Steered us to victory

By The Guildford 4
July 24 2011

Barmy Kev's main concern was Middx achieving a vital win, but then there was another issue on who will report on our potential defining moment of our season. Nobody planned this trip in advance for definite as at various stages it looked like a draw or quick win then in a mad final 3rd day session game on The Barmy one with 3 others were the reprieved Guildford 4 to provide MTWD input of day 4. My recommendation is that you should read on.

Barmy Kev's Build Up

It has to be said I don't think I've ever travelled to a cricket game feeling so nervous. Having put ourselves in a dominant position at lunch yesterday and even more so by tea, we are now going into day 4 with all 4 results possible. We are certainly favourites but momentum with Sorry and we have been in similar positions before last two seasons Northants and Worcs and we screwed it up. No oversleeping today, I left home saying to the Mrs "I don't know what time I'll be back and cannot guarantee being in a good mood on my return"!

On journey up as per other days multitudes passed by in opposite direction going to that other game at Lords where a Sorry player did very well and Middlesex one didn't. I made it in plenty of time for fast train from Guildford at 10:30 to get me to ground just after 11.00 I was thinking of so many permutations of how day would go. Squeaky bum time and nothing to do with curry night before.

Kev's Squeaky Bum with Dingy Bits

I'm in ground at 11:15. My first look at scoreboard good news. 315 for 7, one down I was happy.  I Sat next to Dingy Bags who was not happy and takes over the reporting of 15 mins I missed.

1st ball of day strong LBW shout looks plum against Maynard must be out, not given. Little later not so strong shout doesn't look out against Linley given out. Then a dolly lobbed catch to Dext mid on off Maynard dropped.  We could be made to pay.

Back to Kev. Having heard all this, I was keen on Dingy completing the whole report on his own as temporarily I lost the will to live. With Dingy going through similar emotions in a less visible way I'm still reporting needing help. We did pay for Maynard still being there as he hit 2 successive 6's of Corey. Maynard loved the short tree side boundary. One further 6 mishit would have been a catching chance (probably dropped by us, I was thinking) at any other ground. There was a 20/20 style about their batting intent. It was running away from us. Then a skier to slip in the air for ages, Rymps who may have dropped him 1st ball is underneath it phew caught it out although not comfortably. Dingy now was willing and able to make his 2nd comment for the report.

"I couldn't bear to look".

If Lower Pav was here he would have offered words of wisdom 1 wicket leads to 2 and indeed it does Meaker out soon after. Our 3rd impromptu reporter Coops turns up in our area as there was a slightly frustrating last wicket stand that was becoming irritating as Batty was taking over from Maynard in boundary fest. In between asking about Mrs Coops skydiving KFC accident, I was worried about cricket matters. Please not over 200 target and not too long after noon before we bat. If only he can Dernbach Time - field set for him not to hit over top and leave the semi capable batsman to give us a more challenging target. Corey needs to give him no. 11 batting lessons as he skied a catch to mid on. Target 189. This maybe not easy with 45 mins to lunch. Most of the Middlesex faithful were feeling negative. I needed input from Coops for report so asked him if target too much. His reply was.

Naah!

We're now batting and we see a different style. A few play and misses but not in the RHB 20/20 style. At 15-0 from 9 overs I asked Dingy Bags for more contribution for report. Would it be better if we 40-2 at this stage?

Ask me when we have 40 runs. Cheers Dingy.

With score 23-0 at lunch and our batting was solid, which is more than I can I say for step in main stand. As I was discussing Coops claim against KFC, someone walking down took step out with his shoe and grabbed Coops for balance. No major harm done and step was manually put back by Coops.  He had a badly bruised arm from all this and was suggested another claim this one against Sorry.

Naah, a good claim would mean an ambulance being called and I want to see this game to the end.

Perambulate la la la

Dingy and me perambulate at lunch. When I mentioned our Headingley 7 trip. He then was describing that he was at Headingley for the Botham Ashes 1981. It was a good story but I cut him short that I didn't want to hear about a situation where a team that followed on won. Needed a change of subject. We fortunately saw Jonathan Whinsky (the Guildford no. 4). I asked him if the same question about our very slow run rate

"The most important thing is we see off the new ball, then accelerate ".

Here's To You Mr Robinson

After lunch, we had a different a more positive attitude especially from Scott Newman. Plenty of aggression that Lower Pav would have extolled. JW point is now well appreciated. Dingy makes his next contribution to report.

Why hasn't Meaker bowled?

Will worry about that later, but just as Newman was a man on a destructive mission was out caught behind Dingy says.

" Ball bounced to high to play. Why didn't he leave it alone”?

I was not panicking then, but with AC out at 84-3, I was.

Two turning points. I can't remember how many for 3 we were but not much more than 100. Dext is caught behind, clear edge. My head is in my hands. We've f*cked up again. , f*ck it I whispered, I raised my head. Umpire arm out no ball. Never saw or saw heard it until saw that arm. Thanks Umpire Tim Robinson.

After this Sorry heads dropped and it was over 33 with score in 120's for 3 (I really need to take notepad and pen for accuracy) Meaker is eventually on. This over, the previously adroit Sam Robson off ball 1 and 2 successive square cuts for 4. What was more impressive was his tight defence to follow when some kind of line and length found. Dingy says

Now I know why they kept Meaker off for so long.

I had a toilet break and co-incidentally Coops was in urinal next to me. Lucky no photograph evidence of this conversation but here's report from here more or less for report his words.

"I spoke with 2 Sorry fans and an Essex fan. I said if we get promoted we will give you Scott Newman back and we will take Meaker and teach him how to bowl properly. I agreed with Essex fan to be my guest to meet for Derby game Saturday, then realised the only day I may be there is Friday. I hope the play goes on after tea at as I have just started drinking".

A Win Away

It did go on to tea. Oh so easy, lemon squeezy. At tea break 30 needed 7 wickets left. Not even the doom and gloom merchants were pessimistic. Me and Dingy tea perambulations met some Turkeys who commented on the Sorry mob thought Sam Robson was like Tavare with just one attacking shot.  We ended up in Winsky Corner who had a wide smile on his face. So JW what about the no ball?

" I was not worried I saw the umpires hand up for no ball straight away".

After tea, despite Dext dismissal victory was a stroll. Only interest was with Robbo like against Kent was will he get a ton. A JD boundary denied this, your forgiven MTWD have always rated you. Who cares again that just short of century when Robbo scores our winning run is scored. We cheer a comprehensive win (never in doubt cough).

I had an extended celebration with Coops, where we tried to put the world, Amy Whinehouse, and MTWD and to rights. Then it went quiet. Coops then said

Lets toast a Middx victory.

All together now.

At the Guildford

The Murtagh Guildford

The Lions Lose Tonight

At the Guildford

The Murtagh Guildford

The Lions Lose Tonight

ROBBO!!

A win away. A win away and so on