Gregory is a Pain In the Neck
Shall we move to Uxbridge
By Barmy Kev
July 11 2015
Barmy Kev reports on his day at Merchant Taylors School There was a very worrying moment from today, but thankfully no major harm and we can concentrate on the mundane matters of our selection, a collapse and some geography of the area.
I knew due to pre-arranged commitments I am arriving at Merchant Taylor’s at least 15 minutes after start of play. Even though I have been to this ground twice before last year, I was confused at Moor Park Station with my route. For the 20/20 game there were signposts to the ground via a wooded path, which is now non existent and the 2nd X1 game I got lost and I found the ground via a detour around very posh houses. I followed a group of geeky looking cricket enthusiasts to reach my destination.
I was very surprised to hear on arrival our leading wicket taker and solid batsman was dropped or perhaps rotated for this game. Burns was out early on, nicking a wide one. A background voice was heard that Nick Gubbins should be playing instead.
Then a frightening moment, Compo was hit on helmet ducking a bouncer and needed to lie down from the effects of this. It was a massive relief when he got up. He was retired hurt and was given the all clear to bat later. Phew!
We made it to lunch with one wicket down and we seemed to bat with ease. Most of runs were scored in 3rd man area with little beating the bat. We are heading for a masive score was my thought.
Soon after lunch Robbo was out from a rare loose shot for a valuable 67. Then Morgan was caught at slip for 0 as I was dreading the reactions of MTWD contributors poised by their keyboards.
There was an attritional part that followed and a debate about the location of the ground with a multiple choice question. Is Merchants Taylor in;
a/ A Greater London Borough
b/ Middlesex
c/Hertfordshire
d/ Who gives a F...
There were valid answers for each option. Perhaps if you are bored during play you can contribute your answer on this thread?
AC perhaps not at his fluent best, scored 69 and out when we are 248-5. I still felt a decent total is on. Next over Ollie out for 31 and now we are 256-7. Gregory destroyed our tail and at one stage was on for a hat trick. He ended up with a 5fer our as we are all out for 283 at close. I was expecting another over to bowl at Somerset but with 2 overs to go not possible.
Positives
The surroundings of watching cricket at MT were beautiful.
Our Over Rate is sill 0
There maybe something is this pitch for our bowlers
Negatives
No signage to ground
Compo’s injury was scary and we had 3 other players getting hurt during play that caused concern
I really felt we should have scored more runs quicker.
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015:07:16:17:16:50 by BarmierKev.
I have a feeling that your last sentence will prove only too prescient. But as I am bored (no wickets)...
(d) may well be the best answer to your Non-cricketing Question of the Day. But it's actually quite clear. Moor Park and Merchant Taylors are unambiguously in Hertfordshire, even on maps from the 1820s. Close to the border, certainly, but not a cigar, as they say.
Aha, but it is in Middlesex postally, some will say. So it is, but postal counties are just for Royal Mail's organisational convenience. "Were" would be more accurate as RM have dropped county names form official addresses in any case! Its mail gets sorted in Harrow rather than Watford. So what?
So (c) it is, whatever your views might be on the continuing existence of Middlesex!
Adelaide
Barmy Kev
I'm only here for the tele