford's 47 was the difference, well supported by an unbeaten 32 from Andrew Macfarlane, and they eased home at 110/4 with half a dozen wickets still intact.

A word too for Richard Piper, who continues his fine season and sits third in the Sunday 1st XI run charts with 86 to his name — proof there's method somewhere amid the madness.

All told, a match where our bowlers did everything asked of them and our batsmen rather let the side down. We'll regroup, we'll bat with more application, and we'll be better for it next week.

Sat 24 Jun 2017 🧢 1st XIv SC Shipbourne CC · HomeformLLLWL

Warm, drizzly skies at Linton Park on Saturday, and Shipbourne's decision to bowl first when the coin went against us looked, for a good while, like the smart end of the wager.

We batted with real purpose. The openers put on 72 before the first wicket went down, and when we lost our way briefly, the third-wicket pair steadied things again with a crucial 76. James Piper played the innings of the day, 73 well past his fifty, with Craig Sands a fine foil for 66 and Lewis Burnham chipping in with 30. Not everyone's afternoon sparkled — Daniel Thirkell and Ryan Boyns both departed for golden ducks — but 207/8 from our 40 overs felt like a total with substance.

It proved just enough. Shipbourne fought hard, George Willis especially so with a superb 80, backed by Hamza Parvez's 38 and James McCulley's 21, but they fell away to 183 all out in 38.3 overs. The difference was Daniel Thirkell, who made amends for his duck in spectacular fashion with 5-18 — a thoroughly deserved five-for that also carried him past John Thirkell into 16th on the club's all-time wicket-takers list. Matthew Carter and Richard Knowler weighed in with two apiece, Joshua Knowler bowled two tidy maidens, and I'll confess to pocketing five wickets myself, which almost made up for a golden duck of my own — we'll say no more about that.

A fine win by 24 runs, and Piper and Knowler continue to lead the season's charts. Onwards.

Sun 18 Jun 2017 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv FC Frittenden CC · AwayformLLLWL

The road to Frittenden is a pretty one, though it did us no favours on the day — lose the toss, get put in to field, and suddenly you're wondering if the cricket gods have already made up their minds. When our turn came with the bat, 150 all out in 34.2 overs felt about right for the pitch and the mood. Will Thew top-scored with a fighting 39, well supported by Darrell Houghton-Judge's 30, though the scorebook carries an unhappy footnote: both Nuradha Amarakoon and Engarshal Sinnaraja walked back without troubling the scorers. 🦆

Defending 150 was always going to ask questions of the lads, and for a long while we asked them well. Darrell followed his runs with the ball, 2-30, while Tim Wright (2-39) and Tim Thirkell (1-23) chipped away, and Peter Davies bowled three tight maidens that gave nothing away cheaply. But Matt Young's unbeaten 51, backed by Phil Crafter's 31 and Craig Smith's 22, edged Frittenden home at 152/8 from 39.2 overs — with our eight byes conceded doing us no favours behind the stumps.

Small mercies: Will Thew now leads our 2017 Sunday 2nd XI run charts with 172, and Tim Thirkell tops the wicket pile with 6. But mercies aside, this was a match we should have won and didn't. Heads up, back to the nets — there's a side in here worth the name.

Sun 18 Jun 2017 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv DC Detling CC · HomeformWWWWW

It was a scorcher of a grey afternoon — if that makes any sense, and in England it always does — when Detling CC rolled up to Linton Park on Sunday 18 June. I won the toss and had no hesitation in taking first knock, a decision I shall be dining out on for weeks.

We were bowled out for 173 in 37.2 overs, which sounds modest until you learn the extras column weighed in with 33 — proof, if any were needed, that Detling's line was as wayward as our shot selection. Ryan Boyns led the charge with 34, Will Thirkell chipped in 25 and Jordan Austin 24, while poor Thuraiappah Pushpavinothan endured the walk of shame for a duck. I'll say no more about that, out of kindness.

In the field we were a different proposition. Sam Boyns ran through them with 2-9, well supported by Tobey Castle's 2-11 and Will Thirkell's 2-17, with Angus Knowler tying things down for two tidy maidens — and Jake Davis and Dan Davis both departed for ducks at our hands, which felt like rough justice after our own top-order misadventures. Barry Town (36) and Dan Cook (20) threatened to spoil the party, but Detling could only muster 146/9 from their 40, for all that our poor keeper Nat Presneill was put through the wringer with 22 byes conceded.

I contributed 22 with the bat for good measure. We got over the line by 27 runs — a thoroughly good day for the club, and one I intend to enjoy long after the tea urn has gone cold.

Sat 17 Jun 2017 🧢 2nd XIv BC Betsham CC · HomeformLLWWW

Betsham CC arrived under scorching, cloudy skies on Saturday 17 June, and the coin did us the courtesy of landing my way. In I put us, and the lads made a proper fist of it: 208 for 5 off our forty overs, for all that we lost an early wicket with just 1 run on the board — the sort of jittery start that has a captain reaching for the flask before the tea urn's even warm. Kevin Presneill was magnificent, 98 and desperately unlucky not to reach three figures, with Matthew Gladwell (35) and Will Thew (32) lending fine support, and the 97-run third-wicket stand the innings' backbone. Poor Richard Piper contributed his golden nothing — these things happen to the best of us, and I should know, more of which shortly.

In the field we were relentless. Betsham were bowled out for 188 in 38.4 overs, collapsing from 173-6 to 188-9 in a blur, Regan Whitfield sent back without troubling the scorers. Jerome Adams battled to a fine fifty for them and William Mcarthur (31) and Kieran Wells (23) chipped in, but Tobey Castle was superb — 2 for 26 with two miserly maidens — well backed by Tim Thirkell (2-30) and Martin Harris (2-42).

As for the skipper, a golden blob — one leads from the front, evidently, straight back to the pavilion. Still, twenty runs is twenty runs, two points thoroughly earned, and a captain's blushes are a small price for a job well done.

Sat 17 Jun 2017 🧢 1st XIv Bearsted CC · AwayformLLLLW

Saturday 17 June saw us make the trip to Bearsted, where losing the toss on a good-looking morning meant we were straight out into the field with our tails not entirely between our legs. Stephen Pearce (72) and Abhishek Poddar (63) put together a fourth-wicket stand of 79 that threatened to bat us clean out of the game, with Mark Sandhu's 36 adding further insult. But credit to the lads — we scrapped our way back, ripping through the tail from 232-7 to 243 all out in a hurry. Matthew Carter led the attack with 2-54, well supported by Daniel Thirkell (2-55) and a tidy Joshua Knowler, whose 1-27 and two maidens were miserliness of the highest order.

Chasing 244, James Piper (43) and Joshua Knowler (42) gave us something to build on, with Luke Welsman's 23 chipping in after a rocky start — 4-1 was hardly the platform we wanted, though a battling 54-run second-wicket stand steadied the ship. Poor Craig Sands will want to forget his golden duck in a hurry. We leaned rather too heavily on 29 extras, which tells its own story, and 26 wides plus a no-ball in the field earlier hardly helped our cause either.

There was cause for real celebration, though: Joshua Knowler brought up 2,000 career runs for the club, and Daniel Thirkell's brace saw him climb to 17th on the all-time wicket-takers list. Beaten by 33 runs in the end — chins up, we'll be better for it next week.

Sun 11 Jun 2017 🧢 Sunday NVKCv SC Sibton Park CC · HomeformWWLWW

Sunday 11th June, and for once the toss actually mattered less than usual — we lost it, Sibton Park stuck us in, and off we trotted into a warm grey afternoon that felt like it might do a bit for the bowlers, if only someone remembered to ask it nicely.

They stumbled early, 6 for 1, and never quite escaped the mood we set. A stand of 52 for the seventh wicket gave them some respectability, with Stewart Murrell top-scoring on 29 and Harry Divers chipping in 25, but Daniel Thirkell had other ideas, ripping through for 3-13 and, in doing so, sliding past Thomas Beeney into 17th on the club's all-time wicket-takers list — a quiet bit of history amid the carnage. Joshua Knowler (2-23) and Matthew Carter (2-26) tidied up the rest, Sam Boyns bowled two maidens like a man refusing to be trifled with, and poor Steve Hickmott and Gareth Meers both walked back without troubling the scorers. All out for 128 in 33.2 overs — I even found a spot of rhythm myself, picking up three.

Chasing that, we barely broke stride. Craig Sands played the innings of the day, an unbeaten 62 that continues his fine season atop the club's run charts, ably assisted by James Piper's 44, and we cruised home at 130 for 1 in just 21 overs.

Nine wickets, minimal fuss, and home in time for tea. A very good day for the club.

Sun 11 Jun 2017 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv RC Rainham (Kent) CC · AwayformLLLLW

Sunday 11th June saw us make the trip to Rainham (Kent), and for once I actually got the toss call right — a rare enough event that I nearly forgot what to do next. Under a warm, overcast sky I had no hesitation in putting them in, a decision that looked rather better in theory than in the cold light of a scoreboard reading 254/1 off their forty overs. Andrew Mortimore made merry with an unbeaten 113, well supported by Jon Newton (47 not out) and Michael Tyrer (39 not out), while Charles Curteis was the pick of a bowling attack otherwise given the full village-green treatment, finishing with 1-18.

Chasing 255, we never quite got out of second gear, bundled out for 113 in 33.2 overs. Richard Piper's 27 and Nuradha Amarakoon's unbeaten 24 were the shining lights, and I chipped in with 27 of my own, but with Engarshal Sinnaraja and Michael Wilson-Pestell both enduring the walk of shame for ducks, and 17 byes suggesting our man behind the stumps was having rather a testing afternoon, the innings never found its feet.

There was, at least, one moment to raise a smile amid the wreckage: Glen Rawson brought up 9,000 career runs for the club, and now sits second in the 2017 Sunday 2nd XI run charts with 100 to his name. The rest of us, though, must simply doff our caps to Rainham, dust ourselves down, and get back to the nets. A chastening 141-run defeat, but hardly a fatal one — heads up, lads.

Sun 11 Jun 2017 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv CC Challock CC · HomeformWWWWW

Sunday 11 June, and it fell to me to lose the toss — a habit I'm cultivating this season with real dedication. Challock CC had us in, on a warm grey afternoon that felt like it might do something with the ball and, mercifully, mostly didn't. We stuttered early, seven on the board and a wicket gone, the sort of start that has you rechecking the teapot's still on. But Tobey Castle settled in beautifully for an unbeaten 40 and dragged us to a defendable-if-not-thrilling 113/8 from our forty. Special mention, as tradition demands, to Martin Harris, who contributed a duck to the Duck Club ledger and walked back with the dignity of a man who knows the club minutes will remember it forever.

Out with the ball, though, we were a different animal. Kazi Munir's 37 and Sam West's 20 threatened to steady Challock, but 94-6 became 103-9 as the pressure told, and three more of theirs joined Martin in the Duck Club. Tobey backed up his batting with 3-19, Martin atoned nicely with 2-13, Darrell Houghton-Judge chipped in 2-18 to extend his league-leading haul to 7 for the season, and Tim Wright bowled two tidy maidens — fitting, on the day of his 300th appearance in Linton colours, cap firmly earned. Nat Presneill will want a quiet word with himself over those 9 byes.

A ten-run win, scrappy in places, splendid in others. We'll take it, and raise a glass to Tim's three hundred.

Sat 10 Jun 2017 🧢 1st XIv HC Horsmonden CC · HomeformLLLLL

Saturday 10 June saw Horsmonden CC roll into Linton Park under warm, cloudy skies, and rolled the dice at the toss too — heads or tails, it mattered not, for they won it and sent us into the field. No complaints from this captain; a bit of early movement never hurt anyone, and so it proved.

Horsmonden battled to 158 all out in 39.5 overs, Sam Carpenter's unbeaten 46 and Glen Christian's 31 the backbone of it, with a stubborn 62-run stand for the eighth wicket threatening to make a match of it. But we tore through the rest of the order in a spell that had 11-1 turning into 23-4 before anyone had quite settled their tea. Poor Sidney Cornish never troubled the scorers — a golden duck to remember. The afternoon, though, belonged to Joshua Knowler, who ran riot with 7 for 34 (two of them maidens, not a run given away lightly), well backed by Martin Harris and Richard Knowler with a wicket apiece.

Chasing 159, James Piper played the innings of the day, 61 not out, calm as you like, with Lewis Burnham (35) and Craig Sands (32) building a handy 68-run second-wicket stand around him. We cruised home at 163 for 3 in 30.2 overs.

A special mention for Kevin Presneill, who brought up 7,000 career runs for the club — a landmark worth raising a glass to. With Piper now topping the season's run charts and Knowler its wickets, the future looks rosy indeed. Two points, thoroughly earned, and a seven-wicket win to send everyone home smiling.

Sun 04 Jun 2017 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv HC Horton Kirby CC · HomeformWLLLL

Lost the toss on a pleasant, if faintly damp, Sunday afternoon, and duly found ourselves shepherded into the field first — Horton Kirby's decision, not mine, though I'd like to say I saw the merit in batting first all along. As it turned out, we made rather a meal of proving them wrong. Glen Rawson set about the bowling with real purpose, finishing unbeaten on 93, and found the perfect foil in Tobey Castle, who cruised past his fifty to 62; their third-wicket stand of 124 was the innings, really, with Luke Welsman's 26 and a generous 29 extras rounding out a formidable 233/3 from our forty overs.

That total always looked beyond Horton Kirby, and so it proved. Tobey Castle, not content with his runs, turned his arm over to devastating effect — 3-6 the pick of the bowling — while Tim Wright chipped in 3-12 with two tidy maidens and Tim Thirkell took 2-5. Jim Martin's 26 and Gordon Watts' 25 were the only real resistance; Caiden Lomas, Rod Wickens and Rees Clow were all sent back for ducks as the visitors folded for 110 in 34.1 overs.

A win by 123 runs, two points banked, and Will Thew and Tim Thirkell continuing to top the season's run and wicket charts respectively. A thoroughly satisfying afternoon's work — the sort that makes the teas taste even better.

Sun 04 Jun 2017 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv Stowting CC · AwayformLWWWW

Sunday saw us pack the kit bags and head to Stowting, where the drizzle set in early and never quite made up its mind whether to ruin the day or simply season it. We lost the toss, were sent in to field, and set about our business with the ball first — always a fine way to keep warm on a grey afternoon.

Stowting made a battling 158 all out in 39.3 overs, built around Stuart Graham's fine 58, with Jon Hill and Nick Graham both chipping in 31 apiece and a stand of 73 for the second wicket doing the damage. But once that partnership broke, the floodgates opened — 87-2 became 96-5 in a hurry, with Clifford Ball and Ryan Godden both departing without troubling the scorers. Sam Boyns led the charge superbly with 3-25, well supported by Martin Harris (3-29) and Mark Christmas (2-20), while Joshua Knowler kept things miserly with two maidens.

Chasing 159, we made harder work of it than we'd have liked, but got there — 161-7 off 29.2 overs. Lewis Burnham's classy 54 and Ryan Boyns' 40 underpinned an opening stand of 63, before a wobble saw 121-3 crumble to 124-6. The tail, gallant as ever, added a face-saving 35, Jordan Austin and Will Thirkell contributing golden ducks but plenty of moral support.

Elsewhere, Martin Harris's three scalps nudged him past Stuart Cheesman into 23rd on the club's all-time wicket list — a fine bit of history-making on a damp Sunday. A scrappy, hard-earned win by three wickets. Onwards.

Sat 03 Jun 2017 🧢 2nd XIv CC Chevening Amblers CC · HomeformWLLWW

Saturday 3rd June, and the heavens were doing that peculiarly English thing of showering on us while the sun apparently stayed out somewhere else. Chevening Amblers were the visitors, I lost the toss – some things never change – and we were sent out to bowl, which at least meant I didn't have to watch the top order fret over their pads for another hour.

The Amblers ground out 148 all out from their forty overs, built mainly around Simon Smithers' 24 and Paul Kent's unbeaten 20, though neither ever looked like running away from us. Tim Thirkell was the pick with 3-30, backed up nicely by Jack Gwynn (2-30) and Tobey Castle (2-33), while Ian Hollingworth strangled the runs with a couple of maidens. Special mention to poor Paul Blake, sent back for a golden duck without so much as troubling the scorers – these things happen to the best of us, Paul.

Chasing 149, we cantered home at 149/2 in 28.2 overs, wrapped up by eight wickets. Richard Piper anchored things beautifully with an unbeaten 49, Thuraiappah Pushpavinothan cracked a fine 46, and Glen Rawson finished not out on 26 – though he'll want a quiet word with himself about the 8 byes that slipped through behind the stumps. I managed a tidy 49 myself, which I shall be mentioning at every opportunity until someone tells me to stop.

All in, a thoroughly good day for the club.

Sat 03 Jun 2017 🧢 1st XIv PC Plaxtol CC · AwayformLLLLL

Beaten but not bowed on a Plaxtol afternoon, drizzle and all, as our young captain won the toss and – ever the optimist – stuck us in the field. Plaxtol made themselves at home, ambling to 256 all out from 39.1 overs, built around a fine 62 from Dan Beynon and a stylish 56 from Tom Isaac, with Paul Clifton's 27 and a crucial 64-run second-wicket stand doing the real damage. Poor Luke Sanders departed for a golden duck, which at least gave the rest of us something to laugh about between overs. Richard Knowler toiled manfully for 3-51, Matthew Carter chipped in with 3-59, and Mark Christmas kept things admirably tight with 2-43 and a couple of maidens besides – nobody was giving runs away for nothing.

Chasing 257, we found our range but not quite our stamina, bowled out for 226 in the 40th over. Lewis Burnham batted beautifully for 81, well supported by Alex Keeler's unbeaten 40 and James Piper's 27, and a marvellous 142-run ninth-wicket stand very nearly hauled us home – proof, if any were needed, that this club never knows when it's beaten. I managed a workmanlike 25 myself, while Kevin Presneill and Matthew Carter both trudged back for ducks, joining the club's less celebrated ledger.

Thirty runs short in the end, but with Burnham topping our run charts and Carter leading the wickets, there's plenty to build on. We'll be better for it next week.

Sun 28 May 2017 🧢 Sunday NVKCv BC Bidborough CC · HomeformLWWLW

It was Bidborough at home on a warm, damp Sunday, and the toss went against us — never a good omen, but we've learned to make do. Sent in to bowl, we watched Baldock (49) and Rossiter (32) build Bidborough a platform, with Nankivell's 23 and a stubborn sixth-wicket stand of 50 threatening to take the game away from us. But cricket has a way of turning, and turn it did: 129-6 became 134-9 in a blur, with Pinchin, Shepherdson and Page all departing without troubling the scorers. Daniel Thirkell was the chief executioner with 3-10, Mark Christmas (2-24) and Sam Boyns (2-25, four miserly maidens to boot) doing the mopping up. All out 137 from 38.3 overs — a total that felt, by the end, distinctly gettable.

Gettable, but not easy. Christmas continued his fine afternoon with 24, well supported by Piper's 22, yet we contrived to make hard work of it, slipping from 60-2 to 70-5 as Thirkell (Will, this time) and Jackson both fell for ducks. I did what I could with 24 of my own, and somehow — three wickets and a fair few grey hairs later — we scrambled over the line at 141-7.

A word for Thomas Beeney, whose solitary wicket quietly nudged him past Alan Boyns into 17th on the club's all-time list — history made while the rest of us were busy panicking. Craig Sands continues to top the Sunday run charts, Daniel Thirkell now second among the wicket-takers.

A nervy, scrappy, thoroughly entertaining win. Three wickets to spare and the kettle never got cold — a good day for the club.

Sun 28 May 2017 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv Borstal CC · HomeformWWLLL

Sunday 28 May 2017 dawned warm and damp, and Borstal CC arrived at Linton Park to find me losing the toss and consigned to bat first — never my favourite way to start a Sunday afternoon.

We began like champions. Will Thew and the top order put on a swashbuckling 60 for the first wicket, and for a while I allowed myself to dream of something rather grand. Alas, this is club cricket, and club cricket does not permit such dreams to survive unmolested. From 93-5 we tumbled to 97-8 in the time it takes to pour a cup of tea, and the Duck Club claimed a hat-trick of victims in Tobey Castle, Tim Wright and Thisal Perera, each walking back without troubling the scorers. Will Thew's 30 and Richard Piper's 29 were the innings' saving graces, and we were all out for 129 from 38.2 overs — respectable rather than commanding.

In the field we fought hard. Tobey Castle atoned handsomely with 2-29, Jordan Austin chipped in with 1-27, and Tim Thirkell bowled two miserly maidens. But Andy Routledge had other ideas, cruising to an unbeaten 64, ably supported by Frani O'Neill's unbeaten 30, and Borstal strolled home on 130-3 with overs to spare.

Not our day, then — beaten by seven wickets, heads up and back to the nets. Small consolations: Will Thew still leads our 2017 run charts, and Tobey Castle's bowling continues to earn its keep. Onwards.

Sat 27 May 2017 🧢 2nd XIv FC Fordcombe CC · HomeformWWLLW

Saturday 27 May 2017, Fordcombe CC visited under a warm, overcast Kentish sky, and for once my coin sense held true — I called it right and never doubted my instinct to bat first.

The lads repaid the faith handsomely. Thuraiappah Pushpavinothan led the charge with a fine 74, matched stroke for stroke by Luke Welsman's own 74, while Matthew Gladwell chipped in a tidy 37 to push us on to a formidable 250/7 from our forty overs. Poor Glen Rawson, alas, will find no mention in the scorebook beyond a duck — these things happen to the best of us, and I dare say he'll get his revenge next time out.

Defending 250 is never a stroll, and Keith Exton made sure of that with a magnificent unbeaten 117 — the sort of innings that has you checking the scoreboard and wondering if the game's slipping away. Max O'Collins (33) and Nick Byrne (30 not out) offered stubborn support, and for a while Fordcombe looked ominously well set. But the bowlers kept their nerve: Pushpavinothan led from the front with 1-25, backed superbly by Anton Bourdillon (1-29) and Ian Hollingworth (1-35), while Scott Wade departed without so much as a scratch on the scorers' pencil. They finished on 233/5.

Seventeen runs the right side of the ledger — enough to have us breathing rather more easily than comfortably. A thoroughly good day for the club, and one Welsman and Hollingworth can add proudly to their season charts.

Sat 27 May 2017 🧢 1st XIv Penshurst Park CC · AwayformLLLLL

Skipper's Log — Saturday 27 May 2017, away at Penshurst Park CC.

Grey skies, warm air, and a toss lost — the traditional start to any away fixture, and Penshurst duly stuck us in. We shuffled to 112 all out from 36 overs, a total that flattered to deceive somewhat. James Piper held the innings together with a top score of 26, and the extras column, bless it, weighed in with 27 of its own — nearly our best partnership of the day, if truth be told. Lewis Burnham and Adam Jackson both took the long walk back for ducks, joining the club's least glamorous list, though Lewis had bigger things to celebrate, of which more below.

With the ball we fought hard. Penshurst got home at 114/5 from 28.2 overs, Martin Semmens compiling a classy unbeaten 51 and Simon Williams ably supporting with 29 not out — too good for us on the day. Joshua Knowler was excellent, 3-23, backed by Mark Christmas (1-21, with two tidy maidens) and Richard Knowler (1-27), while Graham Nicholls fell to us without scoring. I contributed a workmanlike 17 with the bat.

Two proper landmarks amid the defeat: Craig Sands reached 15,000 career runs for the club, and Lewis Burnham turned out for his 100th appearance in Linton colours — both thoroughly deserving of the tea-hut applause. James Piper leads our 2017 run charts, Joshua Knowler sits second among the wicket-takers.

Verdict: beaten by five wickets, but not disgraced. Back to the nets.

Sun 21 May 2017 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv Sissinghurst CC · AwayformLWWLL

Sunday 21 May 2017 saw us make the trip to Sissinghurst, and the coin let us down before a ball was bowled — they won the toss and had no hesitation in batting. What followed was a lesson in opening partnerships, their pair putting on a chunky 102 before we so much as glimpsed a breakthrough. Thirag Patel made merry with an unbeaten 102, Joel Bygraves chipped in a handsome 83, and Angus Knowler's 35 rounded out a total of 271/3 from their 35 overs that had the tea urn shaking in sympathy. Jon Harris was our chief tormentor with 1-10, Tim Thirkell also among the wickets with 1-45, though truth be told the damage was done long before either got their hands properly on it.

Chasing 272 was always going to want something special, and Will Thew very nearly conjured it, batting beautifully for 98 before falling agonisingly short of the ton. Luke Welsman gave him fine company with a well-crafted 59 — and, in a lovely footnote to the afternoon, brought up 1,000 career runs for the club along the way, a landmark worth raising a glass to regardless of the result. We limped to 218/9 in our 35, with Dave Richardson and Engarshal Sinnaraja both taking that lonely walk for ducks.

Not our day, beaten by 53 runs, and heads must go back into the nets this week. But with Will Thew leading our 2017 Sunday 2nd XI run charts and Tim Thirkell topping the wickets, there's a side here worth persevering with — even in defeat, the shoots of a decent summer are showing.

Sun 21 May 2017 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv WC Worth CC · HomeformWLWWW

As Sunday 21 May 2017 was such a fine, damp afternoon for cricket, losing the toss and being asked to field felt like a minor inconvenience rather than a disaster - and so it proved, with Worth CC unwittingly doing us a favour.

Batting first was never the plan, so it took a little while to get going, but Mark Christmas had other ideas, compiling a superb unbeaten 81 that carried the innings from start to finish. He found willing company in Benjamin Austin (38) and Joshua Knowler (34), with the pair's 92-run fourth-wicket stand the platform on which everything else was built. We closed on a healthy 204/4 from our 40 overs - the sort of total that lets a captain enjoy his tea rather than fret over it.

With the ball, it was very much a team effort. Sam Boyns led from the front with an excellent 3-36, while Jordan Austin was typically economical, his three maidens underpinning figures of 2-13, and Joshua Knowler chipped in with 2-20 for good measure. Poor Arnold Duraisingham never troubled the scorers, departing for a golden duck, and though Noor Muhammad (27), Amjad Awan (21) and Jinal Patel (20) offered some resistance, Worth were bowled out for 134 in 39.1 overs. I even found time to contribute 34 of my own from the skipper's berth.

A 70-run victory, then, and a thoroughly good day for the club - Christmas majestic, the bowling attack relentless, and the tea, I'm reliably informed, rather good too.

Sat 20 May 2017 🧢 2nd XIv LC Locksbottom CC · AwayformLWWLL

From the captain's chair — Saturday 20 May 2017. We travelled down to Locksbottom, and having won the toss I elected to field, which for once earned me a nod of approval from the boundary rather than the usual weary sigh.

Locksbottom set about building a total, and Patrick High led the way with a well-crafted 73, finding a willing partner in Stuart Greenwood (25) as the pair put on 68 for the fifth wicket to give their innings a bit of backbone. But Engarshal Sinnaraja had other ideas, tearing through the order with a magnificent 5-35, while Tim Thirkell (2-30) and Jack Gwynn (1-12) chipped in to peg them back to 194/9 from their 40 overs — a target we felt was well within our compass.

And so it proved, though not without the customary palpitations. Luke Welsman played the innings of a lifetime, an unbeaten 112 that anchored everything, with Jack Gwynn (38) offering fine support in a match-defining stand of 119 for the fourth wicket. Darrell Houghton-Judge and Charles Curteis both contributed golden ducks, bless them, but it mattered not a jot. We got home on 195/7 with three overs to spare.

A fine win by three wickets, then, built on Sinnaraja's five-for and crowned by a Welsman special. Onwards.

Sat 20 May 2017 🧢 1st XIv Sissinghurst CC · HomeformWLLLL

Saturday 20 May, and Sissinghurst arrived to find Linton Park under a sky that couldn't decide whether it was cricket weather or not. The coin, at least, was kind to me, and with the showers threatening I sent us out to field first — a decision I stand by, even if the scoreboard rather told a different story by tea. Brough Cooper made merry with 66, well past his fifty, with Reuben Collingwood (35) and Jon Agar (23) offering sturdy support as Sissinghurst rattled to 188/9 from their forty overs. Matthew Carter was superb with the ball, 3-33 and two miserly maidens besides, backed up nicely by Mark Christmas (3-48) and Richard Knowler (1-38) — not a total to be ashamed of conceding, but a stiff ask all the same.

Chasing it, we never quite found our rhythm. Mark Christmas top-scored gamely with 25, Kevin Presneill chipped in with 24, and I managed 25 of my own — small mercies. But wickets tumbled alarmingly from 59-3 to 72-6, and poor Richard Knowler and Thomas Beeney were both undone for golden ducks 🦆. All out for 103 in the 35th over told its own tale. My three wickets with the ball were scant consolation for the skipper.

Beaten by 85 runs, then, and no dressing it up. Mark Christmas continues his quiet rise up the run charts, Matthew Carter leads the wickets — the season's foundations are sound, even if Saturday's edifice wasn't. We'll be better for it next week.

Sun 14 May 2017 🧢 Sunday NVKCv NC New Ifield CC · AwayformWLWWL

We won the toss on a showery afternoon at New Ifield and I had no hesitation sending us in — a decision that, for once, looked rather clever by teatime. Craig Sands played the innings of the season, an unbeaten 150 that dragged us to 312/6 from our 40 overs, with Will Thirkell's fine 90 and James Piper's 36 lending sturdy support. The openers set the tone with 94 before the first wicket fell, and a commanding 139-run stand for the fifth wicket made sure the total had real teeth.

If 312 felt like a mountain, our bowlers made New Ifield look like they'd left their crampons at home. They limped to 106/6, with only Tony Reely (43 not out) and Lyle Wheeler (33) offering any real resistance after a brief 51-run stand for the second wicket. Everything after that was carnage — 97-2 became 98-5 in the blink of an eye, and Lee Addy, Nick Bodle and Joshua Reely all trooped back for ducks. Joshua Knowler was quite simply magnificent, 4-22 with five miserly maidens, ably backed by Thomas Beeney's 1-30.

A 206-run win, Craig Sands topping our Sunday run charts and Joshua Knowler leading the wickets — one can't help feeling rather smug writing this one up. A very good day for the club indeed, and if the showers were watching, they clearly approved.

Sun 14 May 2017 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv Cowdrey CC · AwayformLLWWL

Sunday 14 May 2017, away at Cowdrey CC, and the coin fell their way — we were shown the field first, which on a warm afternoon felt less like misfortune and more like a slow-roasting.

Cowdrey posted a stern 191/8 from their forty, built on a composed unbeaten 90 from Oscar Holmes and a brisk 60 from Xavier Yeats-Brown, with their last pair cheekily bolting on 45 we could have done without. Luke Welsman was the pick of our attack, 2-21 with a couple of tidy maidens thrown in for good measure, backed up nicely by Russell Dack (2-23) and Tim Thirkell (2-27). Birendra Singh and Aston Bennett both fell without troubling the scorers.

In reply, Benjamin Austin batted with real purpose for 86, the innings' backbone by some distance, and a 72-run third-wicket stand briefly had us dreaming — until an early stumble at 6 and a horrid collapse from 110-4 to 114-7 put paid to that. Wickets tumbled like dominoes, with Welsman, Dack and Nat Presneill all departing for ducks. Your correspondent, for the record, also made a duck, and the least said about that the better.

All out for 133 in 26.4 overs, beaten by 58 runs. Austin now tops our Sunday 2nd XI run charts and Dack the wicket charts, small consolations on a chastening day. We'll regroup, dust ourselves off, and be better for it next week.

Sat 13 May 2017 🧢 2nd XIv Sissinghurst CC · HomeformWLWWL

Fifty-nine winters at Linton Park and I still can't read a cricket pitch on a showery May morning. Won the toss, put Sissinghurst in, and for a while it looked the very picture of shrewd captaincy — until Fred Smith settled in and helped himself to 62, with Peter Smith tucking in unbeaten on 35 to see them home to 200/7 off their forty. Jack Gwynn was the pick of a willing attack with 2-13, well backed by Tim Wright (2-40) and Darrell Houghton-Judge (2-46), and poor Glen Rawson had one of those afternoons behind the stumps where the ball seems to develop a mind of its own — nine byes is not a number one puts on the tea-hut blackboard with any pride.

Chasing 201, we made a promising fist of it. Thuraiappah Pushpavinothan played a lovely fifty, and Richard Piper's 21 gave us an opening stand of 50 that had me quietly optimistic in the deckchair. But cricket, as ever, had other ideas — we slid from 99-3 to 106-6 in the sort of collapse that makes the urn of tea go cold in sympathy, and three of the lads (Nat Presneill, Jack Gwynn and Darrell Houghton-Judge) departed for ducks. I chipped in with 21 myself, for what little comfort that offered, but 125 all out from 34.1 overs was well short of the mark.

Seventy-five runs the wrong side of the ledger, then — not our day, and no dressing it up as one. Heads up, chins forward, and back to the nets we go.

Sat 13 May 2017 🧢 1st XIv BC Bidborough CC · AwayformWWLLL

Saturday 13 May 2017 saw the good ship Linton Park set sail for Bidborough, and having called correctly at the toss – a rare enough event to note in the log itself – I had no hesitation in sticking us in to bat. It proved a mixed blessing. We were bowled out for 113 in the 35th over, a total that owed everything to James Piper's watchful 30 and Adam Jackson's useful 28, and precious little to the rest of us. Special mention, as tradition demands, to Kevin Presneill, who contributed a duck to the collection and took the long, lonely walk back to the pavilion for his troubles.

With the bat having let us down gently, it fell to the ball to rescue matters, and for a while it looked as though it might. Joshua Knowler was the pick of the attack with 2-13, backed up nicely by Alex Keeler's 2-16 and the tireless Matthew Carter, whose 2-40 included two maidens of positively miserly intent. We even had the satisfaction of seeing Jonny Shepherdson depart for nought. But Bidborough's Dom Trett, unbeaten on 28, together with Howard Nankivell's 27 and Robin Underwood's 22, saw them home at 116/7.

So, a three-wicket defeat, and heads rightly hung on the coach home. Piper continues to impress in the run charts, Carter leads the wickets — small consolations on a day that, all told, simply wasn't ours. Back to the nets it is.

Sun 07 May 2017 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv Beckenham CC · HomeformLWLWW

Sunday 07 May, damp air, home turf, and the coin doing me a favour for once — I called it right and stuck Beckenham in, which for about three hours looked like an act of pure charity on my part. Ross Piller made us pay in full, a magnificent 111, and Duncan Tyler stood alongside him unbeaten on 83 as the pair put on 184 for the second wicket and generally rewrote the afternoon's script. Honourable mention to Tobey Castle, who at least kept the scoreboard honest with 2-28 while the rest of us admired the view. 231/2 from 35 overs — a proper total, the sort that makes the tea interval taste of dread.

So naturally we lost our first wicket for 5 and I feared the worst. But Richard Piper (53), Sam Boyns (unbeaten 52) and young Jordan Austin, calm as you like on 69 not out, steadied things beautifully, with a generous 45 extras doing more than its share of the heavy lifting. I chipped in with 52 myself, purely to set a good example from the front, you understand. Poor Will Thew will find no mercy in the Duck Club ledger — a nought, and the long walk back that goes with it.

232/4 with an over to spare: six wickets, two points, and a result thoroughly earned after Beckenham had every right to expect more. A cracking day's cricket, and not a bad one for the run charts either.

Sat 06 May 2017 🧢 2nd XIv FC Four Elms CC · AwayformLWLWW

We batted second at Four Elms, chasing a mammoth 350/3, and Kevin Allman's magnificent 153 wearing us down almost single-handedly – Rod James adding an unbeaten 124 of his own and Alan Crowhurst 31 for good measure. The openers put on 76 before we made the first breakthrough, but it was the third-wicket stand of 239 that really finished the job as a contest. Credit where due: Kevin Presneill picked up the crucial wicket (1-31), with Darrell Houghton-Judge (1-57) and Anton Bourdillon (1-69) chipping in for reward that rather understated their toil.

Chasing 351 was always a tall order on a pleasant, cloudy afternoon, and 191 all out in the 40th over tells its own tale. Luke Welsman batted beautifully for his 57, well backed by Presneill's 38 and Glen Rawson's 28, while I managed a workmanlike 20 without troubling the scorers unduly. Spare a thought for Darrell Houghton-Judge and Fred Taylor, who both departed for golden ducks – cricket's way of reminding a man he is mortal.

If I'm honest, the fielding did us no favours – 22 wides and 3 no-balls is the sort of generosity you'd expect at a vicarage tea party, not on a cricket field, and against a side batting like that we simply couldn't afford the extras. Beaten by 159 runs in the end, no arguing with the margin. Allman and James simply played out of our reach, and we'll doff our caps, tighten up the loose ends, and come back better next week.

Sat 06 May 2017 🧢 1st XIv FC Four Elms CC · HomeformWWWLL

From the captain's chair — Saturday 06 May 2017. A cool, cloudy afternoon greeted Four Elms CC as our visitors, and true to form the coin let me down at the toss; they had first say and sent us in, which these days feels less like misfortune and more like tradition.

Batting first, we compiled a respectable 187 all out from our 39 overs, built on Joshua Knowler's watchful 39, with James Piper (33) and Craig Sands (26) chipping in handsomely — Sands, incidentally, continues to lead our 2017 run charts with 107 for the season. Alas, 182 for 7 became 187 all out in the sort of blink-and-you'll-miss-it collapse that keeps club cricket humble, and the Duck Club welcomed two new members in Daniel Thirkell and Matthew Carter, both undertaking the walk of shame for nought. Thank heavens for 39 extras, without which we'd have been having a rather different conversation over tea.

Defending the total, we simply couldn't prise the door shut. Benjamin Crowhurst played a fine hand of 65, well supported by James Mulvey (45) and an unbeaten 43 from Rob Smith, their third-wicket pair putting on a match-defining 72 to see Four Elms home at 188 for 3 in 28.4 overs. Alex Keeler was our pick of the bowlers with 1-16, with Richard Knowler and Thomas Beeney also among the wickets.

Beaten by seven wickets, then — a day where the bat did more talking than the ball, and not always in our favour. We'll be better for it next week.

Mon 01 May 2017 🧢 1st XIv Chestfield CC · AwayformWWWWL

Off in fresh air we went on the 1st of May, greeted by Chestfield with that most tiresome of English pleasantries — a lost coin toss and an invitation to bowl on a cool, damp afternoon that felt more April than May. Dylan Hunter set about correcting our afternoon with a fine 62, Taylor Chandler (49) and Tom Barton (37) lending sturdy support, and a 69-run third-wicket stand that threatened to bat us clean out of the game. James Piper toiled admirably for 2-39, Darrell Houghton-Judge chipped in with 2-51 and Jordan Austin 1-22, but a cheeky last-wicket stand of 35 we could frankly have done without saw Chestfield close on a commanding 248/6.

Chasing 249, we never quite got the legs under us. Will Thew's 41 was the innings' backbone, Glen Rawson unbeaten on 35 and James Piper adding 32 kept hope flickering, and a 51-run fourth-wicket stand was as good as it got. Losing our first wicket for just 1 hardly helped matters, and poor Richard Piper's duck will live long in the memory — his, if not the club's. I did my modest bit with 32, but 176/6 from our forty overs left us 72 runs shy.

James Piper's efforts see him creeping up the season's charts, which is some consolation. All told, a day where the visitors simply had more runs in the bank than we could ever hope to withdraw. Heads up, chins out, and back to the nets — Chestfield await revenge another day.

Sun 30 Apr 2017 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv BC Brasted & Sundridge CC · HomeformWLWLW

Skipper's Log — Sunday 30 April 2017. A pleasant, damp sort of afternoon greeted us for the visit of Brasted & Sundridge, and having called correctly at the toss, I fancied a bat and had no hesitation in saying so.

The lads duly obliged. James Piper played the innings of the day, 72 well past his fifty, while Craig Sands chipped in an unbeaten 34 and Richard Piper 32, the pair putting on 58 for the fifth wicket to give the total real substance. We finished on a handsome 193/6 from our 38 overs — though poor Lewis Burnham will want this page torn out of the gazette, departing for a duck.

If our batting had been the occasion for good cheer, our bowling turned the afternoon into something approaching theatre. Brasted & Sundridge never got going, losing an early wicket with just 5 on the board and later slipping from 40-2 to 49-5 as the pressure told — Clive Puttock and Richard Knowler both back in the pavilion without scoring. Alan Manderson's 33 was the only real resistance. Darrell Houghton-Judge was magnificent, running through the order for 5-18 and, more significantly, passing 100 career wickets along the way — a landmark thoroughly deserved. John Karassellos and Lewis Burnham chipped in with a wicket apiece, and Martin Harris kept things miserly with two maidens. All out for 80.

A comfortable 113-run victory, two points banked, and a thoroughly satisfying way to spend a damp Sunday.

Sat 29 Apr 2017 🧢 1st XIv BC Bidborough CC · AwayformWWWWW

Saturday 29 April 2017 saw us make the trip to Bidborough, and for once the coin actually smiled on me — I called it right and had no hesitation sticking us in.

We posted a respectable 177/9 from our forty overs, built chiefly around Mark Christmas's classy 55, with Lewis Burnham (33) and Joshua Knowler (31) chipping in handsomely, and a stand of 53 for the seventh wicket that papered over some cracks. And there were cracks — a middle-order wobble saw 13-1 become 18-4 before you could say "tea's ready," with poor Craig Sands contributing a duck to remember for all the wrong reasons.

With the ball, alas, we simply couldn't apply the brakes. Bidborough cantered to 178/1 in just 23.5 overs, Stuart Pinchin unbeaten on 75 and Jonny Shepherdson making a fine fifty of his own on 55 not out, with James Baldock's 27 rounding out the carnage. Joshua Knowler was our lone bright spark with the ball, 1-37 for his troubles. I did my best to lead from the front with 55 of my own, though on this occasion it was rather like bailing out a rowing boat with a teacup.

One genuine highlight amid the gloom: Mark Christmas brought up 7,000 career runs for the club — a landmark worth raising a glass to, whatever the scoreboard said.

In the end, we were well beaten, down by nine wickets. Not our day by any stretch — heads up, and back to the nets we go.

Sat 22 Apr 2017 🧢 1st XIv Headcorn CC · HomeformWWWWW

Here's the match report:

Saturday brought Headcorn CC to Linton Park under skies that couldn't quite decide whether to rain on our parade, and having won the toss, I made the bold call to put the visitors in — a decision that, for once, didn't come back to haunt me. Trevor Scrivens had other ideas about being troubled by our bowlers, sailing past his fifty to finish unbeaten on 51, with Rob Mansell keeping him steady company on 44 not out and James Barker chipping in with 22. Their second-wicket pair put on 107 between them, which rather did for our afternoon in the field, though we did have our moments — Ben Donnelly back in the hutch without troubling the scorers, and Matthew Carter making real inroads with 4-26, backed up by the metronomic Thomas Beeney, who somehow conjured seven maidens out of a pitch that offered him precious little.

Headcorn's 151/4 from their forty overs always felt like a target within range, and so it proved. Craig Sands played the innings of the day, cruising to 81 not out, while Lewis Burnham matched him stride for stride with 64 not out of his own past the fifty mark. Between them they knocked off the runs in 24 overs without so much as a hint of alarm, and we strolled home without losing a single wicket.

A ten-wicket win, then — as one-sided as club cricket gets, and thoroughly enjoyable for it. Onwards.