Today it is mainly about the photos, but I make a mention (and link to) this year’s number one in the Classic FM hall of fame – Karl Jenkins’ “The Armed Man – a Mass for Peace” in the intro.
Today has been warm and sunny (to the the extent that for the first time in 2026 I have been out and about in short sleeves), and I have lots of photographs to share. Over the Easter weekend the Classic FM Hall of Fame countdown happened – the top 300 pieces of classical music as voted for by listeners. Though the county cricket had most of my attention I listened to the last stage of each day. I mention this because this year for the first time in the history of the countdown (now 31 years) the number one slot went to a living composer – Karl Jenkins’ “The Armed Man – a Mass for Peace” (click here for a recording) gaining the accolade.
PHOTOGRAPHS
Now for those photographs…
Today’s pictures start here.This Orange Tip gets the nod for feature image.
A look at day four in the county championship and a photo gallery.
Today was the fourth and final day of the first round of County Championship 2026 fixtures. This post looks at events in the match between Warwickshire and Surrey.
A GREAT PARTNERSHIP
Surrey resumed today on 169-3, still 47 runs short of avoiding an innings defeat. There were some close calls early in the day, but both Jamie Smith and Dan Lawrence batted very well, and by lunch, with the fourth wicket pair still in residence, the draw was already looking the likeliest outcome. The pair went on to break a record that had stood since 1906, for the biggest fourth wicket partnership for Surrey against Warwickshire. By the time Chris Woakes took a catch off Rob Yates to dismiss Smith for 132 the score had climbed to 366, and any result other than a draw looked very unlikely indeed. By the tea interval the score had risen to 390-4, and it was just a question of when hands would finally be shaken. In the event it took another hour and 57 more runs before the moment arrived. Dan Lawrence was undefeated on 161, and at the other end Ben Foakes who had saved Surrey from a disastrous start on day one was unbeaten on 36. Surrey had scored 288-1 on this final day. The pitch, lively on day one, seemed very flat indeed by the end of day four. Nevertheless both sides have reasons to be pleased. For Warwickshire there was Dan Mousley’s first championship hundred, especially significant in that while their bowling depth was obvious for all to see some had had questions about the batting, and 50+ scores from a number of their other players. For Surrey there were three individual tons (Foakes, Smith, Lawrence), a new career best score from Tom Lawes, and considerable resilience demonstrated on two occasions, first recovering from 65-6 to post 328 in the first innings, and then batting very well to secure the draw after what they themselves admitted had been a poor bowling display. I would expect both these sides to be near the top come the end of the season – both have considerable bowling resources, and as both showed in this match, they can bat more than adequately. |Essex and Sussex have each recorded victories in their opening games, Somerset and Nottinghamshire drew their match, and rounding out division one Yorkshire and Glamorgan are still playing, though a draw looks likely there.
PHOTOGRAPHY
My usual sign off…
A green shieldbug on a green leaf……and close upA small blue butterfly on a buddleia leaf near the Eastgate Bridge over the Gaywood River, King’s Lynn (two pics).
A look at the latest developments in Warwickshire v Surrey and a photo gallery.
Today is day three of the opening round of county championship fixtures for the 2026 season. This post looks at what has been happening between Warwickshire and Surrey.
THE DAYS EVENTS
Sam Hain was the first to fall on day three, trapped LBW by Matt Fisher for 94. Mousley continued his impressive play of the previous day until he fell for 144, caught by Rory Burns off James Taylor. That was 394-4. Warwickshire skipper Ed Barnard looked in magnificent form until Burns caught him off Fisher for 25. Aussie Beau Webster became the fifth Warwickshire player to top 50 in the innings before being pinned LBW by Tom Lawes. Numbers 7,8 and 9 in the Warwickshire order, Kai Smith, Chris Woakes and Jordan Thompson, all fell to 18 year old left arm spin bowling all rounder Ralphie Albert, Smith to a catch by Foakes, Woakes clean bowled and Thompson caught by Fisher. Thompson’s dismissal ended the innings, with Ethan Bamber having been LBW to Taylor for 11. Warwickshire thus ended on 544, a first innings advantage of 216. Albert’s figures were 20.3-1-80-3, splendid in such a huge total. The only Surrey bowler to be more economical than Albert was Australian veteran Sean Abbott, whose right arm seam yielded 25-4-74-1.
A look at goings on on day two of Warwickshire v Surrey and a photo gallery.
Today is the second day of the county championship season. This post looks at events at Edgbaston where Warwickshire and Surrey are playing.
YESTERDAY EVENING
Surrey continued the fightback I reported on yesterday, eventually reaching 328, of which 128 came from the bat of Ben Foakes. The last wicket fell right on the stroke of time, meaning that Warwickshire did not have to bat in the evening session. They would have been disappointed to let Surrey off the hook from 65-6, but would also have noted that the pitch was definitely easier to bat on than it had been at the start.
TODAY
Today has belonged to Warwickshire. They have moved into a first innings lead for the loss of a mere two wickets. All four batters to have gone to the crease for them so far (Alex Davies, Rob Yates, Dan Mousley and Sam Hain) have topped 50. Mousley reached his first ever county century (he has scored an FC hundred for The Lions, England’s ‘understudy’ squad) just before the light got bad enough for the umpires to take the players off. With Sam Hain unbeaten on 80 at the other end Warwickshire were 330-2, two runs ahead of Surrey’s 328. With the pitch now playing very easily Warwickshire can and should leave Surrey with only a draw to play for – it would be advisable for Warwickshire to give themselves a bowl at Surrey tomorrow evening if they are not already all out by then, but they can certainly afford to bat for two whole sessions tomorrow, and possibly for another hour after tea just to render their lead insuperable.
PHOTOGRAPHS
My usual sign off…
The WNAG 4th birthday cake.Pictures of my new trophy and medal (six in total).Today’s pictures start here.
The weather has been fine in my part of the world of late, apart from Friday which was dull and grey. I thus have lots of pictures to share, and not being inspired to think of things to write about I offer up this gallery:
One of the villains of the natural world – an ichneumon wasp (this variety lays its eggs in a caterpillar, which then gets eaten from the inside by the larvae).
A look at the state of the Six Nations as the tournament nears its end.
The 2026 Six Nations rugby tournament is approaching its conclusion. This post looks at the remaining possibilities.
IRELAND v SCOTLAND
Three teams came into today with a chance of winning the trophy – Scotland, Ireland and France. Scotland needed to beat Ireland and hope for a favour from England, who face France in the last match of the tournament tonight. In the event Ireland were in control virtually the whole way through the match, although Scotland reduced the deficit to five points midway through the second half. Ireland finished strongly, and the final score was Ireland 43 Scotland 21. Ireland sit top of the table at present.
WALES v ITALY
Wales are guaranteed the wooden spoon having lost all four of their matches so far and managed only one bonus point. Even if they win they will be behind current second last place side England. A win for Italy on the other hand would ensure them fourth spot ahead of England (they cannot catch Scotland, now in third place, whatever happens.
FRANCE v ENGLAND
Any win will be enough for France to lift the trophy since they have a much better ‘points difference’ than Ireland, and this is used as the tie-splitter. A bonus point win (scoring four tries or more) would avoid the need for tie-splitting. They are level on points with Scotland as things stand, so only the vanishingly (almost worthy of using Dan Dennett’s “Vanishingly” with the V capitalized, from “Darwin’s Dangerous Idea”!) small chance of England winning by 80 points or more, which would put Scotland ahead of France on ‘points difference’ could see them below Scotland. England have had an awful tournament by their standards, losing to Scotland, Ireland and Italy and beating Wales, but if Italy lose against Wales and they record a bonus point win over France they will slide into fourth out of six. It has been a splendid Six Nations overall, and either France or Ireland would be worthy winners.
A brief look at Radagast the Brown and his role in events at the end of the third age of Middle Earth. Also a photo gallery.
Here in Norfolk spring seems to have arrived. Certainly the photo gallery at the end of this post, which other than the first four pictures all comes from today suggests as much. In this post I look at a minor character in “The Lord of the Rings”, the wizard Radagast.
A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO THE ISTARI
The Istari were five of the Maiar, beings who rank above elves but not quite as divinities, sent into Middle Earth by the Valar (gods) to combat Sauron. They were Olorin (known in various parts of Middle Earth as Gandalf, Mithrandir, Tharkun and Incanus), Curumo (Curunir/ Saruman), Aiwendil (Radagast) and the two blue wizards Alatar and Pallando who seem never to have acquired names in Middle Earth. Of the five Olorin clearly fulfilled his brief to the letter, Curumo equally clearly failed badly (to the extent that the Valar allowed him to die in Middle Earth), while there is nothing to go on regarding Alatar and Pallando though the likelihood is that any part they played in the events at the end of the Third Age of Middle Earth was on the side of Sauron, since all we are told of them is that they went straight into the uttermost East. That leaves only…
AIWENDIL/ RADAGAST
Radagast played no direct part in the War of the Ring, and it is often considered that his fondness for the birds and the beasts was such as to amount to an abrogation of his duties in Middle Earth. However, it is quite clear that Radagast’s heart was always in the right place – although he inadvertently sent Gandalf into Saruman’s trap by causing him to head to Isengard to visit Saruman he also heeded and acted on Gandalf’s request that he ask those of the birds and beasts that were friends of his to help by reporting on events, which brought Gwaihir, lord of the eagles, to Isengard to rescue Gandalf from his confinement at the top of the tower of Orthanc. There is no hint of a suggestion that Radagast ever intentionally aided evil or that he ever sought any position of power in Middle Earth (as Saruman, the several times over traitor, certainly did). One final aspect of Radagast’s role needs to be presented: he was the choice of Yavanna, whose personal area of responsibility was precisely the birds and the beasts. Thus it was right that he should be fond of those birds and beasts.
In an English or Welsh court where the only verdicts that can be rendered are ‘guilty’ or ‘not guilty’ I would, though unhappily, find even the blue wizards ‘not guilty’, since there is no actual proof of guilt. A Scottish court, with the additional verdict of ‘not proven’ would offer a way out in their case. Even in a Scottish court I would happily acquit Radagast.
PHOTOGRAPHS
My usual sign off…
The first butterfly of 2026 – a tortoiseshell.a bee (three pics)
November in England is not generally noted as a prime time for insect sightings, but a combination of warmth and sun brought them out today.
I mentioned yesterday that it was unseasonably warm. The trend continued today, and unlike yesterday, which was virtually unremittingly grey, it has been sunny for much of today. The combination of sun and warm temperatures has brought the insects out in some force.
THE FIRST SIGN
The very first picture I took this morning was a portent of things to come…
A blurry picture of an insect on a green leaf. The tree, to which this leaf is still attached, is on the private road that runs behind my house.
THE FIRST HUGE SURPRISE: A BUMBLEBEE
It was during my second walk of the day, in the early afternoon that things really became strange for an English November (which month we are now into remember). In the Kettlewell Lane woods I spotted a large bumblebee, not a creature that one normally sees at this time of year in England.
A large bumblebee at rest on a big green leaf. In the bottom left of the picture as you look is a fly, large by the standards of such creatures but significantly smaller than the bee.
A RED ADMIRAL
Walking on the path alongside Bawsey Drain (the section between Losinga Road and Columbia Way) I was given another way off-kilter sighting – a Red Admiral Butterfly. Given its physical state it may possibly be a freakishly long lived survivor, but to see such a creature around in November is frankly ridiculous, and more than a little disturbing.
A red admiral butterfly resting against a wooden fence This one is in very poor physical condition, with major damage to its wings.
PHOTOGRAPHS
My usual sign off…
The first of three good pictures I got of last night’s half moon. A hover fly on a leaf (see next pic for a closer up version)A squirrel on a tree trunk.A wasp and two flies on a tree trunk.The bumblebee.Hoverfly on a thistle flower.The first of three shots of the Red Admiral
A look back at yesterday’s thriller at the women’s cricket world cup between India and England, with links to the scorecard and to a post by Hypocaust about the the numbers, plus a photo gallery.
Yesterday’s match at the women’s cricket world cup saw England facing hosts India at Indore. This post looks back at a remarkable match.
THE PRELIMINARIES
Lauren Bell and Sophie Ecclestone were recovered from the sickness that kept them out of England’s previous match, so England were back at full strength. India had opted to bolster their bowling. Natalie Sciver-Brunt won the toss and decided, to some surprise, that England would bat first.
THE ENGLAND INNINGS
Amy Jones and Tammy Beaumont gave England a solid start, and then the rest of the England innings was dominated by a command performance from former skipper Heather Knight. Knight, well supported by current skipper Sciver-Brunt who helped the third wicket to put on 115 at better than a run a ball, took a mere 86 balls to reach her third career ODI hundred and first against India. After Sciver-Brunt was out we saw a familiar scene as Sophia Dunkley, Emma Lamb and Alice Capsey all fell cheaply – the England numbers 5,6 and 7 have a combined aggregate of 111 runs between them for the tournament so far, and then a second familiar scene as Charlie Dean ensured that the good early phase of the innings was entirely wasted by scoring a rapid undefeated 19 to boost the final total to 288, not massive on a good pitch but surely defensible.
THE INDIAN CHASE
For much this innings it looked like the hosts were heading to a comfortable win. In particular when the two left handers, Smriti Mandhana and all rounder Deepti Sharma were both going well England looked beaten for all money. Then Mandhana had a rush of blood to the head against Linsey Smith and holed out to Alice Capsey for 88 off 94 balls to make it 234-4 in the 42nd over and open up a possible way back in to things for England. Richa Ghosh never got going and managed a mere 8, caught by former skipper Knight off the bowling of current incumbent Sciver-Brunt to make it 256-5 in the 46th over. It was in the following over that England got the breakthrough that put them ahead on points for the first time in a long while, when Deepti Sharma, who had batted very well for her 50, got over aggressive against Ecclestone, who by her own lofty standards had had a poor time with the ball, and was caught by Dunkley to make it 265-6. With two overs to go India needed 23, and England were definitely favourites. The first ball of the 49th over, bowled by Lauren Bell, went for four, but the tall seamer came back well in the rest of the over, and India needed 14 off the final over, with Linsey Smith, England’s most economical bowler on the day, to bowl it. Smith bowled a superb over, and by the time the fifth ball had gone for a mere two runs India needed eight to tie off the last ball of the match, meaning that in effect Smith only had to bowl a legal delivery for England to get the win that would secure their semi-final berth. She did so, and it was hit for four irrelevant runs, meaning that England had won by four runs and became the third side to book a semi-final slot. India meanwhile are now in serious jeopardy of suffering the fate of the England men in 1999 – being ejected early from their own party. Even with that final irrelevant four Linsey Smith’s figures were 10-0-40-1, absolutely crucial to England’s success, though unsurprisingly Knight was named Player of the Match for her century. Scorecard here, and a for the numbers people here is Hypocaust’s post.
Some thoughts on the use of Colombo as an adjunct venue at the Women’s World Cup, which is mainly happening in India. Also a photo gallery,
This edition of the women’s ODI world cup was supposed to be entirely hosted in India. However the Indian government has a policy of denying admission to the country for Pakistanis, and they refused to make an exception for the Pakistan Women’s cricket team. That forced the finding of venues outside India, and Sri Lanka was chosen. This post looks at happenings there, especially with reference to the last two days.
AN OBVIOUS PROBLEM
While Sri Lanka, just off the southern tip of India, can indeed be considered close to the host country there is one problem with Sri Lanka at this time of year that downgraded the plan from sensible to Baldrickian – it is Sri Lanka’s rainy season. Further, although Dambulla is much drier at this time of year Colombo was chosen because it has better infrastructure. Finally, although the rain generally hits in mid to late afternoon and only sometimes lets up thereafter, all the matches have been scheduled to be day-night matches because that is what the TV people want. Thus the Colombo matches have been a combination of ‘no result’ (four times) and reduced overs contests (four times).
SRI LANKA v SOUTH AFRICA
Yesterday actually did provide a result. Sri Lanka, batting first, had reached 46-2 from 12 overs when the rain hit, and by the time a resumption was possible the contest was reduced to 20 overs per side. Sri Lanka did hit 66 more off the eight overs they had left to bat, and because they had only lost two wickets the DLS formula worked somewhat in their favour, giving South Africa an adjusted target of 133. However, those who are familiar with 20 overs a side matches will be aware that even 133 is rarely a difficult target, and Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits, with a half century a piece, made it look a ridiculously easy one, coasting home with their opening stand unbroken and 5.1 overs to spare. Wolvaardt who had also pouched two catches in the field and captained the side well was named Player of the Match.
PAKISTAN v NEW ZEALAND
Today it was Pakistan who got the booby prize of batting first in a game in which rain would make its presence felt. They were 52-3 when rain intervened for the first time, 92-5 from 25 overs when the rain made its second and final intervention. My own feeling is that any side batting first in Colombo at this tournament would be well advised to approach their innings as though playing a T20 – if the rain holds off enough to allow a match to be completed it is not likely to be much more than 20 overs a side in any case, and I would prefer a big total adjusted down for over expenditure of resources to a small one adjusted up for having conserved resources early on. Pakistan are pretty much out of the tournament anyway, and have looked the worst of the eight sides to qualify (barring against England – see here for more). New Zealand still have hopes, although there is one less semi-final slot open after today than there was starting the day, with the points being shared here meaning that South Africa have joined Australia in booking their slot.
PHOTOGRAPHS
My usual sign off…
Two pics which between them show the Dice Box, a new combination of cafe and board game venue in King’s Lynn – I will be visiting there for a WNAG event in the not too distant future.A large pike caught in the Gaywood River near Kettlewell lane – I watched it being caught and took this picture (the close up of the fish came from the same original) after the catch was completed. A beetle on a footpath near my home (two pics)Possibly my last bee pic of 2025, taken at 4:20PM today.
