The Drifters team photo, 2006

The usual close season Drifter’s recruitment efforts were showing considerable promise around the time of Christmas.  However, one by one, the possible new or old Drifters, who had agreed to the join the 20th visit to Chiang Mai, have evaporated or, at least, their intentions have done so.

We are all used to excuses/reasons given by people for not joining clubs or not going on tour, or not being available on a particular day.  “Ninety per cent certain” means, no chance really, “I’m struggling” means “I’m not fit but I am not letting on yet”, whilst “Count me in” can mean “I’d really love to, but there will be something to stop me going that has not emerged as yet.” 

We have had a rack of them this time – “Sorry, can’t go, as I have just received a very large tax bill”: “ Sorry, I’m going to the World Cup, instead”: Sorry, have been posted to Kazakhstan”.  Honestly, where are people’s priorities?  What can be better than a week in Chiang Mai at the Sixes?

Well, dig deeper and you find the real reasons.  Picture this - as the beer sinks in on a long summer’s evening after a game of cricket, talk turns to Thailand and the Sixes. Lurid tales are told of pole dancing and massages; Fellow cricketers foam at the mouth at the prospect. They leave full of good intentions and, then, realization sinks in – how am I going to get agreement from the other half, particularly if she was in earshot?  A variety of ways are found to introduce the prospect, but few succeed in finding a positive solution.

So, we must conclude that it takes a particular breed of man – and woman – to be allowed to indulge themselves in the annual pilgrimage to Chiang Mai.  There are, of course, the single men for whom no such constraints exist. 

This brings me onto this year’s slim Drifter’s squad, those who fit into the above categories. The most important news is that Lord Hall of Chester and South Croydon has been released by Marchwiel.  This is part of the pruning activities that have been forced upon Lord Bell by actions of the ungrateful, whose characters you will be familiar with, if you choose to take wine with Lord Bell during Sixes week 

The irony, of course, is that the wheel has come full circle, as you may remember that Lord Hall, the Drifter’s main combination of class and youthfulness, was poached by Marchwiel several years ago, with the promise of silverware.  Since that time and a number of subsequent trips to Thailand with the Drifter’s leader and our resident man in CM, Mr Walker, these qualities and ambitions in Lord Hall have been swiftly eroded.  No transfer fee has been paid, nor have any air-fares or accommodation. 

So, along with Messrs Hall, Pike and Walker, the weight of Drifter’s expectations will be carried by three other old stagers and anciens of CM Sixes – Neil Howe, Tubby Jenner, Lobby Smith, fresh from winning a trophy at Radlett and, the dark destroyer, Taran Persaud, who has also been making interim trips to Thailand for research purposes.

As in previous years, we had high hopes of the legendary Pato re-joining us this year, but, not even a visit to Melbourne at Christmas by myself and Rob Hall, could prise him out of Australia - a great shame.

At one stage, David Otway, Roland Horridge, Pual Tipton and RMO Cooke were all bandied as possibilities, but they have ebbed away, maybe for another year.  

So, we are an experienced squad, full of knowledge about Chiang Mai and the sixes. I think that all of us look forward to the event for a number of months in advance and, in particular, look forward to meeting up again with people with whom we would not have met, if it were not for the CM Sixes.  So, finally, a big thank you to all of those who give their time to making sure that the event continues to be such great success.