Brockley’s first team travelled to Nowton for the first time in about 30 years. It was always remembered as a delightful ground where the cricket would be competitive, the welcome generous and the result rarely positive. In an ever changing and often disturbing world it is comforting to know that some things remain constant. All that was missing was a couple of Leeks’s in the opposition line up and Dickie behind the stumps.

Brockley brought with them a full side (eventually) and the weather they collected at Nacton (from the start). Nowton were ready for them though and had provided Coleman (c) rain pods (as in things that sheltered you from the rain rather than simply doused you.) This was brilliant and came complete with seating to accommodate those who had made it to the ground and were waiting (briefly) to bat.

With such facilities it would have been rude for the rain not to have arrived and we weren’t at home to Mr Rude – or any of his equally unpleasant family. During the interludes the covers went on and off as both water and air played their part. During these intermissions not a single Brockley wicket fell.

Once the rain stopped, Whiley brought up his 50 – his first for the first team and something that had been on the cards for a while. He wasn’t able to go much beyond that as the rest of the team seemed to prefer the Coleman (c) shelter to the middle of the square. Whiley was last man out : whilst his 50 may have been a first, a Brockley run out involving Sykes was anything but.

in reply, Toby Steggles again showed great promise, Mark Geeves took the first of his 50 wickets this season and Sykes was, incomprehensibly, involved in another run out.

None of this had any bearing on a comprehensive and deserved victory for Nowton. On the basis of the day, aspirations that these two sides may not be playing in the same division next season seem very deliverable.
In the meantime, Brockley clearly need to quickly get the phone number for Coleman (c)