On the action-packed tour, organised by Club President Piers Jenkins, the Village took on three teams in as many days, a win against Frocester CC sandwiched between defeats against Stone CC and Oldbury.

Picture gallery: 2024 Gloucestershire tour

A long-running tradition and always a season highlight for many until the pandemic hit, this was the club’s first tour for several years and saw a total of 14 players turn out for the club at some stage. Three local newspapers in the Stroud area wrote up previews of the tour.

On the field, highlights included knocks by Phil Smith who took his consistent run-getting league form to the West Country with a 49 and an unbeaten 48 not out by youngster Aryan Thaker in the opening tour fixture against Stone CC (scorecard here), which also saw our own Majid Asif score a match-winning 47 not out for the opposition, who found themselves three players short on the day. James Thompson and Loz Bird also graciously turned out for Stone. Off-spinner Pryank Patel took 3-27.

In the victory against Frocester (scorecard here), pace bowler Tommy Smith took 3-18 while Phil Smith and Asif both retired on 30 not out.

On the final day of the tour, against a strong Oldbury side, the Village failed to chase down 190 in 20 overs, being bowled out for 120 thanks to battling knocks from youngster Sid Atri - on his first tour as was his father Abhi - and Pryank Patel. (Pictured above: the team in front of the Oldbury clubhouse.)

“What a great week!” said Club President Piers Jenkins. “We all missed tour for the past five years because of Covid, but it was lovely catching up with old friends in Gloucestershire and playing some very good cricket, some very bad cricket, but always having unbelievably good fun!”

Piers Jenkins' tour diary will be published later this week