50, but not enough

By Masters
June 14 2013

Masters reports on a disappointing day for Middlesex at Lord's as the batsmen struggle against seam and spin. We hear about her preperations for the day and her views on a poor day for the home time. read on...

Woke up at 8.00am (we actress are not good at getting up) looked out of the window and it is another cloudy, gloomy day. So much for flaming June. Anyway, decided to go, so after breakfast packed my goodie bag for the day and walked down to Hampstead station. Walked in the Nursery end gates about 10.45, good news play will start on time. Made my way to my usual spot, upper tire, Compton Stand and sat down. I was in near isolation but I prefer to watch on my own, I can think about the world during quiet periods of play, or learn my lines , although I have none at the moment (nudge, nudge CBG)

 Middle 16-1 overnight, 374 behind. So first target is 241 to avoid the follow on. If achieved then I think it will need the two skippers to be a bit adventurous and maybe set up a fourth day run chase. Unlikely true, but you never know.

Play commence with Steven Patterson to bowl the 4 remaining balls of his over from last night. Deny 0 and Rogers 6 the not out batsmen. Not what we wanted, an early wicket going down Joe Denly edging Sidebottom into the safe hands of Sayers for 2 and it’s 19-2. The light is very indifferent so batting is not going to be easy. Adam London takes an age to get off the mark, played and missed a few time, stroked Sidebottom for a nice cover drive for four.  The light has got bad now, the umpires check their meters and off they go. After a shortish break Chris Rogers looks as though he has decided to on the offensive with successive boundaries off Sidebottom but on 27 he nicked a ball from the lively looking Plunkett through to the keeper and we are in trouble at 46-3. Neil Dexter comes in. Plunkett is swinging the ball and there is a fair of playing and missing with the odd boundary thrown in.

Things are going from bad to worse as Neil Dexter(11) is trapped leg before to Patterson and the score is now 59 /4 and that follow on total is looking a long way off. We limp to lunch on 67-4 with London still there on 15 although he has done his fair share of playing and missing. Simmo has 1.

 Decided to nip to a coffee shop up the road, need a hot drink. Clouds are trying to clear but it has been a bowler’s morning.

On the way back to the ground the sun came out, for all of five minutes. Back in my seat during the first over of the afternoon, we need a big stand from somewhere. London and Simmo added another 17 runs before the keeper was yorked by Plunkett for 9 and the score was now 84-5. Plunkett bowling wicket to wicket and getting some movement, this Yorkie attack looks dangerous. We are going to bat for the best part of five sessions to get out of this. 100 up hurrah!

Next to go is Adam London, who to his credit hung around and played some useful shots but at 105 nicked Plunkett to Sayers at slip who took a smart catch, and 8 runs later the clustering continued when Ollie Raynor was LBW for 1 , and the scoreboard looked a sorry sight at 113-7. The Iceman struck a couple of boundaries but you always felt it would not be too long before another wicket fell and so it did at 142 when Sidebottom returning to the attack trapped Harris in front for 5 and eight wickets were down.

Time for comfort break I think, a kind chap along from me agreed to keep an eye on goodie bag. On return score had moved on by a couple so decided it was time for a cup of tea and, yes folks, a Yorkie bar!

 Iceman goes through to his fifty, 7 fours in that, well played Gareth.  Coo the sun is out and I spy some blue sky. Next over he strikes another boundary but next ball he is also trapped in front for 54 off the bowling of Paterson and it is 169-9. Enter Colly and you wonder when the end will be. Dial M clubbed three fours but then Colly waved his bat at a ball from Paterson and was caught behind by Hodd for 1 and we are all out for 175 with Patterson taking 4-39 and Plunkett 4-56.

Tea is up, so I delve into the goodie feeling a bit peed off with the days proceedings. I’m sure we will be made to follow on so we have to do a “Sussex” and bat for four sessions to save the match. To be honest I’m not confident.

The nine wickets that have fallen today have all been either caught behind or LBW’s showing the virtues of bowling straight, Plunkett in particular stuck to his task and on this showing could nudge the England selectors again.

Plays restarts and disaster strikes, with just the fifth ball of the innings Sidebottom gets one to move away from Rogers’ bat and finds the edge and Hodd does the rest. The celebrations show how important they feel Buck’s wicket is. Robson and Denly carefully took the total to 35 when spin was introduced for the first time through leggie Rashid. The first time I have seen him although he is doing well in my fantasy team! Cor love a duck the sun is out

The score progress sedately to 69 when Rashid drags Denly forward, the ball turns and Hodd produces a smart bit of stumping. Adam London returns to the crease. Robson starts playing some nice shots and hope springs but on 90 facing Rashid, he plays across the line to a ball that seemed to straighten and go on to hit the stumps. Robbo out for 45 and it’s 90-3. Three runs later London follows, shuffling across his stumps and been pinned in front to the same bowler.

Dexter and Simpson takes us through to the close at 137-4, but with Rashid getting some bite and turn it looks like Middlesex will suffer their first CC defeat at Lord’s since May 2011.

As for Yorkshire, well they have frankly out played the Middle for three days and look a very good outfit.