GOOGLIES & CHINAMEN
An Occasional Cricketing Journal
Edition 149
May 2015
Championship Matters
The season got underway in the now habitual manner with the opener of MCC versus last year’s champions taking place not at Lords but in the UAE. This no doubt makes financial sense to someone and gives a nice freebee to the players and journalists but does nothing for the cricket lovers at home. It has also become customary for the test team to be away at this time paying homage to the ICC test match timetable.
But the County Championship cannot be put off by such matters and matches were soon underway across the country in both divisions. Most of us treat the two divisions as pretty much the same largely because the counties we support from time to time find themselves in the second division. Some snobs claim that only the first division counts and the England set up certainly seemed to support that by taking over half of the Yorkshire side on its Caribbean jaunt. They will never be able to recall KP on this basis since all his second division runs, if he ever gets any, will have been scored against crap bowling.
The first man to fill his boots this season was one on the fringes of the England set up, Alex Hales. He found the Yorkshire second XI attack so tasty that he reached 236 before being dismissed. Martin Guptill has been an overseas player with Derbyshire since 2011 but has never made a substantial mark. This may be in the process of changing. At Bristol against Gloucestershire he made 227 at over a run a ball in an innings that included eleven sixes. If the wickets stay hard then it may be worth going out of your way to see Guptill this season.
The Sussex batting line up has an unfamiliar look to it and when they visited Chester-le Street they lost wickets regularly with no one reaching fifty. When Steve Magoffin was dismissed they were 171 for 9 and the groundstaff were already starting up the roller, but they hadn’t reckoned for what proved to be an extraordinary partnership. Matthew Hobden who had a previous best of 18 came in at number eleven to join debutant Oliver Robinson. In just under two hours these two added 164 for the last wicket. Robinson made 110 and Hobden was 65 not out. The partnership beat the record of 156 for Sussex, which had stood since 1908.
Seventeen year old Dan Lawrence of Essex also hit a maiden hundred (161) at the Oval in only his second first class match and became only the third seventeen year old to record a ton in the Championship. And then there was Middlesex’s run chase at Taunton. But I expect that Jack will tell us about that.
Meanwhile did I watch the tests in the Caribbean on the television? Well I tried to but kept sneaking over to the IPL and eventually gave in and wallowed in the sheer quality of it. The mix of local talent and superstars in each team seems to work and the crowds are enormous. There haven’t been too many huge scores despite good wickets, which shows that the bowling continues to improve. Only Morgan and Bopara of the England brigade have been in attendance. Our bowlers will not improve unless they play with and against the best and at present they are not even sought by the IPL franchises. First Class cricket in England will continue to be taken seriously by those living here but it is rapidly becoming a second-class backwater. Incidentally last month I singled out McCullum, Maxwell and de Villiers as leading a new wave of batsmen. I now add Steve Smith to this bunch. We are in for a treat this summer if he continues his current form.
Out and About in Grenada
The Professor has been in the Caribbean
The National Stadium of Grenada has a capacity of about a sixth of the entire population. It is, as a result, never full. Why should they build such a big, expensive venue? Answer, they didn't... the Chinese did. OK, so why did the Chinese build such a big, expensive venue? Answer, it is a bribe, in exchange for the Grenadian vote in the UN. The Japanese do a similar thing, apparently, for "whaling votes". The result however is an excellent stadium, with a pitch that lasted well, and a lush outfield that often held the ball up and stopped it "racing" to the boundary (it must be time, dear god, to change that metaphor).
The decision to bowl first was the right one - it would be scarcely possible to find better condition for swing bowling than on the first morning; a dull, muggy, steamy sort of day. And we have England's most successful ever swing bowler in the team. It wasn't Cook's fault that Anderson bowled like a drain. If he and Broad had bowled well that morning I doubt that the Windies would have scored 100. They didn't, and 299 was way more than they should have made. However, a decent opening stand for once, Yorkshire grit and flair in the middle, a truly wonderful innings from Root and a first innings lead that should have been so much more had the tail adhered to one of the eternal verities of cricket: if you're batting with someone who is smacking the ball round the park your job is to stay in...they didn't. A run-out, a stupid shot (yet again) from Broad, another run-out and thus a useful - rather than commanding - lead.
Sir Vivian Richards' Ground, Antigua
The final morning was, of course, a revelation and forgave all that went before. Anderson remembered how to bowl (as well as catch and throw) and the result was a stunning win. It was a great fillip for the travelling fans after the poor draw in Antigua where the pitch proved too good for the England bowlers to get what is now universally referred to as a "result".
Last day's play in Grenada
The abandoned test at the Sir Vivian Richards stadium was such an embarrassment for Antigua (and produced so much anger from Himself...which no one wants to be too close to) that they were determined to get it right this time...and they did. The run ups (runs-up?) were fine and the pitch played well at all times. It is another excellent stadium (more Chinese money...two votes) with impressive stands at each end and open grass terraces at the sides to give ample drinking room for the Army. The problem is the location. The stadium is in the middle of the island but almost nothing else is. So, unlike the old St Johns recreation ground it isn't possible to pop in to the cricket after work and the result is that while the facilities are far superior, the atmosphere has been lost.
Having said that, it was an interesting match, some fine batting, especially by England, but contested by two sides not, I suggest, of the first rank.
So what might be deduced from the two Tests? Well, for me the big pluses were the middle order batsmen who all got some runs and the England fielding which was generally excellent. The problems are, obviously, the opening spot, the wicket keeping (poor on both sides) and the bowling (unless Jimmy is in the mood). It doesn't even look kind to make Trott open but the rumour was, before the first game, that England want him to open in all three Tests. We shall see. Buttler had an indifferent match here and those pushing Bairstow's case have cause for continued pushing. But the big issue, of course, is the bowling. For England's premier pace bowlers to look so inept against the tail in Antigua (no matter how good the pitch) is a worry and the back-up quick bowling scarcely looks terrifying. We all know about the spin problem. And then there are the run-outs. Four in two games. Do they practice? Does anyone these days think it is their call if it goes in front of the wicket or do they both have an equal vote? I don't think Root would have got half way on the Moeen dismissal.
We have had Gower and Atherton floating about at our hotels and Gladstone Small is working for the tour company to make sure everyone has a good time. We have, and Gladstone is a lovely man and a fully signed-up member of the fast bowlers’ appreciation society. The other two were asked, inter alia, why TV commentators describe what we can all see. You know, a full-toss is hit through extra cover for four and the commentator says: "That's a full toss hit through extra cover for four". "Racing away" almost certainly. The answers were instructive. Gower said he likes things to be repeated when he has the TV on because he usually isn't concentrating and so he can look up from whatever else he is doing. Atherton's explanation was that Indian TV takes the Sky "feed" and they demand more chat rather than less....the Benaud days are gone for good.
Atherton's son is, so he says, a useful player. He plays club cricket in Hertfordshire and is "on the Middlesex books". Might be one to watch.
There has been a lot of talk here about the 'phone call(s) that Moxon put in demanding his players back. Not the ones who were playing (obviously) but those who were spectating. To have a third of the Yorkshire side sitting all day watching must be a little hard to take. Moreover, when they do get home they have almost no form at all, having not played for weeks. All very odd. At the end of this Test the Windies looked very dejected and it might be difficult for them to raise their game for the last one. Of course the fact that half their first team are playing in India should not be forgotten.
Middlesex Matters The Great Jack Morgan gets out his bus pass and the sun cream
Disaster! Middlesex's new captain Adam Voges has (un?)expectedly been called up for both the Oz tour to the West Indies and the tour to England as well, missing the majority of the Middlesex season... did Middlesex see this coming? They might have done because he has been brilliant throughout the Sheffield Shield season apparently, setting a new record of 1358 runs at 104.46. He has been cleared to play in the first four Championship matches before joining the West Indies tour and I have now checked the Middlesex website and they had been aware that this would happen and had already made some plans though they will not announce anything until it is signed and sealed.
Middlesex's warm up at Oxford is looking like a different sort of disaster. The bowlers did OK in bowling the boys out for 124 and Gubbo and Robbo then put on 54 for the first wicket, but then there was a terrible collapse to 91-6: this does not look good. Compo is skippering this bunch. Things got worse at Oxford before they got better as the lads slumped to 123-9 before T Helm and S Finn put on 70 for the last wicket to give them a lead of 69. Oxford made a respectable 218 in their second innings; T Murtagh's 3-41 gave him match figures of 6-67, but he was narrowly beaten to the top of the bowling averages by P Stirling's 10.33. Middlesex's second innings started badly and it was not until Malan's arrival that they took charge and won by 7 wkts. Dawid's 60* took him to the top of the embryonic batting averages. Middlesex were not at full strength, of course, but this game gives me no optimism whatsoever, it could be another relegation battle.
In the Indy, Jon Culley names Ravi Patel as one of his Five to Watch for the season, saying he "could become the left arm spinner England have been lacking" and "may emerge as the spinner about whom everyone is talking". Ravi is still only 23 and I have not yet (quite) given up on him, but last season's performances (10 wickets at 64.7 each) were not encouraging, but then of course, he never gets to bowl on any spinners' wickets at home.
I am starting to share Jeff's worries about the MCC's takeover of Middlesex. This morning I went to the Middlesex shop, which has recently become the MCC/ Middlesex shop, to purchase my Playfair and Who's Who at the usual discounted rates only to find that the (new MCC) shop no longer gives discounts to Middlesex members. This is sure to have an adverse effect on business.
Middlesex have signed Oz Test batsman Joe Burns, 25, who is available from early May to mid- July for 7 Championship matches. I don't suppose he is a match winning bowler as well is he?
The first Championship match of the season saw Adam Voges (as captain) replacing Andy Balbirnie, as the only change from the unlikely looking team that took on Oxford University in the Parks and he started badly by losing the toss to Chris Read of Nottinghamshire, who chose to bat first on the usual greentop at Lord's starting on April 12. Nevertheless, Middlesex started well but could not take a wicket until eventually dismissing the hard to dislodge opener Steve Mullaney, who had twice been dropped in the slips and survived numerous lbw appeals during his opening stand of 70 with Zimbabwean Test batsman Brendan Taylor. The latter was looking confident and classy on his Championship debut and found a useful ally in namesake James as the pair added 108 for the third wicket. Little Jimmy was not quite at his best however and became the first of the four wickets that Jimmy Harris claimed in a remarkable couple of overs before tea in probably his best ever spell for Middlesex. Brendan Taylor also fell in this spell for an impressive 106 off 188 balls with 14 fours as the visitors slumped from 180 for 2 to 183 for 6. Thereafter, it was left to the excellent visiting captain, batsman and keeper Read (62* off 89 balls with 8 fours and a six) to take Notts up to 298 all out, Harris taking 4 for 75 in 23 overs.
This looked to be only a moderate total and this appeared to be confirmed as Sam Robson and Nick Gubbins put on 51 for the first wicket. After that however wickets fell regularly to Jake Ball (tall, quick and bouncy), Harry Gurney (left arm over medium fast) and Samit Patel (flat slow left arm) and Middlesex were dismissed for a very disappointing 181 with the top scorers being Robson (with 6 fours off 87 balls) and keeper John Simpson (with 7 fours off 80 balls) who both made 35. There was no announcement (of course) regarding Dawid Malan's failure to bat for Middlesex, but the rumour was that he had broken a finger dropping a slip catch on the first day. The Notts second innings got off to another good start and this time Mullaney looked twice the player he had done in the first innings and he dominated a first wicket stand of 77 with Brendan Taylor (34) as he hit an accomplished 44 off 59 balls with 9 fours and a six. Alex Hales made 37, Jimmy Taylor 61 off 88 balls with 9 fours, Patel 33, Riki Wessels 38 and then skipper Read played a brilliant innings of 101* off 77 balls with 14 fours and 2 sixes as Notts declared on 401 for 8 setting Middlesex the testing target of 519 to win in a day plus 23 overs. Read had made a thoroughly good impression with his batting, keeping and captaincy and many of us were wondering how he has been overlooked for the England Test team for such a long time. Another interesting point, for this spectator anyway, was that ex-Gloucestershire allrounder Will Gidman (batting average 55 last season) was used as a nightwatchman in this innings! Tim Murtagh (3-69) was the best of the home bowlers, but there was also the opportunity to wonder how much the allround skills of Voges will be missed when he joins the Australian Test squad as his useful flat slow left armers picked up 3 for 84 in the match.
Robson fell without a run on the board when Middlesex batted again, but Gubbins and Nick Compton got their heads down and added an extremely valuable 132 for the second wicket. Gubbins eventually departed for 37, but Compton went on to an admirable 85 off 217 balls with 10 fours. Skipper Voges then played the best innings of the fourth day with an entertaining 72 off 101 balls with 10 fours. Several others made useful contributions as Middlesex held on for the draw with some comfort in the end and special mention should be made of Harris who showed splendid application in hanging around for 120 balls for 36*. Most of us thought that there was only Steve Finn to come as Harris and Murtagh compiled 36* in 75 minutes for the eighth wicket, but afterwards MD Gus Fraser revealed that Malan (who has a broken hand) was padded up and ready to bat if required. The most successful visiting bowlers were the same three: Ball, Gurney and Patel. Middlesex 8 points Notts 10.
I have just heard that Middlesex replaced Malan (injured), Stirling and Helm with Dexter, Franklin and Rayner for the Championship match at Taunton; Stirling and Podmore were also in the squad. The new trio of bowlers/ allrounders took 23 first class wickets last season for 1403 runs, an average of 61 and the last score I had from the ground was Somerset 317-3 off 63 overs having been put in! The trio's current bowling figures in this innings are 0-117 off 24 overs. See you in Division 2!
Fortunately, Middlesex got back in the game at Taunton mainly through J Harris who took 5-83 to reduce Somerset to 408 from 312-2. Harris had a very mixed match at Lord's and this performance might have been a similar one because those figures came from only 18 overs. J Hildreth always does well against Middlesex and this time he contributed 187. The Dexter, Franklin, Rayner combo took 0-137. At present they are off the field on 198-2 with Gubbins and Voges both going well with a partnership of 136*. Robbo now averages 13. V Marks is reporting for the G. It was disappointing for Nick (92) and Adam (98) to miss out on tons and even more disappointing for Middlesex to end up with a much lower total than had looked likely at 199-2. 317 was the final score with only Franklin (46) of the lower seven managing more than 13. Murtagh was "absent", but with Vic not reporting today, we have no idea why. Middlesex look certain to lose, but Harris (3-50 at present) is again having success, while Ollie (2-63 in 24 overs) is doing most of the bowling. Later, I tried the website and found that Murts has a side injury sustained in the warm up. Middlesex got Somerset out for 310 and with Murts still absent, Harris (3-64) is now easily the leading wicket taker with 17, while Finny took 3-66 and it was nice to see Ollie return his best figures since 2013 (3-90 off 28), but if Ollie was having some success, why did the skipper bowl only two overs? Still no joy for Dexy or Franky. Middlesex are chasing 402 and closed on 31-0 off 7.
Vic Marks is back on duty today (perhaps he had to go shopping with his mum yesterday?) and he had a different take on the Murts situation: "he acquired a back problem overnight". I suppose Middlesex were happy to invent the warm up explanation rather than have to report another shagging injury? Of Finny, VM wrote: "his rhythm has looked good and, even though he may have been cut and carved too frequently, he has bowled with impressive pace".
Robbo and Compo both disappointed again, but Gubbo was impressive in hitting 78 off 105 with 10 fours and 2 sixes. But hang on a minute here, something very interesting is developing here, Vogey and Franky are putting together such a good stand that Middlesex have not only a good chance of saving the game, but an outside chance of winning it! I have never had so much fun watching teletext! Adam made 132 from 210 balls with 13 fours and shared a stand of 200 with James, who went on to win the match for Middlesex with 115* off 221 with 15 fours, helped out by Simmo who hit 18* off 9 balls with 4 fours as the lads strolled home by 5 wkts with 7 balls to spare! Easy! We took 22 points from the match and now stand respectably in mid-table with a game in hand on some of the others.
Wisden Five Matters
Whilst the World Cup was still in full swing I received an email from the Professor inviting me to guess the Wisden Five for 2015. It got me realising how parochial this exercise is. To qualify you have to have performed in the English season and cannot have won previously. The only players at the World Cup who have been so privileged were:
Bell
Jayawardene
Anderson
Broad
Morgan
Sangakkara
Amla
Samuels
Dhawan
Root
Clarke
This means that the following have never been a Wisden Cricketer of the year and were also ineligible for this year’s selection:
Gayle
Guptill
de Villiers
Maxwell
Warner
Finch
McCullum
Boult
Kohli
Smith
Sharma
Wahab Riaz
Starc
Dilshan
Wisden by their selection criteria are participating in the insularising of the English game. Nothing should be taken from those selected but it is not serving the English game by pretending that these were the most meritorious in the previous twelve months.
The Professor got four of the five selected to maintain his good form in these matters. The player he missed was Jeetan Patel who had an excellent season. But his place in the New Zealand World Cup side was taken by Daniel Vettori a soon to be legend of the game. Needless to say he has never been a Wisden cricketer of the Year.
Ged Matters
It is not often that I welcome a new reader to these pages but feel I should on this occasion since we have been enjoying his writings over recent years as Ged on the King Cricket website. Jeff Coleman knows him as Ian Harris, a fellow Middlesex member. I hope that we will be able to get him to contribute to Googlies in future but in the meantime here is another of his pieces for King Cricket:
Ged writes:
Late season, I always try to take in a day of county cricket with my old friend, Charley “The Gent” Malloy. It helps us both to prepare for the inevitable winter withdrawal symptoms to come. The cricket season starts earlier and ends later each year, yet it seems to fly by faster than ever, in the batting of an eyelid. Where do the months go?
In order to investigate this temporal phenomenon, which I shall paraphrase as ‘in search of lost time,’ I decided to add a large packet of madeleines to the picnic. I had bought a large pack of shop madeleines for day two of the Sri Lanka Test, but the combination of The Lord’s Throdkin and other delicacies had rendered them unnecessary that day. Each time I looked at the packet subsequently, I wondered about shop madeleines with at least three months on the best before date and decided to leave them for another day. But that September expiration date was fast approaching. Besides, as any fool knows, when in search of lost time, what you need more than anything else is madeleines.
Charley and I spent the morning session in the pavilion, where we met a delightful chap, originally from Halifax, who lived in Sussex but preferred the delights of Lord’s to those of Hove. He spent most of the time on his gadget looking at the Yorkshire score when he wasn’t talking to us.
Both Charley and I were suffering under the inevitable back strain arising from the traditional pavilion benches, as explained in match reports passim. On this occasion, Charley had done his back gardening (side strain) while I had done my neck by falling face-first on the macadam while playing tennis with Daisy a few week’s previously. We both agreed that the relative comfort and sunshine of the Mound Stand would please us more, as soon as lunch was called.
Once comfortable in The Mound, we tucked in to one of my traditional picnics. An especially good smoked salmon sandwich (Scottish, not Alaskan, although we debated whether the next batch of Scottish salmon would be a foreign import if the referendum next week were to go “yes”). A fine bottle of Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc. Some fresh fruit. A delightful prosciutto sandwich, which went well with the last of the wine.
Then, finally, the madeleines. No sooner had the crumbs touched my palate than a shudder ran through me and I stopped, intent upon the extraordinary thing that was happening to me. An exquisite pleasure had invaded my senses. Whence did it come? What did it mean? How could I seize and apprehend it?
And suddenly the memory revealed itself. The taste was that of the little piece of madeleine which on Sunday mornings nanny would hand me, after dressing me in my little sailor suit, when I went to say good morning to mama in her boudoir.
“Are you getting involuntary memory from these?” I asked.
“Yup,” said Charley. “I can recall the rare occasions in that grim North-Eastern mining town, when mum would put a small pile of cakes on the table and the whole family would fight like wildcats in the hope that a few crumbs might touch yer palate.”
“Hmm”, I said. “I think we might both be getting false memory rather than involuntary memory from these shop madeleines. Must be the lack of lemon zest. Still, they’re surprisingly good. I’ll have another.”
“Me too”, said Charley.
Indeed, we ate three or four each and Charley took the remainder home to share with his wife and bairns. Bless.
In Memoriam Matters
Tim Howard advised me that Old Dane Richard Lim passed away in April from a heart attack after playing squash. Richard played football for many years for the Old Danes as well as being a great supporter of Shepherds Bush CC.
Football Matters - 1
The Professor sent me this
The Grenada National Stadium is located in a part of the island called Queen's Park. Next door is a scruffy field where the local football team play. During the match it was used as a car park...which may have some prescience.
Football Matters - 2
Kelvin West updates us on events in his Ladies Team
I am glad to see that my contributions are appreciated in certain circles, so I thought I should add a couple more. The first picture is over the tunnel leading to the pitch much like the "This is Anfield" sign at Liverpool and I can assure you that it brings great confidence to my girls as they take to the pitch.
The second is Josefina Yart, my goalkeeper who has the safest pair of hands I have ever come across, and I chose those words carefully.
Googlies and Chinamen
is produced by
James Sharp
Broad Lee House
Combs
High Peak
SK23 9XA
Tel: 01298 70237
Email: [email protected]
www.googliesandchinamen.com
An Occasional Cricketing Journal
Edition 149
May 2015
Championship Matters
The season got underway in the now habitual manner with the opener of MCC versus last year’s champions taking place not at Lords but in the UAE. This no doubt makes financial sense to someone and gives a nice freebee to the players and journalists but does nothing for the cricket lovers at home. It has also become customary for the test team to be away at this time paying homage to the ICC test match timetable.
But the County Championship cannot be put off by such matters and matches were soon underway across the country in both divisions. Most of us treat the two divisions as pretty much the same largely because the counties we support from time to time find themselves in the second division. Some snobs claim that only the first division counts and the England set up certainly seemed to support that by taking over half of the Yorkshire side on its Caribbean jaunt. They will never be able to recall KP on this basis since all his second division runs, if he ever gets any, will have been scored against crap bowling.
The first man to fill his boots this season was one on the fringes of the England set up, Alex Hales. He found the Yorkshire second XI attack so tasty that he reached 236 before being dismissed. Martin Guptill has been an overseas player with Derbyshire since 2011 but has never made a substantial mark. This may be in the process of changing. At Bristol against Gloucestershire he made 227 at over a run a ball in an innings that included eleven sixes. If the wickets stay hard then it may be worth going out of your way to see Guptill this season.
The Sussex batting line up has an unfamiliar look to it and when they visited Chester-le Street they lost wickets regularly with no one reaching fifty. When Steve Magoffin was dismissed they were 171 for 9 and the groundstaff were already starting up the roller, but they hadn’t reckoned for what proved to be an extraordinary partnership. Matthew Hobden who had a previous best of 18 came in at number eleven to join debutant Oliver Robinson. In just under two hours these two added 164 for the last wicket. Robinson made 110 and Hobden was 65 not out. The partnership beat the record of 156 for Sussex, which had stood since 1908.
Seventeen year old Dan Lawrence of Essex also hit a maiden hundred (161) at the Oval in only his second first class match and became only the third seventeen year old to record a ton in the Championship. And then there was Middlesex’s run chase at Taunton. But I expect that Jack will tell us about that.
Meanwhile did I watch the tests in the Caribbean on the television? Well I tried to but kept sneaking over to the IPL and eventually gave in and wallowed in the sheer quality of it. The mix of local talent and superstars in each team seems to work and the crowds are enormous. There haven’t been too many huge scores despite good wickets, which shows that the bowling continues to improve. Only Morgan and Bopara of the England brigade have been in attendance. Our bowlers will not improve unless they play with and against the best and at present they are not even sought by the IPL franchises. First Class cricket in England will continue to be taken seriously by those living here but it is rapidly becoming a second-class backwater. Incidentally last month I singled out McCullum, Maxwell and de Villiers as leading a new wave of batsmen. I now add Steve Smith to this bunch. We are in for a treat this summer if he continues his current form.
Out and About in Grenada
The Professor has been in the Caribbean
The National Stadium of Grenada has a capacity of about a sixth of the entire population. It is, as a result, never full. Why should they build such a big, expensive venue? Answer, they didn't... the Chinese did. OK, so why did the Chinese build such a big, expensive venue? Answer, it is a bribe, in exchange for the Grenadian vote in the UN. The Japanese do a similar thing, apparently, for "whaling votes". The result however is an excellent stadium, with a pitch that lasted well, and a lush outfield that often held the ball up and stopped it "racing" to the boundary (it must be time, dear god, to change that metaphor).
The decision to bowl first was the right one - it would be scarcely possible to find better condition for swing bowling than on the first morning; a dull, muggy, steamy sort of day. And we have England's most successful ever swing bowler in the team. It wasn't Cook's fault that Anderson bowled like a drain. If he and Broad had bowled well that morning I doubt that the Windies would have scored 100. They didn't, and 299 was way more than they should have made. However, a decent opening stand for once, Yorkshire grit and flair in the middle, a truly wonderful innings from Root and a first innings lead that should have been so much more had the tail adhered to one of the eternal verities of cricket: if you're batting with someone who is smacking the ball round the park your job is to stay in...they didn't. A run-out, a stupid shot (yet again) from Broad, another run-out and thus a useful - rather than commanding - lead.
Sir Vivian Richards' Ground, Antigua
The final morning was, of course, a revelation and forgave all that went before. Anderson remembered how to bowl (as well as catch and throw) and the result was a stunning win. It was a great fillip for the travelling fans after the poor draw in Antigua where the pitch proved too good for the England bowlers to get what is now universally referred to as a "result".
Last day's play in Grenada
The abandoned test at the Sir Vivian Richards stadium was such an embarrassment for Antigua (and produced so much anger from Himself...which no one wants to be too close to) that they were determined to get it right this time...and they did. The run ups (runs-up?) were fine and the pitch played well at all times. It is another excellent stadium (more Chinese money...two votes) with impressive stands at each end and open grass terraces at the sides to give ample drinking room for the Army. The problem is the location. The stadium is in the middle of the island but almost nothing else is. So, unlike the old St Johns recreation ground it isn't possible to pop in to the cricket after work and the result is that while the facilities are far superior, the atmosphere has been lost.
Having said that, it was an interesting match, some fine batting, especially by England, but contested by two sides not, I suggest, of the first rank.
So what might be deduced from the two Tests? Well, for me the big pluses were the middle order batsmen who all got some runs and the England fielding which was generally excellent. The problems are, obviously, the opening spot, the wicket keeping (poor on both sides) and the bowling (unless Jimmy is in the mood). It doesn't even look kind to make Trott open but the rumour was, before the first game, that England want him to open in all three Tests. We shall see. Buttler had an indifferent match here and those pushing Bairstow's case have cause for continued pushing. But the big issue, of course, is the bowling. For England's premier pace bowlers to look so inept against the tail in Antigua (no matter how good the pitch) is a worry and the back-up quick bowling scarcely looks terrifying. We all know about the spin problem. And then there are the run-outs. Four in two games. Do they practice? Does anyone these days think it is their call if it goes in front of the wicket or do they both have an equal vote? I don't think Root would have got half way on the Moeen dismissal.
We have had Gower and Atherton floating about at our hotels and Gladstone Small is working for the tour company to make sure everyone has a good time. We have, and Gladstone is a lovely man and a fully signed-up member of the fast bowlers’ appreciation society. The other two were asked, inter alia, why TV commentators describe what we can all see. You know, a full-toss is hit through extra cover for four and the commentator says: "That's a full toss hit through extra cover for four". "Racing away" almost certainly. The answers were instructive. Gower said he likes things to be repeated when he has the TV on because he usually isn't concentrating and so he can look up from whatever else he is doing. Atherton's explanation was that Indian TV takes the Sky "feed" and they demand more chat rather than less....the Benaud days are gone for good.
Atherton's son is, so he says, a useful player. He plays club cricket in Hertfordshire and is "on the Middlesex books". Might be one to watch.
There has been a lot of talk here about the 'phone call(s) that Moxon put in demanding his players back. Not the ones who were playing (obviously) but those who were spectating. To have a third of the Yorkshire side sitting all day watching must be a little hard to take. Moreover, when they do get home they have almost no form at all, having not played for weeks. All very odd. At the end of this Test the Windies looked very dejected and it might be difficult for them to raise their game for the last one. Of course the fact that half their first team are playing in India should not be forgotten.
Middlesex Matters The Great Jack Morgan gets out his bus pass and the sun cream
Disaster! Middlesex's new captain Adam Voges has (un?)expectedly been called up for both the Oz tour to the West Indies and the tour to England as well, missing the majority of the Middlesex season... did Middlesex see this coming? They might have done because he has been brilliant throughout the Sheffield Shield season apparently, setting a new record of 1358 runs at 104.46. He has been cleared to play in the first four Championship matches before joining the West Indies tour and I have now checked the Middlesex website and they had been aware that this would happen and had already made some plans though they will not announce anything until it is signed and sealed.
Middlesex's warm up at Oxford is looking like a different sort of disaster. The bowlers did OK in bowling the boys out for 124 and Gubbo and Robbo then put on 54 for the first wicket, but then there was a terrible collapse to 91-6: this does not look good. Compo is skippering this bunch. Things got worse at Oxford before they got better as the lads slumped to 123-9 before T Helm and S Finn put on 70 for the last wicket to give them a lead of 69. Oxford made a respectable 218 in their second innings; T Murtagh's 3-41 gave him match figures of 6-67, but he was narrowly beaten to the top of the bowling averages by P Stirling's 10.33. Middlesex's second innings started badly and it was not until Malan's arrival that they took charge and won by 7 wkts. Dawid's 60* took him to the top of the embryonic batting averages. Middlesex were not at full strength, of course, but this game gives me no optimism whatsoever, it could be another relegation battle.
In the Indy, Jon Culley names Ravi Patel as one of his Five to Watch for the season, saying he "could become the left arm spinner England have been lacking" and "may emerge as the spinner about whom everyone is talking". Ravi is still only 23 and I have not yet (quite) given up on him, but last season's performances (10 wickets at 64.7 each) were not encouraging, but then of course, he never gets to bowl on any spinners' wickets at home.
I am starting to share Jeff's worries about the MCC's takeover of Middlesex. This morning I went to the Middlesex shop, which has recently become the MCC/ Middlesex shop, to purchase my Playfair and Who's Who at the usual discounted rates only to find that the (new MCC) shop no longer gives discounts to Middlesex members. This is sure to have an adverse effect on business.
Middlesex have signed Oz Test batsman Joe Burns, 25, who is available from early May to mid- July for 7 Championship matches. I don't suppose he is a match winning bowler as well is he?
The first Championship match of the season saw Adam Voges (as captain) replacing Andy Balbirnie, as the only change from the unlikely looking team that took on Oxford University in the Parks and he started badly by losing the toss to Chris Read of Nottinghamshire, who chose to bat first on the usual greentop at Lord's starting on April 12. Nevertheless, Middlesex started well but could not take a wicket until eventually dismissing the hard to dislodge opener Steve Mullaney, who had twice been dropped in the slips and survived numerous lbw appeals during his opening stand of 70 with Zimbabwean Test batsman Brendan Taylor. The latter was looking confident and classy on his Championship debut and found a useful ally in namesake James as the pair added 108 for the third wicket. Little Jimmy was not quite at his best however and became the first of the four wickets that Jimmy Harris claimed in a remarkable couple of overs before tea in probably his best ever spell for Middlesex. Brendan Taylor also fell in this spell for an impressive 106 off 188 balls with 14 fours as the visitors slumped from 180 for 2 to 183 for 6. Thereafter, it was left to the excellent visiting captain, batsman and keeper Read (62* off 89 balls with 8 fours and a six) to take Notts up to 298 all out, Harris taking 4 for 75 in 23 overs.
This looked to be only a moderate total and this appeared to be confirmed as Sam Robson and Nick Gubbins put on 51 for the first wicket. After that however wickets fell regularly to Jake Ball (tall, quick and bouncy), Harry Gurney (left arm over medium fast) and Samit Patel (flat slow left arm) and Middlesex were dismissed for a very disappointing 181 with the top scorers being Robson (with 6 fours off 87 balls) and keeper John Simpson (with 7 fours off 80 balls) who both made 35. There was no announcement (of course) regarding Dawid Malan's failure to bat for Middlesex, but the rumour was that he had broken a finger dropping a slip catch on the first day. The Notts second innings got off to another good start and this time Mullaney looked twice the player he had done in the first innings and he dominated a first wicket stand of 77 with Brendan Taylor (34) as he hit an accomplished 44 off 59 balls with 9 fours and a six. Alex Hales made 37, Jimmy Taylor 61 off 88 balls with 9 fours, Patel 33, Riki Wessels 38 and then skipper Read played a brilliant innings of 101* off 77 balls with 14 fours and 2 sixes as Notts declared on 401 for 8 setting Middlesex the testing target of 519 to win in a day plus 23 overs. Read had made a thoroughly good impression with his batting, keeping and captaincy and many of us were wondering how he has been overlooked for the England Test team for such a long time. Another interesting point, for this spectator anyway, was that ex-Gloucestershire allrounder Will Gidman (batting average 55 last season) was used as a nightwatchman in this innings! Tim Murtagh (3-69) was the best of the home bowlers, but there was also the opportunity to wonder how much the allround skills of Voges will be missed when he joins the Australian Test squad as his useful flat slow left armers picked up 3 for 84 in the match.
Robson fell without a run on the board when Middlesex batted again, but Gubbins and Nick Compton got their heads down and added an extremely valuable 132 for the second wicket. Gubbins eventually departed for 37, but Compton went on to an admirable 85 off 217 balls with 10 fours. Skipper Voges then played the best innings of the fourth day with an entertaining 72 off 101 balls with 10 fours. Several others made useful contributions as Middlesex held on for the draw with some comfort in the end and special mention should be made of Harris who showed splendid application in hanging around for 120 balls for 36*. Most of us thought that there was only Steve Finn to come as Harris and Murtagh compiled 36* in 75 minutes for the eighth wicket, but afterwards MD Gus Fraser revealed that Malan (who has a broken hand) was padded up and ready to bat if required. The most successful visiting bowlers were the same three: Ball, Gurney and Patel. Middlesex 8 points Notts 10.
I have just heard that Middlesex replaced Malan (injured), Stirling and Helm with Dexter, Franklin and Rayner for the Championship match at Taunton; Stirling and Podmore were also in the squad. The new trio of bowlers/ allrounders took 23 first class wickets last season for 1403 runs, an average of 61 and the last score I had from the ground was Somerset 317-3 off 63 overs having been put in! The trio's current bowling figures in this innings are 0-117 off 24 overs. See you in Division 2!
Fortunately, Middlesex got back in the game at Taunton mainly through J Harris who took 5-83 to reduce Somerset to 408 from 312-2. Harris had a very mixed match at Lord's and this performance might have been a similar one because those figures came from only 18 overs. J Hildreth always does well against Middlesex and this time he contributed 187. The Dexter, Franklin, Rayner combo took 0-137. At present they are off the field on 198-2 with Gubbins and Voges both going well with a partnership of 136*. Robbo now averages 13. V Marks is reporting for the G. It was disappointing for Nick (92) and Adam (98) to miss out on tons and even more disappointing for Middlesex to end up with a much lower total than had looked likely at 199-2. 317 was the final score with only Franklin (46) of the lower seven managing more than 13. Murtagh was "absent", but with Vic not reporting today, we have no idea why. Middlesex look certain to lose, but Harris (3-50 at present) is again having success, while Ollie (2-63 in 24 overs) is doing most of the bowling. Later, I tried the website and found that Murts has a side injury sustained in the warm up. Middlesex got Somerset out for 310 and with Murts still absent, Harris (3-64) is now easily the leading wicket taker with 17, while Finny took 3-66 and it was nice to see Ollie return his best figures since 2013 (3-90 off 28), but if Ollie was having some success, why did the skipper bowl only two overs? Still no joy for Dexy or Franky. Middlesex are chasing 402 and closed on 31-0 off 7.
Vic Marks is back on duty today (perhaps he had to go shopping with his mum yesterday?) and he had a different take on the Murts situation: "he acquired a back problem overnight". I suppose Middlesex were happy to invent the warm up explanation rather than have to report another shagging injury? Of Finny, VM wrote: "his rhythm has looked good and, even though he may have been cut and carved too frequently, he has bowled with impressive pace".
Robbo and Compo both disappointed again, but Gubbo was impressive in hitting 78 off 105 with 10 fours and 2 sixes. But hang on a minute here, something very interesting is developing here, Vogey and Franky are putting together such a good stand that Middlesex have not only a good chance of saving the game, but an outside chance of winning it! I have never had so much fun watching teletext! Adam made 132 from 210 balls with 13 fours and shared a stand of 200 with James, who went on to win the match for Middlesex with 115* off 221 with 15 fours, helped out by Simmo who hit 18* off 9 balls with 4 fours as the lads strolled home by 5 wkts with 7 balls to spare! Easy! We took 22 points from the match and now stand respectably in mid-table with a game in hand on some of the others.
Wisden Five Matters
Whilst the World Cup was still in full swing I received an email from the Professor inviting me to guess the Wisden Five for 2015. It got me realising how parochial this exercise is. To qualify you have to have performed in the English season and cannot have won previously. The only players at the World Cup who have been so privileged were:
Bell
Jayawardene
Anderson
Broad
Morgan
Sangakkara
Amla
Samuels
Dhawan
Root
Clarke
This means that the following have never been a Wisden Cricketer of the year and were also ineligible for this year’s selection:
Gayle
Guptill
de Villiers
Maxwell
Warner
Finch
McCullum
Boult
Kohli
Smith
Sharma
Wahab Riaz
Starc
Dilshan
Wisden by their selection criteria are participating in the insularising of the English game. Nothing should be taken from those selected but it is not serving the English game by pretending that these were the most meritorious in the previous twelve months.
The Professor got four of the five selected to maintain his good form in these matters. The player he missed was Jeetan Patel who had an excellent season. But his place in the New Zealand World Cup side was taken by Daniel Vettori a soon to be legend of the game. Needless to say he has never been a Wisden cricketer of the Year.
Ged Matters
It is not often that I welcome a new reader to these pages but feel I should on this occasion since we have been enjoying his writings over recent years as Ged on the King Cricket website. Jeff Coleman knows him as Ian Harris, a fellow Middlesex member. I hope that we will be able to get him to contribute to Googlies in future but in the meantime here is another of his pieces for King Cricket:
Ged writes:
Late season, I always try to take in a day of county cricket with my old friend, Charley “The Gent” Malloy. It helps us both to prepare for the inevitable winter withdrawal symptoms to come. The cricket season starts earlier and ends later each year, yet it seems to fly by faster than ever, in the batting of an eyelid. Where do the months go?
In order to investigate this temporal phenomenon, which I shall paraphrase as ‘in search of lost time,’ I decided to add a large packet of madeleines to the picnic. I had bought a large pack of shop madeleines for day two of the Sri Lanka Test, but the combination of The Lord’s Throdkin and other delicacies had rendered them unnecessary that day. Each time I looked at the packet subsequently, I wondered about shop madeleines with at least three months on the best before date and decided to leave them for another day. But that September expiration date was fast approaching. Besides, as any fool knows, when in search of lost time, what you need more than anything else is madeleines.
Charley and I spent the morning session in the pavilion, where we met a delightful chap, originally from Halifax, who lived in Sussex but preferred the delights of Lord’s to those of Hove. He spent most of the time on his gadget looking at the Yorkshire score when he wasn’t talking to us.
Both Charley and I were suffering under the inevitable back strain arising from the traditional pavilion benches, as explained in match reports passim. On this occasion, Charley had done his back gardening (side strain) while I had done my neck by falling face-first on the macadam while playing tennis with Daisy a few week’s previously. We both agreed that the relative comfort and sunshine of the Mound Stand would please us more, as soon as lunch was called.
Once comfortable in The Mound, we tucked in to one of my traditional picnics. An especially good smoked salmon sandwich (Scottish, not Alaskan, although we debated whether the next batch of Scottish salmon would be a foreign import if the referendum next week were to go “yes”). A fine bottle of Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc. Some fresh fruit. A delightful prosciutto sandwich, which went well with the last of the wine.
Then, finally, the madeleines. No sooner had the crumbs touched my palate than a shudder ran through me and I stopped, intent upon the extraordinary thing that was happening to me. An exquisite pleasure had invaded my senses. Whence did it come? What did it mean? How could I seize and apprehend it?
And suddenly the memory revealed itself. The taste was that of the little piece of madeleine which on Sunday mornings nanny would hand me, after dressing me in my little sailor suit, when I went to say good morning to mama in her boudoir.
“Are you getting involuntary memory from these?” I asked.
“Yup,” said Charley. “I can recall the rare occasions in that grim North-Eastern mining town, when mum would put a small pile of cakes on the table and the whole family would fight like wildcats in the hope that a few crumbs might touch yer palate.”
“Hmm”, I said. “I think we might both be getting false memory rather than involuntary memory from these shop madeleines. Must be the lack of lemon zest. Still, they’re surprisingly good. I’ll have another.”
“Me too”, said Charley.
Indeed, we ate three or four each and Charley took the remainder home to share with his wife and bairns. Bless.
In Memoriam Matters
Tim Howard advised me that Old Dane Richard Lim passed away in April from a heart attack after playing squash. Richard played football for many years for the Old Danes as well as being a great supporter of Shepherds Bush CC.
Football Matters - 1
The Professor sent me this
The Grenada National Stadium is located in a part of the island called Queen's Park. Next door is a scruffy field where the local football team play. During the match it was used as a car park...which may have some prescience.
Football Matters - 2
Kelvin West updates us on events in his Ladies Team
I am glad to see that my contributions are appreciated in certain circles, so I thought I should add a couple more. The first picture is over the tunnel leading to the pitch much like the "This is Anfield" sign at Liverpool and I can assure you that it brings great confidence to my girls as they take to the pitch.
The second is Josefina Yart, my goalkeeper who has the safest pair of hands I have ever come across, and I chose those words carefully.
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