Match Report

“That’s Plum”

Six to win from the last ball or one wicket to win from the last ball? Which would you rather have?  In the match against Bacchus CC, the former stalwarts of the Oxford University wine society, it was the visitors who needed a six and the home team who needed to take a wicket. In the end neither team succeeded in attaining victory but both had taken part in a perfect game of Sunday afternoon cricket.

Bacchus arrived in very good time, Patrick Hudson, visiting captain and one of three Hudson brothers playing, had wisely advised his team that it was a 1.30 start.  The  visitors are unusual  amongst our guests in that most players are in their twenties . They may have been less experienced cricketers than the venerable amongst the home XI, but compensation came in sprightly and enthusiasc fielding.  They also had the advantage in that 13 players had arrived expecting to play, had they heard that it was a Mumtaz tea? This allowed them to rotate a substitute fielder , and to have one player frantically catching up on a work assignment in the pavilion.

Patrick won the toss, opted to bat first and then realised that he didn’t actually want to bat first at all and reversed his decision.  In the early overs of the innings this looked to have been a masterstroke . Gus Floyd opened with Mark Ford – Langtaff. Gus looked in good form guiding the ball through the off side. He survived a confident appeal for caught behind, but was relieved that umpire was not swayed by the conviction of the appeal.  He was not so relived a few moments later when he  was bowled off his bads for 5. Mark meanwhile had been starved of the strike. Allowed to face a ball he too survived a tight call, this time for LBW, he too did not take advantage falling for a duck two balls later.

Matt Carpenter batting at 3  struck the first boundary, confidently  hitting a full toss back past the bowler. He was joined for the third wicket by Howard.  Howard has been playing Over 60 cricket where the fieders are neither young nor spritely. He clipped a ball to the right hand side of square leg called for a run expecting to to take two. Matt’s clearly was thinking diffently, Matt was thinking correctly. The fielder dived and stopped the ball cleanly. Howard applied the brakes and started to turn.  The throw was deadly, hitting the one stump on show directly. Howard departed with Middleton in the mire at 14 – 3.

Jay, next man in was not going risk anything so frivolous as a quick single or an attemped second run.  He guided his first run  to deep third man, using the space between keeper and slip, and then repeated the shot for a second. Meanwhile Matt played confidently waiting for the opportunity and then scoring freely.  Opening bowler Sam Riley was replaced after 5 overs, having taking 2 wickets for 3 runs. He was replaced by the less consistent Jefferies. Jefferies first over was begun with two wides. The first straighter ball was stuck firmly toward Mid on by Jay who turned down the singtle. The fourth ball of the over was straight and full. Jay played a poor shot and gave the wayward Jefferies a wicket. 

Ben Merritt was to join Matt, The last time they had played together was against the Australian visitors in August last year. Then they put on a century stand. Today they were to do so again, both batting confidently and passing fifty in good time. Ben was first to the milestone, soon followed by Matt.  With a declaration looming Ben was very well caught at mid on for 69, the stand concluding at 143, the highest MSCC partnership of the season. Stevyn Jackson was sent in with licence to thrill for the final few balls of the innings. Next man in, John Floyd had confidently depadded. Stevyn failed to pick the under spinner first ball and was bowled. Bowler Hudson H was on a hat trick, the hungry skipped called the innings to close at 177 – 6 after just 33 overs.

One of the culinary highlights of the season in the tea provided by Jay and Nathalie.  Anticipation begins mid week when the menu is published.  Further digestive juices are stirred when the menu labels arrive on the table. Chaplee kebabs, Malai boti rolls and Chicken cutlets were just some of the savories on offer while Portuguese egg tarts and slices of sweet apple tart  completed the spread.  Bacchus players were thirlled that did not now have to rush out to field. 

Shaan Singh was first to bowl for Middleton. He must have had greasy fingers from tea, as the first ball was a head high full toss that the batsman narrowly avoided. Fingers wiped Shaan settled into a steady spell from the farm end.  Ben Merritt marked out his run from the Church end. It is fair to say that he started nearer the sightscreen than the stumps. He generated a lively pace and caught the opener, Larkin flush in the box. Survival was the only option against Ben, extra slip fielders were drafted in, chances would surely come. 

A chance did come, a thick edge came in the direction of third slip, low down but catchable. The chance was not taken but four runs were saved. Good work Paul’s shin.

Shaan  struck in his third over. A ball just outside the legstump was miscued from the top edge toward short fine leg where Stevyn was stationed. Stevyn saw it early and his brain sent messages to muscles to move foward. Moment gathered Stevyn took off toward the parabola of the ball. In the time it took for him to get airborne, Simone Biles would have completed a double straight front somersault with twist. But could she have caught a ball an inch from the ground? Stevyn did.  The batsman was defeated, Stevyn triumphant, the fielding team awe struck.  After a golden duck, Stevyn had made the best of amends.

Larkin, having survived the hostility from Ben could not deal with a slower straighter delivery from Shaan to be LBW.   Hudson H and Simkins began the rebuilding process. They did so very successfully. Paul Wordsworth bowled steadily but could not penetrate, while Shaan completed his 8 over spell for 30 runs.

Bacchus needed to score at four and half and over from the last 20 overs. Middleton needed 7 wickets. Left hand bowlers John Floyd and Tim Riley were bowling in tandem, conceding only singles and always looking threatening. John looked likely to get a LBW at any time, Tim was bamboozling Hudson who seemed becalmed as the ball looped past the outside edge. Bacchus had done enough to put themselves in the stronger position to win, a wicket was needed to get Middleton back in the game. It came when Hudson hit a ball from Tim  to wide mid wicket. Ben fielded cleanly and threw uncleanly to the bowler’s end for what should have been the easiest of run outs. Tim adjusted to the wonky throw and was relieved when his back hand flick sent the ball onto the stumps. Hudson was out for 51.

Two more quick wickets followed, John finally getting an LBW decision and Tim a caught and bowled. Ben came back on and struck with his first ball.  Middleton were now re established as favourites. Bacchus had not given up. Eighth wicket pair, Sam Riley and D Hudson were cheered on by the hopeful gaggle of Bacchanalian supporters. An off drive for four passed under a sprawling Jackson, the cheers increased. 

With five overs to go Tim struck twice in an over. A short ball should have been dispatched to the boundary. The batsman missed the ball and was hit in front of his stumps flush in the box. A huge appeal was uhpeld. The ball had hit above the bails but in the umpire’s opinion was on a downward trajectory. It was a point of discussion for both teams after the game. If that decision had been in Middleton’s favour, a run out most thought was clearly out was denied.

The second wicket of the over was an easy slip catch to Mark to leave Bacchus nine wickets down and 26 short of the target. 

Most teams would not attempt to go for the runs. Bacchus are not most teams. With three overs to go Tim forgot how to bowl either an accurate line of length.  Twice full tosses were dispatched to the boundary, five more runs were conceded and suddenly Bacchus believed.

Ben Merrit bowled the penultimate over with 12 still needed. It was an excellent over. The only run came from the final ball. John Floyd was given the responsibility of the final over. Middleton could have won the game on the first ball, Matt Carpenter could not quite gather the ball for the stumping. John bowled three more dot balls before being carved through the off side and through Stevyn’s legs for four. The final ball saw slips gathering around the bat. Hudson survived the game was drawn and both teams retired to the bar.

Manning the barbeque was chef Simpson, many thanks, the bar was hosted by Andrew with help from Howard. The visitors chatted happily on the boundary for a considerable time a clear sign that they had had a good day and that a visit to Middleton Park is a highlight of their Season. 

As the last cars departed the ground Howard and Tim were treated to tales of old Middleton Characters by messrs Simpson and Bradshaw, surely the tales have now been embellished.  The next game is the last away game of the season, cricket returns to Middleton Stoney in a fortnight.