8th - 10th July

Mike Ireland (veteran seamer and occasional funky tweaker) decided has decided to plump for Herefordshire this year in the hope that we might get a bit more change out of the opposition. Your teams and their captains are...

Friday

Kington - 6:30

Saturday

Eardisland - 2:30

Sunday

Dorstone - 2:30

The actual teams did vary somewhat owing to the vaguaries of pre-tour injuries (yes I really did put my back out getting the washing in!) and tour attrition (skip's feeling dizzy again!), but you get the picture...

Anyhow, the Tour Secretary himself summed up the weekend as follows (hot of the presses of the Leamington Courier - if it sneaks past the sub-editor!):

July 8th-Kington

1993 national knock out cup winners Kington fielded their fourth team against Barford in a 20 over evening contest. Smith and Hall were the mainstays of Kington's 146, aided by eight dropped catches!. In reply Barford never got to grips with the slow wicket and finished on 90-9 with opener Nathan Haynes carrying his bat for 41.

Kington 146 all out (Smith 54*, Hall 37*) Barford 90-9 (Haynes 41*) Kington won by 56 runs.

July 9th-Eardisland

The picturesque village of Eardisland were Barford's Saturday hosts. The tourists began positively with opener Chris Prince thumping an uncomplicated 40, providing the base of what should have been a substantial total. A middle order collapse left Barford on 80-8 and it was down to tailender Lilley to steer the total to 114. The hosts never settled against a fiery spell of bowling from Tim Jolly, who returned 6-13 from eight overs to dismiss Eardisland for 66, in a match that was played in excellent spirit.

Barford 114 all out (Prince 40, Lilley 25, Thompson 23) Eardisland 66 (Jolly 6-13) Barford won by 48 runs.

July 10th-Dorstone

Barford's openers walked out to bat just as The Red Arrows flew over the ground! This obviously inspired Haynes as he compiled a stylish 64, along with a hard hitting 48 from James Beaven, to give the visitors a respectful total of 172. Dorstone always looked in control of the chase despite Paul Johnstone causing a mini collapse in the middle order. Number six Preece hit a quickfire 50 before becoming one of two victims in an over from the evergreen Tony Timms. This proved to be too little too late as the hosts cruised home with three wickets to spare.

Barford 172 all out (Haynes 64, Beaven 48) Dorstone 174-7 (Beaton 47, Preece 60, Johnstone 4-36, Timms 2-6) Dorstone won by 3 wickets

Regardless of the interference of cricket, a massive thanks to Mike Ireland who arranged the 2005 tour and we hope he might consider another one next year.

Tour highs:

• The White Swan
• The Pandi Inn - lovely pub in Dorstone
• Sandy trying three flavours of vodka milkshake an hour before the game (one donated by the landlord!)
• Chris O'Reilly's obsession with Erdsy's head (very straight neck apparently)
• Stuart ripping his strides whilst trying to scale the hotel gates in the early hours
• The Red Arrows fly by
• Eardisland's opener facing the first ball of the innings from Lilley, then removing his helmet. After the next ball the non striker did the same!
• Tony Timms golden over (including two wickets and a dropped catch by Nathan followed by much hat-kicking!)
• The Spanish barmaid
• Sandy's oft-quoted catchphrase that "Six grand is nothing to him"

and lows

• Dropped catches at Kington (all eight of them)
• Judge Jolly taking a club record 6-13 and then disappearing without leaving his credit card
• Leominster's lack of restaurants
• Simon being rugby tackled by a slip cradle

Again a big thank you to Mike for his organisation of the tour and to everyone who pitched up and made it happen. A few pictures to help the memories.

The lovely ground at Dorstone (who are the old dears in the stripey chairs?)

James Beaven in full flow (must be either 6 or out!)...

Or in the word's of the Tour Secretary:

"I would imagine the ball sailed over the signpost into the next field, striking the country wench who'd just finished pleasuring the returning fielder?"

Piling on the runs ...

Time for tea (looks like the chairman is back on the cocktails...)

What a motley crew!?

Thanks to Mushie Jones for the piccies!