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“John Carpenter’s ‘The Fog’ Re-enacted
On Day of Drama”

 

 

Match:  14 / 327

Won by 18 runs

 

 

Team

 

Total

FFTMCC

112

R. Turner  46,  M. Reeves  29*

 

Enstone CC

94

M. Reeves  5 - 12,  D. Shorten  3 - 21

 

 

 

 

Drama unfolded long before the day of this match, with numerous amended teamsheets finally including two Paddy Mellor’s, Giant Duck and no James Pearson’s. It didn’t stop there, with a queue of traffic stretching back to nearby Banbury after Jesus College secretly amended the code to their security gates. Thankfully, nobody really knew who was and wasn’t playing, so last minute phone calls and text messages ended up with people who really didn’t care….

 

Baffled by an exceedingly rare win of the toss, Howarth was jolted out of a wedding hangover long enough to allow The MAD a rare shot at batting first on a sunny day. This decision soon seemed questionable with the team summarily collapsing to 24-4 (15 ovs) in the face of some excellent bowling from P. Myatt (8-4-7-4). Pearson made 4, Dobner 1, Mellor 1 and not to be left out – Hadfield 1. What early innings drama.

 

 

 

A great view to watch a great collapse.

 

 

Rectifying things, R. Turner’s stout defence complemented by Howarth’s aggression lifted MAD spirits, but it wasn’t long before there was real drama! Strange noises echoing from beyond the far boundary, almost like a small child being strangled – it was blood curdling stuff. People’s attention was diverted to Mr. Shorten’s dog (Midge) as it looked to have cordoned and then ambushed something. Was it a hare? A rabbit? Another dog? As players and spectators rushed to the scene, a baby monkjack was in the throes of battle, finally wrestling free of its black and white assailant before heading off down the City Arms for a much needed pint. Talking of which, drinks were then taken with The MAD on 53-4. 

 

 

 

Killer.

 

 

Following on from the break, Howarth and Turner quickly rotated the strike, or at least Howarth quickly rotated the strike, with Turner simply watching him (rotate the strike). It was at this point that a strange red fog started to envelope the ground, smudging out the student housing and the glorious panoramic views of Oxford. It was a terrifying nod to the famous 70s slasher-flick ‘The Fog’ – with the undead maritime ghouls replaced by X-rated expletives and a flying bat, as Howarth (20) failed to make his ground. It was all too much for a spectating James Shaw (and his kids) and Pearson’s parents (oh, dear), who rose as one from their seats, demanding a refund as Howarth disappeared into the depths of pavilion, accompanied by one final barrage of non-Chamber’s English and his flying bat. It was drama of the highest accolade, but box office receipts were poor.

 

 

 

Howarth to be found sulking ‘under’ the pavilion….

 

 

After the conclusion of this new horror dramatisation, the mist fog lifted enough for Turner to find both J. Hotson (1) and D. Shorten (2) had been felled by Ian’s bat. Things were now dire at 67-7, but The MAD bat in depth these days, as Mr. Reeves’ batting at #9 would suggest, and together with Russ (46), Mike (29*) was able to orchestrate a final MAD total of 112 – his partner falling four short of a much-deserved fifty (albeit Howarth would probably disagree). J. Newman and C. Roberts chipped in with a further 1 and 0 respectively.

 

It wasn’t a grand total by any means, but with a pitch offering up plenty to the bowlers, tea time certainly wasn’t the morose affair it could have been. The Boars Hill Catering Core (BHCC) once again did us proud after once again being reunited with the Eighth Earl of Lucan, and only a late surge of ravenous hunger from eating specialists, Mellor & Turner, prevented there from being any scraps for the bloodlusting hound tethered outside (Midge).

 

 

 

A reasonable day all in all for Mr. Reeves.

 

 

On resumption of the match, Enstone began cautiously before Shorten got one to swing back in and shatter W. Speke’s (6) stumps. Bob Roberts (4-0-20-1) also got one to swing – off J. Watts’ (4) bat – straight to J. Newman at cow. 29-2 (11 ovs) and very much game on with perhaps the greatest piece of drama yet to come.

 

Mr. Reeves has always been a loyal servant to the team. Like a well-schooled and much loved dog, Mike just obediently goes about his business and does what he’s told. One year – 2006 I think it was – after a big money transfer from the Marlborough House, Mike sat with his pads on match after match, waiting to bat, waiting for an opportunity that never came. Despite limited bowling opportunities, he batted twice that year – and on one of those occasions, T. Smith ran him out (ha). But he never complained. Ever. He just got on with it. He must have known there would be better days around the corner. There were. Today. In five mesmerising overs of controlled left-arm swing, Mike dismissed batsman #4, #5, #6, #7 and #8 – all for ducks. Four of them clean bowled. 5 wickets for 3 runs. Spectacular. A shame his efforts of superstardom brought no more success, but figures of 8-2-12-5 ain’t to be grumbled at. It was a great piece of bowling, and it is hard to imagine there was a witness to it who would begrudge Mike this day – save the poor Enstone middle order….

 

 

 

Turner (batting) earlier held The MAD innings together [after breaking it apart].

 

 

With Pearson (4-1-13-1) cleaning up D. Bussey (31) to have the visitors on 57-8, the match was really there to be stamped on. Or as P. Mellor noted “we don’t want to do what Midge the dog did earlier and that it to remove our jaw from the throat!” But the Enstone tail was stubborn, eking out runs as overs dwindled by. A returning burst from Newman (8-1-21-0) brought scant reward, and thus eyes turned to Shorten. “You owe us, Dave” commented the team as one. “Our name is sullied after the savagery of your dog.”

 

Dave eventually did for W. Taylor (2), but some lusty hitting from P. Anthony was an acute cause for concern. Not so, with #11 G. Speke (1*) going to ground clutching his hamstring to eventually retire hurt. Game over. But, not quite. Maybe in a bid to redeem himself after his earlier histrionics, Howarth allowed P. Anthony the luxury of batting on alone with a runner for company. It was a much akin to a single wicket competition where the not out batsman returns to his end to face the next ball. It was sporting in the extreme, but a decision which could easily backfire in equal measure. After a couple more judicious Anthony (23) blows, The MAD sighed in collective relief as Shorten (7.4-1-21-3) finally splattered the stumps. Enstone 94 all out with The MAD htriumphant by a meagre 18 runs.

 

 

 

A profitable day at The MAD’s Fines Committee.

 

 

Oh, what drama. And oh, that’d be the sixth win for The MAD in the month of June. An achievement notable for the fact that we achieved it in a notable fashion. Excellent.

 

 

‘Broadway’

 

 

 

 

 

*

 

 

Statto Scorecards

 

 

 

Far from the MCC versus Enstone CC

Played at Jesus College, 29 June 2014

 

Far from the MCC won the toss and elected to bat

Far from the MCC won by 18 runs

 

Far from the MCC debuts:  none

 

 

14 / 327

 

 

 

 

 

40 over match

 

 

 

Team

Far from the MCC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#

 

Batsman

How Out

Total

Balls

4s

6s

FOW

1

J. W. Pearson

c Peterson b Myatt

4

(27)

1

-

2-6

2

S. L. Dobner +

b Myatt

1

(12)

-

-

1-5

3

R. P. Turner

b Peterson

46

(95)

4

-

8-93

4

P. A. S. Mellor

c Stewart b Myatt

1

(10)

-

-

3-18

5

R. J. B. Hadfield

b Myatt

1

(7)

-

-

4-24

6

I. Howarth *

run out

20

(18)

4

-

5-53

7

J. C. W. Hotson

b G. Speke

1

(9)

-

-

6-64

8

D. Shorten

c and b Peterson

2

(7)

-

-

7-67

9

M. K. Reeves

not out

29

(31)

4

-

-

10

J. Newman-Robson

b Watts

1

(10)

-

-

9-111

11

C. D. Roberts

b W. Speke

0

(4)

-

-

10-112

 

Extras

(W1, LB1, B4)

6

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL

(all out, 38.2 overs)

112

 

 

 

 

 

 

#

 

Bowler

Overs

Maidens

Runs

Wkts

 

1

Myatt

8

3

7

4

 

2

Watts

6

3

3

1

 

3

W. Speke

6.2

0

30

1

 

4

P. Anthony

4

0

19

0

 

5

Peterson

8

1

20

2

 

6

G. Speke

6

1

28

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Team

Enstone CC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#

 

Batsman

How Out

Total

Balls

4s

6s

FOW

1

W. Speke *

b Shorten

6

(23)

1

-

1-10

2

J. Watts

c Newman-Robson b Roberts

4

(28)

1

-

2-29

3

D. Bussey

b Pearson

31

(38)

3

2

8-57

4

D. Myatt

b Reeves

0

(13)

-

-

3-44

5

K. Anthony

c Hadfield b Reeves

0

(2)

-

-

4-44

6

T. Peterson

b Reeves

0

(7)

-

-

5-51

7

D. Stewart

b Reeves

0

(1)

-

-

6-57

8

S. Carter

b Reeves

0

(3)

-

-

7-57

9

D. Anthony

b Shorten

23

(40)

3

-

10-94

10

W. Taylor +

b Shorten

2

(20)

-

-

9-78

11

G. Speke

not out

1

(6)

-

-

-

 

Extras

(W19, LB2, B6)

27

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL

(all out, 31.4 overs)

94

 

 

 

 

 

 

#

 

Bowler

Overs

Maidens

Runs

Wkts

 

1

Newman-Robson

8

1

21

0

 

2

Shorten

7.4

1

21

3

 

3

Roberts

4

0

20

1

 

4

Reeves

8

2

12

5

 

5

Pearson

4

1

13

1

 

 

 

 

 

MOTM:  M. K. Reeves

Champagne Moment:  D. Shorten’s final wicket to win the match

Buffet Award:  C. D. Roberts’ appetising pizza selection (with gourmet cheese)

 

 

Opposition:  V073 / 03

Ground:  G019 / 16

Captain:  C007 / 55