Arriving at Margao CC, we are finally met by an age-matched team. They are a bunch of bright chatterboxes whose obvious joy in playing is a tonic. Their enthusiasm includes batting in a sprightly manner and both openers depart only because they have retired. A total of 234 looks daunting. Although John Pigott and Glyn Thomas make a promising start, it becomes a struggle once Glyn is forced to retire on 49.
We end up about 30 runs light. Group photos and presentations follow. Happily their opening bat is diminutive as the only remaining shirt was a medium. I leave most of my kit and the bag with one of the umpires who is also a coach.
The evening is to be an end of tour dinner on a river boat. The whole thing turns into a shambles. Carnival means it is the busiest night of the year for traffic, we arrive so late there is a suggestion the boat has already gone, the one we go on has only us on board, the music volume renders conversation nigh on impossible and we are left sitting all over the place. An unfortunate end to an entertaining series of games.
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