What a day!

Started off by crossing London to leave my luggage at Euston Station so I could both go to the One Day International against Australia at Lords and catch the train that evening to Aberystwyth.

Great day ahead so I thought….. Got to Lords, entered the ground and found that our group was two down. Where were Keith and Judith? No panic, empty seats indicated they hadn’t arrived yet. Time goes on and, after much frantic texting, two strangers take the seats. First thought, they have obviously mugged Keith and Judith for their tickets! Should I work up the courage to confront them?

No this is Lords, obvious Keith and Judith are somewhere else in the ground and we hadn’t noticed that the tickets weren’t consecutive. Causing a scene just wouldn’t be cricket!

The cricket goes well and Australia’s run rate is pretty poor by the time they are all out at lunchtime. Alarmingly no reply texts or calls from Keith and Judith. Could ‘the muggers’ have their phone too?

Spend lunchtime touring the ground regretting carrying Judith’s heavyish birthday present to the ground which was opened by Lords security staff and knocked around!

Back to the cricket, after all the search of the ground was always going to be a ‘needle in a haystack’ job - destined to fail. Continue to glare at ‘the muggers’.

Mid afternoon and England still on top when I leave to get the train to Aberystwyth. A long queue at left luggage just as there was this morning when I left the suitcase. Never mind I thought, still plenty of time to catch the train.

Horrors, lightening strikes and the train is delayed.. The quick change at Birmingham International becomes simply impossible. The only logical thing to do is to change the ticket to Monday. Annoyed that I could have stayed to see England triumph…..

This feeling was short lived as seeing a chap in an MCC tie I ask him how the game ended and he tells me of the England batting collapse!

Later that evening I look at my mobile to find a message from Keith and Judith that they had left their mobile at home and were in the next stand throughout the game.

Much relived I didn’t make, or more likely attempt to make, a citizens arrest of those innocent muggers. Will suggest that we have fall back arrangements for the next match like taking our mobiles with us!