“BBC Live Text Commentary

As Old Foes Serve up a Treat”

Match: 12 / 262

Won by 3 Wkts

Team	Total
OU Offices	95 - 9
I. Howarth 2 - 0, J. Pearson 2 - 14
FFTMCC	96 - 7
D. Emerson 30*, R. Turner 23

1730: Hello again and a very warm welcome to BBC Village Match Special. You probably expected some guest interviews instead of some cricketing action given the recent weather in Oxford, but we’re happy to report that Brasenose College Sports Ground is no longer doubling as a nature reserve for mallards. Instead it looks forward to hosting its first match featuring the disparate Far from the MCC and their old adversaries the even more disparate OU Offices.

Geoff Boycott (left) is a surprise visitor for the evening’s T20.

1752: The two-faced, nutcase Mr. Rundle, successfully calls the toss and opts to have a bat, but MAD skipper Jake Hotson says he would have bowled anyway since a) most of the OUO players haven’t even arrived, and b) he hasn’t got a clue how this pitch will play.

1759: BBC Sport’s Simon Hughes: “Spin is a massive influence on T20 cricket. Batsmen have become very good at using the pace of a bowler, so I’m not surprised to see The MAD opt to partner swingster D. Shorten with pie-chucker T. Smith (2-0-11-0).”

Steve from Stevenage, text message: “Jesus Christ – are we really this short in the bowling department? Is Thorn wearing those bloody work boots of his? Haha – what a muppet.”

1806: OUO are 2-1. Shorten (2-0-3-1) gets one to swing back in and rattle K. Rodd’s (1) timber. Excellent bowling and the first MAD Brasenose wicket of 2012.

1826: BBC Sport’s Viv Richards: “It amazes me that people are just selected for T20 matches. If you have played the longer version, you can always make the necessary adjustments. Cricket will always be cricket. Nice partnership going on here with S. Griffin looking the goods – several booming straight drives.”

Rundle (left) discussing the joy of Darley’s absence from the bowling corps.

1836: Dear oh dear, an awful bit of running there leaves J. Count (5) well short of his ground as C. Roberts (3-0-18-0) collects a throw from Shorten off his own bowling and whips off the bails. 43-2 in the 9th over.

1845: The Offices rocking here as J. Pearson (4-0-14-2) nips out M. Quinn (4) and R. Turner takes a smart catch at mid on to send S. Larkin (0) on his way to the duck pond – which by the way is pretty much the entire perimeter of this ground. Mr. Griffin also gone – retired on the 30 mark – that won’t help either.

From Baby_Darley on 606: “The Offices rocking? Pah – Rolf Harris rocked it more at the Queens’ Jubilee! This team is nothing without me – NOTHING! Arf.”

1910: BBC Sport’s Simon Mann: “It appears the Offices are made of sterner stuff these days. M. Noonan and T. Dunstan have made measured progress as they take the OU innings well past the 50 mark.”

Morlers from Horspath, text message: “I once knew a bottle, the bottle knew me – hic, burp, we all fall down.”

1917: WICKET – Hotson turns to spin (sic) as he seeks to make a now crucial breakthrough. Introducing the experience of Dan Edwards (4-0-18-1) and the youthful guile of the G. Timms, it’s the former who strikes first having M. Noonan castled for an enterprising 29. Good knock that. Just what the offices required.

1926: BBC Sport’s Tony Crozier: “Intriguing change of bowling here as ‘death bowler’ Howarth (1-1-0-2) is handed the ball. WICKETS – firstly Dunstan (10) is bowled off his pads and then M. Rundle (0) is magnificently caught and bowled! Surely a Champagne moment if ever there was one? OUP have slumped to 88-8.”

1929: Final over: WICKET – Timms (4-0-24-1) does for Hurst (0) leaving a returning S. Griffin (35*) to biff a few into the outfield to leave the hosts requiring 96 for victory.

Boony from Abingdon, text message: “This Office side is pale imitation of the one I used to grace – even with Darley in the side!”

1935: A fairly quick turnaround at the interval with players mindful of the weather. It looks like Westmoreland will be accompanied out to the middle with the erratically entertaining Dave Emerson….

1951: J. Count (4-0-21-0) and T. Dunston (3-0-20-1) take the new ball and it the latter who makes the breakthrough by castling Westmoreland after a particularly scratchy knock of 8.

FFTMCC: Overs 7: 43-1 (TARGET 96): Emerson enjoying some success against some less than penetrating bowling – hoisting a full bunger from Dunston over cow corner for a maximum.

2011: BBC Sport’s Simon Hughes: “This is all a little bit easy as the FFTMCC pass 50. Surely Mr. Rundle has held some of his better bowlers back? Emerson has now retired with 30 to his name – a nice knock that.”

2028: Hmm. There may still be some life in this game as the spin of A. Gupta has Smith (8) pinned in front.

2035: BBC Sport’s Ed Smith: “It all looked a stroll in the park a few minutes ago with The MAD cruising at 68-2 after 13 overs. But two strikes in an over from Gupta (4-0-13-3) have changed all that! Shorten (1) and Roberts (4) both cleaned up in a matter of balls. Game on!”

From Indian_JMO on 606: “Hahaha – I’ll bet this match goes right down to the wire. In fact, I’ll give 33-1 on a TIE to anyone who wants a piece of it! Odds on!”

2041: The run rate has slowly inched up over the past few overs with G. Hurst and S. Griffin bowling expert lines and length. Rundle’s decision to partially reverse his bowling order seems to paid dividends.

2046: BBC Sport’s Simon Mann: “So, 12 runs required off the final 2 overs. The FFTMCC will not want to leave too many to get in the final over. Oh! A couple of big shots there from R. Turner – an agricultural hoik over a vacant cow corner followed by a sweep for four. Surely the game is gone for the OU Offices now? Yet more drama! WICKET! Timms (4) has spooned Hurst (4-0-17-1) straight to Rundle at mid off.”

R. Turner faces as the sun slowly dips behind the trees.

2050: Overs 19: FFTMCC 93-5 (TARGET 96). Just 3 runs required off the final over to be bowled by the excellent S. Griffin. Surely The MAD have this in the bag?

From Ionzo_Canada on 606: “One thing’s for sure whenever The MAD are in town – is that nothing is ever for sure. That I am sure of. I think.”

2055: BBC Sport’s Viv Richards: “You can’t quite believe this. Following a scampered bye, we get WICKET! WICKET! Turner (23) is castled before Pearson (0) plays on first ball! The FFTMCC still require 2 to win from 3 balls.”

A gaggle of Offices celebrate the latest MAD collapse.

Parky from Louth, text message: “What a bunch of utter tripe. Is it any wonder I left The MAD to play with sheep up north?”

2058: It appears Skipper Hotson has demoted himself to number eleven and dragged an umpiring I. Howarth off the field to quickly pad up and join D. Edwards at the crease. Howarth is barely clothed having been standing in his flip-flops and three quarters admiring the action in his umpire’s coat – hopefully he’s had time to get a box on!

2100: BBC Sport’s Michael Vaughan: “What a joke! Hotson has obviously bottled it – or is suffering from a grandiose case of self-doubt. Howarth, in his shorts, to face his first ball. An edge! It bounces just shy of keeper Noonan and the batsmen scamper a single as the ball squirts out on the leg side. SCORES ARE LEVEL! One run required for victory off the final ball – Dan Edwards facing….”

2102: BBC Sport’s Simon Hughes: “I guess you’d want your recognised top order batsman to see it home, but these two are new to the crease in fading light – what drama! Edwards MISSES the final delivery of the match from Griffin (3-0-3-2), but keeper Noonan struggles with the pace of it and parries it to slip. The batsmen scamper and first slip hits the keeper on the head whilst shying at the stumps! THE FFTMCC HAVE WON OFF THE FINAL BALL!”

2105: What a match! Who would have thought it possible for the game to go right down to the wire after The MAD were seemingly cruising at 63-1 off 11 overs. Office heads are rightly down as Edwards (0*) and Howarth (1*) trot back to their jubilant team mates applauding the finish.

Diving in mud is Champagne stuff (apparently).

2110: That’s about it from us as Russell Turner deservedly gets the MOTM nomination for anchoring things, whilst Roberts claims Howarth’s Champagne with a routine stop on the boundary. More wins like that and Captain Hotson will be on top of the world. More cricket coming up – so join us on Sunday for the second England v Australia ODI from The Oval.

‘The BBC’

*

Statto Scorecards

Far from the MCC versus University Offices CC Played at Brasenose College, 27 June 2012 University Offices CC won the toss and elected to bat FFTMCC won by 3 wkts Far from the MCC debuts: none

12 / 262 20 over match

Team	University Offices CC
#	Batsman	How Out	Total	Balls	4s	6s	FOW
1	K. Rodd	b Shorten	1	(4)	-	-	1-2
2	J. Count	run out (Shorten/Roberts)	5	(20)	-	-	2-43
3	S. Griffin	not out	35	(22)	4	1	-
4	M. Quinn	b Pearson	4	(9)	-	-	4-52
5	S. Larkin	c Turner b Pearson	0	(3)	-	-	3-43
6	M. Noonan +	b Edwards	29	(25)	4	-	5-82
7	T. Dunston	b Howarth	10	(21)	-	-	7-88
8	C. J. Vermaak	run out (Howarth/Hotson)	1	(3)	-	-	6-88
9	G. Hurst	b Timms	0	(3)	-	-	8-88
10	M. S. Rundle *	c and b Howarth	0	(3)	-	-	9-90
11	A. Gupta	not out	0	(1)	-	-
	Extras	(W3, LB1, B6)	10
	TOTAL	(for 9 wickets, 20 overs)	95

#	Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wkts
1	Shorten	2	0	3	1
2	Smith	2	0	11	0
3	Roberts	3	0	18	0
4	Pearson	4	0	14	2
5	Edwards	4	0	18	1
6	Timms	4	0	24	1
7	Howarth	1	1	0	2
S. Griffin retired on 30 and returned at the fall of the 9th wicket

Team	Far from the MCC
#	Batsman	How Out	Total	Balls	4s	6s	FOW
1	M. T. Westmoreland	b Dunston	8	(9)	1	-	1-26
2	D. Emerson	retired	30	(28)	2	1	-
3	R. P. Turner	b Griffin	23	(45)	2	-	6-94
4	T. P. W. Smith	lbw b Gupta	8	(15)	1	-	2-67
5	D. Shorten	b Gupta	1	(2)	-	-	3-68
6	C. D. Roberts	b Gupta	4	(5)	1	-	4-72
7	G. J. Timms	c Rundle b Hurst	4	(13)	-	-	5-93
8	D. M. Edwards	not out	0	(2)	-	-	-
9	J. W. Pearson	b Griffin	0	(1)	-	-	7-94
10	I. Howarth	not out	1	(1)	-	-	-
11	J. C. W. Hotson *+
	Extras	(NB1, W4, LB1, B11)	17
	TOTAL	(for 7 wickets, 20 overs)	96

#	Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wkts
1	Count	4	0	21	0
2	Dunston	3	0	20	1
3	Gupta	4	0	13	3
4	Rodd	2	0	11	0
5	Hurst	4	0	17	17rsttn
6	Griffin	3	0	3	2

MOTM: R. P. Turner Champagne Moment: C. D. Roberts’ diving boundary stop Buffet Award: G. J. Timms and C. D. Roberts’ joint sausage barbeque (with onion)

Opposition: V035 / 11 Ground: G040 / 22 Captain: C012 / 17