Durham CCC Somerset Baston Cricket Club Clay Cross Cricket Club Hythe & Dibden CC Quatt Cricket Club

Rugby . Cricket . Football . F1 .

The Wheels of the Gus Go Round and Round

 

 

Well,after all the booking up,cancelled flights,and the waiting................Amsterdam is here at last.

 

After the usual pre-flight pint or two,we have our 45 minute flight to Holland,and get checked in at the hotel.Kimmy is an hour or so behind us,so we arrange to meet her in the hotel bar,then go to Amsterdam for a meal and a drink or three or five.

 

We get to Dam Square,and bump into two more Turkeys,Darren and Mark are walking around,they join us for a beer whilst we have our much needed meal.Ken has been recommended a bar to use,so,after a bit of walking around,we find it,and a superb bar it was. We all sing,sort of dance, some get spanked until 3.30 in the morning. Having a drink whip we had to top it up 2 or 3 times during the night.We sing songs for our heros, Newman and Collins get good songs sung.  (one was Super Super Ped, Super Super Pedro Collins and to another P Collins Phil background music Something Dropping in the Air Tonight and I Missed Again for Scott Newman) I meet up with couple of Leeds fans,we have a song for the pub,Kimmy gives her Spurs song as well,we are all having a good laugh and lose track of time

 

 Getting in the mood

 

 Mrs Barmy in the mood

 

 Kev. You are at wrong side of the bar

 

 

After about 4 hrs sleep,its time to start to sort out for the game,sunny and warm outside,myself(and others) are a bit fuzzy around the edges.

 

There is a Hockey tournament in same area,they had free coaches from near the hotel so some of us use it,find the ground and Darren and Mark are there ready,we join them for start of play,only someone was missing..........wonder who? Didnt wake up in time for start.

 

BK here in report.   Yes I overslept and damn clocks went forward - woke up half an hour before start. Rushed to ground, was told there was free shuttle from local station due to Hockey tournament. Met another Middlesex fan who had different excuse for lateness- had to attend church.  Anyway, couldn't find shuttle bus but another bus and driver vacantly said going near cricket. We got off when instructed, but not clear where ground is. There were loads of paths and parks and sporting happenings and the young car park attendants were clueless where cricket was.  With a phone call to Beefy and actually a steward who knew what cricket was able to get back on track for ground although had to go back on ourselves and was relieved to see this prominent helpful signpost eventually.   

 

 

 

So back to Beefy at game. The game starts, we are just a bit quiet after Saturday nights "quiet" drink. Middx win the toss,elect to bat,Dexter and Newman open after 3 overs its 11-0 and ticking along nicely,and i will put as much about the game as I can whilst having a few problems!

 

At 13.15,the person who got up late arrived and the Middle are on 45-0 and the 2 openers are looking very comfortable,i said a very good score is on the cards here,as Dexter drives the ball for 4,into the woods behind,and the fielders spend time looking for the ball,just like a club cricket ground!,its 108-0 off 18 overs,the the first wicket falls on 112,Dexter goes. 

 Kev arrives and starts to mingle. However, not everyone is gripped by action 

 

 

Its to hot for the pink wigs,but its caps all round and a breeze blowing,making it difficult to put the flags up.  Still flying the flag high however.

   

 

 

At this point,we decide this report will be a joint one,so anyone can join in,Over to Ken,who wrote a bit for his debut piece of reporting.

 

Ace comes in next,and is given a confidence boost by Kev,walking to the crease,Kev chants ' Englands no 3,Englands,Englands no 3 '.The,walking round boundary is Pedro and John Simpson,they are impressed with Marks comment 18 hours on a coach from Lords.

Ace then hooks the ball,and......caught out for 8,the score is.....?

 

Now,over to Kimmy,who has added a bit about my juggling skills and other stuff!

Beefy( thats my name,honest) says that we need to move on in the last 9 overs even if it means losing a wicket to get the score better,And with that Malan comes down his wicket and gets clean bowled,BEEFY we all shout!

 

Soon,Newman gets his 1st one day ton for the Middle,we all give a standing ovation,cheer him,he acknowledges with facing us,with bat held high,congratulations Scotty.  Was he inspired by our chanting last night?

 

Whoops,we ALL miss the next wicket as we are all watching a huge bird flying over the ground,and it was Newman as well,he gets a great ovation from the travelling masses,and the orange army as well.,he get 120,a great knock.

 

Can i say,a great catch by the Netherlands,but.......it was Bergy so Kimmy isnt very happy.

 

We finish on 241-5 off 40 overs.

 

 

During the interval,Beefy gets his first beer of the day,took that long for him to do so.Beefy is standing up,holding beer and just sipping it,when he decided to drop it,whole lot across the grass,cup on it side Kimmy demanded this being put,as i reported on herself kicking her wine over at Lords! ( Someone chants R u Newman in disguise?) 

 

Beefy starts the Dutch innings.

 

The Dutch start their innings,with Pedro bowling from the Canal end (we called it that) and after just 1 over the Orangemen are 1-1,the 1st wkt a caught/bowled by Pedro,the singing starts again!

 

2nd over,from the hockey stadium end,its Murts,with good,tight bowling the score moves onto 7-2 in the 3rd over,Pedro's wkt,by the time the 10th over has gone,its 37-2 with Bergy from the canal end.Shaggy takes an over from the stadium end (this was on our right,looking at the wicket),and Kev is sitting with Mrs Barmy ( who did a 3 1/2 mile walk to ground that was nearly as quick as Kev's bus effort) on the grass,a young lad shows Kev his signed bat of Middx players,Kev tells him who is who ( although i'm not sure he believe Kev's Andy Strauss answer). Beefy gets a beer,drinks it all,very,very slowly.To much sun i think. Tom Smith comes on from the stadium end,looking a good bowler,I'm impressed with him. After 15 overs its crept along to 61-2,soon another Orange wicket,79-3 Bergy taking a superb one handed left hand catch over his head. 2 more wickets fall but we were chatting,but the score is 147-5. 

 

 The audience are engrossed

 

Judy,a friend who has been chatting to  Kev stops by to say hi,shows us her Pink Panther socks,while she was chatting she tells us she owns Pink Panther pyjamas. The question was asked...why not wear them to a game?!

 

Orange wicket its 172-6 a Newman catch off-told you he was safe pair of hands- Murts bowling. Paul is with us having a chat about what he did last night. Back to cricket and Paul was worried about our target and thought we were playing a 50 over match despite our 40 overs. What were you on Saturday night??

 

Wickets then start to fall at regular pace. 181-8 Orangeman clean bowled by Murts,the stump cartwheels. Then 185-9 Murts bowling still and in my usual way,i say thats 3 overs in a wicket,i do,of course mean the opposite!

 

The last wicket falls,all out for 195,but....none of us saw what happened as we are all watching the ball go into the woods again,we thought it had gone for 4,but looked over and the players are all shaking hands. It took us an age to start our celebration a bit of an anti climax.  We tracked Don Shelly down,who told us it just it was a "bail clipping". I heard Kevin Hand was confused by this too.

 

All the Middle there enjoyed the Dutch hospitality.As the players walked off,we chant to the players,who turn to us and applaud us,we all said that was a great gesture and meant a lot to us.   Then a fan who wishes to be known as "Dutch Bird"

in recognition of our team journey lead a chant of " Wheels of the Bus Go Round and Round."     

 

Drink up boys time to get on that bus 

 

Was a great time,and thanks to the Dutch people for making us most welcome,hope to go back again.   Now don't ask about the sausage reference to me Sunday night at that bar?  

Bookmark or share this story with:

• Digg
• Delicious
• Facebook
• Reddit
• Stumbleupon
• Tweet

More Middlesex CCC headlines

• MTWD bye bye.
• Middlesex 160 years celebration
• Match report nearly 100 years too late
• Dolly Mixture
• Kev is a complete walker
• MTWD goes off the rails
• Division Two - runs scored
• The Worsc is Yet To Come
• Middlesex, no Maxi's but just about Holden

Middlesex CCC latest threads

• MTWD bye bye.
• Moderation
• Know Your Cricket
• Moderation
• Middlesex EPG (academy) squad 2023
• Sowter
• END OF TMGA
• Poll: Where will we finish in the Championship 2023?
• Middlesex 160 years celebration
• 2023 Middlesex membership card and pack...