Dorchester won the toss and elected to bat, as in 2000, strangely enough.

Weather - sunny and hot, then cloudy and thundery

Hilton, permission granted for Foot and Mouth (but much kit and car disinfecting), was the first game of 2001. Lovely day, very strong side (last year's hero Adam didn't even get a game!), new shirts, new caps and new team photo. What more could you want?

Steve Gaunt and Jamie opened up, Rob negotiated 4 from Paul, but much good it did him, see later. Steve and Jamie proceeded to plunder 222 between them, in an opening stand of 192 (or similar, forgot to write it down), with Steve savage on anything overpitched and Jamie cutting beautifully. Steve went first for a marvellous 85, then Jamie eventually for a magnificent 137, and a mini collapse then ensued with Paul getting 3 before playing on and Rob suffering from a rush of blood to the head, getting stranded 8' down the track for the easiest stumping Norm will give all year. Crossy looked sharp for 29 in quick time, Dean hit a huge 6 then capitulated in much the same way as Rob, for 9, and we ended up with a monster 304-6 off 40. Full marks to Hilton, 10 bowlers each got 4 overs.

The first entrant in the Golden Teaspoon was a good one, particular favourite of mine was the marble cake. Didn't help my fielding much though.

To their eternal credit, Hilton made a game of it from ball 1, hitting powerfully and uppishly, and riding their luck a touch, though frankly dreadful fielding didn't help us a deal. Wearers of the newly resurrected sweatband for dropped catches included Steve Gaunt, Crossy, Rob and Benno, and Smudge took a pearler on the end of his ankle, with an awful clunk that somehow dissolved us all into stitches as he rolled in agony. 51, 56 and a swashbuckling 83 were the first 3 scores in the book, and had it not been for the target of 300 odd, we could easily have lost. Some mighty blows peppered the Hilton innings, but as the number 6 and below came and went, the storm clouds threatened, the lightning in the distance approached and Rob redeemed his earlier duck a touch with 2 wickets. Mention must be made of Skip's first 4fer for the club, or ever I think, as he cleaned up the tail. Fine display of bowling. Really.  
260 all out was a fantastic effort, and there were 2 teams in it right up to the 34 over stage. It all went very dark and lagged it down within 5 minutes of us getting off.

Super game, 550 odd runs scored, and the spirit of the game very much in evidence.