Cold hands beat warm hearts as under-strength Cincers lose out on season's chilly opener

We few. We happy few - all four of us.
Cincers started the 2012 season with nearly every team regular showing a united front...by not being available.
Just four Cincers' established players took the field against West XI - and one of those had only played one game for us before.
The match, at Winchmore Hill in north London, only went ahead for two reasons.
First, the opposition organiser Steve Rennie kindly offered us players to make up a team.
And second, Abid rustled up two late new players - Majid and Farhan.
The resulting nine-a-side contest took place in bitterly cold conditions with a wind which had taken a direct flight from Siberia.
To make it more fun, our hosts decided on a two-innings contest of 18 overs each and with the batting orders reversed in the second innings.
The Skip started the season in traditional form. He lost the toss.
West XI batted first and posted a challenging 108 for 3 with Cincers bowlers struggling to find their length.
Opposition bowlers Steve Rennie and Mike Herlihy - turning their arm their for us - picked up a wicket a piece as did the Skip.
In reply, we struggled to 88 for 6.
Only Dee prospered. Thanks to the wicket being right on the edge of the square, he could almost touch the legside boundary on one side and he didn't miss out.
But on 23, there was a mix-up and Dee was run out.
After that, only new recruit Majid reached double figures.
Second time round, opposition legspinner S. Bignell - loaned to us by West XI - showed the Skip how to bowl leggies.
He conceded just 12 off four overs for one wicket.
By contrast, the Captain's one over this time round went for 15 including a valiant attempted catch by Behzad that sadly ended up over the rope for six off that dratted short boundary.
Needing 130 over 18 was always going to be a challenge.
But the Skip, opening with Majid, did his best for the run-rate. He got bowled early on for 3.
Progress thereafter was a bit like the outside temperature - glacial.
That is, it was until S. Bignell opened his shoulders.
Mr Bignell, it is fair to say, is not in the first flush of youth.
But with some cracking straight drives, including a six to the other side of the sight screen, he ended up with a superb 53 not out.
Other contributions came from Mike Herlihy with 18 and Farhad with 16.
Unfortunately, 101 for 6 was not enough.
Cincers finished 28 runs adrift.
But many thanks to Steve Rennie of West XI - and Abid - for ensuring the game even went ahead in the first place.
And as for all those Cincers who didn't turn out, well, hang your heads in shame!
* Game played on May 20 - sorry for late posting of match report.