GOOGLIES & CHINAMEN
An Occasional Cricketing Journal
Edition 94
October 2010
Agony Matters
From Ijaz of Hyderabad:
Dear Arthur,
I am being hounded by the crazy English press. They say that I am mixing in bad company after I reported that the illegal gamblers are saying the English team took brides. I am not required to name my sources and I may not even know any of these people. They are reputable business men whose trade, unfortunately, is illegal in my country. I don’t make the laws and it is high time that they were changed. But that is besides the point. Our boys are innocent anyway. It is just a coincidence that no balls were bowled when it was planned in return for cash that was paid beforehand to our boys. And anyway you can’t say that everyone was involved. We are all innocent until proved guilty even if the proof is evident to all.
I am at my wits’ end. What am I to do?
Dear Ijaz,
Resign, you prat.
Arthur
Out and About with the Professor
The end of the season is a natural time for reflection and I think, this year, some regret.
The England team continued its very good form but the Pakistan side are now so tainted that the end of the Tour rapidly moved towards farce in Marx’s famous dictum. (“Did you see Pakistan score – 100 all out?” “Really? When?” “Tomorrow”.) Having said that there was some excellent cricket (if you can believe what you are seeing), especially the last three ODIs.
My Club, Welwyn Garden City, having led the Home Counties Premiership for most of the season, fell at the last hurdle and my adopted county did something not too dissimilar. Welwyn are now the second best team in Herts, Beds, Bucks, Berks and Oxfordshire. For virtually all of our 90 year existence such a sentence would have been beyond our wildest dreams but being bowled out for 70 odd in the last game was a sorry way to end what should have been the Club’s finest season. Still, there’s always next year.
The same sentiments were being expressed at Headingley. In a bizarre last day Yorkshire needing to get quick runs against Kent decided instead that suicide might be a more interesting option and lost 9 wickets for 37 in under an hour. Whoever it was who thought that Tredwell would crumble as a series of young batsmen charged up the wicket at him made, it would be fair to say, something of a misjudgement. A good example was Tredwell’s dismissal of Shahzad. A huge six into the football stand end was followed, not by Tredwell darting in a Flat-Jack dot ball but a slower, more flighted, more tempting little off-break. The resulting charge and stumping could almost be read from the hand. Given that Kent lost six wickets knocking off the runs and that half a days’ play was left at the end, it all seemed very odd.
One might have expected the Yorkshire crowd to be complaining… they do have something of a reputation for that in these parts. But I didn’t hear any. Disappointment, yes, but there was a sort of pride in the efforts that this very young side had made. The few dozen hardy pensioners that I join on the breezy Northern Terrace recognised that those two well-known sons of Kent: Dewald Nel and Martin van Jaarsveld both had good games and Yorkshire were always behind. But there is real pride in the fact that in most games this year a largely (sometimes almost entirely) England qualified team has taken the field. Indeed, when Bairstow has kept wicket, an almost entirely Yorkshire-born side. That would not impress the xenophiliac Murdoch money lovers…but it does me. Frankly for a team that contains several players that are on the England fringe (Bresnan, Shahzad, Rashid), some that might soon be (Gale, Lyth, Bairstow) and some for the future (Hannon-Dalby, Ashraf) to have won the County Championship would have been, in my view, an excellent thing for English cricket. I would venture that many others (and not just Yorkshiremen) would have taken a similar view. But the Murdoch-money men would not have approved. Much better to spend the Sky money on half a dozen journeymen cricketers from around the world. The money–grubbers would have little interest in a Yorkshire-bred side…just let’s get the loot. But how, for example, if Yorkshire had packed the side with overseas non-qualified players, would half of these boys (and they are not much more) have got a chance? Hannon-Dalby, who is fashionably tall and decidedly brisk and Ashraf who took three wickets in his first spell, would doubtless have spent years in the Seconds and then given up. As perhaps would Bairstow who may well, one day, play for his country. Moin Ashraf, incidentally, is so young that having bowled Jones with a classic inswinging yorker, he promptly left the field. The ECB does not allow more than seven (I think) overs in a spell for young quick bowlers, and so having bowled his quota with excellent results, he had to stop. He bowled from what is now being called the Trueman Enclosure (i.e. Kirkstall Lane) End and as one of the old gatemen said to me: “Can you imagine Freddy taking three wickets fer bugger-all and being taken off? They’d have ‘ad to fight ‘im fer t’ball”.
Not of course that the Yorkshire committee can occupy the highest moral ground in all this – the fielding of a largely Yorkshire team was in part a necessity created by the muddled attempt to get an overseas player. After two failed attempts they settled for the inaptly named Tino Best who was dropped after a few games.
So no title for Yorkshire. But lots of pride in a Yorkshire team. You will know James, being a biblical scholar, that Pride is a mortal sin…but then so too is the love of money.
Middlesex Matters
The Great Jack Morgan appraises on developments from Radlett
Middlesex won the toss in the Championship match against Leicestershire at Lord's and decided to bat in conditions that were giving a lot of help to the visiting pace bowlers. There were four phases to the Middx innings: i) a dire collapse to 32 for 4; ii) a fine (but too brief) partnership of 98 between Neil Dexter (47) and Gareth Berg (53); iii) a dire collapse to 161 for 9; and iv) a rollicking stand of 58 for the last wicket between no 10 Tim Murtagh (50*) and no 11 Pedro Collins (13), his highest first class score for the club. On this form, Tim ought to be batting at no 7, while Shaun Udal, who has not had a first class innings in double figures since the Surrey match at the Oval in mid-May, ought to be fighting Pedro for the no 10 and 11 slots. We also have to call into question the selection of Josh Davey, whose bowling is rarely used and whose batting is not yet up to first team standards. With Neil Dexter operating as the fourth seamer (as Bergy is unfit to bowl), it would surely have been right to give, say, Dan Housego a chance to bat in the middle order or maybe a chance for Tom Smith to have a bowl in the Championship? Josh has made 33 in his last four innings and his rare bowling spells have brought only 2 wickets (both against Oxford MCCE).
Matthew Hoggard revelled in the conditions and deserved his figures of 6 for 63. In the Leicester innings, the early loss of 2 wickets was overcome by good batting from 21 year old Greg (P) Smith (not to be confused with Greg (M) Smith of Derbyshire) and 20 year old Jimmy Taylor. Middlesex have suffered at the hands of Taylor before, but Smith (65) was new to me and he impressed almost as much as his colleague. Nevertheless, Leics still slumped to 145 for 5, but Taylor then received useful support from spinners Jigar Naik (born in Leicester) and Test player Claude Henderson and when they went past the Middlesex total of 219, Taylor was heading for his century, Henderson was in no trouble at the other end and a big deficit seemed to be on the cards, but when Henderson was out on 272, Taylor (106*) could not protect the weak tail and they collapsed to 282 all out, a lead of only 63. Pedro Collins (4 for 76) and Toby Roland-Jones (4 for 52) took the bowling honours.
I have had plenty of cause to criticise the Middlesex top three this season, but in the second innings, they were easily the best of the Middlesex batters. Scott Newman (70) and John Simpson (44) gave the side an excellent start of 119 and Owais Shah (55) tried his hardest to steer the middle order through to a total that would challenge Leicestershire and give the home side a chance of victory. However, slow left armer Henderson and off-spinner Naik caused plenty of problems and took five wickets between them and then 19 year old Nathan Buck (3 for 37) finished off the innings with the new ball as Middlesex slumped to 255 all out. A lead of 192 did not look enough, but when Leics fell to 29 for 3 with Smith and Taylor both gone for nought, Middlesex were in with a chance. Middlesex were relieved to see the end of a fine innings of 52 by Matt Boyce and with five out for 92, they were still in the match, but when keeper Tom New (41*) first defended competently, then flayed Pedro Collins around St John's Wood, it was clear that only the expected rain would save Middlesex from defeat. The rain duly arrived and caused four stoppages after tea, leaving Leics on 139 for 5, 54 short of victory. I think Neil was right to give Shaun and Owais plenty of bowling, but they picked up only one wicket each (and Dawid, 1 for 5 in the first innings, might have expected a bowl too), but it was a mystery why Pedro (10.3-1-56-1) was chosen to bowl at New when Tim (8-6-7-2) was kicking his heels on the boundary. Middlesex did not deserve to win and are still in big Wooden Spoon trouble, the main mercy being that rivals managed to gain no more than a couple of points on Middlesex.
I saw my first ever Clydesdale Bank 40 over match (this was the only one to start at a reasonable hour, though I would still have preferred an even earlier start) between Middlesex and Derbyshire at Lord's. Derbys batted first and were soon in trouble at 32 for 3, but Chesney Hughes (about whom I have enthused previously) played another powerful innings of 64 and his stand of 82 with Wayne Madsen (39) gave the Falcons some hope and this increased as Graham Wagg, batting too low at no 8, took the total up to an only slightly below par 195 for 9 (the wicket was central so there were no short boundaries, almost uniquely, in this match), Wagg finishing on 48*. Tom Smith's slow left armers were the star turn of Middlesex's performance in the field as he took 3 for 26 in his 8 overs. The Panthers gave yet another chance to consistent failure Andrew Strauss to claim a regular first team place, but yet again he failed to raise his game to the required level, losing his off stump to Wagg for 7. Middlesex would have done better to have given the place to one of the many young batsmen in the second eleven who are finding it impossible to get a fair shot at a first team place. Fortunately, Scott Newman maintained his recent improved form and played some cracking shots in a stand of 127 with Owais Shah as Middlesex looked like cruising to victory. A fine spell of off-spin bowling by Jake Needham (2 for 25 in his 8 overs) however, set Middlesex back by both restricting the run rate and collecting two top order wickets including Newman for an excellent 90, made out of 139. Owais did well to stick it out to the end and his 58*, though nowhere near his fluent best, saw Middlesex to victory by 7 wickets as Gareth Berg (21*) provided the impetus lost on the departure of Newman. It has been a dismal season for Middlesex in limited over cricket, so it was nice to end the season on an optimistic note.
Hardie Matters
We were all concerned when we heard about the earthquake in New Zealand and were relieved to hear from Keith Hardie
The big earthquake that hit Canterbury yesterday at 4:25 in the morning was very scary. It is quite incredible that no one was killed. We, fortunately, are all unscathed as are all the family and friends that we have here. There was no major damage to our property except for minor glass and crockery breakages. We were very lucky. We have had over 40 aftershocks in the last 24 hours; some of them quite strong; so it is not over yet. My two weeks in the 1st Larbert boy scouts in 1960 will ensure our survival through these hard times. "Dib, dib, dib".
Many buildings have suffered structural damage but not as badly as is being reported in the sensationalistic international press. However, the infrastructure in Christchurch is in a sorry mess with power, water and sewage disruptions all over the city. The power outages; poor roads due to burst mains; and requirements to boil water before use makes it just like a holiday in Barbados. Again, we are glad the family and our friends have come through this unscathed.
Allen Bruton replied to him:
I hope the recent events in Christchurch have not hit you personally. Although knowing that New Zealand is within an earthquake region I was really amazed at the severity of this one having seen the BBC news report. Incredible that there seem to have been no fatalities or indeed serious injuries, although it must have been a horrible experience for many people.
The closest we have come to an earthquake is the fallout from the Pakistan match fixing affair. The most unfortunate aspect is that the young 18year old Mohammad Amir seems to be implicated as he already seems to be a bowler in the Wasim Akram mould who would certainly go on to enjoy a great Test career. It would be extremely difficult for an 18year old not to go along with the corruption in the dressing room where it almost seems to have been normal. Other than him I do not think there is any sympathy for the others although Kamran Akmal may have to choose between remembered as a cheat or the World's Worst Wicketkeeper.
Keith replied:
Getting back to near normality, here. Power back on; no need to boil the water anymore; and most roads now patched up. The big clean-up in Canterbury is starting amid some minor aftershocks. It will take a full year to rebuild the 2,500 houses and heaps of businesses mainly located in the old buildings in the city centre that have already been condemned. About a quarter of the houses in town have received some structural damage; mainly caused by falling chimney stacks or ground liquefaction. The new suburbs near the shoreline were worst hit with the ground turning into porage (porridge) and little volcanoes of silt bubbling up for days after. Glad we escaped all that.
Barbara and I have both restarted at our workplaces today after what has been an unreal 5 days. We are still getting aftershocks but they are both less frequent and weaker than the original. Our overall damages were half a dozen glasses; some crockery; a stone ornament from our patio as well as a dozen tiles in our laundry. Small fry compared to others. Hopefully, the worst is over now. We still get a few quakes a day but they are all minor. Sitting at work under the false panels that make up our workplace ceiling is a bit daunting, though.
Everything has all been exaggerated by the international (and in some cases, national) press. Looking for worst cases scenarios and someone in tears to photograph; particularly little girls holding teddy bears. The following bad reporting example puts it into some perspective and typifies the over-dramatisation that is going on:
An Auckland television reporter interviewing the person in charge of one of the temporary shelters:
Shelter manager: "We have 189 people staying overnight and expecting more to arrive."
TV Interviewer: "A tragic time for Christchurch and the rest of the country. You must have heard some horrific stories."
Shelter manager: Pause then, realising what was expected, did her best and said "Well, some people are worried about their pets."
TV Interviewer: ...CUT...
Spot Betting and Fixed Cricket
The Great Jack Morgan sent me this: “I cannot condone taking money for bowling no-balls, but I am getting a bit irritated that everyone seems to be regarding this offence as the equivalent of match-fixing; in my opinion it is nowhere near so serious. I am also irritated by the press, most of whom cannot find the space to print full scorecards of first class matches, let alone provide a report, but when something unflattering comes along there is no limit to the amount of space available on sports, news and comment pages: I counted fifteen pages in today's Guardian.”
I have never given much thought to fixing before and the furore broke after my visit to Hove with the Great Jack Morgan, but looking back on the events of that day it was apparent that much of what we saw was pre-determined. Sussex used four seamers in the pre lunch session and they bowled similar numbers of overs. They all bowled to similar fields which again must have been pre set. At this stage of the game Sussex could easily have gone on to win but their captain and blooded first team leg spinner, Tom Beer, only bowled one over before lunch and none after.
This was the first second eleven cricket I have watched since Kent’s visits to South Hampstead in the late sixties and so it maybe that all second eleven cricket is played like this. If I am right then there are ulterior motives for the play and the match as such is contrived outside the dynamics of itself. If it was more important to the Sussex coaches that certain seamers had a work out rather than Sussex win the game surely this represents an element of fixing and renders the spectacle less than fully competitive?
If further evidence for fixing were required it was Jim Anyon, not Luke Hatchett, who was promoted to the Sussex first team that weekend and Tom Scollay not Sam Robson who was promoted to the Middlesex side. Extraordinarily, Robbie Williams with an exemplary display of rinse bowling earned himself a place in the first team at Scarborough where, unsurprisingly, he was unceremoniously clattered around the park, returning figures of 8-0-56-0.
Carlin Matters
Paddy Carlin came out of the beer tent to send me the following notes
I went down to Cheltenham in August to visit the College Ground, which is conveniently located about 200 yards from were one of my daughters lives, to watch the Gloucestershire v Worcestershire local derby. Day 1 saw Porterfield dominate the home side’s batting against some varied bowling from Richardson, who looked surprisingly fit, Mason (Australian), Ali (English) and Al Hasan (Bangladeshi). Cameron (Zimbabwe) also bowled and fielded badly. Is there no young qualified cricketer that Worcestershire can find to bat down the order and do a similar job? Porterfield got 175 which brings me to another point.
A week earlier I had umpired a Hertfordshire League match between Old Finchleians and Hertford in Division 1 (equivalent to Middlesex County League division 2). The previous week Hertford had lost their season’s unbeaten record to Totteridge/Millhillians who beat them by ten wickets chasing down a score of 240. Porterfield and a player called Murdoch who plays top grade cricket for Wellington in New Zealand both scored centuries. Can the likes of Portefield and indeed Gary Wilson, the Surrey keeper who turns out regularly for Totteridge/Millhillians, not find a more challenging arena to practice in than this relatively low grade League cricket? Old Finchleians, incidentally, regularly field nine players, all related with the surname Depala.
Anyway Day 2 was also enjoyable as I wandered among the tents and bars of a full ground and saw some elegant batting from the bushy bearded Moeen Ali who is also not the worse bowler in the world. Festival cricket does have its place and also draws the crowds despite the recent disparaging remarks from Steve Harmison.
My main impressions of the Middlesex v Leicestershire match at Lord’s were of the feeble Middlesex batting exposed by number 77, Hoggard, who dismissed number 77, Newman, who presumably wears the number to annoy the other 77, Ramprakesh. Are there any more 77s out there? The innings was rescued by an unlikely 50 from Murtagh aided by useful swatting from Collins. One amusing feature was that the sometime keeper, Paul Nixon, is relegated now to the outfield where he had to move from long leg to the right hander to long leg for the left hander as several singles were taken in an over.
When Leicestershire batted it was clear from the outset that young Taylor has fantastic footwork. I have rarely seen such a busy batsman. Roland-Jones was easily the pick of the Middlesex bowlers whilst Udal looked very poor and since his battingseems to have gone it may well be that his time is up.
The TV in the Middlesex members room has a notice on it forbidding the watching of soccer matches. Could this be extended to all cricket pavilions?
I made a last visit to the luxury of the Montpellier Club at the Oval for the Surrey v Glamorgan match which I watched intermittently through the showers. For Surrey Meaker and Tremlett look a very threatening opening attack in contrast to Batty whose bowling was innocuous. Schofield was only used for a couple of overs but Dernbach looks top material. The ever injured Nel, a candidate for Lord’s, has been discarded as has Afzaal. Surrey could field three South Africans next year: Pietersen, Roy and Meaker. Gary Wilson, the Surrey keeper, has inaugurated a new skill of throwing the gauntlet when he runs to fielkd the ball. He achieves about fifty yards.
Match Report
There was an extraordinary match at Bristol at the end of August. Derbyshire won the toss and elected to bat. This proved an unwise decision as they were bowled out by James Franklin in 16 overs for 44. Gloucestershire had established a first innings of 110 when they were bowled out later in the day for 156. Middlesex’ new man Chris Rogers was out for the second time in the day before the close.
On the second morning Chesney Hughes kept the Derbyshire second innings alive and the final two wickets added 61, but even this left Derbyshire requiring what should have been a straightforward 124 to win. In the event it was far too many as they were bowled out for 70 giving Derbyshire one of the most unlikely wins in this competition.
Lord Ray Matters
I haven’t heard from Lord Ray recently but whenever I check his health with Charlie Puckett he usually assures me that Peter is keeping himself busy haranguing someone or other and not to worry. But then in this month’s Wisden Cricketer his photo appeared twice! In an article referring to Adam Gilchrist’s time at Richmond there he was in the 1989 side. The same bunch had posed again this year for an update photo.
Morgan Hart Agreement Matters
The Great Jack Morgan sent me this:
“Twenty four years before Bill Hart, I made the decision not to attend any more international cricket (in this country) for the same reasons (the irritating behaviour of one's fellow spectators), though in 1986 what annoyed me most was the new fashion for the crowd to stand up and throw rubbish into the air following the football world cup in Mexico. There are no waves at county 2s matches!”
Beautiful Grounds
Colin Neill sent me this:
Bamburgh's pretty cool, but how about Crathie?
The Professor reported: “I saw David Beynon about two days after the last Googlies came out and he said that as a young man he played in a regular fixture against Bamburgh.”
The Great Jack Morgan commented: “The Prof mentions Arundel and the castle "nearby", but as we witnessed, it is no longer possible to see the castle (from the northern end at least) thus detracting slightly from the beauty of the ground. I was surprised that the Prof did not mention playing in HMP Wormwood Scrubs!”
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An Occasional Cricketing Journal
Edition 94
October 2010
Agony Matters
From Ijaz of Hyderabad:
Dear Arthur,
I am being hounded by the crazy English press. They say that I am mixing in bad company after I reported that the illegal gamblers are saying the English team took brides. I am not required to name my sources and I may not even know any of these people. They are reputable business men whose trade, unfortunately, is illegal in my country. I don’t make the laws and it is high time that they were changed. But that is besides the point. Our boys are innocent anyway. It is just a coincidence that no balls were bowled when it was planned in return for cash that was paid beforehand to our boys. And anyway you can’t say that everyone was involved. We are all innocent until proved guilty even if the proof is evident to all.
I am at my wits’ end. What am I to do?
Dear Ijaz,
Resign, you prat.
Arthur
Out and About with the Professor
The end of the season is a natural time for reflection and I think, this year, some regret.
The England team continued its very good form but the Pakistan side are now so tainted that the end of the Tour rapidly moved towards farce in Marx’s famous dictum. (“Did you see Pakistan score – 100 all out?” “Really? When?” “Tomorrow”.) Having said that there was some excellent cricket (if you can believe what you are seeing), especially the last three ODIs.
My Club, Welwyn Garden City, having led the Home Counties Premiership for most of the season, fell at the last hurdle and my adopted county did something not too dissimilar. Welwyn are now the second best team in Herts, Beds, Bucks, Berks and Oxfordshire. For virtually all of our 90 year existence such a sentence would have been beyond our wildest dreams but being bowled out for 70 odd in the last game was a sorry way to end what should have been the Club’s finest season. Still, there’s always next year.
The same sentiments were being expressed at Headingley. In a bizarre last day Yorkshire needing to get quick runs against Kent decided instead that suicide might be a more interesting option and lost 9 wickets for 37 in under an hour. Whoever it was who thought that Tredwell would crumble as a series of young batsmen charged up the wicket at him made, it would be fair to say, something of a misjudgement. A good example was Tredwell’s dismissal of Shahzad. A huge six into the football stand end was followed, not by Tredwell darting in a Flat-Jack dot ball but a slower, more flighted, more tempting little off-break. The resulting charge and stumping could almost be read from the hand. Given that Kent lost six wickets knocking off the runs and that half a days’ play was left at the end, it all seemed very odd.
One might have expected the Yorkshire crowd to be complaining… they do have something of a reputation for that in these parts. But I didn’t hear any. Disappointment, yes, but there was a sort of pride in the efforts that this very young side had made. The few dozen hardy pensioners that I join on the breezy Northern Terrace recognised that those two well-known sons of Kent: Dewald Nel and Martin van Jaarsveld both had good games and Yorkshire were always behind. But there is real pride in the fact that in most games this year a largely (sometimes almost entirely) England qualified team has taken the field. Indeed, when Bairstow has kept wicket, an almost entirely Yorkshire-born side. That would not impress the xenophiliac Murdoch money lovers…but it does me. Frankly for a team that contains several players that are on the England fringe (Bresnan, Shahzad, Rashid), some that might soon be (Gale, Lyth, Bairstow) and some for the future (Hannon-Dalby, Ashraf) to have won the County Championship would have been, in my view, an excellent thing for English cricket. I would venture that many others (and not just Yorkshiremen) would have taken a similar view. But the Murdoch-money men would not have approved. Much better to spend the Sky money on half a dozen journeymen cricketers from around the world. The money–grubbers would have little interest in a Yorkshire-bred side…just let’s get the loot. But how, for example, if Yorkshire had packed the side with overseas non-qualified players, would half of these boys (and they are not much more) have got a chance? Hannon-Dalby, who is fashionably tall and decidedly brisk and Ashraf who took three wickets in his first spell, would doubtless have spent years in the Seconds and then given up. As perhaps would Bairstow who may well, one day, play for his country. Moin Ashraf, incidentally, is so young that having bowled Jones with a classic inswinging yorker, he promptly left the field. The ECB does not allow more than seven (I think) overs in a spell for young quick bowlers, and so having bowled his quota with excellent results, he had to stop. He bowled from what is now being called the Trueman Enclosure (i.e. Kirkstall Lane) End and as one of the old gatemen said to me: “Can you imagine Freddy taking three wickets fer bugger-all and being taken off? They’d have ‘ad to fight ‘im fer t’ball”.
Not of course that the Yorkshire committee can occupy the highest moral ground in all this – the fielding of a largely Yorkshire team was in part a necessity created by the muddled attempt to get an overseas player. After two failed attempts they settled for the inaptly named Tino Best who was dropped after a few games.
So no title for Yorkshire. But lots of pride in a Yorkshire team. You will know James, being a biblical scholar, that Pride is a mortal sin…but then so too is the love of money.
Middlesex Matters
The Great Jack Morgan appraises on developments from Radlett
Middlesex won the toss in the Championship match against Leicestershire at Lord's and decided to bat in conditions that were giving a lot of help to the visiting pace bowlers. There were four phases to the Middx innings: i) a dire collapse to 32 for 4; ii) a fine (but too brief) partnership of 98 between Neil Dexter (47) and Gareth Berg (53); iii) a dire collapse to 161 for 9; and iv) a rollicking stand of 58 for the last wicket between no 10 Tim Murtagh (50*) and no 11 Pedro Collins (13), his highest first class score for the club. On this form, Tim ought to be batting at no 7, while Shaun Udal, who has not had a first class innings in double figures since the Surrey match at the Oval in mid-May, ought to be fighting Pedro for the no 10 and 11 slots. We also have to call into question the selection of Josh Davey, whose bowling is rarely used and whose batting is not yet up to first team standards. With Neil Dexter operating as the fourth seamer (as Bergy is unfit to bowl), it would surely have been right to give, say, Dan Housego a chance to bat in the middle order or maybe a chance for Tom Smith to have a bowl in the Championship? Josh has made 33 in his last four innings and his rare bowling spells have brought only 2 wickets (both against Oxford MCCE).
Matthew Hoggard revelled in the conditions and deserved his figures of 6 for 63. In the Leicester innings, the early loss of 2 wickets was overcome by good batting from 21 year old Greg (P) Smith (not to be confused with Greg (M) Smith of Derbyshire) and 20 year old Jimmy Taylor. Middlesex have suffered at the hands of Taylor before, but Smith (65) was new to me and he impressed almost as much as his colleague. Nevertheless, Leics still slumped to 145 for 5, but Taylor then received useful support from spinners Jigar Naik (born in Leicester) and Test player Claude Henderson and when they went past the Middlesex total of 219, Taylor was heading for his century, Henderson was in no trouble at the other end and a big deficit seemed to be on the cards, but when Henderson was out on 272, Taylor (106*) could not protect the weak tail and they collapsed to 282 all out, a lead of only 63. Pedro Collins (4 for 76) and Toby Roland-Jones (4 for 52) took the bowling honours.
I have had plenty of cause to criticise the Middlesex top three this season, but in the second innings, they were easily the best of the Middlesex batters. Scott Newman (70) and John Simpson (44) gave the side an excellent start of 119 and Owais Shah (55) tried his hardest to steer the middle order through to a total that would challenge Leicestershire and give the home side a chance of victory. However, slow left armer Henderson and off-spinner Naik caused plenty of problems and took five wickets between them and then 19 year old Nathan Buck (3 for 37) finished off the innings with the new ball as Middlesex slumped to 255 all out. A lead of 192 did not look enough, but when Leics fell to 29 for 3 with Smith and Taylor both gone for nought, Middlesex were in with a chance. Middlesex were relieved to see the end of a fine innings of 52 by Matt Boyce and with five out for 92, they were still in the match, but when keeper Tom New (41*) first defended competently, then flayed Pedro Collins around St John's Wood, it was clear that only the expected rain would save Middlesex from defeat. The rain duly arrived and caused four stoppages after tea, leaving Leics on 139 for 5, 54 short of victory. I think Neil was right to give Shaun and Owais plenty of bowling, but they picked up only one wicket each (and Dawid, 1 for 5 in the first innings, might have expected a bowl too), but it was a mystery why Pedro (10.3-1-56-1) was chosen to bowl at New when Tim (8-6-7-2) was kicking his heels on the boundary. Middlesex did not deserve to win and are still in big Wooden Spoon trouble, the main mercy being that rivals managed to gain no more than a couple of points on Middlesex.
I saw my first ever Clydesdale Bank 40 over match (this was the only one to start at a reasonable hour, though I would still have preferred an even earlier start) between Middlesex and Derbyshire at Lord's. Derbys batted first and were soon in trouble at 32 for 3, but Chesney Hughes (about whom I have enthused previously) played another powerful innings of 64 and his stand of 82 with Wayne Madsen (39) gave the Falcons some hope and this increased as Graham Wagg, batting too low at no 8, took the total up to an only slightly below par 195 for 9 (the wicket was central so there were no short boundaries, almost uniquely, in this match), Wagg finishing on 48*. Tom Smith's slow left armers were the star turn of Middlesex's performance in the field as he took 3 for 26 in his 8 overs. The Panthers gave yet another chance to consistent failure Andrew Strauss to claim a regular first team place, but yet again he failed to raise his game to the required level, losing his off stump to Wagg for 7. Middlesex would have done better to have given the place to one of the many young batsmen in the second eleven who are finding it impossible to get a fair shot at a first team place. Fortunately, Scott Newman maintained his recent improved form and played some cracking shots in a stand of 127 with Owais Shah as Middlesex looked like cruising to victory. A fine spell of off-spin bowling by Jake Needham (2 for 25 in his 8 overs) however, set Middlesex back by both restricting the run rate and collecting two top order wickets including Newman for an excellent 90, made out of 139. Owais did well to stick it out to the end and his 58*, though nowhere near his fluent best, saw Middlesex to victory by 7 wickets as Gareth Berg (21*) provided the impetus lost on the departure of Newman. It has been a dismal season for Middlesex in limited over cricket, so it was nice to end the season on an optimistic note.
Hardie Matters
We were all concerned when we heard about the earthquake in New Zealand and were relieved to hear from Keith Hardie
The big earthquake that hit Canterbury yesterday at 4:25 in the morning was very scary. It is quite incredible that no one was killed. We, fortunately, are all unscathed as are all the family and friends that we have here. There was no major damage to our property except for minor glass and crockery breakages. We were very lucky. We have had over 40 aftershocks in the last 24 hours; some of them quite strong; so it is not over yet. My two weeks in the 1st Larbert boy scouts in 1960 will ensure our survival through these hard times. "Dib, dib, dib".
Many buildings have suffered structural damage but not as badly as is being reported in the sensationalistic international press. However, the infrastructure in Christchurch is in a sorry mess with power, water and sewage disruptions all over the city. The power outages; poor roads due to burst mains; and requirements to boil water before use makes it just like a holiday in Barbados. Again, we are glad the family and our friends have come through this unscathed.
Allen Bruton replied to him:
I hope the recent events in Christchurch have not hit you personally. Although knowing that New Zealand is within an earthquake region I was really amazed at the severity of this one having seen the BBC news report. Incredible that there seem to have been no fatalities or indeed serious injuries, although it must have been a horrible experience for many people.
The closest we have come to an earthquake is the fallout from the Pakistan match fixing affair. The most unfortunate aspect is that the young 18year old Mohammad Amir seems to be implicated as he already seems to be a bowler in the Wasim Akram mould who would certainly go on to enjoy a great Test career. It would be extremely difficult for an 18year old not to go along with the corruption in the dressing room where it almost seems to have been normal. Other than him I do not think there is any sympathy for the others although Kamran Akmal may have to choose between remembered as a cheat or the World's Worst Wicketkeeper.
Keith replied:
Getting back to near normality, here. Power back on; no need to boil the water anymore; and most roads now patched up. The big clean-up in Canterbury is starting amid some minor aftershocks. It will take a full year to rebuild the 2,500 houses and heaps of businesses mainly located in the old buildings in the city centre that have already been condemned. About a quarter of the houses in town have received some structural damage; mainly caused by falling chimney stacks or ground liquefaction. The new suburbs near the shoreline were worst hit with the ground turning into porage (porridge) and little volcanoes of silt bubbling up for days after. Glad we escaped all that.
Barbara and I have both restarted at our workplaces today after what has been an unreal 5 days. We are still getting aftershocks but they are both less frequent and weaker than the original. Our overall damages were half a dozen glasses; some crockery; a stone ornament from our patio as well as a dozen tiles in our laundry. Small fry compared to others. Hopefully, the worst is over now. We still get a few quakes a day but they are all minor. Sitting at work under the false panels that make up our workplace ceiling is a bit daunting, though.
Everything has all been exaggerated by the international (and in some cases, national) press. Looking for worst cases scenarios and someone in tears to photograph; particularly little girls holding teddy bears. The following bad reporting example puts it into some perspective and typifies the over-dramatisation that is going on:
An Auckland television reporter interviewing the person in charge of one of the temporary shelters:
Shelter manager: "We have 189 people staying overnight and expecting more to arrive."
TV Interviewer: "A tragic time for Christchurch and the rest of the country. You must have heard some horrific stories."
Shelter manager: Pause then, realising what was expected, did her best and said "Well, some people are worried about their pets."
TV Interviewer: ...CUT...
Spot Betting and Fixed Cricket
The Great Jack Morgan sent me this: “I cannot condone taking money for bowling no-balls, but I am getting a bit irritated that everyone seems to be regarding this offence as the equivalent of match-fixing; in my opinion it is nowhere near so serious. I am also irritated by the press, most of whom cannot find the space to print full scorecards of first class matches, let alone provide a report, but when something unflattering comes along there is no limit to the amount of space available on sports, news and comment pages: I counted fifteen pages in today's Guardian.”
I have never given much thought to fixing before and the furore broke after my visit to Hove with the Great Jack Morgan, but looking back on the events of that day it was apparent that much of what we saw was pre-determined. Sussex used four seamers in the pre lunch session and they bowled similar numbers of overs. They all bowled to similar fields which again must have been pre set. At this stage of the game Sussex could easily have gone on to win but their captain and blooded first team leg spinner, Tom Beer, only bowled one over before lunch and none after.
This was the first second eleven cricket I have watched since Kent’s visits to South Hampstead in the late sixties and so it maybe that all second eleven cricket is played like this. If I am right then there are ulterior motives for the play and the match as such is contrived outside the dynamics of itself. If it was more important to the Sussex coaches that certain seamers had a work out rather than Sussex win the game surely this represents an element of fixing and renders the spectacle less than fully competitive?
If further evidence for fixing were required it was Jim Anyon, not Luke Hatchett, who was promoted to the Sussex first team that weekend and Tom Scollay not Sam Robson who was promoted to the Middlesex side. Extraordinarily, Robbie Williams with an exemplary display of rinse bowling earned himself a place in the first team at Scarborough where, unsurprisingly, he was unceremoniously clattered around the park, returning figures of 8-0-56-0.
Carlin Matters
Paddy Carlin came out of the beer tent to send me the following notes
I went down to Cheltenham in August to visit the College Ground, which is conveniently located about 200 yards from were one of my daughters lives, to watch the Gloucestershire v Worcestershire local derby. Day 1 saw Porterfield dominate the home side’s batting against some varied bowling from Richardson, who looked surprisingly fit, Mason (Australian), Ali (English) and Al Hasan (Bangladeshi). Cameron (Zimbabwe) also bowled and fielded badly. Is there no young qualified cricketer that Worcestershire can find to bat down the order and do a similar job? Porterfield got 175 which brings me to another point.
A week earlier I had umpired a Hertfordshire League match between Old Finchleians and Hertford in Division 1 (equivalent to Middlesex County League division 2). The previous week Hertford had lost their season’s unbeaten record to Totteridge/Millhillians who beat them by ten wickets chasing down a score of 240. Porterfield and a player called Murdoch who plays top grade cricket for Wellington in New Zealand both scored centuries. Can the likes of Portefield and indeed Gary Wilson, the Surrey keeper who turns out regularly for Totteridge/Millhillians, not find a more challenging arena to practice in than this relatively low grade League cricket? Old Finchleians, incidentally, regularly field nine players, all related with the surname Depala.
Anyway Day 2 was also enjoyable as I wandered among the tents and bars of a full ground and saw some elegant batting from the bushy bearded Moeen Ali who is also not the worse bowler in the world. Festival cricket does have its place and also draws the crowds despite the recent disparaging remarks from Steve Harmison.
My main impressions of the Middlesex v Leicestershire match at Lord’s were of the feeble Middlesex batting exposed by number 77, Hoggard, who dismissed number 77, Newman, who presumably wears the number to annoy the other 77, Ramprakesh. Are there any more 77s out there? The innings was rescued by an unlikely 50 from Murtagh aided by useful swatting from Collins. One amusing feature was that the sometime keeper, Paul Nixon, is relegated now to the outfield where he had to move from long leg to the right hander to long leg for the left hander as several singles were taken in an over.
When Leicestershire batted it was clear from the outset that young Taylor has fantastic footwork. I have rarely seen such a busy batsman. Roland-Jones was easily the pick of the Middlesex bowlers whilst Udal looked very poor and since his battingseems to have gone it may well be that his time is up.
The TV in the Middlesex members room has a notice on it forbidding the watching of soccer matches. Could this be extended to all cricket pavilions?
I made a last visit to the luxury of the Montpellier Club at the Oval for the Surrey v Glamorgan match which I watched intermittently through the showers. For Surrey Meaker and Tremlett look a very threatening opening attack in contrast to Batty whose bowling was innocuous. Schofield was only used for a couple of overs but Dernbach looks top material. The ever injured Nel, a candidate for Lord’s, has been discarded as has Afzaal. Surrey could field three South Africans next year: Pietersen, Roy and Meaker. Gary Wilson, the Surrey keeper, has inaugurated a new skill of throwing the gauntlet when he runs to fielkd the ball. He achieves about fifty yards.
Match Report
There was an extraordinary match at Bristol at the end of August. Derbyshire won the toss and elected to bat. This proved an unwise decision as they were bowled out by James Franklin in 16 overs for 44. Gloucestershire had established a first innings of 110 when they were bowled out later in the day for 156. Middlesex’ new man Chris Rogers was out for the second time in the day before the close.
On the second morning Chesney Hughes kept the Derbyshire second innings alive and the final two wickets added 61, but even this left Derbyshire requiring what should have been a straightforward 124 to win. In the event it was far too many as they were bowled out for 70 giving Derbyshire one of the most unlikely wins in this competition.
Lord Ray Matters
I haven’t heard from Lord Ray recently but whenever I check his health with Charlie Puckett he usually assures me that Peter is keeping himself busy haranguing someone or other and not to worry. But then in this month’s Wisden Cricketer his photo appeared twice! In an article referring to Adam Gilchrist’s time at Richmond there he was in the 1989 side. The same bunch had posed again this year for an update photo.
Morgan Hart Agreement Matters
The Great Jack Morgan sent me this:
“Twenty four years before Bill Hart, I made the decision not to attend any more international cricket (in this country) for the same reasons (the irritating behaviour of one's fellow spectators), though in 1986 what annoyed me most was the new fashion for the crowd to stand up and throw rubbish into the air following the football world cup in Mexico. There are no waves at county 2s matches!”
Beautiful Grounds
Colin Neill sent me this:
Bamburgh's pretty cool, but how about Crathie?
The Professor reported: “I saw David Beynon about two days after the last Googlies came out and he said that as a young man he played in a regular fixture against Bamburgh.”
The Great Jack Morgan commented: “The Prof mentions Arundel and the castle "nearby", but as we witnessed, it is no longer possible to see the castle (from the northern end at least) thus detracting slightly from the beauty of the ground. I was surprised that the Prof did not mention playing in HMP Wormwood Scrubs!”
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