Match Report

Hamidullah takes five.

Team selection is always a balancing act. Sometimes the balance is lopsided as was the case this week in the fixture against Islip. When a team sheet is published the players and the captain have a glance through to see where they might be asked to bat, to see if they are likely to have a few overs or if they might need to keep wicket. Glancing at this weeks selection there were nine batsman, a wicket keeper and only one main bowler.

When one space became available the selectors were glad that Hamidullah was free to play and keen to play his part. The skipper was more relieved when Josh Bazeley confirmed that he had kept wicket before and would enjoy doing so again. Now the team had three bowlers, (excluding golden arm Jay Mumtaz, who did volunteer for a few overs) to share the load.

It was obvious  with a side full of batting,  that choosing second innings would be the best option.  Losing the toss stymied that plan as the visitors inserted on a green, softish track. Plenty of rain in the preceeding days had necessitated the use of the covers, helpfully removed early in the morning by a passing Olly Ross.

Mike Robinson and Shaan strode out to open. Islip were stengthended by a couple of players from Gulleys CC, one of whom was opening bowler Sameen. Shaan saw off the first over without a problem before Mike, continuing his good from from last week, pummelled two boundaries from his first over.

Shaan trying to emulate Mike, mis-timed to give extra cover an easy chance.  New bat Sam Norley also looked in good touch. A lovely on drive appeared to be a certain boundary. In an indication of the thickened grass from all the week’s rain, the ball trickled to a stop just short of the rope.

Sameen bowled a beauty to dismiss Sam for 4 leaving MSCC at 18 – 2. Jay Mumtaz seems to face every ball that keeps very low. His first ball was short, it stayed very low. Jay just kept it out and then celebrated by blasting his next ball toward the square cover boundary, where the thick grass held it up .

Mike continued to look in good touch, scoring two more boundaries before dragging on a wide ball from Sameen to give him his third wicket. Matt Bazeley was celebrating his birthday. Jay seemed to be intent in creating run out chances, his calling not quite on the same wavelength as Matt. Both played sensibly as change bower Richards bowled outswingers that tested their patience.

Matt began to accelerate against the seam bowling of Mann, a straight six followed by a four over long on. Jay accumulated steadily. After the first hour, Islip had bowled a very creditable 20 overs and Middleton were well placed on 72 – 3.  Matt chased a wide ball from Richards, his thick outside edge looked to have gone over the head of the fielder at cover, but a late outstretched arm clung on to the ball.

Mark Ford-Langstaff had time to reach three runs before a top-edge to a legside delivery looped gently to the finest of fine legs. Ali Meier roused himself from his recumbent position on the benches to join Jay.  A short spell of sensible batting saw Jay and Ali take the score into the nineties. Just as Shaan had picked out extra cover with his first aggressive shot, so did Ali to depart for six hard earned singles.

Josh Bazeley, with most of the Bazeleys in the UK now on the ground to watch failed to touble the scorer. A sudden flurry of movement, as Paul Wordsworth who had been scoring realised he needed to pad up and Hamidullah who had been umpiring realised he needed to get changed.

Tim Riley joined Jay. His first words to Jay were “we have an hour to bat, lets make sure we use it”. Six balls later Jay who had moved serenely towards a first half century of the season, ran down the track and mis hit to mid on, falling for 36. His skipper was less than amused. Three wickets had fallen for 3 runs and before another run could be scored Paul Wordsworth was LBW to make it 96 – 9.

Hamidullah is not noted for lengthy innings. He is noted for determination. It took nine overs for Islip to dislodge him. A further 16 runs had been added. 16 that were to prove crucial.

Shaan, having been out early was in good time to set out the goodies for tea. What a tea it was. A celebration of Anglo Indian catering thoughtfully labelled and beautifully presented by Shaan and Michelle.  As if that wasn’t enough a becandled  sticky apple birthday cake graced the table, Happy Birthday Matt.

A rather bloated Middleton XI took the the field to hear the Skipper’s rallying call. It must have had some effect as Hamidullah was into the wickets with his second ball, opener  W. Goodfellow  LBW. At the other end Paul was exhorted to do the same. Being Paul he did better striking with his first ball, batsman Coomber at a loss to explain how he could play around a flighted delivery, beaten by lack of pace.

Paul had two further chances spurned, one behind the stumps and one by the skipper at mid off as Thomas chanced his arm. Hamidullah picked up the second opener, D Goodfellow with a fine delivery that swung in late. At 13 – 3 Middelton had made a great start.

Paul and Hamidullah bowled in tandem, giving little away but Islip rallied led by thier Captain Ryan Hambridge. Paul made the next breakthrough bowling Thomas for 11.  The score had reached 31 – 4 as new bat Mann joined Hambridge. Mann set out to play a long and watchful innings, picking up runs with pushes and nudges while Hambridge became more expansive.

Paul completed an 8 over spell to be replaced by Tim. Hambridge looked to attack the flighted spin and despite having three fielders positioned at long on he managed to find the boudary. A tricky chance given by Mann was spilt  at mid on, who was having a torrid time in the firing line from Hambridge.

The game turned again, just as Islip had seized the iniative. Hambridge was lured into one attacking shot too many, missed a gently flighted delivery and was stranded just out of his ground by the swift work of Josh behind the stumps.  5 Wickets to get, 30 runs to get it was now anyone’s game. 

Mann looked to shepherd the rest of his team over the line. Middleton rotated their three line bowling attack. Paul coming back for a second spell was next to draw blood.  Ali Meier gleefully clutching the catch at short mid wicket.   Hamidullah was due to be given a rest, but with the new bat in was given one more over. The plan worked, another batsman bowled. Hamidullah was finally given a rest of a whole over before coming back on at the Church End. Tim came on having switched ends himself and ended Mann’s vigil, the umpire having no option but to raise his finger.

The equation now read, 22 runs to win or two wickets to win, the draw out of the question with the final 20 overs still to start. In the next nine overs The ninth wicket pair added 12, Saleem doing all the scoring, Richards doggedly keeping him company. A wicket looked likely at any moment. 

Hamidullah was the one to strike, bowling an understandably distraught Richards.  It was still on a knife edge. Saleem tried to get the ball to the boundary, Matt chased it down, Mike got his body in the way, Jay used his knees.  Four more singles were added to the total before Hamidullah hit  the leg stump to end the game. A hard fought victory in a low scoring game always feels like a significant achievement. 

Amazingly Middleton had bowled 40 overs, Hamidullah doing the lion’s share of the work, there were still 16 of the last 20 to go!