Twisty route to avoid the ITFC traffic, threading our way through town and up to the village hall within a stable block. Venue, near Jimmy's Farm, is home to the Novas of Wherstead, "a fine wool fabric". For them, Martin, Tracy and Scott. For us, Cassy, Broom and Scott. Let's play ball.

Lefty Martin, among the top 3 divisional scorers, is a tricky customer and opens the scoring v. Ed, who can only spindle his way to a single end. Wardy gees himself along all through the game and goes on to a cloth hat trick, outgunning both Andy and Grenvyle.

Tracy's up v. Grenvyle, and our man confidently wins the first end. She improves, his serge subsides, and card one up for the lady. Would have made for quite a yarn had our man from the renal unit won, though straightforward-ish wins for Ed and Andy.

Andy strains every physio-approved fibre to defeat Scott over the full five ends, and Ed takes advantage to land another well-woolen point. Two-thirds into the evening sees (a) Andy lying on the floor and (b) Grenvyle holding onto a chair while his blood pressure comes out of the clinically dead range -- yep, weave got ourselves a team of fit lads.

Classic no fuss Cassy/Broom line-up in the doubles. Won the first, survived a comb back in the second, secured the third: details are immaterial. And down to find one of the parking baize by the Oyster Reach for a celebratory draw-is-a-good-result drink.