With one eye on an iffy weather forecast, skipper Cox opened the afternoon with his usual act of losing the toss.

Hinton, having dropped to the bottom of the league, had put out a call for reinforcements and turned up with some strong batting, one of whom had visited Combe Park not a week earlier playing for Bath 1st team. Opening bowlers Luc Sweet and Nick Lawrence dropped straight into a good rhythm and Nick was rewarded with two early wickets, which stemmed the flow of runs. Luc bowled with good pace despite this being his first appearance since last season. Hinton’s next partnership tucked in assertively and put on 116 before Ed Johnson trapped opener Will Metcalfe for 75. The Hinton middle order then picked up where he had left off. Our bowling was typically good but the odd wayward (and less wayward) delivery was despatched by confident batters who had got their eye in. Our bowlers persisted well as we continued to give youth its opportunity to test itself in this division. Some agricultural swinging at the end and too many extras carried Hinton to an imposing 287-6 off their 40.

Batting-wise we leaked wickets early, slipping to 74-4. Johnson (Joe) was triggered by his father, which hasn’t done much for domestic relations. U15 Will Hurle opened the batting with competence and style, Avery hit a belligerent 31 off 22 before bizarrely glancing the ball to the only fielder behind square legside, who pulled off a one-handed catch at full stretch. Johnson (Eddie) and Johnson (Giles) nudged, nurdled and argued between overs taking the score to 119 before the older of the two offered mid-off some catching practice. Skipper Cox then strode to the crease, carrying a few extra lockdown pies which have been putting his left knee under pressure. He gave it some hefty blows, adding 40 with Ed, and was then undone by one that kept low. Which meant Nick Lawrence (16) joined Ed (15) in the middle. And off they went to get their money’s worth with an unbroken partnership of 88. In the process, Ed achieved his first ever century, ending on 101*. He has played at Combe Park since he was six – a great moment for him and his supporter’s club in the pavilion.

So we lost, but somehow it didn’t feel like it. We continue to test the club’s up and coming youth in a tough league, and they are responding well. They, and the club, will be the stronger for it in subsequent years.