“(T)All In(n) a Good Day’s Work”

Match: 15 / 346

Won by 2 wkts

Team	Total
Enstone CC	158 - 7
D. Shorten 2 - 17, G. Timms 2 - 39
FFTMCC	159 - 8
I. Howarth 60, S. Dobner 33

The metaphor was plain for all to see. D Bussey had just launched a monstrous six straight back over the bowlers head into a nearby horticultural patch, narrowly missing a window or two, and moving serenely to his 100 in the process. In his attempts to locate the Duke being used (the Lord was absent, injured of course) J Pearson scaled a fence no taller than Tall Bob and set his radar to scan. No such luck – he’d need to climb over the creosote soaked blighter. Or he could have course have just walked through the open gate about 5 yards to his right.

You see The MAD don’t do things the easy way. At all. Ever.

Enstone discuss the shortcomings of The MAD. Of which there are many….

To say that the outfield is big at Enstonia is like saying Kate Upton has ample tatty-bojangles in those Game of War ads. It, and they, are ruddy immense. Armed with a flashlight, whistle, and floatation device skipper G Timms mounted his husky sled to make his way to the middle for the coin toss – and won. That he did this before most of his teammates had arrived caused many allegations of bribery and corruption. Still, that’s 6 out of roughly 100 won now. Is Timms beginning to turn the alliterative tossing tide? No.

Timms chose to field first, and I for one concurred with the decision. A new Astroturf had be laid just that week so Timms wanted his opponents to set the target to be achieved – not knowing much about how the (new) pitch would play. Or any pitch for that matter. For the record, it played like an Astroturf.

Playing in his first game of the season regular opening bowler D Shorten (8-1-17-2) looked rusty, until his 4th ball, when he had Enstone skipper W Speke (0) caught by ex-Mad skipper Westmoreland. Disappointingly Shorten would have to wait another 10 or so balls more before getting his second wicket of the season, comprehensively bowling P Myatt, also for 0. From the other end this season’s regular opening bowler M Reeves (8-2-24-1) continued where he’d left off in the weeks previous. Exemplary line and length from the over-priced all-rounder.

Mr. Smith – just another MAD batsman searching for direction….

Delighted with the efforts of his opening bowlers Timms turned to Rundle and Smith as his first change bowlers. And they didn’t fail to deliver. Which is generally positive when bowling in cricket. Both were meagre in what they offered the Enstone ranks and whilst Smith (8-2-31-1) got the wicket his spell deserved Rundle (5-1-21-0), who took an over to get ‘up to speed’, didn’t. Skipper Timms (7-0-39-2) took time to settle in to his spell but eventually snared J Watts (16), caught Howarth, in a trap that seemed faulty on a few occasions.

There was time for Ainsworth (1-0-11-0) to bowl one over before deciding he preferred the wild expanses of the outfield and allowing Howarth (3-0-12-0) to nearly get some economy fantasy points, were his maths better. Reeves would cling on to a fizzy caught & bowled (P Newton, 5) and a skipper/ex-skipper combo would run out T Peterson (0) before Enstone would set The MAD 159 for victory. Howarth and Reeves restricting the runs well in the dying overs.

Proof Mr. Pearson (batting) did something correctly on this day.

Towards the end of the Enstone innings their usually frozen habitat threatened to be more Enspana than Enstonia. Which was nice. As was tea, with The MAD’s cordial opponents being as welcoming and hospitable as ever. The hot sausages went down especially well. The plethora of cake wasn’t too bad either. Next year Russ, next year.

Out strode Pearson and Westmoreland in what is beginning to look like a settled opening partnership for The MAD. Clearly put off by this Pearson (0) swiftly returned to the pavilion after offering one up to gully. S Dobner, not necessarily wanting to bat at 3 but wanting to leave as early as possible to start his long trip home batted at 3 nonetheless. When Westmoreland (22), who looks on for a big score in the coming weeks, departed what The MAD really needed was a partnership of 67 from Dobner & Howarth. Luckily that’s what they got. Howarth, batting the only (and best) way he knows, offered up chances, smited boundaries, and generally entertained. Dobner (33) looked calm and assured before being toppled by the ace up Enstone’s sleeve, P Myatt (6.3-1-18-4).

So there it was, 105 for 3 and cruising. 54 needed off 14.3 overs at a run rate of just over 3 per over. The MAD couldn’t screw this up, could they? That’s not actually rhetorical – most know the answer. Of course they could.

Mr. Bullock (batting) aims at getting his mugshot in the EBI section of the website….

Ainsworth (4) was smartly caught behind. Howarth (60 off 75) pulled the lofted wedge out of the bag when he really should have had the hybrid club. Clean bowled. Shorten (0) showed all the patience of a housewife waiting outside Debenham’s for a Blue Cross sale; lobbing one up. Skipper Timms (3) played a captain’s innings for 1 ball, and a moron’s innings for the other two he faced. Bullock (0) waited a few balls for his chance to sky one up in the air. 149-8. Hmmm….

As ex-captains Howarth and Westmoreland navigated the 40 mile circumference of the outfield no doubt regaling tales of collapses of yesteryear, current incumbent Timms looked on nervously. Praying that finisher Reeves (18* off 21) and the nonchalant Smith (5*) would see the team home Timms seemed to be half-expecting Judas Emerson to emerge from the trees to bowl some death overs. Despite Reeves’ best efforts to get out a bludgeoned four from Smith took the pressure off before Reeves despatched the winning boundary. Sighs of relief all round. Big big sighs.

M. K. Reeves (batting) – finisher extraordinaire.

It would be remiss not to mention that for the duration of the Enstone innings, with wickets falling relatively regularly around him, one man stood obdurate at the other end. D Bussey (104*) was responsible for the third consecutive innings of real note against The MAD. It was a near chanceless knock, save one half-chance in the 80 odds, and one admired by all who saw it – friend or foe.

This week the foes were just glad it was not a winning knock. In fact Bussey became only the second player to record a ton against The MAD and leave the pitch defeated. The first being some fellow named M Reeves. It’s almost like Matt ‘Statto’ Bullock told me that. Because he did.

Squeaky bum cheeks time for The MAD….

A fine effort all round and the third thoroughly enjoyable tète a tète in row. And some green ink on the board 3 matches earlier than last season. Surely a sign of things to come…. Onwards and upwards comrades.

‘A. A. S. Vogel’

*

Statto Scorecards

Far from the MCC versus Enstone CC Played at Enstone CC, 26 April 2015 Far from the MCC won the toss and elected to field Far from the MCC won by 2 wkts Far from the MCC debuts: none

15 / 346 40 over match

Team	Enstone CC
#	Batsman	How Out	Total	Balls	4s	6s	FOW
1	W. Speke *	c Westmoreland b Shorten	0		-	-
2	P. Myatt	b Shorten	0		-	-
3	D. Bussey	not out	104		12	1
4	K. Anthony	lbw b Smith	10		1	-
5	J. Watts	c Howarth b Timms	16		1	-
6	F. Forder	lbw b Timms	1		-	-
7	P. Newton	c and b Reeves	5		-	-
8	T. Peterson	run out (Timms/Howarth)	0		-	-
9	D. Stewart	not out	1		-	-
10	J. U. Watts
11	W. Taylor †
	Extras	NB1, W19, LB1	21
	TOTAL	(for 7 wickets, 40 overs)	158

#	Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wkts
1	Shorten	8	2	17	2
2	Reeves	8	1	24	1
3	Rundle	5	1	21	0
4	Smith	8	2	31	1
5	Ainsworth	1	0	11	0
6	Timms	7	0	39	2
7	Howarth	3	1	12	0

Team	Far from the MCC
#	Batsman	How Out	Total	Balls	4s	6s	FOW
1	J. W. Pearson	c Forder b Speke	0	(6)	-	-	1-0
2	M. T. Westmoreland	c Anthony b Peterson	22	(34)	4	-	2-38
3	S. L. P. Dobner	b Myatt	33	(51)	2	-	3-105
4	I. Howarth	b Forder	60	(75)	8	-	5-135
5	L. G. Ainsworth	c Taylor b Myatt	4	(16)	-	-	4-128
6	M. K. Reeves	not out	18	(21)	2	-	-
7	D. Shorten	c Bussey b Forder	0	(6)	-	-	6-137
8	G. J. Timms *	lbw b Myatt	3	(3)	-	-	7-140
9	M. Bullock †	c J. Watts b Myatt	0	(8)	-	-	8-149
10	T. P. W. Smith	not out	5	(5)	1	-	-
11	M. S. Rundle
	Extras	W11, LB2, B1	14
	TOTAL	(for 8 wickets, 37.3 overs)	159

#	Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wkts
1	Speke	8	1	31	1
2	J. Watts	6	0	22	0
3	Peterson	8	0	32	1
4	Stewart	5	0	29	0
5	Myatt	6.3	1	18	4
6	Forder	4	0	24	2

MOTM: I. Howarth Champagne Moment: M. K. Reeves’ regulation caught and bowled Buffet Award: L. G. Ainsworth’s cheap and nasty sausage baguettes (out of date)

Opposition: V073 / 04 Ground: G061 / 02 Captain: C022 / 26