Middlesex get the point(s) while Notts won't go to the Ball

While you are getting nervous/excited/apprehensive (delete as needed) about tomorrow this reminder of a match that in the end was a comfortable win may be worth looking back on.  Thanks to Harvey for such a comprehensive report in the midst of all the tension of the final day and to Kev for pictures from Canada.

The day started with Middlesex facing a big ask. At 48/3 another 187 needed on a pitch that was taking spin against a side with two spinners and with the kind of cloud cover that seam bowlers dream of.  Favourites we were not.

Gurney opened the bowling for Notts, and Eskinazi got the scoreboard moving with a nudge to mid wicket for a single. Compton followed suit to bring up the 50. Jake Ball at the other end greeted Compton with an excellent Yorker that had to be dug out.

Compton posted the first boundary of the morning, edging (or steering) Gurney along the ground just wide of Mullaney at 2^nd slip. Tahir replaced Ball after the latter had bowled 3 overs and his first ball was a long hop, pulled to the square leg boundary by Eskinazi amid a chorus of laughter from the locals. Apparently his first ball of a spell tends either to be rubbish or a no-ball!

Gurney at the other end was bowling both sides of the wicket. One leg side ball took a deflection off the pads of Eskinazi, beating the keeper Chris Read for four byes. However he was still capable of the odd challenging delivery and had Eskinazi while on 17 dropped by Taylor at 1^st slip. To add insult to injury, while the fielders focussed on what a bad drop it had been instead of where the ball was, the batsmen ran a cheeky single.

Eskinazi steered Tahir through the vacant gully area for a boundary to bring the target below 150. At the other end Ball replaced Gurney and immediately made things happen. Eskinazi notched up a boundary with what looked like an edge through slip, but it was along the ground so must have been played with soft hands so might have been deliberate. Not so the next ball, which made contact with the bat as he tried to withdraw it, and was caught behind by Read for 30 to become Ball’s fourth victim. 92/4. The partnership had been worth 67 and had put Middlesex back in the game, but there was still a great deal of work to do.

Now nerves started to creep in. Compton flashed at a wide one from Ball, thankfully not making contact, then left the next one which kept low and passed within a whisker of off stump. Simpson while on 5 edged between 1^st and second slip off the same bowler. Mullaney diving to his right got a hand to it, but it went for 4. It didn’t look as if it had carried anyway.

Although Tahir at the other end was getting the odd ball to turn, he lacked accuracy. One wayward leg-side delivery to Simpson beat everyone and went for four byes. The next ball was a rank full toss, which Simpson got away but was hit straight to Gurney fielding at deep square leg. It should just have been a single, but Gurney fumbled horribly then infuriated the home supporters by standing and watching as the ball trickled unhindered over the rope. It was a shocking piece of cricket.

Ball was still looking threatening, but beginning to look tired. A rare over-pitched ball was dispatched to the long on boundary by Simpson. Then, next ball, almost a suicidal run-out, but Libby’s throw missed the stumps.  Compton brought up his 50, also with a drive to the long-on boundary, but this time off Tahir. Hutton replaced the tired Ball and looked unthreatening. Compton smacked Tahir through extra cover, and in the same over Simpson found the long-on boundary, sparking loud calls from the home fans to “take him off!” 

Samit Patel replaced Tahir. Then just as it was starting to look easy, Compton nudged a Samit Patel delivery straight to Libby at mid wicket and inexplicably started off for a run. Simpson sent him back, and although Libby’s throw wasn’t the greatest, Read removed the bails in time to beat Compton’s despairing dive.  Compton had made a vital 63, but at 146/5 with 86 still needed, his wasteful dismissal had thrown Notts a lifeline. Gurney promptly replaced Hutton and Tahir was reintroduced, replacing Samit Patel. The latter’s first delivery was a no-ball inducing gales of laughter from the home crowd.  Simpson on-drove Gurney for 2 to bring up the 150, and Lunch was taken with Middlesex on 151/5. The Compton dismissal had left us with nagging doubts, but the feeling was that given the standard of bowling and fielding we had seen so far, we ought to do it.

 Jake Ball resumed after lunch with a change of ends. He looked quite tired, which was good for us. Tahir was given a change of ends too. An appalling misfield by Lumb at mid wicket off the latter gifted Simpson two runs, showing that any lunchtime team chat aimed at improving their attitude in the field had not borne fruit. Franklin notched up the first boundary of the afternoon session with a cut to backward point, immediately followed by a much less elegant but equally effective agricultural heave that made sufficient contact to beat keeper and fielders and reach the long-on boundary.

Samit Patel replaced the spent Jake Ball. There was spin at both ends, but they were unable to exert pressure. There were too many bad balls from Tahir in particular and Middlesex were able to keep the scoreboard ticking over. Gurney replaced Tahir with just 46 runs needed. Simpson drove him to the cover boundary and steered one through third man to bring up his 50. The locals were now resigned to defeat.  From now on it was just a question of waiting for the bad ball, and the wait was seldom long. Simpson did give a chance, driving uppishly through mid-on off Samit Patel but Gurney’s attempt at a diving catch was downright embarrassing. His feet appeared not to even leave the ground and the ball evaded him.

With just 11 now needed Franklin hoisted Samit Patel over his head for 6 to post his 50.

With just 4 now needed, Ball was brought on for Gurney. Why the tired young bowler should be reintroduced at that stage, possibly risking injury is anyone’s guess. Middlesex knocked off the runs easily enough with Simpson nudging a quick single to take us home. Most of the locals sportingly stayed to the end to applaud or simply to witness the end of Nottinghamshire’s home season.

A victory is always satisfying and this one keeps our title hopes firmly alive. As for Notts, this result relegates them. Theirs was a wretched performance in the field, with only the impressive Jake Ball emerging with any credit. Most of their team don’t even look physically fit and their body language was poor as soon as things started going against them. A major shake-up is needed if they are going to mount a serious challenge for promotion next season I think, especially as I find it hard to imagine Ball not being a major part of the England set-up by then.

How to celebrate from a distance.