Middlesex CCC
A Right Carry On
Demon bowler????
By Beefy Roberts
May 26 2012
Another classic report from Beefy on the third day at Liverpool. In between tumbling wickets we go plane spotting, bird watching, and learn which life time ambition Beefy finally fulfils.Also we read how the sinking of the Titanic leads to Berg crashing out. A cracking read.
It's another bright,sunny day as Ken and myself head towards the ground to meet Phil for breakfast,another member of MTWD is on the way as Seaxe Man has texted to say his train has left and is just having his breakfast in first class,we decide to use the pub next to Phil's hotel for a (Michael) carvery breakfast. We arrive at the ground,and first person we see is the famous Lancs member who wears the straw boater with red roses on,and then we see he is wearing the same Lancs shirt that he has had on for the last 3 days,"it must be minging by now",someone states!
You've only got one shirt.
Game starts and Dext is facing first ball from River End with us needing 88 runs to avoid the follow-on; and there is first ball action as Dext is nearly run out; we live on the edge at the Middle! Next thing,a Lancs member decides to phone his local garage and book his car in for its first service, loud enough for the whole ground to hear, why didn't he do this before play started? 3rd over of the day,Lancs bring spinner on and its a lovely 6 by Simmo as he launches the ball over the bowlers head towards the River Mersey,ball didnt reach said river. 181-5 and Simmo takes a quick single and some dodgy fielding by Lancs allows him to reach 41,Dext on 47. Soon the first wicket falls as Dext is out for 47 c Cross b Chapple the wicket was after a huge appeal by Lancs but Dext was un-moved,and the Pav end umpire dithered but gave him out as caught behind,we heard nothing. All going wrong now as Simmo is given out LBW to Kerrigan and its plumb. He goes for 43,Oliie comes in and we are 55 runs away from follow-on. At this point Phil gets chatting to a Lancs member and brings up the Shahzad story, asks is he doing ok for Lancs. The member replies that he was pleased to have him,but glad he put his feet in the sheepdip when he was coming over the boarder. What a great comment. 201-7 its the first batting point thanks to Shahzad and a no-ball.
Where's your Sheep dip gone?
Soon another wicket goes as Rayner has a thick edge to slip and is caught at slip by one of their chaps off the bowling of sheepdip man Shahzad,hmmmm we are deep in the mucky stuff now.
At this stage,Phil and myself decide to head to the bar and the usual thing happens,we sink two pints of Titanic (the local brew) and a wicket as the Ice Berg crashes out. We don't see who and how he goes,but we are on 223-9 and agonisingly close to the follow-on it's Murts/Corey in the middle. Not long after Corey gives a thin edge to slip off Shahzad again,we are 230 all out,Murts left on 7 no. It's lunch and we find out the follow-on hasn't been enforced.
Lancs return to bat,Murts Pav end,Corey from River end,8 overs gone and first bowling change it's Rayner for Corey and the crowd is beginning to grow larger,must be POETS day.
Now,I find my real vocation for life as I go to the gents and a lady asks me to do her a favour and re-fill the hand towels for her,at last my lifetime ambition fullfilled!
First wicket goes as Moore heads back to the pav c Rayner Bb Murts with a superb diving catch to his right about shoulder height,yet another classic Ollie moment,and to confuse everyone,Chris Rogers is wearing his correct shirt this afternoon!
Bowl change ( I'm not doing everyone of these,too many to mention),but its Berg for Murts.
18 overs gone,64-1 so in real terms its 230-1 and we can see Lancs batting all day. Oh look,we say there is a pied wagtail on the outfield,we watch it as the play goes bit stale and a helicopter flies overhead.
Seaxe Man,who came up Friday to join us said ' we are not in a good position' 26 overs and they plod along a lead of 262 couple of bowling changes and a cessna 182 flies overhead towards the city airport.
Corey for Berg/Ollie for Berg ( sorry I said I wasn't going to mention bowling changes). I wasn't gand the pied wagtail is eating some bread. Bowling change pav end Deny for Rayner and Malan for Dext at River End,and a wicket suddenly goes as Horton is removed Malan for 89,he isn't impressed with himself as he trudges off to the pavilion.
Tea taken,and Lancs accelerate the runs. Tea chat was obviously a target to aim for and put us back in Simmo misses a stumping off Murts. The conversation goes onto Carry on Films, Fawlty Towers and On the Buses yea,we do know how to enjoy ourselves!
200-2 and a huge lead of 362 and 25 overs left,another wicket and now Prince is stumped by Simmo off Malans bowling and its 206-3,i start to get the effects of the sun,as I first say that it was LBW now,it's worrying! Just like buses,you wait ages for one and wickets start to come at regular intervals as it's now 225-4 Brown c Simmo b Malan 76 a lead of 404 and 19 overs left at 17:00,250-5 Croft departs c Dexter b Malan 28 and that is Malan's 4th wicket,254-6 a Lancs player goes LBW Rayner soon they are 256-7 and Sheepdip man Shahzad is c Robson b Malan and that victim was Dawid Malan's 5th wicket. Chapple comes in,goes out at 266-8 and Lancs declare leaving us with 429 to win,but best bet to bat for the 16 overs and a day to save the game. Dawid Malan's figures are 5-61 off 9 overs a career best,well bowled that man and congratulations. We return to batting,and Robson/Rogers finish the day on 29-0 a round 400 to get.
Who knows what Saturday will bring?
Digg
Delicious
Facebook
Reddit
Stumbleupon26/05/2012 12:53
If you do not already have an account Click here to Register.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012:05:28:21:40:52 by BarmierKev.
