The Australian Over 60s team played against this County side on their last tour of the UK a couple of years ago and were narrowly beaten so revenge will be high on the agenda as several of our touring party were involved in that game.   The game is being played at Malvern, a spa town in Worcestershire on the steep eastern flank of the Malvern Hills. Archaeological evidence suggests that Bronze Age people had settled in the area around 1000 BC, although it is not known whether these settlements were permanent or temporary. The town itself was founded in the 11th century when Benedictine monks established a priory at the foot of the highest peak of Malvern Hills.

We arrive at the ground too early and the gates are still locked so we all drive back into town and assist the local economy by ordering 23 coffees (and a few cakes) .   As I'm not playing today I'm able to have my sweety-treat (in this case a piece of carrot-and-orange cake).   Stoddy, you'd be proud of me.

The game gets underway and I share the umpiring duties from one end with Peter Howes while a local umpire (Alan) does the far end. Alan has an extremely broad west-country farmers accent and I cant understand most of what he says. Never mind, we get by.   Our bowing and fielding is top-notch and we bowl out the County side for just 151 in the final of their 45 overs.

After another fantastic afternoon tea - by now I think I am about 4 kilos heavier than when I left home - its our turn to bat.   Gill and James Martin both retire unbeaten on reaching 40 and Ross Chapman batting at number three looked like heading the same way. That is until a powerful straight drive from John Dedman is deflected by the bowler's foot onto the stumps with Ross just out of his ground. Ross's mood isn't much improved when the bowler later tells him "That was very unlucky, in my younger days I would have just bent down and picked the ball up with my hand" . John and Murray Harrison both score an unbeaten 20-odd and we have won the game with only one wicket down and half a dozen overs up our sleeve.

Many stories are told over a few ales after the game and the Worcestershire guys are magnanimous in defeat. We will play against several of these players again later in the tour as they also play for various village sides. In fact some of the guys actually play around 140 - 150 games a year.   Just amazing!!   The Worcestershire committee expressed their sadness that other counties were not able - or willing - to follow their example and play against us in face of the Seevent Committee's decision to ban County sides from playing against us.

The local Indian restaurant has been commissioned to bring in food - enough to feed a small army - and following the usual presentations and speeches a few items of clothing are auctioned off to raise money for the Worcester Over 70s team.   I pick up a Worcestershire county one-day playing shirt for 20 quid.  

Tomorrow I should be getting my first chance with the gloves for the game against Appleby.   I've been looking forward to this for some time.