By Harringay Raceer
May 22 2011

When Kev asked if I could do a report of this game I offered to do day 4 and this was readily accepted by the great man. My thinking was that as the world was due to end at 6pm on day 3 I wouldn’t actually have to write anything. Even if the world didn’t end there was every chance of a 3 day finish, particularly after the first two days. Despite two wickets shortly before the appointed hour the end of the world was a remarkably tame affair and the after life doesn’t seem too different to my admittedly untrained eye. The weather forecast for post-apocalypse London was unpromising from a Middlesex point of view with the possibility of some light showers but not the kind of deluge that would see Mick Hunt reassigning his assistants to ark-building duties which was more what was needed.

Walking to the tube station into the teeth of a strong westerly wind did not make several hours at the Nursery End an enticing prospect and sure enough on arrival at Lord’s after an uneventful journey the wind was blowing straight across from the Pavilion. A few misguided souls entered the stand wearing shorts but very quickly retreated to somewhere warmer. The attendance at 11:00 (‘crowd’ would be a misnomer) could be kindly described a ‘sparse’. Clearly very few people gave us a chance of spinning things out very long. Or maybe they thought we would and decided to stay at home so as not to risk missing the football but I suspect the former is more likely.

With six wickets down and still 79 needed to avoid an innings defeat views on the finishing time varied between midday and lunch time.  Glamorgan opened with Harris at the Nursery End and Owen from the Pavilion End. Roland-Jones played an excellent nightwatchman’s innings, steadfastly refusing to play at anything that wasn’t threatening his stumps (which to be frank was far more than there should have been from Harris in particular).  Apart from a thick edge along the ground for four and an attempted hook that looped off his glove but landed closer to the stumps than the keeper he didn’t look in any trouble. Simpson at the other end was equally untroubled and took four fours from one Harris over, including a thick edge from one that lifted unexpectedly and a drive through the covers that spent rather more time in the air than he would have wished. The fifty partnership came up in the hundredth over with two overthrows on a sharp single. At the end of that over Owen produced a perfect Gus Fraser kick of the turf at the end of his follow through. Were Glamorgan starting to worry?

Skipper Petersen made a double change bringing on Cosker (Nursery End) and Wagg. Simpson immediately slog-swept Cosker for two, then had to hurriedly defend one from Wagg that darted into him up the hill and may also have kept a bit low. Just before midday Roland-Jones was lbw to Cosker for a good 26. 345 for 7 and still another 27 needed to make Glamorgan bat again. Enter Gareth Berg in the unaccustomed position of no 9. Could the Ice Man produce a match saving innings? He brought up the 350 with a punch for four off Wagg before Simpson came down the track and lifted Cosker for another four.

Simpson reached a well-deserved 50 from 70 balls and then a four from Berg put Middlesex into the lead. Shortly before 12:45 Croft came on for his first bowl of the day and his third ball hit Berg in front. Berg didn’t seem happy with the verdict and I can only assume he thought he’d nicked it as there didn’t look to be much else wrong. 381 for 8, Berg 14. One run was added before lunch which was taken with Simpson on 58.

Croft continued after the break and the second ball trapped Murtagh lbw for 3. Simpson and Collymore decided there was no point in farming the strike with several singles being taken at the start and end of overs to leave Collymore on strike and it was no surprise when Collymore chipped Cosker to Harris at mid on.

Middlesex’s total of 398 left Glamorgan needing 27 to win. They reduced this by two before a valid ball had been bowled as Tim Murtagh sent a loosener between slip and keeper for two wides. Petersen then hit the first legal delivery for four and followed up with two more in the over. Collymore then bowled a wicket maiden, having Rees caught behind. Dexter brought himself on replace Murtagh and conceded six (including three leg byes) in his first over, Collymore bowled another maiden and Petersen hit the first three balls of Dexter’s second over for two, two and four to complete the win by nine wickets.

A result that was on the cards from the end of day one but, I think, positives can be taken in the second innings performances of Rogers and Simpson.