CRICKET: Nacton may have suffered relegation to Section B of the Medite League in 2001, but the year was not wholly disappointing.Club members are still recalling happy memories of their late season trip to Ireland.

By Elvin King

CRICKET

NACTON may have suffered relegation to Section B of the Medite League in 2001, but the year was not wholly disappointing.

Club members are still recalling happy memories of their late season trip to Ireland.

Many sides in the area enjoy annual tours, while Holland proves a popular venture for many – but Nacton decided to look further afield.

A chance visit while on holiday to Ireland last year by John Pilkington – a former player and regular tourist who now lives in Lincolnshire, to a cricket game in Munster led to the Nacton's tour organiser Dave Simmonds putting together a tour programme in and around the Cork area.

A game against the Church of Ireland X1 was won by ten runs and a match against the University College Cork at the Cork County Cricket Club was lost by six wickets.

The third game at Lismore, played on The Duke of Devonshire's Estate, was lost by 60 runs, while the final match, against Middleton, ended in a Nacton victory by seven wickets.

This was somewhat surprising as several of the players had visited a whiskey distillery earlier that morning which is located at one end of the ground.

Kevin Handscombe's match-winning four wickets in four balls, three stumped by evergreen Chris Rush, in the last over of the first game with only 11 runs required for victory got the tour off to a perfect start.

Lewis Rush took three wickets on his first tour as a player while Clive Nunn hammered a quickfire 30 to secure victory at Middleton in the final game.

This popular village side has always retained a spirit of adventure while enjoying their cricket to the full.

Nacton have toured every season for the last 22 years with past and present players joining up for what has become a club tradition.

Previous years have seen tours to Leicestershire, Worcestershire, Hampshire, Oxfordshire, Lincolnshire, Kent, Sussex, Norfolk and Northamptonshire.

A party of 34 including wives, children and girlfriends flew to Cork with some extending their stay to make the most of the delightful Irish hospitality and weather.

Sightseeing visits were made to Kinsale and Blarney Castle to sample culinary delights and kiss the famous Stone.

Dick Leggett of Leggett Transport, Woolpit, provided souvenir playing shirts and caps for all playing members.

So back to this season and after relegation Nacton are going to blood youngsters and hope the fresh faces will help them rise again in the Medite League.

IF you want to recall your club's tour, or an upcoming one, the e-mail address is elvin.king@eveningstar.co.uk.