Three wickets for Toby

By comebackgatt
May 5 2011

Comebackgatt reports from Bristol on day one of the match against Gloucestershire. He reports on an interesting first day with honours just about even, we also hear about a milkman called Ernie! and which footballer spent his day at the cricket. Read on..

It’s always helpful to have a family member living in or near where Middlesex play.  My nephew lives in Northampton and my brother in Thornbury, just outside Bristol. It means free bed and board!!

So it was I arrived on Tuesday evening bang on the spot of seven in the evening at Bristol Temple Meads Station. (Having got a great deal from booking my ticket well in advance) My brother, David, was there to meet me and half an hour later I was indoors having a meal. My sister in law, David and I had a nice evening catching up with news. Next morning, having been fed and watered we set off to catch the bus at the end of the road that took us direct to the ground. There we met up, for the third year running, with some of his old workmates. They were all milkmen, and yes this is really true one of them is called Ernie!! Scouts honour. We entered the ground at 10.45 waiting what in footie parlance would be an early season promotion clash, both sides having got off to a great start.

Team news: Both teams make one change from their last match, Middle rest Steven Finn and recall Tim Murtagh while the home side replace Ian Saxelby with Norwell. Pity that because I had heard good things about young Saxelby and was looking forward to seeing him bowl.  Glos won the toss and decided to bat first.

Slightly cloudy but pleasant conditions. Collymore and Finn opened the bowling. Both right on the money from the first ball. Only 9 runs coming from the first over, Cockbain looking particularly uncomfortable, playing and missing a few times. So it was not real surprise that with the score on 14, he nicked one from Dial M through to Simmo behind the stumps. He was out for just one, scored in 48 mins. That brought Coughtrie to the crease and he and the very experienced Hamish Marshall got their heads down. Hard going on and off the field although always interesting. I mentioned that this was a very unfamiliar Glos side having had so many changes from last season, Ernie replied this was the first time he had seen them this year and he didn’t know half the team. Marshall and Cloughtrie then pick up the pace with a flurry of boundaries adding 62 in just 11 overs before Cloughtrie chased one outside his off stump from Roland-Jones and was picked up at slip by Raynor. 76-2. That brought Kane Williamson, the Kiwi, to the crease on his debut. He and Marshall saw things through to lunch at 99-2, the latter having gone through to his fifty just before the interval.

We headed off to a local drinking hole, but stopped as Ernie suddenly rushed to speak to someone. After a while he returned to say he was talking to Bristol Rovers striker Will Hoskins (ex Watford) who loves cricket. Inside the pub Ernie was ribbed about Rovers going down this season.

Back to the ground and the sun was shining. Williamson hit a four but was out shortly giving Simmo his second catch of Tim. (103-3)Chris Taylor came in and thumped a couple of fours and looked in great nick. We had an interesting discussion on whether our teams (David being a Middle fan, despite living near Bristol for 20 years) could give promotion a good go this year. David and I felt we had a good chance, I repeated my claim that we had the best attack in the Division, but the Glos fans were undecided about their prospects, although Bill said “you got a good crew there”, it seems he calls all teams etc “crews”

Taylor and Marshall were being tested to the full by the Middle bowlers, although The Iceman was taken for a few. Marshall who has I think (no way of checking this) a good record against us and I was delighted to see him go for 62, caught smartly by Rayner off the bowling of TRJ who two balls later ripped through skipper Alex Gidman’s defence and Glos had slipped to 138-5. Could we bowl them out for around 200? Taylor had gone through to a fine 50, he is a stylish batsman. Alex was replaced by Will Gidman, one of the home team’s new signings this year from Durham.

Sun is shining nicely now, quite a pleasant day and batting seems to be getting easier. Taylor and Gidman beginning to pick up the runs, on the front foot looking for singles against what is still an attacking field.

Tea, Glos 204-5, Taylor 65 and Gidman 25, all spin attack up to the interval with Raynor and Malan trying to break the partnership. David and I remain where we are and tuck into a yummy food basket provided by my sister in law, full of smashing vegan goodies.

After tea the batting well on top now, Taylor goes through to a splendid 100 from 107 balls , and the partnership with Gidman reaches three figures. We could do with this partnership being broken if we are going to get them out for under 300. Gidman went on to his 50 (which included 10 x 4’s) a splendid knock. The clouds were now gathering and the light started to fade when Taylor chased a wide one from Collymore and was caught behind. The fifth victim either behind or in the slips.  Taylor out for 117 , score 300-6. Batty enters the fray but after two runs  were added the umpires called it a day as the light had got bad.

So I reckon honours even at the end of the days play, hopefully we can make some early breakthroughs in the morning and dismiss Glos for 340-350. Forecast not great for the next couple of days, but fingers crossed.

Right back to Thornbury for dinner, an early night and an early rise to catch train to London and then on to Broadstairs.