Middx get away with Murtagh

Back from World Cup
By Jonny Boy
April 29 2007

Superb efforts from JD and new boy Tim Murtagh led Middx to an exciting victory over the Glamorgan Dragons. This went to final ball as Middx has game safe ,nearly lost it and clawed it back in dramatic style.

Superb efforts from JD and new boy Tim Murtagh led Middx to an exciting victory over the Glamorgan Dragons. Middx won the toss and elected to bat on a sunny but chilly morning. After a steady start from Joyce and Smith, Joyce went at a wide ball by Wharf and was comfortably caught behind. Steady progress after was abruptly halted when Dean Cosker's first ball trapped the captain lbw. The youngsters Compton and Billy G struggled with the bat today, Compton edging behind off the young seam bowler Watkins, and Godleman bowled by Cosker. Shah played some glorious shots in his entertaining knock of 56, but sadly he could not go on to reach yet another century when he was stumped off Croft's bowling. At 142/5, things weren't looking great but the run rate progressed at a good run rate of just under 5 an over. Nashie supported JD at the crease for a while before he finally succumbed to Wharf, Murtagh made sure the runs continued to flow, but JD was the star of the innings with a typically flamboyant knock of 68* including 2 fantastic sixes off the last 2 balls bowled by Simon Jones. 262 at the close of innings, a very decent score which would probably be enough but we would still have to bowl well.

With Richo and Silvers rested after their valiant efforts against Northants, Murto and Jonno opened the bowling today. Murto, opening from the Nursery End, bowled a beautiful inswinger to trap Peng plum lbw to give the Crusaders the perfect start. Wharf came in at 3, a pinch hitter role which he is quite familiar with, but thanks to Murtagh he was not given the chance to have a smash. Mike Powell and Matt Elliott steadied the boat and frustrated the Middx bowlers for a while, but there was great relief when Murali Kartik broke the partnership with the score on 91. Captain Hemp arrived at the crease, fresh from his stint with Bermuda at the World Cup, and looked intent on driving his team's innings forward. Kartik started to get into his groove, and a lovely looping ball was was swotted towards Joyce who took a magnificent one handed catch to the delight of the spectators. Middx in the ascendancy. Youngster Ben Wright was next in, and together with Elliott played superbly, and at one point it looked like Elliott could of taken Glammy all the way. Kartik was rested after a few overs and Shah bowled his occasional off spin in tandem with JD, the runs began to dry up and Matty Elliott was finally dismissed for 87. Wright continued the Glamorgan charge and as the required run rate went up he lost Mark Wallace at the other end and Watkins after 2 big blows into the Grand Stand. The youngster ensured a grandstand finish (pun intended). Murtagh returned for the penultimate over and delivered the goods with a super wicket maiden under such pressure. Croft could have easily won the game for Glamorgan but was out for a duck. Wright needed to clear the boundary off the last ball for a tie but Jonno's experience was superior in the end and the Crusaders recorded a fine victory.