🧢 Captain's Log

Sat 23 Sep 2023 🧢 Friendly XIv Town Malling CC · HomeformLLWDL

We hosted Town Malling on a pleasant, grey Saturday afternoon, and having called correctly I did what any captain with a soft spot for runs on the board does — stuck us in.

It proved the right call. Benjamin Austin and Aaron Hughes put on 90 for the first wicket before either was so much as troubled, and the pair went on to finish unbeaten on 51 and 50 respectively, a fine advert for not getting carried away once you're in. Neill Pennefather chipped in with a brisk 36 to push us on to 186/8 from our 35 overs — though the less said about Euan Beardwell's contribution the better; a golden duck to add to the club's ever-growing ledger of shame.

With 186 to defend, the lads made short work of it. Town Malling never quite got going, and once they slid from 109-7 to all out for 112 in 33.1 overs, the contest was as good as done. Nolan Wilde led the attack beautifully with 2-25, Laurie Probert and Alex Wade picked up a wicket apiece, and Sam King bowled two miserly maidens that gave the batters nothing to work with. Daniel Barrett and Steve Sutton departed without scoring, evening the scales after our own top order's generosity.

A 74-run win, then, and a thoroughly satisfying afternoon's work — Aaron Hughes now tops our run charts for the season, and Tim Thirkell sits second among the wicket-takers. Onwards indeed.

Sun 17 Sep 2023 🧢 Friendly XIv Brockley CC, London · HomeformLLLWD

It was one of those September afternoons Kent does so well—warm, with a fine drizzle that never quite committed to rain—and I fancied it might do enough off the seam to have a look with the ball. Brockley CC had other ideas. Josh McDonald played beautifully for his 83, and once he and Anand Kumar had put on 110 for the second wicket, the writing was rather on the pavilion wall. Anand finished unbeaten on a well-made 58, Ritesh Ritesh chipped in with 56 of his own, and by the time thirty overs were up Brockley had racked up 235/4. Nolan Wilde was our pick of the attack with 2-30, toiling away manfully, and Martin Harris kept things honest with 1-44—though on this pitch, honest wasn't nearly enough.

Chasing 236 was always going to want something special, and while Aaron Hughes gave it a proper go with 37, well supported by Anthony Karassellos's 28, the required rate crept up like the drizzle and eventually swallowed us whole. All out for 130/7 told its own story.

Season-wise there are bright spots—Aaron leads our run charts with 184, Martin tops the wickets with 7—so not all is doom and gloom in the Linton Park camp. But today, beaten by 105 runs, there's no dressing it up: heads up, chins up, and back to the nets. Every dog has its day; this one, emphatically, belonged to Brockley.

Sat 16 Sep 2023 🧢 Friendly XIv Linden Park CC · HomeformWLLLW

Linden Park arrived on a warm, overcast afternoon, and winning the toss I opted to field first — a decision I'm rather pleased to take credit for now that it's paid off, though ask me again if it hadn't. They batted with real intent, reaching 244/5 from their 43 overs, built around a fine 63 from Tom Corner and a composed unbeaten 55 from James Corner, with Etienne Saunders chipping in 37 and that third-wicket stand of 80 doing the real damage. Martin Harris was our pick of the bowlers with 2-48, well supported by Nolan Wilde and Tim Thirkell with a wicket apiece.

Chasing 245, we made a fine fist of it. Aaron Hughes and his opening partner put on 78 before the first breakthrough, and Hughes went on to an excellent unbeaten 72, while Richard Piper's 35 and Nolan Wilde's 29 kept the innings ticking nicely. We closed on 188/4 from our 44 overs — short of the target, but never chasing shadows.

The day belonged rather fittingly to Aaron Hughes, who brought up 5,000 career runs for the club — a landmark worth raising a glass to, and he continues to lead our 2023 Friendly XI run charts, with Martin Harris out in front with the ball.

A draw, then, honours shared, and on reflection a fair result — we came for a fight and got one, and nobody left the field wanting.

Sun 10 Sep 2023 🧢 Twenty20v SC Sidcup CC · AwayformWLWWW

Not our day at Sidcup — down by 32 runs, and Sunday 10th September will go down as a match of two very different afternoons.

Winning the toss felt like the easy part, and I had no hesitation putting Sidcup in under overcast club-cricket skies. For a while it looked the right call, until Henry Walker decided to bat all twenty overs and remind us why he's a nuisance to bowl at, cruising to 74 not out and finding a willing ally in Bradley Sargent's 29. Credit where it's due, though: Harrison Fermor kept plugging away for 2-28, with Joshua Knowler and Fred Taylor chipping in a wicket apiece, and 144/5 could have been considerably worse given how set Walker was.

Chasing 145, we never quite found our rhythm. Benjamin Austin battled hard for an unbeaten 29 and Toby Hughes played his part with 27, but all-out for 112 in 18.2 overs tells its own tale — not helped by three ducks on the card for Abishek Pushpavinothan, George Taylor and Harrison Fermor, a trio who'll want the earth to swallow them before next Sunday.

Silver linings for the season charts at least: Toby Hughes remains top of the 2023 T20 run-scorers with 188, and Fred Taylor sits second among the wicket-takers with six. As for the rest of us — heads up, shoulders back, and it's straight to the nets. A day to learn from, not to dwell on.

Sun 10 Sep 2023 🧢 Twenty20v SK Simba CC, Kent · AwayformWWLWW

Here's the match report:

There's a particular kind of honesty in being asked to chase — no toss-winning bravado, just the captain's lot on a Sunday in Kent, trooping out to Simba CC and settling in for a long afternoon in the field. Tyrone Daley had other ideas about how quiet that afternoon might be, ambling to a well-made 75 and dragging the total along to a stiff 134/5, with Romario Grant chipping in an unbeaten 34 for company. We did have our moments, mind — Ramon Davidson back in the hutch for a duck was a small mercy, and Joshua Knowler bowled beautifully for 2-17, backed up nicely by Fred Taylor's 1-23 and Harrison Fermor's 1-25 to keep the total within reach rather than out of sight.

Chasing 135 is never the gentle stroll it sounds like on paper, but Toby Hughes made it look almost leisurely, top-scoring with a classy 47, while Harrison Fermor's unbeaten 22 saw us home with something to spare and overs in the bank — 135/3 off 16.3, job done. Hughes now sits proudly atop the 2023 T20 run charts with 161 to his name, and Fred Taylor isn't far behind the pack with 5 wickets on the season.

A seven-wicket win, then, earned the old-fashioned way — bowl tight, chase calmly, don't panic when asked to do the harder job first. Onwards indeed.

Sun 10 Sep 2023 🧢 Friendly XIv The Mote CC · HomeformWWLLL

Sunday saw us welcome The Mote CC under skies that couldn't decide whether to sulk or scorch, and I called correctly at the toss — no hesitation in sticking them in, which for once looked like genuine cricketing wisdom rather than blind optimism. They ground their way to 186/8 from their forty overs, James Waterson the chief architect with 41, well supported by Rod Harcourt's unbeaten 31 and William Bacon's 30. Poor Will Aldrich departed without so much as a nibble at the scorebook. With the ball, Alex Holt was the pick, snaffling 3-32, while Tim Thirkell bowled with real discipline — three maidens and 2-10 — and Matt Bacon chipped in with 2-16.

Chasing 187, we got there with five wickets and a handful of balls to spare, 188/5 in 37.3 overs. Aaron Hughes was magnificent, unbeaten on 74, and found a fine ally in Jordan Austin, whose 47 anchored a match-winning stand of 64 for the fourth wicket. Nick Tromp will want to forget his duck, though thirty-four generous extras did their bit too. I contributed a modest 18, mostly by standing in the way of the ball rather than striking it with any conviction.

A day of milestones besides: Jordan brought up 7,000 career runs for the club and leapfrogged Stuart Cheesman into 23rd on the all-time list, while also topping this season's Friendly XI run charts alongside Aaron. All told, a thoroughly good day for Linton Park — the sort that reminds you why you keep turning up.

Sat 09 Sep 2023 🧢 Friendly XIv SC Staplehurst CC · AwayformLWWLL

The road to Staplehurst is a pleasant enough drive, though rather less pleasant once you've lost the toss and been invited to have a bowl in September sunshine. Their openers set about us with real purpose, cantering to 103 before we prised the first wicket loose, and for a giddy spell thereafter — 103-1 to 109-4 — it looked rather like our afternoon. Alas, their last pair had other ideas, bolting on an unwelcome 74 to leave them 229/6 from their forty. James Rodway's 80 was the innings' spine, with Tom Davey's unbeaten 57 and Christopher Watts's 22 not out padding things out nicely from where we were standing. Martin Harris was the pick of us with 3-23, well supported by Tim Thirkell (2-31) and Josh Gurney (1-16), while poor Russell Gormley was back in the shed without troubling the scorers — sympathies, Russell.

Chasing 230 was always going to want application, and we mustered 149 all out in 28.4 overs, Luke Welsman's 25 the top score, Benjamin Austin (23) and Richard Piper (20) chipping in gamely. Benjamin had a busy afternoon behind the stumps too, ten byes going begging, and their 17 off the fortieth over of their innings rather summed up a day where the extras column did us no favours.

Beaten by 80 runs, then, and no arguing with the margin. Luke Welsman continues to top our run charts for the season and Martin Harris the wickets — small consolations on a long drive home, but we'll dust ourselves down and come back stronger next week.

Sat 09 Sep 2023 🧢 2nd XIv West Farleigh CC · AwayformWWWLL

We narrowly lost by 2 wickets away at West Farleigh CC on a scorching, grey afternoon — the sort of day the English weather can't quite make its mind up about, much like my decision-making, though winning the toss and batting first still felt like the right call.

We posted a very handsome 296/9 from our 40 overs, built on a marvellous 175-run stand for the fourth wicket between Altus Diener (83) and the ever-reliable middle order. Diener's innings was the backbone, Brandon Eloff's unbeaten 80 the polish, and Laurie Probert's 71 the icing — three fine contributions that turned a good total into a genuinely daunting one. Nick Tromp and James Gray both fell without troubling the scorers, and the extras column's cheeky 46 rather summed up the day's spirit of generosity all round.

Defending it, though, proved a different story. West Farleigh flew out of the blocks with 99 on the board before we made the breakthrough, David Wilkinson (86) and Alex Beechey (59) doing most of the damage before Shauk Shahebaz chipped in with 33. Diener was superb again with the ball, 2-26, well supported by Tromp (2-34) and John Karassellos (2-38), but 20 wides, 4 no-balls and a torrid afternoon behind the stumps for Johan Eloff, who let through 14 byes, gave our opponents too many free runs to chase down.

A cruel margin for a side that batted so well. Heads up, back to the nets — we'll have this back off them before the season's out.

Wed 06 Sep 2023 🧢 Midweek XIv Gravesend CC · HomeformLLWLW

Skipper's Log, 6th September 2023: Gravesend CC visited us under skies that couldn't decide whether to scorch or sulk, and thankfully the coin decided rather better for me than the weather did — I called it right and never seriously considered doing anything but batting first.

What followed was, without wishing to overstate it, rather glorious. Nick Tromp played the innings of the summer, an unbeaten 103 that anchored everything around him, while Luke Welsman chipped in a handsome 61 and Matthew Carter finished unbeaten on 27. The two of them shared 171 for the fourth wicket, the kind of stand that turns a decent total into a daunting one, and we closed on 288/7 from our forty overs feeling rather pleased with ourselves.

Defending that lot should have been the easy part, and so it proved. Gravesend never got going — Patrick Barron's 21 was the only real resistance — and the innings simply came apart, 64/5 becoming 64/8 in the blink of an eye, with Pavish Bhoomla and Jazz Saini both back in the pavilion without troubling the scorers. Matthew Carter, having already batted us to safety, then ran through them with 3-24, Tim Thirkell bowled with wonderful economy for 2-7 including three maidens, and Luke Welsman took 2-9 for good measure. All out for 76 in 23.1 overs.

A win by 212 runs, then — the sort of margin that flatters no one's modesty but is thoroughly enjoyable all the same. Onwards.

Sun 03 Sep 2023 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv KC Kent Royals (Hollingbourne) CC · AwayformLLWWW

We travelled down to Kent Royals (Hollingbourne) on Sunday, and winning the toss I did what any captain does on a fine September morning — had a look at the sky, consulted absolutely nobody, and put us in to bat. It proved a fair shout, at least at first: Anthony Karassellos, marking his 100th appearance in Linton colours with rather better timing than sentiment usually allows, cracked a fine 61, with Richard Piper — who continues to lead our 2023 Sunday 2nd XI run charts, currently on 456 for the season — chipping in a tidy 48. We closed on 157/7 from our 40 overs, a total that felt defendable in the changing room, if perhaps not quite substantial enough in the cold light of a Kent outfield.

And so it proved. Habahd Ali played the innings of the day, an unbeaten 84 that simply refused to be argued with, backed up by Moshi Chowdhury's composed 32 not out and Toffail Ahmed's breezy 20 — the shot of the afternoon undoubtedly his, a six clubbed square on the leg side that had several of us checking the boundary rope was still where we'd left it. Truth be told, our lengths were the story: we dropped just a fraction short all day, and they cut and pulled us to all corners. Karassellos (1-24) and Alex Wade (1-33) kept things honest, but 158/2 in 26.3 overs told its own tale.

Beaten by eight wickets. A landmark day for Anthony, a chastening one for the bowling unit — we'll sharpen those lengths and come again next week.

Sun 03 Sep 2023 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv Stone-in-Oxney CC · HomeformWWLWW

Sunday 03 September, and Stone-in-Oxney came calling on an afternoon that couldn't decide whether it was summer or not — scorching one minute, grey the next, a bit like my form with the bat this season. I won the toss and stuck us in, which felt like the right call at the time and, for once, I'm sticking to that story.

We piled up 199/7 from our forty overs, built on a rollicking opening stand of 80 before anyone so much as looked at a bowler funny. Jordan Austin's 48 was the innings' backbone, with Aaron Hughes and Thomas Roxburgh both chipping in 45 apiece to keep the board ticking. Not everyone's day, mind — Nick Tromp and Benjamin Austin both walked back without troubling the scorer, ducks obediently swimming alongside them.

Defending 199 always feels like walking a tightrope, and so it proved. Patrick Watsham made an infuriatingly good 77 not out, with Owen Piper's fifty and Toby Withers Green's 34 doing the damage either side of him. We had them 8-1 at one stage and thought we were in business, but a stand of 111 for the fourth wicket rather put paid to that plan. Tobey Castle bowled beautifully for 1-10, with Roxburgh and Ian Hollingworth chipping in too.

One proper highlight amid the gloom — Aaron Hughes brought up his 200th appearance in Linton colours, a landmark worth more than any scoreline. Beaten by five wickets in the end, but we'll be better for it next week.

Sat 02 Sep 2023 🧢 3rd XIv BC Brasted Chart and Toys Hill CC · AwayformLWDTL

Saturday last saw us take the long road down to Brasted Chart to face Toys Hill CC, under a warm, cloudy sky that promised more than our batting delivered.

Losing the toss and asked to field first — sorry, bat first, as they chose to field — we never quite got going, subsiding to 85 all out in 35.3 overs. Ethan Joubert's 20 was as good as it got, a lone voice of reason in an innings otherwise littered with soft dismissals, not least the pair of ducks from Johan Eloff and Brandon Eloff, who between them contributed rather more to the tea urn than the scorebook.

With 85 to defend, hope seemed a distant relation, but Henry Campbell had other ideas, ripping through the Toys Hill order with a magnificent 4-18 and dismissing Christian Payne, Pete Smith and Nick Price without scores between them. James Gray (1-7) and Tom Campbell (1-15) chipped in gamely, and for a while it felt like alchemy might be afoot. William McMenamin, though, stood firm with an unbeaten 32 and, with him at the crease, the visitors edged home at 88/7.

Elsewhere in the season, John Karassellos continues his steady climb up the 3rd XI run charts (5th, 79 runs), while James Gray sits a creditable 2nd in the wicket-taking stakes on 7.

A three-wicket defeat, then, and a reminder that 85 rarely wins matches. Heads up, chins out, back to the nets.

Sat 02 Sep 2023 🧢 2nd XIv Holcombe & Blue Bell Hill CC · HomeformDWWWL

Beaten by 5 wickets in the end, but there was plenty in this one for the club gazette.

We lost the toss on a warm, cloudy afternoon at home to Holcombe & Blue Bell Hill, which meant padding up first whether we liked it or not. Nick Tromp led the charge with a fine 36, Luke Welsman held things together with an unbeaten 24, and Matthew Carter chipped in a tidy 23 to help us to 156 all out from our 38 overs — respectable, if not exactly a mountain. Less respectable were the contributions of Nolan Wilde, Aaron Hughes and Laurie Probert, who each took the walk of shame back to the pavilion for a duck. The Duck Club ledger, I'm told, is filling up nicely.

Defending 156 was always going to ask questions of us, and Holcombe had answers. Amal Anilkumar played the innings of the day, a composed 68, well supported by Daniel Bennett's 46, and between them they steered the visitors home on 160/5 with three overs to spare. Credit where it's due — Benjamin Austin bowled beautifully for his 2-19, and both Matthew Carter (1-10, adding to his batting effort) and Anthony Karassellos (1-24) kept the pressure on when it mattered. I managed a modest 18 with the bat, more useful than decorative.

So, beaten by five wickets, and no arguing with the better side on the day. Will Thew continues to lead our 2nd XI run charts with 413 for the season, and Matthew Carter's all-round effort keeps him fourth in the wicket charts. We'll dust ourselves off and be better for it next week.

Sat 02 Sep 2023 🧢 1st XIv Addington Village CC · AwayformDWWWL

Saturday 2 September saw us make the trip to Addington Village, and winning the toss I did the thing captains are supposed to do and rarely enjoy admitting works: I stuck them in. For once the decision looked shrewd rather than stubborn. Joshua Knowler steamed in for a superb 3-19, Toby Hughes and Martin Harris chipped away either end with 2-17 and 2-21, and Mark Christmas, all discipline and no charity, sent down three maidens as the hosts subsided to 108 all out from 39 overs. A proper collective effort with the ball.

Chasing it down should have been a formality, and largely was, though not thanks to your captain. Harrison Fermor played the innings of the day, a classy 68, with Toby Hughes — clearly enjoying his afternoon in more ways than one — chipping in an unbeaten 20 to see us home. As for me, I contributed precisely nothing: a golden duck, out first ball, the sort of innings that reminds you leading by example is a two-way street. We got there in 18.3 overs for the loss of four wickets, 114 plays 108.

With Henry Bourdillon still ploughing on at the top of the run charts and Mark Christmas leading the wickets column, the season's shape is looking healthy. As for Saturday: a thumping six-wicket win, bowled and batted with real character — the skipper's blob aside, a very good day for the club.

Mon 28 Aug 2023 🧢 Twenty20v Town Malling CC · AwayformLWWLW

Skipper's Log, Monday 28 August 2023, away to Town Malling.

We lost the toss, were duly put in to bowl first, and I confess my heart sank slightly – but any lingering worries evaporated in short order. Henry Bourdillon and Anthony Karassellos opened up in fine style, the pair putting on 79 for the first wicket before either could be prised apart, and both went on to bring up unbeaten half-centuries, 51 and 50 respectively. Thomas Beeney chipped in handsomely with 43 not out to help us to a formidable 199/5 from our twenty. Poor Nick Tromp, so often the hero with the ball, could only watch as his innings ended for a golden duck – he'd more than make amends later.

Defending 199 is a pleasant problem to have, and the lads set about it with real purpose. We ripped through the middle order, 13-1 becoming 20-4 in the blink of an eye, with Henry Varley, Alice Varley and Bill Calvert all sent back without troubling the scorers. Cian Horgan's 33 and a defiant 57-run fifth-wicket stand were the only real resistance before Town Malling folded for 111/9. Nick Tromp was outstanding with 3-4, well supported by Benjamin Austin (2-3) and Martin Harris (2-15), while Karassellos bowled two tidy maidens between rather trickier work behind the stumps, where 17 byes went begging. A word too for Martin, whose brace nudged him past Tim Thirkell into 9th on the club's all-time wicket-takers list.

An 88-run victory, and a thoroughly good afternoon's work. Onwards.

Sun 27 Aug 2023 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv WC Wye CC · AwayformLLLWW

From the captain's chair, Sunday 27 August 2023 — the road took us to Wye CC, and having called wrong at the toss, we were put into the field, which on a warm Sunday felt less like punishment and more like a chance to work up an appetite for tea. Wye rattled along to 167 all out in 33.1 overs, Harry Ledger compiling a handsome 61 and Ru Roberts chipping in 24, though we did have them 6 for 1 at one point before a stubborn 54-run stand for the fourth wicket steadied their ship. Credit to the bowlers for hauling it back: Alexander Nunn the pick with 3-33, the Pennefather brothers doing their bit either side of him with 3-37 and 2-12, and poor Anna Makin trudging off for a duck.

With 168 needed, our openers set about it in fine style, putting on 80 before the first wicket fell — the platform from which the whole innings was built. Richard Piper anchored things beautifully for an unbeaten 70, ably supported by Aaron Hughes (26) and Frank Harbord, who saw us home unbeaten on 20. I contributed a workmanlike 26 myself, while Nick Pennefather and Alex Wade endured the walk of shame for ducks, and the extras column did its usual quietly heroic work with 35.

Five wickets and a job well done. A good day for the club, and for Wye a reminder that Linton Park travel rather well.

Sat 26 Aug 2023 🧢 2nd XIv HC Hunton Wanderers CC · AwayformWDWWW

Saturday found us on the road at Hunton Wanderers, under skies that couldn't quite decide whether to rain or simply sulk — a pleasant, thoroughly wet afternoon, as these things go. I lost the toss, which these days feels less like bad luck and more like a personality trait, and we were sent out to bowl.

Hunton ground their way to 227/9 from their forty overs, built chiefly on Mike Nock's fine half-century of 59, well supported by David East, who himself strolled past fifty to 58, and Mike Bassam's brisk 43. Small mercies came our way when Evan Surrey departed for a duck. Anthony Karassellos was the pick of the attack, miserly through three maidens on his way to 3-23, with Darrell Houghton-Judge (3-36) and Alex Wade (1-36) chipping in dutifully.

Chasing 228 was always going to ask questions of us, and we answered rather too honestly. Jordan Austin's 37 and Laurie Probert's unbeaten 37 gave us brief hope, Will Thew added 33, and I contributed a watchful 33 of my own, but three ducks — Junaid Mufti, Anthony Karassellos and Matthew Carter all taking the walk of shame — and fourteen byes, a testing afternoon indeed for Aaron Hughes behind the stumps, told the real story. All out for 131.

Beaten by 96 runs, then, comfortably and fairly. Will Thew remains our runs colossus this season with 395, and Darrell Houghton-Judge sits handsomely fourth in the wicket charts. We'll dust ourselves off and be better for it next week.

Sat 26 Aug 2023 🧢 1st XIv Mersham Sports CC · HomeformWDWWW

Saturday 26 August 2023, and Mersham Sports CC rolled up on an afternoon that could only be described as pleasantly soggy — the kind of day that makes winning the toss feel like a genuine achievement rather than pure luck. Which, for once, it was. I called correctly and, with the traditional optimism of a captain who hasn't checked the forecast, stuck us in.

We were bowled out for 149 in 38.3 overs, which on reflection was a touch light. William Roxburgh top-scored with a tidy 41, Luke Welsman chipping in a useful 33 alongside him. Elsewhere the card made for grimmer reading, with both Thomas Roxburgh and Martin Harris departing for ducks — the sort of collective batting slump that has grown men reaching for the biscuit tin in the tea interval.

Defending 149 was always going to require something special, and for a while we had it. Joshua Knowler bowled beautifully for 2-25 with two maidens thrown in for good measure, Harrison Fermor chipped in with 2-27 and, in a lovely personal footnote, reached 50 career wickets along the way. Mark Christmas took 1-27. But Ashley Cook's 48, backed up by Jamie Mcvittie's 33 and James Rand's 28 — with a stubborn 74-run third-wicket stand doing the real damage — saw Mersham home at 150/5 in 35.3 overs.

Beaten by five wickets, then, but not disgraced. Fermor's milestone was the shaft of sunlight in an otherwise damp afternoon, and we'll take the lesson home with the tea urn. Back to the nets, lads.

Wed 23 Aug 2023 🧢 Midweek XIv TC Tunbridge Wells Wednesday CC · HomeformLLLWL

Tunbridge Wells Wednesday came to Linton Park on a warm, overcast afternoon last Wednesday, and true to form the coin let us down before a ball was bowled — they had first use of the square and chose to bat. No matter; the lads were in fine fettle in the field. The visitors were shepherded to 100 all out in 42.4 overs, N. Badman's 32 the only real resistance, while U. Ramzam and H. Howard both walked back without troubling the scorers. Laurie Probert was the pick of the attack with 2-13, well supported by Nolan Wilde (2-16) and Tobey Castle (1-5), and Thomas Beeney — now our leading wicket-taker this season with 9 — bowled four maidens of the sort that make opposition batsmen contemplate their life choices.

Chasing 101, we made light work of it, cantering home at 103/3 in just 10.4 overs. Jordan Austin, who continues to bat like a man with somewhere else to be, struck a superb 72 and anchored a third-wicket stand of 56 — his season's tally now standing at a handsome 302 runs. Spare a thought, though, for John Karassellos, inducted into the Duck Club ledger with a golden duck for his trouble.

A thoroughly good day for the club: bowled tight, chased tighter, and were back in the pavilion for tea with time to spare. Six wickets to the good and not much to grumble about — this is village cricket as it ought to be played.

Tue 22 Aug 2023 🧢 Twenty20v Kings Hill CC · AwayformWLWWL

As a warm overcast Tuesday drew us to Kings Hill, we lost the toss and duly took the least favourite of the two options handed to us — fielding first. Jack Doyle and Jake Rose set about proving why the coin never seems to like us, putting on 90 for the first wicket before Doyle fell for a fine 61 and Rose followed for 52, the pair having done most of the damage inside their 151 for 5 off twenty overs. Small mercies: Shehryar Gul departed for a golden duck at our hands, and with the ball Thomas Beeney (1-27), Tobey Castle (1-30) and Nick Tromp (1-31) kept us respectable when respectability was all we had.

Chasing 152, we made unhelpfully hard work of the cheap stuff, losing our first wicket for just 6, before Abishek Pushpavinothan and Luke Welsman steadied nerves with a crucial stand of 55. Abishek's 48 was the innings' backbone, Welsman's 29 and Aaron Hughes's 21 the mortar holding it together, and we scrambled home with three wickets in hand and one over to spare — 152 for 7 off 18.5, heart rate considerably higher than the temperature.

Elsewhere, Jordan Austin continues his quiet march up the season's run charts (2nd, 107 runs), and Nick Tromp sits 3rd among the wicket-takers with four scalps. As for Tuesday: scruffy, nervy, occasionally comic — but a win is a win, and we'll take it with both hands and a cup of tea.

Sun 20 Aug 2023 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv Egerton CC, Kent · HomeformWLLLW

Sunday 20 August 2023, and Egerton CC rolled up to Linton Park on a warm, damp afternoon that seemed to promise showers and delivered a proper cricket match instead. I lost the toss – a habit I'm cultivating, apparently – and we were sent into the field, which at least spared me the anxiety of a batting order for another three hours.

Egerton posted a competitive 184/7 from their 40 overs, built around a well-made fifty from Toby Harper (69) and fine support from John Harrison (56) and Nick Waterhouse (30). It could have got away from us, but Nolan Wilde was outstanding with the ball, 3-36, backed up nicely by Zach Wilde (1-19) and Alex Holt (1-22), while Edward Seymour bowled three maidens of the sort that make batsmen question their life choices. Daniel Brenchley departed for a duck, which felt only fair given the runs flying elsewhere.

Chasing 185, we made it look rather more comfortable than these things usually are. Richard Piper played the innings of the day, 77 not out, with Nolan Wilde (40 not out) following his bowling heroics with the bat, and Glen Rawson chipping in 38. Freddie Seymour's duck was the only blemish on an otherwise cheerful scorecard, and I'll admit to a quiet satisfaction in my own 40 with the bat and 3-for with the ball – a rare captain's double I shall be insufferable about for weeks.

Tim Thirkell's solitary wicket nudged him past Martin Harris into 9th on the club's all-time list, a nice footnote to a fine afternoon. Home by seven wickets. A very good day for the club indeed.

Sun 20 Aug 2023 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv Egerton CC, Kent · AwayformWWWLW

Sunday 20 August took us down to Egerton CC in Kent, under skies that couldn't decide between warm and drizzly, rather like England itself. I lost the toss – some things never change – and we were put into the field first... on second thoughts, no, it was us batting: they chose to field, and we were left to make first use of a slightly soggy afternoon.

Make use of it we did. Thomas Roxburgh played the innings of the day, 65 well beyond his fifty, with Benjamin Austin right alongside him on 64 and Jordan Austin chipping in with 39. Their third-wicket stand of 134 was the platform for the whole innings, and I'll admit I allowed myself a quiet smile watching it unfold from the boundary. Then, as is our club's charming habit, we contrived a collapse of our own devising – 195 for 3 became 201 for 6 before anyone had quite worked out what was happening, and poor Ian Hollingworth trudged off for a golden duck. Still, 231 all out from our 40 overs was a total to be proud of.

With the ball, Luke Welsman simply ran riot – 6 for 12, three of them maidens, bowling that bordered on the unfair. Ian Hollingworth made handsome amends for his earlier duck with 4 for 14, and between them Egerton were bundled out for 84, three batsmen departing without so much as a run to their name. I even had a small say myself, 39 not entirely out of place among the carnage.

Won by 147 runs, two points thoroughly banked, and Egerton left wondering what on earth hit them. A proper afternoon's work.

Sat 19 Aug 2023 🧢 3rd XIv Teston CC · AwayformLLWDT

Beaten by the coin before we'd even reached the middle, and truth be told, that about set the tone for the day. Teston won the toss, had first use of a good pitch, and though we prised out an early wicket cheaply at 5-1, Alastair Allsworth had other ideas, ploughing on to an unbeaten 56 and dragging them to 145 all out. James Gray was superb with the ball — 3-14 and two maidens, not a run given away lightly — with Frank Harbord (2-23) and Brandon Eloff (1-1) chipping in nicely. Only that pesky eighth-wicket stand of 53 kept the total respectable from Teston's point of view, and Toby Allsworth's golden duck was scant consolation for us in the field.

Chasing 146, we never got going. Six-one at the fall of the first wicket set the tone early, and from there it was a familiar tale of collapse — Connor Wakley joining the Duck Club with a nought of his own, and the whole innings folding for 80 in 31.3 overs. Not our finest afternoon with the bat, by any stretch.

Beaten by 65 runs, and fairly so on the day's evidence. Small crumbs of comfort: Nick Pennefather continues his fine season, third in the 3rd XI run charts on 90, and James Gray's 3-14 nudges him up to second in the wicket charts with 6. The rest of us will simply have to try harder next week — plenty of tea, plenty of humble pie, and back to the nets.

Sat 19 Aug 2023 🧢 2nd XIv Sherwood CC, Kent · AwayformLWDWW

Sherwood must have thought they'd found a soft touch in the visitors when I called correctly and stuck them in — and for once the toss won us the match before a ball had troubled the square. Nolan Wilde was in irresistible mood, scything through their order for 5-24, with Nick Tromp (3-13) tidying up the rest and Junaid Mufti chipping in for good measure. Lewis Slaughter (35) and James Courtney (33) did what they could to give the total some respectability, but 116 all out in 38 overs was never going to trouble us on a good day — and James Kerr and Mark Norris departed for ducks to underline just how thoroughly the ball was on top.

Chasing was never going to be straightforward — it rarely is when you've bowled the opposition out cheaply and then have to go and do the boring bit properly — but Laurie Probert set about it with real purpose, top-scoring with 32 in support of Richard Piper's 26 and Aaron Hughes' 21, and we cantered home on 118/4 with more than nine overs unused. Fittingly, it was Probert's 200th appearance in Linton colours, a landmark he marked in the best possible fashion with bat in hand — a cap doffed to a genuine club stalwart.

Six wickets, a five-for, and a double century of appearances all in one afternoon at Sherwood: you'd struggle to script a tidier day out. Very much one for the mantelpiece.

Sat 19 Aug 2023 🧢 1st XIv RC Rodmersham CC · HomeformWWDWW

Saturday 19 August found us hosting Rodmersham CC under skies that couldn't decide between warm and wet, and neither, alas, could the coin — it fell their way, and they had no hesitation in batting first. Out we trooped into the drizzle, and while 148/8 from their 45 overs was a fair total, we always felt we had a game on. Craig England's 51 was the innings' backbone, with Kevin Jones (27) and Lewis Baldock (20) chipping in around a stubborn 57-run sixth-wicket stand. But it was Mark Christmas who stole the afternoon, four wickets for just 27 runs and three maidens besides — not a run given away lightly — well supported by Mardey Castle (2-36) and Martin Harris (1-21). Poor Max Lateu departed without troubling the scorers.

Chasing 149, we made light work of it: 152/3 in just 24.5 overs. An early wobble at 1-1 threatened to unsettle us, but Toby Hughes (69 not out) and Benjamin Austin (41) put paid to that with a commanding 79-run third-wicket stand, Thomas Roxburgh (20 not out) seeing us home. Tobey Castle joined the Duck Club, and I'm afraid your correspondent did too — the less said, the better.

Milestones abounded: Mardey Castle passed 100 career wickets, and Martin Harris leapfrogged Tim Thirkell into 9th on the all-time list. A seven-wicket win, two points banked, and a thoroughly satisfying afternoon's work.

Wed 16 Aug 2023 🧢 Midweek XIv The Mote CC · AwayformDLLLW

Lost the toss, lost the option to bat, and lost rather a lot of runs before tea was even a glint in anyone's eye — welcome to Wednesday 16 August at The Mote CC. We were put into the field, which on another day might have suited us. This was not that day. Fergie Conway simply refused to get out, compiling a magnificent 124 not out as their total climbed to 212/9 from 40 overs. Credit where due: Nick Tromp bowled beautifully for 2-14, Martin Harris chipped away for 2-23, and Nolan Wilde picked up 1-20, while poor Abraham Thomas trudged off for a golden duck.

Chasing 213, we made a decent fist of it for a while. Benjamin Austin's 44 and Thomas Roxburgh's 40 put on 51 for the third wicket and had us dreaming, but cricket has a cruel sense of humour, and 151-7 became 151-10 with alarming haste. Nick Tromp, Varunkrishna Karthik and Alex Keeler all made ducks in the collapse, and I'm obliged to confess my own contribution was a duck too — mercifully brief, and best left undiscussed.

All out for 151 from 35 overs, beaten by 61 runs. Elsewhere in the season, Aaron Hughes continues to lead our run charts with 235, and Thomas Beeney tops the wickets with 8 — form the rest of us might do well to study. As for this one: a proper hiding, honestly earned by the better side. We'll dust ourselves off and be back next week.

Mon 14 Aug 2023 🧢 Midweek XIv LC Linton Village CC · HomeformWDLLL

Skipper's Log — Monday 14 August 2023. A warm, damp afternoon greeted Linton Village CC at the ground, the kind of soupy air that makes you wonder whether you've won the toss or lost it. I called correctly and elected to bat first — I'll admit to a small swagger about that decision, and for once the swagger was justified.

Our visitors set about building something substantial, and for a good while it looked ominous: Stanley Leech played beautifully for his 98, with George Leech unbeaten on 53 lending very capable support. Between them they carried Linton Village to 190/4 from their forty overs — a total that had "tricky chase" written all over it. But John Karassellos had other ideas, snaring 2-7 with the kind of control that makes a captain's job easy, while Alex Keeler (1-9) and Martin Harris (1-31) chipped away to keep things honest.

Chasing 191, we made remarkably light work of it. Benjamin Austin anchored the innings superbly with 56 not out, Aaron Hughes played a fine hand of 52, and Jordan Austin finished things off unbeaten on 29 as we cruised home by seven wickets with overs to spare — 191/3 from 34.1.

Aaron Hughes now sits atop the season's run charts with 223, and Karassellos is second in the wickets list with 7 — form the lads will want to keep. A thoroughly good day for the club, and a toss call I shall be dining out on for weeks.

Sun 13 Aug 2023 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv FC Farningham CC · AwayformWWWWL

Farningham away, Sunday 13 August 2023, and Captain's Log records a warm, damp afternoon on which the coin actually fell my way for once — a rare treat for a man who normally loses every toss going. I had a look at the surface and stuck us in.

It very nearly backfired. Richard Pleydell (47) and Freddie Martin (32) got Farningham motoring, John Spice chipped in with 29, and a stubborn 76-run stand for the sixth wicket threatened to bat us out of the game. But cricket has a habit of unravelling quickly, and unravel it did: 164 for 6 became 175 all out in the blink of an eye, James Weaver sent back without troubling the scorers for his trouble. Joshua Knowler was superb, 3 for 12, with Ian Hollingworth (2-30) and Thomas Beeney (2-31) mopping up round him. 175 from 38.4 overs felt gettable.

And gettable it proved, thanks largely to Jordan Austin, who compiled a magnificent unbeaten hundred — the innings of the season by any measure. Martin Harris (25) and Benjamin Austin (24) added a watchful 59 for the third wicket to lay the platform, I nudged along a workmanlike 25 myself, and we cantered home on 177 for 3 with overs to spare. Benjamin Austin's gloves had a torrid afternoon behind the stumps (16 byes tells its own story), but with the bat he continues to lead our run charts, just as Thomas Beeney leads the wickets.

Two points, thoroughly earned, six wickets to the good. A fine day at Farningham.

Sun 13 Aug 2023 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv EC East Sutton CC · AwayformLWLLL

We were away at East Sutton on a warm, damp Sunday afternoon, the sort of day that promises rain and delivers just enough to make everyone's whites cling unhelpfully. The toss went against us and they had us in, which on a sticky wicket is never the welcome it sounds. We were bowled out for 172 in 38.5 overs, and it was, frankly, a game of two innings within the innings. Nolan Wilde played the anchor beautifully for 51, with Edward Seymour (25) and Alex Wade (22) chipping in around him, and the pair put on 63 for the seventh wicket to drag us to something respectable. Before that, though, we'd contrived to collapse from 11-1 to 15-4 in the time it takes to make a cup of tea, with Nick Pennefather, Frank Harbord and Zach Wilde all departing without troubling the scorers. Forty-one extras rounded out a curious scorecard.

Defending 172 always felt like it would come down to the wire, and so it proved. East Sutton reached 155-6 from their 40, Darren Thompson unbeaten on 48 the rock around which their innings was built, ably assisted by Ben Tragett (37) and Martin Hoare (22), and a 63-run fifth-wicket stand threatening to spoil our afternoon entirely. But Alexander Nunn was superb, 3-27 with two miserly maidens, backed up by my own contribution of 2-21 and Tim Thirkell's 1-22, and somehow we held our nerve to win by 17 runs.

Two points, thoroughly earned, and a personal 51 that I shan't be modest about for at least a week. A proper club cricket win: ugly in patches, gutsy throughout.

Sat 12 Aug 2023 🧢 2nd XIv BS Bexhill Strikers · HomeformWLWDW

We won the toss on a warm, blustery Saturday against Bexhill Strikers, and I elected to bat — one of those decisions that looks either shrewd or reckless depending entirely on what follows, and thankfully for us it was the former. Benjamin Austin played an innings of real substance, carrying us to a magnificent unbeaten century, with Anthony Karassellos purring along nicely to 56 not out at the other end. Even our extras column got in on the act with a generous 30, and 229/4 from our 35 overs felt like a total with a bit of menace to it.

Bexhill's reply never quite got going. Aravind's 23 was the top score in a chase that unravelled from the start — Elwin Varghese and Shaji Thomas both departed without troubling the scorers, which is never a comfortable place to be against opening bowling with intent. Nick Tromp was simply magnificent, ripping through with 3-3, and found willing accomplices in Tim Thirkell (2-17) and Nolan Wilde (2-20). I even managed to sneak in with 15 of my own, for what that's worth. All out for 89 in 23.4 overs told its own story.

A special mention for Tim, whose two wickets nudged him past Martin Harris into 9th on the club's all-time list — the sort of milestone that deserves a pint, if not a plaque. A 140-run victory, and a thoroughly good day for the club.

Sat 12 Aug 2023 🧢 3rd XIv OC Offham CC · HomeformLLLWD

Skipper's Log, Saturday 12th August 2023: Offham CC at home, and a warm, overcast sort of afternoon with the wind doing its level best to get involved. I called correctly at the toss – a rarer event than I'd like to admit – and had no hesitation in sticking us in the field.

Offham posted a healthy 214/5 from their forty, built on half-centuries from Felix Eyre (74 not out) and Charlie Razey (62), with Peter Mcgonigle chipping in 26. We did have our moments, mind – Neill Pennefather bowled beautifully for 2-37, Henry Campbell picked up 2-48, and Nick Pennefather was as tight as a Sunday collection plate, 1-28 with two maidens thrown in. Marcus Faithfull, at least, departed for a golden duck at our hands, which felt like a small personal victory.

Chasing 215, we matched them stroke for stroke, closing on 214/5 ourselves. Laurie Probert produced an innings for the ages – 100 not out, immaculate – ably supported by Nick Pennefather's 61. Trevor Back's duck was the one blot on an otherwise fine effort, and twenty-five extras did their bit, including eight byes that had poor Glen Rawson wincing behind the stumps all afternoon.

A tie. Two sides, two identical totals, not a blade of grass between us. You couldn't script it, and frankly I wouldn't want to – a result that did both teams proud, and Laurie's ton to remember it by.

Sat 12 Aug 2023 🧢 1st XIv Chestfield CC · AwayformTWWDW

From the captain's chair, Saturday 12 August 2023: we made the trip to Chestfield CC under skies that couldn't decide whether to sulk or blow a gale, and for once the toss fell my way. I had no hesitation in batting first, and for once I shall allow myself the satisfaction of saying it was the right call. Henry Bourdillon and Harrison Fermor set about proving me correct, sharing a magnificent 107 for the first wicket before either fell, Henry going on to 74 and Harrison to 71 — both handsomely past their fifties. George Taylor chipped in with 24, the extras column did its bit with 27, and my own contribution of 16 will not trouble the record books, but 265/8 from our 45 overs felt like a total with substance.

Substance it proved to be. Chestfield fought hard through Neil Gowers, whose imperious 114 was the innings of the day, well supported by Paul Gibson's 41 and Daniel Patching's 28, and a fifth-wicket stand of 114 threatened to undo us. But Mark Christmas had other ideas, spinning through them for a magical 5-28, with Martin Harris (2-57) and Alex Keeler (1-32) chipping in and Toby Hughes tying things down with two maidens. Luke Whale departed for a duck.

A fine win by 31 runs, and a landmark for Mark besides, climbing the club's all-time wicket-taking list. Onwards, in good heart.

Fri 11 Aug 2023 🧢 Midweek XIv The Dragons CC · HomeformDWDLL

Skipper's Log — Friday 11 August, and what a sticky, showery old afternoon to host The Dragons CC. We won the toss, chose to bowl first, and for a good while it looked a sound decision — right up until Jack Killen decided otherwise. The lad simply refused to get out, compiling a magnificent unbeaten century, with Josh Mihill (41) and Ross Davies (30) chipping in handsomely around him. The Dragons closed on 226/4 from their thirty, which on a sluggish outfield in the drizzle felt like being handed a rather large bill at the end of a pleasant lunch. Credit where due: Nolan Wilde toiled superbly for 2-36, with Luke Welsman and Martin Harris both chipping away for a wicket apiece.

Chasing 227 was always going to want something special, and while we didn't quite conjure it, we didn't disgrace ourselves either. Benjamin Austin held things together with an unbeaten 36, Aaron Hughes (25) and Will Thew (23) offering support, but 129/5 from our thirty overs left us well short. Special mention — if that's the word — for poor Louis Turney, who contributed nothing but a duck and the long walk back to the pavilion.

So, not our day: beaten by 97 runs, heads bowed, tea slightly damp. Jordan Austin continues to lead our Midweek run charts and Nolan Wilde sits third among the wicket-takers, which are the only crumbs of comfort going. Back to the nets, lads — Killen's ton will haunt our dreams a while yet.

Wed 09 Aug 2023 🧢 Twenty20v MC Minster (Sheppey) CC · AwayformWWLWW

Wednesday 9th August saw us make the pilgrimage to Minster (Sheppey), and I have to confess, losing the toss on a warm, drizzly afternoon and being asked to field first felt like the away side had already won the important battle before a ball was bowled. Still, the lads knuckled down and 145/6 off our fifteen overs was a total we could be reasonably proud of. Toby Hughes led the way with a fine 46, well supported by Tobey Castle's 39 and Henry Bourdillon's 27, while poor Aaron Hughes will want to forget his golden duck as quickly as possible — these things happen to the best of us.

Defending 145 was always going to need something special, and for a while it looked on. But Jordan Connor (57 not out) and Bobby Cunningham (54) had other ideas, putting on 97 for the second wicket in an innings of real quality, and when the 10th over went for 26, you could feel the game slipping through our fingers like wet Sheppey turf. Alex Keeler (1-24) and Toby Hughes (1-31) did what they could among the wickets, and I chipped in with 39 with the bat, but the opposition cantered home at 149/2 with overs to spare.

Down by 8 wickets, then, and not our day by any stretch. Toby Hughes at least keeps his name atop the season's run charts with 114 — small mercies. Heads up, chins up, and back to the nets.

Sun 06 Aug 2023 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv BC Bobbing Court and Lower Halstow CC · AwayformLLWLL

Sunday 6 August 2023, and the caravan rolled up at Bobbing Court and Lower Halstow CC on a damp, muggy afternoon — the kind that makes you wonder if the toss even matters. It did, of course, and I lost it. They batted.

We bowled first into what turned into a bit of a punishment. Jamie Stevens made a magnificent 115 against us, with Mark Stevens chipping in a fine 57 to help them post 241/6 from their 40. Credit where it's due: John Karassellos was superb, 3-17 and the pick of everyone on the day, with Sam King chipping in 2-60 for good support. We did at least send Dominic Reid back for a duck without troubling the scorers.

Chasing 242 was always going to be a stretch, and so it proved. Glen Rawson battled hard for 31, Junaid Mufti gave him company with 24, and I added 18 of my own, but poor Zach Wilde's golden duck summed up a difficult afternoon, and we subsided to 132/9. Fifteen wides and eighteen no-balls did us no favours either — generosity is a virtue, but not with the cricket ball.

Beaten by 109 runs in the end, no arguing with that scoreline. Small mercies: Glen Rawson still tops our Sunday 2nd XI run charts for the season with 278, and John Karassellos sits 5th in the wickets with 6. We'll dust ourselves down, tighten the lines, and go again next week.

Sun 06 Aug 2023 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv Chestfield CC · HomeformWWWWW

Sunday 06 August, and Chestfield CC arrived to a damp but perfectly agreeable afternoon for cricket. I lost the toss – no surprises there – and we were sent out to bowl first, which at least meant I didn't have to watch the coin land wrong twice.

We made a decent fist of it. Chestfield were dismissed for 160 in 38.3 overs, with Ben Burgess doing most of the damage for them on 48, helped along by Sebastian Camp and Jacob Meredith with 21 apiece. With the ball, Thomas Beeney was superb, 3-22, backed up nicely by Ian Hollingworth's 3-47 and Martin Harris chipping in with 2-19. A total we felt was well within reach.

It wasn't to be. We lost our first wicket for just 3, and while Darrell Houghton-Judge battled to 29, with Benjamin Austin (24) and Luke Welsman (20) offering support, the middle order simply couldn't hold firm – 129-7 became 139 all out in the sort of rush that makes a captain suddenly very interested in his shoelaces. William Roxburgh and Thomas Beeney both walked back for ducks, and eight byes down the leg side didn't help matters either.

Beaten by 21 runs in the end. Benjamin Austin continues to lead our run charts this season with 326, and Thomas Beeney tops the wickets with 14 – small consolations on an afternoon that got away from us. We'll be better for it next week.

Thu 03 Aug 2023 🧢 Twenty20v Kings Hill CC · HomeformLWWLW

It was a warm, damp Thursday that brought Kings Hill to Linton Park, and losing the toss meant we were straight out into the field before anyone had even finished their tea. No matter — the lads have a habit of turning that particular annoyance into motivation.

With the bat, we set about building something respectable, and William Roxburgh led from the front with a fine half-century of 60, batting with the sort of calm that makes a captain's job look easy. Jordan Austin wasn't far behind, cracking a lively 58 to push us on to 149/4 from our twenty overs — a total that felt like runs on the board and worry off the mind.

Kings Hill gave it a good go in reply, Noah Hutchins top-scoring with 44 and Nathan Faulkes chipping in with 24, but they never quite got away from us, finishing on 115/6. Poor Atif Bhatti will want to forget his contribution entirely — sent back for a duck without so much as troubling the scorers. The real story with the ball was Thomas Roxburgh, whose 3-10 was pick of the bunch and, rather wonderfully, brought up his 50th career wicket in the process — a landmark worth raising a glass to. Tobey Castle and Mardey Castle lent fine support with 1-8 and 1-12 respectively.

A 34-run victory, then, and two points thoroughly earned. With Jordan Austin topping the run charts and Mardey Castle climbing the wicket standings, the season is shaping up nicely — and so, for once, is my captaincy record.

Sat 29 Jul 2023 🧢 2nd XIv Gravesend CC · HomeformWWLWD

Won by two wickets and a warm drizzle to see it through — Saturday 29 July couldn't have asked for more.

We lost the toss, were sent out to field, and settled into a long, damp afternoon behind the ball. Gravesend built steadily rather than spectacularly, and it was Nolan Wilde who did the early damage, his 3-12 the kind of spell that makes a skipper look clever for doing nothing more than throwing him the ball. Nick Tromp chipped in with two, Darrell Houghton-Judge picked up one for next to nothing, and Matthew Carter bowled with the miserly discipline of a man who'd rather die than concede a boundary — three maidens, one wicket, and in doing so quietly slid past Mark Christmas into 11th on the club's all-time wicket list. A nice line for the history books, that. Zeaul Karim's duck was the cherry on top, and Gravesend closed on 120/9, Aakash Bagga (29) and Varinder Bhagat (26) the main resistance.

Chasing 121, we made hard work of easy arithmetic, as is tradition. Benjamin Austin's 29 and Will Thew's 23 gave us a platform, I rattled along to 23 myself, and poor Aaron Hughes had an afternoon to forget behind the stumps — nine byes is not a number one puts on the mantelpiece. Still, 121/8 off 33.4 overs got us home by two wickets.

Two points, thoroughly earned, and a result that flattered our alarm as much as our ability.

Sat 29 Jul 2023 🧢 1st XIv OC Offham CC · AwayformWTWWD

Skipper's Log — Saturday 29 July 2023, away at Offham CC.

Lost the toss, and Offham, showing all the confidence of men who fancied batting first, duly did so. On another day 171 might have looked handsome; on this one it merely set us a target. Josiah Bongers gave them the platform with a fine 77, but our bowling had real teeth — Harry Legg's golden duck an early highlight for the fielding side if not for Harry himself. Martin Harris was the pick, 2-20, with Harrison Fermor and Mark Christmas both chipping in with two apiece to have them all out in 39.2 overs.

Chasing 172, we made typically hard work of the easy bits and rather good work of the hard ones. George Taylor's composed 51 was the innings' backbone, and it was the fourth-wicket stand — Taylor and Mark Christmas building a priceless 71 — that really won us the match. Christmas finished unbeaten on 30, Toby Hughes chipped in with 21, and I managed a watchful 18 of my own. Thomas Roxburgh and Luke Welsman both made the long walk back for nought, joining an increasingly well-populated Duck Club, but nobody remembers the ducks when you get home in front.

Two wickets the margin, nerves thoroughly jangled, honour intact. A proper club cricket win — scruffy, hard-earned, and all the sweeter for it. Onwards.

Thu 27 Jul 2023 🧢 Twenty20v Headcorn CC · AwayformWLWWL

Thursday 27 July saw us head to Headcorn on an afternoon that couldn't decide whether it wanted to be summer or a car wash — warm, wet and thoroughly blustery. I lost the toss, as is tradition, and they had no hesitation in putting us into the field.

Headcorn set about building a total, and Jordan Vine's unbeaten fifty gave their innings the backbone it needed, taking them to 133/6 from their twenty overs. Credit where it's due, though — Martin Harris was in irresistible form, tearing through with 3-35, while Alex Wade and Nick Tromp chipped in a wicket apiece to keep the scoring honest. A target of 134 looked gettable, if not exactly a formality on a pitch doing its best impression of a paddling pool.

With the bat, Henry Bourdillon led the chase in fine style with 45, Nick Tromp playing the anchor role beautifully with an unbeaten 32, and Laurie Probert weighing in with a handy 21. Between the rain and the required rate, there were surely a few nervous cups of tea in the pavilion, but we squeaked home on 134/7 with three wickets to spare. I even managed to get among the wickets myself with three of my own, which I shall be mentioning at every opportunity for the foreseeable. Special mention, too, for Nick Tromp reaching fifty career wickets — a proper mantelpiece moment, and richly deserved given he already tops our run charts this season, with Martin Harris not far behind in the wickets column.

All told: a scrappy, soggy, thoroughly satisfying win. We'll take it.

Wed 26 Jul 2023 🧢 Twenty20v MC Minster (Sheppey) CC · HomeformWWLWW

Wednesday last, and with rain clouds loitering menacingly over Linton Park like uninvited relatives, we welcomed Minster (Sheppey) CC for what promised to be a proper old-fashioned soaking of a T20. I won the toss and, in a rare moment of tactical clarity, put us in — a decision I stand by, whatever the scorebook says by the end of this report.

Batting first, we posted a tidy 100/3 from our ten overs. Toby Hughes led the charge with a chunky 32, and had fine company from Abishek Pushpavinothan (27) and George Taylor, who continues his imperious season with 24 more — the man is now sitting atop the club's 2023 run charts with 90, and frankly deserves a testimonial dinner, or at least a second helping of tea.

Defending 100 in ten overs is never a relaxed affair, and so it proved. Thomas Beeney bowled beautifully for 2-14, with Nick Tromp and Fred Taylor (the latter now our leading wicket-taker this year with four) chipping in either side of him. But Jordan Connor had other ideas, compiling an unbeaten 34 to drag Minster over the line at 101/7, sneaking home by three wickets.

So, beaten — but not disgraced, and certainly not dampened in spirit, unlike the outfield. We'll dust ourselves down, put the kettle on, and come back stronger next week.

Sun 23 Jul 2023 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv Sissinghurst CC · AwayformDWWWW

Sunday 23 July found us on the road to Sissinghurst CC, sunshine on our backs and, rather less agreeably, the toss lost — so it was pads on and out into the field we went. No matter: 257/9 from our forty overs is the sort of total that makes a long coach journey feel worthwhile. Benjamin Austin was magnificent, striking a fine 88, with the Roxburgh household doing its bit either side of him — Thomas and William both contributing 38 apiece. Not every name will want reminding of the scorecard, mind; Aaron Hughes, Thomas Beeney and Darrell Houghton-Judge all trooped back for ducks, proof that Sissinghurst's bowlers weren't entirely there to make up the numbers.

With the ball, however, we were relentless. Sissinghurst were bowled out for 139 in 36.3 overs, Jack Dyas's gutsy 61 the only real resistance. Darrell Houghton-Judge, clearly keen to make amends with the bat forgotten, ran through them with 3-22 and two miserly maidens, backed handsomely by William Roxburgh (2-13) and Martin Harris (1-6). Henry Elliott, Mike Godfrey and Ben Clift were sent back without troubling the scorers themselves — a theme of the day, it seems. Benjamin Austin's afternoon behind the stumps was a touch more chastening, 15 byes leaking through, though nobody begrudged him after that innings.

A win by 118 runs, two points banked, and Austin now sitting proudly atop the season's run charts with 302, Harris third among the wicket-takers with 7. All told: a proper thumping, thoroughly earned, and the sort of Sunday that makes the tea taste that bit sweeter on the way home.

Sun 23 Jul 2023 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv Marden CC, Kent · AwayformDLLWL

Sunday 23rd of July found us on the road to Marden CC, the sky doing that peculiarly English trick of being warm, damp and blustery all at once — a day, in short, for losing the toss, which is precisely what I contrived to do. Marden had first use of the conditions and took it without a flicker of hesitation.

Batting first is rarely a punishment until it is, and 113 all out from 28.3 overs told its own story. Alex Wade's 31 was the innings' backbone, Nolan Wilde chipping in a tidy 26 alongside him, but the rest of us came and went with the enthusiasm of guests who'd remembered a prior engagement — none more briskly than poor Jonathan Sisley, who contributed his golden nothing and trudged off to sympathetic applause.

With the ball, though, we scrapped. Tim Thirkell was magnificent, 2-18 with four maidens that squeezed the life out of any momentum Marden tried to build, ably supported by Alexander Nunn's 2-27 and Sam King's solitary but useful wicket. Jamie Puncher fell for a duck at our hands, small mercies. But Jack Yallop had other ideas, compiling 49 to see his side home, and Marden reached 114/6 with four wickets in hand.

Beaten by four wickets, then, with my own 26 offering scant consolation. Character-building stuff — we'll be better for it next week.

Sat 22 Jul 2023 🧢 3rd XIv Bearsted CC · AwayformLLLW

Saturday took us to Bearsted, and I lost the toss — no great surprise, my coin-calling remains a work in progress. They put us in, which on a green Kent morning felt like doing us a favour, though it rather didn't feel that way as the innings unfolded. We limped to 47/4 from our sixteen overs, and I must report, with the heaviest of captain's hearts, that Henry Campbell contributed his customary nought to proceedings — another entry for the Duck Club ledger, and another long, lonely walk back to the pavilion 🦆.

Not our finest hour with the bat, then, but cricket has a way of rewarding patience, and so it proved when we took the field. The lads bowled with real heart, found their lines, and had Bearsted back in the shed all out — though quite what total they mustered has, I'm afraid, gone astray somewhere between the scorebook and my notes; my apologies to the statisticians among you. Elsewhere in the season's doings, young Theo Clements continues his steady climb up the 3rd XI run charts, now sitting a very respectable 5th with 36 runs to his name — a man building an innings one Saturday at a time.

So: honours shared, neither side able to force home the advantage, and a draw that felt, in the end, entirely fair. Not a classic for the ages, but a day of grit, a duck absorbed with good humour, and enough promise with the ball to travel home reasonably content.

Sat 22 Jul 2023 🧢 2nd XIv SC Southfleet CC · AwayformWWWLW

Saturday 22 July 2023 saw us venture to Southfleet CC on a pleasant, damp afternoon, and it must be said the day rather set out its stall early. Losing the toss and being invited to field is never the tonic a captain dreams of, and when we did get our turn with the willow, disaster struck before the scorebook had even warmed up — 0-1 inside the first over. From there we limped, nudged and occasionally stumbled our way to 34/2 from just nine overs, a total that will not trouble the record books. Special mention must go to Jordan Austin, who contributed a duck to proceedings — the walk of shame performed with all the dignity he could muster, which, this being cricket, was not much.

As for your correspondent and captain, I can report a golden blob. They say leadership is about setting an example, and on this occasion I set one entirely of what not to do with a cricket bat.

Yet cricket delights in reversals of fortune, and defend 34 we did — Southfleet were bowled out for nought themselves, leaving both sides scratching their heads over how so little could count for so much. Elsewhere in the season's ledger, Aaron Hughes continues his quiet accumulation, now 5th in the 2nd XI run charts with 181 to his name — proof that not everyone in this side has forgotten how a bat works.

A draw, then — honours shared, dignity mostly intact, and the ducks safely back in their pond until next week.

Sat 22 Jul 2023 🧢 1st XIv AC Ash CC · HomeformWWTWW

Ash CC arrived on a pleasant, damp Saturday, and lost the toss found us bowling first — not that I had any say in the matter, having lost the call yet again. Ash duly put us in, and 22 overs later we'd stumbled to 75 for 5, a total that owed almost everything to George Taylor's gutsy 21. Wickets went in a most unwelcome hurry, 15 for 1 collapsing to 28 for 4 before we knew what had hit us, and poor Tobey Castle will not thank me for recording his duck for posterity, quacks and all.

Not our finest batting display, then, but cricket has a way of levelling things out, and so it proved. Ash came out to chase and simply never got going, dismissed for nought — a collapse to match our own, only rather more comprehensive. As for my own contribution with the bat, the less said the better: I too fell for a duck, and the club gazette will have to make do without any heroics from the captain this week. We shall, as agreed, draw a veil over it.

Elsewhere, Mark Christmas continues his quietly excellent season, sitting third in the 2023 first XI run charts with 217 to his name — some consolation while the rest of us flounder. In the end, honours were shared: two sides who couldn't force a result, meeting in the middle on a soggy afternoon. A draw, then, and on this evidence, a fair one — nobody deserved to win, and nobody quite managed to lose either.

Wed 19 Jul 2023 🧢 Midweek XIv ? · HomeformLDWDL

As the lads limped home in drizzle to a three-wicket defeat, there's a report to write and losses to dress up as character-building. Here it is.

There's a certain poetry to losing a cricket match in the rain, isn't there? Wednesday's fixture at home gave us a warm, drizzly afternoon of exactly the sort that makes you question whether the tea urn or the covers deserve top billing, and having lost the toss we found ourselves in the field first, watching the visitors rack up 198/8 from their 35 overs. Nick Pennefather gave us the full village-green treatment with a fine 78, backed up handsomely by Sam Boyns (33) and an unbeaten 31 from Alex Cornwallis. Credit where it's due — Thomas Beeney bowled beautifully for 2-20, with Sam Boyns chipping in 2-26 and Nolan Wilde 1-29, so it wasn't for want of effort that the total crept as high as it did.

Chasing 199, we were in the hunt for most of the afternoon. Jordan Austin played the innings of the day, a composed 65 that carried us deep into the chase, well supported by Sam Boyns' unbeaten 40 and Darrell Houghton-Judge's 22 — the seventh-wicket pair adding a vital 53 when it mattered most. Poor Will Thew, though, will want this one struck from the record: a duck to forget. We fell agonisingly short, 202/7 from 34.3 overs, beaten by three wickets.

Silver linings: Jordan's 65 shunts him up to 24th on the all-time run charts, past Paul Brattle, and he now leads our 2023 Midweek XI run-scorers with 182, with Thomas Beeney topping the wickets column on 7. Not our day, but plenty to build on — heads up, and back to the nets.

Sun 16 Jul 2023 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv SC Sevenoaks Vine CC · AwayformTDWWW

Sunday 16th July found us threading through the Kent lanes to Sevenoaks Vine, and having called the coin right for once, there was no debate on my part — we were fielding. Sensible things followed. Sevenoaks stumbled to 7-1 and we sniffed blood, but a stubborn eighth-wicket stand of 70 dragged them back into contention before they folded for 160 in 37.5 overs, Henry Smith's well-crafted 52 and Henry Lewis's 36 doing most of the damage. Thomas Beeney was the star of the show with 2-9 and three miserly maidens, ably backed by William Roxburgh and Martin Harris with two apiece. Leo Bezuidenhout, sadly, walked back with a golden duck to his name for his troubles.

Chasing 161, we made it look rather routine, cruising to 164/5 in 28 overs. William Roxburgh played the innings of a lifetime — an unbeaten 107, the bulk of the runs, with Thomas Roxburgh's 20 the ideal foil in a fourth-wicket stand worth 78. Jonathan Sisley, less fortunately, made his own contribution to the Duck Club with a nought, while Aaron Hughes had a torrid afternoon behind the stumps, leaking eight byes.

Rather a special day all told — William's century brought up 2,000 career runs for the club, and Martin's brace nudged him past Matthew Carter into 10th on our all-time wicket-takers list. Thomas Roxburgh continues to purr along in 2nd on the season's run charts, with Thomas Beeney still top of the bowling pile on 11.

A fine win by five wickets, then. We'll take that, thank you very much. Onwards.

Sun 16 Jul 2023 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv NC Norton Sports CC · HomeformLDLLW

We battled hard on a blustery afternoon at home to Norton Sports CC, and having called correctly at the toss, I saw no earthly reason not to bat first — a decision I stand by, blustery skies notwithstanding. Sadly, our innings never quite found its rhythm. We were bowled out for 124 in 30.4 overs, with only Luke Welsman offering real resistance, top-scoring handsomely with 48. Poor Theo Clements, however, will want this one struck from the record — a duck to open proceedings on the batting card, though he'd more than make amends later.

In the field we began brightly. Theo Clements was superb with the ball, taking 1-5, and Junaid Mufti chipped in with 1-23 and a couple of tidy maidens to keep things honest. We even had Paul Kennard back in the hutch without troubling the scorers. But Lewis Mitchell had other ideas, cashing in with a fine 74, and Paddy Collins offered sturdy support with an unbeaten 46, and between them they saw Norton home at 126/2 in just 22.1 overs.

Elsewhere in the club, Nolan Wilde continues his quietly excellent season, sitting third in the 2023 Sunday 2nd XI run charts with 151 to his name — a rare bright spot to reflect on over a cup of tea.

In the end, beaten by eight wickets, and fair enough — Norton were the better side on the day. We'll dust ourselves down and come back stronger next week.

Sat 15 Jul 2023 🧢 2nd XIv Gore Court CC · HomeformWWWWL

Skipper's Log, Saturday 15 July 2023. We hosted Gore Court CC on one of those damp, blustery afternoons that make you wonder why anyone bothers with cricket in this country, and yet here we all were, bothering splendidly. I won the toss and elected to bat, which I shall modestly remind everyone was the right call.

We lost an early wicket with just 2 on the board, the kind of nervy start that has captains reaching for the flask before the first drinks break. But Luke Welsman and Will Thew steadied things beautifully, their fourth-wicket stand of 51 the platform for everything that followed. Welsman finished unbeaten on a superb 77, Thew unbeaten on 64, with Jordan Austin chipping in 26, and we closed on a handsome 216/4 from our 40 overs.

With the ball, the lads were magnificent. Inus Joubert was the pick, tearing through with 4-27 and three miserly maidens, backed up nobly by Mardey Castle's 2-43 and a wicket for Welsman too, proving useful with bat and ball alike. Scott Upward and Rex Singlehurst were sent back without troubling the scorers, honest toil that doesn't always show in the book. Gore Court battled to 152/8, Paul Geary top-scoring with 67 and Andy Brown chipping in 39, but it was never quite enough. I was rather pleased to lead from the front myself with 64.

A very special mention for Luke Welsman, who brought up 5,000 career runs for the club today — a quite magnificent landmark. We ran out winners by 64 runs. A thoroughly good day for Linton Park.

Sat 15 Jul 2023 🧢 1st XIv Gore Court CC · AwayformWWWTW

Beaten by a duck – but not the sort you'll find in the Kentish sky over Gore Court.

As captain, the toss on Saturday was one decision I didn't lose sleep over: with a pitch that looked ripe for bowling first, I called correctly and had us straight into the field. Gore Court made a nervy start, four on the board and a wicket gone, before Ruhul Islam (33), Hari Krishnan (26) and an unbeaten Ben Dutnall (32) stitched together a stubborn 64-run stand for the seventh wicket to drag them towards respectability. But we kept chipping away — 50/3 became 58/6 in the blink of an eye, with Akhil Reji and Adam Collins both back in the pavilion without troubling the scorers. Mark Christmas was magnificent, 4-27, with Anthony Karassellos (2-25) and Toby Hughes (1-22) squeezing hard, and Alex Keeler tighter than a Sunday collection plate with two maidens. They closed on 155/9 from their 45 overs — a total we always felt was within range.

With the bat, William Roxburgh played the innings of the afternoon, an unbeaten 72, ably assisted by brother Thomas with a fluent 26, the pair putting on 69 for the first wicket to set the tone. We cantered home at 156/3 in just 23.5 overs.

Special mention, gently offered, to George Taylor, whose afternoon with the gloves included eight byes he'd rather forget — these things happen to the best of us.

A fine seven-wicket win, then, and the season charts keep ticking along nicely with Henry Bourdillon (347 runs) and Anthony Karassellos (21 wickets) leading the way. Onwards.

Wed 12 Jul 2023 🧢 Midweek XIv Penshurst Park CC · AwayformTLDWD

We travelled down to Penshurst Park CC on a damp but pleasant Wednesday evening, 12 July, and lost the toss — which, on reflection, was rather generous of us, handing them first knock and, as it turned out, rather too warm a bat.

Adam Ranson gave us both barrels early on, ploughing his way to a magnificent 143 while Theo Rimmer chipped in with a tidy 36, and by the time they declared themselves satisfied at 251/8 from their forty overs we were left wondering where our afternoon had gone. Credit where it's due, though: John Karassellos was superb with the ball, 3-20 and full value for it, Nolan Wilde chipped away for 3-42, Darrell Houghton-Judge picked up one for 16, and Nick Tromp bowled three maidens of admirable meanness. Small mercy, too, that Zane Khaleeque departed for a duck at our hands — every cloud, and all that. Aaron Hughes had a torrid time behind the stumps, mind, 12 byes slipping past him on a tricky afternoon with the gloves.

Chasing 252, Jordan Austin played an innings of real substance — 106, an out-and-out captain's dream — ably assisted by Nick Tromp's 20, with the sixth-wicket pair adding a crucial 58 that briefly had us dreaming. But 189 all out from 36.4 overs told its own story, and we fell 62 runs short.

There is a silver lining: Jordan's century pushes him past William Buck to 25th on the club's all-time run-scorers list — no small feat. But not our day, all told. Heads up, chins high, back to the nets.

Sun 09 Jul 2023 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv HC Hadlow CC · AwayformWTDWW

Sunday the ninth of July found us on the road to Hadlow, under skies that couldn't decide between summer and a car wash — warm, drizzly, and entirely fitting for the cricket that followed. I lost the toss, as is now practically tradition, and we were sent out to bat.

Four runs into the innings we lost an early wicket and I feared the worst, but the middle order steadied the ship — Aaron Hughes led from the front with a fine 44, Thomas Beeney chipped in with 36, and Martin Harris saw us home unbeaten on 25, the pick of the day being a stand of 56 for the fourth wicket. Extras chipped in a hearty 25 of their own, rather more than either Anthony Karassellos or Alex Wade managed, both departing for ducks and joining the walk of shame. All told, 194 all out from 33.4 overs — a total with something to bowl at.

And bowl at it we did. Hadlow stumbled to 6 for 1 early doors, and though Ash Dixon played a lovely knock of 50, well supported by Alex Wilson's 34 and Jack Macdonald's 21, they never quite escaped our grip. Nick Pennefather was superb with 2-14, with John Karassellos and Alex Wade both weighing in at two apiece. Jack Poore departed without troubling the scorers, and poor Aaron, having batted so well, then let through 10 byes behind the stumps — nobody's perfect.

Hadlow fell for 170. Two points, thoroughly earned, won by 24 runs.

Sun 09 Jul 2023 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv NC New Ifield CC · AwayformWLDLL

Skipper's log: Sunday 9th July, and off we trooped to New Ifield on a warm, damp afternoon that felt more suited to standing about with a flask of tea than serious cricket. Won the toss, and — feeling unusually decisive — I put us in. It proved a shrewd bit of captaincy, if I say so myself, as we ground out 242/4 from our forty overs. Glen Rawson was magnificent, striding to a superb unbeaten hundred, with Jordan Austin chipping in a classy 69. Even our extras got in on the act with a generous 38.

New Ifield's reply never got out of second gear. They were bowled out for 110, Harry Benning's 24 the only real resistance, while poor Muralidharan Athikesavan and Herbie Parr trudged back without troubling the scorers. Luke Welsman was the chief destroyer with a wonderful 2-5, backed up nicely by Nolan Wilde (2-15), Alexander Nunn (2-22) and the ever-frugal Zach Wilde, who bowled two maidens for good measure. We did rather spoil the party in the field, spraying 19 wides and 3 no-balls about like confetti — runs we simply didn't need to give away.

Worth a mention in dispatches: Glen Rawson's ton nudges him up to 14th on the club's all-time run charts, past Clive Newman, and he now sits 2nd in this season's run standings with 247, with Nolan Wilde 2nd in the wickets列 on 9.

Sloppy round the edges, but a thumping 132-run win all the same. Onwards.

Sat 08 Jul 2023 🧢 2nd XIv Kings Hill CC · AwayformLWWWW

He steamed in soggily on a warm, dripping Saturday down at Kings Hill, and I won the toss and had no hesitation putting us in — a decision I shall be quietly congratulating myself on for weeks to come, regardless of how the rest of this report reads.

Benjamin Austin played the innings of the day, a crisp 72 that carried us through the middle overs, with Craig Sands weighing in handsomely alongside him for 44. We were bowled out for 177 in 33.5 overs, which felt about right on a surface offering a little for everyone — though the less said about Will Thew, Nick Tromp and Thomas Beeney's collective contribution of three golden ducks, the better. As for your correspondent, I too fell for nought. We shall simply note it happened and move swiftly along.

In the field Nick Tromp was magnificent, snaring 4-37 with Junaid Mufti and Thomas Beeney chipping in two apiece, and for long stretches it looked won. But Hasham Khan (50) and Neil Miller (40) dragged Kings Hill agonisingly over the line, and with Ashley Ulph's 22 in support they got home at 181/9 with just one wicket to spare.

A cruel margin to lose by, and one that will sting on the drive home more than it should. But there was real substance in that performance, and we'll be considerably better for it next week.

Sat 08 Jul 2023 🧢 1st XIv BC Broadstairs CC · HomeformWWWWT

I called it right, chose to bat, and by the tea interval I was already composing this in my head — which is usually asking for trouble, but not today.

We were put in on a scorching, showery afternoon (Kent weather doing its usual impersonation of all four seasons before lunch), and the top order simply refused to give it back. Thomas Roxburgh and William Roxburgh put on 107 for the first wicket before Broadstairs so much as smelled a breakthrough, and by the time both had passed fifty — 63 and 61 respectively — the platform was set. Henry Bourdillon chipped in a classy 59, I rustled up 17 of my own (don't ask), and we declared ourselves satisfied at 272/5 from our 45 overs.

With that in the bank, the bowling more or less bowled itself. Mark Christmas was a menace with the new ball, 2-2 reducing Broadstairs to rubble early, with Anthony Karassellos (2-14) and Fred Taylor (2-33) mopping up either end, and Alex Keeler bowling three miserly maidens for good measure. Callum McCormick departed without troubling the scorers, and only Ian Marshall's defiant 57 gave the scoreboard any dignity as they were bowled out for 125.

A word too for Mark Christmas, whose two wickets nudged him past John Ames into 12th on the club's all-time list — history quietly being rewritten while the tea urn boiled.

A win by 147 runs, then, and a thoroughly satisfying afternoon's work. Onwards.

Wed 05 Jul 2023 🧢 Midweek XIv Warlingham CC · HomeformLTLDW

From the captain's chair — Wednesday 5 July 2023, and a rare treat as we welcomed Warlingham CC on a pleasant, damp afternoon. I won the toss and, with the outfield carrying a bit of moisture, fancied our chances setting a total. Not for the first time this season, the lads made me look rather clever.

What followed with the bat was, frankly, a joy. Aaron Hughes and Thomas Roxburgh put together a magnificent 162-run stand for the fifth wicket, each bringing up a hundred — 101 not out and 100 not out respectively — while Alex Wade chipped in a tidy 26 to help us close on 254/4 from our 33 overs. Nolan Wilde and Thomas Beeney contributed the traditional golden ducks, but nobody was counting those against a total like that.

In the field we were relentless. Sam Boyns was pick of the bowlers with 4-25, Thomas Beeney bowled a miserly 7 maidens on his way to 3-14, and Alex Wade weighed in with 1-31 — Grahame Webb departed without troubling the scorers as we ran through the middle order from 174-6 to 181-9 in a blur. Warlingham fought hard through Graham Dunning's fine 62 and a 52-run third-wicket stand, but folded to 183/9 from their 54. Poor Laurie Probert had a torrid time behind the stumps, 20 byes going begging — though he can console himself that Thomas Beeney's three wickets nudged him past Gordon Fenner into 16th on the club's all-time list.

A draw, then — honours shared, and honestly, after a total like ours, a touch generous to the visitors.

Sun 02 Jul 2023 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv HC Harrietsham CC · AwayformWWLDL

Off went the toss, and off went Harrietsham's decision to bat, leaving us with the ball on a Sunday that promised more than it delivered. They pushed to 181/6 from their forty overs — Akhil Balagopal the chief architect with 39, Rod Martenstyn chipping in 31, and B Bala unbeaten on 30 to give the total a respectable shine. Tim Thirkell was the pick of our attack by some distance, a fine 3-28, with Zach Wilde and Ian Hollingworth chiming in for one apiece. One small mercy: Fred King departed without so much as a run to his name.

If only our batting had shown the same discipline as our bowling. We were bowled out for a distinctly modest 55 in 21.5 overs, a collapse that leaves little to dress up in prose. Zach Wilde and John Karassellos both fell without scoring, and with 13 byes conceded, poor Anthony Karassellos will not look back on his afternoon with any great fondness.

There were, at least, flickers of season-long promise to cling to: Nolan Wilde continues his steady climb up the run charts, fourth with 135, while Tim Thirkell leads the wicket-takers with 11 — and today's 3-28 will only strengthen that grip.

All told, a chastening 126-run defeat, and the sort of scoreline that sends a captain quietly back to the nets rather than to the bar.

Sun 02 Jul 2023 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv Mersham Le Hatch CC · HomeformWWTDW

Sunday 2 July, and a pleasant grey afternoon greeted Mersham Le Hatch CC as they came to Linton Park. I lost the toss again — some things never change — and we were duly sent out to bowl.

The visitors made a shaky start, four down for just one, and for a moment it looked as though we might make short work of it. But Alex Markwick had other ideas, ushering them past their fifty and eventually to 145 all out from 40 overs, well supported by Aaron Cook and Steve Edge, and underpinned by a stubborn 75-run stand for the fifth wicket. Full credit to the lads for hauling things back, though — a spell that took them from 111-5 to 121-8 in the blink of an eye did the damage, Thomas Roxburgh leading the charge with a fine 3-16 including two maidens, Nick Tromp chipping in with 3-21 and Darrell Houghton-Judge with 1-10.

With 146 to chase, Thomas Roxburgh, fresh from his bowling exploits, top-scored with 49, and a commanding 95-run third-wicket stand with Benjamin Austin (47 not out) put the result beyond doubt well before the 25.2 overs were up. Aaron Hughes will want a quiet word with himself about those 8 byes, mind.

A word too for Benjamin Austin, who brought up his 200th appearance in Linton colours — a landmark to be proud of, and marked in the best possible style with a matchwinning knock.

A fine seven-wicket win, then, and the lads deserve their tea. Onwards.

Sat 01 Jul 2023 🧢 3rd XIv Linden Park CC · AwayformLLL

Anthony Karassellos and I have finally forgiven the Duckworth-Lewis gods for last month, because a warm and showery Saturday down at Linden Park brought us a proper away win to write home about.

Put into the field, we watched Linden Park build steadily to 178/8 off their forty overs — Dhruvin Patel's fifty the backbone of it, with Gareth Thomas (44) and Jonah Wilson (26) chipping in around him. Credit where it's due: Michaela Karassellos was superb with the ball, 2-14 and clearly not in a giving mood, while Thomas Mundell and James Gray both weighed in with two apiece. We did our bit at the other end too, sending back Jack Warren, Saharsh Abhinay and John Hoare all without troubling the scorers — three golden ducks is not a bad afternoon's work. Only blot on the copybook was the extras column: 33 wides and no-balls gifted away, the sort of profligacy that gives a captain grey hairs.

Chasing 179, Anthony Karassellos batted like a man with a milestone in his sights — which, as it turned out, he did — cruising to 87 not out and, in the process, becoming the first name in the club's 1,000-run club. Glen Rawson (34) and Srikrishna Challa (23) provided sturdy support as we cantered home with six wickets and overs to spare.

A thoroughly good day: a win, a landmark innings, and Challa's bowling and Karassellos's batting both sitting proudly atop the 3rd XI charts. If only we could bowl as tidily as Anthony bats, we'd never lose a match.

Sat 01 Jul 2023 🧢 2nd XIv Holcombe & Blue Bell Hill CC · AwayformLLWWW

Warm, humid Saturday down at Holcombe & Blue Bell Hill, and for once the coin did as it was told. I called correctly and never seriously considered fielding first — not with rain threatening and a batting line-up itching to have a go. And go we did: 64 on the board before they so much as troubled us, then Jordan Austin and the middle order simply refused to stop, a 91-run second-wicket stand doing the heavy lifting. Austin's 65 was the innings of the day, with Aaron Hughes (44) and Junaid Mufti (43) chipping in handsomely as we rattled up 268/7 from our forty. A total, frankly, that felt like a small mountain to defend.

And so it proved. Andy Bunker fought hard for his fifty, 58 well made, with Anoop Veliyambra (26 not out) and Kevin Shipton (21) offering support, and a second-wicket stand of 67 threatened briefly to make a match of it. But once the floodgates opened — 115-3 becoming 122-6 in the blink of an eye, with poor Rich Williams and Shoaib Wangde both walking back for ducks — there was no way back. Tim Thirkell was quite magnificent, 4-38, backed superbly by Nolan Wilde (3-30) and Matthew Carter (1-9), while Junaid Mufti kept things tidy with two maidens. They folded on 164/9.

A special mention for Laurie Probert, who brought up 4,000 career runs for the club — a landmark worth raising a glass to. We ran out winners by 104 runs: a proper, satisfying afternoon's work, and a very good day for the club.

Sat 01 Jul 2023 🧢 1st XIv Addington Village CC · HomeformWWWWW

Saturday 1 July 2023, and Addington Village CC rolled up to find us in generous mood — warm skies, the odd shower, and me winning the toss and deciding, with more confidence than the situation perhaps warranted, that we'd bat. That confidence took an early dent at 7-1, and truth be told we never quite got away from Addington's bowlers. Luke Welsman dug in gamely for an unbeaten 27, but 115 all out in 33.2 overs was never going to have the visitors quaking in their whites.

Happily, cricket has a way of rewarding patience, and our bowlers set about proving it. Alex Keeler was magnificent — 3-7 with six maidens is the kind of spell that makes batting look like a punishment — and with Toby Hughes (2-22) and Mark Christmas (2-23) chipping away, we had Addington tottering from 8-1 to 14-4 in a blink. Harry Grinstead, Jack Webb and James Moysey all departed for golden ducks 🦆, and for a glorious spell it looked as though we might turn 115 into a formality. But Chris Slater, unbeaten on 42, and Asanka Najith's gutsy 25 dragged them back into it, and a stubborn ninth-wicket stand of 51 did the rest.

When the dust settled, Addington too were all out for 115. A tie — the most maddening, most beautiful result in the book, and not one either side could claim to have deserved more than the other. A cracking advert for club cricket, even if my nerves may never quite recover.

Thu 29 Jun 2023 🧢 Twenty20v NC Newington CC · HomeformLWWLW

From the captain's chair — Thursday 29 June 2023, and Newington CC our visitors on a warm, drizzly afternoon that felt more suited to ducks (of the feathered variety) than cricket. I lost the toss, as is customary, and we were put into the field... sorry, put in to bat, which suited us rather nicely as it turned out.

Our openers set the tone beautifully, putting on 83 before the first wicket fell, and from there George Taylor simply refused to get out, finishing unbeaten on a fine 66. Toby Hughes chipped in with 36 and Jordan Austin 32, and we posted a handsome 178/3 from our twenty overs — the sort of total that makes the tea taste that bit sweeter.

Newington replied with intent, racing to 68 before we prised out their opener, and Matthew Daniels' 44 kept them in the hunt, well supported by Hugo Parnell's unbeaten 32 and Thomas Jones' 21. But Fred Taylor was in destructive mood, plucking out 3-7, with Luke Welsman (1-5) and Nick Tromp (1-25) squeezing from the other end — and somewhere in there poor Aron Washer trudged off for a golden duck. Our wicketkeeper had a torrid time of it, gifting nine byes, which I shall put down to the drizzle and nothing else.

They closed on 141/6, well short of the mark, and we ran out winners by 37 runs. A thoroughly good day for the club — George now sits second in our Twenty20 run charts, Fred tops the wickets, and I shall be buying the first round at the bar tonight.

Wed 28 Jun 2023 🧢 Midweek XIv SC Sevenoaks & District Wednesday CC · HomeformLLTLD

Under a warm, drizzly Wednesday sky, we welcomed Sevenoaks & District Wednesday CC, and lost the toss for our trouble — they had the sense to bat first while we squelched about in the field. Their innings ambled to 125 all out in 31.3 overs, Nigel Shaw the chief architect with 26, while poor Eric Clemming trudged off for a duck without so much as a nibble at the scorebook. The bowling honours were shared around handsomely: Thomas Beeney was the pick with 2-11 and two tidy maidens, miserly as a Yorkshireman with the last biscuit, while John Karassellos (2-20) and Thomas Roxburgh (2-27) chipped in to keep things honest.

Chasing 126, we made harder work of it than the target perhaps deserved, but got there in 21.2 overs for the loss of six. Thomas Roxburgh top-scored with a composed 31 not out — the innings that mattered most — ably backed up by Tobey Castle's 26 and Aaron Hughes's 24. Spare a thought for Luke Welsman, who contributed a golden duck to proceedings and will no doubt be reminded of it at the bar.

A tidy personal footnote: Martin Harris's solitary wicket nudged him past John Ames into 11th on the club's all-time wicket-takers list — history quietly being rewritten between overs. Thomas Roxburgh, meanwhile, sits proudly atop both the Midweek XI's run and wicket charts for the season.

Four wickets to the good, then, and a thoroughly satisfactory afternoon's work — messy, damp, and thoroughly ours.

Sun 25 Jun 2023 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv OC Offham CC · HomeformLWWLD

Sunday 25 June, and Offham CC rolled up under a sky doing its best impression of the Algarve. I lost the toss, which these days feels less like bad luck and more like a personality trait, and we were sent out to field.

We made a decent early fist of it — Nolan Wilde bowled beautifully for 2-34, with Srikrishna Challa and John Karassellos chipping in a wicket apiece — but John Olufawo had other ideas, compiling a majestic 131 while James Tricker (23) and Dave Tucker (20) played their supporting roles nicely. An opening stand of 64 set the tone, and 240/5 from their forty overs was always going to be a tall order on a belter of a pitch.

And so it proved. Glen Rawson batted with real substance for 50, Richard Piper (24) and Frank Harbord (21) did their bit, but too many of us — myself very much included, out for a duck I'd rather not relive — got drawn into hitting square of the wicket when patience was called for. All out 148. Nolan Wilde, not content with his bowling heroics, added a golden duck for good measure, though he can console himself with passing 100 career wickets — one for the mantelpiece indeed.

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

Sun 25 Jun 2023 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv Bearsted CC · AwayformLWWTD

Sunday 25 June saw us make the trip to Bearsted CC in what turned out to be a proper thriller. Lost the toss, put in to field – not the start we wanted, but the lads set about it well enough. Christian Roberts had other ideas about our afternoon, though, cashing in with a superb 132, and Alex Lush chipped in with 45 as their fourth-wicket pair put on a chastening 168. Credit where it's due to Nick Tromp, whose 4-40 (with Thomas Roxburgh and Luke Welsman chipping in) at least kept the total to 236/6, and James West's golden duck was one small mercy. Still, 237 to win from 40 overs is a tall order against a total like that.

What followed was the stuff village cricket dreams are made of. Thomas Roxburgh, having already done his bit with the ball, decided he'd do the job with the bat too, carving out a magnificent unbeaten 109. Benjamin Austin (34) and Darrell Houghton-Judge (33) played their parts, but it was the ninth-wicket pair adding a nerveless 61 that dragged us over the line with one wicket to spare – Luke Welsman and Ian Hollingworth both walking back for ducks along the way, bless them.

Two points, and thoroughly earned. Nerve-shredding, occasionally farcical, ultimately glorious – exactly why we play this daft game.

Sat 24 Jun 2023 🧢 2nd XIv HC Hunton Wanderers CC · HomeformWLLWW

Saturday 24 June found us welcoming Hunton Wanderers CC to Linton Park under grey, showery skies — the sort of afternoon where you check the covers more than the team sheet. I lost the toss, which these days feels less like bad luck and more like a season-long conspiracy, and the visitors chose to bat.

To our bowlers' great credit, we made them work for every one of their 120 all out in 36.5 overs. Jack Crouch's 23 was the only real resistance, while Stephen Puxty and Simon Taylor departed without so much as a nibble at the scorebook. Darrell Houghton-Judge was quite magnificent, ripping through with 3 for 1, Nick Tromp backed him up with 3 for 17 and four maidens of positively miserly intent, and Inus Joubert chipped in with 2 for 21. Not a run was given away lightly — the sort of spell that makes a captain look considerably cleverer than he is.

Chasing 121, Benjamin Austin played the innings of the day with 43, ably supported by Aaron Hughes's unbeaten 31, and I contributed a watchful 19 of my own as we cantered home on 121 for 3 in 21.1 overs. Fitting, too, that Benjamin's knock brought up 4,000 career runs for the club, while Will Thew quietly made his 300th appearance in Linton colours — the kind of milestones that remind you what this club is really about.

Seven wickets, two points, and thoroughly deserved. A very good day at the office.

Sat 24 Jun 2023 🧢 1st XIv Mersham Sports CC · AwayformLWWWW

Saturday 24 June saw us make the trip out to Mersham Sports CC, the skies doing that classic English trick of sunshine one minute and a soaking the next. I won the toss and had no hesitation in bowling — sorry, batting first, and for once the decision paid off handsomely.

We were bundled out for 238 in the 45th over, but there was real substance to the innings. Henry Bourdillon played the innings of the day, 79 well-constructed runs, with Harrison Fermor (45) and George Taylor (32) chipping in nicely around him. Poor Thomas Roxburgh will want to forget his golden duck, but these things happen to the best of us.

Defending it, we were made to sweat by one Jamie Mcvittie, who counter-attacked to a superb 114 and dragged Mersham agonisingly close, well supported by Ashley Cook (44) and Shineyu Anand (42). Parth Tewari, at least, departed for nought without troubling the scorers, some small comfort. Toby Hughes was the pick of the attack with 2-47, Harrison Fermor backed up his runs with 2-65, and Mark Christmas chipped in with 1-25. I even had a small hand with the bat myself, 25 not entirely disgraceful runs.

In the end we held our nerve and got over the line by five runs — the sort of finish that ages a captain ten years but tastes all the sweeter for it. A thoroughly good day for the club.

Thu 22 Jun 2023 🧢 Twenty20v Headcorn CC · HomeformWLWWL

A warm, damp Thursday saw Headcorn CC visit Linton Park, and my coin-tossing form remains as reliable as ever — down we went, and they sent us in to bat. Early alarm, 0 for 1, might have suggested a long afternoon, but Nick Tromp and Benjamin Austin had other ideas, the pair's fifth-wicket stand of 96 dragging us to a very handsome 181 for 7 from our twenty. Tromp finished unbeaten on 66, Austin close behind on 62, and Tobey Castle chipped in a brisk 20. I added 20 myself, more grateful than proud. Less gloriously, the Duck Club welcomed three new members — Toby Hughes, Harrison Fermor and Luke Welsman all making that lonely walk back for nought. 🦆

Defending 181, Headcorn threatened for a spell, Luke Mangold's 56 the backbone of their reply, with James Barker and Bradley Peters-Burr lending support and a second-wicket stand of 51 keeping them in it. But Mardey Castle broke through with 2 for 28, Tobey Castle and Jordan Austin chiming in either side, and Headcorn stalled on 153 for 4. Benjamin Austin had a torrid time behind the stumps, eight byes escaping his gloves, though his runs with the bat more than squared the ledger.

A 28-run win, two points banked, and Tromp and Castle now sitting proudly atop the season's run and wicket charts. All told, a thoroughly satisfying afternoon's work.

Sun 18 Jun 2023 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv Beckenham CC · AwayformLLWWT

From the captain's chair — Sunday 18 June 2023, away at Beckenham CC.

A warm, thoroughly wet afternoon greeted us, and having lost none of my sunny disposition despite the weather, I called correctly and stuck us in the field. It looked a shrewd move when Beckenham lost an early wicket with just 4 on the board, but Darren Butler and Ross Piller had other ideas, adding 115 for the second wicket and dragging the game away from us. Butler went on to a well-made 91, with Piller's 30 and Ken Hoad's 28 filling out an innings that closed on a stern 219/6 from 35 overs. Martin Harris did the heavy lifting with 2-27, and Henry Bourdillon and Anthony Karassellos chipped in with a wicket apiece, but 219 was always going to take some chasing.

Chase it we did not. Rain had the final say, and our reply stalled at 66/0 from just 8 overs, Benjamin Austin unbeaten on a brisk 44. Sixteen byes, meanwhile, spoke volumes about the wicketkeeping conditions rather than the keeper's hands — a testing day for Austin behind the stumps as well as in front of the bat. He remains our leading run-scorer this Sunday season with 133, while Thomas Beeney continues to lead the wickets column with 9.

So, honours shared. Not the result the scorecard suggests we deserved after Butler's innings, but on a day when the weather did most of the bowling, a draw felt like the only fair verdict — and frankly, the tea was the highlight.

Sun 18 Jun 2023 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv Teston CC · HomeformWLWWL

Sunday 18 June 2023, and Teston CC rolled up to Linton Park on one of those warm, damp afternoons that make a captain's toss call feel like a small examination of character. I won it, elected to bat, and for once felt rather pleased with myself for a decision made before the tea urn had even boiled.

We settled to 107 for 5 from our 32 overs, the innings built almost single-handedly by Theo Clements, whose unbeaten 56 was the sort of patient, correct half-century that makes the rest of us look like we're swinging at wasps. Not every contribution glittered quite so brightly — Richard Piper's golden duck will not trouble the club's highlight reel, though I'm assured he took it with good grace and an even better sense of humour.

Then came our turn in the field, and the conditions had their say: no complete card to show for Teston's reply, the innings closing without a result to speak of. Somewhere in all this, credit is due up the table too — Nolan Wilde now sits third in the 2023 Sunday 2nd XI run charts on 131, quietly building a season while the rest of us provide the comic relief.

So, honours shared. A draw, then — not the stuff of legend, but an afternoon of good batting, one heroic duck, and cricket played in the proper spirit despite the weather's best efforts to spoil it. I'll take it.

Sat 17 Jun 2023 🧢 3rd XIv Bearsted CC · HomeformLL

We were beaten by 21 runs, but here is your captain's log turned into a proper report.

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Saturday saw Bearsted CC visit Linton Park, and having lost the toss, we were invited to have a bowl first — never one to turn down an over or two before tea. It began promisingly, an early wicket falling with just 8 on the board, but our joy was short-lived: their last pair, showing the sort of stubbornness usually reserved for a stuck deckchair, put on an unwanted 78 to see them to 172/9. Credit where due — Daniel Skinner's 46 not out and Nigel Baker's 24 did the damage at the top, but our bowlers had their say too. Thuraiappah Pushpavinothan was superb with 2-6, Reuben Mundell metronomic with 2-17 and three maidens, and Srikrishna Challa chipped in with 2-30.

Chasing 173, we mustered 151 all out in 33.2 overs — a touch light, though Srikrishna Challa's 40 and Theo Clements' 31 gave us hope, ably supplemented by a generous 40 in extras. Thomas Mundell, alas, was undone for a golden duck, and your correspondent must confess to a duck of his own — the less written about that innings, the better.

Ten byes told the tale of a testing day behind the stumps for Glen Rawson, and 28 wides plus 6 no-balls handed Bearsted runs we could scarcely spare. In the end, 21 runs short. Chastening, certainly, but with Srikrishna Challa leading both our run and wicket charts this season, there's plenty to build on. We'll be better for it next week.

Sat 17 Jun 2023 🧢 2nd XIv Sherwood CC, Kent · HomeformLWLLW

Here's the match report:

Saturday 17th June saw us host Sherwood CC of Kent, under skies that couldn't decide whether to rain or shine — much like my own state of mind after losing the toss and being sent out to field on what turned into a rather sweaty afternoon of chasing leather.

Batting first, however, suited us rather nicely once our turn came, and what a turn it was. Richard Piper played the innings of the day, a magnificent 102, while Will Thew gave him fine company with 87, the pair putting on 175 for the second wicket and doing most of the damage themselves. Aaron Hughes chipped in with a brisk 22 not out to see us to a formidable 248 for 4 from our 40 overs — the sort of total that has the opposition eyeing the tea urn nervously.

And so it proved. Sherwood's reply never quite got going, Luke Loader's battling 37 the highest point of a chase that petered out to 151 all out in 36.4 overs. Nick Tromp was the chief destroyer with 4 for 24, well supported by Nolan Wilde's 3 for 29 and Darrell Houghton-Judge's 2 for 22, while poor Michael Hooker departed without troubling the scorers. My own 87 with the ball was a satisfying afternoon's work, and with Will Thew now leading our 2nd XI run charts and Nolan Wilde topping the wickets, the season is shaping up nicely.

A 97-run victory, then, and a very good day indeed for the club.

Sat 17 Jun 2023 🧢 1st XIv RC Rodmersham CC · AwayformWLWWW

Saturday 17th June saw us head to Rodmersham on a warm, sticky afternoon that promised runs to whoever fancied batting first. I won the toss, and in truth there was never much debate in my head — we went in.

Harrison Fermor set the tone with a fine 37, Luke Welsman chipped in nicely with 29 and Alex Keeler weighed in with 21 to help us to a respectable 215/9 from our 45. Not everyone's afternoon went to plan, mind — poor Mark Christmas will want a word with the scorebook after departing for a golden duck, and I'm sure he'll be hearing about it in the clubhouse for weeks yet.

Defending it, Rodmersham gave us a proper fright. Rob Horne played beautifully for an unbeaten 55, with Kevin Jones (44) and Max Lateu (33) doing their best to drag the game away from us, and their 201/7 left things tighter than any of us would have liked. Thankfully Toby Hughes was in inspired form, tearing through with 4-29, while Mark Christmas made amends with the ball (1-35) and Harrison Fermor picked up 1-52 to go with his runs — quite the all-round shift. Alex Keeler bowled with real discipline too, sending down four maidens, and I managed a tidy little 20 with the bat for good measure.

Elsewhere, Tobey Castle continues to lead our 2023 run charts with 297 — a mark the rest of us are chasing in vain. As for Saturday: fourteen runs the margin, two points the reward, and thoroughly deserved. A proper team effort, and one we'll toast happily on the way home.

Sun 11 Jun 2023 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv Chelsfield CC · HomeformLWLWW

Sunday 11th June, and Chelsfield rolled into Linton Park under one of those scorching-yet-grey skies only an English summer can conjure. I called correctly at the toss – a rare enough event to note in itself – and had no hesitation in putting them in.

It looked, for a good while, like the shrewdest decision I'd made all year. But Asjad Mir had other ideas, ghosting to an unbeaten 116 and dragging Chelsfield to 228/6 from their 35 overs with Isaac George's 48 alongside him. Alexander Nunn did his level best to have a word with the scorebook, snaring 3-25, well backed by Frank Harbord (2-40) and Tim Thirkell (1-34), but 228 always looked a stiff ask on a slow outfield.

And so it proved, agonisingly. Will Thew batted like a man possessed, or perhaps just a man who fancied a nice round number – his magnificent 105 brought up 6,000 career runs for the club, which is the sort of milestone that deserves a pint regardless of the result. Anthony Karassellos supported nobly with 50, I contributed a watchful 16, and we finished on 224/4. Four runs short. Four.

Tim Thirkell leads our wicket charts this summer and Will now sits second among the run-getters, so the season ticks along nicely even as this particular afternoon slipped from our grasp. Heads up, chins forward, back to the nets – Chelsfield had the width of a gnat's whisker, and not a run more.

Sun 11 Jun 2023 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv Stowting CC · AwayformLLLWW

Stowting hosted us on a scorching, grey afternoon of the sort only an English June can produce, and lost the toss-winner's advantage entirely on our behalf — they had first use of the bat, and made merry with it. Emile Haratbar carved out an unbeaten 98, riding shotgun on an opening stand of 80 that set the tone before we'd had a chance to get our boots dirty, with Kane Wheeler (34) and Ryder Wallis (26) chipping in as they climbed to 219/6 from their forty overs. Ian Hollingworth kept us in the contest with a fine 3-38, well supported by Thomas Beeney's 1-31, but 219 always looked a stiff ask on a day when the outfield ran quick and the bowling ran short of luck.

Chasing it down, Luke Welsman played the innings of the summer — 52 not out, calm as you like — anchored by a watchful 60-run stand for the second wicket alongside Toby Joseph (40), with Benjamin Austin (34) adding useful heft. Poor Ian Hollingworth, having done his bowling job admirably, then walked for a golden duck — cricket's cruellest little joke, and one the Duck Club ledger will not let him forget. Our keeper had a torrid time of it too, 11 byes leaking through like the afternoon drizzle.

And so, after a full day's honest toil in the field and at the crease, we finished level — 219 apiece, not a run between us. You could not have separated Linton Park and Stowting with a ruler. A tie feels almost too tidy a word for a match that gave everything and settled nothing; call it honours shared, pride intact, and the Duck Club richer by one very expensive quack.

Sat 10 Jun 2023 🧢 2nd XIv SC Swanscombe & Greenhithe CC · AwayformLLWLL

From the captain's chair — Saturday 10 June 2023. The road took us to Swanscombe & Greenhithe CC, and losing the toss meant we were put out to field first, which on a warm June afternoon is not always the tonic a captain hopes for. As it turned out, it suited us rather nicely.

They posted 147 all out from their 40 overs, Vishwas Shinde top-scoring with 37 and Alfie Towell chipping in 31, but Thomas Beeney had other ideas, spinning his way to 5-47 in a spell that can only be described as unplayable. Nolan Wilde backed him up superbly with 3-15, Tim Thirkell picked up one, and Nick Tromp bowled with such miserly discipline — five maidens — that the Swanscombe batsmen must have wondered if the boundary rope had been quietly moved back. Aprameya Kar departed without so much as troubling the scorers, which is always a satisfying line to write.

Chasing 148, we strolled home on 148/2 from 31.2 overs. Luke Welsman played the anchor role to perfection with a well-made 66 not out, ably supported by Richard Piper's equally composed 52 not out, while Will Thew added a brisk 20. Poor Aaron Hughes fell for a duck, and I contributed a workmanlike 20 of my own — steady, if hardly worth the ink.

Two points, thoroughly earned, and an 8-wicket victory to show for it. A day when bat and ball both did exactly as they were told — we'll take that every time.

Sat 10 Jun 2023 🧢 1st XIv Chestfield CC · HomeformWWLWW

Saturday 10 June 2023, and we welcomed Chestfield CC under skies that couldn't decide whether to rain, while the sun apparently could — scorching and grey in equal measure, which felt about right for this fixture. I called it correctly at the toss and, with the sort of confidence that usually precedes disaster, stuck us in to bat.

Disaster duly threatened when we lost our first wicket for just 7, but Tobey Castle settled in for the long haul, compiling a magnificent 92, with Mark Christmas (37) and George Taylor (31) chipping in nicely, and the fifth-wicket pair adding a vital 70. Then, as is tradition at Linton Park, we contrived a collapse of such speed that 189 for 6 became 198 for 9 before anyone had finished their tea. Alex Keeler's duck was the least of our worries. We finished on 209 all out — respectable, if hard-won.

With the ball, Chestfield fought hard, Paul Gibson's fine 69 the backbone of their reply, well supported by Stewart Murrell (30 not out) and Pearson Hulks (22), but Tobey Castle — evidently not finished for the day — ran through them with 3 for 30, ably assisted by Anthony Karassellos (2-26) and Keeler himself (1-32) redeeming his duck nicely. They fell 18 runs short at 191 for 8.

A red-letter day all round: 92 with the bat, three wickets to the skipper, and Tobey Castle bringing up 6,000 career runs for the club. Two points, thoroughly earned, and a thoroughly good day to be captain.

Sun 04 Jun 2023 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv Tonbridge CC · HomeformWLLLW

Sunday 4th June, and Tonbridge came calling on as pleasant an afternoon as you could wish for cricket. I lost the toss — no great shock there, my coin-calling remains a work in progress — and we were put into the field.

They batted with real purpose, posting 206/4 from their 49 overs, built around Mike Jessop's fine unbeaten 79, with Stefan Ronan (40) and Ryan Aikman (35) lending sturdy support. Credit to the lads for keeping it honest throughout: Sam Boyns was the pick with 1-17, Chris Howson and Jordan Austin chipped in a wicket apiece, and Mardey Castle bowled three maidens that gave Tonbridge precisely nothing for their trouble.

Chasing 207, we set off like a man late for his own wedding — 68 for the first wicket before anyone so much as troubled the scorer with a dismissal. Henry Bourdillon was magnificent, an 88 that carried the innings, with Benjamin Austin (44) and an unbeaten 34 from Luke Welsman steering us home in just 35.1 overs for a five-wicket win. Poor Luke had a torrid time of it behind the stumps mind — eight byes escaped his gloves, though nobody was counting too closely once the runs came in.

Two points, thoroughly earned, and Henry now sits proudly atop our Sunday run charts. A cracking effort all round — the sort of afternoon that reminds you why we bother with this daft game at all.

Sun 04 Jun 2023 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv CC Chelsfield Park CC · AwayformLLWLW

Off we went on Sunday the 4th of June to Chelsfield Park CC, where I called correctly and, with the sun out and something in the pitch, sent them in — a decision I was quietly rather proud of come close of play.

The lads bowled and fielded with real purpose. Chelsfield stumbled early to 2-1, but a stubborn 81-run second-wicket stand threatened to drag them away from us, built on innings of 41 from Shankar Swaminathan, 32 from Vijay Ganesh and 30 from Anirudha Sengupta. Lenin Jeyaraj, at least, departed for a golden duck at our hands, which cheered us no end. It was Nick Tromp who turned the afternoon, spinning his way to a magnificent 6-34 and leaving the rest of us mere onlookers, with Anton Bourdillon (2-15) and John Karassellos (2-31) mopping up the tail. All out 214 from 39.3 overs — a total that felt about forty runs light of what it might have been.

Chasing 215, we made light work of it. Glen Rawson batted with real class for an unbeaten 97, ably assisted by Richard Piper's fine 76, and with 46 generously donated in extras, we cantered home at 219/1 in just 33.2 overs — eight wickets to spare. Poor Johan Eloff had a torrid afternoon behind the stumps, shipping 17 byes, though nobody seemed to mind by the time the last runs were in. Piper now leads our Sunday 2nd XI run charts with 223, and Tromp sits second in the wickets. A thoroughly good day for the club.

Sat 03 Jun 2023 🧢 2nd XIv NC New Ash Green CC · HomeformWLLWL

Delaffon, Elisak and Freeman all found form for New Ash Green, and by the time we prised out that fifth-wicket the total already read a formidable 217/4. Nick Tromp led the way with the ball, 1-36 for his troubles, with Nolan Wilde chipping in a wicket and two tidy maidens, and Junaid Mufti also among the wickets.

Saturday 3 June, and New Ash Green rolled into Linton Park under grey but agreeable skies. I lost the toss — no great surprise there, my coin-calling remains a work in progress — and duly found myself leading the side into the field. The visitors made hay early doors despite losing a wicket with just 7 on the board; that nervy start didn't stop the second pair rebuilding with a crucial stand of 93, and from there Delaffon's fifty, Elisak's unbeaten 52 and Freeman's 46 carried them serenely to 217/4. Our attack toiled honestly rather than spectacularly — Tromp the pick, Wilde miserly with two maidens, Mufti doing his bit — but 217 always felt a stiff ask on a 40-over afternoon.

Chasing it, we gave it a proper go. Will Thew batted beautifully for 66, well past his fifty, and found fine support from Richard Piper's 41 and Craig Sands' unbeaten 25, their third-wicket stand of 58 the platform of the innings. I'll confess a quiet satisfaction in contributing 66 of my own to the cause — the sort of innings a captain likes to have in the bank when the toss hasn't gone his way. In the end we fell short, 199/7 to their 217/4, beaten by 18 runs.

Craig Sands continues to lead our 2nd XI run charts for the season with 128, and Sam King tops the wickets with six — both quietly building fine campaigns. As for the rest of us: honourable defeat, plenty to be cheerful about, and we'll certainly be better for it next week.

Sat 03 Jun 2023 🧢 1st XIv Leeds & Broomfield CC · AwayformDWWLW

Saturday last saw us on the road to Leeds & Broomfield, under skies that couldn't quite make up their mind whether to spoil the party. They won the toss and, in what has become a tediously predictable ritual, stuck us in.

We made them regret it. 257/7 from our 45 overs, built on the sort of batting that makes the teas taste sweeter. I'll allow myself a moment of pride here — 78 from the skipper's bat, with Henry Bourdillon (60) and Mark Christmas (57 not out) both playing their part beautifully. The second-wicket stand of 104 was really the innings' backbone. Less gloriously, George Taylor and Jordan Austin both walked the plank for ducks — the ledger doesn't lie, lads.

In the field we were relentless. Anthony Karassellos was magnificent, ripping through their order for 4-29, with Fred Taylor (2-24) and Mardey Castle (2-39, plus two tidy maidens) mopping up the rest. Tim Dibble's 27 was the top score in a losing cause, with Nick Prime (25) and Fred Roberts (20) offering token resistance, while Owen Matthews and Marcus Prime joined our own duck club without so much as a single run to their names. All out for 140 in 44.4 overs — the contest was over long before the tea urn cooled.

A comfortable 117-run victory, then, and a proper reminder of why we play this daft, wonderful game. Tobey Castle now sits atop the season's run charts with 185, and Karassellos leads the wickets with 15 — form that bodes very well indeed. A good day for the club, and no mistake.

Mon 29 May 2023 🧢 Chairman's XIv Linton Park CC · Homeform—

Craig Sands finally opening his shoulders on 29 May, on what was a pleasant, grey sort of afternoon for cricket — the kind our Chairman's XI seem to specialise in.

Winning the toss, I had no hesitation at all in choosing to bat, and for once the decision looked positively inspired as our openers put on a magnificent 92 before the first wicket finally fell. Craig Sands was in imperious touch, easing his way to a well-made fifty and finishing 50 not out, while James Piper chipped in handsomely with 39 and Nolan Wilde saw us home in style with an unbeaten 27. All told, 163/4 from our twenty overs was a total we'd have taken with both hands at the toss. The one smudge on an otherwise handsome scorecard was poor Frank Harbord, who departed for a duck 🦆 — these things happen to the best of us, Frank, and no one in the pavilion will let you forget it.

Craig's innings, incidentally, keeps him top of the 2023 Chairman's XI run charts with 50 to his name, though word reaches us that Inus Joubert leads the South African XI pile with 46 — a friendly rivalry to keep an eye on as the season unfolds.

Alas, runs on the board are only half the story, and Linton Park CC proved rather too good, seeing us home — or rather, seeing themselves home — by 41 runs. Not our day, then. Heads up, chins up, and back to the nets we go.

Sun 28 May 2023 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv YC Yalding CC · AwayformLLLWL

Sunday 28 May 2023 saw us head to Yalding CC in good spirits, and when the coin obliged, I had no hesitation in sending us in to bat. It proved the right call, more or less: 181/5 from our forty overs, built on a fine, watchful 79 from Richard Piper and stout support from Nolan Wilde, who finished unbeaten on 53. Poor Alex Wade will not thank me for mentioning his duck, but the diary of record insists, and the extras column — a generous 35 — did rather more for us than he did.

Defending 181 always promises the sort of afternoon that ages a captain prematurely, and so it proved. Yalding replied with 176/9, Dewi Beer unbeaten on 44 and Samuel Faulkner's 42 threatening to make a mockery of our total, but Srikrishna Challa's 3-48 kept chipping away, with Zach Wilde and Tim Thirkell (2-15 and 2-21 apiece) doing the tidying up. I confess a personal 53 with the ball gave me no small satisfaction either.

Two milestones sweetened the tension: Nolan Wilde reached 1,000 career runs for the club, and Tim Thirkell's brace nudged him past Matthew Carter into 9th on our all-time wicket-takers' list. Piper still leads the run charts, Thirkell the wickets — long may that rivalry continue.

In the end we held on by five runs, which is either a comfortable margin or a heart attack, depending on how you count. I'll take the two points and say no more about it.

Sun 28 May 2023 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv Newenden CC · HomeformWWLLL

From the captain's chair — Sunday 28 May 2023, and Newenden CC the visitors on a pleasant, grey afternoon perfectly suited to the game we love. I won the toss and had no hesitation in putting them in; the right call, I felt, and for once I shall allow myself the satisfaction of saying so.

Newenden made themselves at home, racing to 220/8 from their 40 overs on the back of a monumental 133-run stand for the second wicket. Mike Parr brought up a chanceless hundred — 103 of pure discomfort for us in the field — with Jonathan Bourne (47) and Mike Bellhouse (20) offering sturdy support. Small mercies: we did at least see off Christian Kutner without him troubling the scorers. With the ball, Luke Welsman was outstanding, 3-37, well backed by Anthony Karassellos (3-42) and Tobey Castle (1-33), who between them dragged us back into a match that had threatened to run away.

Chasing 221, we stumbled to 1-1 almost before the tea urn had cooled, but Thomas Beeney's 44, with Tobey Castle (38) and Anthony Karassellos (31) either side of him, steadied things beautifully. Jordan Austin, Junaid Mufti and Nick Tromp all made the sorrowful walk for nought, and a horror show of a 39th over, costing us two wickets, threatened to hand it back to the visitors at the death.

Somehow, gloriously, we scrambled home 222/9 with a single wicket to spare. Two points, thoroughly earned, and a reminder that this club specialises in doing things the hard way — and getting there all the same.

Sat 27 May 2023 🧢 2nd XIv Gravesend CC · AwayformWWLLW

Beaten by 58 at Gravesend, but not before we made a game of it — or at least gave a passable impression of one.

Saturday found us on the road to Gravesend under skies that couldn't quite decide whether to threaten rain, which suited me fine for the toss — I called it right and stuck us in the field, a decision I'm still rather pleased with. Gravesend built a sturdy 201/9 off their forty, with Anish Patel the chief architect on 55, well backed by Vishnu Vyakarnam (42) and Madhusudhan Mali (26). Credit where due to our attack though: Tim Thirkell was the pick with 3-30, and Nolan Wilde and Sam King chipped in a couple apiece to keep it from getting truly out of hand.

Chasing 202, we never quite found the fluency required, subsiding to 143/9 from our own forty. Nick Tromp led the resistance with a gutsy 33, Craig Sands added 31 and Will Thew 22, while I contributed a modest 22 of my own — nothing to write home about, though apparently I'm writing about it anyway. Less said the better about Glen Rawson and Darrell Houghton-Judge, both back in the pavilion without troubling the scorers.

Elsewhere, Craig Sands continues to lead our 2nd XI run charts for the season with 103, and Sam King sits second in the wickets column with five — small consolations to carry home on the minibus.

All told, beaten by 58 runs, fair and square. We'll be better for it next week — we rather have to be.

Sat 27 May 2023 🧢 1st XIv OC Offham CC · HomeformLDWWL

Toby Hughes led the way with a magnificent 115 as we posted 310/4 from our 45 overs, put on 122 for the 3rd wicket

Wait, let me write the actual report properly.

Saturday 27 May, and a pleasant grey afternoon greeted us for the visit of Offham CC — the sort of sky that threatens rain all day and never quite delivers, much like my knees these days. I won the toss and had no hesitation in electing to bat, and for once the decision looked good rather than merely brave. Our openers set the tone with 116 before the first wicket fell, and from there Toby Hughes simply refused to stop, compiling a magnificent 115. Alex Keeler chipped in handsomely with 62, and a stand of 147 for the fourth wicket did most of the damage, before Mark Christmas saw us home unbeaten on 53. We closed on a mighty 310/4 from our 45 overs — the sort of total that lets a captain sleep easy at tea, or so I thought.

Offham, to their credit, did not take that lying down. Neil Scott and Tom Evans put together a stand of 122 for the third wicket, Scott making 94 and Evans 88, and for a good while it felt rather too close for comfort. It was Anthony Karassellos who kept his nerve and ours, finishing with 3-56, well backed up by Mardey Castle's 2-63 and Martin Harris's 1-46 — a wicket that, incidentally, nudges Harris up to 12th on the club's all-time list, past Mark Christmas himself.

We held on for a 22-run win. Two points, thoroughly earned, and a report I was rather more relaxed writing than reading the scorebook while it happened.

Sun 21 May 2023 🧢 Sunday NVKCv Leeds & Broomfield CC · HomeformWWLWW

Sunday 21st May, and Leeds & Broomfield rolled into Linton Park under a fine drizzle — the sort of afternoon that makes you wish you'd worn the other jumper. I lost the toss, we were put into the field, and off we went.

They batted with some purpose, Max Aitken compiling a composed 88 not out, well supported by Monte McCague's 47 and James Nurden's unbeaten 24, taking them to 187/5 from their forty overs. Mark Christmas was superb with the ball, 3 for 32, while Martin Harris and Alex Keeler chipped in with a wicket apiece, Keeler additionally proving miserly enough to bank two maidens. Credit to the bowlers — the batsmen made them work for every one of those runs.

With the bat, alas, we never got going. Tobey Castle's 32 and Henry Bourdillon's 20 were the honourable exceptions, and I managed 32 myself, but around us the innings folded for 82 in 26.2 overs. Three names — Jordan Austin, George Taylor and Anthony Karassellos — will find themselves inducted into the Duck Club this week, for which I offer only sympathy and a knowing nod. 🦆

Bourdillon continues to lead our Sunday run charts for the season, and Christmas sits second among the wicket-takers — small consolations on a chastening afternoon. Beaten by 105 runs, no argument. Not our day, lads — back to the nets, and next week we go again.

Sun 21 May 2023 🧢 Friendly XIv CK Cobham CC, Kent · AwayformWLWWL

Beaten by 8 wickets, but there was a good deal to be cheerful about on that pleasant, cloudy afternoon down at Cobham. Losing the toss and being put in is never the tonic one wants before Sunday lunch has even settled, but the lads dug in well enough, posting 171/9 from our forty overs. Luke Welsman led the charge with a tidy 41, Alex Wade chipped in with 32 and Nolan Wilde weighed in with 26 — though I'll draw a discreet veil over poor Toby Joseph's duck, which I'm reliably informed now qualifies him for the Duck Club ledger. 🦆

Defending 171 was always going to require some early inroads, and Alex Holt did his bit with 1-29, well supported by Thomas Beeney's 1-48. I even found time to contribute 26 of my own, more through stubbornness than style. But Cobham had other ideas: Jonathan Niranjan settled in for an unbeaten 74 and Aftab Hassan matched him stroke for stroke with 58 not out, and between them they simply took the game away from us, reaching 172/2 with overs to spare.

Eight wickets is a chastening margin, no question, and there's no dressing that up as anything other than a proper hiding. But Welsman's knock keeps him top of our Friendly XI run charts, and Beeney leads the wicket column, so the season's ledger isn't entirely bare. We'll lick our wounds, put the kettle on, and be better for it next week.

Sat 20 May 2023 🧢 1st XIv AC Ash CC · AwayformLLDWW

As Linton Park's captain, we lost the toss the... wait, no — I won the toss and put Ash CC in, fancying a bit of early movement. Fair play to them: 210 all out from 45 overs is a proper score, built on a watchful 40 from Richard Ewart and useful support from Charlie and Tom Laslett. Fred Taylor bowled beautifully for his 3-53, with Anthony Karassellos and Mark Christmas chipping in two apiece, and Alex Keeler tying things down with a couple of maidens. Tim Dudgeon, at least, we sent packing without so much as troubling the scorers.

Chasing 211 was always going to ask questions of our batting, and we answered them badly. Jordan Austin's 25 was a lone flag planted on a hill everyone else abandoned, and we folded for 94 in 29.5 overs. Tobey Castle, Fred Taylor and Anthony Karassellos all made ducks — and your correspondent, wielding the bat with all the authority of a man holding it for the first time, made one too. We shall speak no further of it.

Amid the wreckage, one shaft of sunlight: Mark Christmas brought up 600 career wickets, a landmark that deserves rather better than the footnote a 116-run defeat allows it. Henry Bourdillon continues to sit second in the 1st XI run charts, and Alex Keeler leads the wickets column — proof the season isn't a total washout.

Verdict: a chastening day out, well beaten by the better side. Back to the nets, and back to basics.

Sun 14 May 2023 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv HC Harbledown CC · AwayformLLLLW

Bit of a heartbreaker at Harbledown on a grey but pleasant Sunday, and I'll confess putting them in after winning the toss looked a shrewd move for about four hours. Richard Piper played the anchor role beautifully for his fifty, well backed up by Will Thew's 31, and 146/8 from our forty overs felt like a total we could defend on a sluggish afternoon like this. As it turned out, we very nearly did.

Ian Hollingworth was magnificent with the ball, 3-28 and full value for it, with Tim Thirkell (2-26) and Frank Harbord (1-12) chipping in nicely, and poor Huzaifa Zubair never got off the mark. But Theo Bawtree had other ideas, a well-made fifty of his own, ably assisted by Almas Khan's 26, and Harbledown squeaked home by two wickets with 3.3 overs to spare. Cricket has a cruel sense of humour sometimes.

Two moments lifted the gloom considerably: Richard Piper reached 18,000 career runs for the club, a staggering landmark by any measure, and Tim Thirkell brought up his 1000th appearance in Linton colours on the same afternoon — the sort of double celebration you can't script. Both men now lead our 2023 Sunday 2nd XI charts, Piper with 68 runs and Thirkell with 5 wickets, so the form is there even if the result wasn't.

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

Sun 14 May 2023 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv HC Harbledown CC · HomeformWWWLL

Sunday 14 May 2023, and Harbledown CC rolled up on a pleasant, grey afternoon to find us losing the toss and being sent out into the field first — never my favourite way to start a Sunday, but there we are.

Batting proved sticky work. We lost our first wicket for just 7, which is the sort of start that has a captain reaching for the biscuit tin, and though we rallied gamely we could only muster 123 all out in 39.4 overs. Nick Tromp led the way with a battling 30, but the rest of us rather let the innings drift away without ever quite finding fluency.

With 123 to defend we knew it would take something special, and for a while our bowlers gave it a real go. Mardey Castle was the pick of the attack with 2-31, backed up nicely by Luke Welsman (1-23) and Thomas Beeney (1-28). But Harbledown had other ideas, built around a superb unbeaten 53 from Josh Julian, well supported by Sudesh Thakur and Henry Roberts with 30 apiece — their fourth-wicket pair putting on a match-defining 77 — and they cantered home to 127-4 in 26.1 overs.

Six wickets the margin, and no arguing with it. Nick Tromp continues to lead our Sunday run charts and Thomas Beeney our wicket charts, so the engine room is ticking over nicely even if the chassis rattled a bit today. We'll be better for it next week.

Sat 13 May 2023 🧢 2nd XIv Gore Court CC · AwayformWWWLL

Was there ever a season where the wickets came this easy? On a fine May Saturday we made the trip to Gore Court, the coin obliged, and I had no hesitation putting us in.

What followed was as tidy an afternoon with the bat as we've managed in a while. Craig Sands played the innings of the day, 72 not out and still there at the death, while Will Thew's 34 and Aaron Hughes's 29 gave the innings its backbone after an opening stand of 50. Even our extras chipped in a handy 30, which says more about the bowling on offer than any great indiscipline on our part. All told, 241/5 from forty overs — a total that already had the tea urn feeling smug.

Then Gore Court came out to bat, and things rather fell apart for them. Two down for two set the tone, and by 36-7 the "floodgates" line was doing some serious work in the scorebook — Paul Geary, Mark Garbett and Scott Upward all departed without so much as a single to their names. Matthew Carter was the chief tormentor with 4-13, ably assisted by Nick Tromp (2-6), Nolan Wilde (2-21) and five parsimonious maidens from Tim Thirkell, whose own wicket haul Carter now leaps past into 9th on the club's all-time list. I even found time to bowl 34 runs' worth of overs myself, for what that's worth.

They folded for 51. Won by 190 runs, two points banked, and not a word of complaint from anyone on our side of the boundary rope.

Sat 13 May 2023 🧢 1st XIv Gore Court CC · HomeformLLLDW

Saturday 13 May, and we welcomed Gore Court CC to Linton Park under skies that couldn't quite decide whether to shower on us or not. I won the toss — a rare enough event to note in the log — and stuck us in the field, fancying the conditions suited seam over stroke-play. It turned out rather more emphatic than I'd dared hope.

Gore Court's innings resembled a house of cards in a draught. Three down for one before anyone had settled, and from there it was carnage: 5 for 4 in a blink, with Matthew Roche, Alex Campbell and Majid Sialvi all back in the pavilion without so much as a single to their names. All out for 13 from just 11 overs — one imagines their scorer barely had time to sharpen his pencil. The afternoon belonged entirely to Alex Keeler, whose 6 for 5 (two of them maidens, for good measure) was as complete a spell as this club has seen in some time, richly supported by Anthony Karassellos's tidy 3 for 7.

Chasing 14, we wandered to victory in 2.3 overs without loss — barely time to finish the tea urn. Ten wickets, two points, and Gore Court left wondering what had hit them. Henry Bourdillon continues to purr along nicely in the run charts, while Keeler now leads the wicket-takers by some distance — on this evidence, deservedly so. A ruthless, joyous afternoon's cricket, and thoroughly, thoroughly earned.

Sun 07 May 2023 🧢 Sunday NVKCv High Halstow CC · HomeformWWWLW

Sunday 7th May, and drizzle over Linton Park as we welcomed High Halstow CC. I called correctly at the toss and stuck us in the field, a decision I'm rather pleased to take credit for now the runs are safely on the board. It's not the sort of afternoon a captain dreams of when he elects to bowl — grey skies, damp outfield — but the lads didn't seem to mind, and neither, in the end, did the scorebook.

Sam Boyns was the story with the ball, ripping through the middle order for 3-14 with three maidens thrown in for good measure — the sort of miserly spell that makes a captain's job look easy. Martin Harris (2-26) and Tobey Castle (1-6) tidied up round the edges, though Andrew Maurice's obstinate half-century of 54 gave High Halstow something to cling to before they folded for 124 in the 37th over.

Chasing it down should have been a formality, and largely was, if you don't mind the odd nervous wobble at 4 down. Henry Bourdillon top-scored with a composed 49, Benjamin Austin chipping in handsomely with 37, and we cantered home in 20.2 overs for the loss of four wickets. Bourdillon now sits proudly atop our Sunday run charts for the season with 92, while Boyns leads the wicket-takers with 4 — form worth watching as the summer unfolds.

A good day's work, then: bowled with discipline, chased with composure, and home by six wickets without ever truly breaking sweat. The captain, for once, will take the plaudits alongside the lads.

Sun 07 May 2023 🧢 Sunday 2nd XIv HC Holborough Anchorians CC · HomeformLLLLL

Skipper's Log, Sunday 07 May 2023. We welcomed Holborough Anchorians CC for what the forecast rather optimistically called a pleasant afternoon — pleasant it was, if you don't mind a spot of drizzle finding its way down the back of your collar. I won the toss and had no hesitation in electing to bat, and for once the skipper's hunch didn't let anyone down.

We limped and lurched to 118/9 from our forty overs, saved from real embarrassment by Nolan Wilde, whose unbeaten 52 was the innings' backbone, with Junaid Mufti chipping in a handy 20. Elsewhere the ledger was less flattering — poor Frank Harbord took the long walk back for a duck, and I trust he's already planning his revenge.

With the ball, though, we were a different side entirely. Holborough were bowled out for 110 in 39 overs, undone by some proper club cricket bowling. Tim Thirkell was magnificent, 3-18, and in doing so nudged past John Ames into 9th on the club's all-time wicket-takers list — a fine milestone on a damp Sunday. Nolan Wilde backed up his batting with 3-33, while Srikrishna Challa was miserly in the extreme, 2-12 with five maidens, and had the satisfaction of a duck to his name too, along with Tim's. I even managed 3-18 myself, which felt rather greedy after the 52.

A fine win by 8 runs. Onwards.

Sun 07 May 2023 🧢 Sunday 1st XIv Borstal CC · AwayformWWWWL

Beaten before we started, some would say—drizzle, a lost toss, and Borstal electing to bat, which on a day like Sunday tells you all you need to know about how the coin landed. Still, the lads set to it, and Thomas Beeney was in irresistible mood, ripping through with 4-42 and, more importantly, bringing up 500 career wickets in the process—a landmark that rather puts one's own contributions in perspective. Richard Knowler (3-33) and Nick Tromp (2-38) chipped in nobly, and James Tingley went back for a duck to keep the attack's spirits up. But David Round's well-made 98 and Sam Pepper's 44, built on a stand of 89 for the second wicket, saw the opposition to a formidable 220 all out.

Chasing that lot was always going to be uphill, and so it proved. We slipped from 19-1 to 38-4 in the sort of rush that has grown men reaching for the tea urn early, and were all out for 82. John Karassellos joined the Duck Club with a nought of his own, while poor Glen Rawson had a torrid time behind the stumps, 11 byes finding their way past him in the drizzle. I managed a watchful 17 with the bat and found some late consolation with 4 wickets, but by then the damage was well and truly done.

Beaten by 138 runs, then—no dressing that up. But with Beeney now topping both our run and wicket charts and a bit of career history to celebrate, there's more to smile about than the scorebook suggests. We'll regroup, dry out, and come back stronger next week.

Sat 06 May 2023 🧢 1st XIv BC Broadstairs CC · AwayformLLLLD

Broadstairs on a Saturday in May, and the heavens had clearly not read the fixture list — a pleasant enough afternoon in the sense that it was thoroughly wet, but wet it undoubtedly was. We lost the toss, were duly sent out to field first, and no doubt somewhere a groundsman winced.

Batting second suited us rather well in the end, as we posted 249/6 from our 45 overs — the innings built almost single-handedly by Tobey Castle, who brought up three figures with 101 in a knock that did most of the heavy lifting himself, well supported by Henry Bourdillon's 38 and Mark Christmas's 29. A total to defend, and defend it we did.

Broadstairs never really got going. Martin Harris was magnificent, ripping through with 4-35 and, in the process, sailing past 600 career wickets while leapfrogging Mark Christmas into 12th on the club's all-time list — a landmark not many of us will trouble in a lifetime. Anthony Karassellos (3-16) and Alex Keeler (2-18, with two tidy maidens thrown in) squeezed the life out of the innings either side of him, Thomas Izzard and Joshua Amos departing without so much as a run to their names, and Broadstairs were bowled out for 129 in 35.2 overs.

A 120-run win, then, and a personal 101 I shan't pretend wasn't satisfying. Milestones, centuries, and five wickets shared about — not a bad afternoon's work for a soggy Saturday. Onwards.

Sun 30 Apr 2023 🧢 Sunday NVKCv OC Offham CC · HomeformLWWWL

We won the toss and I put Offham in — the right call, though I say that about most decisions that come off. A pleasant, drizzly sort of afternoon greeted us, the kind that makes bowlers grin and batsmen grumble, and the lads set about restricting the visitors to 96/7 from their forty overs. Neil Willis top-scored for them with 37, but Anthony Karassellos was in fine, miserly form with 2-17, well backed by Alex Keeler's 1-3 from five maidens — not a run given away lightly, that — and Tobey Castle chipped in with 1-9. Tidy stuff all round.

Chasing 97 to win, we barely broke sweat. David Sibley and Harry Legg were the only two of ours to trouble the scorers not at all — sent back without a run between them, though happily to little consequence — as Benjamin Austin and Henry Bourdillon simply strolled to victory unbeaten, Austin cruising to a well-earned fifty (50 not out) and Bourdillon right alongside him on 43 not out. Fourteen and a bit overs and it was done: 98/0.

A word too for Thomas Beeney, whose solitary wicket nudged him past Allan Cooper into 17th on the club's all-time list — a quiet bit of history amid the merriment. Austin now leads our 2023 Sunday run charts, Karassellos the wickets.

Ten wickets, two points, and barely a blade of grass troubled in the chase. A thoroughly satisfactory Sunday.

Sat 29 Apr 2023 🧢 2nd XIv DC Detling CC · AwayformWWWWL

As the toss went against them and they had 64 all out, I'll write the report now.

Detling proved a stern host on a grey but pleasant Saturday, and the coin didn't do us any favours — they had a look at the pitch first and stuck us in to bat. Quite why is now written in the scorebook: 64 all out from 31 overs is not the stuff of legend. David T Lowen and Martin Rivers both walked back without troubling the scorers, and your correspondent must confess to a duck of his own — the less said about that particular vigil at the crease, the better.

Sixty-four was never going to frighten anyone, but the lads dug in gamely with the ball. Sam King was the pick of the attack, prising out three for 18, with Inus Joubert chipping in for good measure, and Ian Hollingworth bowling three tidy maidens to choke the boundaries. We even had Detling's Gary Knope and Matthew Noakes back in the hutch without scoring — small mercies. But Matt Browse played the sensible innings the situation demanded, seeing his side home unbeaten on 35 as they reached 65 for 4 with overs to spare.

So it finished a six-wicket defeat, and no amount of positive spin will dress that up as anything but a chastening afternoon. Sam King's three wickets keep him top of our 2nd XI bowling charts, and Aaron Hughes still leads the run tally, so all is not lost for the season. For now, though: heads up, chins up, and back to the nets.