Norfolk Tour 12/13 June 2015

Rain and grey skies, cold and wet – summed up the Refreshers tour of Norfolk this year. Our hosts (Holkham on Saturday and the Nocturnes on Sunday) could not have been kinder or more accommodating and ensured that not a ball was lost to weather. On Saturday we won the toss and batted in a 35 over game. Michael Edwards and Richard Saunders notched up scores in the mid 20’s as we slid to 89 for 9 after 20 overs. So, run rate Ok and everything to bat for during the final 15 overs, at which point our President ran himself out on a suicide mission apparently designed to get us back into the Victoria before rigour mortis set in. 92 was never likely to be enough; our bowlers then bowled tightly and pretty well but despite the Minister of Justice taking a creditable 3 for not many, Holkham inched over the line with 6 down.The Victoria did indeed prove to be warmer than the cricket ground.

Dinner at Titchwell Manor was excellent and probably the high point of the weekend, although the WAGS all seemed to enjoy the afternoons as well.

On Sunday (at Salle Hall) we lost the toss and were put into the field. The track was a slow wet pudding and it became quickly obvious that despite some painfully geriatric fielding on our part, this was going to be a low scoring match. Thus it proved. The Nocturnes finally posted 85 in 18 overs, and notwithstanding a somewhat mixed bowling attack and a defiant 19 from Tom Dumont – retired wounded after a full-bunger landed on his nose – and 13 from Gordon Lee – our dismal on-field weekend continued, to leave us 15 short at the end. Warm soup in the Bell at Cawston, courtesy of Adney Payne and his Nocturnes, provided a welcome, if subdued, antidote.

Saunders, Cannon, Lee, Faulks, Cayford and Warlow all bowled better than we fielded and batted this weekend. It seems clear that Trevor Bailiss will have to sort us out in the coming months and revitalise our one day squad if we are to have any hope of attracting back the full crowds now watching the England v New Zealand series.