Why is it always either wet or gloomy, or both when we go to Shere? I'm not referring solely to the weather either - HoF's just never seem to get a result there and usually contrive to lose in either stupid, controversial or farcical conditions. This weeks match was a mixture of the first and last of these, with controversial not available this week. HoF's were skippered by Clarke in the absence of Hammond who was on a "better-half credit building" exercise and his first task was to lose the toss and get inserted; HoF's elder statesmen had earlier inspected the lush strip and outfield, taken account of the incoming precipitation and decided that they would field if winning the toss, and so being inserted wasn't part of the master plan.

Shere have the habit of taking early wickets against HoF's and nothing changed this time. Hufton soon returned to the hutch for 15 fairly solid looking runs, and Whiting soon followed after getting yet another snick and a Ct/Wkt. Mo Siddique strode purposefully out at number four, mowed and missed several well pitched up deliveries and was soon caught at mid on trying to hit one over "straight cow-corner". The young bucks Elliot Davies and Will Stovell soon perished, and with last week's centurion Richardson still at the crease, things weren't looking good and with a short tail penned into the scorebook disaster struck when Richardson shouldered arms to a straight one, and the tail was exposed. Elburn perished for the second week running to a catch on the long-on boundary, and the rest tamely followed - HoF's 110 all out.

The huddle happened; the pep talk was given and the bowlers knew what was expected of them, and they began their work in earnest. Davies was quick and accurate from one end, Mo was quick and threatening from the other and before they knew it Shere were 18 - 3 and in some discomfort due to some sharp catching from HoF's. Whilst Mo continued his examination of the Shere batsmen's resolve, Hobbs was brought on to replace Davies and was most unlucky to not to claim at least 3 wickets, so often did he beat the bat. The bowling shackled down the Shere batters, and the score moved along at somewhat of a snail's pace, and of course because it was Shere, the rain came. This was the sort of rain that you would not go out to start a match in, but somehow you don't always come off in. The pitch evacuation was contemplated in high places, but in the spirit of the game (totally unrecognised by Shere) HoF's bowled on without complaint. Clarke turned to spin to try and dislodge the last few Shere batsmen, and although Sunderland and the impressively symmetrical Tuffers (2 overs, 2 for 2) twirled away impressively with the bar of soap, Shere's stand-in captain wasn't for moving and saw his side home with an unbeaten 65.

So a wet, rather disappointing loss, but an excellent bowling and fielding exhibition from HoF's; but if we're to climb to mid-table safety somebody is going to have to assist in the batting dept especially as after the match Richardson jettisoned the whites, packed his valise and scarpered off to warmer climbs. Much musing in the changing room after the match, livened up by news that England were in an excellent position to stuff the Aussies in the second test and Tom Watson led the Open - the latter being especially pertinent because of Clarke's £10 each way at 100-1 lodged on Thursday evening suddenly looked interesting.

Who said that cricket was boring?