I have never been to a first class day’s play in the last week on September before, so it was a hard choice what to pack before nipping up the motorway to my nephew in Kettering to stay the night. In the end I chose a few good sweaters as it might be a little chilly. I decided against the thermals, leaving them until a cold January day in a drafty press box at Ramsgate or Margate.

Friday morning and the morning broke chilly but bright and dry. Surprisingly easy drive into Northampton, arriving at ground at 10.00am. Some of the chaps were just re entering the pavilion, after their morning warm up. State of play overnight was Northants 128-3 with Sales and Wessels at the crease, still needing another 268 to avoid the follow on.The problem it seemed was that with Nannes unlikely to bowl and Murli out injured, it only left us with four bowlers plus Ace and maybe Joyce. Could we bowl them out twice to finish the season with a flourish?? 

 Alex Loundon again subbed for Nannes, whilst young Simpson took his place behind the stumps in place of Scott who had injured his ankle the day before. Richo and Finn opened the bowling for us with Shaggy setting a very attacking field. The batsmen looked pretty comfortable and there were runs to be had with the close set filed. However, with the score on 150, much to my surprise, to be honest, David Sales had off and middle pinged back by Richo and was out for 45, when possibly a hundred seemed on. This brought young Mark Nelson to the crease. This was only his third championship match (he made his debut against us last season) and he was content to allow Rikki Wessels the strike. Wessels had two lives, being put down at slip and by Simpson. Shaggy brought himself on first change, and almost straight away got some success when Nelson, without much confidence went back and was bowled for just nine. 181-5. Tim Murtagh came on but was treated rather harshly by Wessels who was looking in fine fettle. Ace got in a couple of overs before the interval and  lunch was taken at 190-5.

  During the interval, quite a few of us began updating ourselves with the lunch scores from around the country, and how the top and bottom of the first Div. was shaping up.  Notts seemed to be having problems and Durham was perhaps in the driving seat. At the bottom Sussex .desperately needs to get to 200, if they do Kent could be in big trouble.

  Back to the events in front of us. Wessels play a couple more big shots, but when he reached 78, Shaggy trapped in front. Wessels had played splendidly, scoring 12x 4s and one six. Northants were now 210-6.  It was now very pleasant sitting in the quite warm sunshine watching some intriguing cricket. Nicky Boje and Steven Crook , although surrounded by fielders were still playing their shots when possible. Things moved on until the score reached 254. Then, for the third match running, our opponents did their impersonation of a “Middx collapse”. Worcs twice, and now we were treated (well us ‘Sex fans were” to Northants losing their last four wickets for just two runs. First up, Crook seemed to play down the wrong line to Shaggy and was bowled. This brought Monty in at the dizzy heights of number nine to a great cheer. He managed to get off the mark which brought the home side’s skipper on strike and with the look of a man who didn’t completely trust his own team’s tail lofted Shaggy straight to Finn and Boje had gone for an entertaining 32, which included 5x4s.  Lucas was “castled” by Richo and in the next over Monty holed out to Shah at extra cover. Northants were all out for 256, which Shaun Udal finishing with the splendid figures of 19.5-7-5-36.

 Most of the home supporters seemed to think they would have to follow on, but I reckoned that with just four bowlers we should bat again and see if Dirk can be fit for a last day of the season burst. That turned out to be the case as we batted again. Whether the skipper had giving Andy and Billy the instructions “get some quick runs and we will have them in again tonight” I don’t know, but we were treated to some superb stroke play by them both. Straussie has really found his form again and the scoreboard rattled along. After just 13 overs the score was 70-0, with Strauss having hit 5x4s in his 37 not out. What a wonderful afternoon to watch cricket, certainly not what most of us expected when we saw the fixtures went onto the last week of September. The runs kept coming, reaching 100 for no wicket in only the 18^th over, the second hundred opening partnership of the match, when was the last time that happened I wondered.  No doubt a MTWD poster will let me know.  Tea came at 117-0 with Strauss 62 and Billy 49, the Northants spinners taking some fearful hammer Monty 0-35 from six and Boje 0-23 from three. Steady on chaps the bowlers need a bit more of a rest.

 At tea the latest scores were read out. It is looking more and more like Durham are going to nick it from Notts, having declared at 500-8 they have Kent at 17-3. Hard to see either Notts or Somerset going on to win their games. At the bottom Sussex and Yorks have passed the Kent points total, so a draw there would keep them up and send Kent down, in fact unless the Garden of England county pull off one of the great results of all time they are doomed. As it seems likely I shall be living in that county next year Canterbury will be like a home game for me!!!!   After the interval we added another 18 runs before the opening partnership was broken, Strauss bowled by Monty for a quick fire 76 from 75 balls, including 9x4s. Billy followed shortly after, also bowled by Panasar for 55. Ace and The Capt kept the runs coming until with the score on 171 from 34 overs, Shaggy declared. Northants needing a small matter of 461 to win.

 With 18 overs left in the day, I hoped we could pick up, say, three wickets. We didn’t have to wait for long for the first, peters edging Dial M to Ace at slip, who took a fine low catch. Between then and stumps, despite our best efforts, O’Brien and White played well.”Secret Lemonade Drinker” was particularly hard on some short bowling from Finn and Murtagh and at the close he was 55 not out including two sixes. At the other end O’Brien closed on 24.

 So nine wickets to get tomorrow, hopefully the weather will hold. A hugely enjoyable day, runs and wickets and the lads very much on top, and splendid weather to boot. That’s my last day of live cricket for the season, although hopefully, not for the year, as I hope to be sending “Passages from India” during December. 

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