🏏Archers thread #136: Howzat! Oliver’s bowled a googly, Kathy’s out, Grey Gables left with nightwatchman. Tracy knocked for six. Is Ambridge on a sticky wicket? Discuss The Archers here.

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

Thank you, @PseudoBadger, for kicking off this long, long series of Archers threads.

All views on The Archers welcome here! New blood welcomed. We don't all agree on all points and most of us are posting tongue in cheek a lot of the time, so don't worry about revealing that you are entranced by new character Adil, or other unusual views.

Spoilers: not on this thread, please. We don't wait for the omnibus to discuss the weeknight episodes, but we do try our best to avoid cross-contamination from www.mumsnet.com/Talk/radio_addicts/4197199--The-Archers-spoilers-thread-6-Cant-wait-for-7-02pm-Join-us-here, where spoilers are positively welcomed!

For newer listeners, lurkers or those who just have no idea what we're talking about, @DadDadDad has created this useful thread: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/radio_addicts/3557323-For-Archers-fans-a-guide-to-acronyms-on-the-long-running-discussion-threads-and-any-other-meta-thread-questions-you-may-have - BOOP point for him! (See thread for explanation.)

Apologies if anybody made a thread title suggestion and I missed it. I decided to mark the start of the cricket season in the hope that things will take a turn for the better for poor Tracy.

It feels like months since the last new thread, which was just after Phoebe departed for Scotland. Has she been mentioned since? I can't recall. Not greatly missed, by me, at any rate. Her fish gifts didn't last long.

I can't shake off the feeling that The Archers is going through a long dull patch. I don't feel greatly engaged by anything that's happening at the moment other than Tracy's plight. Such a good actor, which helps, of course.

What's keeping you listening? Habit? Genuinely enjoying it? Over to you!

(PS In the process of starting this thread, I've discovered that our custom-made Archers emoji has gone. You used to get it by typing . Not any more.)

Yes and if he’d asked nicely if she wouldn’t mind dropping Martha round to Emma’s/having Emma pick her up at 4 so she could spend some time with her auntie and cousins, it would have gone down a lot better!

I did wonder if the doctor had been about to broach the subject of Foetal Alcohol Syndrome before she was called away. By the time she got back, in true soap style something had happened to prevent her going on with that conversation, viz, Chris and Alice were having a slanging match and she decided to make a Social Services referral. If my hunch is correct, she will mention FAS as part of that.

We have various sourdough pizza places nearby. I assume this is what Ian is planning to sell. The pizzas are lovely fresh from the oven. Significantly less lovely after 10 minutes or more on a delivery bike. I am a pleb and enjoy Domino's from time to time, not least because the leftovers are good the day after. Turns out leftover sourdough pizza isn't that great - it goes hard and chewy. God knows what they put into Domino's to keep it soft and tasty, but I'm not complaining.

But Alice was instantly on the attack- how dare he turn up early. She's such a spoilt brat.

I don't think she could talk about FAS to a social worker without even mentioning it to Chris at the very least. Apart from anything else, there are all sorts of medical questions that would arise that only a doctor could answer.

However, the first question the SW will ask is whether any of this had to do with Alice drinking. Which carries the danger that she will get so stressed and panicky that she will want to go straight back to the bottle.

I think she had a point. Why on earth, as a parent in that situation, would you turn up and just demand that the child be returned early to suit your convenience, especially when it turns out that you don't intend to look after her yourself anyway? How hard would it have been to pick up the phone and ask nicely? Or even to suggest to Alice that Martha stay with her?

I wasn't paying a huge amount of attention, but was I to assume that 14/15 month old Martha was busy on a slide by herself? I can't remember how long it takes for premature babies to catch up on milestones but she is making Xander look like a bit of a slacker!

I'm getting fed up with "Angry Chris". Can't he fulfil his dream and move to a stables in Newmarket?

But Alice was instantly on the attack- how dare he turn up early. She's such a spoilt brat. Seriously? I would have thought turning up early and demanding your child back is on a par with hanging on to her for an extra couple of hours because you were having such fun. Unacceptable if the visiting parent does it, far worse if the resident parent does it

Yet again the absence of phones in Ambridge causes needless drama. Surely you'd arrange this by text?

Showing up an hour early and expecting everyone to accommodate you is rude.

Alice should have offered to drop her in at Emma's.

It does rather highlight the hypocrisy of Chris demanding Martha be 'with him' whilst not actually being together at all. Like his demands for custody are a bit mad. Surely it's better she's with her mum and spends her time with Chris when he's actually available?

I just don't believe that no one would have figured this out by now.

I'm so fed up of whiny Alice - can't she fulfill her ambition of being an engineer and move, well anywhere really.

I wasn't paying a huge amount of attention, but was I to assume that 14/15 month old Martha was busy on a slide by herself

You wouldn't would you? Unless it was one of those tiny home garden baby slides.

Kirsty and Adil 🛳 (< Ship …)?

Nah …

But why not?

Hmm …

I was thinking, Lirsty and Adil. I could see it working.

Kursedy and anyone will probably just end in tears.

Kirsty seems to be paired up with any available bloke - that’s how she ended up with Mr Morris!

Why not? It's one of those rare occasions when 2 adults were having a normal conversation, grown-up conversation. Kirsty was excellent tonight.

Boop for Robert too. Lynda sounds bonkers.

Lynda is behaving so out of character, and to a paying guest!

I assume that this will all turn round when she needs Adil's lovely voice for the Christmas speshul.

Chris is entirely loathsome atm, his entitlement to Marthyr is believable but horrible and his thinking of Amy as his personal property is just bleurgh. Ofcourse Alice reacted badly to being ordered to hand over her baby early, which parent wouldn't?

Chris is behaving so badly. Demanding Martha early just to drop her with his sister - no wonder alice said no. The idea of raking up alice's alcoholism to win divorce points is also grim.

Nice interview (and photo) with Charles Collingwood here

I like how he says I'm 79 and I don’t want to do anything apart from watch cricket and play Brian Aldridge. I’ve had a blessed life. If the day comes when I fall off my perch while watching cricket, so be it

Lovely interview indeed! They missed a trick not interviewing June Spencer, though. 103 and still working. My mind is still boggling over that.

The people of Ambridge are not bright, are they. One day the refurbishment will be over, the hotel will re-open and there will be lots of jobs. Adil will have a say in who gets those jobs. Will he put out of his mind the people who have been angry and rude in the last few months? I wouldn't. I'd have serious doubts about their ability to be polite to guests and to be good team workers.

Adil must have the skin of a rhino. I would check out of Lynda’s B and B pretty damn quick if a host started making arch comments about me every five minutes. It’s weird he’s staying there in the first place. He’s a modern man so I am surprised he hasn’t found an AirBnB or given the refurb is taking months he should take a six month lease out on executive home in Borchester. The idea of Robert poaching Adil’s eggs each morning is laughable.

Chris did at least have the grace to feel slightly uncomfortable as he speculated on whether Alice has been drinking. He knows she hasn’t but he also knows it would help his case immeasurably if he said he can’t be absolutely sure…

"So, every time there was double entendre, I would add a naughty laugh. The scriptwriters picked up on this and the next thing I knew I was having an affair with Siobhan.” Brian was having affairs long before Siobhan - he makes it sound as if this was one off.

Last time anyone showed an interest in Kirsty’s love of nature it was Philip Moss. Let’s hope this turns out more positively!

also, I slightly resent that the scripties think this is her only interest, it’s a bit like when poor Bridget Jones keeps being asked if she’s read any good books lately.

The conversation with the doctor, Alice and Chris was wholly unbelievable.

Chris was asking for trouble turning up and demanding Martha back early. Alice was right to refuse - and Chris using this against her for custody is gross.

Why does no one point out to him that Alice feels just as attached to Martha as he does? He doesn’t understand alcoholism at all. Alice has done so well (with no thanks to him - his support was awful all the way through when he kept pushing her for a relationship when she said she needed space etc) and his bleating on about wanting Martha there infuriates me.

I hope he doesn’t get primary resident parent. He can fuck off and procreate with someone else. I’ve never really liked Alice, but after this I’ve warmed to her simply because Chris has been so thick and selfish.

This is exactly how I feel. I've never liked Alice but her learning to trust herself to be Martha's mother really touched me whilst Chris just gives me the icks. It feels like since Alice's recovery he has always prioritised his own feelings over Martha's needs.