“MAD Bring Curtain Down

On Final Act at the Home of the Bard”

Match: 18 / 474

Lost by 67 runs

Team	Total
Stratford Bards CC	236 - 8
C. Williams 3 - 17
FFTMCC	169
C. Williams 89, J. Cartwright 25

Act 1, Scene 1, Ian’s house in Oxford

That this final game happened at all is tribute to our fixture secretary’s persistence and resourcefulness. Why did Ian try so hard to make this fixture happen, given that he wasn’t going to play in it? Is it just his altruistic nature and his determination that others should have an enjoyable afternoon? Is it his OCD and something to do with filling the fixture list? Or was it a last gasp effort to snatch the fantasy league victory away from James Pearson? Perhaps we will never know.

The house that Happy Howarth built, with former MAD player (and liar) Mike D Clarke.

This fixture has always been a difficult one to fill. Scheduled against Isis, as the leaves turn brown, cricket pitches turn to football pitches and groundmen plan their holidays. Despite the best efforts of ourselves and Isis, no ground could be procured for the contest and the two teams decided to salvage what they could. The MAD turned to a website for teams without games and sent out a plea to anyone with a ground and a team available for Sunday 9th September. Several answered the call, the first (and perhaps most suitable of which) were the Stratford Bards, about an hour north of Oxford.

Act 2, A lovely ground right in the centre of Stratford-Upon-Avon

Car shares were swiftly organised for this ‘mini tour’ and we headed up the M40, right in to the centre of Stratford-on-Avon, which of course, it being Sunday, was packed. Having negotiated the traffic, we found the ground easily enough, shelled out the £6 for parking and waited for our hosts to arrive. It was a beautiful place with a massive pavilion, advertising hoardings and other markers that this was a serious cricket team. After about 15 minutes it became clear that there was no sign of an opposition, so after a few frantic phone calls and hastily scribbled directions, we headed 3 miles up the road to another ground of the Stratford Bards.

If the first ground had been magnificent, if a little imposing, this one was just beautiful. Set in the private estate of Alscot Park, a neat wooden pavilion looked out on to a lovely pitch, surrounded by horses, deer and other wildlife. Midge was licking her lips.

Nobody took a picture of the ground, so here is out Chairman drinking some beer.

Act 3, The Game

Another feature of this mini tour was that we had no idea of the strength of the opposition. They seemed to be a typical Sunday team of a few first or second teamers, a few ex-league players and a few youngsters. We on the other hand are definitely past it and some of us never had ‘it’ in the first place, so having won the toss our skipper thought it best to give them first go and negate the possibility that the match would be over in less than an hour.

Opener Reeves (5-0-32-1) dismissed one of the openers with a decent ball that nipped back off a length, but at the other end S Bishop (96) was enjoying himself. It was by no means a chanceless innings, with balls flying just high or just wide of fielders on several occasions, but nevertheless it was a great knock, finally bought to an end by Darley (4-0-31-1).

Reeves throwing some shit down leg.

With contributions right through their order, the Bards achieved 216-8 in their 35 overs. Pick of the bowlers was Pops / Renon / Chris with figures of 6-1-17-3. Shorten did a good job behind the stumps whilst his dog searched for blood in the surrounding fields.

Tea was wonderful and made all the better for being eaten on wooden tables in the warm autumn sunshine, but all too soon it was time for the MAD to start their innings. Our innings was about one man and one man only. Pops certainly put himself in the shop window for the POTS award with a magnificent 89. There was support from Pearson 23 and Joe Cartwright 25, but with the departure of Chris we were never in it and characteristically slumped from 155 for 3 to 169 all out. There were a couple of highlights, with Bob throwing down the stumps from 20 yards with all the nonchalance with which he usually takes his catches, however the highlight for me was seeing Joe crawl back to his crease after slipping during the return from an aborted run.

Williams facing some guy with a ball.

Act 4, The analysis

As we learned during the tour to Felixstowe, you can go almost anywhere in the country and find friendly, welcoming cricket clubs willing to put out Sunday sides and just play the game for the sake of playing it. Thanks Stratford Bards for stepping in and providing such a great venue, tea and match. We hope this is the start of a beautiful friendship and we’re sure to be in touch next year.

So as thoughts turn to Sunday roast lunches, plus visits to DIY stores and in-laws what do we take from the 2018 season? Some new friends made and old friends lost. A book, a tour, lots of organising of games, grounds, teas, players, money and all the other paraphernalia of putting out a team for 30+ games. We have a strong committee, new players have bedded in well and the future looks bright. Stay fit and see you at nets.

‘Reevsie’

*

Statto Scorecards

Far from the MCC versus Stratford Bards CC Played at Alscot Park, 9 September 2018 Far from the MCC won the toss and elected to field Stratford Bards CC won by 67 runs Far from the MCC debuts: none

18 / 474 35 over match

Team	Stratford Bards CC
#	Batsman	How Out	Total	Balls	4s	6s	FOW
1	S. Bishop *	b Darley	95		12	4
2	T. Kaminski-Gaze	b Reeves	0		-	-
3	S. Francis	c Shorten b Williams	12		-	-
4	A. Joseph	c Pearson b Williams	14		3	-
5	H. Abell	c Webster b Turner	47		8	-
6	T. Hatch	c Reeves b Timms	0		-	-
7	B. Bos	b Williams	2		-	-
8	S. Mayers	run out (Roberts)	19		2	-
9	Scott Francis	not out	13		1	-	-
10	B. Hatch	not out	14		1	1	-
11	W. Noble
	Extras	NB3, W8, LB4, B5	20
	TOTAL	(for 8 wickets, 35 overs)	236

#	Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wkts	Econ
1	Reeves	5	0	32	1	6.40
2	Roberts	4	0	29	0	7.25
3	Darley	4	0	31	1	7.75
4	Rundle	4	0	28	0	7.00
5	Williams	6	1	17	3	2.83
6	Timms	5	0	26	1	5.20
7	Turner	4	0	33	1	8.25
8	Webster	3	0	28	0	9.33

Team	Far from the MCC
#	Batsman	How Out	Total	Balls	4s	6s	FOW
1	J. W. Pearson	run out	23	(38)	2	-	2-59
2	A. Darley	c Joseph b T. Hatch	1	(5)	-	-	1-3
3	C. T. J. Williams	c Mayers b Joseph	89	(65)	13	1	3-134
4	J. A. Cartwright	c Bishop b Scott Francis	25	(48)	3	-	5-158
5	C. D. Roberts	c Bishop b Scott Francis	14	(14)	3	-	4-156
6	J. vdG. Webster	b Scott Francis	3	(7)	-	-	6-160
7	D. Shorten †	c T. Hatch b Joseph	1	(4)	-	-	7-160
8	R. P. Turner	b Mayers	4	(4)	1	-	8-164
9	M. S. Rundle	c Bos b Bishop	2	(9)	-	-	10-169
10	M. K. Reeves	c and b Bishop	1	(2)	-	-	9-165
11	G. J. Timms *	not out	1	(2)	-	-	-
	Extras	NB1, W3, LB1	5
	TOTAL	(all out, 32.5 overs)	169

#	Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wkts	Econ
1	T. Hatch	5	0	24	1	4.80
2	B. Hatch	4	0	30	0	7.50
3	Kaminski-Gaze	5	0	33	0	6.60
4	Noble	7	0	38	0	5.43
5	Scott Francis	6	0	16	3	2.67
6	Joseph	4	1	19	2	4.75
7	Mayers	1	0	5	1	5.00
8	Bishop	0.5	0	3	2	3.60

MOTM: C. T. J. Williams Champagne Moment: C. D. Roberts’ direct run out Buffet Award: J. vdG. Webster’s delicious broodje haring MAD Moment: J. A. Cartwright crawling back to the crease

Opposition: V106 / 01 Ground: G097 / 01 Captain: C022 / 76 Match No: 35 / 166