“Padded Up”
Match: 14
/ 332
Lost
by 8 wkts
|
Team |
Total |
|
FFTMCC |
134 - 3 |
|
I. Howarth 59*, R. Turner
52* |
|
|
|
|
|
Garsington CC |
136 - 2 |
|
C. Roberts 2 - 31 |
|
|
Are the views afforded at
the ground of Garsington some of the most beautiful in England? Maybe. Stogumber CC in West Somerset might argue a case, but here on this
gorgeous evening in July, you could be forgiven as your concentration drifts
invariably away from the cricket. In the background, an exquisite panorama of
rolling hills and patchwork fields are spotted with church spires, abbeys and
farmhouses stretching miles and miles as far as the eye can see. Under rich
blue skies it is dreamlike, mesmerising and comforting – particularly if you,
like me, had spent your entire working day sat huddled behind darkened glass
in an air-conditioned office, staring listlessly at a computer screen…. Back to the matter at
hand….
Mr. Carter summons the energy for his marathon 2
ball knock. After breaking a
sequence of losing tosses pre-dating the pyramids, Mr. Timms’ decision to bat
first initially seemed to have backfired. The schizophrenic G. Carter (0)
avoided the ignominy of a platinum duck by a whisker, before the redoubtable
M. Bullock (5) and youthful N. Hill (0) opted to give the hosts some catching
practice (which they duly obliged). Mr. Turner was now joined at the crease
by Mr. Howarth in the sixth over and together they began to rebuild The MAD
innings. Due to bat at #6, James
Hoskins was padded up and if he needed any advice on being ‘padded up’, he
only need ask the elongated fellow sat two plastic chairs to his left. Tall
Bob ‘Roberts’ has years of experience of being ‘padded up’, the club’s
perennial number eleven, Chris sits impassively through many a MAD innings,
watching afar, waiting for an opportunity to walk out to the middle. Often when
he does pad up, he then pads down (takes them off), often without having had a
bat. But whilst Bob might be slightly aggrieved, his team mates find this
episode reassuring as it means that they (the team) haven’t been skittled.
Bob (left) awaiting a chance to pad up. Today Hoskins would emulate
Bob, just sat impassively with his pads on, over after over in the late day
sun. Occasionally he’d get quite animated, especially when the ball sailed
off Howarth’s bat straight to a fielder at deep cover or a fielder stood
sleeping at mid-off. This brief excitement was quickly tempered by the home
team’s inability to catch. And of course who can forget the wicketkeeper
deciding to intercept a ball having beaten Howarth’s bat – its trajectory
taking it on to hit middle stump. He wasn’t bowled, nor was he
stumped, but The MAD score was incremented by 1 due to the resultant offence
(no ball). Would James ever
get to have a bat? Nope. Even the prerequisite run out featuring the ‘Howarth
and Turner Salsa’ failed to materialise. It’s just one of those things, James
– just ask Bob. Or, if you choose to contact him, ask the Sri Lankan
superstar, Tillakaratne Dilshan, who in 2006 sat with pads on for over 160
overs as his teammates Sangakkara and Jayawardene
piled on 624 against South Africa. Having repelled the
danger from Bradford (4-1-12-2) and the rather lively D. Alderson (3-0-11-1),
the two MAD batsmen would entertain with an unbeaten stand of 122 with The
MAD topping out with a total of 134-3. Howarth rode a season’s luck for 59
not out (48 balls), with Turner (52* off 60 balls) bringing his fifty up with
the final ball of the innings. To complete James’ evening of frustration, he
lost his joint MAD fourth wicket partnership record secured some 12 years
ago*. But hey, records are there to be broken, just like pads are there to be
worn.
Turner sweeps the final ball of The MAD innings
to bring up his fifty. In reply, with shadows
lengthening, Darley (4-2-8-0) reminded his team mates what they’ve been
missing with a fine opening spell. In tandem with Bob (4-0-31-2), who enjoyed
far better fortune (at greater cost), Garsington slumped to 38-2 as the
middle stumps of Dowling (3) and Hogg (18) were knocking back. The scorebook will tell
you that the home team then chased down their target, with Jacobs (46*) and Alderson
(59*) seeing them home. But that wouldn’t tell the full story. Far from it.
They squeaked home in the final Hoskins (2.3-0-21-0) over with a ball looping
in the air to a backpedalling Carter in the covers. It didn’t go to hand, but
it did go for four. Unlucky James, once again, as were Pearson (3-0-22-0),
Timms (3-0-23-0) and Reeves (3-0-27-0) with the ball.
Bob finds ‘something’ to do. It is always a big ask
at Garsington and you can only do what you can. But to simply play this sport
we love, with banter in the sunshine atop a hill with spectacular views over
the Oxford – who could really ask for more? A fine
effort gentlemen, a fine effort indeed. Here’s
to many years of strapping the pads on. And off. And occasionally getting a
bat. * - Lee Davie & James Hoskins added 111 for the 4th wicket versus
Marlborough House in 2002. ‘S. Logger’
|
*
Statto Scorecards
|
Far from the MCC versus Garsington
CC Played at Garsington, 15 July 2014 Far from the MCC won the
toss and elected to bat Garsington CC won by 8 wkts Far from the MCC debuts: none |
14 / 332 20 over match |
|
Team |
Far from the MCC |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
# |
Batsman |
How Out |
Total |
Balls |
4s |
6s |
FOW |
|
1 |
G. Carter |
c Jacobs b Bradford |
0 |
(2) |
- |
- |
1-0 |
|
2 |
M. Bullock + |
c Hogg b Alderson |
5 |
(8) |
1 |
- |
2-10 |
|
3 |
R. P. Turner |
not out |
52 |
(60) |
6 |
- |
- |
|
4 |
N. Hill |
c Prew b
Bradford |
0 |
(3) |
- |
- |
3-12 |
|
5 |
I. Howarth |
not out |
59 |
(48) |
6 |
1 |
- |
|
6 |
J. D. Hoskins |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
7 |
M. K. Reeves |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
8 |
G. J. Timms * |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
9 |
J. W. Pearson |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
10 |
A. Darley |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
11 |
C. D. Roberts |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Extras |
(NB1, W11, LB2, B4) |
18 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOTAL |
(for 3 wickets, 20 overs) |
134 |
|
|
|
|
|
# |
Bowler |
Overs |
Maidens |
Runs |
Wkts |
|
|
1 |
Bradford |
4 |
1 |
12 |
2 |
|
|
2 |
Alderson |
3 |
0 |
11 |
1 |
|
|
3 |
Prew |
4 |
0 |
17 |
0 |
|
|
4 |
Eshan |
3 |
0 |
36 |
0 |
|
|
5 |
Banyard |
4 |
0 |
42 |
0 |
|
|
6 |
Jacobs |
2 |
0 |
18 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Note: D. Jacobs kept wicket overs 1-14,
D. James overs 15-20 |
||||||
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|
Team |
Garsington CC |
|
|
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|
|
|
|
|
# |
Batsman |
How Out |
Total |
Balls |
4s |
6s |
FOW |
|
1 |
D. Dowling |
b Roberts |
3 |
|
- |
- |
1-24 |
|
2 |
A. Hogg |
b Roberts |
18 |
|
4 |
- |
2-38 |
|
3 |
D. Jacobs *+ |
not out |
46 |
|
4 |
- |
- |
|
4 |
D. Alderson |
not out |
59 |
|
7 |
1 |
- |
|
5 |
N. Bound |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
6 |
M. Eshan |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
7 |
M. Allsworth |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
8 |
S. Prew |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
9 |
A. Bradford |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
10 |
D. James + |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
11 |
A. Banyard |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Extras |
(NB3, W2, LB4, B1) |
10 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOTAL |
(for 2 wickets, 19.3 overs) |
136 |
|
|
|
|
|
# |
Bowler |
Overs |
Maidens |
Runs |
Wkts |
|
|
1 |
Darley |
4 |
2 |
8 |
0 |
|
|
2 |
Roberts |
4 |
0 |
31 |
2 |
|
|
3 |
Pearson |
3 |
0 |
22 |
0 |
|
|
4 |
Timms |
3 |
0 |
23 |
0 |
|
|
5 |
Reeves |
3 |
0 |
27 |
0 |
|
|
6 |
Hoskins |
2.3 |
0 |
21 |
0 |
|
|
MOTM: I. Howarth Champagne Moment: I. Howarth’s six onto
the pavilion roof Buffet
Award: M. K. Reeves’ waterlogged
salad with Tesco value cheese |
Opposition:
V063 / 04 Ground: G050 / 04 Captain: C022 / 18 |