Match Report

After a brilliant bowling performance Middleton Stoney CC, with one notable exception, failed to complete a routine victory by batting poorly.  Middleton bowled Blenheim Park out for just 96 in  19.2 overs, the Waris family picking up 7 wickets for 29 in 8 overs. Hamidullah bowled beautifully restricting runs with his very full length and exploiting some variable bounce with the new ball. Ahmad continued to show how accurately he can bowl, every ball on line with the stumps and pitched on a length only the best batsman can play. In support Anirudh Sharma was very tidy with the new ball.

Although the bowling was good the same cannot be said for the catching, four good chances were spilled including the two top scorers.  With one player delayed by an emergench only 10 took the field, made into 11 when Max Landale was pressganged into fielding for the last four overs. Matt Dipple was the unluckiest bowler with three chances spilled in his first two overs. Clearly exasperated he worked out that hitting the stumps was the best option. Twice he knocked the middle stump out of the ground while leaving the other two stumps standing.  The final score was posted as 98, although the scorebook records it as 96, we missed our regular scorer.

The target was modest despite the wicket showing some signs of wear. Jay Maumtaz and Tahir opened the innnings circumspectly. The bowling was accurate. After five overs the score nudged into double figures thanks to a wide. Jay tried to accelerate but found a fielder waiting at square leg. Tahir was unable to pierce the infield before departing for a disappointing seven over duck. Tim House and Anirudh Sharma set about invigorating the chase. Tim lofted Bartlett to the long on boundary for  the first boundary of the innings in the eighth over but was bowled next ball trying to repeat the shot.

Max Langdale did not delay the chase for long before he was bowled allowing Ahmad to join Anirudh. A misunderstanding and some good fielding saw Ahmad stranded out of his ground to leave Middleton five wickets down after just 12 overs. Tim Riley joined Anirudh with 8 runs an over needed. Together the next four overs saw the required total coming down. Anirudh retired on attaining 30 with 22 needed from the last 18 balls. 

Matt Dipple looked to take the single to give Tim the strike. He was unable to do anything about the third ball of the over, a ball that both cut back sharply and kept low. He was replaced by Shaan.  With Blenheim’s most expensive bowler Angol bowling the 19 the over, the target of 19 runs was still gettable. Without a boundary from the first three balls, Tim tried a reverse sweep and succeeded in looping up the ball to the keeper.  Anirudh was itching to get back in but Hamidullah and Shaan  were aiming to win the game without him. Hamidullah fell to the first ball of the last over, and Shaan to the Third. Paul Wordsworth played one good shot but only picked up a single. 

Anirudh came back into face one ball, but even the most set better can not hit the ball for more than six! Blenhiem were delighted to win, Middleton dispondant. The key difference had been the fielding, Blenheims boudary riders had been fast and sure, several likely boundaries pulled in on the line and the throwing fast and hard. More importanly when the chances came they held them. The home team retired to bar and barbeque wecloming back the Hickman’s from Denmark by scoffing all the burgers and drinking all the beer.