“I was There”

Match: 22 / 572

Won by 5 wkts

Team	Total
Isis CC	197 – 7
D. Shorten 2 - 15, J. Harris 2 - 45
FFTMCC	198 - 5
J. Bateman 106*, J. Pearson 45

Tour is just around the corner, fast approaching from seemingly nowhere. No matter, Geoff’s minibus has failed its MOT, Bob can’t escape work and Lucan forgot he was doing something else or doing another runner, who knows? That still leaves a healthy number of tourists, but firstly there is the small matter of getting this grudge match out the way and then dealing with a fixture against some other tourists the following day. I mean who sorts these fucking fixtures out pre-Tour??? Oh

Bla bla bla … Turner won the toss on a hot, humid and sunny day and what better that drain everybody’s soul and energy with a spot of fielding whilst the opposition put their feet up and smack the ball about? Stephenson (53) has smacked us about quite a lot over the years, and here he forged a nice partnership with young Stoneman as he smacked us about again. Thankfully, mercifully, Turner redeemed himself with a stellar catch in the covers to remove the aforementioned smacker of balls, thus causing a temporary lull in the action before Ponsford Jnr (55) joined the fray to smack it about a bit.

James and James discuss doing everything.

By the end of the fortieth over a total of 197-7 seemed about par on a pitch notable for being able to smack the ball about. Tea and a chance to relax back into deckchairs or sit on the pavilion steps obstructing everybody and moan about there being too many cakes and not enough sandwiches. There was plenty of fruit and of course the flapjacks are always a hit, but there did appear to be a shortfall of brown and/or multi seeded bread and perhaps a greater selection of cheeses would have been appreciated (the two can of course be combined). The guy tasked with teas was of course absent, most probably trying to walk some decorum into this Wheaton Terrier he recently purchased at Aldi. I say Aldi, as it seems to be of runt stock and hardly a hound to relax with. He will probably tell me different and to stop being so fucking rude. Actually, just found out he’s in San Francisco on some work’s jolly, like you do….

In reply, Williams (6) clogged one to Stephenson on the boundary, Howarth (11) walked across his stumps and Turner’s poor run of form continued when having his timber disturbed (6). Thereafter, the two James’ enjoyed steady progress and generous field placements to make exceedingly serene progress (making a mockery of those to fall beforehand).

Pieman East about to sling down some thick crust.

Pearson (45) has struggled to find his rhythm this season, mostly due to not playing and mostly due to not practicing, but his dad turned up on this day, so that makes all the difference (apparently) and James could therefore bat again. A fine 104 run partnership was ended when the wiles of Ponsford Snr had James swinging at something unseen, but an excellent knock nonetheless.

Lego (left) celebrates James’ ton.

With not an awful lot of runs now left to chase following that dismissal, but plenty of room to showcase a MAD collapse, Bateman opted to go through the gears sensing this might just be his day. It was as it turned out, carrying his bat through 37.1 overs and thrashing 12 boundaries (including 3 sixes) in only the twelfth MAD century in history. I have witnessed many a fine knock during my MAD career and this was right up there with the very best, so well done Digger and less about his scrubbing Howarth’s guard prior to that lbw (we won’t mention).

After Darley (6) edged behind it would be Mr Shorten (1*) who got to partner and embrace our centurion at the death. An excellent MAD run chase, an excellent victory and one that Isis CC most thoroughly enjoyed. Beers and banter were up to the usual standards at the pub thereafter, and nobody mentioned any of [Isis] Keith Whiter’s excellent decisions out in the field. We look forward to our next cricketing engagement with our neighbours soon, as we always will and do.

‘Guard Uncertainty’

*

Statto Scorecards

Far From the MCC versus Isis CC Played at Brasenose College, 24 July 2022 Far From the MCC won the toss and elected to field Far From the MCC won by 5 wkts Far from the MCC debuts: n/a

22 / 572 40 over match

Team	Isis CC
#	Batsman	How Out	Total	Balls	4s	6s	FOW
1	R. Stephenson	c Turner b Roberts	53		10	-	2-96
2	R. Kella	c Hotson b Darley	8		1	-	1-13
3	H. Stoneman	c Timms b Harris	20		1	-	3-97
4	P. Jacobs †	lbw b Harris	29		5	-	4-166
5	J. Ponsford	c Pearson b Shorten	55		9	-	5-188
6	P. Wiblin	b Shorten	6		-	-	6-192
7	K. H. Whiter *	not out	3		-	-	-
8	J. Bishop	run out (Harris)	0		-	-	7-192
9	A. East	not out	2		-	-	-
10	N. H. R. Wyatt
11	K. Ponsford
	Extras	NB2, W13, LB1, B5	21
	TOTAL	(for 7 wickets, 40 overs)	197

#	Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wkts	Econ
1	Darley	5	0	24	1	4.80
2	Howarth	4	0	14	0	3.50
3	Williams	4	0	29	0	7.25
4	Roberts	8	1	30	1	3.75
5	Harris	8	1	45	2	5.63
6	Timms	4	0	21	0	5.25
7	Pearson	4	1	10	0	2.50
8	Shorten	3	0	15	2	5.00

Team	Far from the MCC
#	Batsman	How Out	Total	Balls	4s	6s	FOW
1	C. T. J. Williams	c Stephenson b Wiblin	6	(5)	1	-	1-7
2	J. C. Bateman	not out	106	(109)	9	3	-
3	I. Howarth	lbw b Whiter	11	(25)	-	-	2-39
4	R. P. Turner *	b Wyatt	6	(10)	1	-	3-50
5	J. W. Pearson	c Jacobs b Ponsford	45	(67)	2	-	4-154
6	A. Darley	c Jacobs b Wyatt	6	(9)	1	-	5-185
7	D. Shorten	not out	1	(2)	-	-	-
8	G. J. Timms
9	J. Harris
10	C. D. Roberts
11	J. C. W. Hotson †
	Extras	NB5, W2, LB3, B7	17
	TOTAL	(for 5 wickets, 37.1 overs)	198

#	Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wkts	Econ
1	Whiter	8	0	33	1	4.13
2	Wiblin	4	0	25	1	6.25
3	Wyatt	6.1	0	21	2	3.41
4	J. Ponsford	7	1	39	0	5.57
5	East	5	0	24	0	4.80
6	K. Ponsford	4	0	21	1	5.25
7	Stephenson	3	0	25	0	8.33

MOTM: J. C. Bateman Champagne Moment: R. P. Turner’s spectacular diving catch (Stephenson) Buffet Award: C. T. J. Williams’ Sunomono salad (out-of-date leaves, poor vinaigrette) MAD Moment: C. T. J. Williams & J. W. Pearson fly-past after stopping the ball

Opposition: V009 / 39 Ground: G040 / 91 Captain: C024 / 64 Match No: 40 / 147