The Star of Dawid

Fozzie gives a full report on how Middlesex built their excellent total with opinions about the ground and the coffee. We have a few piccies to boot. This is a good read and gives an excellent insight into the days play.

Another rainy start to the day, but I was encouraged by the fact that the weather forecast for today has been steadily improving over the past 24 hours.  I make a late decision to go by train instead of car, which turns out to be a good decision and I’m in the ground 20 minutes before the start.  There are grey clouds but no rain, and there’s even a hint of blue sky.  Everything seems geared up for a prompt start.  On arrival I see Tim Murtagh wearing pads – I do hope he’s not expecting to be needed too quickly.

This is my first visit to Wantage Road, and I’m interested partly because it always gets described in such disparaging terms.  When players are asked in publications like The Cricketer to name their least favourite away fixtures, Northants always tends to get a prominent mention, along with Leicestershire and Derbyshire. (So now we know why Buck was keen to move to Middlesex!).  In truth, the ground is a bit of a mish-mash with a jumble of different buildings and structures; but it turns out to be a pleasant place to watch cricket, and the home supporters are good-natured and appreciative of good cricket played by both teams.  Which today, as it happens, is mostly by the away team.

First, though, I am in need of coffee, and I find a large bare cavern of a refreshment area.  Now, thanks to Kimmy’s extensive market research, I am well-versed on the availability or otherwise of poached eggs in Northampton. Sadly, though, she neglected to warn us about the execrable coffee.  Memo to self: next time bring a flask.  I should in fairness note, though, that the bacon baps looked much better value.

Gingerly sipping my alleged coffee, I took one of the dry seats in a stand at the pavilion end.  Out came Buck and Toby to face Vaas and Daggett, with fielders surrounding the bat and Northants keen to consolidate the breakthrough they achieved on the previous evening. The early bowling was lively and accurate, but the pitch didn’t seem to be offering them much assistance and both batsmen looked comfortable.  Runs came slowly, though Buck benefited from some strangely sloppy fielding (not helped by a rather worn and uneven outfield) to keep the scoreboard ticking over.  It took 20 minutes for Toby to add to his overnight score, and he was then beaten in three consecutive balls from Vaas. Although Buck was hit painfully and winded by Daggett, after 45 minutes both opening bowlers were replaced. So Toby had done his job, and he found Northants’ back-up seamers very much more to his liking. He hit four boundaries in two overs from Lucas, all with authentic shots around the ground. The 50 partnership came up, then 200 and the first batting bonus point.   Buck took his turn to launch into the hapless Lucas with boundaries off three consecutive balls, then another four off the returning Daggett to reach his 50.

Good batting Toby

Given the rate at which runs were now flowing from the seamers it was surprising that the off-spinner Middlebrook was not introduced until the 21^st over of the day with the score at 229. Adrenaline was clearly surging through Toby, and he stepped out to play an expansive cover drive to Middlebrook’s first ball, only to find his off-stump knocked back.  He trudged off in disbelief and annoyance, clearly believing that he had thrown away the opportunity of making a significant score.  But he had scored a valuable 28 in a stand of 86, and batted through the most difficult conditions of the day.

Northants now pressed hard, and a few overs later Middlebrook struck again, having Buck caught by Hall for 55.  For the second time in the innings two wickets had fallen in quick succession, and with two new batsmen at the crease there was suddenly a real risk that Northants would force themselves back in the game.  But AC and Jamie saw out the ten minutes before lunch, which came with Middlesex well-placed at 244-4.

Strolling around the ground at lunch, I found Northants’s supporters association building, which seemed to have been originally a signalbox.  There was a good selection of second-hand cricket books there, and it would be a worthwhile browsing place for anyone interested in picking up cheaply old Playfairs, B&H annuals and county yearbooks.  I looked at the Northants supporters’ newsletter, which made very familiar reading (less said about T20 season the better…Championship is the priority…but will we be able to survive in the top flight?), and chatted to a Northants fan who thought they will be OK next year and said that apparently they are in talks to sign Brett Lee.  An interesting prospect, though I wonder whether he has the endurance and motivation at this stage of his career to be more than a name to draw the crowds, or perhaps an impact player in the limited overs competitions.

By now the sun was out, and I moved to an open stand to enjoy the warmth.  The ice cream van, which had looked forlorn and redundant at the start of play, was now doing a roaring trade.  AC and Jamie also started the afternoon well, playing Middlebrook carefully but being severe on Vaas.  The new ball was taken after 81 overs, and AC immediately hit Daggett for consecutive fours to give Middlesex the lead.  The 50 partnership came up with two fours by Jamie off Vaas, then the 300 and the third batting bonus point.  Jamie had been the dominant partner, but next over he hooked a bouncer from Vaas and Daggett made a lot of ground to take a good running catch on the boundary.  A shame, as he had looked in very good touch and seemed likely to get a lot more than 40.

Simmo replaced Jamie, and Lucas and Middlebrook replaced the new ball bowlers.  Lucas was again an invitation to score runs which the batsmen gladly accepted, while for the first time runs started to come freely off Middlebrook, with AC reaching his 50 with a graceful cover-drive and then a square cut, both for four.  His 50 had taken 110 balls, an indication of the care he was taking to build a substantial score.  Hall also proved expensive as another batting point was secured, and tea came at 371-5 with AC on 71 and Simmo on 24.  An excellent session for the Middle, with 127 runs scored for the loss of Jamie.

The first ball after tea was driven by AC for four, and the lead quickly exceeded 100.  It seemed like a signal of intent, but Simmo went without adding to his score, caught on the square boundary off another short ball from Vaas who now seemed to be bowling well within himself.  The fall of Simmo, however, brought in Ollie.

Ollie started with boundaries of Middlebrook and Vaas, while AC moved into the nineties.  The persevering Daggett returned, only for Ollie to drive him for two boundaries and then launch into Middlebrook for a monstrous straight six which crashed into the members’ stand.  He was enjoying himself so much that he repeated the shot in the spinner’s next over, for 4 this time, and followed with boundaries off the next two balls to reach the 50 partnership.  As well as his straight driving Ollie more than once played a very effective shot when the quicks overpitched, planting a long leg down the wicket and bringing the bat down hard on the ball to send it crashing to the cover boundary.  The home fans had by now despaired of their bowlers taking wickets, and were simply enjoying the batting. 

AC was meanwhile steadily progressing in less violent manner, and he reached his century with a square-cut for 4, followed immediately with a lofted on-drive.  His second half-century had taken only 55 balls, exactly half the time his first had taken.  Next over he played two perfect reverse-sweeps off Middlebrook for fours, then changed tack and gave him the charge, only to snick a catch behind.  His excellent 113 had ensured a substantial lead, and his partnership of 78 with Ollie had taken only 11 overs.

Well played AC

Ollie continued to have fun, and there was a comical moment when he hit a towering top-edge that went very high but little distance, enabling the batsmen to jog a single while it was in the air and then sprint a second run when the straightforward catch was dropped only yards from the stumps.  He capitalised on his good fortune by reaching his 50 (off only 43 balls), then scooped a square drive for another 6.  He went in the same way as AC, and to the appreciation of the crowd walked when the umpire didn’t immediately give him out.

There was time for Crook and Murts (clearly showing that his early-morning practice had not been wasted) to score well-struck boundaries and extend the lead to 203 before the declaration came on 479-8.  The home fans decided that praying for rain was their only hope, and while Middlesex were going through their fielding routines they got their wish, with the Northants groundstaff wasting no time in hauling as many covers as possible onto the ground.

Fielding Routines 

And here I have a confession to make.  There was a heavy drizzle, the skies were darkening, and the Northants ground is not the most exciting place to while away time in the hope of seeing a further couple of overs, so I made a strategic decision to leave.  By the time I reached the station 45 minutes later the rain had cleared and the air was humid, and I guessed that probably play had been able to resume.  I wasn’t surprised on getting home to find that the score was 22-0, but I’m afraid I can throw no light on why Corey didn’t bowl.

On an easy-paced wicket and with an uncertain weather forecast, a draw looks the most likely result.  But this was an excellent and highly entertaining performance by the Middle, with four half-century partnerships in addition to the century opening stand and everyone making a contribution.  Any blues hanging over the team from the Kent result seem to be well and truly discarded.