Match Report

Before the match began the Middleton Stoney XI were challenged to arrive at the ground with an item beginning with the Letter W. W was selected as we were hosting West Wycombe CC. The challenge was to boost  the fund raising for a club defibrillator, the fund is well on its way but needs a push to get it over the line.

All the items brought in by the players will feature in this report, see if you can spot them, and better still if you can guess which player brought which item. 

The conditions for play were ideal, the temperature moderated from the recent heat, there was  little breeze and perfect light. The wicket looked like a White shirt, with the front perfectly ironed. Middleton won the toss and chose to bowl first, reasoning that wickets would be hard to take and chasing down a score was the best way to win.  It also seemed wise as the visitors had only 7 players when the toss was made, with a carfull somewhere on route. With a team full of bowlers, Matt Dipple was thrown the wicket keeping kit when he revealed that he had once been third choice keeper in the county U11 team.

Hamidullah after his seven wickets last time out took the new ball. The first ball Whistled past the bat and the second hit the stumps, was history about to repeat itself? No was the answer as for once Hamidullah had an off day, leaking runs and losing his line. Fine fielding in the gully by Paul Wordsworth prevented further runs being scored. Tim House was his opening partner, and it was he who bowled the tighter line and tidier length. 

West Wycombe’s brightest prospect was Scott just 14 years old he picked up on anything full and Whipped it away through the covers. Tim picked up a deserved wicket with a ball that threatened to dismiss the batter in three ways, it squeezed between the edge of the bat and the pad, Tim appealed, the ball clipped the bails, and passed through the hands of the keeper and first slip.  WWCC were 22 – 2, Scott was looking for a partner who could support him.

Skipper Ryan Parrot tried to do so.  Paul came on first change and then Shaan replaced Tim from the Church end. Shaan trapped Ryan LBW in his first over, Paul followed up with two quick wickets leaving the visitors perilously perched at 50 – 5. Scott unpertubed carried on scoring freely and at last found a partner in Rae to stay with him steadying the ship at the drinks interval. Deep gulps from the water bottle were welcomed as the teams enjoyed the August sunshine.

As the partnership progressed further bowling changes saw Seril on for Shaan and Tim on for Paul. Scott was less assured against the slower bowling and became tied down. He reached his half century but perished soon after, caught by Sam Norley at mid wicket from Tim’s bowling.

Seril has had a series on nearly brilliant catches, he had almost held on once again to a very hard chance at mid on when Tim H was bowling. When the chance for a caught and bowled came, it was with more than normal enthusiasm that he dove forward and finally held on. With time and partners running out, Rae launched a counter attack he had reached 39 when Ahmad, strategically placed at deep midwicket was precisely postioned to take the boundary catch. 

West Wycombe had been let down by a couple of players over night. The skipper’s daughter, Summer just 12, volunteered to play. She made 8 valuble runs in a very creditable last wicket partnership before being the last player out, Matt Dipple’s first keeping victim in 20 years. The Chairman arrived, unusually made up with a blue and red Alladin Sane lightening flash on his walnut brown face to watch the second innings. Would this prove the inspiration needed for a successful chase?

The Robinson’s had provided tea and as a consequence were selected to open the batting, wielding the willow together for the first time. The fast outfield was key to the the quick start made, four byes were followed by Mike swatting a boundary through mid on and George guiding his own boundary through the slips. In the fourth over a quick outswinger did for George, who found solace in helping his mother with the washing up, or in watching the Liverpool v Newcastle game, I forget which.

Sam Norley joined Mike. Both played a perfect cover drive, each a contender for shot of the day. .There was a whoop from the supporters gathered in front of the pavilion for each. Summer was charged with fielding on the boundary, she did a terrific job getting behind everything and showing a great enthusiasm for the game.

Twice Mike could have been caught at first slip, twice he survived Sam should have been caught at mid off but took brief advantage to take the score into the forties before giving a rather gentler catch that was taken. Ahmad played around a straight delivery to bowled for a duck and shortly afterwards Mike’s innings closed as the very slow lobs of skipper Ryan Parrot proved his undoing.  

Matt Dipple was given the chance up the order to demonstrate his batting prowess, in the company of Tim House. Tim does not like very slow bowling. Parrot’s first ball to him showed why as he nervously inside-edged past the stumps. Seeing the discomfort against the turning ball, Scott was brought into the attack, bowling off spin on a pitch that was now starting to turn.

Matt looked to play back and favoured the cut, Tim tried to get forward. Matt found the fielders. Runs dried up briefly as excessive care was taken. Tim was beaten by the turn to bowled by Scott for the fifth wicket and 10 runs later Matt was walking back to the pavilion caught by the keeper for 14. Like Tim, Shaan prefers to bat against faster bowling. Like Tim Shaan was bowled by a ball that he should have been able to defend. Suddenly a straight forward chase had slipped into a likely win for the visitors. 89 for 6 became 108 for 7. 33 were still needed with only three wickets left.

Tim R was unruffled. He took two boundaries from each of the next two overs to put Middleton back on course for the win. Like Scott earlier he now needed support. Paul had the experience to bat with calmness and see Middleton home, “remember that innings I played in 1976” he said – “exactly this situation and I saw us home”. He must have been rheumy eyed as he made a complete mess of coming down the wicket to Parrott  to be bowled for a duck. Parrot’s gentlest of lobs had picked up four wickets. Seril, the purveyor of such lobs came to the wicket with a further 20 needed. He simply imagined he was batting against himself. 

Tim again took two boundaries and a single in the next over. Form the fourth ball of the next there was single but in taking the single had left Seril on strike with five runs or two wickets  required to win. Rarely has Seril played a better shot than the back foot cover drive he now executed. Three runs were taken.

West Wycombe wondered who should bowl with just two runs needed. Should it be one of the quicker opening bowlers, maybe Scott with his off spin. Ryan opted to take responsibility. Seril took one look at the delivery, swatted it through square leg with a delightful Woody and won the game with a boundary.

Simmo who had earlier helped umpire manned the barbeque as hungry mouths were fed while Tim and Seril kept thirsts at bay behind the bar. Many thanks to all who assisted in many different ways. Middleton had made heavy weather of the chase and nearly capitulated to a spirited West Wycombe effort. In the end victory came to the relief of all. The skipper was left refectivley sucking a Werther’s original as he completed his season’s games. Four games remain this season including the Friendly Cup Final on September 6 when Matt Carpenter will lead the troops.