“Moo-Ball!”
Match: 16
/ 395
Won
by 3 runs
|
Team |
Total |
|
FFTMCC |
129 - 5 |
|
I. Howarth 44*, D. Shorten
20 |
|
|
|
|
|
FFTMCC |
126 - 8 |
|
D. Shorten 2 - 8, M. Westmoreland 2 - 20 |
|
|
It was any typical day
for Martin Westmoreland. Wake up, smash a mirror, have some breakfast, walk
under a ladder, drive to work, run over a black cat, come home, shoot an
albatross, then in the evening, go and play cricket. On this particular
evening the FFTMCC were welcoming the Hendricks XI, a touring side who played
cricket at Warwick University, but not for Warwick University you understand.
The story of how they got their name is as long and convoluted as that of the
FFTMCC, something to do with sponsorship from the University or some such.
Hendrick’s XI. THXI won the toss and
put us in to bat on a pitch which had been keeping exceptionally low of late,
but was not underwater and that’s the only thing that counts on a warm
summer’s evening. First to the crease was
Martin Westmoreland, who paused only to whistle in a theatre and do something
involving the number four with a person from China. Seven balls into his
innings he received a chest high delivery, which he swatted direct to
mid-off. THXI appealed, but Martin stood incredulous, his knowledge of the
laws of cricket sadly lacking. Here for his benefit, the relevant sections
are set out below. Law 34.1.2 – If, in the opinion of
the square leg umpire, the ball reaches the batsman without bouncing, above
waist height, in his starting position in the crease, he cannot be out. In
this instance one run is added to the batting sides total in addition to any
runs scored from the delivery. This rule applies unless superseded under the
provision of Law 34.1.2a. Law 34.1.2a – If the square leg
umpire is asleep or otherwise distracted, or the batsman’s initials are MW,
then the ball shall be deemed a “Moo-Ball!” In this instance the batsman will
be given out “caught”.
George creams one through the covers. At the other end, Geoff
was being George-ish, with 11 of 15, Nick “Gun arm” Hill was playing some
un-baseball like shots for 14 off 21. Then came the potential match winning
innings from Howarth, with a 44 n.o. off only 39
deliveries. At this point he had to retire, which came as some surprise,
until it was explained that skipper Shorten had invoked the rarely (nay
uniquely) used law of retire at 42. Shorten himself got a
decent 20 off 28 balls and Sunday skipper Timms a nice 12 n.o
off 12. Other issues of note were J Hoskins second golden duck in the space
of three days and Reeves further extending his not out record with a cameo
one off two. At the end of 20 overs, the FFTMCC had reached a rather
respectable 129 in 20 overs despite some accurate and consistent bowling from
THXI. Opening the bowling for
the FFTMCC was Reeves (4-1-10-1) who was as stingy with his bowling as he is
with club’s finances. He was well backed up by Smith (3-0-19-0). Reading
(4-0-36-0) was looking rusty after a long layoff, but it’s very good to see
him back and practice can only make more perfect. At least he didn’t break
anything this evening.
At 80 from 14 overs THXI
were going along at a respectable pace and looking favourites. They were ably
assisted by some sloppy fielding from the home team, but all that changed in
an instant as Thornton threw down the one stump he had to aim at from 25
yards to remove opener R Quest. Soon after there was a “beautiful” stumping
by Jake Hotson off the bowling of Hoskins (4-0-17-1) and the match had
turned. Skipper Shorten
(2-0-8-2) then turned to Westmoreland (2-0-20-2) to turn the screw. Martin
set off from his mark, pausing only to usher a woman on board a ship in the
18th century. One delivery was a corker, a certain wicket or so
Martin thought, but again his knowledge of the laws of cricket had let him
down. Here are the relevant sections: Law 87.1.1.2 – If the ball is an
otherwise fair delivery and strikes the batsman’s wicket simultaneously with
striking the ground, thus dislodging either or both of the bails, the batsman
shall be given out (bowled) unless exempt under the provision of Law
87.1.1.2a. Law 87.1.1.2a – If the bowler’s
surname should start with a “W” and end with “estmoreland”,
then the ball should be deemed a “Moo-Ball!” In this instance the batsman
shall be given not out, one run will be applied to the batting team’s total
and the delivery must be bowled again. Timms (1-0-16-1) then came
on to buy himself a wicket and steal the buffet. In the end THXI needed 21
off the last two overs and very nearly got there, however FFTMCC held on to
win by one run (which turned in to three runs once the scores had been
scrutinised.)
THXI have a proud
tradition of presenting the MOTM from their opposition with a bottle of
Hendricks Gin as a sign of their friendship and generosity. They voted Ian
Howarth as the grateful recipient although this was overturned as a protest
vote by the FFTMCC to award skipper Shorten the official and non-prize
receiving version. The FFTMCC are now
inevitably seeking teams with a similar ethos with names such as Ferrari XI
or House in the Cotswolds XI. ‘Reevsie’
|
*
Statto Scorecards
|
Far from the MCC versus Hendrick’s
XI Played at Brasenose College, 22 July
2016 Hendrick’s XI won the
toss and elected to field Far from the MCC won by 3 runs Far from the MCC debuts: none |
16 / 395 20 over match |
|
Team |
Far from the MCC |
|
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|
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|
# |
Batsman |
How Out |
Total |
Balls |
4s |
6s |
FOW |
|
1 |
M. T. Westmoreland |
c May b Shah |
5 |
(6) |
1 |
- |
1-17 |
|
2 |
G. Carter |
b Modi |
11 |
(15) |
2 |
- |
2-30 |
|
3 |
N. S. Hill |
b Pitt |
14 |
(21) |
2 |
- |
3-50 |
|
4 |
I. Howarth |
retired |
44 |
(39) |
7 |
- |
- |
|
5 |
D. Shorten * |
c Hewlett b Khattak |
20 |
(28) |
4 |
- |
4-87 |
|
6 |
G. J. Timms |
not out |
12 |
(12) |
2 |
- |
- |
|
7 |
J. D. Hoskins |
b Khattak |
0 |
(1) |
- |
- |
5-124 |
|
8 |
M. K. Reeves |
not out |
1 |
(2) |
- |
- |
- |
|
9 |
J. C. W. Hotson † |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
10 |
M. J. Reading |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
11 |
T. P. W. Smith |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Extras |
NB8, W8, LB1, B5 |
22 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOTAL |
(for 5 wickets, 20 overs) |
129 |
|
|
|
|
|
# |
Bowler |
Overs |
Maidens |
Runs |
Wkts |
|
|
1 |
Shah |
2 |
0 |
15 |
1 |
|
|
2 |
Modi |
3 |
0 |
13 |
1 |
|
|
3 |
Quest |
4 |
0 |
25 |
0 |
|
|
4 |
Pitt |
4 |
0 |
15 |
1 |
|
|
5 |
May |
3 |
0 |
25 |
0 |
|
|
6 |
Khattak |
3 |
0 |
21 |
2 |
|
|
7 |
Hewlett |
1 |
0 |
9 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Note: I. Howarth retired at
124-4 (19.0 overs) |
||||||
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|
Team |
Hendrick’s XI |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
# |
Batsman |
How Out |
Total |
Balls |
4s |
6s |
FOW |
|
1 |
R. Quest |
run out (Smith) |
28 |
|
4 |
- |
2-47 |
|
2 |
O. May |
b Reeves |
3 |
|
- |
- |
1-9 |
|
3 |
J. Modi |
st Hotson b Hoskins |
17 |
|
1 |
- |
3-58 |
|
4 |
S. Minchinton |
c Shorten b Westmoreland |
17 |
|
- |
- |
5-93 |
|
5 |
T. Saunders *† |
b Shorten |
18 |
|
3 |
- |
4-85 |
|
6 |
W. Pitt |
b Timms |
12 |
|
1 |
1 |
6-105 |
|
7 |
Q. Khattak |
not out |
9 |
|
1 |
- |
- |
|
8 |
H. Wickham-Smith |
b Westmoreland |
5 |
|
1 |
- |
7-121 |
|
9 |
T. Metcalf |
b Shorten |
2 |
|
- |
- |
8-124 |
|
10 |
J. Hewlett |
not out |
4 |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
11 |
A. Shah |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Extras |
W7, LB1, B3 |
11 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOTAL |
(for 8 wickets, 20 overs) |
126 |
|
|
|
|
|
# |
Bowler |
Overs |
Maidens |
Runs |
Wkts |
|
|
1 |
Reeves |
4 |
1 |
10 |
1 |
|
|
2 |
Smith |
3 |
0 |
19 |
0 |
|
|
3 |
Reading |
4 |
0 |
36 |
0 |
|
|
4 |
Hoskins |
4 |
0 |
17 |
1 |
|
|
5 |
Shorten |
2 |
0 |
8 |
2 |
|
|
6 |
Westmoreland |
2 |
0 |
20 |
2 |
|
|
7 |
Timms |
1 |
0 |
16 |
1 |
|
|
MOTM: D. Shorten Champagne Moment: T. P. W. Smith’s direct
run out (one stump to aim at) Buffet
Award: G. J. Timms’ griddled
asparagus with feta, olives and oregano |
Opposition:
V088 / 01 Ground: G040 / 52 Captain: C016 / 20 |