“MAD Thrive with Squad Rotation”

Match: 13 / 285

Won by 7 Wkts

Team	Total
Blewbury & Upton CC	91 - 8
D. Shorten 4 - 4, T. Smith 2 - 18
FFTMCC	92 - 7
J. Pearson 31*, D. Emerson 26

With Blewbury & Upton’s inaugural T20 match against the Far from the MCC being one of the highlights of the civil parish’s sporting calendar, no expense was spared in hosting the event. The local Conservative council hastened the funds for the development of a three quarters of a million pound pavilion and a brand new square. Perhaps more importantly, they had signed off on a new bar with accompanying serving hatch for players / pissheads to top up their alcoholic glows. The only fly in the ointment for evening matches, came the warning that many games were completed at one end of the pitch [due to the sun setting behind a pretty line of trees behind the bowler’s arm]. Hardly a fly in the ointment then – more one of those wonderful cricketing curiosities that fascinating us all. As it turned out, alas, clouds obscured the low sun anyway… shame.

James to Dave: “Dude – your hair is so much longer than mine!”

Whilst many Sunday / Friendly teams regrettably fold due to a lack of numbers (and / or enthusiasm), the Far from the MCC seem blessed with a player resume that reads as long as that boasted by Chelsea FC (read a lot). It’s not that MAD Skipper(s) find their job difficult in pruning a team from a list of 30-something “availables”– more that players seem to slip in and out of the team and always total eleven. As was the case this evening with the Far from the MCC replacing six of the faces that represented the club on Sunday with six equally skilled / unskilled / enthusiastic / not so keen / optimistic / pessimistic chaps in suitable whites / greens and browns [welcome to convoluted team selection Gary – and all the trouble and strife that comes with being a Skipper].

Amongst these fresh faces came 2013 debuts for the Ghost of Lord Lucan (apparently playing under the pseudo name of one Richard Hadfield) and one D. Shorten. The latter has always been an ace trump in The MAD bowling department since his debut in 2006, and his absence is often missed both on and off the field. After Blewbury won the toss and elected to bat first, Dave settled into that beautifully, bouncy, flighty rhythm like he’d never been away. He accounted for BUCC’s first three batsmen – all bowled – for the paltry charge of 4 runs. Timms, thinking like a ‘friendly’ Skipper should do in these circumstances, immediately removed Dave from the attack, admonished him for petulance and packed him off to graze in the outfield (must try worse Mr. Shorten….)

Photo of the person purporting to be Richard Hadfield – demonstrating some horizontal dance.

The home side struggled to ever recover from this start as T. Smith (4-0-18-2), C. Roberts (2-0-8-0) and J. Hoskins (4-0-12-0) all bowled with assured aplomb (will James ever take his 200th wicket??? …not if the team can’t catch a cold). That BUCC managed a respectable target was due to the happy hitting of T. Wigley (42*) – who rode his luck and spanked several boundaries before his enforced retirement in the over he went past 30. The innings topped out at 91-8 as I. Howarth (4-1-21-2) and a returning Mr. Shorten (3-2-4-4) continued the squeeze. G. Timms (3-0-24-0) also bowled but didn’t squeeze very hard – although being fair to Gary, LBW’s didn’t seem to play a great part in the general equation (back foot, plumb / nailed on or sod off).

During the mid-innings break, a rabid scrum developed around the (aforementioned) serving hatch. Whilst neither we, nor our genial hosts would lay claim to being a bunch of degenerate pissheads – it is remarkable how many of the 22 players in attendance seemed to be packed into a five square metre radius; frothing at the mouth as the fridge door was repeatedly opened and shut by the acting bar man. Indeed, with Magners running out [read anything with alcohol in it], it rapidly resembled a scene from a frenetic zombie film – as people clawed and scrambled over each other for a drink (read brains).

The bum fight is due to begin!

On resumption of the game, Blewbury toiled away in the late evening sun as D. Emerson (26) and J. Pearson (31*) put recent batting woes behind them. They compiled an excellent 62 run stand with Dave rediscovering that free-spirited, tonking style of his – and James rediscovering that stoic, public schoolboy assurance. They were separated by K. Brown (2-0-6-1), whose partner C. Allen (2-1-2-2) did for Roberts (5) and the luckless N. Hill (golden and a match for poor Nick to forget after grassing three catches).

Enter Lord Lucan. Claiming to be the same guy that passed away after a horrific Achilles tear some 18 months or so ago, this version of Richard (Hadfield) was able to cope with the demands of running between the wickets and hitting the winning runs. It was almost like that cruel and infamous incident never happened. In fact, did it…? Regardless of whether it did or didn’t, and regardless of whether this guy was that guy – or some other guy pretending to be (Richard 15*), the FFTMCC stroked the winning runs with the help of long-haired J. Hotson (2*) batting at six.

The sun sets on a match played in excellent spirits.

A thoroughly professional 7 wicket victory then; utilising to the full, T20 Captain Timms’ (football influenced) new squad rotation system. Could it be the Far from the MCC have transcended their humble pub beginnings to now incorporate something only the elite of the footballing Premiership have embraced in recent years? Maybe. Then maybe the next step is in seeking a grant from Roman Abramovich and setting up a new home? Our own pitch, our own pavilion and more importantly – our own bar.

You can only dream….

‘J. Mourinho’

*

Statto Scorecards

Far from the MCC versus Blewbury & Upton CC Played at Blewbury Recreational Ground, 21 May 2013 Blewbury & Upton CC won the toss and elected to bat FFTMCC won by 7 wkts Far from the MCC debuts: none

13 / 285 20 over match

Team	Blewbury & Upton CC
#	Batsman	How Out	Total	Balls	4s	6s	FOW
1	J. Hillier +	b Shorten	7	(9)	1	-	2-12
2	D. Barlow	b Shorten	1	(4)	-	-	1-7
3	J. Slater	b Shorten	4	(9)	1	-	3-13
4	C. Allen	c Hadfield b Smith	8	(16)	1	-	4-34
5	T. Wigley	retired	42	(34)	8	-	-
6	B. Ray	b Smith	12	(16)	2	-	5-42
7	J. Kenny	b Howarth	1	(7)	-	-	6-46
8	T. Franklin	not out	4	(13)	-	-	-
9	K. Brown	b Howarth	0	(1)	-	-	7-91
10	J. Lear	b Shorten	5	(8)	1	-	8-91
11	N. Walter	not out	0	(2)	-	-	-
	Extras	(W3, LB1, B3)	7
	TOTAL	(for 8 wickets, 20 overs)	91

#	Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wkts
1	Roberts	2	0	8	0
2	Shorten	3	2	4	4
3	Smith	4	0	18	2
4	Hoskins	4	0	12	0
5	Howarth	4	1	21	2
6	Timms	3	0	24	0
Note: T. Wigley retired at 86-6

Team	Far from the MCC
#	Batsman	How Out	Total	Balls	4s	6s	FOW
1	D. Emerson	b Brown	26	(23)	3	-	1-62
2	J. W. Pearson	retired	31	(40)	1	-	-
3	R. J. B. Hadfield	not out	15	(18)	2	-	-
4	C. D. Roberts	b Allen	5	(11)	-	-	2-78
5	N. S. Hill	b Allen	0	(1)	-	-	3-78
6	J. C. W. Hotson +	not out	2	(13)	-	-	-
7	G. J. Timms *
8	D. Shorten
9	J. D. Hoskins
10	T. P. W. Smith
11	I. Howarth
	Extras	(W5, LB7, B1)	13
	TOTAL	(for 3 wickets, 17.2 overs)	92

#	Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wkts
1	Ray	2	0	9	0
2	Slater	2	0	19	0
3	Kenny	4	0	23	0
4	Lear	2	0	11	0
5	Brown	2	0	6	1
6	Franklin	2	0	12	0
7	Allen	2	1	2	2
8	Wigley	1	0	2	0
9	Barlow	0.2	0	2	0
Note: J. W. Pearson retired at 69-1

MOTM: D. Shorten’s wickets Champagne Moment: D. Shorten’s third wicket (bowled) Buffet Award: G. J. Timms’ generous Caesar salad (with extra cheese and croutons)

Opposition: V074 / 01 Ground: G063 / 01 Captain: C022 / 03