In Austerity England, 1953, England have just won back 'The Ashes' from Australia after 19 years, but this is soon forgotten by the southern villages of Rotting Hill and West Rotting as they prepare for their annual cricket contest. The story follows the lives and loves of the villagers in the days preceding the contest, then the dramas and absurdities of the game itself as it descends into chaos, both during and after the match. In an England still ridden by class mores and dichotomies, the combatants meet on equal status on and off the field - snobs, vicars, barmaids, debs, trade union agitators, schoolmasters, dysfunctional artists