By Coops
June 30 2012

Coops reports on a memorable day of playing for his beloved county

Well it all started when I came across a competition advertised on MCCC website.

 “ In 20 words describe why you should play for the Panthers”

 The prize, to play for is a Middlesex legends and fans side against Surrey CCC legends and fans. This in 20 words isn’t easy as it sounds. Then I had a rare brainwave. How about a poem I came up with this:

Allow me into the mix.

We’ll knock Surrey for Six

Me, My mate and Gus

Will thrash them, no Fuss.

I only went a won it. I was one of the three winners. Each of us could take a mate and was going to get a T20 Shirt and 10 tickets for the T 20 at Lords.

The night before I was a nervous wreck. All I kept thinking was “ what if I drop a sitter”, “what if I’m out for a duck”. I must have had 2 hours sleep. When I did eventually fall asleep, I dreamt of Gus screaming at me cos I let one through my fingers on the boundary. Surely this was not going to happen.

Anyway, I was up at 5am. Had a bath and checked my bag had everything. Whites… Check.  Towel… Check.  Sun Cream… Check.  Box… Check.

 I had a very uneventful journey down to the Oval. We were met very early and was ushered into the Long Room (Short Room more like). They had laid on a breakfast coffee and juices. Very nice it was too.

 Everybody had arrived by now. Introductions were made. Rebecca gave everyone a T20 shirt. I looked around and everyone had a proper cricket bag.  They were all club cricketers and there was me with my holdall. Oh my god what have I done! My last competitive match was June 1993. This could be embarrassing!  

 As we sat round the breakfast table Gus asked whether we batted or bowled. He made his little list and we went up to the away dressing room to get changed.

 A few people dropped out so some late replacements had been drafted in. Paul Stirling had an injury so Adam Rossington came in. on his day off. Bless him.  Fletch was called up and he in turn called up Pinky the Panther . Gus was our legend and Surrey had Alex Tudor. We also had Kevin Hand of BBC London.

 We went into the field, which had been roped off to less than half the normal size and started to warm up.  Gus went into the middle for the toss and came back with a big smile on his face.  Middlesex had won the toss.   Hooray. We were going to bowl first.

Tune in next time there's a gap in domestic cricket to find out what happened in the game. Did Coops embarrass himself or perhaps it was others associated with the club who were shamed?