Match Report

Wordsworth creates batting paradise in Middleton Park

Middleton Stoney CC is sponsored by NOLAN GAS AND NOLAN OILS and also SAM & STEVE DOCUMENTARY PHOTOGRAPHERS. Steve watched the entire match and some of his photos are below.

Olly Ross became the latest MSCC batsman this season to reach three figures. His ton came batting first in Sunday’s match against the Authors. The Author’s have had the upper hand in recent fixtures and MSCC selected a strong batting side to counter the threat. Conditions for preparing the pitch had been ideal, with rain the previous weekend allowing the roller to flatten the turf and gentle sunshine through the week hardened the surface to perfection.

The Authors won the toss and asked Middleton to take first innings. Tim House and Olly walked out to bat on the dot of 2.00. Facing them was lively opening bowler Thomas Probert, Cambridge Blue and Tom Holland, historian.  The wicket keeper stood well back, “too far back” suggested the home team. When the first ball reached him at shoulder height Probert proved them wrong. His spell of four overs was sharp, testing both players. Holland was less challenging, once the first ball, which almost rolled along the ground was safely defended. 

Olly took advantage of the more generous Holland, picking off three boundaries to open his account while Tim took the brunt of Probert. In the fifth over Probert’s yorker shattered Tim’s wicket allowing Matt Bazeley to join Olly. Matt battled against Probert and did enough to survive the first spell. 

Nick Hogg has bowled many overs on visits to the park and has kept the runs down while picking up many wickets. Today he was less of a threat as both players grew in confidence. Matt began to dominate picking up boundaries straight and off the back foot, through extra cover. As the hour ticked past the score passed 70, Olly the more careful, Matt always looking to punish anything wayward.

Probert was brought back for a second spell in an effort to check the flow of runs. Matt was beaten for speed more than once and while Olly relished the challange he was unable to force the pace while Probert bowled. Matt was pleased with an extra cover drive from Probert which zipped over the short grass to the boundary, while Probert beat Olly three times in succession outside the off stump.

At drinks Matt had reached his half century and began to throw caution to the wind. One powerful blow from the bowling of Fiennes looked to be heading for the long grass, unfortunately Probert was stationed on the boundary and held on to take a good catch, Matt out for 62.  Olly had also passed fifty and was beginning to assert himself on the tiring bowlers.

Tim Riley joined Olly in completing the innings. Olly scored the bulk of the runs in a brutal attack on the change bowlers. A declaration was approaching as Olly neared his century. A flurry of boundaries took him there and beyond as the innings closed on 228 for 2. Middleton Stoney’s last three completed Sunday innings  now total 600 runs for just 7 wickets.  

With scorer Chris otherwise deployed in a bowls match, Hamidullah had wielded the pencil in the score book while Tim House and Paul Wordsworth completed marathon umpiring stints. Matt B produced tea, corned beef and pickle tickling the fancy of a well known professor, while the skipper enjoyed the Greek sweets, which were not Turkish Delight!

The target set for the Authors was around 5.5 an over. Hamidullah and Ahmad shared the new ball. Both bowled tightly but created few chances. 8 overs passed without incident, the Authors scoring at 4 an over. Ahmad was held back and Ben Merritt given the ball while still quite new. Also quite new were the shoes Ben had worn to his Sister’s graduation on Thursday. The blisters generated clearly caused some discomfort and Ben was not as accurate as hoped. Beard and Fiennes were able to pick up the momentum and began plotting a way to win the game.

Hamidullah continued from the farm end, giving little away but getting little from the very true surface. George Robinson was tried to tease a wicket with his leg spin. He did manage to get one ball past the outside edge with a beautifully flighted delivery, but past the edge it went without a touch. 

As the last 20 over approached the scoring rate was up with the target. The attacking fields disappeared and fielders spread to all parts. Paul Wordsworth came on from the farm end. It took him three overs to find his rhythm, once stumbling over his studs in his follow through narrowly avoiding a severe fall, (at least that’s what his watch said.) He did find his rhythm in his fourth over, and with the fifth ball broke Beard’s defences and hitting his leg stump. 

Middleton had a first breakthrough, although only 105 runs were now needed. Ahmad was called on to keep things tight at the Church end. Ahmad did so superbly troubling each of Authors in turn.  Paul was replaced by Shaan Singh when his rhythm deserted him. Shaan had bowled 13 overs the previous day and was a little stiff. However in his second over he induced a mistake from number 3 Beard Jnr, Hamidullah making sure of the catch over his head at Mid off.

Ahmad was also making inroads, generating considerable pace from a short run he hit the stumps three times in consecutive overs. The Authors slipped  to 158 – 5 and both teams had an equal chance of victory.  Knowing each run was vital, the visitors began to chance their arm with singles and second runs. Ben Merritt, Shaan Singh and George Robinson were all involved in saving singles close to the wicket and a run out looked likely.

Smith, the Authors keeper batting an No. 5 looked in control of the situation while his partners were more frenetic. With 30 runs needed the first run out came. Ben chased the ball from cover, turned and threw into the bowlers end. Ahman tidied up and threw down the stumps. Six runs later, Hamidullah at fine leg threw into the keeper with both batsman at the keepers end. Scrambling back the batter managed to position himself between fielder and the stumps. The lobbed throw got to Ahmad just in time for the run to be completed.

Hamidullah was called on to bowl the final overs from the farm end. Alas in his second spell he was unable repeat the good length that he had bowled earlier. Smith picked up four boundaries and took the Authors over the line with one over remaining. Ahmad finished with 3 – 46 from his 14 overs, a tremendous effort on such a good batting track. MSCC were left ruing a few too many fielding slip ups and a few too many four balls as they retired to the bar.

The Simpsons manned the barbeque in fine fettle, thanks Mike and Denise. Andrew made a special trip in to run the bar late in the evening while George and Georgina sat on the benches reminiscing about innings long ago.