Honours Even

Rod Ed reports on another intriguing day at Trent Bridge.  We also get travel news, food news and tennis analogies.  Thanks for getting up so early to do this for us

My day began at 5.15 am, then a short drive to Dunbar to catch the train to Newark. I had to cross the town to change stations but spotted a bus route that would drop me at Trent Bridge at half ten whereas my train would have me in the city centre. As a bonus it also passed my hotel thus saving a search later.
I missed the first two overs to see Ball and Gurney bowling to three slips but a lot of balls were fended off the hip.
The change to Hutton in the 15th over brought success with Mala LBW, he dragged himself off reluctantly, perhaps inside edge?
After one and a half hours the run rate was 1. 95 despite the ball not beating the bat. At midday helmets and padding were brought out to signal the arrival of Tahir, joined by Patel at 12. 15. A rare four came from Eski with a lap sweep. At this time the members started to move to their forum venue which I believe carried on into the afternoon session.
At lunch we were 65/4 which was good to lose only one wicket but at that rate it could be lunch tomorrow before parity.
Lunch was a pint in the Trent Bridge Inn which is just a generic Wetherspoons.
Ball and Tahir started after lunch then a rare four by Eski, next ball another! then another!! Albeit the last was an inside edge.
Then my phone rang, it was my IFA wanting to meet, perhaps to discuss Brexit, but this coincided with Eskit , bowled by Tahir.
The follow on was saved at 1.40, and the 100 was up with mistimed lofted drive. By now Gurney seemed to have lost his radar causing plenty of leg side acrobatics from Read.  He was replaced by Hutton , who the blind would know was bowling because he has a grunt like Sharapova (not a typo).  Simmo lost his off stump playing down the wrong line and tea was taken at 158_6.
The spinners then bowled till the new ball was taken with 23 overs remaining and a deficit of 56.  Gubbo then hit back to back fours to get to within 3 of a bonus point but then edged behind. Well batted!
TRJ heaved to cow corner to bring up 200. Tahir then introduced and despite much energetic swishing from Toby bowled a maiden.
The run rate was now a dizzy 2. 5 but Franco tried a one day upper cut and was caught at 3rd man still trailing by 14.
A rank wide from Ball was followed by TRJ caught and bowled perhaps of a slower ball bouncer.  Finny hit a flat bat four past to level scores, an edge then put us ahead but Finny was bowled through the gate to leave us six ahead.
The lead was wiped out first over and they batted busily to finish 24/0 after 5 overs.