Match Report

Ahmad makes a mockery of difficult batting conditions.

Islip kindly offered to host Middleton Stoney this Sunday  in lieu of a third match of the season against Hampstead Norreys. Several members of the team were now able play a match at a ground closer to home than a regular home game.  We meet Hampstead Norreys at home in the first week of September in the final of the Sunday Friendly Cup.

The drought had badly affected the Islip square despite the best efforts of the groundsman. The pitch looked flat but very, very dry and crumbly. With no idea how it would play Middleton, on winning the toss, decided that batting second was the best option. Despite this being a close away game, the car carrying both opening bowlers was just leaving Bicester as the umpires took the field. A military source confimed that this was a classic example of Afghan timing.

Islip kindly lent a pair of fielders as the game commenced with Shaan and Khalid  now given the new ball. In a spirit of generosity the first 2 overs included 4 very inviting full tosses, all of which were sent to the boundary by Tejas. Mike Robinson at a very square fine leg was kept very busy and prevented several more potential fours. 

Shaan was the first to find a good length. The first ball of his second over probably the best ball he has ever bowled. Starting well outside the offstump the ball swung in late, dumbfounding the batter who could not believe that a ball that started so wide had swung back to bowl him.

Khalid found Trejas in aggressive mood, with the ball being regularly sent to the boundary as Hamidullah’s car pulled into the car park.  Isis captain, Ryan Hambridge  also played positively as it became clear that any delivery pitched on a length would play in an entirely unpredicatable way. Hambridge looked to bash Shaan over mid on and made good contact. Khalid at mid on stuck both hands in the air and held a catch when most expected the ball to be crashing over the rope.

Khalid finally found the right length to Trejas, his attempt to hit the ball over the church yard saw his stumps splayed. Isis’ best partnership now developed with the hard hitting Lee Price batting with Jonah Clark. Price worked on a policy that anything pitched up could be dispatched towards the railway line. A six off Shaan looked to be landing on the 2.30 to Marylebone so far was it hit.

A mishit offered a catchable chance between Shaan at extra coverand Mike Robinson at cover. As nine fielders watched a collision seemed inevitable. The collsiion was avoided as was the catch. Runs were flowing as first change bowlers, Jay Mumtaz and Hamidullah were called on to stem the flow.

Jay was expensive to start with, but amongst some poor deliveries bowled some gems. Hamidullah was more consistent, perhaps a little too full in length to get the most out of the wearing wicket. Price looked dangerous, with Clarke offering good support, picking off some Mumtaz full tosses with relish. 

Juggling the bowlers, who were allowed 7 overs each in a 35 over match, George Robinson came on for Jay and Ahmad replaced his father. George struggled to cope with the uphill run up. His line was off and the batsmen picked him off. Ahmad took one over to realise that his dangerous length was not as full as normal. Second ball of his second over he made the key breakthrough , Price caught at the second grab by Tim behind the stumps for 45. The partnership had put on 59 in 9 overs.

Ahmad’s next ball was too good for Goodfellow, clean bowled. There was no hat trick as Richards defended manfully, before taking advantage of a free hit following a no ball. Clarke became Hamidullah’s first victim of the day, easily taken by Matt Bazeley at cover, following loud calls of”Matt!” from several sources. Richards and Annand tried to maintain momentum. They did not have the range of shots to prosper on the deteriorating surface and some astute field placing saw Howard Lancaster in postion for a  comfortable catch dismissing Annand for Hamidullah’s second wicket. 

Ahmad proved too much of a handful for the Islip tail, hitting the stumps three times in two overs. Rijo at number 9 being the most spectacular as all the stumps were out of the ground, as indeed the ball would have been if Rijo’s ambitious shot had made contact. Islip were all out with four overs still to go for 175. A total that looked very respectable in the very tricky batting conditions.

Ahmad and Jay were keen to form an opening partnership, where some amongst the ranks were rather more circumspect in their approach to the second innings. Ahmad ignored the fact that the ball was sometimes unplayable and simply put away any ball that was off line or length. The first four scoring shots were all boundaries, including one for Jay as a racing start was made. Jay survived the shooter, he has had a lot of experience in keeping the low bouncers out this season, but tickled a ball down the leg side and walked off. The umpire was bemused as he was just about to mouth the words “not out” but Jay was convinced.

Howard offered support as Ahmad thought he was batting on the world’s truist batting wicket. Almost every over saw a quality shot, some drives just past mid off, some cuts behind point and some brutal hitting over square leg. Howard had contributed 10% of the runs in his partnership when he played around an inswinger to be bowled for 3. 

Mike Robinson saw that attack was his best option, and the second ball he faced whizzed back over the bowler for his first boundary.  Ahmad continued to play positiveley. His fifty came up from 35 balls. Middleton were well ahead in the chase, while Islip knew that a wicket was possible at any moment.  One ball from Annand lifted from a length, it passed over Mike’s head by a margin of least a metre. As Mike has long arms it was not given as wide.

Mike hit two more boundaries before losing his wicket to Annand allowing Matt Bazeley to join Ahmad. Spinner Goodfellow found some outrageous movement from the wicket, some balls rising over shoulder height.  Ahmad just waited for the hittable ball and hit it, hard and then harder. Matt settled in to watch from the non striker’s end.  

Matt had the opportunity for a free hit following a no ball. The long swing of the bat was anything but elegant as no runs were added to the score. Rijo replaced Annand and the challenge was increased as he offered significantly more pace. He now bowled a no ball to Ahmad. The shot from the subsequent free hit went for six. It was the best shot of Ahmad’s innings, a shot that only he could play. It was a slightly short delivery, it rose sharply to above head high. Somehow Ahmad saw it and reacted, swinging hard and high but in complete control.

Matt shepherded Ahmad towards three figures. It was almost surprising that his century came up with a gentle single to deep cover. Cricket offers strange juxtapositions: on Saturday Ahmad had neither batted nor bowled in his game for Bicester, today he had the rare distiction of 5 wickets and a ton in the same game. Peter on the boundary was counting out the cost of gilt anticpating the addition to the honours board. At least Islip is only five letters.

Ahmad retired allowing Mark Ford-Langstaff the luxury of scoring the winning runs as he and Matt ticked off the last twenty five runs needed for victory. It is the highest total MSCC have chased to date this season and achieved with 7 overs and 7 wickets to spare. Next week is another away game, this time at Great Missenden.