One of the most enjoyable fixtures of the season, with cricket of the highest standard (and very few terracotta warriors in evidence, in spite of the most generous tea), is played at Provender. And it was a particular pleasure this year to welcome Joe Gordon, making both his Straggler debut and his debut in adult cricket – nothing like being thrown in at the deep end. Joe follows his father, Alastair, a Straggler stalwart from 1970 to 1999, best known as a metronomic bowler and sitting at number 3 on the list of leading Straggler wicket takers (348); and his grandfather, Alex, who played Straggler cricket from 1967 to 1981. Joe batted number 7, participating in what proved to be a vital middle order partnership with Hugo Snape, as the Stragglers inched thier way to a tense one wicket victory.
