good value for his '99

By Seaxe Man
August 19 2010

Seaxe Man reports in detail from Cardiff on an incident packed day that saw 16 wickets fall, plus a fine knock from Scott Newman. This is what county cricket is all about. Read on....

Overnight. Close Glam 198 Middx 68 for 2. Newman 40no Malan 13no. Weather forecast 64F and light rain showers.  Neither of the above proved to be totally accurate fortunately. 

Travel. The forecast drizzle in the Middx area started as I left the house to catch the 8.15 service from Padd to Cardiff. Arrived in good time. Beefy was on the following service about 25 mins behind. I texted him the weather as we passed the usual en route stops. The worst worryingly, was the last at Newport, where it had rained a fair bit, and was still. But as I texted Beefy. The cows looked happy.

We agreed to meet in the Lounge. At any rate, was overjoyed on reaching Cardiff Central, to discover it was pretty dry. By the time I had trudged to Sophia Gardens, the sun even came out to give a welcome. Headed into the Membership Lounge for breakfast. Quite impressed with this facility. The locals said an 11.30 start, later amended to 12.00 as drizzle started for a short while. 

Everyone said good morning, which I thought was nice and there were probably 20 to 30 Middle Punters at the ground. A good turn out for that distance. 

1st session.  Abbreviations RE = River End CRE = Cathedral Road End  TRJ = Toby Roland-Jones. 

Harrison opened up from the River End. Malan on strike. With the wet start, crowd sparsish. However after lunch with the sun coming out, it thickened up a bit. 8 overs were lost. We opened with a single to fine leg. From The Cathedral Road End, Harris who was to have an impressive spell either side of lunch opened, again to Malan. Malan played a square cut for 4.. Sophia Gardens is not a large playing area. Short straight boundaries with average square boundaries. One of these, to our left, (CRE), was longish due to the wicket being on the right side of the square. 

Next over, a glance for 3, by Scott Newman. An on driven 4 by Mala followed. Murk was still overhead, spitting with rain, good stop at gully, splendid off driven 4 by Scott Newman. The pitch had variable bounce especially at RE. On  occasions, both Pedro and TRJ, who operated from the CRE, got the ball to climb. Sweet off-driven 4 by Mala, brought up the 50 partnership. Overhead conditions brightened.

Time 12.25.  Savage sq cut took Scotty Newman to 50. Field, 3 slips, gully, cover, sq leg, fine leg, Mid on,off. Sun re-appeared at 12.30. After a single to Newman, Mala played a glorious for 4, a repeat effort saved at point, prevented another. The bowler Harrison. Blue sky now in patches, which encouraged Newman to play a great straight drive for 4. Mala then played on to Harris for 31. Score 109 for 3. Dexy came in. Keeps out an attempted yorker 1st ball, wafts at next, 3rd ball nudged past 3rd slip for 4. Snicked to slip next ball. Out for 4.

Two wickets in the over for Harris, who posed a threat throughout the session and was the hosts best bowler. 113 for 4. New batter Berg. The fielders understandably became chirpy. Newman snicked just wide of 3rd slip, some reckoned it a chance. I thought it.difficult as he just got his left hand to it. 3 taken. A torrid patch for The Middle's batsmen just before lunch. Berg solidly defended the 1st ball. Murk returned overhead.

Allenby replaced Harrison at RE. Glance for 4, sweetly timed by Scott Newman, he then lofted over slips for another, taking his score to 70 out of 124 for 4. Berg defended the last over before lunch taken at 124 for 4. Newman 70no Berg 0no.

 Stars of the 1st session, Harris for Glamorgan, Newman for Middlesex and the groundstaff for getting the game moving. There was heavy rain in Cardiff early morning. 

2nd session - the session from hell. 

Due to the late start. Tea was set back to 4.10. However events dictated differently. 10 wickets went down in this session. Bowlers well on top. Sky now blueish with white cumulus clouds replacing the murk. Close re-scheduled to 6.30 . It should at this point be mentioned that Jamie Dalrymple suffered a broken thumb when being dismissed by Toby Roland-Jones on the first day, and was initially thought to be out for the season. Harris to continue to Newman. 1st ball a glance into the slip area prompted Bergie (his call) to set off at speed. The fielder however managed to scoop the ball back and his return left Bergie well stranded as he struggled to get back.

124 for 5. Berg 0. Not a good start and it presaged the rest of the session. A total of 10 wickets fell. Our advantage was gradually being pegged back by the hosts. Smith joined Newman. Field 4 slips, gully, point, fine leg, mid on/off. Smith dropped 1st ball at 2nd slip (Cosgrove). This was lucky for us as it transpired. Torrid first over. Middx 125 for 5. Harrison at RE. Two to Newman., then survives an lbw appeal (strong). Scotty boy slices over slips for 4 after nicking strike, strokes  a two, ( shouts of 140 for 7 in Glammy field) actual score at this point was 138 for 5.

 Sun now out. Nice afternoon. Smith off the mark with a single. Newman drive stopped at short cover. Possibly half chance. Smith takes a 3. Sq cut for 4 by Smith, to cries of catch it, as it headed along the deck. Ball still swinging for pace bowlers. Newman pulled a two as he approached the nervous nineties. Well run 2 got Newman to 91. Pace continued to dominant proceeding.   Croft acting captain, got some good natured banter, as he sprinted 100 yards (he said 300) to his field position.

Allenby took over from Harris at CRE. Excellent spell by Harris. Troubled all the Middle batters. Excellent sq cut for 3 by Smith, cut off by fielder, as he and Scott Newman rebuilt the innings.  Allenby maiden to Newman on 95, a score he was to remain on for some time. Newman with a four through mid-wicket at last moved from 95 to 99. Out next ball, caught at slip for 99. I had the bins on this and saw the edge and shouts of catch it. He understandably walked off slowly. 174 for 6. Handy stand of 50.

 Enter Shaun Udal, rapped on pads 1st ball. Spin at last at 3'o'clock. Croft at RE. Udal edged a lifting ball from Allenby to slip. Udal 3. Score 180 for 7. The last three wickets went down for 1 run. Murts took a single before falling to Croft to a ball which turned and lifted. 181 for 8. The Glamorgan over rate was -4. Runs had dried up. Stoic defence order of the day. Maiden to Allenby.  Stuck on 181 for ages, Toby joined Smith. All spin, Cosker from CRE. Smith pads up to Cosker 181 for 9. A dogged 18 from Smith who supported Newman for a long time. Pedro out 1st ball to Cosker. 181ao. A deficit of 17.

The wicket was bowler friendly, but we probably did'nt bat as a unit here. Glamorgan returned for their 2nd innings. In Murts first over from RE,  dismissed Rees lbw. Glamorgan 0 for 1.  Pedro from CRE. A couple of good balls, with one 4. An attacking field 4 slips. Next Murts over, Croft goes lbw. Glammy 4 for 2. Two excellent overs from Murts.  Pedro then bowled the dangerous Cosgrove for 11. Glammy 16 for 3.

Maynard after hitting a four,  escaped a flying edge over the slips. What a sesh, 9 wickets so far with tea a way off yet. Pedro received encouraging shouts from the field ' come on the bone crusher'. A chance was then missed when Wright edged to first slip but Simpson believed it was his. Pedro the bowler. Score 28. Murts then bowled Wright for 17. 34 for 4. So only 6 runs added. 

  Tea Glamorgan 34 for 4. 

3rd Session 

With a diet of pace throughout most of the day, the late start, and a delayed tea. It seemed unlikely that the revised finish time of 6,30 would be met, and so it proved. Murts completed his over from the RE and a lofted shot off Murts just evades short cover. Batsmen Maynard and Allenby. Ball still lifting and swinging for the pace bowlers. Murts in particular. Allenby dug out a snorting Pedro yorker. Allenby if memory serves me correctly, was also a thorn in our side when at Leicester. He continued in that vein during this match. Pedro as bowlers do, fielded like a demon off his own bowling when Allenby dug out another yorker at pace back to the bowler. Glammy 50 up from a single, when a misfield from a bobble allowed the defensive prod to produce a run. 

Runs were generally hard to come by at this point as the bowlers Murts/Pedro continued to dictate. Now a sunny early evening, if a touch breezy. After a nine over spell, Dex replaced Murts at the RE. Immediately greeted with an off driven 4 by Maynard, who repeated the dose. 8 runs in 3 balls was the most for a considerable time. In Pedro's next over, the 20th of the innings, he suffered two dropped catches. The first at wide slip/gully. Juggled in an attempt to hold on. No luck down she went. Single taken. Next a hook to deep square leg. The fielder appeared not to see this early and it escaped his grasp and went for 4.

Batting beneficiaries, Allenby and Maynard. Glamorgan had of course obliged on occasion during our innings. Score at this point was 63. Flash over the slips by Maynard, bowler Pedro. We seem to need 15 wicket taking opportunities to take 10 at the mo. Pedro after an 11 over spell without too much luck, was replaced by TRJ at the Cathedral Road End. Leg bye from an lb shout and a snicked 4 marked his first over. A bit of variable bounce, enabled TRJ to trouble Maynard who was batting at the River End.

 A sudden burst of three 4's off Toby took Glammy's score to 88 for 4. Dexy from the River End finally broke this stand of 65, Maynard being caught at slip by Malan for 40. Score 99 for 5. That wicket had just about arrived in time. The host' s hundred came up in over 31 with a single. Toby got one to lift at new batsman Wallace who was taken at short fine leg by Ace. 102 for 6, good over. 

The time was now 6.30 and with 13 overs still to be bowled. I had a cheap 7 quid ticket for the return journey, but you have to get the specified train or pay the penalty. So headed homewards but Beefy by text kept me updated.  The first of these told me that Glammy were 134 for 8 with 3.4 overs left and that JD was batting with a broken hand. Reference to the scorecard said that in my absence, Cosker had gone for 1 c Shah b TRJ. Score 111, And Harris ct at slip by Malan also off TRJ for 3. Score 120 for 8. With JD batting they closed at 156 for 8 overnight off 46 overs. JD 17no Allenby 58no.

 On meeting Nigel on the train, he said that the first ball JD received caused him to scream out in pain. In brief. Glad I came down to see an incident packed day. Picked the right day weatherwise. 16 wickets fell (I saw 14 of those) and very definitely a bowlers day. Scotty Newman for us and Allenby for them coped with the conditions. Should be a good day tomorrow. Beefy's texts on Wednesday, told me 250 to win and we closed on 200 for 4. We await with hope. Overnight batters Malan and Bergie.

 Session stars. Pretty much the bowlers of both sides plus Scott Newman. Without his 99 our 181 would have looked a lot sadder.