Match Report

The club dinner and presention in on Friday September 27. Please book your tickets ASAP. That is September 27 at 7.00pm in clubhouse.  Did I mention the date of the club dinner and presentation? Just in case you missed the details it is on the 27th of September.

In a season that began with groundstaff around the country complaining about the constant rainfall we have been fortunate that today’s match was the first in which “Rain stopped Play” was written in the scorebook. There had been a thunderstorm overnight, the flashes at 4.00 am were spectacular enough to have woken several of the lighter sleepers.  The Law Society draw players from as far away as Kirkby Lonsdale, Cartmel and Leeds. The phone rang early to confirm that the game was going ahead, Chief Ground Inspector, Matt Bazeley was able to give that confirmation and some long journeys began.

For once the captain was not the first too arrive,  a failure to notice the 1.00pm start meant that the strip was having a final cut and roll when the play was due to begin. With the pitch damp from 48 hours under the cover sheet who ever won the toss was going insert the opposition. Middleton were duly asked to bat. 

The Law Society were a player short, the usual captain called up to represent the Lord’s Taverners overnight. Middleton duly lent a sub fielder. The sub fielder changed through the innings but had a significant impact , catching one and dropping two of the chances that came his way.   The make up of the visitors was cosmpolitan in term of cricketing ability, some very good players, some young, some old, some fit and some who were happy to be able to take the field at all. 

Contrasting players opened the bowling. Howell the younger, swinging the ball in and causing problems, Hamilton by some margin the elder, gently presenting the ball on a steady length. Matt Bazeley took first knock with Jay Mumtaz, both got off the Mark and scored a boundary in first two overs. In the third over Jay played a shot across the line, found the outside edge and chipped the ball into the hand of the sub fielder waiting at slip. Ali Meier walked out to join Matt a little sooner than hoped.

The shot of the day was unfurled by Ali, a cover drive of such class that the ghost of Christopher Martin-Jenkins was heard to murmur his approval. Matt followed up, having narrowly missed being bowled off inside edge and pad, with a clubbing blow over mid off.  Hamilton found the edge of Matt’s bat twice in succession, on both occassions the keeper unable to hold on.

Hamilton was replaced by Bailey from the farm end, pushing his off breaks through he found some variable bounce as the effects of the roller began to wear off.  Matt half hit a straight drive back to Bailey to become the second victim of the day.  Ollie Ross began his innings in his normal fashion, exactly unlike Ben Duckett he likes to leave the ball, and this time he did so in flamboyant fashion. 

The Iffley combo, Ali and Ollie lasted only a few overs as Ali succumbed to rising ball outside the off stump to be caught behind. Robin Cummings was up the order at number five, he got off the mark first ball and was getting more confident judging the line well and leaving just as well as Ollie. The dangerous Howell was replaced by the spin of O’Hagan as Middleton began to rebuild.

Robin leant forward in defence to a good ball from O’Hagan, played the ball a fraction to0 far in front of his body and sent it just off the ground towards short extra cover. The fielder dived full length forward to scoop the ball into his hands in a terrific piece of athleticism. Robin had picked the wrong fielder. 

Ollie had only been out once all season. Today he made it twice. He kept out a ball that kept awkwardly low, and then to a very short delivery from Bailey looked to dispatch it somewhere in the regions of the village hall. The ball turned and lifted, it rolled along the face the bat into the welcoming clutches of backward shortleg. Middleton were 60 – 5 and looking in a spot of bother.

Jamie Lumb has his highest score against the Law Society. The visitors remembered him well and were not surprised when hit O’Hagan back past him for four.  Ahmad  looked in good touch, but made an error in judgement to give Bailey a third when he mis hit to deep mid off.  Now 66 – 6 Simmo joined Jamie. The pirth was begining to help the bowlers. The first ball he recieved jumped from a length past his nose.

Off spinner Day replaced Bailey. While Bailey had tried to bowl off spin, Day showed how it should be done. He gave the ball a rip, the ball fizzing in the air and gained abrupt turn off the turf.  Fielders were called up close as batting became a real challenge. Lumb fell to his slower ball for 17 with the score on 90. Tim Riley joined Simmo with 35 mins of the innings remaining.  

It looked as if every run scored would be vital. Middleton were fielding thier four leading bowlers. With the pitch becoming ever more helpful anything over 120 would be a challenging target. The ever competetive Simmo managed to run a 3 (and not for his own score)  as he and Simmo took advantage of some end of innings bowling to take the score to a very creditable 162 at tea. 

As tea was taken the clouds were building to the West and the light was fading. With the delights of the Dipple delivered delicacies being demolished the first rain drops were falling. The home players jumped up from thier lemon drizzle into the real drizzle and layed out the cover sheet. Sheltering in the pavilion weather apps were consulted by some, more sandwiched and cakes were consumed by others, thakns Matt and Hannah.  A small patch of blue appeared but still the rain fell.  

Although a restart was called the window in the weather was short lived and the rain returned. Hands were shaken and for the first time this season a game failed ot reach its conclusion.