Combe

April 2004

Original report written by John Simpson

 

30 Minutes at Combe!

Cricket is a psychological game: batting, bowling, and also fielding depend
not only on your ability, but also how you feel on a particular day…

Oh well, there’s no point in taking that line. Last Sunday we all rolled up
at Combe at 2pm, ready for a 2.30 start. But unfortunately the gate to the
ground was locked, and – with no opposition turning up as the clock made its
way round to 2.30 – we realized that something was wrong. A lone Combe
player drove along at around 2.20 to inform us that the match had been
called off the previous day, and to apologize that the message hadn’t been
passed on to Holton. Despite the sun, there was no doubt that the ground was
squelchy underfoot in the outfield, so the right decision had probably been
made.

So we’re having a slow start to the season. Next week we’re out at Swinbrook
– a beautiful ground with – by all accounts – a new pavilion. It seems only
fair to select the same team which had gamely driven all the way over to
Combe – with Alan Clark replacing the unavailable Phil White. Directions:
take the A40 towards Burford and Cheltenham. A couple of miles before you
get to Burford there’s a turning to the right (“Swinbrook – single track
road”). Take that and head into the Oxfordshire countryside for a mile or so
and the ground’s on the left at the start of the village.

Maybe next week we’ll get started properly!