Handshakes all round

By Barmy Kev
June 21 2011

Barmy Kev reports on an easy win for Middlesex.  There was some before and after match activity as well his 20 minutes of cricket to report on.

47 runs needed 9 wickets in hand. Was I nervous leaving home?  Of course not. I looked at the murky sky above, surely it’s not going to rain for 2 days? Not expecting much play, I leave in plenty of time to ensure I don’t miss any . Typically, when changing at Wembley Park for Met line the Met line train leaves.    The scoreboard shows Baker Street train in 1 minute, was waiting more than a minute this disappears and now 7 minutes.  I allow a few Jubilee Line trains to past before getting Met and only just made it too ground in time. This put me temporarily in a bad mood, thought this may set tone for day and 47 runs suddenly seemed a lot.

I arrived at a deserted Lords.  The crowd doubled when a Lords tour party arrived.  I found Beefy in Lower Tavern amongst 3 other die-hards.

Was concerned, will Mahmood again reap havoc early on? Then announcer who got so many names wrong throughout match said “James Cook” (twas James Goodman) was opening the bowling.   Hardly threatening. 1^st over. Was Joe Denley from other end and a swept 6 from Robbo , ironically causing a bloke with an Aussie shirt to turn his back in fear of being hit. With second rate bowling, disinterested fielding and 2 batsmen in deep concentration this was a stroll. I was trying to work out if Robbo can get a ton when on 69.  Beefy’s calculation was yes, providing he got all the runs, and shortly after got a single off last ball of over followed by a four. When Housego soon after got a 4, I booed.  Later a quick but safe single, shy at stumps no one backing up, 2 extra as Kent fielder ambling his chase. They really want to go home.

We were within 3. How seriously were Kent taking this?  Rob Key, not announced, was bowling what he was obviously in a hurry to eat.  Match over at 11:20.

Easy win in end. Plan was swift half in Middlesex room and then a pint in Tavern.  We met up in Middlesex room with a Middlesex fan whose birthday it was and his plan was day at Lords.  We followed him to Tavern and helped him celebrate.  His next port of call was a pub-crawl of Soho. Me and Beefy passed on that. I told him about website so maybe a match report from our birthday boy of his afters?

Beefy had a friend who went straight from Lords to Oval and had text saying as he walked in ground R4C was out LBW. We also heard Leicester all out for 48 against Northampton.  Shall I go to Soho, Oval or Radlett for seconds? No, I’m now  off home a very satisfied Middx fan.