Injured

By Bumbles Nose
June 5 2011

Bumble's Nose reports on Middlesex and the electricity shocking performance. There's a lesson in Welsh too.  This is a good read

Those familiar with Wales will know that most of its towns and villages were named during a Celtic version of Countdown when the local equivalent of Carol forgot to bring the vowels. My own favourite is Bwlch.

Friday night’s T20 was a chance to brush up on the Welsh language even further.

Criced: cricket.

Pelen: balls.

Pelawdau: over.

SWALEC: land of darkness.

The darkness hit with just five overs remaining when this rather likeable ground was plunged into the ‘Bible black’ (Dylan Thomas) by floodlight failure. After twenty minutes of standing around in the gloom the players believed the game was over. Handshakes all round. At that instant the lights came back on and they were forced to go back out for 3.1 overs.

In truth, Middlesex’s chances had dimmed long before then.

Glamorgan had bludgeoned the visitors, who look a little underpowered to mount a serious challenge in this form of the game.

Winning the toss, Petersen and Cosgrove laid a solid and often belligerent foundation against an attack of Crook and McLaren. The thwack of willow on leather was only punctuated by the twang of Malan’s hamstring. Off he limped.

The opening stand was finally broken with Paul Stirling’s first delivery in the 8^th over as Cosgrove danced down the track, missed and was stumped by Simpson.

The hundred arrived in the 13^th over as the home side maintained the momentum. Petersen’s 50 followed in 37 pelen. Allenby began to hit maximums, being particularly hard on Smith and Sterling. When he eventually found Rogers at the long on boundary his 42 had taken just 29 deliveries.

Petersen departed in the 18^th over to another good catch in the deep by Crook for 72. And that was when the carnage started.

McLaren had bowled his three overs for 17. Chris Cooke ruined that.

A six over long on was followed by another over midwicket. Then long on again. Then a streaky four behind the wicket.

The youngster’s 22 had taken just 6 deliveries. The target was a daunting 200.

The Middlesex reply was not without venom, though. Stirling launched a six and two fours in the opening over bowled by Croft, but holed out soon after.

Newman unveiled a series of sumptuous cover drives and the visitors were well ahead of the asking rate. 

It wasn’t to last. Newman top edged a sweep and the ball lofted in the direction of Croft. Time stood still. The Welshman staggered forward, stuck out a hand and held onto the ball before thudding into the turf so heavily that if would have caused concern in the global community of seismologists. Wild celebrations.

It was the cue for Glamorgan to up their game, particularly in the field.

Dexter’s ambled second nearly saw him run out. Dalrymple holed out. Then Wagg’s stunning catch removed the limping Malan and his runner.

Effectively, it was over. All that remained was for the SWALEC’s lights to dim and Middlesex’s reply to match them.

At the late hour of 10.50 it was triumph for Morgannwg.

The visitors were just wishing for Morgan.