THE win, when it finally came for the AJK cricket XI, was as easy as it was unexpected.

After spending the previous six weeks trailing around the Forest (if you can count Newent) rewriting the MCC book on how not to play cricket, we finally won one.

What a contrast from the previous week when, thanks to some poor organisation, we found ourselves with nine men at the aforementioned Newent.

Manager Pat was away on his travels so the team was rudderless. Worse still, Village Davis misread the handbook and obviously misheard the instructions – turning up at Newnham, resplendent in his white flannels, bat in hand, surprised that no-one else was around. Many frantic phone calls later, Village duly arrived, just as the last rites were being administered.

Fortunately, this past week's game was actually at Newnham, so Village at least had a head start on the rest of us.

With Yours Truly (now known as the Human Bean Bag) controversially removed from wicket-keeping duties, the fielding looked a good deal sharper. The runs were knocked off at 8.10pm, just in time for a cold Gaymers in the pavilion.

And so to Saturday, With the British Lions 1-0 down, a good group gathered at Lydney Rugby Club in anticipation. There was plenty of incident – not least Schalk Burger doing a passable impression of 'Are Gar' with a spot of finger painting.

Lots of post-match recrimination and condemnation took place. If in doubt, of course, blame the referee.

It may be heresy to criticise McGeeghan and his coaches, but a large measure of the blame has to lie with team selection. We might ignore such a boneheaded blunder as the failure to select Croft for the original party – when he has arguably been the best Lions forward in two tests. We could even gloss over the Vickery affair, when many said he had lost some of his scrummaging power. What cannot be ignored is the muddled selection, particularly on the bench, for the second Test.

What on earth possessed them to think that Ronan O'Gara (too similar a player to Stephen Jones and a notoriously poor defender) or Shane Williams (palpably off form) would make an impact coming off the bench? Why not five forwards (including two props) and two backs, with James Hook much more able to cover all positions. Yes, they did lose Roberts and O'Driscoll, but Phillips has covered centre on this tour and Ellis could have come on. It smacked of picking people on reputation. One other thought, is Julian White really an inferior player to John Hayes or the seventh best prop in the British Isles? I know who I'd rather have. Cheers...