A picture containing clock, drawing

Description automatically generated

 

 

“Stumbling into the Light

 

 

Match:  19 / 478

Lost by 3 wkts

 

 

Team

 

Total

FFTMCC

171 - 7

R. Hadfield  51,  R. Turner  37

 

Moreton CC

172 - 7

C. Vermaak  3 - 31,  M. Reeves  2 - 24

 

 

 

 

The beauty of writing a match report for The MAD, is that by and large you can write what the fuck you want. Appropriately, the narrative need not mention much of the game, if at all, but since the visit to Moreton was such a dreamy and enjoyable endeavour, one does feel slightly obliged, even if much of it passed me by.

 

Having received a pasting off the aforementioned team in the final of the Friendly Cup, revenge was never on our minds as our two respective teams put weekend cancellations to one side to renew our rivalry. Certainly, no ill feelings in most quarters, although a few of our number mumbled about packing bomb vests and machetes.

 

 

A person sitting on a bench in a park

Description automatically generated

 

 

On arrival at the ground South to Didcot, those with any animosity were quickly given over to the beguiling charms of an idyllic, quintessentially English village, boasting a relaxing pub some fifty feet from the ground and a day of uninterrupted sunshine.

 

The MAD mostly made their way to Moreton in singularity, although those arriving in Howarth’s car did not. Having previously just seen the sun come up, they can perhaps be forgiven for trying to understand a brief sleep divided the same day.

 

Perhaps bracketed in the same Rock Dream Team as Keith Richards, Jan Webster seemed remarkably sane, although the barometer to measure our Dutchman’s ‘togetherness’ is always under constant review. Howarth appeared apprehensive of the sun, which seemed at odds to a Portuguese tan and Williams kept his deteriorating braincells hidden behind those impenetrable shades of his. All had arrived safely, if shadows of the cricketers they never once were.

 

 

A person sitting on a bench in a park

Description automatically generated

 

 

Securing the toss, Captain Timms opted to bat out the overs and post a decent score, helped in no small measure by another solid build from Hadfield (51), diligence from Turner (37) and a cameo from the skipper (29* off 20 balls) himself towards the end. Webster, Howarth and Williams also batted and just about made double figures when their totals were combined.

 

Tea consisted of retreating to the pub for cake and tea, or, if you play for The MAD, retreating to the pub for cake and a beer (or two).

 

In reply, the Moreton innings was once again anchored around a McDonald (68), William. He navigated an excellent opening salvo from Newman (7-0-39-1), kept his concentration at Hoskins’ bakery (7-0-39-0) and didn’t much look like getting out to the wiles of Reeves (6-0-24-2).

 

The pendulum of the game would eventually swing when Will fell to a rank Vermaak (6-0-31-3) full toss. Crunching it out the middle of the bat to destroy Reeves’ nails, it would also leave members of his team scrambling around to get changed back into their whites (the indignity).

 

 

A person wearing a hat

Description automatically generated

 

 

With the game now evenly poised, Williams rose from the grave to effect a run out whilst aiming at nine stumps, and suddenly the home team were 7 down.

 

Alas, this wicket column didn’t increment any further, as number nine C MacDonald (38*), demonstrated his prowess at bruising the ball into the surrounding foliage and a distant church in Dorchester.

 

A fine game played in excellent spirit would be supported by the casual fan, David Emerson taking time out on his bicycle to drink the pub dry and peddle into the Thames on the way home. T. P. W. Smith also made pilgrimage, but perhaps wished he’d opted for the dawn chorus (like others).

 

 

A person sitting on a wooden bench

Description automatically generated

 

 

With banter and a barbecue to bookend a memorable day, Howarth and his cohorts drove off into the sunset, serenaded on the radio by the guitar of Keith and vocals of Mick, a proper ‘Magical Mystery Tour’ if ever thus.

 

 

‘Charlie Watts’

 

 

 

 

 

*

 

 

Statto Scorecards

 

 

 

Far from the MCC versus Moreton CC

Played at Moreton CC, 12 May 2019

 

Moreton CC won the toss and elected to field

Moreton CC won by 3 wkts

 

Far from the MCC debuts:  none

 

 

19 / 478

 

 

 

 

 

35 over match

 

 

 

Team

Far from the MCC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#

 

Batsman

How Out

Total

Balls

4s

6s

FOW

1

R. P. Turner

c Dewey b Smith

37

(62)

5

-

2-75

2

C. T. J. Williams

c W. MacDonald b Haworth

4

(4)

1

-

1-6

3

R. J. T. Hadfield

c W. MacDonald b Fletcher

51

(71)

5

-

6-133

4

I. Howarth

lbw b Smith

4

(7)

1

-

3-82

5

J. vdG. Webster

c Haworth b Dewey

3

(17)

-

-

4-99

6

M. K. Reeves

b W. MacDonald

21

(14)

-

3

5-131

7

G. J. Timms *

not out

29

(20)

5

-

-

8

J. C. W. Hotson †

run out

1

(3)

-

-

7-136

9

J. Newman-Robson

not out

6

(12)

-

-

-

10

C. J. Vermaak

 

 

 

 

 

 

11

J. D. Hoskins

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Extras

W3, LB6, B6

15

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL

(for 7 wickets, 35 overs)

171

 

 

 

 

 

 

#

 

Bowler

Overs

Maidens

Runs

Wkts

Econ

 

1

C. MacDonald

5

0

26

0

5.20

 

2

Haworth

7

1

22

1

3.14

 

3

W. MacDonald

7

0

27

1

3.86

 

4

Smith

7

1

23

2

3.29

 

5

Dewey

6

0

41

1

6.83

 

6

Fletcher

3

0

20

1

6.67

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Team

Moreton CC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#

 

Batsman

How Out

Total

Balls

4s

6s

FOW

1

D. Powell

c Vermaak b Reeves

14

 

3

-

3-28

2

S. Smith *

b Newman-Robson

2

 

-

-

1-2

3

B. Dewey

b Reeves

0

 

-

-

2-3

4

W. MacDonald

c Reeves b Vermaak

68

 

6

1

7-118

5

S. Fletcher

c Timms b Vermaak

27

 

3

-

4-100

6

B. Jensen

run out (Williams)

0

 

-

-

5-101

7

A. Lemming

lbw b Vermaak

0

 

-

-

6-103

8

E. Howat †

not out

15

 

2

-

-

9

C. MacDonald

not out

38

 

2

4

-

10

G. Haworth

 

 

 

 

 

 

11

R. Murray

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Extras

W82, LB1, b5

8

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL

(for 7 wickets, 30.1 overs)

172

 

 

 

 

 

 

#

 

Bowler

Overs

Maidens

Runs

Wkts

Econ

 

1

Newman-Robson

7

0

39

1

5.57

 

2

Reeves

6

0

24

2

4.00

 

3

Hoskins

7

0

39

0

5.57

 

4

Vermaak

6

0

31

3

5.17

 

5

Timms

2.1

0

19

0

8.77

 

6

Howarth

2

0

12

0

6.00

 

 

 

 

 

MOTM:  C. J. Vermaak

Champagne Moment:  M. K. Reeves’ catching of McDonald and loss of fingers

Buffet Award:  I. Howarth’s magic mushroom risotto

MAD Moment:  C. T. J. Williams returning the ball back into a tree

 

 

Opposition:  V105 / 02

Ground:  G099 / 01

Captain:  C022 / 79

Match No:  35 / 170