Life as it should be lived

First, my apologies to any disgruntled readers who in the past week may have felt that the Rust had been taken over by myself or indeed cricket.

In a rare break from my traditional loyalties to Sussex CCC, yesterday I accepted a long-standing invitation from a doyen (and former President) of Surrey to attend the second day of Surrey’s latest county clash with Glamorgan at Guildford. For those unfamiliar with it, Guildford’s delightful little ground has a railway bridge against its skyline and a busy road running beside it on one side of the boundary but in all other respects is picture-perfect in the mind as the epitome of what any true Englishman would want as his ideal setting for the greatest sport of all.

Apart from good weather. That’s the Conway recipe for cricket-watching: a pretty little ground, lively company, good wine, a rip-roaring catering function, young ladies in summer dresses and bright sunshine – perhaps with a little breeze running diagonally across the pitch from the station end. We had all of these yesterday and it was a glorious experience.

As for the match, Surrey went on to make 406 for 5 batting points and then had Glamorgan reeling at 54 for 5 before the visitors recovered to 323 for 8, courtesy of Wallace (92) and Wagg who finished on 116 not out, by close of play about 6.30pm.

I cannot disguise that it was a long day. By the time I had dropped my host off at his gaff and returned to dear Hove, it was gone 8.45pm and I was both very happy and very weary.

Here are some snaps from my day: