This week the boys meet up in the pub pre-Trinder wedding to discuss how the Parish have been going this year and a slightly controversial umpires email: 

See email below:

I umpired with .... at Longparish today, but
there was no tea. While we enjoyed the cricket
match and the players were kind and respectful to
each other, I felt the conviviality of cricket was
missing. We all know that beers after the game are
now a thing of the past, because of the dangers of
drink-driving, but the absence of a tea meant that
each of the teams sat in their dressing rooms, while
we (the umpires) sat in our designated room and
drank our solitary cups of tea. There were no
ladies or helpers in evidence to help with provision
of the tea and it all felt a bit grim. The fun of the
game is being drained away by a thousand cuts
and, for me over the 50 years I played, the tea was
always an important and pleasurable vehicle to get
the teams and ladies interacting. The teams were
even keen to start the second innings early, as
there was no relaxed and shared experience to be
enjoyed. I felt the absence of the tea acutely and
know that I will stop umpiring when the pleasure
fades. I hope those of us who care for the game
will postpone that day as far into the future as we
can.
Warm regards,