Cucumber and Fish Balls - Day 3

With tales of berries, cucumbers, fish balls and the like, it can only be an Auntie Janet special. Cheer yourself up with her abiding optimism at the end of the piece, but even Auntie Janet would admit that Day Three was Essex's Day. Many thanks as always to Auntie Janet.

I got up at 7.30am to make my salad and fruit salad. I realised when I went to Sainsbury’s on the way home yesterday that I had forgotten to buy blackberries and blueberries. One look at the cucumber told me that I should have bought a new cucumber as well.

I was just about to go out of my front door when I realised that I had forgotten to put any fish balls in my salad, and I’d left the ‘drinking yoghurt’ in the fridge, so I hastily packed those.

I got on the 253 and realised that I had not packed my note pad in my bag, so when I got off at Camden Town I bought a note pad to write notes in. As soon as I got back to the bus stop a 274 came and I got on that to finish my journey.

I got to Lord’s at 10.15am and it looked a gloriously sunny day, unlike yesterday which remained cloudy and overcast all day. The grey clouds were over the mound stand and soon disappeared.

Essex got off to a slow start with the first run of the morning coming off the 4th over bowled by Finn. After 7 overs Foster got his 50. Finn was replaced by Richardson at the pavilion end in the 12th over. It was slow going with only 24 runs coming off the first 14 overs.

Kartik took over from Murtagh at the pavilion end.

The 100 partnership was passed as was the 150 for Essex and still no breakthrough. I turned to my companion and said ‘It’s about time we saw Malan or Berg from the pavilion end’ when the ESP worked and Berg came on at the pavilion end. He also did not look like taking a wicket.

12 overs to the new ball, but that will probably come after lunch.  Robson was hit again fielding at short leg, but shrugged it off.

They build them tough in Australia!

The 150 partnership came and still no wicket. At lunch there were 6 overs to the new ball (195/4).

I hope that after lunch Malan and Robson get a bowl until the new ball.

Kartik bowled the first over after lunch, and Foster was run out off the third ball going for a single that wasn’t there. Compton was the fielder. Unbelievably the 12th man (Luke Cherry) brought drinks out.

The new ball was taken after 83 overs (224/5). Finn took the new ball at the pavilion end but did not bowl so well. Murtagh continued at the Nursery end and soon had Ten Doeschate lbw for 18 (244/6) and another bowling point. However Walker is 102 n.o.

The ball doesn't need to get that high to get Walker ducking

If we can get Walker and Napier we should get the last 3 cheaply------------- ‘Famous last words’.

As Finn bowled badly Richardson took over from the pavilion end after two overs.

Murtagh then strikes again by trapping Napier lbw for 3 (256/7). Unfortunately Walker is still there. In the 14th over. Kartik replaced Murtagh at the Nursery end. Finn was brought back again at the pavilion end and bowled a lot better such that Shah dropped a hard chance off Walker (130) when the score was 298/7. To add insult to injury Shah misfields the next ball which then goes for 4.

At tea Essex are 306/7. after tea I said to my companion ‘I don’t know why they don’t try Murtagh at the pavilion end, when he was brought on after tea. We’d bowled 100+ overs and Malan and Robson had still not been tried. Surely it was not too much to ask to mix and match all bowling options.

Finally Walker is out, caught on the boundary by Compton for 150 (333/8). Two balls later Palladino is out for a duck (c Malan b Kartik) and we have our 3rd bowling point (333/9).

Kartik mops up the tail as Kanieria is stumped by Scott for 7 (345 a.o.)

We are left with 21 overs to negotiate at the end of the day. Kaneria was brought on after 10 overs and soon had 3 quick wickets as we slumped to 47/3. Robson was caught at slip by Cook and both Compton and Morgan were given out lbw.

Pick of the bowlers - can Middlesex batsmen pick him on Friday?

If our batsmen can negotiate Kaneria and set Essex say 200 – 250, then hopefully Kartik could bowl them out to set up our second win.