Column Eight: Just not quite cricket

A reconciliation is on the cards for the Theakstons, the Yorkshire brewing family rent asunder four years ago when their old and peculiar vats were subsumed by Scottish & Newcastle.

Paul Theakston found S&N not to his taste and left to set up his Black Sheep Brewery just 50 yards from the original Theakston establishment in Masham, North Yorkshire - a move celebrated with pints of acrimony all round.

Now the two sides are trying to heal the rift. A 'let's bury the hatchet' cricket match will be played on 4 September, between Theakstons and Black Sheep.

Unfortunately, Black Sheep's chances of making an eleven from just eight employees are slim. The search is on for some local talent, preferably of the Larwood/Trueman variety.

Pursuant to yesterday's item on Lloyd's of London's upbeat promotion video, Lloyd's - Looking Ahead, it appears that the film is going back to cutting room.

The message that everything is coming up roses in the troubled insurance market was prepared ahead of Hurricane Andrew. The updated version will take account of the mighty US tempest that is causing underwriters' knees to knock.

The revolving door to the office of chief equities trader at Lehman Brothers in New York spins faster still. Was it just a year ago that Peter Da Puzzo, the joint head of global stock trading, was suspended because of his alleged participation in a market-manipulation scheme?

This week Jack Rivkin, the 50-year-old surviving head trader, shot out of the door. He had resigned, the apparent victim of the 'one firm' policy that the fixed-income executives at Shearson Lehman Brothers (Lehman's parent) managed to impose on the investment banking division.

'This isn't a firm of little separate fiefdoms any more,' observed one colleague.

Now here's one for the corporate brochure. EC Harris, a firm of quantity surveyors, is helping to redevelop a holiday camp used by officers of the former East German security police, the Stasi. It is just possible that the cheery residential complex of over 100 apartments near Potsdam could attract fewer tenants than Canary Wharf.

Having failed to prop up the pound with a few carefully chosen words, Norman Lamont then proceeded to the Treasury's self-service canteen, where he ate a hearty lunch. . .

And what have you got for me today?

French onion soup followed by Sauerkraut, Chancellor.

We have at last discovered a use for books on management. Amid the commuter fury at Victoria earlier this week (caused by the usual train cancellations) a solitary passenger could be seen reading such a work. The chapter in question? 'How to develop a positive attitude.'