Saffers plot our demise

By steelbacker
June 8 2010

Steelbacker (a fervant Northants supporter) reports from Lord's on the final day of the championship match. He starts and ends the day on a high, although for a short period he mused whether victory was coming as Middlesex put up a bit of resistance, but another middle order failure sent him home happy as a lark. The title, by the way, comes from a text he sent our own comebackgatt

Thanks to a good deal from Virgin trains I was able to get from Northampton to London for £7.00 return both Friday and today. I followed events on Ceefax yesterday and must say well down to our boys (which I mean Northants). Bad luck to Rob Peters for just missing out on his double hundred and nice to see Wakeley and Hall back amongst the runs. The Middle need to bat all day to save this match and the weather is set fair as I take up my position in the Edrich Stand Upper having been in the pavilion with my uncle (CBG) on Sat. My game plan would be 3wickets down by Lunch and seven by tea.

Shah and Robson the overnight batsmen, while Vaas and Brooks opened the bowling. Hall set attacking fields which meant there were plenty of gaps in the outfield and the batters took full advantage early on. Robson in particular looked in good nick, Sat. was the first time I had seen him and he looked a classy batsman.  At 79 however he was out, caught by Peters off Daggett’s second over of the morning. That brought David Malan in and him immediately started finding those gaps once in the infield was beating. The score was moving along very nicely, no real sign of back to the walls batting from Middx.

The sun has finally broken through and it is very pleasant sitting in the sunshine, watching cricket, beats work any day, especially on a Monday morning. Not a bad size crowd, (I’ve seen worse on the last day at Wantage Road) and I idly wondered whether any one sitting near me was a MTWD reader. The score moved fairly quickly on until the total had reached 142. Andrew Hall had brought himself on and he was the man to break through when he clean bowled Malan for a splendid 44(which the splendid scoreboard informed us came from 43 balls containing nine fours).  That brought Dexter in, who batted so well on Friday, and the Shah went through to his fifty.

 Lunch  174-3 (Shah 70, Dexter 11) only 60 behind.

Well I got my wish of three wickets down by Lunch but was beginning to doubt whether we could have seven down by tea. Decided to have a wandered all the way round the ground, stopping off for some lunch.Nicky Boje had come before lunch, he really has had an indifferent season with the ball, he is a shadow of the player we have seen for the last two years, and I hoped he would get his line and length back this afternoon. Another 22 had been added when Shah played a poor shot against Nicky and was caught by Daggett for 77, not the shot for the situation and the home team were 196-4 (47 in arrears).

That wicket seems to boosted the boys, Spud behind the stumps has become very chirpy and our two Saffers are on now.Young Simpson is next in, then the 200 hundred is up, a good scoring rate but suddenly the tide starts to turn our way with Dexter out caught behind cutting at Boje and it is 212-5. Still 22 behind. Enter Gareth Berg, what a fine innings he played on Saturday and we need to get him out before he gets going. But this was not to be his day as on only eleven he edged Hall to slip where Nicky held on to a good catch, the wind was behind our sails now and 229-6 became 237-7 when home skipper Udal became our skipper’s third wicket plumb in front for just four.

The lead was now only three and as tea approached I had my seven wickets down, that turned to eight right on the interval when Simpson drove at Daggett and “Albert” snapped up the catch.

Tea 258-8 with Murtagh on 3 and Evans 0

Time to text CBG and gloat. He sends back a rather rude message!!

Danny Evans enjoyed himself clouting a couple of fours in a stand of 22 with Murtagh before the latter was lbw to Daggett and the end came when Collins became Hall’s fourth victim for 2, leaving Evans 19 no (a career best). 285 all out, hall taking 4-44, just 52 to win.Not going to a 10 wicket win though Peters, after his mammoth inns first up, was lbw to Collins for 2, but Howgego and The Secret Lemonade Drinker ( with four boundaries ) saw Northants home at 53 -1 to win by nine wickets

.Great efforts by the boys. As for Middlesex, well I have to say that too many batters (in both innings) got in and then out, some to poor shot selection and the bowling attack looked very powder puff , I know they were without Finn and O’Brien, but nevertheless. Quick text to CBG reminding him that we have done the double over you two years running now then off home.