A cautious start from the first pair up, Praba Thangarajah and Jerry Cox - just four runs from the first over of the day. But eight from the next, five from the next, and an extravagant seventeen from the fourth over takes them to thirty-four after four. Looking good for a high score, but a couple of wickets down as they try to press, some tight bowling, and their score slowly subsides. A finish of thirty-one, and just two boundaries in the innings.

Kashif and Christian Dingwall next up. Eight from the first over, but three wickets fall and there are just sixteen runs on the board after five overs. A fighting finish takes them to thirty-one (with four boundaries to Kashif). Joint leaders at this point.

Khalid and Will Thorogood step up next. Khalid launches his expected onslaught on the hapless bowlers, but three wickets fall and at twenty-four after five five overs it's looking tight. But then the floodgates - seventeen off the next over, and nineteen off the last - a total of sixty, including six fours and five sixes from Khalid. Sage old hands nod their heads and decide that there's a score that won't be beaten on this or any other afternoon.

But what do sage old hands know? Kamran and Tony Richardson take their cue from what has gone before. Nineteen from the first over. Fifteen from the second. Thirteen from the third. Round about here comes their first dot-ball. And despite a couple of wickets, they go on and on and ratchet up a total of eighty-one - three fours to Mike, and seven fours and four sixes to Kamran. Fantastic stuff.

A tea-break to get our breath back - fine tea from Tony with all the things a good tea needs. And back out to see whether anyone can compete. Guy Martin and Ravi Muthiah (combined ages somewhere around 125) play with all the gravitas accompanying their years (i.e. distinct lack of cheeky singles - and no twos, let alone threes) - but they work the boundaries with their favourite shots and come in with a very creditable total of thirty-eight (seven fours between them and two wickets lost).

Andrew Swan and Taufail make a distinctly sprightlier and bigger-hitting pair, but they lose some wickets in the middle of their session and are totalling only twenty after four overs. A strong recovery takes them to fifty-two in all - with a six and a four from Andrew, five fours and two sixes from Taufail.

And finally - Tony Bruggemann, having organised the proceedings without a hitch or a hiccough all afternoon, comes out to bat - no remaining partners so Andrew Swan gets another go. Everyone tired now - a flurry of wickets - a couple of boundaries each - and a total of seventeen.

An enjoyable afternoon - the batting looking good for the coming season - the bowling a little rusty, but early days yet. And wearily home. Well played all - and superb organisation from Tony.