Monday 26th August 2019

There is nothing like spending a lot of time doing absolutely nothing watching a game of village cricket. Behold - a long way off, seemed a lot closer in person, Winscombe 2nd 11 vs Frome Cricket Club 3rd 11. At the time I had no idea what was going on until I was joined by a most spritely aged gentlemen called Roger. The reason I found myself watching the cricket was twofold. Firstly I waited for Julie to emerge from a garden and arrive in Winscombe and secondly, I like watching cricket but haven't done it for years. My learned new best mate Roger lived 6 miles away and would pop over to do a spot of shopping and then, and only if, the cricket was in play he'd sit and watch it for a while, if they were not playing he's walk around the ground for exercise.  

Hard to know how old Roger was but he was a child in the Second World War, so at least 80. It's always a bittersweet moment meeting people for the first time, strangers, who after half an hour you feel their friendship is developing, only for a parting to bring about a permanent ending. I'll never see Roger again I should imagine, but know he played batsman and bowler in his younger days, and squash, was in the army (a funny story about a dropped bayonet on parade), lived in Dorset and the south east and wondered why there were not female umpires (Winscombe 2nd's it turned out is a mixed team, the long hair was a give away - turns out she is called Olivia Hayes) and why there's no good spin bowlers in the test team now. Dapperly dressed in tweed flat cap, smart slacks and a blue lambswool jumper. I was roasting in my sleeveless shirt as I said goodbye and that was that. A lovely old gentleman I spent part of my day with looking at this view.

I looked it up just now - we saw someone run out at 2 runs ( given in the results as Joshua Cantrell) and the result was a win to Windscombe 119-4 (revised score - skulduggery then?) against Frome 118 all out in 38.5 overs. Frome won the toss and elected to play first. Possibly an error there Frome. Well done Winscombe.

Temperature - 26oC..... much warmer watching the game.