Combe Down CC 252-3
Harptree Villages CC 137 all out
Combe Down won by 115 runs

As is so often the case, the murder took place in a delightful setting. In the Limpley Stoke valley, in the shadow of Brassknocker Hill, it took all of three hours for that carefully-engendered spirit of optimism and hope to fizzle out and drain away as we were comprehensively hammered by Combe Down.

I was first at the ground and was taking in the surroundings when I got the first inkling that it might not be our day. Three members of that 'strongest team available', selected so painstakingly seven days earlier, were conspicuous by their absence as the rest of the team made their way over the field. One of them, our best all-rounder, had broken his finger playing in a friendly on Saturday and is ruled out for some weeks.

From there, it all went downhill as we lost the toss and fielded first. I bowled my usual mixture of unplayable genius and total dross but had a couple of catches dropped off me, and managed to drop a sharp chance myself off my own bowling, which is heresy for a bowler! With those missing players though, we simply lack strength in depth and although we did well to restrict Combe Down, a strong batting side, to just 80-odd off the first 20 overs, they took full advantage of our lack of a 4th and 5th bowler by taking us apart in the second half of the innings to post 252-3. Our fielding was poor and it was an all too familiar story.

For us to get anywhere near 252, at least one person had to get a ton and when we lost our first three wickets for just 17, it was game over. I was promoted to no. 6 in the absence of our missing trio and I must admit I enjoyed myself, hammering four boundaries in a quick 24, the second top score, before getting a ball that kept low and cannoned into the bottom of my off stump. From there, the end was mercifully swift as the temperature had dropped alarmingly by 7.15pm.

About the only positive I can take from the game is my batting. After two winters of extra nets at Writhlington, I am clearly good enough to make runs regularly, which is encouraging. From the team's point of view, it's clear that we need our strongest team available every week to stand a chance of being competitive. That's unlikely to happen, I'm missing the next two games and the injury to the other Rich is a real blow. We need to get our younger players involved and get them to start contributing asap.

The one bright spot came as darkness fell. Our number 11 was practising whilst waiting for his turn at the crease and nudged the ball towards the river that runs around the ground. Chasing it, he overbalanced and finished up falling head first into the river in full kit, including his helmet! I never knew that a camera on a mobile phone would come in so handy! The end-of-year awards in November includes a 'Champagne Moment'. It's rare for the award to be clinched on the season's opening day! We won't let 'Poseidon' forget that one for a while.....

Last song on the iPod: Depeche Mode - Master And Servant