Middlesex Get Notted
By Beefy Roberts
July 12 2012
BEEFY REPORTS ON DEPRESSING DAY FOR MIDDLESEX
Welcome to Uxbridge CC for our County game vs Notts, and I wake up to an amazing sight. Blue sky and the sun is out. Sadly it probably won’t last long but I just hope we get cricket today.
So, into the ground. The soaker-up-thingy machine is hard at work and all the covers are off with players warming up. Start on time I wonder?
At 10.35 the first incident, a gust of wind and it catches Phil's programme which it time gets caught on a cup of coffee this gets a spillage over a mates hand. First degree burns and a skin graft is soon needed.
We then hear that a pitch inspection will be taken at 11.00 then next we are told its the toss at 11.15 and 11.45 start. All this mucking about and the sun is out. But we do know the outfield was just a tad waterlogged.
The Notts flag is a late arrival but the Uxbridge Womble manages to get it on the pole. But we watch it as the flag slowly carries on slipping down and it stops at half-mast. Maybe a sign of surrender?
The toss has taken place and just for change we don’t win and no surprised to hear Notts have put us in to bat.
Game starts at 11.45 and it wasn’t long before the first wicket goes. We are 5-1 as Robbo is caught behind a big nick off Phillips, It didn’t take long for us to be 10-2 as Rogers goes c Voges b Gurney. He looked set after a lovely square drive for 4 but hey,ho!
Denly comes in next and Diamond comes out with the comment ' A spicy Uxbridge Wicket'
Next a damn huge LBW appeal at Denly off Gurney but the umpire was thankfully un-moved or could have been in even more trouble looked high. But not long after we lose another as Denly goes for a duck and it’s 24-3 caught by Voges off Gurney at 2nd slip. We wonder what is going on, as Malan is next in.
We are now hoping for rain but we got blue skies and nice fluffy clouds. Mala goes forward to face a ball it’s a play n miss and was lucky. Next shot brings 3 runs as the ball stops in the deep due to the soggy outfield and we are 32-3.Just can’t help the ground and constant downpours.
Looking west and clouds get darker is it a day/night game? But again the rain diverts and misses us. Malan goes next and we are 34-4, he gets 6 runs and is caught down low by Hales b Adams. Simmo in next and he didn’t hang around, as he is bowled first ball by Adams. So Bergie comes in with Adams on a hat trick, thankfully it didn’t happen.
I think to myself in song ' lets all do a rain dance, lets all do rain dance ' still didn’t happen.
Bergie looks comfortable with Strauss and as well reach lunch the wind picks up, but we go in at 46-5 Strauss 24 Berg 9.
Lunch over and back we come. The Notts bowlers are looking to chip away at our boys and a couple of runs later we are 5 wickets down and only 139 away from first batting point. A wild swipe from Bergie gets a noooooo from Vermin Corner. The outfield is still heavy and Gurney bowls to Strauss and a huge LBW appeal, not given thankfully. We reach 84-5 and it’s a 50 partnership for Strauss and Bergie well batted those two.
Peter the Warner stand steward joins us and Seaxe Man starts to explain the Mexican team description, sadly in an out of tune rendition (sorry Roy!) Peter just loves it and has a good laugh.
It’s now 97-5 as Strauss reaches a very well deserved 50 from 96 balls and 6 fours, holding the team together is our England captain.
Then, mayhem starts. 97-6 as Strauss goes for his 50 bowled on top off off-stump by Adams and Rayner comes in, it’s soon it 97-7 as Rayner is caught behind but he stays put for a few seconds as not impressed with the decision. Murts in and Murts out, not a good shot and we are deep in the mire on 98-8,what the hell is going on??? RJ in, I am sending text to a few not at game. Kimmy replies 'we must get to 100' as she sends the text Bergie goes LBW and we are in bother now at 98-9 Arrgghh, what was put in the food at lunch? Corey comes in and didn’t last long as he is caught in the slips.
We finish on 98 all out. Not a good showing with few iffy shots. Strauss and Berg get 82 runs between them and rest of team chipped in with the rest, including 3 extras. The old saying comes to mind ''Never judge a wicket till both sides have batted"' so lets see how it works.
The clouds are dark grey and grim but still no rain we have Murts from Pav End and Corey Gatting Way end.Steady start but we get the breakthrough as one danger man goes, Hales the local boy is LBW to Corey and Notts on 24-1, with blue sky moving in.
Bowling changes start, TRJ for Corey at Gatting Way end. Tea is taken and during this time, Alex Hales Grandfather is sitting near us, looking proud as Alex sat with him. Grandfather with great comment ' he asks Alex if he hit the ball, Alex said,” no hit the pad.” The return was superb....”. Why? You got a new bat but used your pad” and he sits there shaking his head. Brilliant!
Now, I will admit I began to lose it a little after tea as Notts started to get some runs and they are 56-1 Notts seem too do what we couldn’t that is find the gaps and couple of dropped catches, few boundaries as maybe the ground dries out a bit?
TRJ for Corey as Notts close in on our score soon. Hurrah we get a wicket and its 73-2 and Wessells has gone for 34 c Simmo b Berg. Samit Patel is in, why????
TRJ sends a delivery to Lumb who, in this over gets 4 fours. A wicket arrives as Patel goes for 18 LBW by Murts and in comes James Taylor, who is a class player, as we all know.
Getting darker as the dangerous Taylor goes for just 3 runs he is caught Simmo b Murts.
Enthusiasm gets worse as I do dark cloud viewing and decided that 6pm was cut off and time to go. As we move out, players are off for dark light and rain.
Lets hope for better tomorrow!
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012:07:13:21:33:58 by The Diamond ruled ok.
You could sell that story of our collapse to any sports paper,most would put it in nightmare corner.
Nice to see the Hales family "out en-masse",Alex on the field and off it. Granddad is a right case and a temporary member of Vermin corner as it's the only hard standing for his wheel chair.
Only hope is today's reporter has something more Middlesex to report on than a clatter of our wickets.
Umbrella,pen,paper,snorkel,flippers.wet suit,CHECK
Excellent report as usual, but needless to say, a very bad day for Middlesex.
Oh well. We have had many more good days than bad days in The Championship so far this season and long may that continue.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012:07:12:19:31:32 by lower pavilion.