Bucks Fizz opened on champagne day for Middlesex
By Fozzie
May 1 2014
Fozzie gives us a brilliant report on the historic win. From tense beginnings to the atmosphere in the Tavern at the end this captures the day beautifully. If you were there bask in the memory. If you weren't imagine you were with this great report. Enjoy!
Until about 6 p.m. on Day 3 the combination of Tube strike and coughs & sneezes meant that I hadn’t considered going to watch the final day, but as Buck and AC consolidated on that great opening partnership it suddenly dawned on me that we had in prospect a gripping and potentially historic finale. And blow me, that’s what we certainly got, with at the heart of things an innings of supreme application and skill by the maestro Chris Rogers.
So, following a trouble-free journey on the Chiltern Line and a pleasant walk from Marylebone, taking in the taxi rank stall near the North Gate for a coffee and an excellent bacon roll (as recommended by the Beefy Good Food Guide), I took my seat in the Grandstand just before the start of play. There was a reasonable-sized crowd, and Lord’s looked an absolute picture in glorious spring sunshine. This truly was a game of two halves, with the weather and conditions changing dramatically from the time that Yorkshire’s second innings began.
We resumed on 230-1, and after a maiden from Plunkett to AC, Buck got the first runs of the day off Sidebottom, followed by a cut for 4 off the first ball he received from Plunkett. Already Buck was looking really comfortable, though by contrast AC was looking hesitant, beaten outside the off stump by both bowlers. After 35 minutes he had added only 3 runs, 2 of which came from a thick edge through the slips, and I wondered whether AC now suffers from the nervous thirties. A cut off Sidebottom for 4, high over the slips, suggested that he may be moving into gear, but any such hope was short-lived as the next ball was his last. Given out LBW, AC may possibly have been unfortunate as he had taken a big stride down the wicket. But it had been a valuable partnership of 76, taking the score to 257-2.
The fall of AC seemed to re-energize Yorkshire in the field, but all their seamers except Sidebottom had problems bowling a consistent line and length against the three left-handed batsmen. Plunkett bowled a spectacular but wasteful bouncer that soared over the wicket-keeper’s head for 4 byes, and too many deliveries were going down the leg side. Moggy got underway with a boundary of Sidebottom, then seemed content with gently milking Brooks’ stream of legside deliveries for easy runs. This seemed encouraging, until Brooks found a line outside off stump and Moggy swished at a couple of deliveries, fortunately without connecting. Anxiety levels rose.
Meanwhile Buck carried on untroubled, and after a wonderful off-drive which was athletically saved on the boundary by Root, a trademark cover drive for 4 in the same over brought up his 150. At this point Root turned to spin, bringing on Rashid from the Nursery End. Buck played his first two overs with noticeable care and concentration, though Moggy paddle-swept for 4, and another boundary by Buck brought up 300, quickly followed by the 50 partnership. Williamson then came on at the Pavilion End to ply his off-spin, and his first ball was tickled by Moggy for another 4.
This was a quieter, but interesting, period of play, with both batsmen looking comfortable against the two spinners, playing sensibly and scoring mostly in singles without taking unnecessary risks. The backdrop was that the new ball was likely to be available before lunch; any runs accumulated now that would reduce the required target at that point would be useful, but above all the priority was to have a pair of well-established batsmen at the crease when the new ball was taken. So it seemed particularly wasteful when Moggy swept at Williamson in front of his stumps, only for a top-edge to loop over his head for a simple catch at slip.
Oh Eoin – there’s so much to like about him, but how exasperating he can be at times! Although it was a useful partnership of 70, the stage had been set for another really big match-winning stand that would have served as a calling-card to the England selectors. Instead, with 145 still to win, there were just five overs till the new ball, and a nervous-looing Dex, on a pair, joined Buck.
Dex was greeted by Rashid with a snorter that reared at chest-height off a full length, but he avoided his pair with a hesitant steer through the slips and a rather stop-start run, Buck charging towards the danger end to ensure that his partner got off the mark. The new ball became due at 12.50, but surprisingly Root brought himself on for an over, allowing Dex to hit a boundary with his first confident-looking shot. It appeared that the new ball was being saved for the afternoon session, but Root was obviously trying to lull the batsmen into a state of false security for he gave the new ball to Sidebottom for the final over before lunch. Buck was beaten, Dex edged through the slips, but the over was survived. The score at lunch was 360-3, with Buck on 194 and Dex on 10. It had been one of the most enthralling sessions of cricket I can remember.
At lunch I met up with Beefy and The Power, and we agreed that the period after lunch with the new ball was critical. Only 112 to win – but how far away that might seem if Buck was dismissed quickly and one of our dreaded “clusters” occurred. Against that, there may well be the chance of quick runs against the new ball and attacking fields. Spectators were invited to walk on the playing area at lunchtime (though I heard no mention of perambulation), and the word was that it felt very hot out there.
The afternoon session began with Brooks and Sidebottom in tandem with the new ball, but both batsmen began very positively. Before long there was less than 100 to win, and then Buck was unrolling yet another cover drive to bring up both his double century and the 50 partnership. The crowd rose to him.
Plunkett then replaced Brooks, and off his first ball there was a loud appeal for a caught-behind off Dex. The fielders seemed convinced and the umpires conferred, but to our relief the decision went in the batsman’s favour. And apart from Buck taking a blow on the body from Plunkett that required some treatment, that turned out to be the last moment of concern for us.
Brooks tried his luck from the Pavilion End, only for Buck to play an expansive cover drive for 4. “Shot of the day!” exclaimed Beefy. Next ball Buck off-drove for another 4: “That’s the shot of the day,” reassessed Beefy. Buck finished the over with a cut for yet another boundary, but by now Beefy was just purring contentedly. In 15 overs since lunch 65 runs had been scored, and then the century partnership meant that only 45 runs were still needed.
Dex was now looking completely set, taking two boundaries off Rashid and then walloping a huge six off Williamson to bring up his 50, greeted with great acclaim. The end was now near, and in the next over from Williamson (who, considering he was Yorkshire’s seventh bowler, had punched above his weight and was unfortunate to be the fall-guy at the end) Dex rounded things off in carnival style with two 4s and a 6, and the crowd stood as one to cheer him and Buck off the pitch. 472-3, an unbeaten partnership of 145, and Middlesex’s biggest ever successful run chase at Lord’s had been achieved – what a moment! .
It’s worth noting at this point that although Yorkshire’s bowlers probably felt disappointed with their performance, they remained aggressive right up to the end, and the fielding was sharp throughout – indeed, I can’t recall a single misfield in the day. This makes the victory all the more satisfying, so much more than if it had not been a hard-fought contest throughout. Undoubtedly an important factor was that Yorkshire were never able to follow up a wicket with another quick success. AC and Moggy will doubtless feel disappointed that they didn’t score more runs, but every batsman built a partnership with Buck that contributed to the successful chase.
And what can be said about Chris Rogers? It seems amazing to me not only that Middlesex reached their target, but that they did so in only 101 overs against a decent attack. Buck scored his 241 from only 290 balls – in a situation which you would think called out for backs-to-the-wall defiance (which of course Buck does so well), he led from the front with such positivity that by the end, incredibly, the task seemed easy. What a batsman, what a leader! Looking back, I cannot remember ever seeing a better innings in the County Championship.
Yes it really happened
Afterwards queues lined up to buy printed scorecards to mark the occasion, while the atmosphere in the Tavern was euphoric but slightly disbelieving – it seemed even more unreal that eventually we had won so comfortably and without our nerves being shredded. What a day. It was simply a privilege to be there.
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014:05:07:09:07:53 by BarmierKev.
A bit like reading a book when you have cheated and looked at the last page first. In other words I could relax and enjoy the report, because I already knew it had a happy ending.
A great and detailed report thank you. I really wish I could have been at the game.
I've noticed a typo in my report, and would like to issue an apology to Neil Dexter. He may very well have been nervous-looing in the Pavilion before his innings, but by the time he arrived at the middle I'm pretty sure he was just nervous-looking. Sorry for any embarrassment caused, Dex!
Was glad to be there,as i was running late due to car problems a big thanks to Fozzie for standing in for me.
That feeling of everything going right is worth savouring for as long as you can. It doesn't come that often but it is well worth the wait.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014:05:02:13:26:53 by Grockle.
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