Match Report

What a difference a week makes.

A keen North Easterly blew across Middleton Park. Extra sweaters, scarfs and string vests were recovered from the deepest recesses of over stuffed kit bags. A lone hare skittered around the pavilion wondering where the warmth had gone and a pair of mistle thrushes inspected  the square for juicy morsels. Fresh from his inglorious start to the season, out first ball in his first game, Mark Ford-Langstaff took some circumspect steps out to the crease, opening the batting for MSCC with Jay Mumtaz. 

The visitors, Deddington, were playing at Middleton for the first time. Several of the team were familiar faces reflecting some close connections between the two clubs. Rob Barton was umpiring for Deddington, while recovering from a dislocated shoulder, Hamidullah and Shaan were playing as guests. Simon Smith and Wayne Dibsall have both guested in the past for Middleton and Simon Oldfield has played Over 60s cricket with several Middleton men.

Middleton had Asif, Jamie Lumb and George Robinson making their season’s debut in addition to John Springer whose debut included tea making duties. Mark and Jay were watchful, with Jay looking to play the more aggressive role. The lively opening bowler,  Preston, having warmed up increased his pace in his second over, Jay responding by driving through mid off. Mark was relieved to score his first run. The pitch looked placid, with a low but consistent bounce. Movement through the air was the main danger. 

After 10 overs Jay was unable to resist the temptation of a wide outswinger from Preston, his outside edge well caught by Shaan at point. Mark and Michael Robinson saw off the remaining overs from the opening pair, Mark starting to show some fluency as Hamidullah tired. Michael took his time, remaining on 1 not out for some time as Mark dominated the strike. At drinks MSCC were well placed at 80 – 1 with Mark just passing 50. 

Mark started to open his shoulders, including a huge 6 to square leg from Shaan’s attempted bouncer. Michael swung his arms more freely, picking up three boundaries and a damaged shoulder. Nursing his arm, Mike was caught at slip for 15 from a partnership that had added 75. John Springer briefly shone before being the first of two victims for Smith, caught at mid off. Smith nearly had a third when Mark charged down the wicket, missed and should have been stumped. Eagle-eyed umpire Lumb spotted the keeper taking the ball well in front of the popping crease and shouted “no ball!” With 20 mins of the innings remaining trips to the score box enquired of Marks progress, 70 odd became 80 something. Anirudh came and went for a useful 17, Jamie Lumb was given instructions to see Mark over the line. Mark was relieved a second time when a tricky chance was spilled at mid off. 

A boundary took Mark into the 90s.  The opening bowlers returned. Mark was batting carefully, runs came in ones and two, Jamie scampering to ensure Mark was on strike as the clock neared tea time. A glance to leg and the spectator, (it was a cold afternoon) and the home team jumped up to applaud. The specators arithmatic was inaccurate, Mark had made it to 99. 

The next ball was chopped to third man, a relieved Mark galloped to the other end to a second round of applause. Now free from the shackles of seeing Mark over the line Jamie launched a huge six over long on, and the declaration was made. Jamie fancied a few more runs.   The Springer tea was enjoyed by all, Holly’s chocolate cake a particular favourite, many thanks to all the Springers. All too soon third slices were having to be turned down as Middleton took to the field. Each umpire was seen to wearing at least one more layer as hands turned blue in the biting wind.

Usually scoring a century would ensure man of  the match status. The Middleton bowlers were to dispute that claim.  Ahmad was nursing a sore spinning finger. He suggested to the skipper that he was also a good pace bowler and thus it was he who shared the new ball with the ever enthusiastic Asif. Asif was able to make one or two balls an over dip in extravagently, each over threatening to take a wicket. Deddington’s experienced opener, Simon Oldfield, played watchfully but picked up boundaries square of the wicket when the ball was dropped short. 

Once settled on a length Ahmad began to make the ball both ways. None of the visiting batsman looked comfortable as he beat the bat on both the inside and outside edge.  He struck in his third fifth and sixth overs, each time hitting the stumps the ball to beat Oldfield the pick of the deliveries. Umpire Barton described it as moving both ways in the air.  The fielding was backing up the bowling, runs being at a premium as the first 14 overs conceded just 31 runs. 

With two left handers at the crease, Deddington seemed to have an exclusively left handed middle order, Anirudh Sharma and George Robinson were introduced. After a brace of tidy overs Anirudh was warned for running down the wicket, the groundsman alerting the umpire to his transgression. He then slipped in his follow through tweaking his back. George found it hard bowling into the wind to hit the necessary full length, Simon Smith taking advantage to pick up the scoring rate. 

Sheril Shah replaced George and Tim Riley took over from Anirudh. Both gave the ball plenty of time to decieve the batsman who now needed to score at 7 an over to win. A loose ball from Seril drifted down the leg side, a waft from Hutchings saw a fine edge and a smart catch behind the wicket by Jamie Lumb.  The umpire confirmed the edge and batsman reluctantly departed . Seril and Tim hustled through the overs. Smith S and Smith P, were content to defend with only an occassional aggressive blow. Most of the aggression came through mid-on where Mark Ford Langstaff suddenly found himself the ball magnet.  In new shoes which, were pinching his toes, and feeling the effects of his earlier innings he was grateful to swap positions with the more agile Ahmad . 

Almost at once he picked up a catch by his toes from Tim’s bowling and nearly held another from Seril as first he parried a ball and then tried to grab hold behind his back.  Seril persuaded Simon Smith to try one aggressive shot too many bowling him for 45, Deddington’s highest scorer. As the overs ticked by a draw looked the most likely result 8 overs were left and four more wickets were needed. Having taken 2- 26 from 9 overs Seril was replaced by Ahmad.

The effect of the bowling change was almost instantaneous. In the space of 10 balls Ahmad destroyed what was left of the Deddington resistance. His fourth wicket was another to hit the stumps, his fifth, Shaan Singh, LBW. Wayne Dibsall lost his off stump for a single leaving Hamidullah to come in to bat against his eldest son with five overs left to save the game. He survived the first ball, but the second plucked the off stump clean out the ground leaving Middleton winners by 76 runs.  Ahmad finished with figures of 8.4 overs 3 maidens 16 runs and 7 wickets,  I shall leave the reader to decide who they think deserved the man of match decision.

In the warmth of the pavilion or by the heat of the barbeque players were refreshed and fed again. Thank you to Simmo for services as chef ( under Rona’s guidance) and to Andrew and Seril for running the bar and of course, our match sponsors, Nolan Oils. It was good to get back to winning ways and an added pleasure to have the scoring done by Chris with Rob and Richard taking on the umpiring duties in the chilly air. The next game at Middleton Park is tomorrow, Tuesday, when Oxfordshire Over 60B host Buckinghamshire. The first ball is due at 1.00 do drop in during the course of the afternoon if you are free.