By Seaxe Man
April 23 2010

Seaxe Man gives an even extra long report on day 1. No detail missed. Our under pressure batsmen did well, but by close a surprise 50 not out from unlikely source. Extraordinary report, read on.

Preamble:
 
Travel: left Pinner at 9.20ish. M1 motorway has large sections of roadworks north of Luton, with 50mph speed limit.  However, the traffic was moving, so arrived in the vicinity of Wantage Road about 10.50. But, and there is always a but, Northants are resurfacing their carpark, so got booted out and had to park down a sideroad. This delay meant I missed the first 4 overs, 23 for 0, but Beefy filled in the details. (note: massive coach fire on southbound carrigeway on way up).
 
Weather: a beautiful early English spring day with wall to wall blue sky, if a little chilly out of the sun.
 
Ground: since last year, Northants now have a splendid set of 6 floodlight pylons. Beefy reckoned the 75p Mars Bar is helping towards payment of same. The catering prices have certainly gone up this year at Wantage Road.
 
Crowd: certainly more than last year, spread around the newish stands.
 
Team
 
Strauss,
Newman
Robbo
Malan
London
Simpson
Berg
Udal
Murtagh
Finny
Danny Evans (in cos IOB has a niggle)
 
Ist session
 
Won the toss and batted. Sun shining. Car Park full. Met up with Beefy. Had to move to Pav End from Academy End, as building machinery was causing a racket. Strauss/Newman kept the score ticking over. 42 for 0 off 10 overs. The Northants attack was Lucas and Brooks. 11.40. Hall replaced Lucas from Academy End. Short arm jab by Newman past point for 3. Similar shot by Strauss for 3 more. It has to be said that Northants were bowling both sides of the wicket which kept keeper Harrison interested and added to the extras total bigtime.
 
Around about this time, we saw Mark O'Neil (batting coach) approaching. He stopped by, introduced himself to Beefy and myself, checked our names and we had an interesting chat with him for the next ten minutes. More of that later. He advised us that it was warmer at he the other end, if not quite an Oz 25C. We took his advice after lunch and he was'nt wrong.
 
Back to he cricket. Our 50 came up in the 12th over, Newman a legside push for 4. 12 'o' clock. 60 off 15 overs. Steady progress by both batters. 4 byes from a wide ball. Shortly after Strauss played on for 25. 72 for 1 but  a decent start. Time 12.10. Bowler Hall. Newman made an off driven 4 but was clean bowled by Lucas next ball for 44. There were various views on this. I thought he was done by pace off the pitch, but lower pav reckoned he played down the Piccadilly rather than the Jubilee Line. Probably  a bit of both and he departed for a cameo 44 which over his career, his average says he does. 80 for 2.
 
Robbo was at 3, and Jack Brooks spelled Hall at the AE. Robbo an on driven 4 off Lucas after a quiet spell. 90 for 2 12.30. 23 overs. Field was not overly attacking throughout the day. Malan was then LBW to Brooks for 1. 90 for 3. I have to say this looked high and lower pav commented at lunch it was higher than the Eiffel Tower. But in Jeff Evans view, it was out. Adam London joined Robbo, in what was to prove a productive partnership. He got off the mark with a legside tickle for 4. Ducked the resulting bouncer next ball. Hall then spelled Lucas from the PE. (funny I saw this bloke playing for Liverpool Monday night). Stoic defence from Robbo/London. Lunched at 99 for 3.

Lunch Interval;
 
Met lower pav, Dan and Frank in the plebs restaurent. Had an exchange of views on the mornings play, which was generally thought to be satisfactory. Headed down to the warmer end for the the remaining two seshes which I have to say, was at least jacket off weather with some factor 15.
 
2nd session
 
On resumption, a couple of legbyes brought up the 100. 31 overs, so the rate had slowed a bit. Nice off drive by Robbo for 4 off Hall, got the game moving again. Hall then a no ball. Square cut through point Robbo, 4. Lucas the bowler. Adam London cut over slips for a boundary. Northants were still bowling each side of the wicket. Extras now stood at 28. London an offside nudge for 1. Wild cut at Hall by London, led to an LB appeal. Turned down. Drive through mid off for 3, Robbo.
 
A beautiful off driven 4 by London, followed by a pull through sq leg for another 4. Yet another London 4, tickled down the legside. Lucas and Hall continued in the Northants attack. At 2.15 spin finally appeared in the shape of Boje, replacing Hall at PE. This was to have a marked effect on our scoring rate over the next hour or two. Turn off his legs for 2 by Adam. Straight drive by Robbo, which after hesitancy brought 2. In the last few yards to the boundary, the ball often slowed enabling the fielder to overtake.
 
Sq cut for 4 by Robbo. This brought up the Middle's 150 in 44overs. Sq cut by London for 3. Robbo followed suit with a late cut for 3 which also slowed in the outfield. A quiet period ensued. Northants were now bowling better, Boje in particular, and as a result the scoring rate slowed. Some runs then accrued, as London pulled an onside 4, followed by a nice offside push for 2. Robbo cracked a super offdrive off Boje for 4.
 
After a long spell Lucas, was replaced by Jack Brooks from the Academy End. He was immediately cut through point by London for 4. Both batters were now on 40. Brooks got one to lift disconcertingly at London who ducked. He then fancied a runout but just made it. London then faced a scary over from Boje. A fierce cut by Robbo off Brooks cleared point for 4. A straight drive for 4 by London brought up the 100 partnership. Overs 62. 190 for 4. This was our first, first innings 100 partnership of the season. Let's hope it is the first of many. Tea 197 for 4 London 46 Robbo 49.

3rd session
 
Boje/Hall resumed for Northants. Furious LB shout by Boje against London first ball after tea was turned down. He took a single to leg, last ball of over. A couple of balls in Hall's next over kept low. Robbo reached his 50 in the next over. 149 balls with 7 4's. An edge past slip by London brought our first batting point of the season. Then he reached his 50. 141 balls 6 4's. Extras moved onto a healthy 38 with another 4 legbyes. A wide followed. Splendid off drive for 4 by London got the post tea sesh moving in the right direction for the Middle.
 
Boje had Robbo well taken at slip by Andrew Hall, falling and taking the catch low to his right. Robbo 52. Score 217 for 4. Lucas replaced Hall at AE. Not too much had happened since Robbo's departure and scoring had slowed. London then got the scoring moving again, wafting a 4 to 3rd man. Simpson getting his bearings, got off the mark with an edge past slip for 1. 80 overs gone and a 6pm finish looked a good bet.  New ball taken by Jack Brooks PE.
 
Simpson immediately struck the newball and Brooks for 4 with an ondrive. Lucas resumed at AE to London.. Simpsom made a nice sq cut for 4. 244 for 4. Next ball a bouncer by way of a retort. The Middle's batsmen were mindful of the need to post a decent first innings score and were now watchful.
 
A super sq drive by Adam London for 4 brought up the 250 and our 2nd batting point. Riches indeed. Overs were 84, so rate had slowed from the pre lunch sesh of around 4 in first hour. Time now 5.10pm. London on 69.
 
Straight drive by Simpson did'nt make it, the ball slowed in the outfield and was fielded comfortably by 37 years old Mal Loye. So two it was. A spate of ones and twos followed. Wantage Road has very wide square boundaries, so plenty of two's/three's can be had. A DLF maximum here, is definitely worth 6. Simpson super sq cut for 4. Shortly after, Adam London was stumped off Boje, getting a bit frustrated at being bogged down by the Northants spinner and going down the wicket, missed and paid the price. An excellent innings of 77, and along with Robbo set the foundation of the innings to boost a good start. The latter point of London's innings was slowed by the spinner, though doubtless fatigue played a part. A longish knock. Score 268 for 5.
 
Bergie came in and tickled a single. During the closing overs we (Middle) were satisfied with mainly singles. Dot balls were more frequent than earlier. Extras brought up it's own 50 with 5 wides to a round of applause in the last over. We are not proud. Take what we can. Commisserations to Harrison, Northants keeper, who was kept busy throughout. Close 281 for 5. Simpson 28, Berg 4.
 
Summation
 
A good day's cricket and it was geat to see Middlesex bat the second session without losing a wicket in the persons of youngsters Robson and London, both making their way in the game. Both offer a spin option, Robbo LBG and London OB. So we shall see. The weather was just what you would wish ( warm in sun, not in shade ) for, after the seemingly longest winter in history. Started Nov 2 for me.
 
For myself. Boje was the standout Northants bowler and it was due to him that we did'nt make 300 on day 1, IMHO.
 
PS: the interesting chat with Mark O'Neil covered the seasons start. In his opinion, the first two matches had amounted to the practice matches we never had, due to the weather, and the rustiness showed in the batters bigtime.
 
Beefy offered the point that Scott Newman's cameo 44 must lift his confidence which had to be at a low. Mark nodded to that one.
 
I asked him on his considered opinion on the restriction of the heavy roller to pre-match. He said that at Worcester, the ball in the first innings was leaving diverts when pitching. When the heavy roller 'was' used between innings these divets were squashed flat. Under the new regime, they remain in situ, and the ball when hitting one can fly any which way. It's early day's but he thought that yes, tactics would have to be revised now only the light roller can be used between innings.
 
With that he wished us adieu, as he headed off around the ground, videoing, as and when.