“MAD Bandwagon Halted as Flying Ants Invade
Pembroke”
Match: 06
/ 131
Lost
by 96 runs
|
Team |
Total |
|
Nomads |
220 - 7 |
|
M. Westmoreland 2 -
25, I. Howarth 2 - 27 |
|
|
|
|
|
FFTMCC |
124 - 9 |
|
G. Littlechild 47 |
|
|
At first it seemed like there was blossom being blown in the air. But
then when do large oak trees start shelling blossom? Pretty soon it was like
a snowstorm of the stuff – the skies absolutely full of this “blossom” as it
floated in the wind around Pembroke College Sports Ground. But it wasn’t
falling. No, this stuff was flying! Flying ants. Thousands upon thousands of
these little buggers, all leaving their nests under Kev’s carefully prepared
cricket strips to find a life somewhere else. A man and his dog laughed as he
watched cricketers scrambling for cover as they flicked the air around their
heads, much akin to deranged inmates of a local loony asylum. Ten minutes
later and they were all gone…. Weird. Horrible little bastards to be honest.
There was
no blossom falling off the oak trees at Pembroke. The sight of Skipper I. Howarth hurling a fifty
pence piece on the floor and leaving the field dejected was all The MAD
required to realise they had been invited to field on another baking hot
summer’s day. The track was as flat as a ballerina’s chest, and the Nomads of
Swindon would make full use of it. Last week’s impressive debut by D. Shorten
(7-0-52-0) was in stark contrast to this, as the Nomad opener’s gorged
themselves on his suet puddings in racing to 50 without loss. Veteran swingmeister, A. Mann (4-1-18-0), was perhaps unlucky to
reap little rewards for his nagging length, and it wasn’t
until fellow left-armer, M. Reeves (5-0-31-1) was introduced, that The MAD
finally managed to snare a wicket. This didn’t stem the flow of runs alas,
with M. Punslow (58) throwing his bat at anything
in his half of the pitch, and with luck favouring his bold approach; his
compatriots adopted his style and saw the score increase at a gallop. Gardener D. Edwards (7-1-34-2) bowled a
decent line, with the ever-alert G. Littlechild collecting a neat stumping
for his troubles. M. Westmoreland (4-1-25-2), A. Small (3-0-17-0) and I.
Howarth (5-0-27-2) toiled away, with Moo taking a wicket off the worst ball
of the day – a waist-high jelly moose that Nomadster
N. Preddy (34) somehow slapped straight into the disbelieving hands of M.
Reeves. But after 35 exhausting overs, the away team has notched a rather
intimidating 220 for 7. Time for tea. And thank fuck for that.
Sun beams into the Pembroke pavilion during the tea interval. The MAD would not be
dispirited in chasing down this total, after all – why should they? The team
were coming off the back of five consecutive wins – so let’s have at it. Losing
grinder D. Edwards for a duck, and allowing Nomad bowler Hussain the luxury
of going for just 1 run off his first 4 overs wasn’t exactly on the agenda.
And with M. Westmoreland (10) hoiking across the line, and pinch-hitting part-time
decorator A. Mann pouched for 11 things were looking grim.
220 was a tall order for The MAD to chase. Mr. Bullock in partnership with Essex-graduate,
G. Littlechild, saw some sort of a recovery in reaching 71-3, but
unfortunately the overs were ticking by. Matt (7) was subsequently bowled having
a frustrated smear, thus enter the Captain to rescue the show. But before
Howarth had even faced a ball, his day would come to a most unfortunate end –
unable to avoid a full blooded drive from his opposite number, Mr. Littlechild.
He dropped like a lead weight after it crashed against his elbow, writhing
around on the floor as his teammates’ feigned concern. Exit stage left,
retired hurt. What realistic hope The
MAD still harboured for victory, quickly evaporated when Gary (47) was subsequently
bowled by the impressive M. Harrow (7-0-29-3). And with the required run-rate
now spiralling out of control, it was left to the tail to conjure up some
escapology – alas Houdini had left the building. A. Cavanagh (8) was bowled, J.
Hotson (3) ran out, D. Shorten caught for a duck, and A. Small likewise after
an enterprising 10. It all left Botley Boy, M. Reeves (7*), smarting at his
lowly batting position, content to protect his average as The MAD were left
humbled on 124 for 9.
Time to pack up and sod off after the Nomads end The MAD winning
streak. All good things come to an end. It is a
depressing inevitability of human life. Deal with it. We lost. We got beat.
We got fucking smashed. Let the Nomads have their day. ‘Ant Agonise’
|
*
Statto Scorecards
|
Far from the MCC versus The Nomads Played at Jordan Hill, 6 August 2006 The Nomads won the toss and elected to bat The Nomads won
by 96 runs Far from the MCC debuts: none |
06 / 131 35 over match |
|
Team |
The Nomads |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
# |
Batsman |
How Out |
Total |
Balls |
4s |
6s |
FOW |
|
1 |
M. Harrow |
b Reeves |
18 |
|
|
|
1-54 |
|
2 |
M. Purslow |
st Littlechild b Edwards |
58 |
|
|
|
3-118 |
|
3 |
S. Leighfield |
c and b Edwards |
9 |
|
|
|
2-84 |
|
4 |
N. Preddy |
c Reeves b Westmoreland |
34 |
|
|
|
4-138 |
|
5 |
N. Baldwin |
lbw b Westmoreland |
3 |
|
|
|
5-138 |
|
6 |
J. Whittaker |
not out |
43 |
|
|
|
- |
|
7 |
A. Thompson |
st Littlechild b Howarth |
20 |
|
|
|
6-201 |
|
8 |
T. Lowe |
b Howarth |
7 |
|
|
|
7-220 |
|
9 |
C. Morgan |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
10 |
P. Preddy |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
11 |
M. Hussain |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Extras |
(NB1, W11, LB2, B14) |
28 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOTAL |
(for 7 wickets, 35 overs) |
220 |
|
|
|
|
|
# |
Bowler |
Overs |
Maidens |
Runs |
Wkts |
|
|
1 |
Shorten |
7 |
0 |
52 |
0 |
|
|
2 |
Mann |
4 |
1 |
18 |
0 |
|
|
3 |
Reeves |
5 |
0 |
31 |
1 |
|
|
4 |
Edwards |
7 |
1 |
34 |
2 |
|
|
5 |
Westmoreland |
4 |
1 |
25 |
2 |
|
|
6 |
Small |
3 |
0 |
17 |
0 |
|
|
7 |
Howarth |
5 |
0 |
27 |
2 |
|
|
Team |
Far from
the MCC |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
# |
Batsman |
How Out |
Total |
Balls |
4s |
6s |
FOW |
|
1 |
D. M. Edwards |
c Baldwin b P. Preddy |
0 |
(13) |
- |
- |
1-6 |
|
2 |
M. T. Westmoreland |
b Thompson |
10 |
(22) |
2 |
- |
2-25 |
|
3 |
A. G. Mann |
c Lowe b Thompson |
11 |
(24) |
2 |
- |
3-30 |
|
4 |
M. Bullock |
b Harrow |
7 |
(25) |
- |
- |
4-71 |
|
5 |
G. S. Littlechild + |
b Harrow |
47 |
(50) |
7 |
- |
6-98 |
|
6 |
I. Howarth * |
retired hurt |
0 |
(1) |
- |
- |
- |
|
7 |
A. Cavanagh |
b Harrow |
8 |
(11) |
1 |
- |
5-87 |
|
8 |
J. C. W. Hotson |
run out |
3 |
(8) |
- |
- |
8-100 |
|
9 |
D. Shorten |
c Thompson b N. Preddy |
0 |
(3) |
- |
- |
7-99 |
|
10 |
M. K. Reeves |
not out |
7 |
(11) |
1 |
- |
- |
|
11 |
A. Small |
c Leighfield
b Lowe |
10 |
(11) |
1 |
- |
9-124 |
|
|
Extras |
(W10,
B11) |
21 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOTAL |
(for 9 wickets, 29.5 overs) |
124 |
|
|
|
|
|
# |
Bowler |
Overs |
Maidens |
Runs |
Wkts |
|
|
1 |
Hussain |
4 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
2 |
P. Preddy |
4 |
0 |
17 |
1 |
|
|
3 |
Thompson |
7 |
2 |
14 |
2 |
|
|
4 |
N. Preddy |
6 |
0 |
32 |
1 |
|
|
5 |
Harrow |
7 |
0 |
29 |
3 |
|
|
6 |
Morgan |
1 |
0 |
11 |
0 |
|
|
7 |
Lowe |
0.5 |
0 |
9 |
1 |
|
|
MOTM: G. S. Littlechild Champagne Moment: M. K. Reeves’ first
wicket Buffet
Award: D. Shorten’s suet pudding
(with Welsh gravy) |
Opposition:
V022 / 05 Ground: G011 / 43 Captain: C007 / 17 |