Bravely Failing in the NCL!

By Grockle
July 14 2003

We are not just losing now but we are losing bravely. A big game with lots of runs. Unfortunately Middlesex got 30 plus more than we did. Some decent performances from batsmen for a change but we couldn't hold them and then couldn't pass them

v MIDDLESEX NCL2 @ Southgate 13 July 2003

Bravely Failing

This seems to be the new analysis.  We didn't win but we lost bravely and gave it a good go!  With our injury record I suppose it is a step in the right direction and at least our batting line-up did put up somewhat more of a fight than has been know at times in the past but, we allowed then to reach a score of 337 off 45 overs (nearly 7.5 an over) and that is indefensible in the one day game.   Although you have to credit the guys with the bat for giving it a go and accept that it created good entertainment for most of the crowd, very few sides, even in blazing form are going to come back from that.  Therefore, while accepting that we showed some backbone, I hope there is an inquest into the reasons why we got ourselves into an unwinnable position in the first place.

Middlesex obviously liked the look of the Southgate pitch because they decided to go for it first after winning the toss.  It seems to have been a belter because they hit over 300 and then we did the same - 642 runs off 90 overs is quite impressive.  Weekes and Strauss started the long day by adding 150 for the first wicket against an attack that has been struggling when there was help and had absolutely none here.  Steffan Jones bowled an excellent first spell of 7 overs for under 30 - on this pitch that was very good and Nixon made only his second appearance in the NCL but made few inroads in his early overs.

It was Mr K Parsons who actually got the wicket machine rolling when he bowled Weekes for a very good 65 at 150.  He gave us some hope of a collapse when he also got Strauss coming down the pitch 22 runs later - stumped by Turner.   The problem was that it simply brought Razzaq out to join Shah and they plundered 114 runs in 58 minutes from the middle band of Somerset bowlers - Aarron Laraman was especially punished for returning to his old haunts as he went for 12 an over off his 5 (why did he bowl 5?)  Burnsy went for nearly 7 in each of his 4 and KP was off after 4 when his total got to 32.  Keith Dutch was underused, bowling 6 for a very respectable 5 per over but when Jones dropped a fairly regulation catch from Razzaq, the radio commentary had visions of what was to come and the international made us pay dearly with 79 off 49 balls before McLean had him caught by Cox at 286. Even though Dalrymple went for only 2, Owais Shah didn't go so cheaply and he took 74 off 57 balls, at one time going along at 2 per ball for about 4 overs!

Cook added 13 and Hutton put in one to generate a score of 337 - new record against Somerset and thirty too far for our boys.

We tried.  Although Gazzard went early, Coxey put on 84 with Keith Dutch before he went to Razzaq courtesy of Shah for 39.  Dutchy played one of his one day cameos and milked 65 off 63 balls to keep us in the hunt.  He was LBW to Dalrymple - the unlikely bowling hero - at 136.  Burns put Dalrymple on a hat-trick going first ball and Parsons didn't provide his normal level of one day bravado so it was left to Ian Blackwell and the tail end to try and make a game of it.

Although we worked at it and Blackie hit a very restrained and patient 64 off 50 balls, he didn't have batsmen who could create the big shots with him.   Laraman was run out for 2 (bad day at Southgate Mr L).  Rob only provided 8 and when Blackwell finally went for glory, he went as well to...Dalrymple.

Wes Durston was given a go - didn't bowl (why not?) - and showed some steel with 51 off 43 but a run a ball 25 from Nixon wasn't enough to keep the scoreboard ticking fast enough.  Jonah came in and stayed to help Wes past his half ton but we finished up short and were congratulating ourselves that we weren't all out.   Don't know if you noticed boys but you didn't pass their score!

It was a better performance, but we still give away two's when singles should be fought for.  We drop important catches and we can be lethargic in the field.  Razzaq punished us for poor fielding and probably scored the thirty runs that were the difference.  Moving in the right direction but too damn slowly and satisfied with too damn little I'm afraid.  On to the celebrity games and a rest for most people who are 'important' - let's hope they come out refreshed and ready to kick four day backsides!

Oh and if you want to know what Middlesex thought of our brave boy's efforts then click HERE