C40 wash out to T20 Champions of the World.
Back on form
By Diamond Ruled OK ( + Kimmy at end))
May 17 2010
Diamond reports on yet another no result game. But, there's still plenty to report on. Surnames on scoreboard, Kimmy being torn, a wash out from Upper Allen and then from higher and witnessing an England World Cup Win. Who says watching Middx on a gloomy day is uneventful?
A gloomy mornings weather had improved little by the time I got to Lord’s for today’s fixture with the Dutch. The car made it with good time to spare, no radiator problems for me, unlike Jenson Button inMonaco. The crowd was very sparse (as many had predicted) a combination of the weather, the opposition .other end of season engagements football wise and the small matter of the 20/20 World Cup must all have had a bearing on that. Middlesex won the toss and elected to bat, Tom Smith and Robbie Williams replaced Toby Roland Jones and Tim Murtagh from the scorecard line up. The Netherlanders were unchanged, if they had been the challenge of fitting some Dutch surnames on the scorecard in the available space would have been fun. A prompt start sees no sign of the weather intervening but the skies behind the pavilion were refusing to brighten up even at the sight of the Netherlands kit, that famous orange strip has to be one of the best known in the world, certainly one of the loudest. Parking attendants Bailey and Bodenham are followed out by the Tango men with Strauss and Newman looking very under coloured in our pink and blue quarter strip. The few hardy souls in the Edrichupper settle in to a stiff breeze as does Bukhari to bowl the first over of the game. Strauss gets off the mark first ball with a single. Beefy then texts me to see if I am at the ground, (nice timing mate!). No need to reply though as he is stood behind me in the Middlesex Room. Newman’s(1) wicket falls with the score on14 to a good catch at first slip with a major assist from the keeperBuurman who parried it up in the air to him.(14-1). Enter the Gladiator Owais Shah , a player I have missed watching so far this season due to other commitments (his not mine).The score moved on steadily till on 33 Strauss(26) planted a ball straight down mid ons throat.(33-2). Power play two is taken by the Netherlanders as soon as it is available around the same time Kimmy confuses the bar staff by ordering a white wine and soda .I later found out these cost about £4 so beware when taking the ladies to cricket lads. Malan departs for 28 and the score is 70-3, the furniture having been rearranged by a good ball from Kashif that he putting it basically missed. Kimmy’s hero enters the arena. Off the mark with a square cut four Berg repeats the shot off the last ball of the 18th over. By now a “discussion” about who Kimmy loves has broken out between her and her husband Dean who with no work or Spurs game had attended the game with her. The hundred comes up and Iceman gets rid of a jumper to sighs from Kimmy. Her concentration was obviously lacking as moments later the first spillage of the day occurred, a wine and soda washes it’s way down the lower Allen stand. To justify this she tried to blame Dean for handing her a paper to put in her bag and her trying to put the drink down at the same time, I reckon she was still distracted by thoughts ofGareths rippling biceps glistening in the bright summer sun (ok so the last bit is not true but a girl can dream).At 24 overs the rain starts, Berg 32 outpacing Shah 31 post a 50 partnership .Over 26 sees the batting power play taken and the two batsmen race to 50’s Shah winning this with the help of a big six.. Given the conditions both players were pushing on well when with the score at 162-3 off 30 overs play was suspended as the rains really started to get heavier. A long break later Middlesex are able to go out for 3 more overs. The World 20/20 final is underway andAustralia are 10-3, pinch me someone! Ace hits a six to bring up a well made 100 partnership. Berg falls for 53 with the score on 185-4 and the rain returns with just three balls of the allotted innings for Middlesex (33overs) left to be bowled. Shah remained not out on 84. The covers were on for the rest of the Australian innings. At 18:05 after doubtless watching the end of the innings the umpires came out for a look. As it was still raining it began to look more and more like a no result 1 point apiece game. This was duly announced on the pa, a shame for those who had travelled from as far as Holland for the game but unavoidable, in fact I was amazed they got as much cricket in as they did. I will credit my cub reporter Kimmy for the last bit of my match report. “As Diamond goes out for another smoke!! The grounds men seem busy doing nothing. The announcer says that there is not enough time to get the covers off and play the remaining overs and they have abandoned the match.. boo!! “ With the World Cup on in the Middlesex Room till turning out time we were amused and the quick run to the Brassiere for the finale of England becoming T20 World Champions was well worth it. On a day when the weather was the winner in NW8 England and our very own Eion Morgan were crowned T20 World Champions in Barbados , oh for some of that West Indies sunshine at Lord’s today. Excellent company as ever, a game spoilt by the elements and bragging rights over the Aussies for the next 12months in 20/20. Not a bad way to spend a Sunday afternoon.
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Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2010:05:20:23:02:48 by BarmierKev.
It does seem to take secons to put all the covers on... and an age for them to come off again... Maybe it's just the willing the game to start again?
Good report as always Diamond! Dean is pleased to have his name in print, even if he still calls us geeks!
Kimmy
Vics solution to your problem will probably be when the covers go on they are dry , when they came off they are wet and need special care not to get water under them and onto the wicket area, so dry is quick to go , wet is slow especially if the senior groundsman has his eye on the weather , as was the case yesterday , barely any point pulling all that lot off to shove 'em back on 20mins later.
Did seem a little daft though them getting back on for 3 overs when you can bet your bottom dollar Mike knew it would hose down again in no time at all and the only result was going to be a no result ( as the weather forecasters had predicted us).
Should be in the ask Groundie thread but did Uxers see much play the weekend ?
I have to say though that Sorry was quite quick today and they went round with the rope....
But it was like Diamond said the covers would have been on and off like a fiddlers elbow!
Kimmy