Dial M for Complete Carnage

Dingy Bags reports on what can only be described as a Crazy Day 1 of " coventional" County cricket. Who needs 20/20.  Read on... 

CRAZY CRICKET
God knows what would happen if either of these two sets of batsmen had to bat on uncovered wickets or, perhaps more relevantly, had to face Division 1 bowling.

Joe Denly, on the boundary around the time we were seven or eight down, said the wicket was green and damp and nipping around a bit. It was hardly a minefield but twenty three wickets fell at Lords on the first day of a notionally four day match. Your reporter called out to umpire Nigel Llong, “Are you going to report the pitch?” He only stared, so I added, at once, “Or the batting?” He nodded vigorously, grinning, and added that he fancied a day off. He’ll probably get two, even with a few hours of rain.

In Kent’s first innings, all three of our bowlers were on a hat trick and Key made it a fourth golden duck in the second innings. I’m not sure how often either has happened before. Of course, given the events of last night, we were all joking that we didn’t want to get Kent at 21-6, or we would lose. Well, we had them 22-6 today and we still might lose.  Essentially, Colly and Murts were consistent and probing and Finn was quick and accurate. Denly looked all at sea but Key went first and next ball Robson took a good diving catch to remove Northeast, who later had the chance to register a king pair on one day. Van Jaarsveld, so often our tormentor, was caught at short leg off Finn and Stevens well held by Simmo next ball. When Murts appeared, at first change for once, he had Denly and Goodman in no time. No one thought the match was won.

At 22-6, the skipper dropped Jones in the slips off Finn. We could, honestly, have had them out for less than 50 – and it might still prove crucial. Just to rub it in, he top-edged a hook for six next ball. In fact Jones and Mahmood more than doubled the score before Malan held a slip catch off Murts and so Jones went just before an early lunch. Which was also a late lunch given the late start. In fact, given that the umpires had a look for ten minutes before calling for lunch, the overs were added on to the end of the day which came some time after eight o’clock. At one point, only half-joking, Lower Pav reckoned we might ask for the extra half-hour!

Anyway, Murts made short work of the tail and Colly took the last wicket. Murts, 5-27. What followed was a brief spell of play that bore some resemblance to first-class cricket. With application and, yes, some luck, Newman and Robson put on 54 runs, ie within 33 of the Kent total. Shaw then seemed to york Newman, Mahmood was recalled and seven wickets fell for 51 runs. No one in the middle order was able to find the grit to tough out an ugly 30/40 that would have taken us well clear. Housego tried, but edged into the slips, but the 20/20 shots played by Malan and Simmo, to be caught on the edge of the square, were not pretty viewing. Others, Dexter, Dalrymple, Crook, scratched around for a bit and Murts, getting off the mark from the twenty-first ball he faced with a majestic straight four, was caught next ball. In fact, only an entirely sensible stand of 29 from the last pair, Finn playing some lovely, authentic shots, took us to any real sort of lead at all.

The impending tube strike meant that I had to leave with five overs to go, or face the possibility of being stranded somewhere short of home, but this was time enough for the Key golden and for Northeast, having avoided the king pair, to top edge a hook off Finn that went miles into the air towards long leg. Middlesex would have chosen all ten of the other fieldsmen to catch the ball ahead of the occupant of that position, given the option, but to his credit Colly held it stomach high and then held the pose as if he was convinced that the ball might still pop out. 10-2.

Not a good time to leave but needs must. I see we got a third wicket before the late, late close but we could still easily lose this game. I am reminded of the game at Derby in some ways, when we should have got a bigger lead. Denly didn’t sound too confident but he seems to have got a few second time around. The question is, how many can we chase?

Kev wore a T-shirt today that said “You Muppet!”. It could have referred to virtually any of the batsmen on view. JC reckons that it is the influence of 20/20 cricket but then, he would!
Not sure what the weather’s going to do from here but it cannot prevent a result in this game now. However, if you are going tomorrow, you will see some tense cricket, before the rain. One batsman on either side could win this game. It’s just a pity none of ours could take the chance in the first innings but, then, when was supporting this side ever an easy ride?
Dingy Bags