The pitch had a hint of green and the Hawkswood captain remarked that it would be a good toss to lose. He won it. He scratched his jaw for a bit then chose to bat. The Willows captain would have done the same and would have been just as wrong.

Doug McMillan and Jacob Wolt took the new ball for the Willows. Fourteen overs later Hawkswood were 36 for 7. McMillan in particular made the ball fizz. The Willowers held their catches and despite a late rally from McNally, Grey and Dickson, Hawkswood were all out for 99 just as the clock struck one. Lunch was more than usually delicious and as we ate the sun drew the last of venom from the pitch.

Despite the presence in the Hawkswood attack of the famously miserly Andrew Nuttall, Peter Fulton made batting look easy. By the time he was out for 47 the game was effectively over and sensible play saw the Willows home by eight wickets before afternoon tea.

Then Santa arrived, a hundred children materialised from nowhere, and 2001 at the Willows ended in smiles all round.