In the great scheme of things I have never been a prolific sportsman, despite my love of all sport, but i did enjoy one peculiar local sport in Oxford, and yesterday I took a stagger down memory lane to re-ignite my love of Aunt Sally. Every wednesday night in Oxfordshire, people gather at local pubs to play this strange game that involves 6 sticks being thrown at a small wooden doll perched on a swivel.

When I played there were 21 sections in Oxford but sadly there are now just 12, I never played at a very high level but always enjoyed the fun and beer of a good night out. My beery travels yesterday took me to The Folly Bridge Inn, next door to the former White House ground of Oxford City. Luckily the kind landlord and a few good friends helped me to have a quick chuck. I got 3 dolls with my first throw, blimey i wasn’t that good when I played on a regular basis.

The local paper The Oxford Mail does a round up every wednesday of the previous weeks action and prints a list of Sixers (anyone who hits all 6 dolls in one leg) and blobbers those who miss everything all night over the 3 legs, and yes I have been named and shamed in the blobbers section. It felt so good to throw those sticks again, it all came flooding back, when I started I was a danger to low flying aircraft but aspired to a half decent level. Ooh memories, maybe I can export Aunt Sally to Tenerife – well it’s just a thought.