Beefy and Middx go off the rails. Finn gets us back on track
By Beefy Roberts
April 11 2010
Despite a nightmare journey, Beefy Roberts showed what a true MTWD man he is by battling to New Road for Day Two. It turned out to be an amazing day's cricket that saw 20 wickets fall that included a sensational spell of bowling by Steven Finn.Read on
Before this report starts,we missed the first session due to a problem, but all will be revealed below, enjoy!
After another early start, the sun starts to rise and me and Ken head off to New Road for day 2, hoping to see the Middle rack up a good first innings lead.Kimmy is en-route and we are meeting at the station as before, no Kev but Diamond is on his way.We get to Slough station, and get held up on the train, to find out there has been a suicide just outside the station.Oh no,how do we get to the ground?, Ken and myself head off to Windsor, change trains to Staines then get another train to Reading. At Staines meet couple more Middx fans who come along for the ride.
At Reading, we ask ' What next '? Who knows, but you can’t stop the Middle, we WILL get there! The tour continues, a result..........a train to Oxford, we are told change there for train to Worcester. I’m texting Kimmy to tell her all the problems, she then tells me her train is delayed, people on the track.......We WILL get there! Kimmys train gets moving, and we get to Oxford, next train to Worcester gets there at 1236,then,Ken tells me there is a coach laid on to Worcester, after a very quick chat, four of us going the coach, only 6 people on it, called it the Middx express. We WILL get there.
One of the guys we met at Staines said I should send report to Travel show not MTWD!Kimmy is at the ground, and starts to text the score ( Many thanks for that, cheers mate ),A wicket OB bowled for 13-2,also told before the game, that Scottie and Big Al(new nickname will be revealed later) get there county caps, I misread the text, thought it said they got county CARS!, a wicket falls, AC comes in as Newman goes a Big Al wicket, its 24-3.Suddenly Kimmy doesn’t send a text, no wickets then, I check my phone to find its 39-4 AC out and Robson/London batting.
I tell the other tourists the score to groans, and I comment we might see Finny bowl again at this rate.Finally, after 6 trains, a coach and 7 hours of travelling we see Worcester in front of us, Text from Kimmy, its 52-5, Turn the coach round! We get in the ground as lunch is called; the score is 91-6.We beat the train by 15 minutes.
Big Al opens after lunch, to Simpson and Kimmy says wish he would stop grunting, he sounds like Martina Hingis,so,From that moment, Big Al is now Martina! Noticed the Worcester appeal for every delivery, a wicket falls, in comes Berg and a comment is made ' Don’t you dare get Bergie out, he is going to get a 100 today ', wicket falls 92-7 Simpson LBW to Jones. Shaggy gets hit on the foot, looks painful shows Berg where it hit, but looks ok, worries over. The Middle reach 101-7, then soon its 113-8 Shaggy out, wicket for Martina.122-9 Murts bowled for 8 by Jones, last man in, Finny who goes for a duck, were 126 all out;
Richard Jones takes 6-37 a career best.Not asked to follow on,Worcs come out to bat, no one had a clue what was going to happen, but it wasn’t long until they were 10-1 Mitchell c Strauss b Finn, we had a couple of appeals for LBW but the umpire was unmoved, Solanki next out b Finn for 3 its 26-2,next ball Ali bowled by Finn, golden Duck its 26-3.........hat trick ball, come on Finny we all shout, unlucky, but it was close, VERY close. Another couple of LBW appeals, but, yep, not out. Newman doing the sledging, all afternoon, it was superb!
After tea, players out few minutes late, watching the National? Berg and OB bowling after tea 81-4 c Strauss b OB, then bowling change OB off, Finny on the Diglis End, soon, wicket 96-5 Smith LBW Finn, then our wicketkeeper comes in, yep, Scottie with his new Cap/Car, a wicket goes, score 67-6 Kerveeze bowled for 43 by Finn, Scottie is facing Finny and next thing...........bowled by Finny for 3, that’s 6 wickets for Finny and 11 in the match. Brilliant bowling everyone is saying in the pavilion, next in is Jones, didn’t last long LBW Finn for 3 its 112-8 and 7 wkts for Finny, Middx old boy Whelan in next, then out next 112-9 it’s that man again Finny LBW for a duck 8 wkts for himself. Last man comes in, its Martina, who didn’t lose his wicket the last man out was Andrew for 12,c Berg b Finn.......Steve Finn finishes with a superb career best of 9-37.He leads the team in, to a standing ovation with the match ball, he is beaming and we don’t blame him. I text Kev and Seaxe Man the great news.
We have to face 5 overs, with 281 to win over 2 days. We lose one wicket, Newman goes for 1 wicket taken by Martina. How will the last 2 days go, only time will tell.The 7 hour journey was worth it, to see Finny get those wickets, Knackered? yep but I don’t care!
If you do not already have an account Click here to Register.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010:04:15:18:32:18 by BarmierKev.
Loads of sympathy for people who were effected by yesterday's problems on First Great Western can be found on Twitter:
Addsauce part one
Addsauce part two
Digi4life
Brendonconnelly
Kitfaaace
Randomravings
Partroot
Uktrainhut
PositivelyLost
Not many people tweeted about the problems on the London Overground yesterday.
Why doesn't this article come up when typing 'Slough' into Google News? And why does there appear to be nothing on the Internet about yesterday's incident at Harrow and Wealdstone? I thought it might appear on the Harrow Observer, Harrow Times or BBC websites.
Click here to read why I sensationally sacrificed the big bucks of Chelsea for the adventure of Watford
(image on left not representative of how relative my support of Watford is to my support of Middlesex)
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010:04:11:14:05:05 by Jonathan League Onesky.
With an average of 3.5 so far this season he has absolutely nothing to shout about. I don't think I'm going to like Mr Newman.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010:04:11:15:03:41 by Mr. Trellis.
This is the first time I have posted a message on this site, but despite my stern words, I do enjoy reading your articles.
I pray that they got home alright.
I have much more sympathy for the Plymouth supporters than the people who were killed at Slough and Harrow and Wealdstone as I can really associate with the Plymouth supporters, although I'm not going to make a comment on what I think of the two people who were killed yesterday. To take 1,116 supporters all the way from Devon to Hertfordshire is impressive, and teams who have had considerably less to travel have taken a smaller away following to Vicarage Road this season.
Just remember: beware that you must take care when near railway lines, as that advice will stand you in good stead for an enjoyable experience of traveling Britain's vast and impressive railway network.
Click here to read why I sensationally sacrificed the big bucks of Chelsea for the adventure of Watford
(image on left not representative of how relative my support of Watford is to my support of Middlesex)
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010:04:11:23:11:57 by Jonathan League Onesky.
What a day! It really was great! Very entertaining!
And who do I feel sorry for.... not the person who jumped.... but the poor train drivers who can see it but can't swerve! They have to live with that for the rest of their lives... I personally think it's a very selfish way to go......
Kimmy