The Bilton Grange Society come together once a year to celebrate their school, catch up with old friends, and play a game of cricket on the old main square.  And the Faders are always honoured to provide the opposition.  It’s a picturesque scene, with a decent picnicking crowd and the feel of a festival.

Christian Nicholson, the OBs captain, was unable to take the field this year, at least in a playing capacity.  He’d been injured after a complicated series of events involving a Boris bike, some failed navigation, and a wall.  The details of this need not detain us: I only note that the School’s strictures about safe play in the wild gardens must inevitably dim with the passage of time. 

While this might have given us old Faders some (guilty) hope, Christian nonetheless masterminded another OB victory. 

As usual the OBs fielded a decent team, with capable players all keen to relive past glories.  And this year, they had the added incentive of honouring Mr Paul Nicholson’s 37 years of service, something they did both with the manner of their play, and their smart appearance.  The Faders concede nothing to the OBs in their regard for PJN; they just don’t quite have the talent with bat and ball.

We played with Mr Nicholson and his son umpiring.  And watching it all from the boundary’s edge was Mrs Helen Nicholson, one of the few people who rivals our deputy HM for length of service and numbers of pupils and parents in their debt, and Maja Nicholson, a much-loved gap student now coming, fully qualified and raring to go, to join Pre-prep.  What could be finer?  Honestly, it’s a privilege to play a small part in it all.

Best wishes and many, many thanks to Paul and Helen, to Christian and Maja, from all the Faders.