Match Report

Middleton Stoney had the rare experience of playing consecutive away fixtures, the latter of which was the trip to Great Missendon to play Great Missendon Pelicans. On yet another baking hot day on yet another parched outfield in this drought summer MSCC put themselves in a great position to win the game. A brutal seventh wicket partnership between Pelicans Captain Josh Bailey and his deputy Hasan Arif turned the afternoon upside down as the home side took victory.

Middleton Stoney won the toss and batted first. There was some doubt about how the very dry pitch would play, but no doubt that the outfield would be glass like and that a good score would be required.  The pitch proved to be bouncy and quick, but with the constant threat of a ball misbehaving, keeping low or seaming sharply.

There was a contrast in bowling from the Pelicans openers, a succession of maidens from the Nags Head end, and a succession of overs that went for 10 runs from the railway end. Matt Carpenter enjoyed picking off the short ball, clattering the ball into the roadside hedge. Mark was a little slower to get going but was soon enjoying the ball racing to the boundary. Together fifty were added in good time. 

Matt was the first to fall, decieved by a short ball that slowed, he was through his shot before the ball arrived to drop onto the top of the stumps. Shaan joined Mark, pressing Mark into running a little quicker between the wickets. Mark responded taking 12 from an over including a splendid six over mid off. 

Sensing the total building, Josh Bailey brought himself onto bowl. A little quicker and moving the ball way he bowled very well. He picked up the wickets of Shaan and Max Macdonald with full balls that swung late. Ahmad, fresh from last week’s century looked to carry on but was not quite in the same touch. Mark attacked a short ball that got big on him,  caught for 42 and was followed by Ahmand chipping a caught and bowled back to change bowler Sandip.

A good start had slipped and the run rate had slowed as Bailey completed six overs for just 10 runs. Matt Bazeley proved that it does not take the best ball to take a wicket, he could not believe how he had managed to hit Arif’s first ball, a tame wide long hop to backward point. 

Tim Riley supported by Mukhtar and Sathya added some late innings impetus and the innings closed on a competitive 197. Tea came direct from the kitchens of a local Indian Restaurant. To say that it was a special feast does not do it justice. Trying to bowl and field afterwards was not recommended.

Hamidullah and Olly Ross took the new ball. Hamidullah opened with four consecutive maidens, but it was Olly who created the first chances. Matt Carpenter behind the stumps dived in front of first slip and parried the ball. Mark was close to holding the rebound. Then an outside edge spiralled awkwardly to Shaan at backward point, Shaan made good ground but but again the chance went down. 

Hamidullah showed that hitting the stumps was the best policy. He took wickets in his sixth over, one bowled on LBW. David Bailey, father of Josh rode his luck but became increasingly aggressive, Olly sent to the ropes twice in one over. Olly had his chance to take a catch at deep mid off, but stumbled slightly when running backwards and could not hold on.

When the opening bowlers finished their spells the score stood at 42 – 2. Mukhtar and Sathya brought spin into the attack. Bailey picked up the pace with boundaries coming every over but the run rate was still in MSCC’s favour. Bailey fell for 50, decieved in the air by Sathya who went on to pick up three wickets in total. With 14 of the 35 overs left, Ahmad came onto bowl.

Ahamad usually picks up three or four wickets for minimal cost. Today GM Pelicans decided he had had things his own way too long. Despite bowling Ali for 1, Arif and Josh Bailey climbed into his bowling without mercy. The momentum of the game had changed and the wind was in the home teams sails. A desperate change to bring the captain on to bowl only resulted in a further flurry of boundaries and Pelicans strolled home with five overs to spare.