Match Report

Hamidullah gets his name in lights.

When MSCC met Oxenford in late April a batsman called Khattak made hay in scoring 78 runs. Mr Khattack returned this Friday and not only scored an impressive 77 in Oxford University Sports Club’s 30 over total of 184, but also took four wickets in just two overs.

It is unusual for Friday to be a match day in the park, but special dispensation had been arranged to play an Indian touring team. With the Indian team unable to field a full side, the gaps were filled by members of the University Sports club. Middleton Stoney’s side featured the youth of Charlie Napper, making his club debut, the maturity of Paul Wordsworth, two father and son pairings in Hamidullah and Ahmad and Rob and Eliot Barton all on the roster. Eleventh man Shaan was delayed by an interview, so the visitors kindly lent a fielder. The fielder, Zia proved exceptional zipping all over the place and with a bullet throw.

With a 3.00 pm start it was arranged to be a 30 over a side match. The pitch was worn and likely to cause problems for the side batting second. The visitors won the toss and chose first innings. With Hamidullah and Ahmad still approaching the ground Rob Barton was thrown the new ball. Eliot was waiting behind the stumps hoping that the deliveries would be within his reach. 

Hamidullah changed in less time than it took to complete the first over.(Rob might argue that he allowed a four to be hit into the long grass to delay the second over’s start.) And Hamidullah bowled the second. Rob struck in his second over the batsman LBW for 7. Left hander Haynes looked in agressive mood, he sent the ball twice consecutively to the boundary in the fourth over. 

Hamidullah bowled Sharif for a single before Jones, the most circumspect of the visiting team, joined Haynes. Charlie Napper came on from the Church end, just 13 and making his first start in an adult game. He bowled a maiden to Jones, but was given some harsher treatment from Haynes. Hamidullah forced a false stroke from Haynes,  a mis timed drive well caught by Simon Smith at mid off. 

Khattak came in at number 5. He was aggressive from the start and soon scoring freely. Paul Wordsworth replaced Hamidullah, bowling very tidily, tying down Jones and restricting Khattak to only one boundary an over. Robin Cummings felt the force of the assault from Khattack and withdrew from the attack to be replaced by Tim Riley. Tim had Jones LBW with his fourth ball, and wisely kept Khattack at the other end.

Rob came back to finish his allocation of overs, picking up two further wickets before Hamidullah replaced Tim to finish his.Meanwhile Khattack retired on attaing fifty, to the relief of the home team. In the space of seven deliveries Hamidullah took three wickets and dropped a caught and bowled chance from his own bowling.  All three wickets were clean bowled, a delighted Hamidullah mentioned that now all five parts of his name could go up on the honours board.

Unfortunately taking the ninth wicket meant than Khattack could return. He wasted no time in boosting his score as the the last wicket raised an extra 30 runs in the final 3 overs.  Over a leisurely tea, provided by Jay Mumtaz the home team plotted a scenario for victory. Extra sandwiches were consumed, second cups of tea drunk and further pieces of cake swallowed as Jay and Simon padded up.

At first the plans seemed to working nicely. Jay and Simon played within themselves, scoring at four an over, setting a platform for later attack. The problems came when the acceleration was needed. The OU sports club bowled and fielded tightly. There seemed a succession of shots that hit fielders, or good balls that could only be defended. Trying to pull Ahmir, Simon became the fourth LBW victim of the day as he was through his shot too early.

Ahmad joined Jay, he was the most fluent batter in the Middleton innings, but like Simon and Jay a high proportion of his best shots picked out fielders. As the run rate climbed desperate shots began to played. Jay was cleaned up for 29, soon followed by Eliot who attempted to hit the ball into orbit and beoynd. Shaan was determined to run everything. The run he called was never on, a direct hit from the fielder confirmed the case.

Khattack was the bowler when Eliot fell, he then took three more wickets in his second over as Middleton had no answer to his variations of pace and spin. Ahmad tried in vain to keep up with the run rate, until he was caught for the team’s top score of 40. It took a last wicket partnership to get the score past three figures, Paul was not out for a single when Hamidullah was caught by, and this will come as no surprise, Khattack at mid off.

MSCC were well beaten, but the mood on the boundary remaided up beat. The weather was glorious, the trees on the far side looked magnificent, even Eliot was moved to notice the blue of the sky setting off the perfect view. Little things mean a lot, Rona’s addition of pineapple and melon to the drinks break, Andrew’s helpfulness behind the bar, Chris’s dedication to keeping the score book and board and the camaradarie of both teams and spectators and the end of the game were all pluses when the game had gone..