Al - I've just found this after visiting TRA and seeing the crickit chat back in December.

You have brightened a miserable Monday morning beyond all belief!

All power to your elbow!

Handy x

For this line alone...

"Medium pace, is Ray, but he can pound in all day you know. Very well-timed release. Oh, that one must have hit a crack I think; the ball's popped up to Backward Gully."

Sublime!

And my apologies for managing to miss this one entirely for so long.

This is a great fic! The ending is perfect. I have no clue about cricket lingo, but I really enjoyed this a lot... thanks for posting it!

Jazzola :D

I think even I could enjoy Shaz and Alex's version of cricket

Great fic as usual D

I laughed out loud repeatedly during this chapter, for all that I A) am a Yank and B) haven't the faintest notion about cricket, though even I had had heard of a googly.

Great stuff!

Absolutely amazing...had some great giggles along the way too :)

Ah, Stillgoe. Never play a player. Especially not our Gene. What an *excellent* story. I simply loved it. Well done and I wish it wasn't game over. (And I blame you for the persistent image of Richard Stilgoe in my head.)

That was brilliant! How do you come up with these things? Lovely,you write the best Gene around.

Pure genius Al.

"Yeah, we turned that one around in the last minute!"

For a man who would probably claim not to have much knowledge of poetry, Gene has the most wonderful concept of poetic justice! All the ends tied up neatly, Gene triumphant, Stillgoe getting his just deserts. Very satisfactory. No more Gene in cricketing whites - sob! So you've had him playing Scrabble and cricket, what next? The Fenchurch East rowing eight?

I love this story. Made me laugh out loud on many occasion- your Gene is just spot on!

Nice work, hope to see more from you!

Ruby :o) x

Excellent conclusion to this unique story - and thats unique in a good way :-)

And the last line - my favourite.

Love the last line. Sums up both your story and Gene beautifully.

How clever was that? I'm well impressed :-)

Excellent stuff Al! Loved it!

Gem x

"So why was Raymondo chasing off after him like an overweight greyhound?"

Poor Ray. But funny. And has left me with a mental image that I just can't shake. And Alex warning off the wrong man - very funny but just what did that other guy have to hide?

You might not have inspired a love of cricket in me but I have been vastly entertained - cheers.