Lots of fallers on Derby Day

Pantherlike reports from Down Under on commentary on day of falling wickets setting up a possible result. There's some inside info, cliches flying as a fast as a Middx batting collapse and mention of dodecahedrons. This is a must read report

Having lost the second day’s play to the rain that has come to characterise this English barbeque summer, Middx would be keen to press home its excellent start to the game and build a big enough score to ensure it would only have to bat once.  Surely!

Reality can be cruel dampener of hopes and day 3 at Derby was to be one more example of such.  Resuming at the healthy 228/3, with the darling of the stands Newman at the crease and in commanding form and with the new skipper Dexter at the other end, the two got things off to a disconcertingly sluggish start. 

In the commentary box, our Kev was already lining up the permutations of how Middlesex could win the game.  But all of these were predicated on a slightly higher scoring rate.  In fact, any scoring rate. 

The well watered pitch demons were soon to reveal themselves as both Dexter and Newman departed.  Then Berg.  Then Udal.  Then another, and then another.  Kev was being flooded by his army of very email pundits with startling interpretations of the Middle implosion.  Three wickets fell in seven deliveries, became five in only a few overs…you get the idea.  In all, it was a most impressive collapse, 7/22 in an hour.  Possibly our worst for some time and surpassing even the 5/5 lost last week.

All thoughts flew out the window about what would constitute a a meaningful declaration, now it was about wickets falling.  Yours truly tried to be upbeat, letting Kev know that surely wickets would tumble for Derby throughout the day.  But Kev and his sidekick IO’B were now in a pensive mood.  Surely Derby wouldn’t…., win?

Commentary turned to the distant prospect of the unthinkable, Middlesex finishing on the bottom of the table.  Kev was hearthened by the attitude of our new young captain in an earlier discussion with same that went along the lines of ‘this young squad does not want to have Middx’s only spoon on its head.’  But the box wasn’t convinced.

The visitors had set an undercooked and innings-abbreviated 253 and set about taking loads of wickets.  Well surely this was the intention?  Early strikes by Dial M and Pedders kick-started the cause, and some colour returned to the commentary.  Rogers, a Victorian I must note, was in solid touch and kept the scoreboard ticking over whilst his top order folded as quickly as a banana lounge on Brighton beach during this BBQ summer…Rogers could have gone early too, but Malan is too honest.  Heartening isn’t it?

Whilst the home side continued to dig a hole of a first innings deficit, Kev and IO’B rambled on about potential squad changes in the coming winter.  Ace and Malan will be out of contract, apparently Pedders won’t be back in 2011, Finn might be centrally contracted.  And IO’B?  Well, Ian’s travails are well known.  He continues to pursue a Kolpak-type arrangement.  Jamal Hussein’s name (is that spelt correctly?) was also mentioned.

Kev was increasingly optimistic towards a result.  Lots of talk about collapses…surely we couldn’t do it twice in a match?!  Well England did didn’t they!

Our plans to skittle Derby quickly were fuzzed a little, well to this reporter anyway when Dexter took the first change.  Always a big fan of Dex, I do wonder at this recent foray into all-roundership.  Let me say that I do think he’s an OK bowler, but first change in these circumstances?  Well, mine is not to question merely report…but I did observe that TR-J had to wait until the 28^th over before being brought on.  By this time, IO’B was getting a lesson on dodecahedrons…don’t ask, you just needed to be there…

But it was to be that old fox Shaggy and the pro, Collins that were too be the differentiator in the field.  Returns of four each were the edge we needed to secure an important 81 run lead.  With Derby despatched, we returned to the crease and with the midnight hour well and truly passed, this little soldier drew stumps satisfied that we were in with a shout in securing valuable points.  Again cricket was the winner as a game seeming to an oblivious draw was jolted into live and now we have a tantilising last day tomorrow.

The website informs me this morning that we have extended the lead to 150 with six wickets in hand.  Surely a slap and dash session to extend that to 250 by lunch at whatever the cost to one’s average is in order to allow us two sessions to knock over Derby again?  And that’s if the rain stays away!