If it's summer that means there must be some sort of Z/Yen cricket match and 2010 was no exception. We decided to play a pairs tournament this year, which made sure that everyone got a go. Indeed, Xenia Mainelli was drafted in as a last minute replacement for her mother and came a close second – and who are we to judge whether her contribution or that of Louwrens was the key to that partnership’s success. Chiara, fresh over from Switzerland and experiencing cricket for the first time managed to take two wickets, which is quite an achievement.

We found ourselves switched at the last minute to Kensington Memorial Park this year – a rather small field populated by locals unaccustomed to the sound of leather on willow. So much so, that Louwrens achieved the champagne moment by clearing the outfield, pushing a toddler who got stuck on his tricycle at the wrong moment, somewhere between deep square leg and cow corner. Congratulations to the winners, Jacques Malan & Simon McMullen. Rumours of match fixing at Z/Yen cricket matches are most certainly untrue, but we can confirm that the 2011 cricket match will be won by Ian Harris in partnership with Linda Cook.

Actually, both Ian and Linda showed more aptitude for the wine tasting a couple of weeks later. Organised for us by Linda’s brother, Gordon, the event (or at least the excuse for the event) was to celebrate Jez Horne’s imminent wedding. And indeed congratulations to Jez and Sarah on their nuptials.

As is the Z/Yen way, the wine tasting included a competitive element, which comprised guessing the wines from the descriptions and also recognising pictures of sports personalities from the wine producing nations concerned. The combined forces of Monique, Flynn and Kirsten won that competition.

To round off that evening, most of the gathering decamped for a round of crazy golf (actually a mixture of crazy golf and crazy pool) in Devonshire Square. That fierce competition was won jointly by Mary O’Callaghan and Michael Mainelli. In Michael’s case, at least, the victory confirms some folklore about mis-spent youth, plus the prevailing view that if the activity is crazy, Michael will be good at it.