For the first time ever the Division 6 inter-club derby actually represented a meeting of the top two teams, so the match promised to be even cagier than London Zoo, especially as the Royals had only managed to draw three of the previous four league encounters with their lowlier THD counterparts. Not that there was any sign of this in the opening exchanges as the visiting Royals tore into their hosts with slick passing drills and quick attacks on both flanks, with Saracens' old boy Pete Abbott often at the centre of their best moments. It was no surprise when the visitors, who appeared to have more moving parts than the average Max Mosley orgy (allegedly), took an early lead, and the signs were ominous that a right royal thrashing was on the cards.

But the fact that the second, and ultimately winning goal would not materialise for another full hour of play says much for the fighting spirit of a Saracens' team now permanently depleted of some of its early season playing assets. No neutral would begrudge the Royals' victory based on territorial superiority and ball possession alone, but at the same time it was tough luck on the Saracens who, for the second week running, had fought their way back into a game only to lose once more at the death by the odd goal in three, as the team was unable to hold on for the final 11 minutes which would have seen them salvage a valuable draw. At the final whistle the Royals looked more relieved than elated, as the comfortable win suggested by the first quarter had never materialised.

Like a wounded bull the hosts had continued to chase and harry their tormentors, who could never find the killer blow to make the game safe. The matador spirit was exemplified by the team's resident Spaniard, Miguel Ledo, who, in true bullring fashion, was at hand to make two rapier-like interventions in his own D (once while sliding horizontally!) and provide occasional menacing thrusts in the opposition half too. As the game wore on, so the likelihood of a second goal seemed to recede, despite the concession of several penalty corners by the home team. On the break the Saracens always looks capable of doing something, and as usual Matt Robinson came agonising close on a couple of occasions.

The equaliser, when it eventually arrived via a short-corner, was deservedly poked in by the excellent Tommy Lindner, around whom the team must hope to rebuild in the second half of the season. The ball was apparently moving with such a lack of velocity as it went in that it would doubtless have defeated the FA's new proposed goal-line technology as the ball appeared to not be in motion at all, but nobody deserved it more than Tommy did. In partnership with Colin Wilkie-Jones in the centre of midfield, both players worked their socks off, always making themselves available for the short pass or the long balls drilled through by Keith Howick from restarts on the 16. At one point even the intrepid Billy Dowie headed off on a mazy dribble all the way into the opposition's half, only to find nobody on the end of his diagonal pass. Faced with the prospect of an immediate sprint back to his own defensive lines Billy then gave a quick Alex Ferguson hairdryer to the forwards while he got his breath back.

But the team could draw much from the game, even in defeat. The forwards harried and pressed well, even when not in possession, as exemplified by Nick Hall's energetic performance in spite of jet-lag and having just returned from an Australian summer, and the overall shape and discipline of the team did not disintegrate as the game inevitably opened up for the final 20 minutes. The mid-season report would doubtless say much improved from last year, as the Saracens have scored in every game bar one (against the parsimonious Chiswick 5s), whilst never conceding more than two. After winning the first four matches, the team has now lost three of the last four, albeit by the narrowest of margins, so it has even been a half-season of two halves, so to speak.

It is to be hoped that the squad does not now settle for the reasonable pre-season goal of mid-table obscurity and approaches the New Year fixtures in a similarly positive vein. The Saracens have at last proved to be resilient in their third season and started to shake their whipping boys tag of the last two years. Well-done to the management team and senior pros for all their efforts in a truly memorable two months of hockey.

Joel Levitt (GK), Billy Dowie, Keith Howick, Tim Walters, Neil Hellard, Deryck Breinburg, Tommy Lindner, Colin Wilkie-Jones, Ian Townsend, Miguel Ledo, Matt Robinson, Nick Hall and Muhammed Afzal.

(Anybody seen Muhammed?) Having only just made it for the pushback, presumably due to navigational problems, there was still no sign of him in the Latchmere pub an hour after the final whistle. The questioner received the reply that he was still in the showers having a chat with Billy, and the post-match debate continued unabated over a beer or ten. Despite the disappointment at only the second league defeat of the season, the atmosphere was distinctly up-beat, following a gutsy Saracens' performance. 10.30 a.m. and away from home, this was the sort of start-time that should be reserved for teetotallers and insomniacs (i.e. juniors and supervets), as seemed to be borne out by a squad shorn of no less than six of last week-end's midfielders, including the toxic twins who have been behind so much of the team's success this season. Oli Woodgate at least had the reasonable excuse of being the first player in the club's history to be promoted from the 7s to the 1s within a single week.

On the other hand, the team boasted an abundance of defensive talent, with the welcome return of Keith Howick in central defence, as well as that of the prodigal son, Mark Humphries, who played like he had never been away since March, and slotted in as easily as a visitor to the Amsterdam red light district. The reshuffle of resources led to Michael Silverleaf moving to the left side of midfield, where he put in his best performance to date in the famous red and green shirt, whilst the central pivot roles were filled by the mutually excellent Tommy Lindner and Royals loanee Oli Clark, doubtless on a simultaneous covert spying mission in advance of next week-end's local derby. And Captain Fantastic, marshalling his resources like General Custer, was - as ever - in the thick of things. Clearly smarting at recent criticism by Mark Jones of his on-field attire - the lack of a club shirt, rather than the infamous baby blue trainers - he was sporting his new acquisition, which carried a squad number that took up more space than his name would have done. (Anybody seen Muhammed? still in the shower, apparently).

Predictably, the team found itself on the defensive for long periods against a young, fit and well-organised Wayfarers team, but nevertheless managed to produce some fantastic passing movements in the first two-thirds of the pitch, whilst lacking the resources to sustain much pressure in the opposition D. Both of the goals conceded were a tad unfortunate, the first dribbling over the line after goalkeeper Joel Levitt, who turned in yet another fine performance, had actually saved the initial fierce shot which then deflected into the net off his stick. The second, from a penalty corner (which should never have been given due to yet another unnoticed prior offence by the attacking team) flew in from an acute angle after Billy Dowie had made yet another fine goal-line block. In between the Saracens could at least lay claim to the goal of the game, as Matt Robinson continued an attacking move into the opposition D, drifted to the left of the goal, drew the keeper and reversed flicked across the empty net. There was still plenty to do, however, as Tom Lindner lunged for the bouncing ball and tucked it away for the equaliser. A second equaliser nearly materialised when Matt Robinson was unlucky not to turn Ed Sellick's tracer bullet pass inside the far post. As the clock ticked down, the home umpires then seemed to overlook several attempted muggings of the same player, which, on another day, could easily have led to further short corners for the visitors, or even a penalty flick. (STOP PRESS: At 13.00 an immaculately scrubbed and groomed Polar Bear had by now materialised at the Latchmere, only to report that Muhammed was last seen in the showers).

The post match analysis in the pub raged on, as Michael Silverleaf (aka the brief) admitted - allegedly - to his professional reputation of - allegedly - being able to literally destroy the other side's witnesses, something he seemed keen to prove on the pitch earlier when flooring the opposition No. 8 through a combination of leg, body and stick allegedly. Meanwhile, Wing Commander Oli Biggles Clark became increasingly coy about his Royals' colleagues ahead of next week's match and was only saved from further cross-examination by an adjournment as his mobile rang. It was, of course, Muhammed, who, to cap his eventful morning of almost being in the right place at the right time, was wondering why there was nobody around to have a drink with. Although by now spotlessly clean, he was, of course, back at the clubhouse in Dulwich.

Joel Levitt (GK), Michael Silverleaf, Billy Dowie, Keith Howick, Mark Humphries, Tim Walters, Neil Hellard, Tommy Lindner, Oli Clark, Ian Townsend, Ed Sellick, Matt Robinson and Mohammed Afzal.

All in all, a good day at the office - a home win in an entertaining and open contest where the Saracens were never behind, another goal each for the headhunting trio, and suddenly a position as table-toppers in mid-November with just over a third of the season gone. This was indeed a great way to bounce back after last week's awayday disappointment against Chiswick. The team showed patience and maturity, whilst rediscovering the sense of mutual trust and unity that had been less in evidence seven days earlier, to grind out a deserved victory through a determined and gritty performance.

The grit was a bit like seaside sand finding its way into every orifice with the toxic twins in midfield, James Findlay and Oli Woodgate, constantly probing for cracks in the Old Loughtonians' defence from the outset, ably assisted with an abundance of midfield riches in Mssrs. Leeman, Sellick, Ledo, Canter and the ever-improving Afzal. With Niteen Sharma answering the midweek lifeboat call to cover for the absent Keith Howick, and Colin Wilkie-Jones again dropping back to sweeper, the back four was also able to field three central defenders as well as the customary three full-backs. Up front the tireless Ian Townsend battled hard whilst also proving that sweat tide marks are not the sole preserve of Colin Leeman's governmental department. As always, the dangerous Matt Robinson - despite still only operating with one outboard motor - was a constant threat and on another day could have bagged a hat-trick rather than a series of near misses. In the absence of Andrew Dick, Joel Levitt took over between the sticks and deservedly won the man-of-the-match plaudits for an assured display, where he was beaten only the once after making an excellent save from a short corner.

On another day the team could have scored more, as the visiting keeper (certainly their man-of-the-match too) palmed away rising shots on three or four occasions, as the Saracens won a series of first-half penalty corners. Eventually the pressure had to tell and it was no surprise when James Findlay got the opener after 20 minutes. The second was not long in coming either, with Captain Fantastic continuing in his rich scoring vein to pounce 5 minutes later - less like an eagle perhaps, but more like a seagull scavenging behind Eric Cantona's trawler. Following another attack in the opposition D, both time and the ball seemed to freeze momentarily. Perhaps stunned by the fact that the man in the baby-blue trainers was for once able to remain in an upright position for more than ten consecutive seconds, the home defence was slow to react and Ed Sellick pounced. 2-0, the tide had turned, and the game was already as good as over, perhaps? Unfortunately, no, as the Saracens decided to keep it interesting after a defensive mix-up following a fluffed 16 led to a very avoidable short corner just before half-time, resulting in 2-1, and everything to play for after the break.

When the third goal arrived 10 minutes into the second half, it was delivered with all the stealth of a German U-boat, as Oli Woodgate glided through the opposition defence and torpedoed the ball past the keeper off the reverse stick - classic stuff. As usual the game opened out in the final quarter, and even if the team is still not quite able to kill a game stone dead, this match was at least closed out efficiently enough, although the concession of a number of careless late penalty corners and a failure to continue doing what the team had done so well for nearly an hour - i.e. keep possession and play short easy passes - meant that the game was being played predominantly in the home team's half. The cameo of the day was almost the headline writer too - ASBO Dowie keeps out the Louts - as Billy's stunning forward defensive cricket shot deflected a screaming shot past the post to maintain the two-goal margin.

The Academy tag was probably a bit misleading for an away team composed mainly of older members of the hockey fraternity with a smattering of youth, but it was a good game all the same. As one wag commented thereafter, if that was the Old Loughtonians' academy team, their Vets must travel to away matches in hearses!

Joel Levitt (GK), Michael Silverleaf, Billy Dowie, Niteen Sharma, Tim Walters, Neil Hellard, Simon Canter, Oli Woodgate, Colin Wilkie-Jones, Ian Townsend, Colin Leeman, Ed Sellick, James Findlay, Miguel Ledo, Matt Robinson and Mohammed Afzal.

This was vintage stuff, even if it started off more like a vintage car. After a somewhat spluttering and subdued start which saw the visitors take the lead slightly fortuitously form a short corner, it took a while for the Saracens to warm up and stop misfiring. But once they did, the team started to purr through the gears and created a whole host of first half chances at the opposite end of the pitch, against opponents who look like they will be one of the strongest teams in the division this season. The autumn sunshine, in which the hosts currently seem to be thriving, once again bathed proceedings in south-east London, although Dulwich College had somewhat unbelievably not witnessed a single home league win since 2009. But the team had proven it could come from behind already this season, so there was no sense of panic that the unbeaten run would be punctured before the end of October.

For the first time since pre-season there was an enforced change in defence with Colin Wilkie-Jones dropping back into the centre of defence as cover for the absent Keith Howick, a job he executed with some aplomb in a backline which was at times subjected to more than a gentle MOT test, but which generally looked unfazed and confident in possession when moving forward. This was due in part to the manifold options opened up by Mssrs. Findlay and Woodgate in midfield, where the dynamic Stella and Abattoir duo at times threatened to slaughter their Kings Alleyns' counterparts in a quite amazing display of stick skills and attacking play.

It was great to see Matt Robinson get on the score-sheet for the equaliser too after his recent injury problems, his strike high to into top left of the net leaving the keeper with no chance. As with the usual London bus syndrome, it wasn't long before another one came along, Ed Sellick latching onto an exquisite diagonal pass into the D to sweep the ball into the net and the Saracens into the lead. This was Captain Fantastic leading by example and dodging the invisible sniper's bullet which laid him low when similarly placed a week earlier.

If anyone thought the second half would be pedal to the floor and accelerate to the finishing line, the away team had other ideas as the Saracens were pegged back into their own half for the first ten minutes. But the one-way traffic eventually turned around and there was a genuine sense of relief when Oli Woodgate, as smooth as a cashmere codpiece, slid the ball in emphatically to give the hosts the benefit of a two goal cushion. Thereafter the statistics show that the posts came to the home team's assistance on two occasions, but this was as much to do with the brilliant positional play of keeper Andrew Dicko Dick whose parsimonious approach to conceding either goals or an inch of space to opposing forwards clearly betrays his Scottish heritage. His richly-deserved man-of-the-match award was based around complete control of his own D, both vocally and physically, as he can be as nimble as a moped or as wide (and as loud) as a bus, as the occasion demands.

A dominant performance it may not have been - the opposition were simply too good for that - but there were a whole host of good cameos, from Michael Silverleaf and Neil Hellard using the ball well at right-back, to Nick Hall who in that typically and annoyingly talented Antipodean fashion looks like he could make the Australian Olympic team next year if he continues to make such startling progress, due in no small part to Billy Dowie's astute one-on-one coaching sessions. As always, Billy was inspirational at the back, although clearly the invisible sniper decided to take a pot-shot at him this week as his second-half retreating fall had all the grace and elegance of Bambi on ice.

With a quarter of the season gone the team can now park up for a week off, kept off top spot in the table only by goal difference and the Royals. Fingers crossed for more high-octane performances from November onwards too.

Andrew Dick (GK), Michael Silverleaf, Billy Dowie, Tim Walters, Neil Hellard, Oli Woodgate, Colin Wilkie-Jones, Adam Bond, Ian Townsend, Nick Hall, Colin Leeman, Ed Sellick, James Findlay, Andi G, Matt Robinson and Mohammed Afzal.

Umpires: Theirs was large and OK, ours was Mark Jones who was smaller and, as always, absolutely brilliant.

Next match: Next Saturday is a slip week, so the next fixture should be a cracker on November 5, 2011.

A bit like London buses perhaps? Nothing for the whole of 2010 and then along come three victories one after another in 2011, thus maintaining the Saracens' second spot in the table with a 100% record. This victory really was a shot in the arm for all concerned, played out on another glorious sunny autumn day at JAGS, the team's apparently happy hunting ground (compared to Honor Oak where the Saracens have never won a single league match). Perhaps it is no surprise that a team previously addicted to the dangerous Class A drug of defeat should find breaking the habit so hard, as this was yet another victory straight from the rehab manual. If the previous two wins came from chapters 1 and 2 - smash'n grab after the siege, and coming from behind to hang on grimly - then chapter 3's roots were firmly nautical. A titanic struggle this may not have been, but cruising along and 2-0 to the good at half-time, everything looked bright on the horizon until the team hit two proverbial icebergs and suddenly saw a couple of points sinking without trace in a game which should have been dead and buried after the first 35 minutes. However, it is of enormous credit to the team's sense of belief and determination that the win was still secured, courtesy of man-of-the-match Colin Wilkie-Jones' well-taken effort five minutes from the end.

The first 20 minutes of the match were almost poetry in motion. Excellent passing moves round the back and through midfield, great movement, comfortable on the ball and oozing confidence. The only problem? No end result, as time and time again great approach play came to nothing, despite the constant probings and general approach play of the excellent James Findlay. The first half was already in its latter stages when the deadlock was at last broken, with Jim Sipthorp getting the final touch to open his account for the club and cap a fine all-round performance, but still the floodgates remained firmly shut. The injured Matt Robinson was positively salivating on the sidelines at the number of opportunities he saw go begging which were all being converted in his vivid imagination. Eventually the substitutes were forced to edge away from the puddle fast developing at his feet.

The first half's double-cameo award had to go to Ed Sellick. Clean through in a one-on-one 25 meters from goal Ed possibly decided that he did not want to end up looking a twat in the D and opted for the next best thing - looking a twat just outside it. As he and the stick parted company in one direction, the ball continued harmlessly in another, with not an opposition player in sight. Was it perhaps a lack of grip from the famous baby blue trainers, or a shot in the arm from a hidden sniper? But all credit to intrepid Ed who found himself in a virtually identical position five minutes later, turned and wrong footed the keeper before seeing his goalbound effort stopped illegally by a defender's leg. Cue penalty flick, step up James Findlay, 2-0, half-time. Well done, Captain Fantastic - blushes spared, along with a probable verbal mauling from team-mates during the interval too.

It was surely now merely a question of how many? Alas, no, as the comfort zone soon turned into choppy water, with the team suddenly unable to either keep possession or exert any level of control, in part due to the defence struggling to come to terms with only two men up front to mark and the midfield not picking up the opposition runners from deep. A penalty flick and a cross from the left via a completely unmarked St. Alban's player and suddenly it was 2-2 in a game that had looked safe a few minutes earlier. The subsequent , and ultimately deserved winner was understandably greeted by a mix of jubilation and pure relief.

The other outstanding feature of the match was more proof of the Saracens' enduring Corinthian spirit, which was evident not only in the award of the opposition penalty flick which was conceded due to Keith Howick's sense of honesty (the dull thud was ball on leg rather than pure stick), but also in Billy Dowie's election as D-o-D for complaining that the umpires had stopped play after an opponent was felled in his own D by a head-shot. But at least it stopped him picking on his team-mates for a couple of minutes.

Nosebleed territory! Back-to-back league victories for the first time in two years, the first ever victory secured by scoring three goals and coming from behind, and a place at the end of the day joint top of the table along with our club compatriots, THD Royals, whose early season leadership of League 6 (East) is not even by virtue of goal difference, but purely by goals scored. After last week's hot desert conditions in SE London, a second win in cool, overcast weather topped off the best possible start to the Saracens' season as they doubled last year's tally of victories within a single week of the season starting.

This third win of 2011-2012, including one pre-season victory, is showing the results of both greater squad stability and the injection of some additional quality into the team through Ed Sellick's shrewd dealings in the transfer market and abilities to blackmail talented work colleagues. With keeper Andrew (Dicko) Dick solid and vocal between the posts and an unchanged defence for the second match running, the foundations were laid for the long away-day fixture in North London. Michael (Satnav) Silverleaf continued to patrol the bright and airy spaces down the wing from his full-back birth, ably supported by his defensive colleagues. But this was no comfortable victory, even once a two-goal cushion was secured by virtue of James Findlay's magnificent second goal with an unstoppable reverse stick shot, the assist coming (he insists) from the now facially hirsute midfield sweatbox, Colin Leeman. The fact that Billy Dowie was by some distance the man of the match bears testimony to the pressure exerted by the hosts, as he was called upon time and again to cut out dangerous balls into the D, never once getting caught on the foot as a result of his twinkle toes and genetically acquired Irish dancing skills.

However, this is a match the team would probably have lost last season, so all credit is due for hanging on at the end. Whilst the team defended well at times (both goals conceded were from set-plays - two corners, one long, one short), at others it lacked the discipline it had shown a week earlier when defeating Hampstead & Westminster, which might prove costly against stronger opponents. Ed Sellick's half-time banishment of the midfield to have their own chat and sort it out proved worthwhile, even if it helped earn him several post-match votes as the D-o-D. However, all tragic heroes have a role in their own downfall and in Ed's case it was twofold. His apparent desperation to get carded by berating both umpires in the second half caused widespread mutterings of probable involvement of another spot-betting scandal with Wayne Rooney's dad, but it was really more down to the fact that he wanted to buy the winning lager jug after the game. But there was no way back from the one thing which truly nailed his nomination pale blue boots! As both of the team's lawyers confirmed in their post-match summing-up, I rest my case, m'lud.

And so on to next week's opponents, who have somehow managed to score 15 goals in their first game and concede 8 in their second. The division promises to be an interesting one, where nothing can be taken for granted.

Andrew Dick (GK), Michael Silverleaf, Keith Howick, Billy Dowie, Tim Walters, Neil Hellard, Deryck Breinburg, Colin Wilkie-Jones, Colin Leeman, Ian Townsend, Nick Hall, Matt Robinson, Ed Sellick, James Findlay and Oli Woodgate.

Shortly after two-o-clock on Saturday afternoon in Dulwich a number of people report witnessing a very strange sight: 14 grown men strewn around an Astroturf pitch, dripping sweat, glazed eyes, jaws dropped and stunned to silence. Was this the result of dehydration, sun-stoke in the unseasonal 80F heat or merely a case of mass spontaneous
shock? To be honest, it was probably all three, although primarily the third of these, as the Saracens recorded a glorious and unexpected victory against opponents who had scored 10 goals without reply on their last visit to south-east London earlier this year. Even more shocking was the fact that the 2-0 score-line was no fluke, but the result of the team's most complete squad performance from 1-14 in the last two years and - for once - a disciplined approach for the full 70 minutes, based on solid defence and building from the back, rather than the usual 'hack and hope'.

Seldom can new faces have had such a profound affect on a team, not least the three Royals players who made their Saracens' debuts. The two loanees, Oli Carruthers and Cass Evans both contributed richly, the latter being rewarded for a performance full of enterprise and running by being on hand to score the first goal from close range. It was, however, the permanent transfer who really caught the eye, as Keith Howick rolled back the years and turned in a performance of poise, vision and calm at sweeper, continually frustrating the Hampstead attack to such an extent that their forays either petered out at the halfway line, or ended in long aimless and ultimately fruitless passes up-field. Mrs. Howick is apparently still a little worried about the polar bear reference, however.

The clean sheet - only the second in two years - was particularly pleasing, as players put their bodies on the line, when called upon, to help ensure the shut-out. This was particularly evident when Neil Hellard blocked two successive penalty corners, the second of which nearly severed his foot, but neither Steve Butcher in the first half nor Reidy in
the second (many thanks to both of you for helping us out of our goalkeeping crisis) were as busy as they usually are on Saracens duty. Indeed, when the back-four lined up as Silverleaf-Dowie-Howick-Walters it is also worth noting that the combined ages would both test the adding capabilities of a pocket calculator as well as preclude them from playing collectively at supervets level for being too old. But the old guys 'done great' when it counted.

The midfield played well as a unit and proved what a difference it makes when the team defends better in the opposition's half. Jim Sipthorp turned in his best performance yet for the club, but it was the other James, the debutant Mr. Findlay, who stole the headlines and the plaudits for a stunning man-of-the-match display, nearly scoring a brilliant goal in the first half and then having a hand in the two that did eventually hit the back of the net in the final quarter. For the second, following an excellent drag-flick from a short, huge praise is also due to the quick-thinking Miguel Ledo, who, like a rat up the proverbial drainpipe, retrieved the loose ball on the reverse stick, turned and hammered it into the net in an act of high-speed opportunistic brilliance. Sadly, however, the same brilliance could not be attributed to the resultant goal celebration which he must have been working on all summer, as the 'windmill arm' now seems to have been replaced by the 'Alan Shearer raised finger', which deservedly harvested a few post-match votes for D-o-D on a day where, for once, no-one genuinely deserved the nomination.

It is worth remembering the old adage that 'one swallow doth not a summer make', even when the weather is indeed distinctly Mediterranean, but the squad has at last proven to itself that it can compete with the better teams in the league when it gets the basics right, keeps the game simple and maintains better shape and pitch discipline. For once, however, important lessons can be learnt from a positive experience - a first home win since 2009!

Next match: Next Saturday, away to Southgate 6s, push-back at 13.30.

Mssrs. Butcher / Reid (GK), Michael Silverleaf, Keith Howick, Billy Dowie, Tim Walters, Neil Hellard, Miguel Ledo, Colin Wilkie-Jones, Colin Leeman, Matt Robinson, Ed Sellick, Jim Sipthorp, James Findlay and Oli Carruthers.

Umpires: Tom & Tristan from the Diamonds - many thanks, gentlemen, particularly given the heat. Thank you too for your kinds words of surprise regarding the quality of what you witnessed - very encouraging.

Scorers: Cass Evans and Miguel Lido.

MOTM: James Findlay, for a brilliant debut - shame it was witnessed by the Diamonds' scouting team!

D-o-D: Colin Wilkie-Jones for having to depart at half-time a bit harsh as he ended up missing all the fun!

Umpires: Tom & Tristan from the Diamonds - many thanks, gentlemen, particularly given the heat. Thank you too
for your kinds words of surprise regarding the quality of what you witnessed - very encouraging.