To start with the MDL team on Sunday, who qualified for the semis by beating Merchant Taylors, Sai Bhatia making 58. The Sunday friendly side lost to the Nepotists.

On Saturday the 1s lost to Old Isleworthians and look out of the promotion hunt. The 2s got a winning draw against Kenton, Ryan Davies making 75.

The 3s got a great win against North London, to go 4th. We made 186 (Nick Hewetson 63, Henry Somper 44*) and bowled them out for 174, new player Josh Brecker taking 5. The 4s stay top – 17 points clear – after beating Actonians. We chased their 185 for 2, with a big stand for Charlie Entwistle (84*) and Nouman Tahir (74*).

The 5s lost to Wycombe House and the 6s lost to Indian Gymkhana, Alex Tilleray making 40 of our 83.

Last week saw the annual tour to Devon – I enclose the following report by ‘an anonymous tourist’. Thanks to Mad Dog for masterminding the whole thing and thanks to everyone who went.

The club undertook its 84th Devon Tour last week. 2 days in Torquay followed by 2 in Exeter.

The first game, v South Devon CC at Newton Abbott saw a convincing win for the tourists. We made 168 for 3 off our 25 overs. Jack Stanfield (50 ret) and Jim Yorath (52no). South Devon were bowled out for 120 with wickets for Aadi Konidena (3), Joe Brookes (2) and Glayson Baptiste making up for his failure with the bat with 2. Diesel's at the Cider Bar and heavy metal goth nite in Torquay followed.

The day 2 game at Paignton CC didn't go ahead, due to the ineptitude of Mad Dog, so we made up for it with a round of Crazy Golf, won by Phil Arnould. The rest of the afternoon was spent at Torquay Bowling Club, where we enjoyed keenly priced drinks, thrilling bowls and Jack Stansfield cheering on his new best mates Jeff and Melissa to victory in the Torquay v Some Bunch I Can't Remember in the bowls match. Football style chanting appeared to be a new thing at bowls, and I think both teams appreciated the advice Jack gave.

Wednesday saw us head out to Ottery St Mary CC in Ottery. We posted 210 in our 35 overs, with Will Clarke making a career best score opening the innings. Ed Sykes (60no), Aadi Konidena (37) and the only bloke who can talk more rubbish in 30 seconds than Glayson, Paul Lyes 26 in square cuts. They chased that total down, with Ed Sykes the pick of the bowling. A few beers and off to Exeter.

Following a big night sampling the Exeter techno scene, we played Exeter CC on the old county ground.Exteter scored 262 for 6 in their 35 (sounds big, but we've gone for heaps more there), Stanners and Steve Brookes picking up a couple of wickets. The only other notable bowling highlight of the innings was the reunion of Chiswick's odd couple, Phat Phil and Mad Dog, who bowled in tandem for most of the early part of the innings, and were, in the opinion of this correspondent, badly let down in the field by their 'mates'.. We made 150 in reply, and as we were not all out, that makes it a 'tour draw'. Highlights of our innings were the 50 (ret) to Ed Sykes, and the biggest torching of a person since Joan of Arc by Glayson, when he ran out Freddie Redfern. Glayson did score 41, but Freddie looked set for a big one.

Massive thanks to all the folks who came down, for one day or five. Always great to spend time with new tourists (Aadi, Tomesy) and renew acquaintances with ex club stalwarts like Martin 'Fish' Walker and Paul Lyes. Also big thanks to Mark 'Lord Snooty' Bunkhall for umpiring all our games, and keeping our spirits up when things seemed gloomy.

Keep in mind next year's tour will be around the end of July 2026 (provisionally 27th - 31st) when you are booking your holidays. It would be great for as many as possible to come down and enjoy cricket on the English Riviera. See Mad Dog or ask about if you want more information.

Bernard