Rain Didn't Stop Play


Shaggy Feels a New man

By Auntie Janet
April 30 2009

Once again we are grateful to Auntie Janet, this time for an evocative account of Day 3 at Southgate. She, like most of us, half expected rain today, but it didn't happen. Instead, she got an interesting day of cricket, with Middlesex progressing well for two sessions and Leicestershire resisting well in the final session. Read all about it.

Decisions, decisions  

 

When I woke up the sky was rather overcast, so I watched the weather on Sky Sports News. It said that London would miss the rain! I pottered around seeing to my cats, and preparing my lunch. I then had to decide what to wear. I could not wear my reporting t-shirt as that needed ironing, so I chose my ‘Mad Moggies’ one in honour of Moggie’s century yesterday.  The sun even came out when I left home. However when I got the 67, I realised that I had not replenished the tissues in my ‘cricket bag’. I made a detour to Boot’s in Wood Green to buy tissues and other essential hay fever treatments. Good job I did, I’d forgotten to pack drinks, and forgotten to get drinks at the newsagents, so I bought some drinks in Boot’s.  When I came out of Boot’s it had started drizzling, a few people even had umbrellas up. It was the sort of drizzle they’d normally play through. 

 

Nashy steps into the Breach  

 

The first piece of news of the day was that Scotty had food poisoning, and Nixon had agreed for us to use Nashy instead.   When we took the field, Nashy had not arrived so Moggie was behind the stumps. Play did start on time, even though it was overcast. The bowling was started with Finny and Murts. Finny had an appeal turned down from the 6th ball of his first over.  In four overs they have scored 10 runs. A quick check on other scores, it seems that there is rain and delays in a lot of other matches. In fact, apart from Southgate, there is play only at Chelmsford and Northants.  At 12.15pm Nashy arrives, and this coincided with a breakthrough. Richo has Cobb caught by Finn (206/6). I have to say Moggie kept wicket quite tidily. Soon after Nashy takes a catch to dismiss the Taylor of Dexter’s bowling (212/7).  As Toor is on the field it falls to ASBO to take over 12th man duties.   

   Middlesex captain Shaun Udal (right) celebrates a wicket with Neil Dexter during the Liverpool Victo  

Waltzing With Dexter?   

I have a rush knitting job for my friend’s youngest, and was progressing well, until I succumbed to a Sudoku puzzle in someone else’s paper. Malan makes another breakthrough just before lunch.  

At lunch they are 243/8.

   

Post Cibbum (means after food in Latin and is usually written

pc on prescriptions)

  

Gosh I missed that one. I bent down to pick up my knitting and Malan gets a c & b. (243/9). It hardly seemed worth it, but the new ball was taken after 81 overs. 3.1 overs later Leics first innings finished.

  Shaggy enforced the follow on, and with his 5th ball Murts takes a wicket. (2/1). At this rate we’ll wrap it up today!  Around tea time New falls to a sharp catch by Malan off Shaggy’s bowling (81/2).  

  Middlesex captain Shaun Udal (centre) celebrates taking a wicket during the Liverpool Victoria Count  Shaggy

Feels Like a New Man  

After tea, Dippenaar and Ackerman hunkered down.  Our bowling rate was +6, so we had to bowl two overs after the minimum 96, the last of which is bowled by Straussy. His first two balls went down the leg side for byes, but it was nevertheless a maiden. 

 Leicestershires Boeta Dippenaar bats during the Liverpool Victoria County Championship match at The  

Little Brother Standing Between Middlesex and Maximum Points?  

Post Mortem  

The promised rain never fell. It was fairly cold with bright intervals. We were really lucky with the weather setting up an exciting final day.

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Rain Didn't Stop Play
Discussion started by Middlesex till we die , 30/04/2009 22:28
Middlesex till we die
30/04/2009 22:28
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009:05:04:07:35:47 by Ged.

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