Episode 6

This week the boys meet up in the pub pre-Trinder wedding to discuss how the Parish have been going this year and a slightly controversial umpires email: 

See email below:

I umpired with .... at Longparish today, but

there was no tea. While we enjoyed the cricket

match and the players were kind and respectful to

each other, I felt the conviviality of cricket was

missing. We all know that beers after the game are

now a thing of the past, because of the dangers of

drink-driving, but the absence of a tea meant that

each of the teams sat in their dressing rooms, while

we (the umpires) sat in our designated room and

drank our solitary cups of tea. There were no

ladies or helpers in evidence to help with provision

of the tea and it all felt a bit grim. The fun of the

game is being drained away by a thousand cuts

and, for me over the 50 years I played, the tea was

always an important and pleasurable vehicle to get

the teams and ladies interacting. The teams were

even keen to start the second innings early, as

there was no relaxed and shared experience to be

enjoyed. I felt the absence of the tea acutely and

know that I will stop umpiring when the pleasure

fades. I hope those of us who care for the game

will postpone that day as far into the future as we

can.

Warm regards,