“Hats Off in Woeful MAD Performance”

Match: 20 / 521

Lost by 8 wkts

Team	Total
FFTMCC	67
J. Pearson 18
Islip CC	68 - 2
M. Rundle 1 - 5

After the most elaborate Covid-19 protocol seen to date, The MAD rocked up at Islip, fully tracked and traced with forms signed and hand sanitiser at the ready. Of course, once the match started all that was out the window, but it’s the thought that counts.

With all Islip pubs closed, people felt safe to congregate at the cricket ground in one massive uber-bubble.

The team were not in the best of form batting wise, averaging just over 100 in their last three Sunday outings. That combined with the notoriously sticky wicket meant that if we were batting first, anyone (Shorten) turning up after 4:30 was not going to see much of a game.

Despite losing the toss we were indeed batting and it was Russ Turner (5) and the bang in form James Pearson (18) who got us going. Both were looking good, despite the extremely heavy going and very slow outfield. Opposing them was young J Launchbury, who started by looking the less potent to the two openers, but once into his stride, basically ripped through the entire top order, dismissing five of the top six MAD batsmen, returning figures of 7-0-21-5. ‘Just too good’ was the view from the boundary as Carter and Harris (both ducks) in particular got good ones early doors. Carter was the most impressed, claiming that he is almost never bowled unless he’s trying to score a run, which is almost never.

Pearson (facing) and Turner looking the business before a shower of shit.

Not content with just bowling The MAD out, Launchbury chipped in with a catch off the spinner Brock to dismiss Timms (1), although in fairness it would have been more difficult to drop that spoon.

So, with just over 14 overs remaining it was up to Reeves (11) and Rundle (8*) to see out the overs sensibly to perhaps retain some level of respectability. Yeah right, like that was going to happen. Instead they contrived to stand at the same end whilst the stumps were scattered at the other. Reeves run out. The shower of shite was completed with Hoskins (3) taking guard about a foot outside leg stump then swishing at a straight one whilst Hotson (1) seemed to duck underneath a full toss which then took out the base of middle stump. All out for 67, woeful.

Exclusive footage of Rundle protecting his average (i.e protecting his stumps).

A sensible decision was made to not take a non-tea, so in just 10 short minutes we were in the field. Reeves (4-0-10-0) opened the bowling up the hill, but after four overs decided to sod this for a game of soldiers, so motioned to Gary that it was time for someone else to take a beating. At the other end Rundle (6-4-5-1) was in better form and deserved his wicket when Howarth leapt a full 4.5 inches in the air and about 5 minutes too early, but still managed to cling on with one hand.

This bought to the wicket very youngster S Anand. Like many of the youngsters who play for and against us, he appeared to have all the technique, but not yet enough of the strength to hit the ball far. We know that in 3-4 years’ time he’ll be either pilfering runs against us with ease, or more likely playing at a higher level, so for now we’ll just bring the field in and stifle / prolong the match a little. The plan was working until Hoskins (4-1-16-0) served up a full toss, which he smashed to the boundary, nearly taking Howarth’s head off in the process. After playing with patience until Islip were within spitting distance of the target, he decided to go all Ben Stokes and, taking the mickey just a little, reverse sweeping the skipper. LBW for 18.

Oh god no, don’t, I’ll wet myself. My sides are literally hurting. Hahahaha, that drop from Rundle, no, make it stop!

The MAD in the field against a nice pretty backdrop.

Oh well, a game played in a good spirit and all over by 5pm. It should be noted that the Abingdon Arms in Beckley offers a marvellous view of Otmoor.

‘Reevsie’

*

Statto Scorecards

Far from the MCC versus Islip CC Played at Islip, 23 August 2020 Islip CC won the toss and elected to field Islip CC won 8 wkts Far from the MCC debuts: Kaito Archie Kamada-Williams (158)

20 / 515 35 over match

Team	Far from the MCC
#	Batsman	How Out	Total	Balls	4s	6s	FOW
1	R. P. Turner	c A. Oliver b Launchberry	5	(19)	-	-	1-16
2	J. W. Pearson	b Launchberry	18	(25)	1	-	2-29
3	J. vdG. Webster	b Brock	2	(32)	-	-	7-39
4	I. Howarth	b Launchberry	5	(6)	1	-	3-35
5	G. Carter	b Launchberry	0	(2)	-	-	4-35
6	J. Harris	b Launchberry	0	(4)	-	-	5-35
7	G. J. Timms *	c Launchberry b Brock	1	(8)	-	-	6-37
8	M. K. Reeves	run out	11	(11)	2	-	9-59
9	J. D. Hoskins	b J. Oliver	3	(5)	-	-	8-46
10	M. S. Rundle	not out	8	(24)	-	-	-
11	J. C. W. Hotson †	b Anand	1	(11)	-	-	10-67
	Extras	NB2, W2, LB5, B4	13
	TOTAL	(all out, 24.2 overs)	67

#	Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wkts	Econ
1	B. Crawford	7	2	11	0	1.57
2	Launchberry	7	0	21	5	3.00
3	Brock	4	1	16	2	4.00
4	J. Oliver	5	1	7	1	1.40
5	Anand	1.2	0	3	1	2.25

Team	Islip CC
#	Batsman	How Out	Total	Balls	4s	6s	FOW
1	D. Goodfellow	c Howarth b Rundle	8		-	-	1-12
2	A. Oliver	not out	37		2	2	-
3	S. H. Anand	lbw b Timms	18		2	-	2-66
4	J. Swaddling †	not out	2		-	-	-
5	J. Launchberry
6	B. Crawford
7	H. Brock
8	J. Oliver
9	N. Mason
10	K. Crawford
11	S. Nelson
	Extras	B3	3
	TOTAL	(for 2 wickets, 22 overs)	68

#	Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wkts	Econ
1	Reeves	4	0	10	0	2.50
2	Rundle	6	4	5	1	0.83
3	Hoskins	4	1	16	0	4.00
4	Timms	5	1	12	1	2.40
5	Harris	3	0	19	0	6.33

MOTM: M. S. Rundle Champagne Moment: I. Howarth’s backpedalling one handed catch Buffet Award: J. Harris’ quarter pounder with fries (onion ring sides) MAD Moment: M. S. Rundle’s awful drop which knocked his hat off

Opposition: V078 / 08 Ground: G055 / 06 Captain: C022 / 95 Match No: 35 / 186