As we have a few spare hours after breakfast I went for another wander through the village of Penkridge, walking down and along the path by the canal. The lock is once again busy with boats waiting to move through in either direction.

Before the convoy assembles we say our goodbyes to Brian (Panda) Scott as he is leaving the touring party today . I have enjoyed his company a lot and once again he thanked me for the two catches I took off his bowling at Winchcombe that helped him get his 'mojo' back.

Eventually we leave and make the half hour drive to Lichfield.   Lichfield is a cathedral city in Staffordshire,situated about 26 km north of Birmingham with a population of around 35,000. Notable for its three-spired medieval cathedral and the burning of witches in the village square, Lichfield is the birthplace of Samual Johnson, the writer of the first authoritative Dictionary of the English Language. The city's recorded history began in 669 when Bishop Ceadda (later Saint Chadd) built a monastery there.

Cricket has been played in the area for the better part of 200 years with the Lichfield Cricket Club founded in 1843. The game today will be the usual format.   Start at 1:30, 40 overs per side, batsmen retire (with recycle) at 30, 7 overs per bowler.  

Batting first we make a brisk start and after losing Bill Rowe LBW, Jimmy retires at 30no and John Dedman makes a wonderful 30no off just 18 balls . Gill and Vince also retire at 30no before Murray Harrison goes for a first-ball duck.   The fact that it was a low full-toss outside leg stump that he manages to top-edge to square leg does nothing to lighten his spirits.

Cookie and I come together and the bowling has tightened up considerably with one medium pacer - who was obviously a very fine bowler in his earlier days - making life difficult for us.   There is nothing easy for us to hit and I should have been out second ball I faced after playing too early at a drive and spooning it to cover where it was just too low for the fielder to hang on to it.   Cookie and I grab what runs we can, including a few extras and take the first all-run four of the tour.

In trying to push the pace, I eventually sky one and am caught at short third man.   Cookie ends the innings with a boundary to finish with 33no and we have completed our 40 overs at 3/204.

After our afternoon tea break, Cookie takes the new ball and bowls a fantastic spell, trapping two batsmen LBW and having several other good shouts turned down .   Ron removes the other opener when he entices him into smashing a drive to where I am positioned at cover. A foot or two either side of me and it would have been four as he smoked the shot but unfortunately for him it was just to my right about waist-high and I saw it all the way into my hands.   The batsman just stood staring unbelievingly at me until I just smiled at him and shrugged my shoulders - he smiled back and turned and trudged off.

Murray's day goes from bad to worse when he drops a relatively straight-forward catch and then totally stuffs up a run-out chance when transferring the ball from his left-handed pick up to his right throwing hand sees the ball miss his hand and disappear over his shoulder.   Well, at least 10 of us laughed !!

It had been intended that I keep the second half today with Gill doing the first 20 overs but when I made my move to go off and get ready I saw that Peter Howes had already left the field and was in his keeping gear ready to go .   Not happy Jan!   We had previously discussed that Gill and I would do the job today as Peter wanted to keep for the last game as he had friends/family coming to watch that game. I do get a bowl towards the end of the innings but what was going to be over 38 and 40 turns out to be only 38 as Bill Rowe is called on to bowl the final over. Mine was a neat affair only costing 2 runs.   If only I could have bowled like that earlier in the tour !

Lichfield never make a serious charge towards our total after they lost three early wickets and finish their 40 overs at 7/148.   During the usual speeches, John Taylor, Chairman of the Lichfield CC, presented a Lichfield CC cap to all the touring players which was very much appreciated by all.

Tomorrow's final game of the Magical Mystery Tour is against Cannock & Rugeley which we expect to be a stiff challenge, provided they can put their top side on the paddock