TO help avoid boredom I have been challenging myself in the gym during the week just to build up a bit of strength for when the winter programme kicks in properly.

A few of the guys have been doing the same, so I don’t think there will be too many turning up after six weeks off looking like they’ve spent their time preparing for a career in Sumo wrestling.

I had got back to the beautiful motherland of Oxfordshire for a weekend and got involved in Tiddington’s presentation evening.

There was about 90 people there, which is amazing considering it’s just a small village side.

It shows how healthy the club is on and off the field, particularly as Tidd finally got promoted into Division 1 of the Cherwell League.

That was something I was never able to do with them in my glory chubby villager days!

THE highlight was definitely watching my old man, who is 70, neck a pint of beer in four seconds to the astonishment of a cocky 20-year-old third teamer who had challenged him!

I’d never been prouder of the old man! The particularly amusing part was watching him hobble off saying: “I’m disappointed I’ve slowed down – I was only at half tilt!”

Sticking with the club cricket theme, this week I read on Twitter (for anyone interested in following me I’m @brooksyferret) and the Hertfordshire clubs have decided to pull out of the Home Counties PL for various reasons.

It disappoints me slightly, because the HCPL is a great league that provides a fantastic standard for club cricketers in the area.

I don’t know the all the details, so won’t get too opinionated, but I hope the standard doesn’t suffer for too long in the HCPL.

A couple of the Herts teams were quite strong and I doubt they would have wanted to pull out and form their own league.

I have great memories of playing for Oxford in HCPL and it was an important part of my cricketing journey.

IN terms of how my winter is progressing, I won’t reveal any full details until everything is signed, but it is close to being sorted.

I’m almost certain I’ll be spending a couple of months in Australia playing club cricket and lying on a beach.

In other good news, I’m also confident of striking a deal with a new kit sponsor.

That’s quite exciting as “stash” is an integral part of any sportsman’s life!