Today's game was meant to be against the Gloucestershire Gypsies but due to a problem with the scheduling it was left to one of Stirling's many contacts - John Bellfield to put together a select side to take us on at the lovely Cheery Hill Road ground of the Barnt Green Cricket Club in Worcestershire.   The club plays in the Birmingham Premier League (one level down from county cricket).

Fielding first we are immediately under the pump as the two openers, regular local cricketers, really look the part .   One in particular spanks Bob Phillips through mid-wicket for a crunching boundary before lobbing him onto the hill-side at square leg for a zak - twice. Bob has the last laugh however when he bowls an absolute pearler to knock back his off-stump. When Paul Thomas has their number three well caught at point by Dennis Axelby we figure we have got a couple of crucial wickets and they are 4/52 off 15 overs. The remaining batsmen however keep the scoreboard ticking over. I'm handed the ball for the 22nd over but it is my one and only over as I fail to adjust my line to the left-hander who drops me over backward square for two boundaries. Murray has a good second half behind the stumps, finishing with a catch and two stumpings. Their good batting is matched by our good fielding and the match is evenly poised when their innings is completed at 7/185 off their 40 overs.

We lose a couple of early wickets before order is restored with Ross Chapman and Murray Harrison both retiring at 30no .   We start to lose our way a little through the middle overs as Jim (0) and Bob (3) go cheaply. We have only had one rainy day since we arrived and that was on one of our rest days, so surprisingly we haven't lost any game time before today. However, mid innings the rain starts to come down.   The covers are dragged on and after about a 20 minute delay the sun is out, covers are off and we are underway again.   For about 10 minutes!   Then it coming down even heavier.   Given that we have to be off the ground by 5:00pm (due to a 20/20 game booked on the ground), and its now 4:15 I thought it might be all over. However Stirling goes into negotiation mode as only a barrister could do and we can play until 5:50.   I had been padded up ready to bat before the rain and when it came down the second time I had put everything away - so now I need to unpack and pad up again.

My chance to bat comes when Colin Cooke retires for a match-changing 33no off just 25 balls and we are needing another 37 off 8 overs . I'm a little worried about running between the wickets as Paul Thomas is again my batting partner.   He scampers through for some good singles and a couple of twos before running himself out. It was his call and perhaps he forgot the fieldsman was Vinnie, substituting for one of their guys who had to go off. Vinnie is one of our better arms and Paul failed to beat his flat throw. Apparently this is the third time Paul has been run out on tour - nuff said. Peter comes and goes and then it is the re-cycled Ross that joins me with only two wickets remaining. Its now down to 18 off 4 overs and I take the left-hand orthodox spinner twice to long-on for a boundary and a 3, then late-cut him for 2 and we have reduced to target to 8 off 3 overs. A boundary from Ross ends the game with 10 balls to spare.   Ross finishes with 38no off 67 balls and my contribution was 15no off 16 balls.

The team song is sung by a very happy bunch of blokes before another fantastic meal is served up by the local ladies.   We have a few beers and a chat with our opposition players while watching the late game (played between two teams of solicitors - one side from London) playing some very ordinary cricket as the rain continues to fall.   Weird bunch, these poms.