A right pain for Middlese

By Hackneyshire
June 15 2015

Hackneyshire gives us a vivid description of the latest T20 defeat to Gloucestershire. Covering memories of the match a few years ago, encounters with Pinky and Gloucester supporters, worries about the decision at the toss, some brief moments of success but mnainly another day when off the field entertainment made up for the result. Great report if you werre there and if you weren't.

The tone was set for the day well before the toss had even taken place. “Don’t remind me”, sighed one of the MTWD faithful, “I still have nightmares about that day.”

‘That day’ was the T20 at Uxbridge back in 2011, when Kevin O’Brien hit a 44 ball century and Hamish Marshall a slightly slower one to help Gloucestershire rack up a whopping 254 runs and victory by 105 runs. The Gloucestershire fans pointed out that O’Brien is now at Leicestershire and Marshall is injured but while the mood lightened a little there wasn’t a great deal of optimism at the Middlesex end of the table.

Over in Old Deer Park, former Gloucestershire player James Franklin was captaining the hosts and on winning the toss he put his old side in. There had been a bit of drizzle around but it’s always a big risk to insert and memories of ‘that day’ at Uxbridge, when Malan did exactly the same, began to surface again amongst the home crowd.

Is he a womble or a panther

Gloucestershire fans on the other hand were simply bemused by mascot Pinky. “What IS that?” asked one. “It looks like a drug crazed Womble,” came the reply. Needless to say, when it came to handing out T-Shirts later Pinky didn’t visit the Gloucestershire faithful.  

Gloucestershire opened with the only two players to score centuries in the 2014/15 Big Bash, Michael Klinger and Peter Handscomb, and if that weren’t frightening enough for the home supporters, Klinger had already racked up 403 runs in the T20 Blast and was yet to be out. That would soon change as he was caught by Toby Roland-Jones off the bowling of Harris for just 10 in the 3^rd over. The plus side of this uncharacteristically low total was that at last the Gloucestershire captain now had an average in the competition, and one of 413 no less, which led Kev to accuse the Australian of playing for his average.

Kev unimpressed with Klinger

The joy of actually getting Klinger out was shortlived though as his countryman Handscomb and Ian Cockbain started racking up the runs, taking the score to 61 before a crazy run led to his demise on 29. Benny Howell joined Cockbain and the pair continued to build the score, putting on 101 before Cockbain was caught by Balbirnie off the bowling of Roland-Jones for 75.

Off the pitch things weren’t going quite as well for Gloucestershire.  One supporter was attempting to emulate the players in the tennis courts at the Pagoda End of the ground (surely one of the  most evocative names for an end in County Cricket?) Unfortunately he forgot to put his pint down and this ended up all over the terrace, which ruined the imaginary shot somewhat. This was done at the precise moment that one of the Gloucestershire Committee members walked past, causing a raised eyebrow; the last laugh though was on the fans as said committee member and his wife then attempted entry to the “Players and Officials” area and were unceremoniously ejected.

Back on the pitch Benny Howell made his way to a career T20 best of 57 before being run out in the final over, while veteran ‘keeper Geraint Jones chipped in with a rapid 34 off 17 to take the visitors to a slightly daunting total of 214/4, a T20 record at Old Deer Park.

 If a sense of déjà vu had not already happened for the home crowd then it surely did now: once again they were facing a target of over 200 on an outground under a flight path in a T20 against Gloucestershire, having inserted the visitors. Was this Uxbridge all over again?

The home side opened with Paul Stirling and Nick Compton, but soon found themselves a wicket down after the Irishman departed for a brisk 13 off 7. Compton steadied the ship with Gubbins but both departed in the fifth over to leave the hosts 58/3: the run rate was decent enough but wickets were a concern.  Simpson and Franklin provided some hope for the Middlesex faithful, adding 58 for the fourth wicket, but when the Captain departed Simpson soon found himself shedding partners at an alarming rate, before succumbing himself for 74 in the last over of the game.

The home total of 171 meant a heavy loss in T20 terms of 43 runs but for Gloucestershire there was much to celebrate, not least a career T20 best 5/24 for David Payne alongside Benny Howell’s batting equivalent. The win took the visitors to the top of a fairly congested South table while Middlesex are languishing at the other end and, after eight attempts, are still without a win over Gloucestershire in this format.

As the Gloucestershire fans raised cups of Prosecco in victory there was one final thing to celebrate: praise of their vocal support from two locals, who thanked the ‘Shire fans for keeping them entertained where Middlesex had failed.