“The Times They Are-a-Changin’….”

Match: 14 / 340

Lost by 39 runs

Team	Total
Appleton CC	241 - 3
M. Rundle 1 - 37
FFTMCC	202
J. Pearson 90, R. Turner 22

With a doff of the hat to Paul Anka (lyrics), thus we begin….

“And now, the end is near;
And so I face the final curtain.
My friend, I'll say it clear,
I'll state my case, of which I'm certain.”

Back from a Tour of Duty in Shropshire – refreshed, reinvigorated and ready for a new battle. Well, not quite, but there you go, those are the breaks in life. Following on from Captain Howarth’s analytical and informed survey of the area (wicket) and subsequent decision to act first (winning of the toss), he had little hesitation in commencing the attack (sticking Appleton CC into bat). His thought processes factored in conditions being “more than favourable for bowling” and the enemy having a depleted frontline (“they have bugger all batting and it is going to be warm and sunny later in the day.”) It certainly was sunnier later in the day, but nothing else Howarth said, or did on this particular Sunday, was remotely accurate or useful. (File neatly in The MAD archives in the burgeoning folder entitled ‘A Complete Waste of Fucking Time’).

MAD troops are deployed in Appleton….

First off the landing craft near the Appleton sewerage works were Officer Cadets A. Darley (7-1-33-0) and J. Hoskins (5-0-26-0). Despite their trepidation and fear as the frontal ramp dropped onto the marshy surface, they performed admirably in the face of such adversity. We salute them – we treasure their memories.

The next disembarkation saw Second Lieutenants J. Pearson (5-2-17-0) and D. Shorten (7-0-40-0) exposed to lethal fire. Once more their gallant efforts will not be forgotten with their vanishing in a hail of red bullets. True heroes the both of them.

With tears in their eyes and letters to loved ones folded tightly in the breast pockets of their coats, Lieutenant M. Reeves (4-0-25-0) and Captain I. Howarth (2-0-19-0) were next to step ashore. It is doubtful they even raised their weapons in anger – flayed before they fell. We remember them. Particularly Reeves.

“Regrets, I've had a few;
But then again, too few to mention.
I did what I had to do
And saw it through without exemption.”

Last, but not least, and making magnificent headway following the courageous loss of their fellow compatriots, Officer Cadets G. Timms (6-0-38-1) and M. Rundle (4-0-37-1) at least gave the natives a whiff of their gunpowder. However small, however futile.

And then… the sewerage works fell silent. Appleton 241-3 with the Bennett Boys their standout fighters (EB 70 and JB 72*). Time for reflection and time to honour the dead.

“I planned each charted course;
Each careful step along the byway,
And more, much more than this,
I did it my way.”

“Yes, there were times, I'm sure you knew
When I bit off more than I could chew.
But through it all, when there was doubt,
I ate it up and spit it out.
I faced it all and I stood tall;
And did it my way.”

With the landing mission an unmitigated disaster, it was time to take stock and plot the remainder of the battle. Howarth had somehow survived the initial onslaught, found a book on battlefield robotics and rebuilt his fallen comrades as cyborgs. With a new semi-functioning, bio mechatronic platoon at his disposal, it was time to launch a fight back.

With any prototype cybernetic organisms, there is always going to be failures, but whichever FFTMCC department was responsible for the remodelling and rebranding of Captain Howarth (golden) is in need of a complete overhaul. Their calculations were terribly awry. He was struck in the forehead in the very first engagement and shattered into a thousand pieces after failing to process the minutest of commands. He will not be rebuilt, his model has subsequently been superseded.

The Id-10T Howarth model proved a disaster in combat.

“I've loved, I've laughed and cried.
I've had my fill; my share of losing.
And now, as tears subside,
I find it all so amusing.”

Cyborgs Reeves (20) and R. Turner (22) fared much better. The dedication of The MAD engineering department here paid dividends with both these state-of-the-art artillery units able to counter Appleton snipers before eventually falling foul of heavy weaponry. Airstrikes were called in, with advanced aluminum techbots, Shorten (19) and M. Westmoreland (12) supplying useful if limited suppressing fire. Eventually, and unfortunately, these units were lost in battle also.

“To think I did all that;
And may I say – not in a shy way,
"Oh no, oh no not me,
I did it my way".”

With hopes and aspirations of victory dwindling with every unit retired [in combat], it is worth noting the bioengineering shortfalls that came with models T410 Smith (5), A34 Darley (1), RG25 Hoskins (0) and M666 Rundle (2). The standard of build was clearly flawed from the outset and these biometric designs should have stayed in the FFTMCC Field Robotic Centre’s “Work in Progress” folder.

In any famous battle, there is always one combatant whose heroics tower over those of others – and their endeavors’ should be honoured (noted) as such. The technically brilliant and superior components design of the Advanced Infantry Combat Unit, the FATZ Pearson (90) droid, helped establish some real momentum. At times the unit looked isolated, indeed it was, but utilising its laser-guided grenade launchers and metal piercing gun turrets, it fought gamely to the end. Allied to its rigorously reinforced titanium body armour, it was able to repel nearly all of what Appleton CC could throw at it. Sadly, it fell before the grandest of finales, leaving the GAR1 Timms (10*) reconnaissance drone to retreat with stories of its fallen comrade.

Far from the MCC 202 all out after 37.1 rounds of battle.

The GAR1 Timms model lives to fight another day – the heir apparent?

“For what is a man, what has he got?
If not himself, then he has naught.
To say the things he truly feels;
And not the words of one who kneels.
The record shows I took the blows –
And did it my way!”

“Yes, it was my way.”

Gentlemen, it has and always will be a pleasure to serve.

The King is Dead.

Long live the King.

’Captain Howarth 13.4.2013 – 17.8.2014’

*

Statto Scorecards

Far from the MCC versus Appleton CC Played at Appleton, 17 August 2014 Far from the MCC won the toss and elected to field Appleton CC won by 39 runs Far from the MCC debuts: none

14 / 340 40 over match

Team	Appleton CC
#	Batsman	How Out	Total	Balls	4s	6s	FOW
1	E. Gilkes	run out (Timms/Westmoreland)	14		2	-	1-73
2	E. Bennett	c Hoskins b Timms	70		10	-	2-118
3	J. Bennett	not out	72		12	1	-
4	R. Walsh	st Westmoreland b Rundle	24		4	-	3-178
5	G. Alder	not out	44		3	3	-
6	A. Lord
7	M. Bungay
8	H. Bhella
9	R. Gilkes +
10	C. Salmon
11	T. Crowe *
	Extras	(NB3, W6, LB7, B1)	17
	TOTAL	(for 3 wickets, 40 overs)	241

#	Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wkts
1	Darley	7	1	33	0
2	Hoskins	5	0	26	0
3	Pearson	5	2	17	0
4	Shorten	7	0	40	0
5	Reeves	4	0	25	0
6	Howarth	2	0	19	0
7	Timms	6	0	35	1
8	Rundle	4	0	37	1

Team	Far from the MCC
#	Batsman	How Out	Total	Balls	4s	6s	FOW
1	J. W. Pearson	b Bungay	90	(98)	11	2	10-202
2	I. Howarth *	b Lord	0	(1)	-	-	1-11
3	M. K. Reeves	c R. Gilkes b Lord	20	(26)	4	-	2-46
4	R. P. Turner	lbw b Bhella	22	(32)	4	-	3-85
5	D. Shorten	b Bungay	19	(18)	2	1	4-124
6	M. T. Westmoreland +	c Bungay b Alder	12	(11)	3	-	5-145
7	T. P. W. Smith	b Crowe	5	(14)	-	-	6-165
8	A. Darley	c Bungay b Alder	1	(2)	-	-	7-166
9	J. D. Hoskins	c R. Gilkes b Alder	0	(3)	-	-	8-166
10	M. S. Rundle	b Alder	2	(5)	-	-	9-180
11	G. J. Timms	not out	10	(11)	2	-	-
	Extras	(NB4, W6, LB4, B7)	21
	TOTAL	(all out, 36.1 overs)	202

#	Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wkts
1	Lord	6	0	33	2
2	Salmon	6	1	38	0
3	Bhella	6	1	22	1
4	Bungay	7.1	0	31	2
5	Crowe	6	0	52	1
6	Alder	5	2	16	4

MOTM: J. W. Pearson Champagne Moment: J. D. Hoskins’ reflex catch in the covers Buffet Award: I. Howarth’s treacle puddings (with extra chocco topping)

Opposition: V051 / 15 Ground: G042 / 10 Captain: C007 / 60