Far From The MCC

~ Est. in 1998 ~

 

“Mad Slump To Terrible Defeat

Despite Winning”

 

 

Sunday 27th August 2006

Result:  Won by 4 Wkts

Venue:  Pembroke College Sports Ground

35 overs

Cholsey

138 ao

D. Edwards  2 - 2,  S. Dobner  2 - 12

FFTMCC

139 - 6

G. Littlechild  73,  A. Cavanagh  16

 

 

 

The last game of the season saw Captain I. Howarth win the toss and elect to both bat and field. Snow was falling heavily and the combination of knee-deep mud and a harsh wind howling in straight from the Urals meant this looked like a wise decision. Amazing new records for total catches in a match, total catches in an innings and the prized record of individual catches in an innings were about to fall. The promise of a spanking tea in the newly renovated Pembroke pavilion meant that both teams were raring to go, so play began promptly at eleven in the evening with everyone for once turning up on time.

 

 

The Mad practice their buffet pre-match.

 

G. Littlechild (4-0-18-0) and I. Howarth (4-0-18-2) are not the usual opening attack but soon had the opposition tied down. Howarth used the wind to great effect, clean bowling two victims whilst all the time employing hands that are perfectly proportioned and in no way of the small variety. D. Shorten (6-1-30-0) probed and threatened while occasionally being smeared to the boundary by a dangerous looking D. Powell. M. Westmoreland (5-0-11-1) continued the non-buffet theme and was unlucky to see a catch spilled by the teller of tall tales behind the stumps. M. Clarke was adamant it wasn’t an edge so that’s that sorted then. J. Hoskins (5-0-25-0) took a couple to the chin early on but soon had the hatches battened down in a tidy display of loft, swerve, grunt and veer. D. Powell (60) had really started to threaten and it took an absolute beauty from A. Small (5-0-23-2) to account for him - a pouting full toss veering and stalling at the last second to uproot the stumps and send the already chuffed MAD into a state of being, well really quite happy. S. Dobner (1.5-0-12-2) and D. Edwards (1-0-2-2) then wrapped things up at the end - a perhaps untried combination of aggression and sorcery seeing that the cheese boys tail didn’t so much wag as curl up.

 

 

The Pembroke pavilion finally gets a long overdue shoeing.

 

Tea. And what a succulent and totally memorable buffet Kev served up in the now hallowed Pembroke pavilion. Actually, no he didn’t, so both teams traipsed to the adjoining ground of the Oval in Surrey and ate there instead.

 

Howarth elected to open the batting with an untried pairing, and so it was that the two sons of Essex walked out to start the innings for perhaps the first time in MAD history. Their partnership forced the opposition to sit back and wonder at the intricate nature of Essex camaraderie. With the score on 11 there was a nice calm interlude with a discussion on the correct protocol when running between wickets. This obviously led to higher concentration levels for both batting and fielding sides and in no way whatsoever contributed to the fall of the next wicket the next ball. Cholsey knew they had to strike early and you can only assume that the cricket gods had been assuaged by a large amount of Gruyere as S. Dobner (2) helped a ball onto his stumps in what is starting to become less of a habit and more of a calling card.

 

 

In-form G. Littlechild (73) spurs the Mad charge for victory.

 

D. Edwards (2) engaged in some friendly banter with the slip cordon before missing a straight one thus setting the scene for the early arrival of J. Hoskins (12). This season J-Mo has normally been seen batting under one of the oak trees surrounding the ground so you can imagine his surprise to find himself on the pitch with batting equipment on and to cap it all, a game taking place. He looked in great nick and with the help of an obdurate G. Littlechild moved the score merrily along to 51. He then made the rather obvious mistake of attempting some footwork and was duly bowled.

 

A. Cavanagh (16) and G. Littlechild then set down the foundations for victory with a stand of 66. The prospect of another century was looming but Gary (73) offered his stumps to A. Hough despite only needing to score every remaining run and crack a maximum off the last ball. M. Clarke (1) strode out like a man with a point to prove although what this was will remain forever unclear. He was last seen heading to back to the pavilion, smiling a lot and willing to offer anybody his opinions on what a wonderful game cricket is…. It was left to M. Bullock (5*) and M. Westmoreland (5*) to prove that batting was in fact incredibly easy and soon saw the MAD home with just under six overs to go.

 

A great win, and yet a terrible loss.

 

 

Amie D couldn’t bear watching her ole man bat with her uncle.

 

And on a personal note – I covered myself in glory enough for several years to come. Catching all the Cholsey wickets to fall and knocking off the desired runs before any of my team-mates were required.

 

 

‘Billy Liar’

 

 

 

 

 

*

 

 

Statto's Scorecard

No Fines on this day

 

 

MOTM:  no votes cast

Champagne Moment:  no votes cast

Buffet Award:  S. Dobner’s baby yoghurt

 

 

 

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