It’s 50 years since the first domestic one-day game in England, and Northants celebrated that fact the only way they could on Sunday - losing a 40 over match.
They have won just two of their past 20, and clearly don’t care, or are equipped, for the format, which is crazy as that apathy is there in more than one county, so it makes it easier to win games if you apply yourself.
And the visiting Nottinghamshire Outlaws certainly did that at Wantage Road.
Okay, Notts are a top side and England-packed in both batting and slow bowling, but this looks oh so familiar.
The club had declared the opening home YB40 a Family Day, brother Alec looking on as Graeme Swann returned to his old stamping ground.
The last time Graeme was here for a Sunday league game he aimed a two-fingered gesture at the blue seats, which, rather coincidently, added up to his contribution in the game of runs and wickets for Nottinghamshire.
That was not the case this time around, clearly a man who has left his past behind.
We are all proud of Graeme’s achievements, but still wonder why didn’t he do it for us?
On the pitch, and the moment the classy Notts side hit the first ball you could see they wanted to pile up a big score.
The problem is, so did our bowlers.
It was a bad showing by the Stillbottoms as a decent crowd in likewise weather with Wendell in his Sunday best and Ricardo, doing worrying things with tinsel and pink pom poms, had turned up hoping this match would set the tone for rest of the one-day season with a battling performance.
Already the Sunday crowd is thinking ‘same old story’ and may not put their hand in their pocket again.
The Outlaws massacred the feeble Northants bowling on a good pitch, one of the first five always going to get a big score.
Alex Hales (50), Samith Patel (95) and James Taylor (105) setting a hefty 288 to win, with Rikki Wessels swatting a couple of sixes to dismiss muted applause on his return to the County Ground.
It seems the one-day Steven Crook is nowhere near as good as the four-day one, and got the worst of the tap.
Again, are the Steelbacks really trying in this format?
They certainly weren’t with the bat, 59-0 soon 92 for seven as they wafted away at the spinners, Swann and Patel getting us by the lapels as the punters muttered obscenities and drifted away to settle in for the Cobblers play-off game on the television.
Andrew Hall (58) and James Middlebrook (43) took it to 200 for professional pride, but already our YB40 chances looks unlikely in a tough group.
Sussex under the lights tonight (Fri) will see more of the same for me.
Matt Spriegel, Olly Stone and Ben Duckett were bought into bolster our limited overs ambitions this season, but did not impress.
As I have said before - this is a bespoke championship team being made to play one-day cricket.
A canter to bury Kent!
The last time we played Kent away it was a two runs an over and a stale draw, the pitches set up for captain Rob Key not to lose home games, which they didn’t.
But they didn’t win many either, their negative tactics meaning they are still stuck in League Two with the likes of us.
This time Kent were ready for us, negating our batting 11 with an older looking pitch that simply let our bowlers in.
Losing the toss made it 12 out of 12 bowling points for Northants, nipping them out on day one, 271 again a brilliant effort, considering Kent were 203 for three in warm sunshine around tea.
With Trent Copeland not picked in any of the touring parties, the tall seamer claimed his first five-for and has to be at least first reserve for The Ashes.
Again it was elegant line and length stuff with Crooky and David Willey more aggressive at the other to enable his haul, Middlebrook snarling: “Nothing from this end pal!”
Day two and cooler conditions saw Kyle Coetzer fail again and David Sales still not scoring this season. Alex Wakely is also struggling.
Coach David Ripley may not want to make changes, but he will have to soon.
Coetzer clearly can’t deal with the new ball, and Sales is too high up at three.
Yet again it was left to Stephen Peters to see off the shine and tire the opening quickies to stop the collapse.
Spriegel or Stone are almost certain to come in for the next championship match and would offer an extra bowling dynamic to the team as the pitches firm up in the May/June.
Peters owned the innings with his first century of the season as he dragged Northants a small lead with his stoic 106,
Crooky again stepping up, bringing up the 300 from 187 for seven with 10 lusty boundaries.
There was just the 46 for the last wicket this time around with an injured Rob Newton, the last five once again doubling the score.
Meanwhile, Jacky Brooks was doing the business for Yorkshire, not looking that injured under his Yorkshire themed headband with five for 40 to win their match.
I don’t blame him for moving to a bigger county to get more money and try and play for England, but it does now look like he played for that move through most of last season to Northants’ detriment.
You have to ask why he re-signed for us if that was always his intention?
Kent didn’t enjoy the sunshine second time around, again shot out by Copeland (5-42) for the big Aussie’s 10 in the match as the ball began to pop and scoot low.
A total of 135 was not great by the home side on a worn but fair looking top.
Like the Gloucestershire win, 100-odd was required for three straight wins, Kent old boy Hall bringing us home and miles clear at the top.
But we have been here before in May.