Poydsen Adventure ends up sinking Middlesex

Kev reports on yet another defeat for Middlesex. This is not pretty reading but captures the depressing direction we are going. 

There is no spring in my step as I leave for Lord's today. The weather is overcast cooler than of late, but most importantly this game is on back of 3 successive days of 1 day defeats after witnessing our thrashing at Scarborough. This time last week I was watching cricket in a perfect cricket atmosphere at Scarborough with a down to earth knowledgable crowd. Today is ladies day where the main interest is, with backs to cricket, who is wearing the best hat. Anyway I'm not wearing a collar my shorts aren't tailored so I'm away from the pretentious nonsense. My lack of enthusiasm means I'm at ground at 11.15 for a 10.30 start. Bring back 40 over stuff or beam me back to Scarborough.

Warks are batting having won toss. On arrival score is 29 1 from 12. As I'm settled in Lower Tav square on there seemed a clear run out on Chopra, our players put finger up but the umpire not best positioned didn't.  This decision could proved match defining.  The score moved on to 105 once Chopra was next out.  Ambrose struggled to cream bowling and was out caught in deep. Trott was batting at a cantor out for 78 without really accelerating to a gallop. With 10 overs to go score was still below 4 an over.  Beefy just back from Glamorgan said we won't chase any target down. There was a late onslaught and a farcical failed run out attempt that cost us 2 unnecessary runs, could this be crucial?  Still I would say the final total of 240 seemed under par. Then it is us who are chasing.

AC and Gubbins out early. It was down to Moggie and Buck to rescue us. We are up against, due to injuries and Woakes playing for England, a 2nd string Warks attack with 2 players with no names on shirt on debut.  This partnership revives us and we are ahead of The Vera.  Then no name spinner I'm told called Poysden previously played for Unicorns has Moggie plum LBW you guessed reverse sweeping. Higgins got a life when a skied catch was dropped by doubled barrelled Oliver HD off Poysden. Now match slipping away from the Bears. Rickety Clarke has bowled 7 overs for 13 but they persist with hit or miss Poysden.  11 overs left with 5 and half runs over needed 3 wickets down. we can't mess up from here. Oh yes we can. Higgins soon out caught by Poysden and Bucko on nervous 96 tamely holes out off of Poysden's bowing. The inevitable clusters follow all wickets involving No Name Poysden. 14 needed off final over. TRJ run out marginally off first ball- perhaps umpire could have cancelled out his earlier mistake?  HiFi on strike, 6 to win 4 to draw needed off final ball. It was never going to happen.

We can look at marginal factors that cost us especially that run out decision early on, but really we should have not allowed so many runs late on and thereafter chased down the target comfortably. Losing is a bad habit and currently I’m despairing.