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Wivenhoe Town lost to Copdock [ACE name] by… oh, whatever.

To Rectory Road on Saturday afternoon for what has become something of a recurring theme around these parts of late. Cricket Week at Wivenhoe Town is there for the taking - and so was the grand prize of yet another victory for the first XI with all the pomp and pageantry of President’s Day.

Opposition sides have historically had something of a rough ride on such a grand day in the calendar of the cricket club. That’s what half a bottle of red around the boundary does for the enthusiasm of the home support.

Visiting Rectory Road on Saturday afternoon was fourth placed Copdock from over the Suffolk border. I’m not sure what was more off putting - the ‘enthusiasm’ from the marquee following the President’s luncheon, or the dress code for the afternoon, described to me by one wag as “Pulp Fiction come to North Essex.”

I scrubbed up for the occasion (sort of) being held up with boots ‘n braces and my best linen jacket. There is fighting talk of taking to the crease next season with the Wivenhoe Social XI. I wasn’t quite all boxed up down below, but I do intend to source a codpiece for future visits.

A morning of rowing to Rowhedge (seriously) meant that we missed the Wivenhoe innings. No worries - the modern interweb ‘n all that reliably informed us back at base that Wivenhoe were all out for 150.

Not the most commanding of run chases to set for Copdock, but never underestimate the power of the enthusiastic support following a President’s luncheon.

A nervy chat with the esteemed Wivenhoe Director of Cricket greeted our arrival. “I’m not a very good watcher of the game,” explained the coaching genius that has overseen the table topping performance of Wivenhoe so far this summer.

I hold my hands up to being something of a pavilion bar room bore, but running out your County Championship ringer probably wasn’t the wisest of moves.

Whoops.

The marquee and pavilion settled down for what promised to be an entertaining afternoon of cricket. Mr Mayor took up the best seat in the house, and with half an eye on the Test, and one ear following events with @surreycricket, I was all set for a hat trick of favourable cricketing outcomes.

Wivenhoe showed patience with their bowling attack, turning to spin and slowly, slowly working away at the Copdock batsmen. Some energetic appealing to match the enthusiasm from the boundary let to some stern words from the umps.

A huge cheer went up from the pavilion shortly after the drinks break. A quick check elsewhere around the grounds, and nope - Wivenhoe wasn’t celebrating a fourth day victory for @surreycricket, but a hat trick from Stuart Broad in the Test.

Oh well.

The boundary bat ‘n ball game became increasingly engrossing, and then just as the fag end of the Copdock team strolled out to the crease, an improbable victory for the home team seemed likely.

It wasn’t to be however. The occasion of President’s Day raised the game of the opposition. It also raised considerable funds for the club behind the bar.

Chin chin.

Consulting my splendid The Story of Wivenhoe Cricket, and what I believe is needed is a return to more traditional types of leg spin attack. What is needed is some underarm bowling, resurrecting the proud Wivenhoe tradition first started by Digby Jephson.

We need a Lobster for the 21st Century.

I’m lobbing that tennis ball down from end of the garden to the other as I type.

Full flickr stream over here.