A report from another dimension....

Pantherlike reports another day in our quest for a perfect start to the season... However the jetlag got the better of the report... here is day 2 for ya!

Not quite sure what the weather was like, I don't recall hearing it from Kev....but a full second day’s play was expected at the County Ground in Bristol. Gloucs had had the better of the first day and resuming at 302/6 could sorta see the maximum batting point on the horizon. It would take some getting to, but the Panthers (can one refer to our team as such whence in whites?) would be more interested in the quick wickets, to wrap up this 300+ start and get batting themselves to see if they could make it a hat-trick of wins at the start of the season.

Wickets anyone? TRJ who had been the pick of the bowlers on day 1, had read the script and had the danger man Gidman, the skipper’s brother, caught behind in the opening over. At lot to be said for that wicket by an up and coming young bowler clearly destined for bigger things. TRJs’ fourth of the innings. TRJ struck in the first over of the day, picking up Will Gidman for 67. Gidman, according to Kev had been the most fluent batsman on day 1, so this was an important breakthrough.

But the kid wasn’t going to stip there. Jon Lewis became Toby’s fifth scalp when Newman took a good catch and the Middle were starting to think about batting. An annoying half hour or so of wagging tail courtesy of ex-Slurry keeper, Jonathan Batty, though delayed the start of our innings; Gloucs finally rolling over for 358. Quite a total, but clearly on a pitch that was behaving itself. How would we respond? Clearly an outright win was in the unlikely basket, but a first innings lead beckoned with the hint of a Gloucs domination hanging in the air. But could Middx do something brilliant?

The Middle could not afford to lose quick wickets. Steadily, Rogers and Newman got us away. Both looked pretty comfortable, getting us through to lunch with 22 on the board.

There was an interesting interview just after lunch with our own Dial M in the commentary box. Murts had been in Sydney during the Ashes and had a few amusing anecdotes to tell, like how they had to keep young Finny’s spirits up after he was dropped from the Ashes team…Tim talked about his career post-Surrey and how the squad was really clicking. An excellent interview and thanks to Kevin and anyone else who made it possible, least of all Tim! MTWD readers will continue to question this reporter’s commitment to the cause, drawing his own stumps just afterwards, well, it was nearly midnight! But I’ll give a quick prasee of the remaining day’s play…

More of the same in the afternoon session was the go, and Newman and Rogers supplied, the pair finding some rhythm together, and brought up (their first?) hundred partnership together. Just what the doctor ordered, and now we could start thinking about that first innings lead. The pair batted for thirty overs, an excellent period of occupation before Lewis had Newman caught behind 47.

Rogers was in good touch and was ably supported by Housego, the Aussie though falling just short of a ton again out for 87. Starts were going to be the order of the day. The Estate Agent fell on 40, the Middle propping a little on 194/3, but Malan (45) and Dexter kept the innings moving to stumps, albeit the dismissal of Dawid just three overs before the end of play. At stumps, we were 296/4 and a first innings lead certainly obtainable. Another day, another step in the right direction!