The Answer Lies In The Soil
Daisy's Sopper Not Needed
By Groundie
January 16 2009
MTWD's very own Groundie from Uxbridge provides a fascinating insight into a day in the life of two cricketing debutants in the County Championship. This is a truly charming as well as informative piece - highly recommended. There's a link to the MTWD match report for that day at the end of the piece. Many, many thanks to Groundie for this superb article.
The date is Sunday 29th June 2008, two men are about to make their Liverpool Victoria County Championship debuts. The first is a tall, 20-year-old left-handed batsman who grew up in South Africa and the other a nondescript 49 year-old left-handed groundsman who grew up in Berkshire.
Both very different yet each suffering similar nerves and the actions of each will impact greatly on the others day.
Its 6am and time to rise, no need for an alarm today as the mind is programmed to this moment. Before daring to open the eyes one listens intently – no sound of rain – carefully the curtains are pulled back to reveal a promising morning, should start on time. Time for a piece of toast and to take the dogs around the block before making a cup of tea to take with me whilst peeling off the covers.
It’s only 6.30 yet already Lorraine is on the ground, setting out various signage, barriers etc etc. The covers removed and thankfully no overnight damage done. Now for a final brush, cut and roll of the pitch, all creases were marked the previous day just in case of morning rain. Next bring on all the practise netting, check the boundary rope hasn’t been moved and various other mundane jobs all necessary to keep both coaches happy.
All done and now the groundstaff can enjoy 30 minutes peace, a cup of tea and hopefully bacon sandwiches before the players arrive.
The staff, green team, players, umpires, scorers and press arrive, the gates are opened and immediately the tension increases. Captains and coaches come out for a look, as usual all are very polite but what are they really thinking one wonders? “What do you reckon?” “Will it last?” “Will it spin later?” The answer one wants to give is I haven’t a clue but of course the usual statements are passed out “it’s dry, hard and looks ok, get through the first session and it will flatten out, score 500 and dominate the game”. The Middlesex captain is heard to comment that “it doesn’t look like a pitch to put the opposition in on”. Away they go to warm-up.
At this point a vaguely familiar looking individual is spotted walking out to the middle, he introduces himself as Jack Birkenshaw, ECB pitch liaison officer, the heart skips a beat. “I’m here to report upon the pitch can we take some core samples?” He is extremely friendly and makes lots of positive statements about the appearance of the ground. The umpires come and join us and lots of mutual backslapping takes place.
The toss for innings is next and Middlesex win and decide to bat first.
A reasonable crowd are congregated and everyone is focused on the 22 yard piece of turf that one has lovingly prepared for the last fourteen days together with a 23 year-old Kiwi over for the summer. As the first ball is about to be delivered one individual on the boundary edge can be heard muttering “come on bounce, for Christ sake bounce” which as usual the ball does and we are away and running.
The Northants opening bowler Johan van der Wath delivers a fantastic display of swing bowling in an opening spell that reduces Middlesex to 15-3 with Strauss, Shah and Godleman all back in the pavilion. Morgan and the captain Joyce graft through to lunch but shortly after Joyce departs and Middlesex are 36-4, 500 looks a very long way off now, and one wonders about a score below 100, pitch reports and penalty points being taken away.
Enter the second debutant of the day to make everything better. By stumps, Dawid Malan is 121 not out and Middlesex 313-7 with 50’s for Morgan and Scott. It is on such small margins that apparent disasters can turn into success. True the pitch got better as the day went on but, van der Wath always looked like taking wickets apart from one poor spell at the end of the day. Malan offered one chance – a difficult caught-and-bowled to Nicky Boje when on 91- but apart from that it was a flawless innings which contained 19 fours and spanned 239 balls in the day.
By golly Malan looked the part on debut. So did the pitch!
The pitch liaison officer left mid afternoon and wrote a fantastic report, everyone was apparently happy but none as pleased and content as two debutants.
The covers are placed back on at the end of the day and at around 8pm it is time to go and get some dinner and reflect, one final look around reveals Lorraine still out working, I wonder if people appreciate the time that girl dedicates to the cause?
Another normal day at the office in truth.
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Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2009:01:25:11:01:04 by Ged.
Thanks for pointing us Grockles towards it, Ged.
Anyone able to get an umpire to write a piece for next winter?
