h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Arguably the best thing I've ever done in my entire life is to set up my own cricket team, and it started as a result of h2g2.

The first clip the Aviators made was about cricket, and one of my friends suggested that we thank 'the Cavendish Cavaliers' at the end. The name duly appeared in the credits, even though no such team existed; but a year later we decided that it should, and here we are.

When I look back at the last 12 months, it's been the greatest joy. I've done a lot of other great stuff, but the idea that I can cajole 11 people into coming out onto a cricket pitch on an irregular basis astonishes and delights me. Nothing has ever filled me with more pride than walking out with my 75-year-old Grandad to open the batting through a guard of honour provided by the Shaldon Optimists. We're all dreaming, really; I've always dreamed of captaining a cricket team, Kev has dreamed of splattering stumps, Grandad of watching us all out there playing cricket.

The Optimists helped to shape us into what we are. Impossible as it seems, they contrived a draw. We learned from them how to be properly sporting, how to approach a game, how to applaud a good ball from the opposition. In the next match we played, I have video of a wicketkeeper *deliberately* not running out my Grandad, simply because he's 75 and it wasn't a fair contest between old man and ball. And we learned from the guy who bowled short balls at one of our weakest batsmen with the express intention of hurting him - how to disown a player who doesn't fit with our ethos.

Now you may or may not like cricket. You may or may not even know what it is, particularly if you're Australian. But I urge you to take a look at our website, http://www.cavendishcavaliers.com/ because I think it's an education. Read 'About Us' and some of our match reports, our player profiles. And if you can'rt be botehred with all that, at least have a look at my proudest photo of all: http://www.cavendishcavaliers.com/images/doe2008/doe01.jpg

And don't forget http://www.justgiving.com/cavendishcavaliers

In some respects, it's been a great year

Have a great New Year, everyone

I believe I recognise some of those faces

That's one thing I really really miss here - no village cricket team.

I might have to become a virtual supporter of the Cavaliers.

There may be many things wrong with Texas, but lack of a game of cricket isn't one of them http://www.centraltxcricket.org/

There was some T20 there, but no cricket. Am I looking in the wrong place?

Having a virtual supporter would be great, Sho Over the next few days, I'll be editing our video from last season into some kind of highlights package, so in a week or so you'll be able to watch us from the cavaliers website and see how bad we really are The only problem is that when we're fielding, there's nobody left to film us, so we don't have any footage at all of any of us bowling!

You were right about it being an education, mate. For instance I'm not the biggest cricket mastermind, but I was under the misconception that the scores are usually higher than the ones in a soccer game.

Rich you really need to get someone to film your bowlers - couldn't one of the cucumber sandwich makers oblige?

We do say, quite proudly, that we are '...probably Devon's worst cricket club', KB. The 'probably' is redundant, of course

If we ever get to the point where we have a sandwich-maker, Sho, I'll press him or her into service! We've only ever had a surfeit of people on one occasion, and even then Lainey had a go at being our scorer. I'd almost pay somebody to film us for the afternoon, but I think I'll see how membership subs go before thinking too much along those lines...

oh and don't worry, I was in a team that was all out for 9 once, and 2 of those were extras.

Don't know about being a virtual supporter, Sho - you could come and play for us with that kind of pedigree

I thought ladies probably aren't allowed.

Come one, come all, unified by the love of cricket. We nearly fielded a dog once because it liked chasing cricket balls.

blimey! desperate measures indeed.

We had a Slovakian lad turn out for us once. He didn't have a clue what was going on. He'd read the rules on the Internet before the game, and was still slightly baffled. The opposition fielders had to show him where to stand and how to take guard. We had a very similar situation when Lainey's stepfather turned out for us - he hadn't played since school, fifty years ago.

But they both loved it, and they're among the best Cavaliers as a result. We want to win, obviously, but that's secondary to giving everyone a go for me. So it was perfectly natural to consider a dog for selection

Joking apart, Rich - if I'm ever in Devon and you're short of a man, I'd love to give it a crack. The closest I've come to playing cricket was as a kid, using a plank out of the coal house for a bat with a number of players ranging from anywhere between 3 to roughly 70 or so.

In all seriousness, I do have a spare room, and there's an open offer to you and anyone else who might want to come and turn out for us. Check out our fixture list (when we have one - I've been emailing clubs over the last couple of days), pick a date, spend the weekend in Devon and have a game of cricket

I'll definitely bear that in mind. I've never seen Devon before either, so I can kill two birds with the one stone. It's getting like 'Mr Ben' round here. One minute you meet 'Rich the Rhino', the next minute 'Rich the Cavalier'.

If you're a Devon virgin, you're especially welcome, cricket or not. Lainey's met Gosho and Mu Beta now - after those two, she can cope with anyone. If you need a break any time, just book a flight to Exeter and I'll take care of the rest

is definitely interested, especially if he gets to play cricket.

A Cavendish Caveliers mini/maxi-meet seems to be starting to germinate before our very eyes!