Chasing Racing the Rain - Middx v Derby Denoument

Travelog/Weather: forecast not too promising: rain drops started as I started trudging down Wellington Road. Arrived at ground at 10.45 despite delays on Met Line. Amazingly, given the shambles of the previous day from 1550hrs onwards: we started on time, in light which throughout the 1st session wasn't greatly different to the walk-off job the previous evening and we actually reached lunch without interruption.
 

Quote of the day: The Telegraph's reporter at the match commenting on Sunday's play." Wild bowling from the host's Vernon Philander did not help as the visitor's score began to rattle along". On checking Vern's overnight figures of 20-7-49-3 they didn't seem to match that observation too closely. I'll take a bit more of said ' wild bowling'. (SM). Mr Randall then added " Middlesex's batting strength could make light of bowling errors, but it could be a long season".
 

Overnight score 2nd knock Derby 260 for 9. Clare 46no Dean 1no.

1st session:
 
Nunu (Nannes) opened from the NE and big Vern from the PE. In Nannes second over, Clare was out for 57 caught at point by Joyce. Clare's 57 beat last year's career best of 22 by a distance.

This left Midd-x with a target of 256 off 91 overs. Shades of Southgate 2007 against The Rams. Let's hope for a different result this time was the thought as we embarked on our 2nd knock.

In the 3rd over Ed Smith's bat broke in half but fortunately the flying half flew into empty space. Derby had opened with Langeveldt and Dean from the NE and PE respectively. At 28 Godleman, as in the 1st innings, was undone by a Langeveldt yorker and departed for 8 lbw. He scored one four through midwicket.

Enter Ace. From then until lunch things chugged along serenely, interspersed with some elegant straight driving from Shah and cover and off driving from Smith. Lunch was taken at 102 for 1. Smith 67 no Shah 24.

Captain's knock 

2nd session:

A nice straight drive by Shah off Needham got the proceedings going. Smith was then bowled by Needham for 74 attempting a late cut. The captain's knock had given us the impetus that we needed and had got us half way home with a pleasing array of mainly offside shots.

This coincided with drops of rain falling, combined with bad light meant everyone left the field at ten to three and an early tea was taken at ten past three. The rain had abated by around 3.30 but it was not until five past four that the covers were off and play recommenced. Overs reduced to 34.
 

3rd session
 

Still requiring 132 for victory, Shah drove the 1st ball after the rain break to reach his 50 (47no at stoppage). The farce then returned as lightmeters were produced and everyone disappeared in light that looked no worse and probably better than some which had passed before without comment.

 Ace Imperious

The punters in the Grandstand were unimpressed with this: and let their feelings be known. This encouraged the break to be short and only two overs were lost. The partnership between Shah and Ed J reached 50 leaving a further 90 runs to be garnered. At 185 Ed J's pleasant cameo ended at 34 caught at mid on. His innings contained sweet cover drives and at least one straight drive which reached the Pavilion railings pdq.

So 185 for 3 , a further 70 still needed. Morgan joined Ace and shortly after, a mishook by Morgan was dropped by Wagg .2 runs were taken. Previously Klokker prematurely celebrating catching a flying edge from Morgan, ruefully watched the ball being collected from the boundary. The 50 partnership came up in the 57th over and featured a lot of quickly run singles.

With victory in sight, Ace was bowled for an excellent 86 by Langeveldt who had rejoined the Derby attack. Ace's innings had featured much cultured driving and a welcome return to form.

Vern entered for his last innings which seemed to excite Wagg who entered into some banter with Vern at midwicket. Vern's answer after  5 short balls from Dean, was to smash the last for 4 ,straight to the Pavilion steps. 9 runs needed twelve overs left. A straight drive by Vern took the score to 254 and 2 runs required. At this point the pantomine restarted with lightmeters being produced after lobbying by the visiting skipper.

The Grandstand remarks were greeted by that gentlemen with what 'appeared' to be 'The Churchill Victory' salute. A sliced drive by Morgan brought the scores level, whereupon the visitors hoping for salvation from the lightmeters, indulged in a couple of overs of unpunished shortpitched bowling. Eventually, Morgan with the light closing in, spotted a bye when one of the shortpitched offerings was fumbled. 256 and game thankfully over. A win by 6 wickets to The Mighty Middle.
 
 
Summation:

It was nice to at last to report on a Middlesex victory. However, one sour note. The 'new ' lightmeter' rule which is now solely at the umpires discretion ( I believe)  looks likely to be contentious. A game which should have finished by mid afternoon today, and which finished at  around 6pm: was near fatally injured by the nonsense of wasting 36 overs of play on Sunday when there was ' no rain '. This was also demonstrated at the recent Test Match at HQ.

How long the punters are going to pay 60/70 quid to see everyone disappear when there is no rain, remains to be seen. As an exercise in winning new friends for county cricket spectating, especially those who have travelled a distance: the events of the past two days made little sense.

SM