“Level 2 ICU”

Match: 22 / 564

Lost by 55 runs

Team	Total
Headington Quarry CC	165 - 2
M. Rundle 1 - 27, J. Harris 1 - 34
FFTMCC	110 - 5
J. Bateman 48*, D. Shorten 25

Most of everything seems a blur from about the time the match finished. To be honest, if Mark had’ve had his wherewithal’s, he could have collapsed during the final over rather than after it… an “Abandoned” match always looks far better on the website than… “Lost”. But you can’t choose those timings, just the people you surround yourself with, and in that respect, Mr Rundle had chosen so very wisely, even unbeknownst to himself. If what happened, had have happened, after a bump when he was alone … working from home, or having a piss in one of those illustrious Bicester pubs he frequents … then this report might never have been written. Or, more poignantly, he might not have been around to give it his blessing.

Driving through the entrance to the ground less than 24 hours after the incident, it seemed like returning to the scene of a crime. The flashing blue lights and ambulances were gone, the sunset replaced by clear blue skies, but Mark’s crappy old car was still there, parked by a hedgerow waiting for him to drive it home. Inside we found his work gear and other stuff that spoke his name, somehow more resonant than it ever could be. Don’t think, just drive it home. Thank you, Geoff.

Before we left, we glanced at the pavilion and the different faces, different expressions and a different mood. Gone was Ashleigh Edwards, the amazing young lady who performed and directed CPR, gone was the lady in the village who sped a pub defibrillator to the ground, gone was the retired army guy who took ownership of the incident, and gone were all the players who watched the drama unfold. All gone, such as Mr Shorten and his calm voice to 999, Mr Vermaak and his cradling of Mark’s head, Mr Williams who helped with CPR, and all of everybody else who played a part in that evening and days after … to simply… help Mark.

The weekend would disappear amongst a labyrinth of white rooms, corridors and curtains, animated by bleeping machines and monitors, hushed voices and the clanking of trolleys and equipment. If that was the backdrop, then it was illustrated by the superhuman doctors, nurses and paramedics who busied about, tireless and dedicated. Quite how these people remain so caring under the most stressful conditions is mind-boggling, but they do. Angels, all of them.

I know Sandra pretty good, and she suffers Mark remarkably well. But you only really get to know someone when they can possibly lose everything. I won’t forget those hours when Friday and Saturday merged into one and we hung on every sound that could be a doctor approaching, a paramedic with an update, just something or anything to cling on to. There wouldn’t be anything as it transpired, just a fog of intense tiredness, chronic anxiety, and a plea to go home … to sleep or prey or stare at the ceiling and return the next day. The hospital did phone in the early hours to say Mark’s condition was stable, or at least I think they did.

Mark’s family would arrive in the morning, and the relief to have his mum hug Sandra and for me to talk shit with his brother was indescribable. Suddenly, moods lifted. It was a new day, and everything was going to be okay. Why? You just know, and I really can’t answer the why.

“Dear, Mark … please hurry up and get better as I’m short of players.” – Russ

It is a fortnight ago now, and thankfully Mr Rundle continues to recover, his dry wit and crap jokes have returned, as have his excuses for not hitting that ball for six or mowing his back garden. In synch, his team mates continue to recover too, still processing the day, as they will, maybe for a good time to come. A bang to the head, a trigger of something unknown and personal soul-searching for everyone.

We lost that day, but seemingly we won. In fact, in hindsight it was a glorious win in the end … maybe our best ever.

‘Spam’

*

Statto Scorecards

Far From the MCC versus Headington Quarry CC Played at Stanton St. John, 27 May 2022 Headington Quarry CC won the toss and elected to bat Headington Quarry CC won by 55 runs Far from the MCC debuts: n/a

22 / 564 20 over match

Team	Headington Quarry CC
#	Batsman	How Out	Total	Balls	4s	6s	FOW
1	K. Matthews	b Harris	8		-	1	1-33
2	D. Todd	retired	50		8	-	-
3	J. Todd	retired	50		8	1	-
4	H. Matthews	not out	18		2	-	-
5	J. Frederick +	b Rundle	12		2	-	2-156
6	A. Saverton	not out	2		-	-	-
7	S. Matthews
8	M. Todd
9	A. Selfy
10	A. Matthews *
11
	Extras	NB3, W5, LB4, B13	25
	TOTAL	(for 2 wickets, 20 overs)	165

#	Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wkts	Econ
1	Howarth	2	0	17	0	8.50
2	Shorten	2	0	7	0	3.50
3	Harris	4	0	34	1	8.50
4	Vermaak	4	0	36	0	9.00
5	Kawada-Williams	4	0	26	0	6.50
6	Rundle	4	0	27	1	6.75

Team	Far From the MCC
#	Batsman	How Out	Total	Balls	4s	6s	FOW
1	C. T. J. Williams	c Selfy b S, Matthews	7	(7)	1	-	1-8
2	M. K. Reeves	c D. Todd b S. Matthews	2	(12)	-	-	2-15
3	J. C. Bateman	not out	48	(43)	5	1	-
4	R. P. Turner *	run out (Saverton)	2	(12)	-	-	3-25
5	D. Shorten	run out (D. Todd)	25	(24)	5	-	4-83
6	I. Howarth	c Fredrick b Selfy	4	(7)	-	-	5-83
7	M. S. Rundle	retired hurt	6	(11)	1	-	-
8	J. Harris	not out	1	(6)	-	-	-
9	T. Kawada-Williams
10	C. J. Vermaak
11	G. Carter †
	Extras	NB2, W7, LB3, B3	15
	TOTAL	(for 5 wickets, 20 overs)	110

#	Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wkts	Econ
1	J. Todd	4	0	10	0	2.50
2	S. Matthews	4	1	24	2	6.00
3	M. Todd	3	0	18	0	6.00
4	Self	4	0	24	1	6.00
5	Saverton	3	0	13	0	4.33
6	A. Matthews	2	0	17	0	8.50

MOTM: n/a Champagne Moment: n/a Buffet Award: C. J. Vermaak’s Cape Malay curry (extra saffron) MAD Moment: n/a

Opposition: V101 / 04 Ground: G009 / 08 Captain: C024 / 56 Match No: 20 / 163