Trouble and strife for cricketer on village green

THE VILLAGE's most accomplished batsman flexed his muscles and hit the ball for six, a satisfactory blow on his way to a decent early-season score of 91 not out.

In the end, however, that one shot was to cost Clive Scott his century, although in the best traditions of this chauvinistic summer pursuit he instantly came up with an excuse - when in trouble, blame the wife.

However, when Mr Scott singled his wife out for criticism last Saturday, he had a point. Instead of encouraging him to hit more sixes, increasing his chances of returning to the pavilion triumphant with 100 to his name, she slowed him down, forcing him to keep the ball along the ground.

As the ball soared over the trees on the edge of the playing field at Kington Recreation Ground, near Hereford, Sharon Scott was pushing the couple's baby son back home in his pram - and ended up in hospital with a lump on her head.

Clive did the decent thing and rushed to her side when told he had hit her, but said later: 'She probably cost me a century. I went into my shell for a while and tried to keep the ball on the ground.

'I have never seen a ball hit a spectator on the Recreation Ground before, and the odds against hitting your wife for six must be astronomical.'

Mrs Scott remembers pushing her son back home for tea 'when I suddenly heard someone shout 'Sharon stop - the ball's coming.' I looked up and the ball hit me smack on top of the skull. I saw stars and staggered but the blow didn't actually knock me to the floor.'

She was taken to the local cottage hospital, where she was observed for two hours, and where her husband visited her during the tea interval - after continuing his innings, of course.