Gut Morgan, bad afteronoon
Ton not enough
By David Webmaster
May 19 2008
In absense of any Middx fans being able to report from Chelmers, Webmaster- Essex Dave has steppped into breach with a balanced of view of another defeat by Essex. I am grateful that he did not finish off by chanting " can we play you every week?"
Sunday 18th May 2008 and a south east group game in the FP Trophy as the Middlesex Crusaders travelled to Chelmers to take on the Essex Eagles. Not quite as hot weather wise from the fantastic championship game of a week ago but the action on the pitch certainly lived up to billing. This was a crucial game for both with the Eagles having had their unbeaten record wiped by the Kent Spitfires on Friday and the Crusaders having lost their last two after winning their first two, realistically needing a win here to stay in touch with the top two sides.
Anne and I arrived at the ground circa 40 mins before the start of play and positioned ourselves 3 rows in from the front of the Tom Pearce Lower – shady enough if the sun came out and if it didn’t (which was the case for most of the day!) at least we wouldn’t be freezing. I was surprised to have my bag inspected upon arriving by a security guard on the river entrance – were Essex expecting trouble from the Middlesex massive!? Talking of which I caught a glimpse of Seaxe Man as he was paying for his ticket although by the time I had my bag searched (must remember to leave the pen knife at home in future!) was unable to stop for a hello. I think I also caught sight of Janet Davis but I might have been mistaken. Certainly as expected the Middx following was good. One man missing was Barmy Kev who sent me a text msg from Adams Park asking for regular updates!
Whilst the players were going through their final warm-ups the captains tossed up and Sky were there to record this – presumably for their news channel. Hooray Ed won the toss and decided on first use of the track which looked good for batting and we thought we could be in for a long afternoon – 280 to 300 was probably a par score. But perhaps not so as Graham Napier ripped through Ed Joyce’s defence with the 5th ball of the 1st over then trapped Billy The Kid plum in front with the last – Crusaders 0-2 after 6 balls – but with Owais Shah strolling to the wicket at no.4 I expected him to score runs. Chris Wrighty ‘Is My Hero’ was surprisingly taken off after just 2 overs from the River End having conceded just 4 runs and was replaced with David Masters. This was a masterstroke from Pettini as Masters bowled Shah through his gate from his 3rd ball for 2 and at 15-3 after 6 overs the Crusaders were apparently cruising back to north London very quickly.
However, Eoin Morgan had not read this script and decided to play a counter-attacking innings of the highest quality. Far from the obdurate innings we saw in the championship game 11 days ago, the little left-handed Irishman proceeded to smash the white ball all over Essex HQ. From the moment he charged an angry Napier and drove him into the houses at the Hayes Close End you could see Morgan meant business. That was to be the first of six wonderful maximums which were all straight driven – 5 of those at the same end as the first. Some of his shots were outrageous and very clever which included his one knee lap or sweep over the keepers head off Chris Wright which took some doing! The skip Smith was the prefect foil at the other end having raced away originally with 2 fours off Napier but then deciding to hold anchor. The hundred partnership soon came up and the pair continued without worry with Morgan reaching a brilliant century off just 110 balls and Smith deciding to join in the fun hitting 2 fours in succession from Bopara and a straight driven six from Masters. Then from Morgan’s very next ball, James Middle, Middle, Middle, Brook, Brook, Brook broke the partnership by having Morgan caught behind attempting a reverse sweep in his last over for exactly 100 which lasted 111 balls and contained 5 fours and 6 sixes. The partnership had realised 179 and really put Middx in control for a final 10 overs flurry at 194-4.
Now the golden rule when you’ve lost a wicket is to make sure you don’t lose another too soon, but the very next over Smith chipped Ryan ‘Tendo’ Ten Doeschate straight to Grant Flower at mid wicket to leave his side 198-5. Smith’s gutsy 75 lasted 116 balls. At this stage Essex begun to claw their way back into the game again thanks to Flower’s slow left-arm spin and Tendo’s skiddy medium-pace and two further wickets fell of ‘slogger’ Henderson for 7 (bowled by Grant Flower) and Ben Scott for 1 (bowled also by Tendo) and at 211-7 it appeared the 260 odd Middx would achieve would not happen, especially with the score after 48 overs 228-7. However, the final two overs yielded 31 runs with Dial M taking a liking to Tendo and then Vern Philander (who only had 14 going into the final over – all in singles) then deciding to take aim off Napier and smashed the last over for 18 which included a pulled six into the pavilion seating. The Crusaders finished their 50 overs on 259-7 which although marked an excellent recovery was still probably 20-30 short of a par total.
Tea time and during the 45 minutes whilst I tucked into a late lunch we were treated to an under 13’s game of Kwik Cricket between two local clubs plus two young Middlesex fans having their photograph taken with one of largest security men ever – probably only able to work in outdoor events for obvious reasons!! The two fans were teenage girls who had pom poms – we thought at first they were part of a pre-arranged half-time entertainment!!
Back to the cricket and a round 260 to win for the Eagles, a target which I thought was attainable but with the quality of the Crusaders attack I expected the match to go pretty much to the wire. Jason Gallian looked in fine fettle at one end taking a couple of boundaries off Steve Finn through the off-side – the second of those an uppercut for six was out of the Gilchrist manual. However, Mark Pettini at the other end was struggling and with 18 on the board Vernon Philander went right through the gate and the ball clipped the top of the stumps to send the Eagles skipper back to the hutch for just 1. Pettini like many batters is very vulnerable early in his innings but as Kent and Surrey have seen this season, let him get away and he can score big so a good wkt for Middx.
Varun Chopra came in ahead of Ravi Bopara at no.3 and despite taking a few balls to adjust from Finn and Philander, soon got into his stride and started to play some lovely drives through the covers for four. Gall was composed at the other end after the early loss and together the pair slowly began to get Essex back in the match. Smith like Pettini opted to go for the 3rd powerplay between overs 16-20 and with Tyron Henderson coming on from the Hayes Close End, Chopra in particular took a liking to his medium pace and with a straight driven six reached his fifty. Shaun ‘Shaggy’ Udal then came on at the River End to stem the flow of runs and after just 2 balls he got Chopra to just take his right foot out of the crease and some excellent work by Ben Scott (who in fact kept brilliantly during the innings) meant Chops was out for exactly 50 with the scoreboard reading 107-2. Ravi strode purposely towards the wicket and was looking to make an impact. He soon did this and with Gallian rotating the strike with ones and twos and picking off the lose balls for four the Eagles were beginning to take control. Henderson was replaced after just 5 overs but Steve Finn couldn’t find any luck as his replacement.
Philander came back on to try and make a breakthrough but a couple of beautifully straight driven fours from both batters saw Vern bowl out his 10 overs and the real danger for Essex was gone. Ravi and Gall were starting to play Udal with ease and after 8 overs for 41 was replaced by Henderson at the River End. The double change saw Murtagh come back on at the Hayes Close End after his initial stint at t’other end but this was to be the final nail for the Crusaders as Henderson continued to leak runs and with Bopara having reached 50 he decided to finish the game in style striking 2 huge on-driven sixes from Murtagh in successive balls into the houses. Gall then went to a flawless ton when square cutting Hendo and the game was all but over.
Ed Joyce replaced Dial M but Bopara despatched 2 further sixes into the unused hospitality tent and with a pulled single down to long leg the Eagles had won by 8 wkts with 7 overs left in the locker. Gallian finished unbeaten on an excellent nelson (111) with Bopara a classy 85 not out.
From an Essex point of view this was an excellent day’s entertainment. Kent beat Surrey to remain top of the south east group having played 2 more matches than Essex. Surrey and Sussex pretty much look out of the reckoning for the quarters now but I think Middlesex can still gate-crash the top two but they have to win their remaining three games, the final of those the return fixture vs Essex at Lord’s on May 28th.
Middlesex can certainly take heart from Morgan’s fab knock, a return to form for the captain and with Philander and Dial M coming in late down the order, then late over hitting will not be hard to come by. Middx badly missed Danny Evans who like Ten Doeschate and Bopara for Essex (although an out-and-out strike bowler) has the golden arm that could have removed Gallian or Bopara when set and turned the game in Middx’s favour.
(PS: There are a few paragraphs that are bunched together that'll probably make it seem even longer!!)
Danny Evans just a young bowler and after his efforts last week possibly being kept back for the four-dayers.
No mistaking Janet Davies,must have been her,mind you she's the one usually wearing the pom-poms,so you were spared that at least.
I listened to the radio commentary and Kevin and David's comments rather indicated from early stages of Essex's innings which way it was going.
Are you sure it was Janet you saw,only it's her that normally provides the half-time entertainment at Lord's complete with pom-poms.
And was it really SM you saw paying to get in,a rare sight indeed,pity you didn't have a camera handy,still suppose he's getting on a bit now for swimming across to the ground.
Barmy Kev
I'm only here for the tele
Can you report for us every week?
Ged, would love to but you'd have to pay for me to watch the sex!
LB, was definately SM paying!!
Christine, it would be good if the match on 28th May is a winner takes all affair as I can't make it and Sky might well cover the match!! Middx need to look no further than their next match on Sunday at Kent just yet. Middx have to win otherwise you will be out. I would expect us to beat one of Surrey at home or Sussex away before we play you and that would also mean our match on 28th May won't have any real impact on the top two but you never know!!
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:05:20:16:09:48 by Seaxe_Man.
Apologies re your next game in FPT. You should beat Sussex at Southers then it's all down to the Kent game really. I think one more win should be enough for us even if we lose to you boys at Lords and you win the previous two vs Sussex and Kent as we'll be level on points but our run-rate should suffice - already ours is +0.61 with Middx's -0.03 - so you'd really have to win all 3 matches comfortably. Having said that, we really want to top the group to get the home quarter so we'll be aiming for 3 wins which will do that, 2 will also be enough if you beat Kent for us as that's their final game. I certainly am not taking anything for granted however.
Talking of razzamataz, hasn't the Friday of our CC match at Lords in a few weeks been set aside as 'Ladies Day'!?