Wrong shirt . Grrrr!

By Diamond Ruled OK
December 16 2014

For MTWD's final tribute to Phillip Hughes , here's a word for word (including headline) report describing our day in Worcester, thanks to Diamond. Many of our regulars made the trip and as you will find out enjoyed most of the day that had many quirky moments.  Cricket wise,  I guess it was inevitable how the match turned out and the deciding difference between the two sides, we forgive you Phillip.  God Bless our true Middlsex friend and continue to Rest In Peace.

Preamble.

I picked up the Uxbridge Two and hit the Motorway at about 10am. An uneventful run to Worcester saw us in town for about half past eleven. Parking in the ground was £10 so a quick drive up the hill just out of town found us a free parking spot,that's £10 more beer tokens for all concerned, if it had been a fiver we would have parked in the ground but £10 is taking the Michael I reckon. Highlight of the journey up was passing the Seaxe Bus at Beaconsfield, sad isn't it.

In town before noon on a Sunday? What to do? You got it find a pub for a libation that opens on the toll of the Cathederal bell at 12:00. The Farriesrs Arms in Fish Street proved to be the place, cold beer, London Pride on tap but unfortunately no food on Sundays.Grand Prix on the big screens (Beefy not impressed with GP racing), texted Barmy Kev to let him know where we were thinking he won't find us in a back street in Worcester to hear the horrible phrase "I'll Google search where it is and meet you". Kev duely turns up,t he lads have another beer and then off up to the ground via the river walk. Due to the amount of people around and the nice weather it seemed every swan on the Severn had decided to meet in Worcester for lunch, there must have been a hundred of them on that bit of river an amazing sight.

Game Time. Part One.

Just for a change we had lost the toss and Worcs had decided to have a bat first. Breakthrough Sweepstake taken on first innings score included a few of the locals who all went 220 - 240, looking at the wicket I went 250 as I had first guess, the mirth from behind was audile. Opened with HI Fi who kept it tight, Moggy fielding really well on our side of the pitch to various chants of "England reject" from some Worcs supporters, I felt like asking them how many players they had ad in the England team since Hick retired but thought button it you got to drive home. Beefy now finds he has left his sunglasses in the car, trouble is it's not m car just up the road it's his in Cowley after his Liverpool trip. The batting appears a tad slow, maybe it's the pitch, maybe it's our bowling attack.18-1 became 68-2 and the rate pushed on slowly with Hughes looking in no trouble at all. Not very detailed scoring I hear you all say but the scoreboard on the Seven side we were facing failed (for most of the afternnon),even when it was working the numbers were vertually unreadable in 26 degree sunlight.Do not get me started on the PA, you think ours is bad? Times it by 5 for quality of sound and content as well. Hughes and Mitchell put their foot down a bit and the rate increases,various bowling changes and then Olly clean bowls Mitchell,the locals reckon we would have been better off leaving these two together but Olly looks happy so alls well. Garath Andrew comes in with his Mongoose bat and biffs Olly for a straight six, all this to the accompniment of the Cathederal bells (which had been ringing constantly for an hour). Hughes reahes his first Worcestershire ton and Bergy suffers at the hands of the mongoose,when Andrews connects with this thing it goes a long long way. Mind you with the score on 227 it wasn't much help to him,when your run out by over half the length of the pitch your out no matter how long your bat handle is. Fun to watch though (unless your a bowler) 227-4. Excellent run out by Dex.227 for 5 when Crooky gets Hughes caught by Mala of the first ball of the last over for a very good 111.This boy is still class. 35-4 at close of innings and Kev wins the sweep, I was miles out.

The second bit.

After more refreshments for the boys and a cold flat lemonade for me in the pavilion it was time to wander back and see if we could do the business. I missed Mala's wicket because I was behind a stand chatting to Fletch and Lorraine 39-1.Fifty up and the Severn scoreboard even though they have been trying to reboot it was still wrong. Worcs change the bowling to the slower stuff with Ali (he of the full beard and now bald head...not a good look) being the pick of them. 17:30 and still 26 degrees,I think the heat must have got to our batsmen as they didn't seem to spend very long at thewicket before chipping the ball to a fielder. Buck seemed to be the glue that might hold it all together but with the run rate required climbing all the time even he surcumbed to a poor chip and out 156-7 by now and it's almost over,a solid 44 but not the same innings builder that Hughes (who caught him off Shastri's bowling) was.  We crawl to 174-9 with six overs left,the highlight of this section being Crookies six off Ali (just after he had had Ollie plumb LBW though for 0). Finny time,4,dot ball,clean bowled, just as the cathederal balls finish striking seven o'clock. 179 all out and a win for Worcestershire which to say the least suprised most folk in the ground, good bowling and a stand out player getting a ton helped their cause though. Post script. A rather quiet journey home with a extra passenger,Kev deciding that a lift back to Uxbridge would be quicker than the Sunday service trains. Not as comfortable though I would have thought,the Hyundai i20 is a fine car but not one I would want to be asleep in for almost two hours,even running over the rumble strips on the M40 couldn't wake him. A good day out and thanks to the band for showing up,very light on away support though it seemed which is a shame as it's only 2 hours from London and one of the most picturesque grounds in the country....and the noisiest, oh those flippin' bells!!