A brief look at some of my recent work at James and Sons, including photos, and a regular photo gallery.
One of the things I have been doing recently at James and Sons is describing an imaging a large collection of old newspapers and magazines. This post looks at that process.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
The condition has to be assessed – even if the item is very old one cannot expect imperfections to be overlooked. In the oldest stuff (1850s-1870s in this context) there are rarely any adverts, so it is purely about general content. From the tail-end of the Victorian era onwards ads play a much bigger role, and while genuinely interesting content should be noted it is often the ads that are the main selling point. Once the descriptions have been typed in the image gallery then has to back them up. I have some sample images to show to end this section.
We start with three full page ads from different lots.With this one there were few ads because it was wartime, but there was an abundance of very interesting general content, themed on looking to the future.A full page ad from another lot.This item had some incredible advertisements.The 1962 Chevrolet got not just an advert, but a multipage advertising feature – one full page and two double page spreads.There were three double page spreads advertising Ford products in various parts of the magazine.This was a double page plus a mini booklet.The feature article was beautifully presented.This was just the start of a superb historical feature.
PHOTOGRAPHS
I end with one of my regular galleries…
Not a perfect V – the two birds on the bottom left are out of true – but not that far off.This was hovering high overhead as I headed on to the footpath along the east bank of the Great Ouse on my way home from today’s WNAG committee meeting.
I am a little short on inspiration right now, so just to keep the blog active I am producing a gallery of my latest hobby photos. To view photos at large size just click on one.
PHOTOGRAPHS
Here we are…
The grey colouring says that this is technically still a cygnet, but it is pretty much the same size as its parents.One smallish leaf, three larvae. The larvae on the left and right probably belong to the same species, but the one in the middle is clearly different.This looks quite similar to a squirrel, but its movements were bouncier than any squirrel I have ever seen, and where a squirrel would have a bushy tail pretty much as long as the rest of its body this creature just has a tiny tuft of tail. One fully developed insect (the reverse video ladybird – black with red spots rather than the usual way round) and one larva sharing a leaf.
A look back at the last day of the 2026 English cricket season, headlined by an ODI series decider between England and Sri Lanka. Also a large photo gallery.
Yesterday saw the last knockings of the 2026 English cricket season, including the third and final ODI of a series between the England and Sri Lankan men’s sides, which this post looks back at.
THE PRELIMINARIES
Sri Lanka had levelled the series by winning the second match back on Thursday. Also in that match Jos Buttler had picked up an injury while batting and retired hurt, and he was absent from this match, his place as keeper being taken by Jordan Cox. England had a slightly less deep batting order than sometimes, but the presence of Gus Atkinson, with an international century to his name, at number nine is hardly indicative of a long tail. England won the toss and although the pitch was fairly green they opted to bat first, having realized that the layer of grass had been left in place because it was a fundamentally very dry surface and needed the presence of the grass to keep it together…
THE ENGLAND INNINGS
Ben Duckett floundered to a five ball duck, finally being beaten all ends up and bowled by a superb ball from Madushanka (it was also a poor shot by Duckett but that should not detract from a fine piece of bowling). Joe Root was never in great form either, but he hung around for a time in support of Tom Banton who was batting magnificently. Harry Brook came in at number four, and now England had in form batters together at the crease. Banton reached his first international hundred. Brook fell at 218, having scored a fluent 77, which brought Jordan Cox to the crease. Banton was fourth out at 242, having scored 126 from 105 balls. Will Jacks and Jamie Overton each provided useful support to Cox who batted brilliantly. Asitha Fernando ended the innings on a personal high, bowling Cox for 76 (52) and then Dawson for a first ball duck with the last two balls of the innings, but the damage was well and truly done by then, with England posting 355-7 from their 50 overs.
THE SRI LANKA INNINGS
Sri Lanka never looked like getting anywhere near the huge total they had been set. Kusal Mendis, century maker in the second match of the series, produced a fluent 35, but once he was out to the last ball of the ninth over to make it 53-3 no one did a great deal. The run out of Rathnayake by Archer, which caused a deal of confusion because Cox had actually dislodged a bail before the ball arrived, stood because Archer’s throw actually removed a stump from the ground. That was 77-4, and with Charith Asalanka and Dunith Wellalage following in short order it was soon 82-6. Sachindu Colombage and Janith Liyanage also one after the other, 104-6 becoming 106-8. None of Eshan Malinga, Asitha Fernando or Dilshan Madushanka, the three remaining Sri Lankan batters, have any batting pedigree whatsoever, and imagining that they might some score 250 between the three of them would have been fanciful to say the least. Malinga actually did reach double figures, a feat beyond the other two, who managed 8 between them. The match ended when Eshan Malinga swept at Will Jacks and Joe Root, soon to be named as England’s ODI player of the season, pouched a sharp catch at leg slip. The margin was 232 runs. Scorecard here.
Shortly before that Somerset and Surrey had shaken hands on a draw at Taunton, with Surrey five down in their second innings and almost 200 adrift. Somerset had built a first innings of 309 – 731 against 422, and had hoped that Leach and Vaughan could spin through Surrey’s second innings, but a couple of interruptions put paid to that. Tom Abell had scored 307 for Somerset, beaten among Somerset natives only by a 310 from Harold Gimblett many decades ago, although overseas stars Justin Langer and Viv Richards have also recorded higher scores for the county.
A look at how Warwickshire became county champions for the ninth time in their history and a large photo gallery.
The last round of county championship fixtures for the 2o26 season is going on. Although some matches will be going in to tomorrow we know where the county championship is going, and this post looks back at how that happened.
WARWICKSHIRE WITH THE STRONGEST FINISH
Going into the penultimate round of fixtures there were three teams seemingly duking it out for the title, Warwiwckshire, Nottinghamshire and Somerset. Both Nottinghamshire and Somerset slipped up in that round while Warwickshire won to take a 12 point lead into the final round.
In the final round Nottinghamshire faced Yorkshire, Somerset entertained Surrey and Warwickshire were at home to Leicestershire. It was obvious by the afternoon of day one (Thursday) that Warwickshire were faring better than the other two, and by the time day two ended Nottinghamshire’s challenge was also officially over, but Somerset were still theoretically in contention, though they would need to win and for Warwickshire to lose, and Warwickshire were in almost complete control of their match, having built a first innings advantage of 247 and already claimed three Leicestershire second innings wickets before the end of day two.
This morning belonged to Warwickshire, and by lunch time Leicestershire were eight down, a long way in arrears, and the title was as good as secure. Tom Scriven, the Leicestershire number nine, fought his way to 49, comfortably their highest individual score of the match, but then Ethan Bamber bowled him to claim his fifth scalp of the innings and ninth of the match and give Warwickshire the match by an innings and 79 runs and with it the county championship for the ninth time in their history. It was an appropriate way for the championship to be officially settled since Bamber, released by Middlesex in a ‘Decca Records’ like move by someone who questioned his temperament, has been superb as the spearhead of a very impressive Warwickshire bowling unit this season.
Just moments ago Yorkshire completed a one wicket win over Nottinghamshire. At Taunton the match is still ongoing, and Tom Abell for Somerset has reached a new career best of 228 not out, with Somerset now 174 ahead on first innings, which brings a win for them in to the picture should Surrey collapse in their second innings.
PHOTOGRAPHS
My usual sign off (reminder – click on an image to view it at larger size)…
A look at the T20I series that has been going on between the England and Sri Lanka men’s teams and a photo gallery.
The England and Sri Lanka men’s sides have been playing a T20I series. The third and final match is in progress as I type, and it is an indication of the way things are going that I am already calling it a 3-0 series sweep for England, even with 14 overs left in the match.
MATCH ONE ON TUESDAY
Sri Lanka won the toss and inserted England. That was the only thing that went right for them all evening. England piled up 254 from their 20 overs, Harry Brook helping himself to a century. Faced with a total like that Sri Lanka were unlikely to get anywhere close, and in the end the margin was 119 runs. Sonny Baker distinguished himself by taking 3-12 from his four overs.
MATCH TWO ON THURSDAY
England won the toss and put Sri Lanka in. There were moments when Sri Lanka looked capable of posting a respectable total, but the second half of their innings was a sad tale, going from a relative high of 84-1 at half distance to an inadequate 145-9 at the end of the 20th over. England knocked off this target with almost eight overs to spare to settle the series with a match to spare.
MATCH THREE TODAY
England won the toss and again chose to bat, and it was deja vu. Sri Lanka reached 83-3 at the high water mark of their innings, but once again floundered badly in the closing stages. On this occasion they were all out for 124 with seven balls left unused. Wanindu Hasaranga suffered a bizarre dismissal, dislodging a bail with the toe end of his bat while facing Jofra Archer. Kamindu Mendis played the best innings for Sri Lanka, but it ended horribly when he ignored the fact that Old Trafford is wider than it is long and took on a pull against Archer, succeeding only in sending the ball directly to Jacks, carefully positioned a good few yards in from the boundary for this precise eventuality. Harry Brook and Jos Buttler are enjoying themselves at the moment, and already, with over 12 overs still available, England need less than 30 more to win. The hapless Madushanka has just given away five wides to move England past 100. It was his fourth separate infraction of the over to boot. With 23 now needed I suspect that the usual mid-innings drinks break will be superfluous. The previous sentence was prophetic – England reached the target in just 9.4 overs to seal the 3-0 sweep.
A look at goings on in the test match at Edgbaston, and a photo gallery in two parts – A St Nicholas special and a general gallery.
It is now tea on day three of the third and final test match of a series between the England and Pakistan men’s teams. This post looks at what has happened so far.
DAY ONE
England, 2-0 up in the series, were unchanged, while Pakistan had a number of changes. England won the toss and opted to bowl first. The only Pakistan batter to fare well in the first innings was Saud Shakeel, who got in to the 40s before he was dismissed. Pakistan managed a mere 133 all out. England were going well in response by the close.
DAY TWO
I did not get to witness any of this day’s play due to work commitments. England took a first innings lead of 320 and Pakistan two wickets down in their second innings by the close.
TODAY
I had another commitment which caused me to miss the first session of today’s play, which was Pakistan’s best batting session of the series. They continued to bat well in the afternoon session, but a superb catch by Lawrence off Atkinson sent Shan Masood back for 95. Babar Azam was also dismissed this session, caught by Jordan Cox, keeping wicket in place of the injured Jamie Smith for 76. These two dismissals mean that as yet there has not been an individual century in this series. Saud Shakeel and new wicket keeper Ghazi Ghori batted through to tea at 297-5, 23 short of making England batting again. At the moment it looks very likely that England are still going to win, but bigger turnarounds have happened – Headingley 1981, when England were 92 short of making Australia bat with just three second innings wickets standing and ended up winning by 18 runs being one such.
THE COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP
Warwickshire, Somerset and Nottinghamshire all won their games. With two rounds of matches to play Somerset are four points clear of Nottinghamshire, with Warwickshire a point further back, and everyone else well behind this trio.
PHOTOGRAPHS
On Wednesday morning St Nicholas Chapel was open as I walked past, and I went in. Before my main gallery I have a…
ST NICHOLAS SPECIAL
I start with a composite picture juxtaposing the organ with an information board about that instrument:
On the left of this picture is a front on shot of the organ at St Nicholas Chapel, on the right an information board about said organ.
The rest of the gallery…
GENERAL PHOTOS
Now for my usual sign off…
This butterfly is a new one for me. The tail segment sticking out beyond the wings is an unusual feature, and the white wings with black borders are new to me as well (four pics).
Early yesterday evening Oliver Price claimed the final Derbyshire wicket to give his side victory by 213 runs with 6.3 overs left to be bowled. That brought an end to the latest round of championship fixtures. This post looks back at the main events of yesterday (see here for details of the two matches that ended on Friday).
KENT v WORCESTERSHIRE
This match was threatening to get interesting win the visitors needed just over 100 with five wickets left, and Brett D’Oliveira closing in on three figures. While not being anywhere close to the standards of his grandfather Basil this D’Oliveira is a solid county batter, and given proper support by the later Worcestershire batters he could have made it very tense indeed. In the end Kent had 84 runs to spare, and D’Oliveira was left stranded with a century to his name.
GLOUCESTERSHIRE v DERBYSHIRE
The county of my birth have been having a rotten season in the county championship, coming into this round with only one win to their name. It did not look like changing when they batted on and on in their second innings against Derbyshire, finally declaring to set the visitors 318 in 45 overs. Batting out for the draw should have been straightforward, but Derbyshire had a horrible collapse at the start of the innings, plunging to 41-6. The only batter of substance left was Martin Andersson, who dug in grittily. The fact that it took 24 overs for the last four wickets to fall underlines how atrociously the early Derbyshire batting failed, with six of them falling in the first 14.4 overs of the innings.
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE HOIST ON OWN PETARD
Northamptonshire might have thought they were doing OK when they needed 205 to win the fourth innings. However their own pitch preparation came back to bite them. They had prepared a spinning surface hoping for their bowlers to benefit, but it was Durham left arm spinner Callum Parkinson who reaped the rewards, with six cheap wickets are Northamptonshire crashed for 50 in the final innings.
THE STALEST OF STALEMATES
A combination of a flawed points system (on which I have animadverted before) and lack of enterprise by both counties consigned Nottinghamshire v Leicestershire to an early grave, awaiting only the formality of handshakes at the first legal opportunity. Once Leicestershire had avoided the possibility of being made to follow on, partly with the assistance of Josh Davey, who also helped his former county Somerset in the process neither side showed any interest in making a game of things. Leicestershire could have challenged Nottinghamshire by declaring as soon as the follow-on was avoided, effectively daring them to set a target if they were game. Nottinghamshire once they finally got the elusive wicket could have decided: OK, we still have a decent lead, and we are going to throw the bat for 20 overs and see where we end up, and if Leicestershire fancy attempting the chase good luck to them. In the event as indicated Leicestershire batted on until that last wicket fell, and Nottinghamshire showed no interest in anything other than a polishing up of batting averages. This is precisely the sort of event that underlines the folly of assessing a draw as worth half as much of a win. One result of this is that Somerset sit on top of the table, four points ahead of Nottinghamshire.
PHOTOGRAPHS
My usual sign off…
A hornet mimic fly in flight, approaching some greenery on which a small green insect rests.A damselfly with a green body, resting on a green leaf.A wading bird, probably of the sandpiper family (three pics) near the Nar outfall.A holly blue butterfly.A louse, of the type sometimes called a pill bug because its defence mechanism is to roll itself up into something looking like a pill and very well defended.
A look at two of the matches in this round of championship fixtures that have already finished and their implications for the table, plus a photo gallery.
There is a round of county championship matches in progress with today officially day three of four. The two matches in which I had most interest, Surrey v Yorkshire and Somerset v Glamorgan are both now finished. This post looks at what has been going on.
AN INNINGS WIN
This morning at decision time I opted to listen to Surrey v Yorkshire, since I thought that one was probably going to end before Somerset v Glamorgan. I had failed to account for just how spineless Glamorgan would prove to be. They slumped to 183 all out in their second innings, which gave Somerset a win by an innings and 64. The scores there were Glamorgan 194, Somerset 441, Glamorgan 183. This puts Somerset at the top of the championship table, and although they were one of the eight sides involved in the first properly organized county championship in 1891 they have never won it. Scorecard here.
A LOW SCORING THRILLER
Surrey won the toss and opted to bowl. When they had Yorkshire all out for 185 they would have felt reasonably good about that. They themselves then sank for 83, conceding a first innings deficit of 102. They then rebounded by bowling Yorkshire out for 82, leaving themselves to match Yorkshire’s first innings score in the final innings of the match to win it. When Burns and Sibley reached 40 still together it looked on. Then Jack White pinned Sibley LBW. Surrey now gambled, sending Rahul Chahar in at number three. The gamble failed, the Indian being bowled for a five ball duck. Not long after that Burns was also out, caught by Dom Bess off George Hill and it was 52-3. Wickets continued to fall regularly by Josh Blake dug in and held firm. Even so, when Tom Lawes was seventh out a further 70 runs were still needed to win, which looked a tall order on that surface. However Matthew Fisher, who had already claimed eight wickets in the match, including 6-25 in the 82 all out, now provided Josh Blake with excellent support and the pair clawed their way towards the target. They had got to 170, 15 short of winning, when Fisher edged a ball from Hill to Will Luxton to fall for 33. Auqib Nabi, an Indian seamer who can bat a bit – he has a List A century in his native land – now joined Blake. Nabi had just hit a six to move Surrey to within two of the target when he tried to go big again and sent the ball pretty much straight upwards and James Wharton got underneath it to make it 183-9. Dan Worrall, the sort of old style tail ender who does not bother to take guard when he arrives at the crease, now joined the fray. He survived the last two balls of Ben Coad’s over, and then Blake negotiated a very good over from George Hill, but could do no more than survive it. The next over started with another dot, but then Worrall got the second away for four and Surrey had sneaked home by one wicket. The match had seen an aggregate of 537 runs for 39 wickets. This is not even close to a record – in 1878 when The MCC faced off against An Australian XI at Lord’s the match aggregate was 105 runs for 31 wickets (MCC 33 and 19, Australians 41 and 12-1). Josh Blake in the final innings had scored 43 not out from 183 balls. It is a result that somewhat eases Surrey’s relegation worries, but everyone from fourth place downwards is under threat, so tight is it at the bottom. Scorecard here.
PHOTOGRAPHS
My usual sign off (periodic reminder, you can view images at larger size by clicking on them)…
A hummingbird hawkmothFlowring ivy plays a vital role at this time of year. This head has attracted two pollinators at the same time.I got this 50p in change at Morrison’s today.
A look at the closing stages of the second test match of the England v Pakistan series and a photo gallery.
Late yesterday afternoon Harry Brook took a catch off Josh Tongue to dismiss Mohammad Ali for 8 and end proceedings with Pakistan on 194, which coincidentally gave England victory by 194 runs and an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three match series. This post looks back at the salient events of the last couple of days.
PICKING UP THE STORY
When I published my previous post England were 162-6 in their second innings, an overall lead of 342. Daniel Lawrence was on 37 at the point, and there was a little more play on the Saturday, in the course of which he completed a fine 50. England overnighted on 177-7, a lead of 357, with Lawrence 50 not out. Lawrence is starting to show that he is worth his place as a middle order batter, which he has to do – his status as the team’s spin option is purely nominal, and any wickets he takes in that capacity will be a bonus.
THE SUNDAY
England extended their innings to 208, a lead of 388 overall. Pakistan in their three previous innings in the series had tallied 417 runs in total. Imam-ul-Haq was out the match with a calf strain, so England had only nine wickets to take. Ollie Robinson pinned Azan Awais LBW for 6 and three balls later bowled Abdullah Shafique for a duck. Babar Azam got a vicious delivery from Archer, which lifted nastily on him, but a player of his experience should have been able to do better than fend it into the hands of Jordan Cox at third slip. That was 14-3 and a very familiar situation for Pakistan in this series. Shan Masood and Saud Shakeel showed some spirit, Shakeel especially batting impressively, while Masood resisted stoutly. When Masood and Mohammad Rizwan were both out in quick succession, Masood for 26 and Rizwan for 1, both LBW to Robinson, it was 115-5, effectively 6, and the question was whether a decidedly fragile tail could summon up sufficient resistance between them to enable Shakeel to reach three figures. Ali Usman’s official position of number eight looks too high for him, never mind the actual position of number seven that Imam-ul-Haq’s indisposition left him occupying. On this occasion he managed a score of 9, and helped the sixth wicket to put on 35. Mohammad Abbas, who had earlier bowled his way on the Lord’s honours board, now batted better than he usually manages. Abbas had seen Shakeel to the brink of the magic three figures, and it was the specialist batter who fell in the end, taking on a short ball from Tongue and aiming at a long boundary. He connected cleanly, but the required carry was too long for him and the ball sailed straight into the waiting hands of Harry Brook, ending his innings for a splendid 97. Saud Shakeel has a fine test record, but not many of his runs have been scored outside Asia, so this big score was especially important for him. There can be few test playing countries whose conditions would be more alien to a Pakistani who as yet has not been a county overseas player than England, and the shot that ended the innings was about the only black mark against him – and had it gone either side of Brook instead of directly to him he would have been on the honours board. Mohammad Ali and Mohammad Abbas added 18 together in a final act of resistance before the catch referred to in the introduction ended things. Oliver Edward Robinson with figures of 13-6-11-4 in the first innings and 14-5-24-4 in the second was named Player of the Match. Officially the match ended in the evening session of day four, but without some fairly major intervention by the weather it would have been over round about lunch on day three – there were 206 overs of actually playing time. Pakistan are usually noted for being inconsistent but in this series there has been no such inconsistency – they have consistently not been good enough. Scorecard here.
PHOTOGRAPHS
My usual sign off…
A Speckled Wood butterfly obligingly taking its ease on a succulent green leaf in Kettlewell Lane Park.A gibbous moon standing out against the blackness of the night sky.The Nar Outfall at high tide this morning.Out with the old – this photograph makes it clear why replacement had become a matter of urgency……and in with the new – I found this rather more robust cafetiere in Boyes in central King’s Lynn this afternoon after drawing a blank at Morrison’s in the morning.
A look back at the final stage of Gloucestershire’s defeat at the hands of Worcestershire on Sunday and an account of a great bowling performance by Kate Cross today.
The Hampshire and Lancashire women’s sides are currently locked in battle in a one day match which I am listening to. That will feature later in this post, but first I look back to Sunday and a happening that may just have ensured that the county of my birth, Gloucestershire, will finish as wooden spooners in this year’s county championship.
A BIZARRE FAILURE
Gloucestershire were in dire need of a win in this match, and when they declared their second innings at 395-7, an advantage of 278, in a match in which the ball had predominated they may well have reckoned on getting it. By the time I joined the coverage of this match, Somerset having disposed of Essex, Worcestershire were about halfway to the target and had not lost a wicket. Daniel Lategan, a young opener who was still looking for his maiden first class hundred going into this innings was going superbly, and he duly reached the landmark. He went on after reaching the landmark, and by the time he was out, caught by Joe Phillips of young leg spinner Ed Middleton the score had reached 244, of which his share was 144, and the match was as good as over. Middleton added Beyers Swanepoel, a South Africa who Worcestershire had sent in at number three in spite his batting average only being 25 to his scalp bag, taking a return catch to get him for 22. That was the end of Gloucestershire’s successes. Adam Hose at number four was unbeaten on 4 at the end, with Lategan’s opening partner, veteran Jake Libby, unbeaten on 107 in an eight wicket win. The single worst feature of a horrible innings for Gloucestershire was the performance of Sai Kishore, an Indian international left arm spinner. Kishore should have been his team’s most dangerous bowler on the final afternoon and evening of a four day fixture, but his actual figures were 18-2-79-0 – wicketless and costing four and half runs an over.
CROSS PUTS LANCASHIRE IN CONTROL
Kate Cross has recently announced that she will be retiring from professional cricket at the end of the season. Today she reminded those who needed just what a fine player the game will be losing. She soon had Hampshire three down cheaply, her share of the damage being 3-11 midway through her fourth over. She added another wicket at the end of the Hampshire innings. The south coast side had a meagre 223 from 48.4 overs, and Cross had 4-33 from 9.4 overs. Lancashire are handling the chase well as I write this and I expect that they will win quite comfortably.
