Dawid is Back

Dingy Bags reports on our first, first class game at Radlett and our first win in this years CB40   We hear about a win for Middlesex and for Radlett CC   

Radlett’s Big Day

The first ever, competitive, Middlesex first eleven game at Radlett went off superbly at Cobden Hill today. Blessed with fine weather, we also got a Middlesex win. But first of all, you have to send congratulations to all at both Middlesex and Radlett who made this such a hugely enjoyable day. Car parking, bars, catering and stewarding were all managed smoothly and very little needs to be looked at for next time. And I am sure there will be a next time. Tony Johnson looked relieved and delighted at the finish. Lorraine managed NOT to look knackered, despite the miles she must have walked today. Well done to them and everyone else.

What a back drop

At the interval, Gus presented a bench in memory of the much-missed Terry Abbot, to Radlett Cricket Club. It seemed fitting, on Radlett’s big day, that such a huge supporter of the county game should be remembered at county cricket’s newest venue. He already has a bench at one of the oldest, of course.

As to the cricket, we put in the sort of performance that made you wonder how we had been stuffed in two games already. Toby, from the Pavilion End, got the first two wickets, both the result of batsmen trying to go big and skying the ball. Morgan, eventually (there was an ‘after you’ moment first of all) caught Gale in the third over, and Denly, having initially misjudged one that went even higher, caught Pyrah in the fifth. Even though Jaques, first with Balance and then with Lyth, steadied things for the Yorkies, they never came close to getting away from us, as Dex changed his seven bowlers around effectively. Ollie, opening from the Salter’s Field End, was particularly mean.

Perhaps the key over in the match was the twenty-ninth. Harris, who had been taken off after only two, rather expensive overs in his first spell, showed what mental toughness there is now in the team: he got rid of both Lyth, caught behind by Rossington who was, please note, standing up to the bowling, and the dangerous-looking  Jaques, caught by the juggling Morgan. After this, Rashid showed what a good cricketer he is by batting through to the end but wickets fell regularly at the other end. The consensus, led by Lower Pav, was that the Tykes were 30/40 runs light.

However, Middlesex rarely allow their supporters an easy ride and there were two moments of anxiety. First ball of the innings, the surprisingly quick Wardlaw hit Stirlo a painful blow amidships; with the second, he knocked two stumps clean out of the ground. You could say he had rearranged the furniture with consecutive deliveries. The second moment came when, after the confident Denly was bowled playing a forward defensive to the gentle bowling of Pyrah, Morgan, as predicted, tried a reverse sweep first ball to Rashid and was given lbw by Garratt. Morgan held the pose, a long stride down the wicket in disbelief, long enough for the umpire to look a tad annoyed. So, two of our crackerjacks out for ducks, having faced three balls between them.

Welcome back Eoin            

Cheerio  Eoin

But we had a third. If anyone reading this has not yet seen Adam Rossington, you soon will and you will soon be both impressed and entertained. He joined Mala, who had moved steadily into his work thus far, and they played really sensible cricket for a time, not going big but allowing far fewer dot balls than Yorkshire did. We were always well ahead of where the first innings had been as a result And as confidence grew, those big shots came, beautiful timing from both players, Mala elegant and fluent, Rosso rather more brutal in approach. They made a neat contrast. Mala’s fifty came up from 55 balls in the twenty-second over, Rosso’s off six balls fewer in the twenty-eighth.

They gave few hints that they would do anything other than ensure a victory so, with hindsight, the difficult chance missed by Rashid, off the gentle spin of Lyth, when Rosso had only 19, was the only chance the northerners had of making it a bit competitive. The only shame was that Mala, having looked increasingly confident (let’s all wish that this innings brings a run of good scores in all formats), touched one behind off the otherwise rather disappointing Bresnan. Dex, who seems full of confidence himself, came in and easily knocked off the runs with his young partner.

This is the one shot from a ton

Winning with 4.2 overs to spare showed, indeed, that the total was 30/40 at least too light. 300 would have been reasonable. These figures show that watching cricket at Radlett is enjoyable, so, if anyone was put off by the idea of an new, club ground for a first team match, do yourselves a favour and go along next time. In fact, there is still plenty of second team action, especially next month, ahead this year, so you can go and check the ground out before next season

Rosso winning runs

Congrats Rooso and Dex

Once again, well done to everyone, to the weather and to Middlesex, for crowning it all off by winning.

Dingy Bags