Middle start to bounce back with assault on Batty

SURREY V MIDDLESEX, DAY 1, 3 SEPTEMBER 2013

Our match with Surrey might not be quite as much a 32-pointer (or 48 pointer?) as the match at Taunton also starting today, but it’s important for us to bounce back from two unexpected defeats and seek to finish as high in the table as possible. And it’s a critical game for Surrey, of course.  So it was off to the Oval with some trepidation, bearing in mind our depleted pace attack.  Not to mention our current batting form….

This was my first visit to the Oval pavilion, and – though this might not be popular on these pages – I have to say that I enjoyed it.  An excellent view behind the bowler’s arm from the second floor balcony; no need to wear a jacket and tie; comfortable seats rather than Grade 2-listed benches from our Victorian heritage; full of people, including a fair number from north of the river, intently watching the cricket, with no-one getting up to go to the bar midway through an over, and not a single reference to Pimms or share prices all day.  And toilets on all five levels – goodness, that will never catch on!

As I arrived the toss was taking place, and Batty made a bowling motion to his troops.  Relief – we’re batting first!  The conditions were actually rather cloudy and muggy, which might aid Surrey’s seamers, but that was still preferable to facing their spinners on the final day.  And even before the match started the pitch already looked worn and dusty around the bowlers’ footmarks - this looked like a result wicket for Surrey’s must-win game.  But the team news was a bit of a surprise: Corey in for Murts as expected, but no change to the batting line-up that was so dismal against Somerset.  What does it take for changes to be made?

I was due to meet up later with a Surrey friend, and texted him: “Middlesex batting – but for how long?”, to which I immediately got the reply “But Surrey are bowling…”.  It would appear that neither of us felt tremendously confident in our respective teams’ current form.

Still, the match started brightly, with Buck easing the opening ball from Dernbach to the cover boundary.  In his next over, though, Sam was caught behind for a duck, continuing his recent run of low scores.  Joecame in for what may be his last chance (not the first time I’ve said that), and started with an edge for four through the slips.  A decent drive followed, but then a tentative push at Linley was caught low down in the slips by Solanki.  Linley was getting movement and steep bounce, and at 24-2 things looked ominous.

In came AC for what might be his last chance.  Runs were now coming very slowly, but after 11 overs De Bruyn came on, and in his second over AC came to life with three beautiful drives, all for four.  Then an eventful over from Meaker to AC: an edge for four, another great drive also for four, followed by a snorter that completely beat the batsman.

Batty brought himself on for the first over of spin, and another boundary for AC.  Then Buck, who seemed to have been stuck on 17 for an age, erupted, with eight boundaries in just five overs, including a thrilling lofted straight drive in what seemed like a premeditated assault on Batty (I mean, of course, on his bowling, not on the player himself – fortunately our captain doesn’t do that sort of thing!).  The final boundary took Buck to an excellent 50, and lunch came with the Middle having wrested back the initiative at 117-2.  The morning session saw plenty of boundaries but also a fair amount of playing and missing – good cut and thrust.

So the lunch interval passed cheerfully, but disaster struck in the afternoon’s first over.  AC drove firmly towards mid-off and headed off for a single, but Buck was slow to start; and although he was running to what appeared to be the safe end Dernbach’s throw was well collected by Davies for a run-out.  Although it seemed a great waste, in fairness it should be said that throughout the day the batsmen successfully took a number of sharp singles, and of course in those circumstances run outs will sometimes happen.

Dex settled in – fortunately there were no clusters of wickets in the day – and three boundaries in quick succession off Dernbach saw the introduction of Keedy, who would bowl 25 consecutive overs broken only by the tea interval.  AC reached his first LVCC half-century of the season and survived a straightforward chance to Batty at slip, but our chortling was short-lived as De Bruyn completed a more difficult catch.  Although it was disappointing not to see him go on to make a bigger innings, this had been very much the AC we love, with some wonderful strokeplay.

Dex and Simmo batted very carefully for over an hour to tea, with the score at 200-4 and a batting point in the bag.  Then a wicket once again fell in the first over of the next session, as Simmo was caught high at square leg.  Another useful partnership followed, with Dex completing a watchful half-century, before Gareth Berg fell, closely followed by Ollie – both to balls from Keedy that turned and were caught at slip.  Ravi was surely watching and taking note.  

By now Surrey’s spinners, with a combined age of 75, were bowling in harness, but James Harris looked comfortable and was quickly into double figures.  With seven overs left in the day Surrey took the new ball, but Dex and James did well to see the rest of the day out.  I thought James batted usefully against Somerset, and he did so again here, helping Dex to add 35.  Having seen so much unnecessary playing and missing in recent matches, it was notable that James was confidently leaving balls he didn’t need to play.  Dex had reached 76 and had done an excellent job in marshalling the middle order.

So 280-7 at the end of an enjoyable day, very much honours even and all to play for.  Middlesex might not get as large a first innings score as seemed likely at one stage, but it may still turn out to be a useful score on a wicket that is already starting to turn.  Game on!