It's raining, men.

Yesterday was one of those days when you really learn a lot about your team; their attitude and will to win are tested. As is patience and ability to conjure up some fun out of a frustrating afternoon.

The firsts travelled to Bledlow Ridge, perhaps some more in hope than anticipation. New ground for all of us, I think. Perched on top of a ridge (unsurprisingly), and above Bledlow too. Amazing!!

It really is a picture; tree lined and with views all around over beautiful countryside. On a sunny Saturday it would be one of the best places to play cricket anywhere. Sadly we arrived in a cloak of drizzle that only permitted occasional views and showed little sign of lifting.

Luckily 12 people wanted to play a game of cricket, fortunately one of them was Ridge Captain, John Rolfe.

Diddymen will always make the best out of any situation so the playfair cricket quiz book came out as Simon (I'll have a P Bob) Pritchard did his best to confuse with a quiz that seemed to be themed on providing the answer to a question slightly different to the one asked. We had a session of beat the intro on iphones that provided further proof of the gulf in taste and class between todays callow youth and us veterans who were around when they made proper music. (Note to said callow youth: try listening to music where a) guitars feature prominently, b) Someone in the band wrote the music and words, c) they use a drum and a bass, not drum n' bass.)

The oppo. were locked in their changing room to stop them all going home; they made occasional appearances to moan about the rain and complain that we should all have gone home hours ago.

Skipper Gates remained ruthlessly positive throughout, insisting that it would brighten up and that we would go on to record a famous victory.

A rather splendid tea was taken at twenty past three, Sir Mel of Cookshire attempting to beat the record for the tallest pile of sandwiches record set by Brockett at Sandford last year. Forget it Mel, that record will stand for ever.

Anyway, we finally got some cricket started at ten to four, Gates calling correctly and inviting Ridge to have a bat for up to 40 overs, leaving us with 20 to try and beat their total. Incidentally can anyone else imagine a more ridiculous way to split 60 overs?

I felt that restricting them to 150 would be a par score and anything less was very gettable. We were still full of energy and raring to go. Ridge started positively before the Caretaker took a smart catch at square leg from the bowling of Morne, who again looked threatening and kept things very tight. Northern Gravy flew down the hill, the wind at his back. I lost count of the number of times he was edged over the slips or beat the outside edge. Matt accounted for numbers 3 and 4 to leave Ridge on 66 for 3. Top bowling Bongo.

Cookie replaced Morne and took the edge 3 times in his first over, meanwhile Ridge opener Brooks had scored a neat half century and was looking like he might go on to make things difficult for us. We needn't have worried as Cookie threw down his deadly half volley again and it was spooned weakly to Morne at mid off.

Ridge were looking less and less up for it with every passing moment, searching the heavens for divine intervention is a risky strategy for winning games of cricket, much better to stay positive and focus in my book. Sure enough our strategy seemed to work as Cookie took another 3 wickets in 6 balls with two exceptional catches from Bris whilst standing up. Even better when you factor in a painful and stiff knee. Well done Brockett, I love the commitment you showed yesterday. Cookie finished with 4 for 13 from his 7 overs, another top spell from the 'Westlife fan of the year (2008)'.

We had enough time for one over from the caretaker, who turned one through the gate to leave Ridge on 103 for 8 from 31 overs. The heavens opened at this point and we trudged off knowing that was it for the day. The naysayers and doom mongers were, I suppose proved right. We could have gone home at 1pm and achieved the same 6 points.

We were born and raised to play cricket however, and that is what we will do until the great man in the sky (Sir Viv), prises the ball from our bony lifeless hands many years from now.

Until next week, Cricket fans

Young Guns

Hey sucker what the hells got into you?

I wonder what contorted thoughts were whirling around George's mind as he wrote these lines back before most of you were born. George was an icon to an impressionable teenager; the big hair, sports wear and matey heterosexuality were an intoxicating mixture for someone brought up in Devizes.

I couldn't have guessed what the deeper meaning of 'I'm Your Man' was at the time. Where did it all go wrong George? You could have had your pick of either Pepsi or Shirlie and instead went down an altogether different path.

Summer arrived yesterday and hopefully it is here to stay, most things are better with the sun on your back, cricket is most definitely one of them.

The men of Tiddington were welcomed to the Field of Dreams in what promised to be our first real test of the season. Tiddy are a decent side but ending up being out played and outfought by Diddy.

Putting them in to bat on a hot, sticky afternoon can make you unpopular as a Captain, nobody enjoys running around when they could be sat in the cool of the changing room. The bowlers responded without complaint and we had them at 64 for 5 with two wickets for Stimpo and The Judge with one for Crabby. The next 16 overs yielded a mere 37 runs with no wickets. It was a little dull to be honest; Tiddy just shut up shop and seemed to be batting for an imaginary draw before they realised that they were batting first and finally woke up. The next 10 overs was a calypso carnival of wild, reckless shots played with a gay abandon. 23 runs were scored.

We did take 4 wickets though, The Caretaker serving up an irresistible mixture of cleverly flighted stuff with late dip and drift thrown into the mix. He threw down the odd pie as well to keep them honest. They didn't have the stomach for the pies and managed to hit them tamely straight to us. I was tempted to call one of them back after he hit his first ball (a slow long hop) limply to square leg. It didn't seem fair that someone get out that way. I didn't of course.

A flurry at the end would set us a target of 157 to win before Stimpo finished off the tail.

After a superb tea taken picnic style of the grass we were ready to set about the chase. Tiddy's opening bowler had a rear end that would have made Fred Trueman proud and George Michael's heart race. He blustered in, huffed and puffed and generated good pace and accuracy with movement as well. Pritch was the only one to stay with Vish for any sort of a partnership, hitting a couple of lusty maximums on the way to a quick fire 23. We found ourselves at 58 for 5 and in a spot of bother. I can truly say that I wasn't worried though, I never doubted we would come through.

Vishane hadn't looked troubled at all, his will to keep on going, never altering his processes and always having the toughness of mind to wear his opponents down. He was like a gladiator, repelling everything thrown at him, he couldn't be tempted to throw it away. He was an inspiration to the rest of us.

He was joined by Broughtie who did what he does best, he nurdled, cajoled and coaxed the ball. Is he the Collingwood of Didcot? It was certainly a nuggety performance.

We beat them by 5 wickets. Didcot's Young Guns had done the business for us. Step up Jack Stimpson - 3 for 29; Jordan Morrison - 4 for 27 and most impressively Vishane Perera with 76 not out.

Please spare a thought for Lord Brockett who has been next man in in all three games so far and has cumulatively spent 65 overs padded up. Your time will come next week - I promise!

No report from the 2nds and 4ths yet, I can report that Viraj's Army is still top after taking 16 points from a game they dominated. Birkinshaws Brigade are improving week on week and are mid table despite losing a close game yesterday

Witney Mills 2nds scored the winning runs with 2 balls to go to beat the 3rds. Batting first, Didcot scored 194 for 8 in their 45 overs. Haydn found his 2009 form and top scored with 41, although lucky to be dropped in the slips when still on 0. Sam C proved once again that he is a genuine all rounder with a classy 33 and Jose and Santosh both scored 28. Jose decided to score most of his runs through extra cover, they finally caught him after the sixth lofted drive and Santosh was so upset at being caught off their dibbly dobbly 60 year old bowler, his bat was flung to the floor in disgust before the ball had even been caught.

In reply Witney got off to a flyer with the 50 coming up in the 9th over. Robbie bowled with great pace and hostility but the faster it came at them, the faster it was going to the boundary. Les bowled excellently in his 3rd team debut before an injury forced him out of the attack after 3 overs. DP helped slow down the run rate and then the introduction of Mike brought immediate rewards with the opener caught behind with his third ball. This brought out their star batsman, Richard Tilly who took a fancy to the bowling and continued to keep the score board ticking over. Sam Couldrick picked up the other opener in his first over, stumped by Elvis, and with Witney 116 for 2 we were into the tail! Robbie came back into the attack and clean bowled the next two to finish with 2-58 and Mick picked up another, 2-44. The star of the bowlers was Sam who collected another three wickets including Tilly when he was on 89. Sam finished with figures of 4 for 33 from 12 overs, an outstanding display. However Didcot could not pick up the final 2 wickets and lost in the final over.

Witney's top three batsman scored, 17, 53 and 89. The highest score from the next seven was 6 and had we only been able to hold onto some of the chances that they gave early on, it could have been a completely different result. The ground fielding was much better than last week and the batting and bowling was much improved as well. Catches win matches the saying goes....yesterday we confirmed it is correct!!

Tame

Yesterday's tea at the field of dreams was influenced by Jimi Hendrix and the Pixies, more on this later.

Didcot's premier side returned to winning ways with a thumping victory over the auld enemy of Thame.

Skipper Gates made his only telling contribution of the day by calling correctly after flipping his lucky coin, and invited the oppo. to have a bat on what looked like a belter of a track. The Field of Dreams looked a picture yesterday, flag flying proudly in the sunshine. It almost brought a lump to my throat as I strode back towards the pavilion.

Early strikes from Matt and Stimpo had Thame at 6 for 2, great start. A mini revival saw Thame limp to 45 for 2 when something remarkable happened. Cookie threw down a slow-medium paced half volley, conveniently outside off stump, nothing remarkable so far. The batsman absolutely creamed it through extra cover, as it deserved. He hadn't expected Naughty Broughty to even see it let alone pluck it out of the air and hang on. Catch!!

That catch changed the game as Cookie, now with his tail up bowled beautifully in his 7 over spell to finish with 5 for 22. His best senior figures, so far. Matt provided fantastic support to finish with 3 for 23 from 16 magnificent overs.

Diddy needed 69 to win and it was only ten to three!

We knocked the runs off in around an hour for the loss of a couple, Matt and Cookie finishing with 27 not out each. Far sterner tests lie ahead I am sure.

Tea was taken at 4pm with the match over. As we sat eating our rolls and water melon, one of us was blissfully unaware that one of the Tesco mini pasties had been laced with LSD (A psychoactive, mind bending drug, credited with influencing many of the great creative minds of the sixties and seventies). This drug tricks the mind into conjuring up strange hallucinatory experiences. How else can you explain watching the Champions League semi final in the back of a car with an olympic medal winner then coining the now immortal line " My taxidermist is a part time cage fighter". This is what happens when you finish at 4pm and then start drinking. It is perhaps just as well we had left by the time the thirds returned.

Didcot 2nds won the toss and invited Kimble to bat first. Openers Les Addison and Carl Hancock started off well with tight and accurate bowling, Carl taking 3 wickets in his spell of 7 overs. Rob Keat and Sam Smith took over next. Both bowled well and Rob was unlucky not to take more than the two wickets he took. The best bowling performance came from Sam coming in from the 3^rd eleven in the 11^th hour on Saturday morning to cover for Henry Latimer called up to the 1^st. Sam was consistent, pitching the ball in the right spot to take his first ever five wicket haul- well done Sam.

Kimble were all out for 77 in the 26^th over. Too early for tea so straight back on the field with Prasad and Viraj opening the innings for Didcot.

Didcot lost Prasad Kankadandi when total was 19. Connor Morrison joined Viraj Perera and saw it through to tea at the 15th over with the total at 29 for one. After tea Viraj 40 not out and Connor 22 not out, hit the winning four to pass the home team total of 77 in the sixth over after tea to win the match in the 21^st over;

3rd Team match report.

The thirds hung on for a draw against Tiddington 3rds at Crowmarsh. Bowling first Didcot got off to a great start with Dan Stainthorpe picking up a wicket in his first over. Dan bowled beautifully, good length bowling with late in swing, and finished with excellent figures of 2-22. Mick at the other end took 6 overs to loosen up and picked up 2 wickets with excellent catches in the slips from Clive. 2-40 from 13 overs, another top performance from him. Narendra Mandadapu was making his 3rd team debut and toiled away for 16 straight overs, 1-63 not a fair reflection on how well he bowled. Sam Couldrick was not on as devastating form as last week but still showed excellent flight and turn but Boggy, promoted after last weeks display in the 4ths, bowled straight and took advantage of some indifferent bounce to take 3-20. Tiddington finished on 180 for 8 in their 45 overs, with their captain and opening batsman scoring 79 of them.

In reply, Didcot got off to a flyer with Elvis dispatching their opening bowler for 2 sixes in the first over. Unfortunately his stay at the crease was ended with the 9th ball of the innings. Sam, Boggy and Scanni all batted well but wickets fell regularly and Didcot were 55 for 5. This brought Clive and Mick together at the crease and they put on a stand of 60, with some text book shots and front foot slaps. You can work out who was playing each shot yourself! Clive was bowled for 34 by an excellent delivery and when Narendra got a ball that didn't bounce and hit middle stump, Didcot were 120 for 7 and looking to save the game. Jonny Meardon batted bravely and stuck with Mick, until Mick top edged an attempted pull (not sure why he was playing that shot with 5 overs to go!!) and was out for 36. Jonny departed in the next over, leaving Dan and DP to bat out 5 overs. DP batted sensibly to start, but when the bowler dropped it short he could not resist. His comment of 'I'll have a bit of that' left the fielders in stitches and the bowler not amused. 2 balls later he dropped it short again, and the ball got the same treatment. Rumour has it that DP was spotted at the Field of Dreams having a net on Saturday morning, somebody should tell him that you can't teach an old dog new tricks! Dan demonstrated a text book defence. He faced 20 balls from 2 hostile fast bowlers and did not give a chance. Didcot finished on 155 for 9. A better display in the field with regard to catching but we still need to improve our ground fielding.

Having secured the draw, the third team were disappointed to arrive back at the Field of Dream for a celebratory drink, only to find it all locked up. The second week running this has happened, some thirsty third team players suggested that maybe the thirds should play all the home games at the field of dreams as they seem to be the only side that can make a game of cricket last the distance and therefore maximise the bar profits!!

Didcot 4ths having had one drop out on Friday night and two more on Saturday it was therefore with some relief that we started the game with 11 players. To be fair we finished the game with 11 players, it is just that inbetween we only had 9. Oxford and Bletchingdon won the toss and put us in to bat. We moved to 19 for 2 before Biplob edged one onto his chin leaving a gaping gash from which the blood poured. Jonathan sacrificed himself and then drove Biplob to hospital to have the wound stitched up. The Didcot 4th IX struggled on, aided by extras, until the 34th over when we were all out for 159 (actually 159 for 8, but the hospital visitors had not returned). Some old geezer called Simon managed to carry his bat and score 63 not out with Alex Rodman scoring a useful 20. Biplob and Jonathan returned half way through tea, but too late to bat. Oxford and Bletchingdon crept towards their target losing the odd wicket on the way and finally passed the Didcot total in the 42nd over for the loss of six wickets. Four dropped catches did not help the Didcot cause. Chad took 3 for 20 in 8 overs.

A good all round performance, better than last week, but again we did not help our cause by dropping catches and not batting out our overs, even if we batted with 9 players.

Idiot Wind

So, fellow Diddymen, here we go again. How have the last 7 months treated you? What have you been up to? Me?........ extremely well thanks for asking; moved house, went to Thailand, assaulted a duck in Dubai. That sort of thing.

My Sunday evenings now have their structure back, open a decent bottle of wine and sit in front of the 'puter waiting for inspiration to strike having got all of the mundane stuff out of the way. Wonderful.

Come to think of it yesterday felt a bit different to the last few months, a nervous sense of anxiety permeates the first thoughts and then a leap out of bed to see what the weather was looking like, than pacing around waiting for the squeeze to get her act together so we can head to the Field of Dreams.

Rather surprisingly we played some cricket yesterday. The seconds had the first 'proper' cricket match of the season at the field of Dreams; it is best to gloss over the details to spare collective embarrassment. Plenty of room for improvement. A similar summary from the 4ths as well by all accounts.

The 3rds tried to throw the game away but eventually beat Bicester & NO 3rds in a thrilling climax.

Didcot won the toss and skipper DP had no hesitation in putting Bicester in. Mike Slade bowled well and was unlucky not to pick up an early wicket. DP was not on his best form and took himself off after 3 overs although he did leave a lasting mark on the game, a giant dent on the edge of the pitch caused by him attempting a return catch and sprawling across the strip. The introduction of Raj into the attack had immediate results. Raj has obviously been perfecting his killer ball all winter, a leg side long hop which consecutive batsman managed to nick to Haydn. Haydn picked up his third catch soon after off Mike's bowling but not content with getting the batsman out once, decided to run him out as well! Raj (3-19) and Mike (4-33) picked up more wickets with straight bowling and the spin twins, Sam and Sam were soon introduced to the attack. Sam Smith bowled beautifully for no reward and Sam Couldrick (2- 31) showed great control and flight, dismissing the danger man when he tempted him down the track with Haydn completing the stumping. Bicester were bowled out for 124 inside 40 overs.

Raj and Elvis got the reply off to a steady start with an opening partnership of 25 before Raj was dismissed for 16. Elvis and Santosh took the score onto 50 before Elvis was out for 21. The score reached 72 when Santosh holed out. 53 needed and 7 wickets in hand, surely not a problem. However a mini collapse took the score to 86 for 7 and it looked as though Bicester might pull off an unlikely win. Sam Couldrick and Mike rescued the situation, Sam playing some classy shots and Mick bludgeoning any loose bowling. Sam (15) got a cracker and was out with Didcot still needing 20 runs. DP strode to the crease and having seen his batting in the past, things were not looking good. However DP showed great restraint and held up one end allowing Mick to continue to flay any wide balls to the point boundary. DP eventually succumbed to temptation and went to slog a short ball, only to get bowled round his legs. 1 wicket remaining, 5 runs needed and it was all down to Mike and Sam Smith. Sam played 2 shots excellent shots off his legs and the scores were tied. The pressure got to the bowler and a wide ball won the game for Didcot, Mike Slade the saviour of the innings with an unbeaten 21.

An excellent start to the third teams season, roll on next week!!

The 1sts travelled down the road to Challow, a side that 12 months ago was two seasons above us. There is a chance that a year from now the reverse will be true.

We outplayed them from ball one. They behaved like a side that didn't want to play cricket at all, and we performed like a side that hadn't missed a beat since last September's triumph at Wolverton. The banter started from the first minute, Jimmy Perera has grown taller and stronger, Matt has a new bionic ankle that means he can literally leap over buildings, Bernard has the knees of a roof tiler, The Judge hasn't changed at all, The caretaker seems strangely matured, like a good cheese. As for the Don? he looks much younger, now bowls right arm over and calls himself Juan Stimpy.

Our reputation now precedes us and We were invited to bat having lost the toss. The Judge and Jimmy opened up and were in complete control rattling up 89 for the first wicket before The Judge avoided a jug and got out for 49. Northern Gravy strode to the crease with a point to prove, not sure what it was but he looked like he meant business and was in good touch until he trapped a nerve in his shoulder. This brought Cookie to the crease and he and Jimmy were not parted before we declared on 252 after 43 overs. Cookie thrashed the ball pretty much wherever he liked and ended up on 63 not out from 49 balls. Jimmy carried his bat for what turned out to be a man of the match 80 not out.

We took to the field after a rather splendid tea in at least 5 layers of clothes. Challow never really looked up for it and we took wickets regularly to keep up the pressure. A fine debut for Juan Stimpy after he found his length, including prize scalp of Ian (div. 1) Demain. Matt decided that the best way to deal with a trapped nerve was to bowl, he looked like a stroke victim at one point but as ever gave 100% and dismissed both openers.

The Laurel and Hardy of spin were reunited and took 4 wickets between them in conditions that helped not one jot. The Judge taking 3 fer. Special mention to Brockett, taking 2 smart catches and an excellent stumping.

In the end we fell short by 1 wicket, catches win matches, and we dropped three important ones. Conditions for catching were poor........the ball was like a bar of soap. No excuses though, we should have won.

So, to next week, we host the Thame bunnies and will make sure that we improve and claim 25 points. I can't wait...........