The field and the weather were at their best and the Willows were keen to show the Mobil Oil XI what we thought of petrol prices. We won the toss and Gary Thomson and Mark Murphy opened for the Willows. The pitch did nothing. The batsmen did a lot. Despite a former test match quick flinging them down from the duckpond end, when Thomson was out for 45 in the 13th over the score stood at 82. Thereafter things slowed a little, but wickets fell rarely and the runs kept coming. Murphy topscored with an innings of 70 that began streakily, continued confidently and ended overconfidently. With Mobil wilting in the heat the Willows finished at 236-5.

When Jacob Wolt took two wickets in two balls in his second over it looked as though the game might be over. When David Grocott caught-and-bowled Rod Latham in a brilliant act of self defence, it was. Only Nick Proudfoot resisted the inevitable with a sturdy 34. Around him the wickets fell like dandruff and in the 36th over Mobil were all out for 107.

Highlights of the Mobil innings were ten overs of left-arm tweakers from young Fraser Hawes who finished with 3-24, and a skier that sought out Richard Bromley at wide mid-on. With the generosity typical of a senior player Bromley invited either of two not-very-adjacent fielders to take the glory. When both declined Bromley set his jaw, cupped his hands and, to universal surprise, took the catch.

A delightful day and the right result.