By LordoftheChairs & The Diamond
April 29 2006

LordoftheChairs and The Diamon Ruled OK report on Day 4 of the County Championship Match between Middlesex and Kent at Lord's. Two authors, two views but sadly, one result (and not the one Middlesex desired). The Lord's View
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The match looked evenly poised overnight. Wickets were the Key (including the Key wicket of Key). The pitch was still greenish on Day 4, but as we know, it often tends to flatten out as the match progresses.

The early bowling was a bit wayward, and Fulton in particular seemed to have his [new] eye in. That said, your correspondent felt the field was a tad defensive for a match that was unlikely to be drawn. In the first hour a couple of edges went through the gully/wide slips, while seven others defended runs in non-catching positions. There were also several lbw appeals, although to be fair to the umps, these all had the sound of wood to them. Key was caught lbw by Silverwood, and Fulton could have been run-out after a thick inside edge and a yes-no-yes brought up his fifty. The main 'if only' moment came half an hour before lunch, came when Jamie D (who varied his pace effectively) found Fultons outside edge, only for Hutton to drop the chance at first slip.

After lunch, Louw and Silverwood combined to bowl a good spell, and Louw had Fulton caught behind. As their momentum waned, however, Jaarsveld and Walker attacked, and mid way through the second session the result was beyond doubt. Jaarsveld was perhaps showboating as he was caught lbw. After tea Middlesex were thinking more about the over rate than the result, as Shah and Dalrymple bowled from the pavillion and nursery ends respectively.

Your correspondent had put a pony on Kent at 9/4 overnight, but he was still full of rage, wine and venom as he traipsed away from the ground. The match was closer than the 7 wicket margin suggests, though, and the return of Ricco and Styris should make a big difference over the course of the season. Keep the faith.


The Diamond's View
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Arrived at the ground with Kent 50-0.

I needn’t have rushed as it seemed very few others had bothered too, a very sparse crowd at 11.15am . Overcast skies and a gale blowing in over the Media Centre said we might have some chance of saving if not winning this game.

One of the first sights I saw was Ricco trotting round the boundary with a bandage on his thumb that says no way is he playing for a week or two, very depressing for me as well as him no doubt.

With the score on 63, Silverwood removed the slim line Key LBW for 19 , boy the lad has lost a lot of weight and looks a better player for it. Slow and steady run accumulating saw Kent through to lunch with no further loss, at this stage I felt we needed to have taken at least three wickets to be in the game. Fulton on 50 and Jaarsveld both playing well with JD attempting to hold up an end bowling wise.

Soon after lunch the dangerous Fulton was removed by Louw with the help of a salmon like leap by Scottie, superb take.

At 236-2 with the game slipping away we witnessed an episode that encapsulated the whole days play. JD bowling good line and length had been hit on the sweep three times in an over, he decided to change sides bowling and the field was shuffled accordingly but did we plug the obvious gap, did we heck, two more on the sweep!

To compound this BH brought himself on to present Jaarsfeld with a run of 4,4,2 to take him through the “nervous ninety’s” to his hundred. The inspiration to take his wicket came from my brother who said “ I’m going to the loo” and as usual this ploy worked, Jar Jar gone for 104 LBW to Louw 267-3.

76 to win required at tea with 7 wickets in hand. We knew by then it was not to be, but the Young’s in the Middlesex Room kept us there rather than any hope of a win.

Congratulations to Kent on a good display and let’s hope our boys have a good day at the seaside on Monday.

As usual with my reports no ceefax/MTWD input has entered my input here, I’m off to read MTWD now and see if you are all as depressed as I am this evening.

One plus to the day was that the Central Line was functioning well.