Match Report

Ali Meier holds another catch, but his efforts are in vain.

The mid week season concluded with the first ever visit of Sunningwell CC to Middleton Park. Sunningwell are an Abingdon based team who, just like the hosts feature a mixture of ages and abilities in their team. Sunningwell performed very well with the ball after setting a sub par total of 104 in the first innings.

Middleton Stoney bowled and fielded tightly. Seril Shah was the pick of the bowlers with only 6 runs conceded from his three overs, while Ahmad shone in the field, the mere thought of his throwing prowess preventing the batters from running twos. Rhys, the Sunningwell Captain was the pick of the batsman, his aggressive innings soon took him to the retirement total of 30, incuding 5 boundaries. Asif and Khalid picked up an early wicket each before Seril tied up the middle order. 

Six wides bowled and the six extra balls delivered were to prove crucial in the final outcome. The innings closed with Ali Meier pouching his sixth catch of the season, this time fielding at point. Ali opened the batting with Tahir, with all expecting Middleton to cruise to victory.

The Sunningwell bowling was of a higher standard than thier batting. Both seamers and spinners were accurate, and bad balls were few and far between. A pair of Waughs opened the bowling, one spin one seam. Ali took a boundary from the last ball of the first over to get Middleton off to a steady start. 

The younger Waugh was to be the point of difference between the teams. To most peoples surprise he trapped Tahir LBW, with only the fielder at fine leg bothering to appeal.Josh Bazeley played the shots of the day to his second and third deliveries. The first smashed into the stumps at the bowler’s end, causing the umpire to leap sideways, the second crossed the cover boundary before any fielder could move. 

Fatally Josh played back to a length delivery, the low bounce was through him just as he remembered that playing on the front foot was essential. Ahmad joined Ali and was soon forcing the pace, hustling Ali into running twos and stealing singles. Sensing it was his moment, Ali drove at the first ball Rhys bowled, but only succeeded in giving the younger Waugh a chance to show his speed across the ground as he made a difficult catch look easy.

Ahmad was all too soon back in the pavilion, he too well caught at mid off by Waugh, dismissed for 15. While the target remained in reach too many wickets had fallen early. The later middle order all got starts, but each in turn fell to poor shots  when caution might have been the better option. Captain Michael Robinson, came in at number 8. In his mind he was going to see his team home, taking his time and avoiding rash shots.

Immeadiately after instucting his current partner to play safe, he played a poor shot, lofting an straightforward chance to mid-off. Somehow the catch was spilt. Mike redoubled his efforts to see his team home, but he was running out of partners. Asif added a couple of singles, took the skin off his forearm diving to get in and then tamely hit back to the bowler. Hamidullah showed the application to support his captain, but became a third victim for Waugh as he returned to complete his allocation.

When Seril joined Mike, 30 runs were required form 3 and half overs with only one wicket left. Seril was impeccable in defence against Waugh junior leaving Mike to face Waugh senior. 16 runs came from the 17the over Mike suddenly in the form of his life. A lost cause was now back in reach with less than a run a ball needed for victory.  The 18th over passed safely with two runs added. 

Seril and Mike had the strategy of Mike scoring the runs and Seril surviving. Three singles were taken with Seril left on strike. With just 10 runs needed Seril tried to give Mike the strike, but this time was stranded short of his ground to be run out. The players left the fielder with Sunningwell delighted to have restricted Middleton and Middleton thinking of what should have beens.