Huddle after Finnys wick

By Way Out West
September 10 2014

Way Out West  reports on a day a bit like our season - starting well but fading away afterwards. Along with the cricket we get time checks, betting reports and food and drink information and jokes  A well rounded report as we say adios to WOW for the season

Before I begin my report I would like to thank both Kev, and Lower Mound particularly, for facilitating a swap from Tuesday to Thursday for reporting duties. I apologise for my rather half-baked report to follow (insert Middlesex joke here).

Timmy O`Clock

Despite dropping off my son at school at 8.50 I had somehow negotiated wait for bus, bus, train, and walk to ground and was on time.  I take my reporting duties very seriously, well, maybe not, I had a phone call detailing a hot tip for a horse (it finished one from last) and this delayed my entry into the ground.

 I had only missed two balls but was greeted by the sight of Scott Borthwick strolling to the crease, an omen for the day as it proved.  Jennings bowled by Murtagh so the scoreboard told me, 1 for 1.

Durham had won the toss and it seemed that this would be a good decision although I did hope that the 10.30 start might give us some hope of wickets. Finn bowled a few okay overs from the Pavilion but either his bowling or the pitch seemed to lack some zip, little sign of the ball beating the bat.

Murts on the other hand was doing plenty with the ball and seeming much refreshed from the recent long breaks in maligned fixture list.  Borthwick was already playing some lovely strokes but Stoneman never looked settled and a very loud edge was snaffled by Simmo.

20/2 soon became 24/3. Richardson played one lovely straight drive for four but his feet didn`t seem to be moving too much from my expert side on view in the Tavern. He played the same stroke again and Dawid hung on to a very low catch that seemed to be tossed into the air before the ball was under control. Allan said he was just making the point that the ball had carried. A very fine catch.

Just to our left in the upper section of the Middlesex Room was Way Out West report favourite, Tinny O`Clock. He heralded our excellent start by officially launching the day’s proceedings with his first Carlsberg can opening of the day. If we every somehow manage to win a trophy I expect Mr O`Clock to be in the front row of the picture complete with travel case and 18 pack of Carlsberg.

Sadly for Tinny, Timmy and everybody else connected with Middlesex, the morning session went downhill from here. Borthwick impressed me greatly with his patience and wide range of shots around the whole wicket and had a very able partner in Ben Stokes. Finn seemed to think the short ball would be a good idea but Stokes made merry scoring 13 runs off one particularly wayward Finny over.

Various bowling and end changes were utilised but sadly no further sign of Murts after his initial 8 over burst. If your slow bowler is coming on after 20 overs on the first morning you know what sort of pitch it is going to be.  114/3 at Lunch and Durham looking very well set.

Why did I Volunteer?

The burning question of the morning, in my mind at least, would be where should we have lunch? We went off on a bit of a wander and I somehow managed to end up where I wanted, The Volunteer, Baker Street. This one gets the WOW seal of approval, very nice food and the beer wasn`t bad too.

I had missed quite a few overs by the time I re-joined the action but nothing much had changed with the state of the game. Rayner was now toiling away from the Pavilion but still putting the ball in pretty much the same place every ball. Economical but never threatening.

TRJ never seems to have a very good day when I am present and this trend sadly continued. Borthwick and Stokes were just taking their time and dispatching anything off line to the boundary.

Borthwick bought up the hundred, very well played but without further score, Stokes edged one off Dexter and Durham were 200 for 4. Stokes didn`t seem too impressed with the decision, hard to tell from my distant perspective.

Colly played a nice shot for four off his first ball and very little happened up to Tea. 226/4.

Adios

Sadly, this is where the season ended for me as I had seen enough. What had promised so much in April and May had faded away to very little. I comforted myself with the fact that Lancashire were 148/7 when I last checked but upon arriving home they had got to 320 all out. Uh oh.

Middlesex clearly did okay with the new ball again as Durham reached 348/7 with the excellent Borthwick unbeaten on 169. We are going to have to bat very well today when we get in.

There needs to be a lot of changes for next season but in the event of Bergy not coming back we must bring in an all-rounder. A left arm pace bowler wouldn`t go amiss either but I am aware these don`t grow on trees.