“MAD Nail Pre and Post Game Rituals”
Match: 21
/ 530
Lost
by 42 runs
|
Team |
Total |
|
Cublington CC |
130 - 5 |
|
M. Reeves
2 - 34 |
|
|
|
|
|
FFTMCC |
88 |
|
R. Turner 23 |
|
|
“We’re very impressed that you booked into the pub both before
and after the game” – various members of the oppo and their entourage. In a season when a lack of nets and/or (for most) any real
physical activity for the best part of a year was clearly going to have an
impact, The MAD can rest assured that they always excel in the hours before
and after any cricketing endeavours. All 11 players assembled at the Unicorn
(it does exist) in Cublington on or just after 12 noon. Table 1 had secured a
spot in the blazing sun much to chagrin of a dappled in sunshine at best
table 2, who quickly moved to a sun-drenched sheltered from the wind table 3
– much to the annoyance of table 1. Drinks were served by the thoroughly
helpful and pleasant Unicorn staff.
A little after 12:15 MAD player #160 arrived. After a late
pull out by Lucan for… something, it’s best not to
ask, our resident Saffer, Corne, had procured a
Swiss national by the name of Dan (no middle name) Gerber to bolster the
numbers. Dan’s claims to be ‘slightly better at bowling than batting’ would
be put to the test shortly. That he had his own whites already seemed to be a
good sign. Right, Nuno? Timms flabbergastingly won the toss
as Howarth and Turner firstly checked on the allotment they’d sown two years
back when fetching balls from the bat of centurion Volitakis and, secondly,
surveyed the scene for said Volitakis. Mercifully, he was absent. The opening
exchanges had the feel of two fighters feeling their way into a fight. Some
light jabs. Good footwork. Surprisingly, it was Turner in the field that
nearly landed the knockout blow as he tumbled back under a skyer in that
inimitable style of his. As the legs buckled, the head (narrowly missed by
the ball) couldn’t defy gravity as it thumped to the
ground. Thankfully, unlike at Wantage some years back, Russ was okay to
continue and, more importantly for him, take part in the tea break later. After Reeves (7-1-34-2) removed a ‘hanging out his arse’ Gordon-Stuart for 9 by having Jake catch him off his
pads the game settled into a steady flow whilst Darley (7-0-20-0), Roberts
(4-1-16-0), and Vermaak (7-0-24-1) all kept things tidy. 60ish for 1 at
drinks with an innings that could still go many ways in progress. An
inauspicious start to the D Gerber spell with a socially distanced no ball
had all on tenterhooks. Dan (3-0-10-0) settled in though while a direct hit
from Timms throwing to the keeper’s end from mid-off removed Baines (31).
Studious youngster F Middleton (14) kept things ticking whilst J Taylor (33
off 25) looked to accelerate. Further wickets from Reeves, Vermaak, and Timms
(7-1-21-1) countered the counter of T Taylor (20*). Similarly
to the week before, The MAD would require 131 for victory.
MAD Debutant Dan Gerber skews one to gully. Tea was memorable for Geoff’s wilted sandwich and, less
amusingly, the departure of Tall Bob. Bob had started the tea break earlier
than most as he attempted to eat the ball a few overs from the end of the
Cubs innings. It’s a lesson always worth repeating –
watch for the bounce off the AstroTurf strip to the side of the pitch. Also,
Geoff, just buy yourself a Breville if you want it
toasted. Williams would give The MAD reply it’s/his usual impetuous
with a quickfire 16 before being removed by one that hit top of off. Turner
then looked on in disbelief as Carter (0) planted his toes right in front of
middle to a yorker first up. Disbelief that it happened again that is,
not so much that it happened. Maybe take a leg side guard? Howarth and Turner
would settle things a little with the former treating some half-trackers in
the correct way before feathering one through to the keeper. Howarth (10)
could count himself a tad unlucky. As could debutant Gerber (7). After
avoiding the ignominy of becoming the latest entrant to the Duck on Debut
hall of shame Dan scampered a few before unfurling a first MAD boundary.
Turner had different ideas though, calling his partner through for a quick
single that even a Swiss roll (sorry) couldn’t
salvage. Where did the fault lie? Let’s just say
with the game of cricket. At 56-4, and batting a man light, the reply was wobbling.
Darley headed out at #6 to settle things down a touch. Some textbook blocks
mixed in with some hefty blows. That’s how it’s done
fella. Karma would then see Turner (23) caught by a blinder at a sort of wide
slip/narrow gully. Again, cricket’s fault. Skipper Timms then strode out,
ready to at least talk a good game. During their brief partnership Darley and
Timms would see the scoreboard range from 27 to 856 before Darley (11) got a
decent one, bringing in Reeves just in time for drinks. Given both men at the
crease had faced 3 balls apiece they declined drinks, opting instead to have
an in-depth discussion on how best to approach the rest of the chase.
76-6. 55 runs needed of 15 overs. Only the three wickets in
hand though. Carter joined in the discussion which centred around how much
time the Mad still had. No need to do anything stupid. Even 2 or 3 maidens is
fine. Just stick in there. It was at least a 5-minute drinks break. Timms (4)
would then skew the first ball after drinks straight to short cover. Not
cricket’s fault. Corne would then offer the same fielder a much simpler
chance next up. Dropped. This did not please Timms. With most of the team
decamped to the sun baked far side of the ground scorer Turner would ask
those around whether ‘that was over’. Maybe let others do the scoring, hey?
Darley tonks one to
cow. Despite a couple of blows from Reeves (5) and Vermaak (6) The
MAD would again fall short, leaving Jake to face no balls for his
scintillating 0*. That's no balls, not 'no balls'.
Not a collapse so much, just a steady loss of wickets throughout. Cublington
spread the wickets around but special mention must go to the cricketing
encyclopaedia that is N. Carter (7-1-23-3). 88 all out, an improvement of 4
runs from the previous week chasing 4 less to win. On that trajectory – The MAD’s
first win will come in 8 game’s time. The timing of the booking at the Unicorn was hustled forward
to allow FFTMCC to show once again where they truly have no rivals. More
table chess begun the proceedings before awards were dished out. A champagne
run out, an increasingly familiar non-running ball-watching MAD Moment, and
the Dan of the Match. Sincere thanks for getting us up to eleven, Dan. With a
handy/promising debut to boot. We look forward to seeing more of you soon!
Thanks to all at Cublington and the Unicorn too. It’s a long way to travel to get beat. It’s
much much easier to do so when the
opposition are welcoming and convivial. ‘T. O. Blerone’
|
*
Statto Scorecards
|
Far from the MCC versus Cublington CC Played at Cublington CC, 25 April 2021 Far from the MCC won the toss and
elected to field Cublington CC won by 42 runs Far from the MCC debuts: Daniel
Gerber (160) |
21 / 530 35 over match |
|
Team |
Cublington CC |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
# |
Batsman |
How Out |
Total |
Balls |
4s |
6s |
FOW |
|
1 |
K. Gordon-Stuart *† |
c Hotson b Reeves |
9 |
(15) |
1 |
- |
1-12 |
|
2 |
C. Baines |
run out (Timms) |
31 |
(51) |
5 |
- |
2-65 |
|
3 |
F. Middleton |
c Hotson b Reeves |
14 |
(83) |
1 |
- |
3-90 |
|
4 |
J. Taylor |
c Williams b Vermaak |
33 |
(25) |
4 |
1 |
4-105 |
|
5 |
N. Carter |
b Timms |
1 |
(15) |
- |
- |
5-110 |
|
6 |
T. Taylor |
not out |
20 |
(18) |
3 |
- |
- |
|
7 |
J. Munday |
not out |
1 |
(5) |
- |
- |
- |
|
8 |
O. Venables |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
9 |
M. Middleton |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
10 |
O. Middleton |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
11 |
A. Howe |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Extras |
NB2, W12, LB7 |
21 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOTAL |
(for 5 wickets, 35 overs) |
130 |
|
|
|
|
|
# |
Bowler |
Overs |
Maidens |
Runs |
Wkts |
Econ |
|
|
1 |
Reeves |
7 |
1 |
34 |
2 |
4.86 |
|
|
2 |
Darley |
7 |
0 |
20 |
0 |
2.86 |
|
|
3 |
Vermaak |
7 |
0 |
24 |
1 |
3.43 |
|
|
4 |
Roberts |
4 |
1 |
16 |
0 |
4.00 |
|
|
5 |
Gerber |
3 |
0 |
10 |
0 |
3.33 |
|
|
6 |
Timms |
7 |
1 |
21 |
1 |
3.00 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Team |
Far from the MCC |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
# |
Batsman |
How Out |
Total |
Balls |
4s |
6s |
FOW |
|
1 |
C. T. J. Williams |
b Middleton |
16 |
(14) |
3 |
- |
1-22 |
|
2 |
R. P. Turner |
c Venables b Carter |
23 |
(46) |
1 |
- |
5-68 |
|
3 |
G. Carter |
lbw b Middleton |
0 |
(1) |
- |
- |
2-22 |
|
4 |
I. Howarth |
c Gordon-Stuart b Howe |
10 |
(18) |
1 |
- |
3-39 |
|
5 |
D. Gerber |
run out |
7 |
(13) |
1 |
- |
4-56 |
|
6 |
A. Darley |
b Venables |
11 |
(23) |
2 |
- |
6-76 |
|
7 |
G. J. Timms * |
c Middleton b Carter |
4 |
(4) |
1 |
- |
7-76 |
|
8 |
M. K. Reeves |
b Carter |
5 |
(12) |
1 |
- |
8-87 |
|
9 |
C. J. Vermaak |
b Venables |
6 |
(11) |
1 |
- |
9-88 |
|
10 |
J. C. W. Hotson † |
not out |
0 |
(0) |
- |
- |
- |
|
11 |
C. D. Roberts |
absent injured |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Extras |
NB 2, W1, LB2, B1 |
6 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOTAL |
(for 9 wickets, 23.3 overs) |
88 |
|
|
|
|
|
# |
Bowler |
Overs |
Maidens |
Runs |
Wkts |
Econ |
|
|
1 |
Howe |
5 |
0 |
17 |
1 |
3.40 |
|
|
2 |
Middleton |
7 |
1 |
30 |
2 |
4.29 |
|
|
3 |
Carter |
7 |
1 |
23 |
3 |
3.29 |
|
|
4 |
Venables |
4.3 |
0 |
15 |
2 |
3.33 |
|
|
MOTM: D. Gerber Champagne Moment: G. J. Timms’ direct run
out from mid off Buffet Award: M. K. Reeves’ smoked pork loins with treble dipped chips MAD
Moment: I. Howarth’s glanced shot for
a certain 4, no just 1, 4 once again… scampered 3 (with R. P. Turner) |
Opposition:
V107 / 02 Ground: G098 / 02 Captain: C022 / 101 Match No: 35 / 193 |