No Beer at Lords

Headline refers to Sussex no. 11 Beer didn't bat or bowl. Meanwhile, London Skylark gives an armchair view of events for those who were at game and missed some of the finer points. And we have a bonus of an account of finish of an ODI. It almost feels if I was there watching on TV myself.

Right.  Now I am home it is actually dark –just right for a floodlit match. It wasn’t right at 6.30 at the end of a gloriously sunny summer day. So this is the right time to settle down with a nice glass of wine and a bit of cheese to watch the recording of the match. I had been very good and not checked the score at all, but an unexpected mention of cricket on Radio 5 live who are actually at Lord’s means that I knew  that we had made a good start. So I canrelax for at least the early part of the match.

But first,turning the TV on, I find a close match going on between South Africa and the West Indies, so that is on while I get myself settled. There is a little spat between Taylor and Gayle about field placings, the commentators are despairing  of the WI tendency to bowl wides at crucial times; there is an expensive over swinging the match for South Africa. SA need 19 in 18 balls; than there is fantastic catch.is a very nice little appetiser for the main match. 19 runs; 17balls, 3 wickets.  Then a South Africanstyle run out: bad run, good fielding; very out; why has it gone to the TVreplay? Will Gayle smile: Graeme Smith isn’t! 17 runs, 12 balls.  Was our match this close? Gayle has the same expression. Next over Bravo bowls again after a dreadful last over; fourof the first ball; 13 of 11.  Another quick run, poor fielding and Gayle suddenly looks cross.

Another boundary and Gayle not happy. 8 from 8 becomes 7 from 7. Than a catch off the last ball and it is 6 from the last over with one wicket left. Gayle back to normal expression which means is he happy?

1st ball of the last over goes for four. There is a big hiatus; fielders arguing about the field placing; next ball one; SA’s No 11 has the strike with two runs andone wicket. It is Tsotobe 1^st ODI innings.  Ball wide outside the off stump;, but next ball slashed for four and SA win the series 5-0! So why was that so exciting. Gayle’s expression still not changed. But you didn’t want to hear about this match did you. Now I can tell you about the really important game.

At least watching a TV recording I can skip over the advertisements and skip to a little cameo of Gilchirist highlights: some of those tonight would be nice!  Interesting team news for us – Paul Stirling playing. We must have an Irishman/ Gus Fraser is being interviewed;apparently Gilly hit a ball out of the ground in practice at Radlett and he “still has it.”  The crowd looks good inthe background  lots of pink. Also show an interview with Gilly – he is keen to stress his journey with Middlesex Cricket League and he looks and sounds excited and keen to pass on knowledge to the youngsters. Even from a TV viewpoint it looks excitingly odd to see an all time Aussie great in Middlesex colours! Sussex have won the toss and are batting, and we’re off.

Goodwin and Wright batting could be explosive. But I know it started well so I can relax to Sussex being 24/3!  Interesting first over: good shot and good stop first ball; possible chance third ball. Two good slower balls and a beautiful last ball getting an inside edge of the dangerous Wright.  The right start you might say ( ho ho)

The early Middlesex bowling is tight.  and we have the first sight of Pinky the Panther = good thing David Lloyd is not around!. Will anyone own up to being him – anyone seen Kev or Hippity recently?  ( BK- I was there keeping a low profile for once)

Inspired captaincy here: Shah is moved to midwicket and Oasis Shah takes a fabulous one handed left handed catch – looks even better in slow motion.  ( BK - Just before catch I was going on about the number of poor fielders we have with Ace mentioned)

Then Collins gets Nash to top edge to Gilchrist; he has take harder catches in his life, but nice to get one. Now I am in the dark about what happens. Let’s hope it does not go downhill from here! Dawid Malan is on the mike and does not want more than 140  chase.

Tight bowling and fielding is keeping Sussex in check – only 28 of the first 6 overs.This is definitely looking good, and Sussex running is getting panicky.

Excellent fielding here: Tom Smith nearly with a run out, than Dexter and Murtagh combining. Than more poor running by Sussex and a great throw by Dexter runs out Ed Joyce.

And a good time to get Tom Smith on. 1^st ball a massive lbw shout against Dwane Smith; 2^nd ball a massive 6. Next  over another huge 6. The lbw looked plumb. Hey Ho

Suddenly the luck is with Sussex and they  double the score in three overs as Smith then Yardy get going, and another thundering hit from Smith goes through and over Berg.

Sussex start to motor as the bit part bowlers come on, and are at 100 with 6 overs left. The seamers. remaining overs are going to be crucial.

Berg comes back to bowl and control is regained just 4 runs. Lots of consultation between Gilchrist and Udal and lots of chat from Gilly – he sounds well at home already.

Murtagh bowls a dreadful high full toss; cut by Yardy on to Gilly’s helmet – a technical chance but than redeems it all by getting Smith to play on.

In comes Gatt’s nephew Jo – no obvious resemblance but no time to check closelybecause  he spoons a catch straight to Udal off Collins  But Arafat a bit luckily and Yardy steadily get the score the 146. Defendable, gettable  - with Gilchrist all targets are gettable.

In the interval they show the $M dollar challenge and only one person manages to hit the ball. Maybe cricket is harder than it looks!

Then Gilchrist walks out with Newman as Sussex open with Chris Nash Has Gilly put them in a spin already! He is off with a single straightaway. So is Newman –they are busy straightaway and it is Newman who pulls the first boundary.

2^ndover Yaraft on – 1^st ball Gilchrist plays on for just two! Oh well back to the Middlesex regulars and Dexter is in at three ahead of Shah. Angus on the TV says this is part of a master plan if we lose early wickets. He is there to take calculated risks, which he does with a risky single attempt. A super  Arafat over – the only run a wide.

Newman is playing a curate eggs of an innings: a classic cut, classy cover drive and atop edge; Dexter decides the aerial route is the way to go and we advance adventurously to more or less the required rate by the end of the 4^th over.

Kirtley is coming on – and both Dexter and Newman go aerial and finish off the power play well.Now stay cool. Still bright and sunny – what is the point of a floodlit match during the longest days of the year!

Yardy comes on and 1^st ball Newman pulls straight to Goodwin. Shah and Dexter is a key partnership now.  But Luke Wright is bowling beautifully and Yardy getting spin  - runs are not easy.Important not to lose wickets though right now. I could of course fast forward to the result but it wouldn’t be the same.

A little period of consolidation ends with a huge six from Shah of Dwayne Smith but Dexter trying the same shot goes straight to Arafat.  So it’s down to Dawid Malan – Gus thinks he should be playing for England soon, but things are looking tricky now.

It’s heading to 10 an over and we need something to happen. Boundaries have dried up.

Yardy and Kirtley have tied things up; Ed Joyce is still worried about Shah but it’s nearly two a ball. Something has to give. And it is Shah – straight to Gatting.Ah well at least a Middlesex connection.

Berg bowled well but does not do the reverse sweep like Eion Morgan. We need his inventiveness now but we have another Irishman – Paul Stirling’s debut and he gets a run first ball.

55 of four balls is unlikely. Fast forwarding is pointless now, as the Mddlesex innings disintegrates, and it gets to four a ball. Consolidate now and don’t get bowled out is all that is left. . It’s a flat end and disappointing after a decent bowling and fielding performance. Still there are fifteen matches left to get it right.