Duke and Son, master craftsmen of Kent, received a royal patent to produce cricket balls in the year 1775. Five years later they introduced the six seamed ball, which gave bowlers more grip and made the performance more consistent. The odd microchip and a couple of colour variations aside, it's been virtually unchanged since then. That’s a game played for 245 years with virtually the same ball. Think on that next time you rescue an old one from the hedge.

Off to buy themselves some shiny new cricket balls are:

• £90 David Sidwell (90)
• £45 Steve Marshall (35)
• £30 Nick Wake (5)
• £15 Ian Lewington (66)

If you'd like to join the Double Century Club and support the Tring Park Cricket Club, pick up an entry form behind the bar.

Each share costs £52 per year or £13 per quarter, which works out as a mere £4.25 per month. You can buy as many shares as you like, with half of the money that you put in going directly to the club and the other half into the prize fund for the monthly draw.