The Jolly Boys Cricket Club

Well it's the start of the evening and things are looking good. There's a strong turnout, the pitch is looking fresh (if slightly damp), the SB100 (tm) scoring machine is charged up and ready to go and there are at least two cases of beer.

So one thing's for sure... We're definitely "up for the cup"

Once again your humble scribe took up the offer of doing the book so this week sees yet more indistinct and far away pictures of us in the field. Unfortunately though, thanks to some ferocious South Shore batting, most of them seem to involve various Jolly Boys scurrying off to the boundary to retrieve the ball.

Oh look at this. Not content with spraying the poor thing around the ground they've only gone and split our match ball... Oh the expense... That ball is a family heirloom and we've been using it for the last 10 years (do stop exagerrating -ed.)

Well there's going to be much grumbling and searching down the back of sofas tonight now that we've got to stump up the cash for a new one.

As previously mentioned here's pictorial proof of the fine spectator turn out. Mind you I think the beings best pleased by this were the Hodgson midges who nearly wet themselves with excitement before proceeding to start feeding like a drunken uncle at a wedding buffet.

Honestly the little beasts are insatiable. At least the Red Cross stop after they've taken the first pint (not to mention giving you a nice cup of tea and a biscuit afterwards -ed.)

Well the South Shore innings ended without any further ball damage but with a massive total being registered. So once again the Jollys are batting and are chasing the run rate. Having lost a quick wicket here's a picture of Mr Eade playing a fine stroke for four.

Not to be outdone Jol plays a lovely stroke down towards third man. And there you were thinking that I didn't know where third man was (You didn't. You had to look it up on a cricket website -ed.)

Well, it's later in the game, the wickets are falling steadily and we're far, far behind the run rate. So now we can concentrate on more pressing matters like where on Earth did Ogs get his cricket shoes ???

One thing's for sure - I bet they're not on the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) recommended footwear list (as if we'd care about such technicalities ? -ed.).

The match is over and we've been comprehensively stuffed. But look at this - I bet their are no other teams in the league who have such a keen youth policy !!!

Who knows, could this be the opening partnership for the 2020 season ???

Well seeing as the match was something of a disappointment here's a lovely picture of a sunset to finish off the day, which is almost enough to take our minds off our terrible defeat ! Ooh look... pretty tress, pretty flowers, pretty sky. La, la, la, I've forgotten the game already (good grief, just how many have you had tonight ? -ed.)

Finally then, carrying on with the nature theme, here's an exclusive picture of the new Jolly Boys Bee hotel. And, don't be put off by the "comedy" sign as we're not actually Waspist at all (despite their reputation as being the "skinheads of the insect world" we know what a good job they do pollinating fruit tress etc. etc.) It's just that the holes are too small for them to fit in and we don't want them to get stuck !!!

Sadly Britains solitary bees are thought to be having a bad time at the moment so we're doing our bit to give them a hand ! (just a shame we've not got any "customers" yet -ed.)