Match Report

Middleton Stoney make a great escape.

Timeline: Friday May 1     

BBC weather forecast for Sunday has thunderstorms covering the whole of Southern England.  Groundsman Paul finishes preparing the pitch and for the first time this season pushes on the covers, for which continued thanks to Nolan Oils. The gardener in him hopes for rain, the cricketer hopes otherwise. The selection committee for MSCC decides that it is safer to pick 12 players and be oversubscribed, knowing that Deddington might need a guest player.

Timeline: Saturday May 2

Ali Meier posts that it, “Looks a bit damp for Tomorrow.”  The skipper’s wife agrees to make a cake for tea, “it can always go in the freezer”.  Many local games are washed out after tea by continous heavy rain. Paul’s brassicas perk up.

Timeline: Sunday 08:00   

The weather forecast has changed,  the day sets fair and all is good in Middleton Park.

Timeline: 13:00   

Deddington have arrived, complete with the current MSCC vice capt, the ex fixtures Sec and his son and Hamidullah. Elliot Barton assembles a troop to push the covers off and the skippers inspect the pitch before the toss.  It looks flat enough. Its true character yet to be revealed. Middleton win the toss and elect to bat first. This is a decision that soon looks disastrous.

Timeline:  13.29

Expecting to have an extra player Middleton agree to a 12 a side match, assuming that the final player has not realised that the start time is on the half hour rather than the hour. Middleton have a deep batting line up with Gus Floyd and Anirudh opening the innings. Missing man Jay Mumtaz is scheduled at number 4, surely he will make in time?

Timeline:  13 39

14 deliveries have been bowled MSCC are in disarray at 1 for 2. Anirudh LBW and Gus bowled. The pitch has been capricious, the ball either bouncing alarmingly or not bouncing at all. It is as if the ground is seeking revenge for being covered and denied its needed drink. A message is sent to Jay….. are you on you way? It appears not as the reply arrives from Dubai!

Timeline:  14:01

Both Bazeleys have been dismissed, Matt managing to strike one boundary before gifting a catch to the leg side, Josh caught behind. Tim House grafts, but finds scoring tricky, Ali Meier gets a horrendous deliver that almost but not quite rolls into his stumps third ball. 16 for 5 having won the toss is not pretty.

Timeline: 14.20

Ahmad briefly shines hitting two boundaries and getting into double figures. With Tim House he doubles the score.  The extra player for Deddington is Ahmad’s brother. Fielding at mid off Ahmad is alarmed to see the ball heading in his brother’s direction. The catch is taken, Ahmad departs heavy hearted, knowing that this catch will never be forgotten.

Timeline  14 44

Tim House also departed heavy hearted, its the fourth time he has played against Rob Barton, and for the fourth time he has been bowled by him. However his 45 minute vigil showed that it was possible to stay in no matter what tricks the pitch played. At 35 – 7 with not yet an hour played Tim Riley joined John Floyd. Together they blunted the Deddington attack. Singles were gathered, John clipped a ball over square leg for four and the balance of the game tipped slightlyin the home team’s favour.

Bhagwandin was the pick of the Deddington attack. He turned the ball both ways, occassionally getting sharp spin often varying his pace. John and Tim grafted, turned ones into twos and began to get on top. 

Timeline 15. 45

Thanks to some powerful blows from John the score had passed 100. The kettle was whistling and Tim, in charge of tea for the day, was bowled just in time to hurry off to put the food. He needn’t have rushed, Hannah Dipple and Tim House had take over. The eighth wicked added 79 runs and restored hope the Middleton faithful. Batting at number 10 Paul Wordsworth demonstrated that batting was easy, a sumptuous straight drive second ball he faced will be his shot of the season. The ninth wicket stand added another 20, before the tea time declaration.

Timeline 16. 30

Bowl straight, bowl straight, bowl straight were the Captain’s words of encouragement in a brief team huddle. Ahmad and Tim House followed instructions. Matt Carpenter applied himself to seeing off the openers, one off drive from Tim’s bowling suggested that the batting conditions had eased. At the other end Lamb chanced his arm, the scoreboard was moving and Deddington were away.

Ahmad struck first, fast and straight, too good for Lamb. Tim followed suit next over bowling Duncan with a clever bit of deception that had Matt Bazeley purring in appreciation.

Timeline 16.52

Captain Eliot Barton, strode out at number 4. Eliot is noted as a batter who likes to attack. Today he was more careful. He still hit the ball hard, Seril at Mid on, was rubbing his fingers after one good stop. Matt has begun to drop anchor, knowing that one batter would have to stay the course if Deddington were to pull off the chase.

The master plan was to bring Seril on to bowl before Eliot was established. Eliot held himself in check, he picked up some easy singles. Just as the Skipper began to doubt the plan, the plan came off. Eliot drove the ball firmly straight back to Seril who caught the ball by his knees. 

Timeline 17.21

Matt had taken the brunt of Ahmad’s bowling. He had dug out countless yorkers and all but seen him off. Halfway through Ahmad’s ninth over Matt spied a half volley. He attacked but mistimed. The ball arced toward mid-off where Paul Wordsworth waited. It was one of those catches where you are not sure whether to come forward or move back, whether to have your fingers up, or your fingers down, whether to open your eyes or to shut them. In the second or two it took to reach him Paul’s face covered a range of emotions rarely seen outside the National Theatre. His relief at holding the catch, matched only by the look of disappointment on Matt’s face.

Timeline 17.50

The final 20 overs began. Middleton had now become favourites, a massive turn around from the first innings. John Floyd bowled very tidily, only giving away 2 runs in his four overs. Tim Riley bowled untidly but picked up a wicket, and nearly an undeserved second when Seril got hands to ball at mid wicket that should have gone for 4. Paul Wordsworth had Rob Barton caught and bowled befor Anirudh was summoned to mop up the tail. Deddington’s tail did wag, but never enough the endanger the target, the final wicket falling at 98.

Timeline 18.30

Simmo had established camp by the BBQ, Ali was supplying refreshments as the old guard at Middleton reflected that it was a funny old game, but a much nice one when a win has been taken for the jaws of defeat.