“Annual Gin Tasting”

Match: 18 / 471

Won by 4 runs

Team	Total
FFTMCC	121 - 8
J. Webster 1 - 10
Hendrick’s XI	117 - 4
C. Williams 32*, J. Webster 32*

Once a year, Far from the MCC deviate from their usual beverages of beer and cider to sample the ever-increasing variety of offerings from the world of gin. It’s a timely departure, as many of the team have had a surfeit of the former on tour the previous weekend.

The format is akin to chess boxing, a hybrid sport combining two traditional pastimes, but with T20 cricket instead of boxing, and gin-tasting instead of chess.

After Far from the MCC won the toss and elected to bat, first up was C. Williams (11), complex but well balanced, with a dryness and zestiness to stand out; one that you instantly know is top quality. Although a few delicate cut shots were to be had, today’s supply was limited. T. Smith (4), who’d been swinging at everything, downed the remainder, connected with one, then missed a straight one.

Lovely shot of the T Smith exquisite cover drive.

Next came R. Hadfield and B. Walker (10). The latter, smooth and refreshing with big hits of orange and lemon citrus and hints of elderflower, with a bold blue bottle firmly hit everything in sight until finding the trajectory to Saunders at cover.

Hadfield, distinctive, aromatic and full of character and flavour, capturing the essence of the English coast, had begun to play the anchor role, and saw no need to change tack when joined by D. Emerson, with whom whether it’s the apothecary-style bottle or the sight of a cucumber garnish, is distinctive and recognizable and has opened many people’s eyes to the less traditional.

Launching into an explosive array of cuts, pulls and sweeps to complement the more customary drives into the V, Emerson (44*) quickly found the meaning of life, before his captain, R. Turner (0) – fresh, smooth and complex, expertly balanced to combine the pine, citrus, floral, sweet and woody notes that are all evident, with real heart behind the clean and fresh flavours, though not to be tried neat – didn’t.

Subtle juniper behind the bold, warm and herbaceous flavours, Hadfield (22) was still there, but as he tried to push the run-rate in the final few overs, soon wasn’t. G. Timms (5), M. Reeves (7) and C. Vermaak (2) all tried likewise with some success before J. Hotson (3*), complex, vibrant and untraditional, demonstrating new flavour notes and aromas, from berry fruits and citrus to floral and herbal characteristics, together with M. Rundle (2*), added a few at the end.

Williams wonders what’s between Ben’s ears.

121-8 the target to beat, some gin cocktails during the changeover, then The MAD would open their bar, which would prove initially to be somewhat miserly.

At one end, the traditional and iconic stalwart of the UK market for over a century, M. Rundle (4-0-20-0) was smooth and subtle, with more fruity flavours coming through in comparison to the mainstream. At the other, the well-recognized and popular M. Reeves (4-0-11-2), with a little more complexity than some, was comparatively subtle when it came to being driven by juniper, with the other botanicals also coming to the forefront, and bagged a couple of ducks.

The first change of bowling kept the visitors’ progress in check. Found in almost every bar, G. Timms’s green bottle was instantly recognizable to the home team, but not entirely to the opposition, as both established batters were bamboozled in his first over. At the river end, the bold and flavourful T. Smith delivered with fruity lemongrass at the forefront and aromas that bring lemon cheesecake to mind. The scoring rate may have picked up slightly but the worm and WASP still remained in The MAD’s favour.

Then it was Happy Hour. Timms’s (4-0-27-2) final over went for 14, and with fragrant lemongrass and hints of pepper exciting the batters, Smith’s (4-0-29-0) had a finish of sweet, fragrant orange and hints of rose petals for them.

Smith dispensing with a few hand grenades.

33 now needed off 4, and up stepped D. Emerson to bowl miserly outside off, conceding just three in the over.

Perhaps you wouldn’t expect South Africa to be producing fine quality spirits, but C. Vermaak is a surprise package. His first over was also on a length outside off, though a couple were deemed too far outside.

After Emerson’s (2-0-9-0) second, thirteen were required from the final over.

Not being overpowering or too perfumed, Vermaak maintained the pressure until eight were needed off two balls. Then, fielding wide off his own bowling as the batters scampered a single, on hearing his team-mates shout “Hold it!”, had a moment of hibiscus flowers and hurled the ball at the umpire standing behind the stumps, somewhat in the belief the latter would gather the ball and knock the bails off, but instead allowing an overthrow, which itself, as panic set in, was almost in danger of being overthrown again.

So, it wasn’t over yet – a six could still win it for Hendricks. It soon was, however. Vermaak’s (2-0-19-0) final ball was close enough to the blockhole, and the fielding not calamitous enough to allow an all-run five or six.

MOTM Emerson became MAD winner III of the prestigious bottle of spirit.

A bottle of gin for the winners, G&Ts each for the losers, and a relatively new sport had provided entertainment and excitement till the very end. Time for a beer…

‘Gordon’

*

Statto Scorecards

Far from the MCC versus Hendrick’s XI Played at Brasenose College, 10 August 2018 Far from the MCC won the toss and elected to bat Far from the MCC won by 4 runs Far from the MCC debuts: none

18 / 471 20 over match

Team	Far from the MCC
#	Batsman	How Out	Total	Balls	4s	6s	FOW
1	C. T. J. Williams	c Shaw b Robinson	11	(9)	2	-	1-11
2	T. P. W. Smith	b Robinson	4	(11)	1	-	2-17
3	R. J. B. Hadfield	b Bakhtiar	22	(34)	2	-	5-102
4	B. E. L. Walker	c Saunders b May	10	(15)	1	-	3-32
5	D. Emerson	retired	44	(24)	5	-	-
6	R. P. Turner *	b Bakhtiar	0	(1)	-	-	4-97
7	G. J. Timms	b Shackleton	5	(4)	1	-	6-103
8	M. K. Reeves	c May b Shackleton	7	(6)	1	-	8-113
9	C. J. Vermaak	c Saunders b Bakhtiar	2	(6)	-	-	7-113
10	M. S. Rundle	not out	2	(4)	-	-
11	J. C. W. Hotson †	not out	3	(8)	-	-	-
	Extras	NB2, W9	11
	TOTAL	(for 8 wickets, 20 overs)	121

#	Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wkts	Econ
1	Gilbert	3	0	10	0	3.33
2	Robinson	3	0	11	2	3.67
3	Hewlett	2	0	17	0	8.50
4	May	2	0	15	1	7.50
5	Shaw	3	0	19	0	6.33
6	Crawford	1	0	12	0	12.00
7	Bakhtiar	3	0	22	3	7.33
8	Shackleton	2	0	8	2	4.00
9	Wickham-Smith	1	0	7	0	7.00

Team	Hendrick’s XI
#	Batsman	How Out	Total	Balls	4s	6s	FOW
1	Q. Khattak	b Timms	21		1	-	3-33
2	T. Saunders *†	c and b Reeves	0		-	-	1-15
3	D. Shackleton	b Reeves	0		-	-	2-15
4	A. Bakhtiar	c Turner b Timms	10		1	-	4-34
5	O. May	retired	42		7	1	-
6	A. Cranfold	not out	23		2	-	-
7	J. Gilbert	not out	15		-	-	-
8	E. Robinson
9	V. Hewlett
10	J. Shaw
11	H. Wickham-Smith
	Extras	W4, LB1, B1	6
	TOTAL	(for 4 wickets, 20 overs)	117

#	Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wkts	Econ
1	Rundle	4	0	20	0	5.00
2	Reeves	4	0	11	2	2.75
3	Timms	4	0	27	2	6.75
4	Smith	4	0	29	0	7.25
5	Emerson	2	0	9	0	4.50
6	Vermaak	2	0	19	0	9.50

MOTM: D. Emerson Champagne Moment: M. K. Reeves’ bowling Shackleton Buffet Award: C. J. Vermaak’s Bobotie with extra egg-based topping MAD Moment: n/a

Opposition: V088 / 03 Ground: G040 / 72 Captain: C024 / 17 Match No: 20 / 124