CurranT affairs then Simpson's show on the other side

Primrose Hillbilly offers a comprehensive account of today's play, how the match is poised and some observations on individual performances. We also hear about    his regimented journey, then when arrived his views on the Lord's Stands with  some random over heard conversations thrown in. This is a must read from start to finish.  

As I walked through the foothills of Primrose Hill, past the professional trainers, exhorting their clients to give the punch pads one more go – “Left, Right, Left “,,,,,,,,, “Ooooofff, oooooof, oooooooffff”,”Three more!” ...repeat .........., the professional dogwalkers, yummy mummies and the lone joggers assailing the summit, I reflected on what I’d learned from watching yesterday. 

I found myself agreeing with Adelaide’s analysis of last night. The wicket is the third highest there could be at HQ. Probably drains very quickly, so may well be one of the driest. Also, consequently, there is a very short Grand Stand boundary, - pretty much one run, if hit to a boundary fielder, or four - no two’s or three’s there.

First three wickets to fall all LBW’s, so a bit of initial lateral movement, after which the pitch just got better and better. I think it will continue to improve until it can’t do so any more, so will turn later, both metaphorically and as we know the term.

Ok, we could have held two catches more, but we kept going, and if we got two quick wickets this morning, we needed to bat for a day and a half and get 500 plus.

What I had also heard from a source on the staff was that the structures of the Compton and Edrich stands and Media Centre above creates a natural wind tunnel for those needing air conditioning, which proved to be true – you do have to stand in an exact spot, but there it is.

Finally, from the same place, a remarkable story relating to the building of the new Grand Stand. - All high tech design, no expense spared, nothing but the best for the Home of Cricket. So, an ingenious and innovative vacuum based system was employed for the drainage and deposit of the a’hem ........effluent ensuing from a visit to the facilities.

All went well, until the new floodlights were installed, when it turned out that the floodlight stanchion at the corner of the Grand Stand and Compton Stands was providing a sort of vent to this, such that a lot of people were starting to sniff the air round there suspiciously, as a rather unfortunate pong was being borne on the breeze. ........... You see, it wasn’t just that our bowling was occasionally cr@p a few years ago, something else was going on!

Anyway, back to the cricket, and remind ourselves of the very wise saying of only judging a wicket after both teams have batted on it, and let’s hope we get our turn without the addition of more than 10 more runs.

Onwards, to Friday’s play. 

Except that sport never goes the way you intended, so The Mexicans added another 30 runs while we took the last two wickets, both LBW, with Toby pinning Batty and Harris (The ) Garden getting Meaker.

I watched this from the top deck of the Compton, surrounded by the Mexicans’ camp followers in the initial shade cast by Cherie Blair’s smile.

I had never seen Eskie bat before. There is a pleasing solidity and technical correctness to everything he does. I think we will see a lot of him at the crease in the next few years. So, guess the way he was out – yupp, another LBW, one that the Mexicans did not grumble about, although they acknowledged that he appeared to be defending middle and leg, and so his leg was alongside bat, and CurranT was bowling with the slope, so might have been missing down the slope, but never mind, it’s in the book.

Of the two brothers, CurranT bustles in and generates good brisk – slippery is the word – right arm pace from a strong body action. CurranS bowls left arm over, and having seen him do it, I am inclined to say “So what?”, as his figures of 9-0-40 – 0 indicate. Don’t think he beat the bat. 

So, we had two Nicks to take us through to lunch, and beyond. One Nick was precision shot making, deftly picking off the bad ball and putting it away, the other demonstrated such an air of detachment he really didn’t seem to be with us. Gubbo got on with it, and made scoring look easy. After lunch, poor Compo faced a maiden from Currant where he was either beaten outside the off stump, or it was wide enough to leave. When Meaker got Compo to inside edge onto his stumps; it really was a mercy killing. Compo really was struggling there, trying to gut it out. You’re not there, Nick, but you will be in due course.

Despite having 415 on the board, Surrey never had more than two slips and a gulley. Was this already a defensive mind set? When Gubbo and Mala were together, maybe they were right. Mala was all silky smooth, effortless, elegant strokes, creaming the bowling around. Gubbo cheekily chipped Ansari over deep’ish mid on, then lofted him for 6.

It was now very hot. A genuine four corner knotted white hankie was donned next to me! Wow. So, because he is so gifted, and makes batting easy, Mala was able to guide the ball directly off the face of the bat into short leg’s hands. He swished his bat in annoyance, out for 32 with a ton on offer.

Gubbo kept going, but on 82, got too ambitious, and was bowled round his legs by Ansari, who, I think, bowled over 25 overs today from the Nursery End. At one stage Surrey were +3 on the over rate, as Batty did a containing job from the Nursery End.

I am sorry to say this, but with Compo as he is, we also have another concern in our batters. Georgeous scored his first ten runs off the inside edge or from Chinese cuts. When Simmo joined him, guess who was protecting who? Only when the erratic Meaker gave him something to free his hands up and attack outside off stump, did he get going at all, but he had a sweep at something on the stumps, and so got the dismissal du jour.

We had won sessions in patches, and it was only when the great, the wonderful, the fantastic mounter of rearguard actions (and quite good behind the stumps), John Simpson, - quicky into his stride - was joined by the other mastermind marshaller of the counterattack, General Franko, that we looked unshakeable for long stretches, and a bit more like someone playing a team a bit lower in the league.

Talk around me was all about the hash that Zummerzett were making of one game and ditto another involving Durham, so the Mexies are looking over their shoulder.

Snatches of other conversations drifted over throughout the day, “The Pavillion’s just full of drunk bankers and Millwall fans.”, and “He’s a sado – monetarist” , were my picks.

We ended just short of 250, with the new ball due soon tomorrow morning. There is nothing in the track. Gubbo got out trying to force it, Mala had a blonde moment, Eskie may well have been unlucky. George is having a shocker with us, and I feel for him. Nick Compton needs a lot more time in the middle when he sets out to dominate an attack, and doesn’t look like he’s listening to voicemail while trying to bat. Can we afford to potentially carry two in our top five?

If ................Simmo and Frankie can survive the opening new ball burst from Currant tomorrow, then start to push it around, and then Ollie, Toby and Harry come in and play their own uninhibited games, we can get that 500 score we need to force a result. I think we’ve got the men in the right place at the right time right now, but one of them needs to go on and get a ton and preferentially a big one, or both of them.