Z is for Stumps!

Another board-game, but this one has some age, as it seems from the box-lid blurb to pre-date the whole National/International Team Competition era, mentioning the Australian 'Test Team' as being a separate entity to 'English Teams' (isn't one of them from Wales? No Mr. President; no; not the big 'fish'!) without mentioning any other national country?

The contents consist of a playing board, rule-set, score-book, arrowy-thing, various cards for the batsman (who doesn't seem to get a representative figure which is a bit odd) and the nub of the set as far as we're concerned; a set of 23/25mm (HO'ish) figures in lead. De la Rue now - of course - famous for making a high proportion of the world's paper (and increasingly - Polymer) currencies, and based down the road, just outside Basingrad.

Of particular interest is the playing surface, which despite the lack of batsmen, bowling or batting apparatus (that's what all the cards are about) or balls, has been given a flocked surface in three colours, each immaculately printed with no fuzzy boundaries or colour-bleed. But then if this was made between the wars, in the Edwardian period, flocked wallpaper had taken flocking 'tech' to heights it has only retreated from ever since!

Close-up of the playing pieces, they can - with exceptions - be moved between balls or overs, and the reason there is a bowler when there are no batsmen, is that the fielding-player can vary the run-up and ball toss.

The figures are semi-flat and probably full of lead, with four poses, standing and squatting fielders, wicket-keepers and the bowler. A lovely set and many thanks to Adrain who let me shoot it at the recent Sandown Park toy fair.