“Mike Makes People Laugh”

Match: 23 / 611

Lost by 7 wkts

Team	Total
FFTMCC	130 - 8
M. Reeves 36*, J. Harris 28
Wootton & Bladon CC	132 - 3
M. Rundle 3 - 31

The MAD’s record worrying winning streak would be snapped in pyrotechnic style this Sunday gone, as the very familiar Wootton & Cassington All-Stars romped home before the drinks interval. To be fair the game was finely balanced until the eighth ball of the match when Pearson ducked out, but thereafter interest waned, and local camera crews retreated back to the village to check out “The Cassington Tales” – a promenade play of five “factional” scenes from local life during the last 900 years. You’ve got to admire a place such as this where the community come together and support things (there, I did it, something positive to relate).

Geoff waiting for “The D” to open like any hardened drunk.

Arriving at the ground for a time-honoured pitch inspection, it quickly became apparent nobody had a bloody clue how the wicket would play, so Captain Turner deftly loss the toss to have his opposite number decide. This Barber did and stuck a misfiring MAD into bat to proper embarrass themselves. Harris (28) just about kept things on the rails despite the ineptitude at the other end, before Howarth (12) and Timms went to consecutive balls from Walker (2-26). A rare nod of the head to Poole Snr who quietly enjoyed himself with an extremely cheeky 4-fer, The MAD innings now listing like a pissed pirate on a sinking galleon at 78-8.

With Reeves and Rundle now at the crease and 11.4 overs still to negotiate, Bob clambered eagerly into his pads and dialled into batting mode. There he sat awaiting his turn rehearsing all eventualities. This was his day to make a signature statement, or certainly to sit there with his pads on as Mike (36*) and PK (18*) swatted some latter over flan in an unbeaten 9th wicket partnership worth 45*. Final MAD tally 130-8 and time for Bob to take his pads off again.

Here we see Mike fluff the ball at least a metre.

Tea was a convivial affair with a very nice spread to boot (as is always with this team). Mr Reeves was most impressed by the stackable sandwich trays and Russ the smorgasbord of cakes and scones. Bob quietly finished his cuppa and neatly tucked his pads back into his kit bag.

Any loitering drizzle had vanished when the teams returned to the field as opener N Hambridge took out his favourite driver and began clubbing everything down the main fairway. Shorten and Bob got marmalised amidst the carnage and the score had raced to 90-0 after just 11 overs of filth. Economical stuff, lads. Tidy.

Rundle v2.0 protecting his average.

One shining light amongst the dross was the efforts of Player of the Season in waiting, Rundle v2.0, who despite an initial clobbering, stayed true to his metronomic metronomy to walk away with the wicket of Hambidge (63) and figures of 5-0-31-3. Well done him and another Champagne catch in the deep by that Shorten fellow.

With the match almost over, it was time to put it out of its misery and put a smile back on everyone’s face. With what would be the final ball delivered by Harris, it was twatted into orbit towards the deep mid-wicket boundary, where a haphazard Reeves circled underneath it, completely misjudged it and much to everyone’s delight, subsequently stumbled over a fence into the undergrowth. A rare sight indeed where both sets of players are rolling on the turf gasping for oxygen. We thank you, Mike and potentially will see you re-enact this MAD Moment at the AGM.

Hands up who thinks Mike’s gaff in the deep was a MAD season lowlight.

Game over and back to where we started at the Red Lion pub where Mike could enjoy a proper piss-taking. We must thank you also Wootton – it is always a pleasure to play against you lads, and we very much look forward to giving you a good pasting next season. Winter well!

’Richard Fosbury’

*

Statto Scorecards

Far From the MCC versus Wootton & Bladon CC Played at Cassington, 10 September 2023 Wootton & Bladon CC won the toss and elected to field Wootton & Bladon CC won by 7 wkts Far from the MCC debuts: n/a

23 / 611 35 over match

Team	Far From the MCC
#	Batsman	How Out	Total	Balls	4s	6s	FOW
1	D. Shorten	b Trinder	17	(31)	3	-	1-6
2	J. W. Pearson	c White b Barber	0	(2)	-	-	2-35
3	J. Harris	b Poole	28	(39)	5	-	3-49
4	G. Carter	lbw b Poole	5	(21)	-	-	4-60
5	I. Howarth	b Walker	12	(19)	-	-	5-66
6	J. C. W. Hotson †	c Doggett b Poole	3	(11)	-	-	6-74
7	R. P. Turner *	c Bouwer b Poole	4	(12)	-	-	7-78
8	M. K. Reeves	not out	36	(38)	4	-	8-78
9	G. J. Timms	c Doggett b Walker	0	(1)	-	-
10	M. S. Rundle	not out	18	(36)	1	-
11	C. D. Roberts
	Extras	W2, LB2, B3	7
	TOTAL	(for 8 wickets, 35 overs)	130

#	Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wkts	Econ
1	Trinder	7	1	14	1	2.00
2	Barber	7	1	35	1	5.00
3	Walker	7	1	26	2	3.71
4	Poole	7	0	16	4	2.29
5	Dale	5	1	26	0	5.20
6	De Bono	2	0	8	0	4.00

Team	Wootton & Bladon CC
#	Batsman	How Out	Total	Balls	4s	6s	FOW
1	A. White	not out	44	(58)	6	-	1-94
2	N. Hambridge	c Shorten b Rundle	63	(38)	9	1	2-115
3	J. J. Bouwer	lbw b Rundle	13	(18)	2	-	3-115
4	T. Gorton	b Rundle	0	(2)	-	-
5	G. Doggett †	not out	4	(9)	-	-
6	D. De Bono
7	J. Trinder
8	W. Dale
9	J. Barber *
10	A. Walker
11	S. Poole
	Extras	W2, LB2, B4	8
	TOTAL	(for 3 wickets, 20.5 overs)	132

#	Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wkts	Econ
1	Roberts	4	0	27	0	6.75
2	Shorten	3	0	27	0	9.00
3	Rundle	5	0	31	3	6.20
4	Timms	5	0	32	0	6.40
5	Pearson	2	1	2	0	1.00
6	Harris	1.5	0	8	0	4.36

MOTM: M. S. Rundle Champagne Moment: D. Shorten’s superbly judged catch at long off (N Hambridge) Buffet Award: D. Shorten’s free-range chicken and home-grown salad MAD Moment: M. K. Reeves’ misjudged catch in the deep and awfully funny boundary fence tumble

Opposition: V025 / 039 Ground: G067 / 010 Captain: C024 / 081 Match No: 35 / 228