Let's dance

Where were you in 1983? What were you doing? And what were you wearing? I wonder.

Some of you out there weren't even a twinkle in someones eyes, some of you were wearing loud shorts and smoking cigars, others were someone's fag and one or two were sparking their clogs against the kerb stones up T'North, dreaming of colour TV and vitamins.

I was poncing about Wiltshire in baggy grey trousers, a zip up burgundy and grey shirt and grey slip on shoes. I even had a ridiculous gelled up sort of quiff come wedge haircut. I looked a complete tit.

They say all fashion comes around again. This particular era seems to have been missed in the retro scene, although judging by some of the young folk around Didcot it may be about to re-surface.

You see, the hipsters all wanted to be David Bowie, this was perhaps his least cool period in a career that spans 40 years; it's all relative though as he was still sub zero. Incidentally if you don't own any Bowie, shame on you.

Somewhere in the Cherwell area a young father stared lovingly at his young son whilst he hummed to himself - 'Under the moonlight, this serious moonlight'. He may have muttered something else, but history doesn't record the full details.

Never mind, for his son grew up with a passion for music and cricket and a fetish for brightly coloured shoes.

The sun was high above the yard arm yesterday as the ram shackle collection of Banbarians wandered across the outfield at the Field of Dreams.

We waited eagerly like a pride of lions that has just seen it's next easy meal wander across the savannah. Win the (Bloody) toss and ask them to bat and 25 points would surely be ours. I lost the (bloody) toss and of course Barry  - has someone ever looked, walked and acted more like a 'Barry'? asked us to bat. Not sure why, neither was his team. It seemed like a recipe for spoiling everyones afternoon and almost guaranteeing collecting virtually zero points and falling back into the relegation mix. Barry did just that, thanks Barry.

We racked up 261 in only 48 overs of unremarkable bowling, everyone went for lots, no one was good and no one was awful. It takes real desire, focus, concentration and technical ability to really cash in against such an attack. It is easy to relax and throw your wicket away and then spend the rest of the afternoon regretting it.

As Tubes laced up his red shoes it was obvious he wanted to cash in on his rich vein of form that had seen him score over 150 runs in the last couple of weeks.

What we saw over the next 150 minutes was one of, if not the, finest innings at Didcot. Always in control and with hardly a false shot he put away virtually every bad ball, kept out the good ones and in doing so scored his maiden Didcot century on his way to equalling the second highest Cherwell League Didcot score. 144 not out. He was supported along the way Northern Gravy with a boundary riddled 50 and then some hitting at the end from Bris and Bernard.

As if this performance wasn't enough for one day it was followed up with the tea of the season so far, who knew cup cakes be so good.

The Banbarians came out to bat with no ambition other than to frustrate and accumulate as few points as possible. Jose has produced a fine track this year and it rewards positive cricket. Sadly Banbury don't know what positive cricket is. All the bowlers gave it their all, The caretaker was rewarded with  his second five for of the season, well deserved for another fine spell. Tigger swept up the tail and finished with 4. To all of our disappointment we couldn't take the last wicket. We ended with 20 points, Banbury 3.

So the second Field of Dreams ton this season, and what a cracker it was. Let's hope it isn't the last of the season. We need an improved performance next week at Horspath, crucially we must take the chances when they come.