The caption competition is now over and we are able to announce the winners of honourable mentions and indeed the prize winner.

There were 22 entries to the competition – or should I say 23?  All will be revealed shortly.  The picture below was the subject.

An enormous and distinguished panel of judges debated the submissions late into the night, determined to ensure that the prize was awarded to the best caption.

But let us draw a veil over the sordid details of those deliberations and move straight to the list of honourable mentions.

Toby Cornes submitted:

Unfortunately, John Emburey and the Middlesex players mistook the hoarding to be from the Middlesex fans asking to test them out (their patience that is)

While Robert Preen suggested:

Thanks go, to the member who was so glad to see the back of former player Weekes that he photographed it to preserve the memory.

The obvious, cheap gags tended to be submitted anonymously, including:

Nash is in pavilion and shouts to Weekes “your phone’s ringing”, to which Weekes replies, "can you tell whoever it is to hold, I'll be back soon".

And

It’s Middlesex Panto Time:  Weekes to Klusener “Where are the best years of our careers?”  Crowd, “behind you!”

And

Did Weekes say to Zulu as he passed him " world-class all- rounder who played for Middlesex", to which Zulu thanked him before  Weekes said " I was referring to myself"?

Whereas Diamond was prepared to own up to his submissions, including:

Old, I'm not old, just well lived in !

In third place, another anonymous submission:

Hippity: “Weekesy is my hero! Weekesy is my hero!! Weekesy is my hero!!!”

Weekesy: “Hippity is my supper! Hippity is my supper!! Hippity is my supper!!!”

In second place (I can hear the cries of “fix, fix”) as I type, is Barmy Kev:

Is Rob White saying to Weekes "the job centre is that way"?.

And the prize winner…………(drumroll)…………..(have these dots given you all a clue yet?)……………………..Janet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:

Come in Number 9 your time’s up. Tell Number 4 that his time is up also.

So many congratulations to Janet, who wins a small prize to help erase the memory of a lousy season for Middlesex.  The judges found your caption both subtle and witty, Janet.

But there is a twist yet to the tale.  After the competition closed, we received a submission from an anonymous donor, who accepted that the deadline had passed and that the submission was not eligible for a prize.  This person had been away and had missed the competition.  Needless to say, the judges found this late and therefore disqualified caption the very best of all.  So well, done, anonymous.  But time your Caribbean holidays better next time.  As Brando might have said: “you could have been a contender”.  Here is that wonderful caption:

Celebrating his final match, Weekes wears a commemorative shirt, complete with league position.

Many thanks and congratulations to all contestants.