Visiting Hurley on Saturday for the annual fixture against Nally’s XI (Hampton Hill), I received a tip off that we would score 150. So I placed all my loose change down the bookies with Mo Ne Launda and sat back in full expectation of a future life of leisure. Imagine the shock and awe when Rita calculated 151 and I had lost everything. Surely Mike ‘the mask’ had acquired an extra run, but no, a 24 ball duck disputed that theory. I did not dare challenge the red headed statistician who was brooding menacingly. Double or quits I thought on 3 stumpings in the second half but Jacko kept hitting the stumps and I was left without a button to my name.

My reader keeps reminding me that I have not posted a blog for a while and I have to admit that I have been depressed about the 1XI losing their last 4 league games and finishing 6th as we did last year. Of course I am not factoring into my depression all the good things that are happening to Hurley; Fred and Val being awarded OCAR’s for their services to Hurley, the Saturday 2XI winning promotion, a thriving colts program and 3 very talented and enthusiastic U17 graduates to the seniors. There should be a fourth but he is lost to cyberspace and ‘hanging about’. My glass is always half empty, and not because I am waiting for someone to buy me a beer at the bar.

I bumped into Ian Hopes in the pub or as we imaginatively called him ‘Hopesy’, a legend who had a constant stream of young blond girlfriends who used to indulge his panache for night manoeuvres on the artificial wicket. Apparently there is a tape somewhere down the back of a settee. Hurry hurry before VHS becomes extinct.