The 3's lost in slightly controversial fashion at local rivals Richmond on Saturday.

After arriving at our closest venue (inc our Home ground!),it was decided by both captains to start in very light drizzle,with the view that if we didn't,we might never get on the field!

On losing the toss,a reshuffled T's batting line up were unsurprisingly asked to take first dibs in the damp conditions.

Skipper Paul Johnson and Syed Hussein opened up,and were soon penned back by the accurate seam bowling by Bhogal in particular,who came up the slope but moved the ball around at decent pace.

Batting at the other was made even more difficult by the now driving rain blowing straight in the batsmen's faces,but they managed to take the score to 19,before Hussein was LBW to Bogal for 3.

When Phil Parker was cleaned bowled by Boghal for 2,and Johnson was adjudged caught at slip off his shoulder for 21,Twickenham were glad of the rainbreak at 31 for 3.

11 overs were lost before the sides re took to the field,thus reducing the game to 89 overs,and things didn't get any better for the T's with Chris Kay (0) and Mark Smith (5) seeing Twickenham limp to 61 for 5.

New Dad,Simon Hawley,having his first outing of the season,had looked his usual assured self,and with Twickenahm in urgent need of a partnership,he found an able ally in Pete Burke.

With home skipper McMullan rotating his bowlers,both men played very sensibly,eating up the overs,but quick to put away the bad balls.

Burke,in all fairness,did ride his luck at times,being dropped at least 3 times to regulation chances.

The partnership had reached an excellent 67,before Hawley was unluckily bowled off his pad for a well deserved 55. Burke then reached his half century,befoer being stumped looking to push the score on for 54.

At this point,the rule book (and calls to Mr Hough) were made,to check how many overs the T's could bat in a reduced overs game,and the unanimous verdict was up to 55.

A late contribution from Chris Marshall (11) ,saw the T's finally bowled out for a challenging 170 in the 54th over.

As tea was completed,the home side decided to contest the amount of overs Twickenham had batted,stating that in an 89 over game,the maximum they should have batted was 49!

After producing the NEW handbook,with the NEW overs table,skipper Johnson was 'persuaded' to wind the score back to the 49th over (158),and hence giving Richmond 5 more valuable overs.

Suffice to say that this put a sour taste in many a T's players mouth,and for that reason,this author wil brush through the 2nd innings.

A marathon spell by stalwart Tony Bendelow, 19 overs 1 for 54 ,backed up by Johnson,10overs 2 for 42 ,which included a stunning 1 handed slip catch from Mark Smith,were the highlights for Twickenham,as Richmond got home in 39th over with Neame ,46*,the best performer for the home side.

On arriving back at HQ,'statto' Hough was confronted by accusations galore,but after various emails and research,Shrewsbury's finest was ,as usual, proved right,as the T's REAL score should have stood.

For those of you still awake,the 'overs table' is only applicable for games that START late,and are reduced.

Moral of the story for Johnson.... 'Don't captain if you don't know the rules!!'

Anyway.On to next week,and it's another toughie at St Mary's against 2nd placed Hornsey..... Right ,now where's my handbook I've got some swatting up to do!!!!