Episode #3.2

A friendly cricket match takes a turn when one of the players is accused of cheating, it gets even worse when multiple players are poisoned, and one dies the following day.

I thought this was a strong episode, not as good as the series opener, but still a good standard. I take the point that it does become a little bit soap opera at times, sometimes the relationship nonsense overtakes the crime, but it's still good.

Very good performances, as he so often does, Peter Davison steals the show.

A great line from Geordie, I may not have scored many points at the match, but I certainly had the runs last night.

Very good, 8/10.

Following a "friendly" cricket match, just about everyone becomes incredibly ill. There has also been a confrontation between a local big shot and a young man of Indian descent. Everyone recovers except for the aforementioned young man. He lives with his brother and apparently something happened during the night. It turns out there is serious prejudice against these young men (racism) and when it is discovered he had been having a relationship with a young woman. Her father is the big shot. Meanwhile, Sidney's connection to the woman who is divorcing her husband is beginning to cause all kinds of commotion. And, Geordie is also sewing wild oats with the pretty woman from his office. Sidney comes to realize that there are things that he must do himself to settle down the community. The case itself also produces some real surprises. This is a good series although at times Sidney pushes the envelope.

Others have made cogent comments about this episode which I enjoyed. I thought the mystery of who poisoned and why wrapped around the several No-No/awkward relationships and the judgements about them was well done.

My main comment, though, is about the music during the cricket match. It's almost the same as the music played in the Downton Abbey cricket-match episode in season three. Music composer for both episodes is John Lunn.

This was a slight mystery which ostensibly examines racism in the 1950s but so often gets sidetracked by the soap opera arcs. Geordie cheating on his wife and Sidney's relationship with Amanda which the Archdeacon has now noticed along with most of the townsfolk.

Peter Davison guest stars and once again dons a period cricketer's costume. He plays the local solicitor and cricket club secretary Geoffrey Towler an undisguised racist. Zafar Ali, a recent arrival from Pakistan and who plays cricket for the club is carrying on with his daughter behind his back.

During a cricket match, most of the men seemed to have some sort of arsenic type poisoning. Zafar is found dead by his brother Munir who blames Geoffrey Towler for Zafar's poisoning.

I think the episode might had worked better if they actually played down the racism of Geoffrey Towler. As it is you could guess that Geoffrey could not be the culprit as he was made to be so vile. (Ironic as Davison himself is of mixed race heritage.)

This episode isn't worthy of the series. It began as good mysteries with interesting characters and has devolved into a terrible soap opera. Oh my life sucks....who needs that kind of message?