Match Report

Photograph above by Author, Nicholas Hogg.

Tom Holland, Amol Rajan, Andy Zaltzman and Peter Frankopan all play for the Authors. Sadly none were selected for the regular fixture against Middleton Stoney. The hordes of dedicated literary autograph hunters were disappointed and had to return home with volumes unsigned. However the remaining XI included prize winners and celebrated journalists among thier number.

The Authors have proved a bogey side over the last few years, with no victory in the last 10 seasons, a draw being the most positive result. Even scoring 220  following an Olly Ross century last season had proved too few as the Authors chased down the total. Checking past match reports there are a few constants in this fixture; Athis makes a spendid tea, the home team arrives late and the Authors find a bowler with a little more pace than we commonly face. All of these constants were fulfilled, although by the start time of 2.00 we did have 11 fit men.

At the toss MSCC had 7 players on the ground, the skipper won the toss and reluctantly, opted to bat first. The pitch looked true, the outfield fast and the opposition keen. Sam Norley and Shaan, who have made a habit of opening, strode out together.  The Authors opened with Trueman and Kelly, Trueman from the Church End was the bowler with extra pace. Trueman caused some problems, one ball to Shaan, pitched short, rose sharply, grazed Shaan’s helmet then burst through the keepers gloves to go for four byes. Keeping score, Groundsman Paul Wordsworth was secretely pleased to see a Middleton pitch that had some pace and bounce in it. 

Aided by a healthy collection of extras a fifty partnerships approached. Kelly raised his game and an inswinger breached Sam’s defence. Shaan followed six balls later. He appeared to jab the ball into the ground sending the ball to be caught at cover. He walked off, assuming he was out before the umpires had had a chance to confer. Jay Mumtaz had only time in his innings to play an immaculate forward defensive shot, a ropey backward defensive shot and miss the only low bouncing ball of the first hour before being bowled for a duck.  Three wickets had fallen with the score on 45.

Olly Ross and Matt Bazeley steadied the ship and saw off the final overs of the openers. Nick Hogg has wickets aplenty both for the Authors and against Middleton Stoney and now came on first change. He bowled a crafty spell from the farm end, while Burns from the Church End mixed good yorkers with a succession of long hops. The author of this article missed Matt’s dismissal as he was engaged in the hunt for a lighter for Simmo’s woodbine. The verbal reports suggest that the dismissal relied on the good faith of the catcher that the ball had carried to him. As he was a Professor of Theology his faith was accepted.

Tim Riley joined Olly in a reprise of the big partnership against the Authors last season. A confident LBW appeal was turned down by Umpire Hamidullah with Tim still yet to score. Fortunatley for Tim it was the umpire’s opinion that mattered and he stayed to bat on.

By now the effects of the roller had worn off. The pitch was showing increasing variation, with some balls turning sharply, some bouncing and some keeping low. At the drinks interval, the score approached 100 with no further loss. After drinks Olly began to move the score forward. He waited for anything short, three times clearing the ropes for maximums and was soon past 50. One Six not only cleared the long grass but also reached the edge of the cow field, a prodigous hit. The Authors switched the bowling around, brought back the openers and changed Hogg from the farm to the Church End but to no avail. 

The over rate began to dwindle, despite the encouragement of skipper Falk to expediate matters. It took a slow bouncer to dismiss Olly. Kelly dropped one short, Olly shaped to put the ball over the pavilion, completed an extravagant swing and then listened and waited. The ball looped over his shoulder and dropped onto the top his leg bail. 20 mins were left before tea when Ahmad joined his skipper. 

The Authors had 2 chances to dismiss Ahmad in his first six balls, one a tough chance at square leg, the other a regulation chance at mid on that was unexpectedly spilt. When he blasted five boundaries in the next two overs they were made to regret their profligacy. Two of the boundaries went for 6, one in particular a contender with Olly’s pull shot for biggest shot of the day. The declaration was made at 232, from 36 overs.

Tea was of course exceptional. A Southern India twist on a conventional theme. Athis’ samosas are always much appreciated, as was a splendid cream sponge cake. The teams were late on returning to the field.

Hamidullah and Ahmad opened the bowling for Middleton Stoney. Both bowled well. You can tell when that happens as there is far less of the usual chatter between father and son! Just 36 runs came from the first 10 overs, despite the lightening outfield. Morton-Jack was the first to fall, caught and bowled by Ahmed. Sathya came on to replace Hamidullah and continued to squeeze the Authors. Rarely has he bowled a more consistent length and line. Hamidullah struck twice in his seventh over, to leave the Authors on 44 – 3.

While all of the other bowlers settled quickly into their rhythm Seril struggled.  An “arm day” in the gym on Saturday was blamed as he only managed to serve up a diet of leg side long hops. There was one success for Middleton’s slowest bowler when Beard picked out Sam Norley at deep square leg. Sam, juggling the ball between his hands and teeth, holding on to take a good catch.

While Seril struggled, it did allow the Authors to keep up with the run rate, and indeed to bring it down. Smith was having the innings of his life. He reached his half century in 22 balls, Seril the bowler to suffer as the ball repeatedly disappeared into the leg side. It took the best bowling of Sathya and Paul to restrict his powerful hitting. In partnership with Hart,  102 runs were added as the fifth wicket proved elusive. Three times Paul could have struck, a thick edge was parried by the keeper, Shaan did not quite get his hands on the ball at long on and Seril should have held on to a regulation chance at cover. 

As the Authors sensed the chance of victory Ahmad was called on to make a breakthrough, It took him just four balls to do so. Hart bowled for 20. Smith carried on attacking with 8 an over needed from the last 10.  A very poor call from Smith saw his partner Trueman, run out without scoring shortly followed by another victim for Ahmad, Burns bowled for 2.  

Visiting Skipper, Ben Falk came out join Smith and opted on caution rather than attack. Smith was in sight of three figures, the first in his long career. Runs had been coming at 10 an over, now with Ahmad and Sathya bowling the last 5 overs the Authors shut up shop. The fielders crowded round. Smith reached his milestone in just 61 balls but the match petered out tamely as no further effort was made to chase the target.

Tim Riley