At the start of June I gave up my usual R&DCL appointment to stand in Barkby United’s annual fixture against The Authors CC - a club which was resurrected some three years ago after an absence of some 100 years.
The original club, apparently, included in its ranks the likes of P G Wodehouse, A A Milne and Arthur Conan Doyle whilst the present membership includes the ex-Kent, Middlesex and England batsman, Ed Smith, although he was not playing in this particular game. It was a very enjoyable afternoon and the hosts have invited me to stand in a special T20 match next month.
An interesting-looking BUCS Championship match became a victim of the wet weather before I travelled to Peterborough for the first time this season where the hosts, somewhat understrength, slipped to a shock defeat at the hands of newly promoted Market Overton, who appear to have recruited well.
A re-arranged game followed in which Nottingham University were too strong for their Leicester counterparts. Interestingly, the Nottingham side included eight players with the same surnames as post-war first-class cricketers, including Gooch and Tavare.
A five minute journey took me to Fairfield Road, the home of Market Harborough CC who are very much in a period of transition having lost eight or nine players. The club has a thriving junior section but the recovery will take time.
The second XIis struggling to fulfil its fixtures and was no match for their Loughborough visitors who rattled up 302 for four before declaring. The home side were never close and, at one point, lost five wickets in eight balls, including a hat-trick.
Remarkably, I was to witness a second hat-trick the following day as I stood in the inaugural R&DCL T20 competition. Wisbech Town, with their array of Minor Counties players on view, marched onto Finals Day on run-rate and could go all the way.
A return visit to the well-appointed Hertfordshire County Ground at Long Marston, where a splendid tea is always on offer, was followed by a first-ever visit to the home of Ipswich Cricket Club. On each occasion the visitors, Leicestershire 60+ and Northants 50+ respectively, came up short and the stage is now set for a showdown between Herts 60+ and Northants 60+ who are both unbeaten.
Three appointments on consecutive days all produced relatively one-sided matches before a tremendous game saw Northants 50+ prevail by four runs in a match in which 500 runs were scored. One of the opposition glorified in the name ‘Denis Compton’ although his speciality was bowling, not batting.
In the meantime, Northants 60+ suffered their first group stage defeat in 25 matches, at the hands of Herts 60+ who look a well-balanced team and should go far in the competition.
A rain-interrupted, ill-tempered game was followed by a first visit of the season to, arguably, my favourite ground at Finedon who were relegated from Division One of the R&DCL last season.
The visitors, Castor & Ailsworth, were promoted from Division Three and are quickly finding their feet at the higher level. Having dismissed their hosts for a below-par 98, which represented something of a recovery from 30 for six, they cantered to a nine-wicket victory with their classy opening bat stroking a confident, unbeaten half-century.
The end of June heralded the half-way point in the season and I cannot believe it has passed so quickly. I have completed 40 appointments in 13 different competitions in ten different counties.
I find myself reflecting on the fact that Northants, who worked so hard to gain promotion last season, have endured their longest losing run for eight years and relegation now seems a certainty. Mind you, as we all know, cricket’s a funny game…