On 18 August, Taplow Cricket Club hosted a match between Berks and Bucks over 70s and the touring Australia over 70s team. The Australian team was in England for the “Silver Ashes” tour, and were due to play the final match of that series at Maidenhead and Bray on the following Sunday.
Chris Lowe, who played his club cricket at Taplow, is the England over 70s team manager and keen to show the tourists what a traditional English village cricket club looks like. Taplow have hosted a number of Berks and Bucks over 70s county matches in recent years.
The day did not start well, with torrential rain in the morning preventing final pitch arrangements – but, as the coach carrying the Australian team pulled into the car park, the sun came out and, with a team effort, the match got underway just 15 minutes late.
Taplow members were on hand to make the day a success, in particular Linda and Chris, Zoe and Gillian, who laid on a “Taplow tea” at the interval and an evening meal after the game finished.
The Australian team presented Taplow Cricket Club a trophy to mark the occasion, made from the Australian redgum tree.
