IT’S GETTING CLOSE!

The Ashes decider (we hope) starts on Thursday July 27th and the following day the local Ashes decider between the Victor Trumper XI touring team and Middleton Stoney CC will take place. Our guests will have travelled thousands of miles and have lots of stories to tell so if work or life in general prevents you being there for the start of the match at 2.00pm come along when you can and enjoy the post-match social. The club Social Secretary Mike Simpson having missed out on his fish and chips in 2015 (not that he mentions it often) has taken responsibility for our supper and fish and chips will be available to purchase after the match along with a well-stocked bar. Pre-booked tickets are not required (as having one didn’t get Mike a meal last time) but don’t hang back if you want to be fed. Diary date – Friday 28^th July, Middleton Stoney Cricket Ground.

THE BOSS WAS IN TOWN THIS WEEK.

For the first time in living memory tickets had been sold to watch his performance at Middleton Stoney cricket ground and crowds of locals were gathered by 1.30pm.  For £10 and with a BBQ thrown in they couldn’t believe their luck. The Boss was in town and going to play in front of them. Was it stage fright, were his backing group not up to the job or did he fear that the under 15 contingent wouldn’t know who he was and what a performer he had been? Whatever it was, when it was reported a wasp sting in a delicate place had prevented Peter VDK taking centre stage, there was no riot. The sun had shone, the patient crowd had had a lovely BBQ and seen a competitive cricket match against Banbury CC. Peter had brought with him a substitute player; Middleton Stoney had won and just think of those poor people who were in Hyde Park to see Bruce Springsteen. Paying upwards of £500 only to find out that the queue for the toilets was over 30 minutes, there was no BBQ and Chiltern railways were on strike. They sighed that they had missed Peter’s return to Sunday cricket but with a bit of luck they would catch the Ashes and Wimbledon highlights and still be in bed for 10.00pm. Regrettably the younger members were left confused as they had never heard anything by the rapper PVDK or played cricket against a Bruce Springsteen. Glad that’s all cleared up then! As Peter was leaving the ground he was heard to say “I’ll be back” or was that someone else?

IT IS BETTER TO TRAVEL HOPEFULLY THAN TO ARRIVE

George Lamb was relating tales of a Middleton Stoney cricket tour to Devon. Mostly it described the journey as details of the matches and social events were hazy even for George. Given the recent difficulty of getting to and entering Blenheim Palace grounds, it beggars belief that the team got all the way to Devon without satellite navigation or power steering. Mind you anyone with an electric car couldn’t do it now even with all the modern gizmos.

A FREE EDUCATION

Thank you to anyone who has written a match report this season. They have been brilliant and are stored on the website if you want to access them (via the fixtures page). Outside the boundary rope there are friends and neighbours to catch up with, allotment produce to compare and share, traffic nightmares to discuss and sometimes the intricacies of the match can get a little lost. What a pleasure it is to read the detail later that week and wonder if you were really there. They are not dry as some team match reports can be but are funny, insightful and at times educational. How many would have recalled that the phrase ‘The Pen Is Mightier Than the Sword’ was penned (sorry) by Edward George Bulwer-Lytton if his name hadn’t been mentioned in a recent match report? If you all did, then I blame the state education system of the 1960’s! I find myself looking up people and quotes and then forgetting them just as quickly until another match report arrives. What will we all do in the winter?

Happy watching.

Question:        What is worth watching on the television on a Wednesday evening?

Answer:           Nothing much

Question:        What is worth watching at Middleton Park on a Wednesday evening?

Answer:           Twenty Twenty cricket

That’s right. From next Wednesday 7^th June Middleton Stoney will be playing regular matches on Wednesdays and Sundays. Wednesday matches start at 6.00pm and as ever the bar will be open and weather permitting, the BBQ will be fired up at the end of forty overs. It breaks up the week quite nicely for those still in regular employment and for those who are not, it stops you snoozing in front of the television for at least one evening a week.

The first Twenty over opponents are from Nuffield Orthopaedic Hospital and it is worth getting to know their players as you might need to call on their skills in the future to keep you mobile.

The season so far has been a bit stop start. Teas have been made and not consumed so in addition to the fridges in the clubhouse being packed to capacity with beer and wine, freezers in some houses are full of sandwiches and cake. What has been served has been devoured by the teams with enough left over for member snacking. The teas have been varied (onion bhaji, fruit meringues, samosas and chocolate cake) and judging by the names on the tea rota you can expect more delicious treats to be served and consumed. There are still spaces on the rota so if you want to volunteer, please contact Mark Ford-Langstaff.

Of the 4 matches played so far two wins and two draws would be enough to win the Ashes.

Conversations outside of the rope have covered many topics. Should England be playing Ireland in a test match? When will it ever get warm? Rhubarb (yes really) House prices (has been a topic of conversation for years) The men’s showers (only a couple of people discuss this but repeatedly) Do we have enough white wine (a concern for many, no scrub that a serious concern for many). Phil & Holly and how Succession will end seem not to be of interest.

The ground is looking lovely and Marc Swan has done a wonderful job with the planted pots outside the clubhouse. They will look a picture in the weeks to come so another good reason to top up your tan and enjoy the surroundings.

Sundays will be fun while the Ashes matches are being played as TV watchers and those lucky enough to attend games will critique the players and tactics. Not forgetting the Australian touring side who will play Middleton Stoney on Friday 28^th July.  We know touring sides are often offered BBQ food so by way of a change a fish and chip van will provide the sustenance on the evening.

Don’t forget to look at your fixture card as there are 3 away games this season. Happy watching.