Last time I visited The Bat & Ball, Cuddesdon, I arrived on foot with my dog, having walked the banks of the River Thame and on to this ancient village, which is sited on a hill overlooking South Oxfordshire.

Cuddesdon has a history which predates the Doomsday book and owes its name to a Saxon chief who named it Cudwine's Hill. There are some stunning views from the bottom of the pub garden, which take in both the Chilterns and Wittenham Clumps. No wonder the Romans settled there and why the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Robert Runcie, retired to the area.

We arrived by car this time, having turned off the B480 towards Garsington and then on to Cuddesdon.

The Bat & Ball is an old coaching inn to which redbrick extensions have been added over the years, giving it a spacious interior with a comfortable restaurant area overlooking a small patio garden in which an Australian eucalyptus tree flourishes. There's an Aunt Sally in the garden area too.

I'd taken the unusual step of reserving a table as this pub attracts a good lunchtime trade, despite Cuddesdon being so remote.

It's a good job I did. The place was buzzing when we arrived, due mainly to a farewell celebratory lunch.

I hasten to add we were still served promptly, despite many of the party gathering at the bar. Our drinks were taken into the non-smoking restaurant for us and a waitress took our order within minutes. All every efficient.

If you like cricket, you will love this pub with its flagstone floors and pine tables, as it's full of cricket memorabilia and some stunning pictures of famous cricketers. Specials of the day are written on cricket bats, and signed cricket bats hang between and from the many gnarled beams that give this charming old pub such character.

I'd like to think that the Australian gum tree in the courtyard was planted to celebrate Ian Botham's spectacular heroics when England won the Ashes against all odds in 1981.

We drank Jennings' Red Breast bitter, a full-flavoured winter brew which hit the spot perfectly. Marston's Pedigree was also available.

As to our lunch - well, that was great too. In fact, my colleague declared that it was one of the best he'd had for ages, particularly as it offered him more than the ubiquitous plates of scampi that he'd been eating lately.

The menu was extensive and boasted a steakburger made from nothing more than prime ground meat and seasoning, which was served with thick hand-cut chips at £8.95.

Perhaps I would have chosen that had breast of duck framboise not been listed. This dish (£14.95) was a mix of pan-fried breast of duck and a confit leg with a delicious raspberry and Cointreau sauce. This meant I was able to enjoy the delights of crispy duck while eating the leg and the succulent moist flesh of the breast. It was scrumptious. So good I could have eaten it all over again.

Chris chose the whole lemon sole meuniere topped with parsley and lemon butter at £13.95.

We could have had thick-cut 10oz rump steak (£14.95), saut of lambs' kidneys and smoked bacon (£10.95), or slow-braised shoulder of lamb at £14.95.

Open sandwiches were available too, also toasted panini priced from £5.25 to £5.95. A bowl of chips or soup to go with the sandwiches could be ordered for £1.50. Ploughmans' were priced from £7.95.

I realise that these prices are not cheap, but believe this is another case of getting what you pay for.

We followed our main meal with two large cups of espresso coffee - the perfect finish to a great meal served in a cosy pub where we were made to feel exceptionally welcome.