Far From The MCC

~ Est. in 1998 ~

 

“Flash Fluffs His Lines

As Fame Beckons”

 

 

Sunday 4th August 2002

Result:  Lost by 26 Runs

Venue:  Pembroke College Sports Ground

35 overs

Marlborough House

77 ao

D. Jones  4 - 7,  A. Mann  3 - 16

FFTMCCC

51 ao

T. Smith  33

 

 

 

No match report existed of this tight encounter with old enemy The Marlborough House – but using the scorecards from the day, and speaking to a certain individual involved in this encounter, it has been possible to recreate that day in vivid detail for the cricketing public. So, here we go….

 

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In a pulsating match where ball ruled the bat, the Mad lost out by the narrow margin of just 26 runs. After winning the toss and sticking the Marlborough into bat, the Madsters then ran through their opponents batting line-up skittling them for the paltry total of 77 all out. Welsh import, D. Jones had the most startlingly impressive figures of 5-0-17-4, after captain A. Mann’s opening salvo in which he returned the equally useful figures of 7-3-16-3. S. Dobner and E. Lester also chipped in with a wicket apiece which left the Marlborough with an extremely underwhelming final total.

 

 

T. Smith didn’t win the match, or get a hundred on this day.

 

Now if one thing’s certain about cricket, it is the uncertainty with surrounds the final result. Faced with such a meagre total to chase, the Mad immediately lost their opening batsmen T. Mander and E. Lester for a single run apiece. Top batsman L. Phillips then followed for a duck, as did a guy called Ian Harwood. Watching the carnage from the other end stood a certain T. Smith, happily flashing his blade whenever his turn came – which unfortunately was not regularly enough, as both S. Dobner (3) and J. Hotson (1) saw their stumps rattled, as did A. Mann for a well-constructed duck. And with B. Mander (4) and J. Hoskins (0) also leaving the door open to their timber yard, it was left to bowling hero D. Jones to hold up his end whilst Flash secured victory for the Mad. Smith had totalled 33 and seen the score reach the lofty heights of 51 when he swung, missed, rotated on the spot, and glanced his own stumps with his pads…. Out. Hit wicket.

 

The stage had been set, the lines rehearsed, and with a pyrotechnic display to put Hollywood to shame, all that was needed was Smith to guide his team home. He didn’t, although he did score 64.705882352941176470588235294% of the team’s runs that day, so one has to be fair to the lad.

 

Shame.

 

 

‘Spam’

 

 

 

 

 

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