Weather from almost every continent hits fixtures in the Norfolk Cricket League

Harry Thompson once wrote a book called Penguins Stopped Play about playing cricket on all the continents of the world.

He could have saved himself all the travelling by coming to Norfolk on the first weekend of the season.

It is an inexorable law of cricket that, whatever the previous weather, the first league weekend of the season will have weather from every continent.

This time it was snow, hail, torrential rain and howling gales. And hot sun. It was three sweaters for the spectators, far more than that for the players.

The Lynn News went to watch the titanic clash between Castle Rising and Narborough in Division One of the Norfolk League.

Nowhere is quite as forlorn as an abandoned cricket pitch. No-one was there.

Unless the match had been started and finished in 20 minutes, it had been called off.

It was time to reminisce about Castle Rising 60 years ago: about Jack Donaldson, fishmonger on Norfolk Street with a greeting for everyone who passed his shop.

How bout Bunny Bayfield, huge and massively bearded, a teacher at KES and Squadron Leader Rufus Leggett with his handlebar moustache, said to be the best player never to play for England.

There too was the teenage Clive Radley, who later played for England, playing here for teams from Norwich.

In boys’ matches a batsman had to retire on 25, so Clive, who always knew his score, would get to 24 and simply stop scoring; he loved to bat.

Enough reminiscing. Could there possibly be a match where cricket was being played on this benighted afternoon? Where a very hot cup of tea might keep the spectators alive?

Bonus points, perhaps 100 of them, should be awarded to the heroic teams of Sandringham seconds and Hingham for turning out at all in Division 2W.

The ground was immaculate as ever. The tea was classy, with melon and other fresh fruits, while important people drove past in Land Rovers.

There was even a new sign for the ground, trying to prevent this year’s visitors heading for the North Sea instead of the cricket ground.

The wicket itself was remarkably firm, though it would be important to bat second. By then it might have dried out a bit between squalls.

Sandringham batted first in a match reduced to 30 overs – quite long enough for anyone.

Richard Hurst scored 50 in a class of his own, blade flashing upright on both sides of the wicket.

Later contributions took the score to 124 but it was never likely to be enough.

By the time the first wicket fell, a strong Hingham batting side were half-way home.

Experienced bowlers were asked to stem the tide.

Ady Nicol, whose run-up resembles a silent movie clip slowed down and run backwards, could only temporarily hold up the batsmen’s progress.

Two wickets fell to Ryan Hudson, but the impressive Clarke and Skipper saw things through for Hingham.

Frankly it was too cold to watch every ball but the players came off the field and shook hands, so it was probably over.

On this evidence, the enthusiastic and good-natured Sandringham club will prosper again this year. People will still come to watch them. Young and old will advise each other appropriately.

And, if they are sensible, players in future will arrange their holidays for the first week in May. Somewhere where the weather is better, like Antarctica.