A winning team

By Fozzie
May 28 2016

Fozzie reports on a flying start to our 20/20 season  As well as the breakdown to a great win, we hear about our lucky talisman and an upbeat announcement about 4 players missing from team. Who cares "Our Season Starts Here"  

The T20 circus got underway at Uxbridge this evening. “Your weekend starts here!” announced the Middlesex publicity machine. “McCullum, Morgan, Finn, Voges, McClenaghan…..”. Oh, but hang on, four of the five (not to mention James Vince of Hampshire) aren’t here, with Test and IPL obligations taking priority. More a medium-sized funfair than a circus, perhaps….

All the fun of the fair

Still, the opening T20 match of the season is traditionally the only one which I approach with a semblance of hope (though not quite optimism) that surely things must be better than last year. Of course, tradition also dictates that this hope is strangled at birth. But today Mrs Fozzie and I took our talisman with us – our 8-year-old grandson William, whose proud record of supporting the Middle in T20 is P1 W1 (and that was Surrey, so it counts for even more). But my first impression on seeing the teamsheets was that our bowling looked a bit light, while Hampshire’s batting looked ominously strong. Hope began to ebb away.

We lost the toss and were put in to bat. The Middlesex innings was all about Dawid Malan, ably supported by Sterlo, Adam Voges and Simmo. Mala’s start to his innings was sensational, with 4s off each of the first five deliveries he faced. By the time he was out he had made 93 off just 48 balls, with ten 4s and five 6s. There was plenty of powerful hitting seen in the match, but Mala’s shots were all about superb timing – how does he make it appear so effortless?

However, Mala’s dismissal led to a mini collapse, and it was left to Franco and Toby to see us through to 195-6, helped considerably by a profitable final over off the profligate Tino Best after the innings had threatened to peter out. Still, the consensus was that although this was a reasonable total we might have fallen rather short of what was needed.

In the interval William got Ollie’s autograph. It’s an interesting signature: elegant, totally indecipherable, and with considerably more loop than his bowling displays…

When Hampshire batted Middlesex dispensed with the rather outmoded tactic of beginning with a spinner or second-string bowler, and opened with our frontline seamers, Toby and James Fuller, making his debut. Things really took off in James’ opening over, when substitute fielder Nathan Sowter took a sensational sprawling catch at third man to dismiss Adams. The dangerous Adam Wheater threatened, smacking Harry Podmore’s first three balls for 4, while Carberry ended the over with a 6. After four overs Hants were steaming away at 55-1, but then Toby dismissed Wheater and knocked out Ervine’s middle stump first ball. After this pivotal over Harry returned, probably with his heart in his mouth after his expensive first over – but he showed great resolve and had Carberry caught behind. This was 63-4 and Middlesex were clearly in the box seat. However, with Shahid Afridi at the crease it still felt as if anything might happen, so the next over provided perhaps the decisive moment that ensured victory. Alfridi cut Ravi’s first ball to the boundary where it was fielded by James Fuller. Having taken a comfortable single, Alfridi spotted a fumble and turned back for a second run (I guess the old adage “never run on a misfield” doesn’t apply in T20), only to be run out by James’ hard, flat throw to Simmo. An electrifying moment.

Disappointing for Afridi Fan Club

Wearing a Ravi Patel shirt, William was delighted to see Ravi bowling, but was rather disgruntled to learn that the run out was not credited to him. However, he was swiftly mollified as Ravi took two wickets in consecutive balls. Sterlo chipped in with a wicket, and although Dawson hit out well at the end with little support the innings ended for 126 with two more fine outfield catches by Toby and Harry. It was all wrapped up in the 16th over – excellent timing, as a few minutes later it started raining heavily.

What an immensely satisfying match for Dawid Malan on his debut as T20 captain. Not only did he lead from the front with his batting, but there was a tremendous spirit in the field with all the bowlers contributing. It all generated a really feelgood atmosphere, which isn’t something we’ve experienced much of at T20 in recent seasons.

So I’ll go to our second match next week with hope still intact, and maybe even a bit of optimism as well. And I’ll be asking William’s parents to clear his diary through to at least the knock-out stages.