The Ice hots things up

comebackgatt reports from a sorching Lord's on day one of the match between Middx and Northants. An entertaing days play showing all the good things about 4 day cricket. Four Middle batters reached fifty, as well as the cricket we find out about trains, the museum and a '99 ice cream! Read on..

Arranged to meet my nephew, (Steelbacker) outside St John’s Wood station. He texted me to say he would be early as his train was ahead of its time. I had a mental picture of him on some kind of supersonic London Midland train. Anyway he was there as I walked out of the station and we made our way to the Nursery End entrance with the sun shining. We both discussed how our teams had been disappointing so far; yes he had a pop saying at least Northants can beat one team!! Toe rag!

We went into the pavilion, the first time he had ever been in, and made our way to the top tier, my favourite spot. Team news for the Middle, no IOB so Danny Evans comes in, while for Northants their O’Brien is also out with his injured finger and Sales omitted (Steelbacker suspects injured as well) so Howgego plays. Shaggy wins toss and decides to bat, no surprise there, looking at the wicket through binoculars looks a good one. Newman and Simpson open batting Chaminda Vaas (good to see him return to Lord’s) and Jack Brook (who really looks a kid just out of school, natty hair cut as well) open the bowling.

First hour’s play probably to the visitors. Newman again flattering to deceive, striking an excellent four but on 11 edged a lifter from Brooks to Peters at slip and then Ace trapped in front by the same bowler and we are 52-2. Foolishly I said to SB that we would be 350-5 at the close, while he went for 300 all out. Blimey it is getting hot. Robson and Malan have a mid wicket conference the outcome seemed to be let’s get to Lunch with no more wickets down. After a double change in the bowling the run rate fell as the temperature rose, Andrew Hall (the new Northants skipper) bowled three straight maidens and Daggett was just as hard to get away. Robson played a couple of cracking shots but mainly the order of the day was solid defence, can’t blame them for that but doesn’t make thrilling cricket to watch. Interesting yes, exciting no.

Just before the interval Robson went through to his 50 (9 fours in that) nice to the youngster back in some kind of form (also he is in my fantasy team) and the players left the field at 85-2, Robbo on 52, AC 13.

We decided to forgo our cold lunch and I took SB on the tour of the pavilion, which he enjoyed particularly the long room which seemed of great interest. We then popped into the museum, which in fact, I hadn’t been in for quite some while. We returned to our place to consume said lunch just as the umpires were making their way out

.I felt we needed a good afternoon session, a couple of batsmen to get their heads down and make sure we get to stumps with say 4/5 wickets down. DOH...first Malan is trapped in front by Vaas (looked like beaten for pace) 103-3 and then five runs later Robbo innings came to a close as he edged the same bowler to Murphy behind the stumps and we are 108-4!! SB expresses his delight, a little too loudly for a couple of members who give us a hard stare, he says sorry and we are friends again. Things then started looking up; Dexter continued his fine form of later and put bat to ball. Nicky Boje came in for some stick, SB said his confidence with bat and ball seems to have taken a real jolt with the captaincy, it was rumoured he wanted to quit after just failing to get Northants promoted (cue more grips about Shaggy’s declaration at Chelmsford) and he has not looked the same player this season, the aggressiveness seems to have gone out of his bowling.

The runs continued to stack and I’m happier. Dex goes to his fifty, SB disappears to get an ice cream, returns shortly with a half consumed 99’, just in time to see Dex dismissed for 61, caught down the leg side, a stand between and Simmo cut short on, yes you’ve guessed it 99!! Dex’s 61 coming off just 70 balls containing 12 x 4’s. The Iceman arrived but tea followed shortly afterwards at 208-5.

We wander down to see how the test is going. SB is still confident his prediction will be nearer than mine.

After tea the sun is still beating down and Simpson takes the attack to the bowlers straight away. He goes through to his 50, the third of the innings, but we need him to go and a get a big score if we are going to put a total this wicket deserves on the board. Simmo then lifts Boje into the crowd for a big six and the run rate is now picking up but then Hall brings Wakely into the attack. SB tells me he is very much a part time bowler and describes him as “military medium”. So we all knew what would happen, Simmo goes after him and is caught by Peters, out for 65 and jubilation amongst the Northants fielders as the bowler picks up just his 4^th first class wicket. 270-6 soon became 282-7 as Shaggy nicked the returning Vaas to Spud behind the stumps and it 282-7.

 Still hopes that we can get to 350 tonight while you know who says he is going to be close with his prediction.300 up as The Iceman becomes the fourth batsman to reach fifty, keeping his batting average over 50 for the season. He is batting really well now, cracking three fours off one over from the dejected looking Boje and then next over from Daggett hitting a four and then an “uppercut” for six into the Mound stand. Finally Dial M who had kept Berg company in a stand of 50 was caught at midwicket by Daggett  off Hall for nine, score now 332-8, then two runs later Ice tried his uppercut again and was caught on the boundary by Howgego for a splendid 83. Collins and Evans saw us through to stumps despite Pedro’s best efforts to get himself run out off the last ball of the day.

341-9 then at the close, a hugely entertaining day plays, although I’m sure Simpson will be kicking himself on his dismissal. Can we get the nine runs in the morning to get another batting point? How good is that score, well we will have to wait until Northants bat but to be honest I think it could be about 50 runs light.SB and I walked back to St John’s Wood both happy at the state of the match. Then on to St Pancras for our train’s home.