Cricket Between The Covers

Today we took the short drive out to The Oak On The Green at Bearsted for a spot of lunch and as we arrived we could see a game of cricket was underway on the Green itself and resolved to catch some of the action (and capture an image for blip) once we'd had our meal - after all there is supposed to be nothing more quintessentially English than the sound of leather on willow.
So repasts consumed we headed back outside to watch some of the play. Bearsted Cricket Club was first recorded as playing a match on 11th  August 1749 so this year, rather remarkably, they are celebrating their 275th anniversary. I must admit whilst the play may have been a tad on the pedestrian side - there were no huge sixes, slashing cover drives or fast bowling on offer - it was great to see that the players appeared to be thoroughly enjoying their afternoon.
I didn't want just a straightforward image of the action so I sought out an alternative viewpoint which is when I spotted this scene between the covers at the pitch side.
I've always loved this wonderful humorously nonsensical explanation of the rules used to describe the sport to those uninitiated with the game:

You have two sides, one out in the field and one in 

Each man/woman that's in the side that's in, goes out and when he/she is out, he/she comes in and the next man/woman goes in until he/she is out

When they are all out the side's that's out comes in and the side that's been in goes out and tries to get the coming in out

Sometimes you get men/women still in and not out

When both sides have been in and out, including the not-outs, that's the end of the game!

That all makes perfect sense surely! Plus who can't have a soft spot for a sport which has players in fielding positions called third man, deep extra cover, square leg, backward short leg, silly mid-on and long off! :-)