Tag: Moths

Some Sporting Highlights

A historic happening at the world athletics championships in Tokyo, the women’s rugby world cup semi-finals, an autism acceptance just a cuppa morning and a photo gallery.

There is a lot of sport going on this weekend. There is a world athletics championship on in Tokyo, and the semi-finals of the women’s rugby world cup have happened. This post begins with a piece of history from Tokyo before focussing on the rugby.

A SHARED MEDAL IN THE HEPTATHLON

By the time the final event of the Heptathlon, the 800 metres, Anna Hall (USA) was away and clear (especially as she was the quickest 800m runner in the field), Kate O’Connor of Ireland was also pretty safe for the silver medal, while Katerina Johnson-Thompson (GB) and Taliyah Brooks (USA) were contending for bronze, with the Brit needing to be six seconds or thereabouts quicker than the USian to take the medal. In the event after a noticeable delay the computer awarded them a shared bronze, each scoring 6,581 points for the seven events. O’Connor meanwhile had recorded her fifth PB of the competition. The second Brit in the field, Jade O’Dowda, finished eighth, her best yet at a major championship.

THE RUGBY SEMI-FINALS

Yesterday evening Canada took on New Zealand in the first semi-final of the women’s rugby world cup. Canada came out firing on all cylinders and had scored four tries by half time. They added a fifth early in the second half, and although the Black Ferns, unbeaten in rugby world cups since 2014, hit back hard thereafter the damage had been done, and Canada had booked their place at Twickenham.

The second match took place today, at the same venue as the first, Ashton Gate in Bristol. England were far from their best in the first half and were somewhat fortunate to lead by two points (7-5) at the interval. They played better in the second half, but it was only when Player of the Match Ellie Kildunne crossed for her second try, a spectacular solo effort, to put England 26-12 up that they looked in control. The conversion also went over. France did score once more but missed their own conversion so it was 28-17. Then Megan Jones went over for England’s fifth try right at the end – Harrison’s conversion, successful like all her other four, was the last kick of the match. The final at Twickenham is on Saturday, and although England finished strongly I reckon the Canadians will be feeling fairly confident after this semi-final.

LEGO ARCHITECTURE

There was an Autism Acceptance Just a Cuppa morning at King’s Lynn library today, and as usual I did some lego architecture while I was there…

PHOTOGRAPHS

My usual sign off…

As stick like as it appears this is apparently not a stick insect – it is a Plume Moth.
Fungi near Kettlewell Lane (five pics total).
One of the others at the Just a Cuppa Autism Acceptance morning at the library was wearing a t-shirt featuring this picture.
Unfortunately I will be at work, but this, courtesy of the electronic display board outside King’s Lynn station, looks interesting.
A small black and yellow bug on a green leaf.

The Battle for the 2025 County Championship

A look at developments in the likely title decider between Surrey and Nottinghamshire at The Oval and a photo gallery.

Today is day three of four in the penultimate round of county championship 2025 matches. All else in the round is overshadowed by the clash at The Oval where leaders and title winners in 2022, 2023 and 2024 Surrey entertain second place Nottinghamshire. A definite result in the match will put the side that achieves it in a well nigh unassailable position with only one match to play.

DAY ONE: AN ISLAND AMID A SEA OF WASHOUTS

On Monday the combatants at The Oval got an entire day of play in, while none of the other eight fixtures across the two divisions saw so much as a single ball bowled. Rain was the main culprit, but some parts of the country were being battered by dangerously high winds as well (in west Norfolk where I live there were gusts strong enough to shake even the sturdiest trees, but as a veteran of the great storm of October 1987 I can absolutely confirm that these were not dangerously high winds). Surrey seemed to have fared pretty well, winning the toss, bowling first and dismissing Nottinghamshire for 231, and losing only one wicket in reply.

DAY TWO: A HUGE DAY FOR NOTTINGHAMSHIRE

I missed most of the action on this day due to being at work, though I got the very closing stages. Although it belonged to Nottinghamshire the single individual who will have the best memories of the day was a Surrey player, Matthew Fisher. Fisher came into this match never having recorded a five-for for his new county (he moved south from Yorkshire during the close season). By the end of yesterday he had two such hauls for them, one in each innings of this match. Nottinghamshire bowled Surrey out for 173, lost early wickets of their own before Liam Patterson-White (58) and Lyndon James (47) shared a big seventh wicket stand. Nottinghamshire, aided by this, ended day two on 219-8, an overall lead of 277.

DAY THREE SO FAR

The morning fell victim to the weather, but play was able to get under way at 1:10PM. I have not been following this match, as England are in action, facing up to Ireland in a T20I in Malahide. I can tell you via cricinfo that Nottinghamshire reached 256 in their second innings, Fisher claiming one further wicket to give him innings figures of 6-73 to follow has 5-61 in the first Nottinghamshire innings. Surrey chasing 315 to win have just started the final innings and are currently 3-0.

PHOTOGRAPHS

My usual sign off…

A twig that I consider looks somewhat like a claw.
The first of four pictures of this moth which decided to rest on my kitchen wall yesterday evening.
With a £2 coin next to it to give it scale.
The weather today has not been pleasant, though it is looking a little less dull outside as I type.

The County Championship

A look at the situation in the 2025 County Championship with two rounds remaining and a photo gallery.

The county championship of 2025 has two rounds left, the first of which begins this coming Monday, at 10:30AM. This post looks at how it stands.

TIGHT AT THE TOP

Most of the matches in this round were drawn due to weather interruptions. The big exception to this rule were Nottinghamshire, who faced Worcestershire, bottom of division one, and almost certain to finish in that position, though not to be relegated, since the powers that be are mulling potential changes and have refused as yet to confirm or deny whether promotion and relegation will be happening. Nottinghamshire’s win, and Surrey being held to a draw by Warwickshire means that although Surrey are still top their advantage has been cut to single point. These two being locked in battle is a throwback to the late 19th century, when they were the two best sides in the country and had a very fierce rivalry. No one else has a serious chance of taking the title, since there is a 22 point gap back to third place.

THE BOTTOM

Worcestershire are more or less guaranteed to finish bottom of division one. There are five teams fighting to avoid second bottom, with everyone from Essex in fifth down to Durham in ninth close enough together that any one of those sides could end up second bottom, which may or may not mean relegation.

DIVISION TWO

Leicestershire are top, and if promotion and relegation do happen they are certain to be promoted. Glamorgan in second are almost as sure of their position, with a 27 point gap between them and third place. Kent look like this year’s wooden spooners, 28 points adrift of the next worst side.

PHOTOGRAPHS

My usual sign off…

Rockets Rocky Ride

A look back at this afternoon’s match between the Trent Rockets and Birmingham Phoenix women’s sides, a look at the standing with one group match to come, and a photo gallery.

Today sees the penultimate group games in The Hundred, Trent Rockets v Birmingham Phoenix. This post looks back at the women’s match and also at the table as it stands with one fixture remaining.

MAKING AN EASY TASK LOOK DIFFICULT

Birmingham Phoenix elected to bat first. Unfortunately they did not bat well. Emma Lamb scored an unbeaten 56, but no one else made a significant score. There were 14s for Ellyse Perry and Marie Kelly, each off 15 balls, but the second best innings for Phoenix was Ailsa Lister’s six ball 12 at the death. At one stage in the chase Rockets were 92-2 with Natalie Sciver-Brunt going well and Ashleigh Gardner having hit a couple of fine shots. Then Ailsa Lister took a superb catch, sprinting in off the boundary and diving forward to complete the catch and dismiss Gardner. Ten runs later Sciver-Brunt departed one ball after reaching her half century, hitting one from Hannah Baker straight to Megan Schutt at cover. Heather Graham fell to another catch by Lister, off Phoebe Brett, and then three balls later Rockets keeper Threlkeld was on her way LBW for 2 and it was 109-6, and suddenly Phoenix had half a chance. Incidentally Amy Jones, Phoenix’s keeper and also England’s current keeper, has had a very poor tournament with the bat, and Threlkeld would be among the potential replacements if England are starting to think about that (Rihanna Southby would be my choice, with Threlkeld and Bess Heath also in the mix). Alana King and Jodi Grewcock seemed to have seen through the danger when King edged Schutt through to Jones and it was 119-7. Kirstie Gordon now came in, and she scored three off the next four balls, which meant that after 96 balls of the chase Rockets needed two to win. Grewcock put the 97th ball of the innings, from Em Arlott, away for four to seal the win for the Rockets.

THE STANDINGS

The six teams who have played all their group fixtures occupy positions two to seven inclusive in the table, and the only positions that might change are at the bottom – if Welsh Fire, last in the table, do the unthinkable and beat Southern Brave, top of the table, in the final game they will leapfrog both Birmingham Phoenix and Oval Invincibles on net run rate. If Brave win the standings will stay as they are at present.

PHOTOGRAPHS

My usual sign off…

I think this one (see also next picture) is a moth rather than a butterfly.
The New Conduit Street facing side of the new library/ community hub is now complete.
I saw this (see also next picture) on my way to Gaywood Library this afternoon.

Invincibles Out

A look back at Northern Superchargers v Oval Invincibles earlier today and a photo gallery.

The first match of today’s Hundred double double header saw Northern Superchargers hosting Oval Invincibles. To retain even a Jim Carrey type “so you’re saying there’s still a chance” hope of qualifying Invincibles needed to win. For Superchargers Kate Cross was playing her first match since finding out that she is not part of England’s world cup plans.

AN INNINGS THAT NEVER GOT GOING

Oval Invincibles won the toss and chose to bat. The first ball of the match, bowled by Grace Ballinger (left arm medium) hit the stumps of Paige Scholfield to make it 0-1. Kate Cross picked up the wicket of Alice Capsey, caught by Superchargers skipper Hollie Armitage for 12 off 12 balls. That was 19-2, which was still the score at the end of the Power Play three balls later. Meg Lanning and Marizanne Kapp both struggled for runs, with the score at 39 Annabel Sutherland bowled Kapp for 6 off 11 balls. Lauren Winfield-Hill batted better than any other Invincibles player. With the score at 64 she lost the support of Lanning, the veteran Aussie having accrued a painstaking 21 from 25 balls. Joanne Gardner, one of the few top level cricketers to hail from the Isle of Wight, now offered sensible support to Winfield-Hill. The 92nd ball of the innings saw Winfield-Hill caught by Cross off Sutherland to make it 110-5, Winfield-Hill 37 off 30 balls. Amanda-Jade Wellington gave Invincibles a hint of hope with 12 off five balls, but a final score of 125-6 look well below par.

AN INJURY HIT DEFENCE

Marizanne Kapp started economically but unpenetratively with the ball. There was a nasty injury to Tash Farrant, who at one point looked likely to be stretchered off, but was in the end able to walk off, albeit with assistance. Capsey also went off injured at one point, but was able to return. However Capsey had bowled only three balls, which meant someone else had to bowl the last two balls of the set, and that Capsey wouldn’t bowl a full allocation even when she did return. These injuries made things more difficult for Invincibles. Alice Davidson-Richards scored a fine 50 for the Superchargers who were ahead at every stage of the chase. Sophia Smale accepted responsibility for bowling balls 91-95, and the event balls 96-100 were not needed at all. The winning shot was a four, which meant that Smale had conceded 32 from her 20 balls. The margin was seven wickets.

PHOTOGRAPHS

My usual sign off…

a heron in its watchful pose…
…and on the wing a few moments later.
A moth resting on a bramble petal.

Young Talent Comes to the Fore

A look at two outstanding performances by youngsters today in The Hundred (women’s) and a photo gallery.

Today, like yesterday has been a ‘double double header’ day in The Hundred – one morning/ afternoon double header and one afternoon/ evening double header – the evening match between the Trent Rockets and Northern Superchargers men’s teams gets underway at 6PM. I have followed my usual policy on such days where there is an overlap of listening to the morning match, then listening to both matches of the second double header, which means I listen to two women’s and one men’s match. This post looks at the two women’s games that happened today.

CORTEEN-COLEMAN PUTS SKIDS UNDER PHOENIX

Southern Brave had tallied a respectable but not outstanding 139-8 from their 100 balls. Danni Wyatt-Hodge led the way with 59, while there were also useful contributions from Kiwi veteran Sophie Devine and silky South African Laura Wolvaardt. Young left arm wrist spinner Millie Taylor continued what is becoming a very memorable season for her by taking 1-25 from her 20 balls.

Birmingham Phoenix had got to 19 without loss from the first ten balls of the reply when Southern Brave turned to 17 year old left arm orthodox spinner Tilly Corteen-Coleman. In the space of three balls she changed the complexion of the match, bowling Emma Lamb for 9 with her first ball, and then two balls later dismissing Marie Kelly the same way, for a duck. When Lauren Bell got rid of the surviving opener, Georgia Voll, with the 18th ball of the innings the Phoenix was well and truly in the ashes, and unlike in the legend this one was not going to revive. Ellyse Perry, Amy Jones and especially Sterre Kalis kept things alive for them, but they were never other than behind the rate, and when Kalis finally fell, to the third last ball of the match, caught by Corteen-Coleman off Bell for 44 (34) it was 124-9, 16 needed off three balls. None of those runs were scored, Hannah Baker surviving one ball before being castled by the next, the penultimate scheduled ball of the match. Sophie Devine was named player of the match for her 27 and 2-28, though personally I would have given it to Corteen-Coleman whose two early wickets put the skids under the Phoenix chase, and whose catch to dismiss Kalis effectively sealed things for Southern Brave. Scorecard here.

PERRIN PULVERISES THE ROCKETS

The focus for me now switched to Nottingham, where Trent Rockets were playing host to Northern Superchargers. Rockets began appallingly, losing three wickets almost before they were started. Their skipper, Ashleigh Gardner, led a fightback, scoring 61 off 32 balls, but they could do no better than 128-8.

Davina Perrin, an 18 year old opening batter, proceeded to make an inadequate total look positively risible, as she climbed into the Rockets bowlers. Alice Davidson-Richards provided early support, and then when she was out Phoebe Litchfield, the 22 year old Australian, produced a splendid cameo, scoring 22 off just 10 balls. Annabel Sutherland, generally regarded as the best current all rounder in the women’s game, and player of the tournament in2024, now came to the crease, and it fell to her in the end to make the winning hit, a four that took her to 18 not out off 11. Perrin had scored 72 not out from 40 balls, with 12 fours. This supercharged performance gave Superchargers the win by eight wickets, with 21 balls to spare. Scorecard here.

PHOTOGRAPHS

My usual sign off…

A beetle on my left forearm this morning (three pics)
Some butterflies in my back garden – three red admirals and one European Peacock.
A comma butterfly on an ivy flowerhead from my post-lunch walk
from the same walk, a small pale green insect with wings so diaphanous as to virtually transparent temporarily on my left arm.
Another visitor to the garden, a hummingbird hawkmoth I think (three pics).

Heading for a Draw at Old Trafford

A look at developments in Manchester, where the test match is moving towards a draw. Also a large photo gallery.

When I put up yesterday’s post Gill and Rahul were putting up a good fight for India as day four at Old Trafford drew towards a conclusion. This post takes the story forward.

INDIA’S RESISTANCE ACT

Shubman Gill and KL Rahul were still together at the close of day four, meaning that England still needed eight more Indian wickets. Stokes had Rahul caught behind for 90 in the 71st over to make it 188-3. Gill proceeded smoothly to his fourth century of the series, a joint record for a series in England shared with Don Bradman (1930), Denis Compton (v South Africa, 1947) and Joe Root last time India visited these shores, with an honourable mention for Allan Lamb who took three tons off the mighty 1984 West Indies side and then added another in a one-off test against then newbies at that level Sri Lanka. Shortly after reaching the landmark he made the first and only mistake of his innings edging one from Archer with the new ball through to Smith behind the stumps. That was 222-4. It might have been two in two for Archer, as Jadeja edged his first ball, but Root floored the chance. Since then there have been no serious alarms, though Ollie Pope almost got to what would have been an amazing catch. Sundar and Jadeja, promoted ahead of Pant as the latter is injured, each reached 50s, and took India to the tea interval on 322-4, a lead of 11 overall. Post tea the two all rounders are playing more expansively, and England look decidedly short of ideas.

A NOTE ON SELECTIONS

My own view is that both sides have erred with their selections for this match. England, with Dawson at eight and Woakes at nine had a huge amount of batting, but as this second Indian innings is demonstrating they are short of bowling, and although the odd ball has misbehaved this has overall been a very good pitch on which to bat. India in my view were more culpable. Neither Thakur nor Kamboj offered anything with the ball, which is what they were selected to provide. Arshdeep Singh damaging his thumb just before the match started created an extra difficulty for India, who were admittedly short of options, but Kuldeep Yadav, the left arm wrist spinner, would have been more likely to be of value than either Thakur or Kamboj. The fact that this match is quite likely to finish with only two of the four innings completed (the third may end with a declaration to bring an early finish to the match, but an all out is highly unlikely) tells its own story about the domination of the bat over the five days. England will head to The Oval 2-1 up in the series.

PHOTOGRAPHS

My usual sign off…

A goods train on its siding, from the Tennyson Road level crossing.
A beetle on a reed hanging out over the Gaywood River
A close up of the beetle.

England in Command at Old Trafford

A look at what has been going on in the test match at Old Trafford, including Root’s move from fifth to second in the all time list of test match career run scorers. Also a large photo gallery.

On Wednesday morning the fourth test match of the England v India series got underway. This post looks at what has happened in the match so far.

THE PRELIMINARIES

England had selected Liam Dawson in place of the injured Shoaib Bashir, deepening their batting order in the process (Dawson is a genuine all rounder, which means that with Woakes also retained England would have Carse at number ten and Archer at eleven). For India Anshul Kamboj, who has taken all ten wickets in an innings in a first class match in India, made his debut in place of the injured Akash Deep, while in the interest of bulking up the batting medium pacer Shardul Thakur was preferred to either Prasidh Krishna or Kuldeep Yadav (who would have been my choice). Ben Stokes won the toss and opted to put India in to bat.

THE INDIAN INNINGS

The Indian upper order largely functioned quite well, but none of them managed to make a really huge score. Ben Stokes was the best of England’s bowlers, capturing five wickets. India tallied 358, respectable, but less than they would have been hoping for. Pant had had a foot broken along the way, meaning that for the second straight match Dhruv Jurel took over behind the stumps.

THE ENGLAND RESPONSE

Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley batted beautifully, though neither could make it to three figures. Crawley was first out, for 84. Duckett managed ten runs more. Pope and Root got through to the close with the score 225-2. Play resumed this morning with Root the first of the players involved to make it out to the middle. He had three test career run tallies in his sight at the start of play. Pope and Root batted superbly through the morning, and England took lunch at 332-2, a mere 26 short of parity with a huge amount of batting to come. Root by then was on 63 not out, and had passed both Rahul Dravid (13,288) and Jacques Kallis (13,289), and was now in third place in the all time list of test run scorers on 13,322, needing a further 57 to go into second and push Ponting (who played 168 tests, while this is Root’s 157th) down into third place. Washington Sundar got his bowl of the innings in the 69th over thereof, and immediately post lunch he made the delay in bringing him on look a farcically bad call by Gill, claiming the wickets of Pope (a poor shot from the Surrey man to go for 71) and Brook, out for 3. Root was still there, and now found a good partner in skipper Stokes. Just before the tea interval a single took Root’s score to 120 and his career tally to 13,379, relegating Ponting. At Root’s current rate of accumulation he will need about a further 30 test matches to close the gap to Tendulkar (15,921) at the top of the list. By the tea interval England were 433-4, 75 ahead with six first innings wickets standing, Root 121 not out, Stokes 36 not out. Incidentally this Root’s 38th test century, and due to a period a few years back when he went a long time failing to convert 50s into 100s (he has a total of 104 50+ scores in test cricket, 66 between 50 and 99 and 38 of 100+) that puts him level with Sangakkara, and behind Kallis, Ponting and Tendulkar in the career centuries list. England will be looking to bat only once – the earliest they might call a halt would be midway been lunch and tea tomorrow to give them a day and a half to polish off the Indian second innings.

PHOTOGRAPHY

My usual sign off…

I have an ID on this little green critter of ‘inchworm’. the larval stage of a certain species of moth (six photos total, two of them after I had orchestrated its transfer to a buddleia branch).
I usually focus on the teazel heads, and the insects enjoying them, but this is a shot of a whole teazel plant.

England Women In Euros Final

A brief look back at the women’s Euros semi-final between England and Italy that took place last night and a large photo gallery.

Last night saw the first semi-final of the women’s European Championship, between England and Italy in Geneva, which lies near the base of a mountain pass connecting Switzerland to Italy. This post looks back at the match.

SO NEAR AND SO FAR

Italy took the lead just before half time, through Barbara Bonansea, against the form books, which made England firm favourites. They held on to that lead until close to to end of normal time. 19 year old Michelle Agyemang equalized in stoppage time, of which there was quite a lot. Extra time saw a lot of pressure from England and a lot of resistance from Italy. However, just as Italy were reckoning they had got themselves a shoot out and England were resigning themselves to going to penalties once again, a penalty was awarded to England. Chloe Kelly took responsibility for taking the kick. The Italian goalkeeper kept the penalty out but the ball rebounded into Kelly’s path and at the second time of asking she did put it in the net, and England were through at the last gasp, and had avoided the necessity of a second successive penalty shoot out. The final will take place in Basel on Sunday.

PHOTOGRAPHS

My usual sign off…

The butterfly that appears in this picture and the next was a new sighting for me.
This picture and the next four show three six spot Burnet moths that were on teazel heads only a few feet apart – two on one and one on the other.
Two egrets at the Nar Outfall.

Delayed Gratification for England Women

A look back at yesterday’s rain reduced second ODI between the England and India women’s teams and a large photo gallery.

Yesterday the second ODI of a three match series between the England and India women’s team took place at Lord’s. This post looks back at the match.

RAIN STRIKES

The match was supposed to start at 11AM and be 50 overs per side, but it rained and for a long time did not let up. Play was eventually able to start at 3PM, with the match reduced to 29 overs per side (there is some flexibility built into the playing hours for poor weather). England won the toss, and with overs reduced and further reductions possible they opted to bowl first. India struggled, especially against Sophie Ecclestone, who seems to back to something close to her best after a brief layoff earlier in the season. The tall left arm spinner had 3-27 from her six overs, and her wickets were those of Harleen Deol (number three), Harmanpreet Kaur (number four) and Richa Ghosh (number six). Harmanpreet Kaur has a had a miserable time with the bat on this tour, and with an ODI world cup in India next up and her being already 36 years old she may well opt to bow out of international cricket in front of a home audience. India’s woes were compounded by some poor game management from Deepti Sharma in the closing stages of their innings – she did not manage to face anything like enough of the bowling herself, exposing tail enders to far too much. There was one particularly bizarre seven ball sequence in which she first refused a single so as to be on strike at the start of an over (sensible), then took a single off the first ball of the over anyway, and then at the end of the over did allow her much less skilled batting partner the strike by going through for a single on the last ball of the over. India ended their 29 overs with a score of 143-8. Beaumont and Jones made a rapid start to the chase, and after Beaumont was out Nat Sciver-Brunt, fit enough to bat but not to bowl, maintained the momentum. More rain came with England 102-1 from 18.4 overs. England, well ahead on DLS, needed there to be eight more balls for it to constitute a match. Eventually the weather cleared in time for a resumption at 7PM, with England’s innings now reduced to 24 overs and their target adjusted down from 144 to 115. India were deliberately slow to take their places in the field, and one of their further efforts to delay things in the hope of the rain returning before the 20 over mark arrived and sealed their doom saw them send an appeal for caught behind off a delivery signalled wide upstairs, even though keeper Ghosh had said (heard by everyone courtesy of the stump mic) that there had been no edge. The review was of course confirmed as a burn, and the 20 over mark came and went with no sign of further rain. Amy Jones did reach the highest score of the game, 46 not out, but then got herself stuck at the wrong end, and Sophia Dunkley, who had come in after the second ball on the resumption had got rid of Sciver-Brunt, drilled the last ball of the 21st over straight down the ground for four to take England to the adjusted target with eight wickets and three whole overs to spare. Ecclestone’s three crucial wickets earned her the Player of the Match award, and the teams will reassemble on Tuesday for what is now a decider. Scorecard here.

PHOTOGRAPHS

My usual sign off (still a generous gallery, though yesterday in particular was not the best day for photography)…