By Barmy Kev
June 13 2006

Only 10 months late, Barmy Kev files his report from the 2005 Notts v Middlesex fixture at Trent Bridge. The fixture was rain-ruined last year, which is unlikely to happen this year although some time might be lost again. Interesting to note that it was a "sometimes-swinging flatty" last year. Why late?
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To summarise and answer some of 91 threads requesting feedback from people at game here goes. Please note I was unable to find internet Café at or near Trent Bridge.
[Editor's note - that doesn't quite explain the further 10 months delay, but we'll let this pass].

1st Day - (mostly) Middlesex 1st dig
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Yes losing Hutton for 0 worst start. Then when Ace looked on form carelessly hoiked an Ealham inswinger and skied catch. Losing Joyce soon after was worrying. But once sun came out JD and Smudger looked secure and we were going on nicely at 4 an over. 126 for 3 at lunch about par. Thinks looked good after lunch and Weekes and Scott were able to make contributions, until we lost Trego and Wright (who should have been at 11) of successive balls. The tail did well to take us to 325, with Richardson making crucial 15. Smudger struck a wonderful 128 and did well to weather difficult conditions early on and then prop up the innings throughout. JD 60 was other major contribution. Our 325 was average and with Notts 33-0 with 12 comfortable evening overs the talk amongst the “Turkeys” at local pub was, in light of our weak attack whether we could restrict them below 500 on placid pitch.


Day 2 - Send in the Clouds
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Morning arrived with cloud cover and Trego (wo-oh oh Trego) was able to make it swing all over place. He quickly reduced them to 4-70 as he removed all of their top four batsmen. He had Will Smith (yes I did shout out his innings was a comedy act) in all sorts of trouble. Then had Younis Kahn clean bowled from fast medium leg break, to bamboozle a world class batter like that, was something special. I had perfect view of all of this from Upper Radcliffe. He then found Hussey’s edge with an outswinger , but Scott put this down when on 5. There was fear this would be costly, but Scary got him soon after for 9.

While it looked like they may not make follow on target , the weather improved as did conditions and Swann made a powerful 53 to take them clear. Most worrying was both Scary and Richo going off limping. Sadly Wright was ineffective but Trego came back to polish off tail and took carrer best 6-59.

Day 2 & Day 3 - Middlesex 2nd Dig
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Ace and Ed batted very comfortably and it seemed Notts bowlers were waiting for declaration. We heard that dodgy forecast for 2 days. However, the“ management” appeared to ignore this and batted to lunch next day to set an unlikely 530-run target. The delayed declaration before lunch was due to an hour spell of light drizzle and bad light and am certain Notts wouldn’t have batted in it. There must have been fears too about our depleted attack defending a large target on a benign pitch (apart from when cloud cover, humid in morning).

Notts' when did bat looked comfortable and without rain not convinced we would have finished them off, but it would have been nice to have opportunity. However, after encouraging 2 days, it was a bit of anti climax and watching test match on box little consolation.

[Editor's note: and after that, Kev? The only other evidence we have is the following comment - "Just back from Notts via Cambridge and a vineyard (hic)". It's all becoming clearer, for me anyway, if not for Kev].