“Out with the Old and in with the, er, Old”

Match: 14 / 313

Lost by 133 runs

Team	Total
Horspath CC	226 - 6
C. Roberts 3 - 42
FFTMCC	93
D. Emerson 26, G. Carter 18

It was with mixed feelings that the FFTMCC assembled for the first game of the season against traditionally strong and unforgiving opponents Horspath CC. On the one hand, at long last the wet (but unseasonably mild) winter was finally over, the weather was fair and it was time to start another season. On the other, Horspath represent one of our strongest opponents and previous seasons indicated that a severe hammering was on the cards

The omens did not look good as the FFTMCC arrived to see Horspath limbering up, running drills and inexplicably wearing bibs. One thing about bibs – bright orange is traditionally reserved for railway workers, whereas florescent yellow is for highway maintenance. Horspath had obviously come straight from the east coast main line.

A new season had rather surprisingly provided the FFTMCC with two new players. Welcome to Matthew Reading, useful opening run accumulator and occasional right arm bowler. Also, Quintin Sanders, right arm strike bowler and self-professed number 11 batsman. Welcome also to The MAD’s new / returning skipper, I Howarth, trying to cement his position as clubman of the year again by taking on one of the few club positions not already held by him. Ian’s first action as skipper was to lose the toss and we were fielding, although in an effort to take the match beyond 3:30, it’s likely we would have been in the field whatever the outcome.

The Far from the MCC assemble outside the now extended Horspath pavilion.

The MAD were accompanied throughout their innings by the sound of the commentary from the adjacent cycle speedway, where Horspath were taking a beating at the hands of Poole. It would be easy to be disparaging about cycle speedway, but there are plenty of more pointless ways to spend a Sunday afternoon, as was being demonstrated on the adjacent cricket pitch.

In Quintin Sanders (8-1-32-0) and Dave Emerson (8-0-46-0) The MAD have an opening bowling attack worthy of the words bowling and attack. However the Horspath opening batting partnership was also of some quality and therefore our two strike bowlers remained wicketless [D. O’Connor 42 retired bored, G. Hamilton 56 retired bored]. Howarth then turned to G Timms (8-0-38-0) who was making his one and only appearance this side of June, before he crosses the Atlantic for a few weeks. The MAD are certainly going to miss his deceptive, spinning deliveries, as he kept Horspath under control at a time they were looking to accelerate. After the retirement of the Horspath numbers 1 and 2, it was down to Reeves (6-0-39-1) to take the first Mad wicket of the season. Roberts (6-0-42-3) did his now customary impression of the little girl in the poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. When he’s good, he’s very good indeed, but when he’s bad, he’s horrid. This was exemplified by his three wickets and also conceding eight from one delivery. However there was more good than bad in his showing today.

Drinks. Thank fuck for that….

Howarth (2-0-11-1) and Pearson (2-0-10-1) wrapped up the innings, taking a wicket each. So what to make of this opening showing? There were bright spots aplenty. Horspath are a quality outfit, but at no point did they really cut loose as they have in previous years. Six wickets is a fine return and all bowlers found line and length after the long winter layoffs. Sanders, Howarth and Paddy Mellor all took fine catches. Patrick claimed after his to have uncovered the secret to catching. Apparently it is just a case of watching it all the way in to one’s hands. Ah, that’ll be it then Paddy, let’s see if that one comes back to haunt you over the remaining 39 games this season. On the downside, there was some woeful fielding with a certain rustiness permeating the field at times.

Tea was delicious and plentiful, but all too soon The MAD had to attend to the small matter of chasing down 227 runs for the unlikeliest of unlikely victories. I would say that I have more chance of winning Celebrity Master Chef (given that a, I’m not famous and b, I can’t cook) than The MAD had of reaching 227, but that would be a little unkind.

M. Reading and J. Pearson discuss who will contribute a single to the team total.

Matthew Reading (1) got The MAD’s season underway with the first run off the bat, very shortly before becoming the first casualty of the season. He was soon followed by Pearson (0) who scratched around, out of sorts. Mellor (0) fell to a wonderful diving slip catch. Howarth (2) tried to wallop his first ball out the ground and narrowly missed a golden, before settling down to a well- constructed 2. At 13-4 the game was more or less up and talk turned to whether the magic website wall of shame score under 50 could be avoided. That and whether Reeves could get the hang of the electronic scoreboard. Step forward Geoff Carter, who went all George like for 13 balls and scored 18, which was sandwiched between two bouts of 13 odd dot balls. Dobner (8), Reeves (10), Timms (10) and Sanders (5) all at least got a start and will probably have better days, but were really no match for the Horspath first, second and third change bowlers. Only Emerson (26) really got going and some fine blows compensated for his disappointment on the bowling front. Finally with Bob now on his customary 0 not out, The MAD were all out for 93. D. Todd the pick of the Horspath attack with figures of 4.1-1-23-4.

Q. Sanders and C. Roberts – the tallest last wicket partnership in MAD history?

As the shadows lengthened and the warm of the early spring day started to ebb away, The MAD were left of contemplate that it’s one down and thirty nine to go until the end of the season. A reasonable run out, well beaten by a good team, there will be higher highs and probably lower lows. It’s a marathon not a sprint.

‘Reevsie’

*

Statto Scorecards

Far from the MCC versus Horspath CC Played at Horspath, 13 April 2014 Horspath CC won the toss and elected to bat Horspath CC won by 133 runs Far from the MCC debuts: Matthew Reading (133), Quintin Sanders (134)

14 / 313 40 over match

Team	Horspath CC
#	Batsman	How Out	Total	Balls	4s	6s	FOW
1	D. O’Connor	retired	42		6	-	-
2	G. Hamilton	retired	56		6	-	-
3	D. Todd	b Reeves	21		2	-	1-133
4	J. Todd +	c Sanders b Howarth	26		2	-	2-171
5	H. Ward	c Pearson b Roberts	15		2	1
6	S. Berry	c Mellor b Roberts	11		1	-
7	L. Belcher	b Roberts	4		-	-
8	H. Moon	c Howarth b Pearson	14		2	-
9	T. Smith	not out	11		1	-	-
10	K. Patel	not out	9		2	-	-
11	E. Cummings
	Extras	(NB1, W9, LB5, B2)	17
	TOTAL	(for 6 wickets, 40 overs)	226

#	Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wkts
1	Sanders	8	1	32	0
2	Emerson	8	0	46	0
3	Timms	8	0	38	0
4	Reeves	6	0	39	1
5	Roberts	6	0	42	3
6	Howarth	2	0	11	1
7	Pearson	2	0	10	1

Team	Far from the MCC
#	Batsman	How Out	Total	Balls	4s	6s	FOW
1	J. W. Pearson	b Moon	0	(13)	-	-	2-5
2	M. J. Reading	c J. Todd b Cummings	1	(6)	-	-	1-5
3	P. A. S. Mellor	c Hamilton b Smith	0	(6)	-	-	3-5
4	G. Carter	lbw b Patel	18	(42)	4	-	6-45
5	I. Howarth *	b Smith	2	(13)	-	-	4-13
6	S. L. P. Dobner +	c Cummings b Ward	8	(22)	2	-	5-40
7	D. Emerson	st J. Todd b D. Todd	26	(30)	4	-	9-90
8	M. K. Reeves	b D. Todd	10	(18)	2	-	7-59
9	G. J. Timms	b D. Todd	10	(9)	2	-	8-75
10	Q. Sanders	c Smith b D. Todd	5	(19)	1	-	10-93
11	C. D. Roberts	not out	0	(4)	-	-	-
	Extras	(LB6, B7)	13
	TOTAL	(all out, 30.1 overs)	93

#	Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wkts
1	Cummings	2	2	0	1
2	Moon	2	1	1	1
3	Smith	3	3	0	2
4	Belcher	4	1	18	0
5	Patel	6	1	11	1
6	Ward	6	1	21	1
7	D. Todd	4.1	1	23	4
8	Berry	3	1	6	0

MOTM: C. D. Roberts Champagne Moment: I. Howarth’s running catch on the boundary Buffet Award: C. D. Roberts’ farmhouse cheesecake (with extra cream)

Opposition: V057 / 05 Ground: G046 / 05 Captain: C007 / 48