Agency work meant I had to be in London, to watch “The Mousetrap” for the third time! So I decided to make a day of it and nip along to Lord’s. I set off on the 8.22am from Broadstairs arriving at Victoria at 10.17. On emerging from the station it was very overcast, was I going to get more rain as I did at Chelmsford.  A bit of mad dash across but as I was walking in the gates at the nursery end the 5 minute bell was sounding.

I met one of my clients (a Surrey fan) and he was my guest in the pavilion for the day.  It has been a bit of a crawl so far with the run rate just about three for the first three days, but Billy the Kid and Compo survived a tricky last period and it looks like a draw. The Surrey attack is fairly inexperienced so as long as our boys get their heads down and concentrate we should be able to get a good total on the board. Whether it will be enough for Shaggy to boldly declare remains to be seen  

The first hour looked like the shapes of things to come as the run rate dropped to under two an over. We discussed exactly what we thought the tactics of the two skippers had been and Wesley thought that Surrey with their weakened attack were just happy to restrict runs on the first two days and that they had succeeded, with the exception of Ace Then it was a case of “make sure we don’t lose”. But we were both mystified at the slowness of the batsmen on what looked a good, if rather low wicket. Finally, something to talk about when Billy got out to a lazy shot for 21 from 102 deliveries after the 50 came up.

 We discussed the thought of an early lunch for us both. However the arrival of Owais Shah changed all that, he immediately struck a boundary and was looking to up the tempo. Compo seemed to pick this new emery from him and, hang out the flags the run rate topped three for awhile.

Lunch arrived at 146-1, a lead of 137, with Ace 43 and Compton 63 not out. During the interval there seemed to be a few light spots of rain falling but it didn’t come to anything and I speculated whether we would try and push on and worked out if we could score 4 an over up to tea that would gives a lead of 260 odd, with 32 overs to go but we both thought Surrey would not go for that and we would not bowl them out so will the skipper continue with his attacking policy and give Surrey something to chase, all would be revealed anon.

 As we returned to the pavilion I overheard a member say he saw the skippers talking, would there be a run chase?. Well the answer seemed to be yes and Ace and Compo picked up the tempo straight after lunch, but suddenly the wheels started coming off with Ace gone for a superb 61, then Udal and Kartick going in to have a go out cheaply and we were 178-4, Malan hit a quick 30 but when he was dismissed we were 226 on, Compo just five from his hundred, with Afzaal and Hussian picking up two wickets apiece.

Ton Up & Red Ink Compo 

The sun came out, are we going to get another exciting finish as we did at The Oval? Compo goes through to his hundred and Shaggy calls them in.

So Surrey need 240 to win off just over 50 overs...game on, we are both delighted we came.Great start with Batty out second ball nearly picked up at slip by Kartick off Finny, enter a certain Mr Ramprakash. Last hour about to start and Surrey out of it and unlikely that we can force a win. The spinners are on, Walters trapped leg before to Kartick for 3, and then Afzaal caught by Malan off the Indian spinner and the visitors were 40-4. Surrey two most experienced batsmen at the crease now with Butcher joining R4C.

Wow it’s getting tense now and Wesley is getting nervous Butchers gone leg before to Shaggy. Ramps holding firm though it’s 55-5. Despite the batsmen being crowded and Murli getting over excited mixing groans and appeals every ball Ramps and Jorden looking like holding firm.  Encouraging words from Wesley who felt we had a useful looking team and felt good results would soon come our way. Mind you he would say that wouldn’t he, I am his agent. 

 So another draw, but a great day’s cricket. Can’t say that I agree with those who criticised Billy and Compo for last night, if they had come out all guns blazing and we had been, say 60-4, those same people would have had a moan about that. Well Grace Road next Friday and hopefully our first win. I’m off now to St Martin’s for a quick bite to eat before the play, and if you don’t the murderer was ..........     

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