An Uxbridge Too Far
Sexy Somerset
By barmy Kev
June 26 2015
Barmy Kev does not hold back as he reports on a bad day for Middlesex even though he missed most of the action. This reports carries a MTWD and fans of Uxbridge health warning.
Today was a working day for me at Wembley. Our last Friday of the month is dress down day, so in the office I could wear jeans and trainers. One of the dress down rules is no sportswear and I was unsure if Middlesex 20/20 kit is classified as such. To save an argument of pleading my case with the boss, I instead wore my "You Muppet" t shirt, which kind of was appropriate for what followed.
Due to convenient work circumstances, I arrive at Vermin Corner at 5.15 I was heartened to see a large crowd. I returned from the painfully slow queue bar visit and we are in the 3rd over. As I arrive back I jokingly asked whether we are all out. In fact it was a lightening quick start 0 wickets down. Then Compo is out with score on 36 at end of 3rd over with a Stirlo like getting out shot. At 51-1 from 4 overs we are still looking at mammoth score. Once Stirlo out I was concerned as runs seemed to dry up . Then we have 2 successive 6s from Simmo, first one caught by Sowter in the Pavilion. Moggy trying to follow trend was caught in deep. with what I can see the fielder doing a disco dance with leg close to the boundary edge. Even at 81-3 after 10 overs reckon we can make 200, which probably won’t be enough. Simmo played sensibly but there was no major fireworks from anyone else supporting him. We all knew final total 171 is nowhere near enough tuns.
My view was restricted throughout, I was surrounded by Chav like people drinking, swearing profusely about non related cricket matters. I queued for half an hour for a £5.50 burger during start of Somerset reply The roll was stone cold ruining the taste and like our 20/20 hopes falling to bits. This was at least a distraction to what was going on pitch.
There was never a point in the Somerset run chase where I felt we might even have a scent or a sniff of a win. My view was now even more restricted by people even less intersted by the cricket but having a good time. It was easy to see above the drunken heads how sloppy our fielding was throughout. Abbott our overseas signing was bowling pies, which was the only occasion of quick service at Uxbridge.
To summarise, I was depressed with our defeat especially in front of a large crowd for Uxbridge. There are often consoling matters when matters go wrong on field with our cricket. However, I was underwhelmed that I queued for far too long by to be served staff who couldn't even muster a smile. At least Richmond they were hospitable while I was watching us play shit cricket. Here’s hoping for better days.
3 Positives
Simmo’s innings
Large crowd good for our revenue
Long queues and bad view meant I missed a lot of our poor cricket
3 Negatives
Humiliating defeat
Bad catering service without a smile
From where I was nobody around me seemed to care.
If you do not already have an account Click here to Register.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015:06:29:10:58:09 by BarmierKev.
The view from standing on the bench was good, could see all of our dire performance.
Simmo stood out, and as they trudged off the field of play after this convincing defeat We said well batted to him and he acknowledged us.
Abbott did send pies down, or as we called him..Russ.
But we lost this batting, after a very fast start.
Enjoyed the company but not much else.
Well batted Simmo...
Actually the runs started drying up before Stirling was out - Abdul Rehman came on when the score was 45-1 off 3 overs, and completely pinned him down. And Moggy was unrecognisable from his recent England performances: he gave Groenewald the charge in the first 2 balls he faced, missing both, and was out to a full toss he could have hit anywhere.
The fielding was possibly the worst I have seen by Middlesex.
The crowd was a T20 ensemble. Had a perfect view of our shortcomings at mid off/on. The swearing was understandable. Did the coaching staff join in?
Barmy Kev
I'm only here for the tele
The Pavilion area was packed and looked like a small scale Lord's Pav on T20 nights, packed with punters, greater in number than on many Test match days.
Someone is not telling the truth here.
Quote:Fozzie
The fielding was possibly the worst I have seen by Middlesex.
Bring back Scott Newman.
![[:wor kid:]](/phorum-5.1.15/mods/smileys/images/13.gif "[:wor kid:]")
One more positive- None of yesterday was Neil Dexter's fault.
Our only tactic appears to be that Stirlo stays in for ten overs plus so that we can make a half decent score, with some able assistance lately from the redoubtable Simmo.
Our recent overseas signings in the competition have given the appearance of being purely mercenaries and I'd have sooner had Dex in the team yesterday, despite his poor form, than the dreadful Abbott.
Our nemeses in many games in this format seem to be the same players. Ian Cockbain, Owais Shah and Jim Allenby to name but three. Do we put any plans in place to deal with these batsmen ? In fact, do we have any plans in place at all going into these games ? Let Stirlo give it some welly seems to be as good as it gets.
We went to Abu Dhabi pre-season to allegedly improve our white ball cricket. Having seen three games over there, we beat two teams of students/young cricketers and were soundly thrashed the first time we came up against anyone remotely decent, namely Yorkshire.
My dear victorious Stod recently made a very valid observation that young supporters taken to cricket will be reluctant to come along again if their team are a bunch of whipping boys. We are in danger of alienating our future supporters by our dismal attitude.
We have recently been discussing the merits of Lord's, Uxbridge and Southgate as venues for the club. Perhaps we can start utilising some of the recs in the county as soon one man and his dog are likely to be the only ones watching our T20 failings.
Our winter work on white ball cricket might (I said might!) see us do better in the 50 over competition, for which our squad is probably better suited anyway.
A decent T20 batsman can have a bad run of scores and a decent bowler can get collared, just by the nature of the game (small sample theory and all that) so I'm reluctant to have a go at an overseas player who is only here for a few games, as long as they don't phone in their performance. I do wonder why Abbott wasn't tried further up the order as apparently he can be a big hitter.
Finally, it often seems to be spinners (like Max Waller and Will Beer) who only get seen in T20. I think it must be a bit soul-destroying to be in that position and knowing you're stuck in the seconds for the rest of the time, but I suppose it depends how good the money is.
Adelaide
Quote:Rogers and Out
My dear victorious Stod recently made a very valid observation that young supporters taken to cricket will be reluctant to come along again if their team are a bunch of whipping boys. We are in danger of alienating our future supporters by our dismal attitude.
I have been planning to take my 7-year-old grandson to the T20 match on 23 July for his first game of cricket and trip to Lord's, but I'm starting to have second thoughts - there's a good chance he'll come away a Surrey supporter!
Hopefully our 50 over season will be unaffected by our 20/20 demise. A good start needed or I fear it will go downhill quickly.