Far From The MCC

~ Est. in 1998 ~

 

“Jake’s Foot Gives Thorn a Break”

 

 

Sunday 25th July 2010

Result:  Lost by 1 Wkt

Venue:  Brasenose

40 overs

FFTMCC

192 ao

T. Smith  52,  G. Littlechild  24

Cholsey

193 - 9

D. Emerson  4 - 33,  D. Edwards  3 - 32

 

 

 

Eye witness accounts of the incident are sketchy at best:

“We were in the Zodiac and met these guys from the Astons and I went outside for a smoke and someone put in a two footed challenge on me” Jake.

“I didn’t see anything as I was being escorted from the premises at the time after falling asleep at the bar” Mr. Emerson.

“It must have been those ballet shoes he wears” Anonymous.

 

Could this be the first dancing injury of the season? I doubt we’ll ever know, but as a result Jake was out and Thorn stepped into the breach.

 

The MAD assembled at Brasnose for their second game in 48 hours, against the Cholsey cheese boys. Martin escorted most of their team out to the middle (hopefully we have a photo of this) to demonstrate the difference between a cricket pitch and a field near Wallingford. Further, to explain why we won’t be playing at their place this year. Despite being out numbered five to one Martin successfully won the toss and had no hesitation in batting.

 

 

Martin (right) tosses the coin on a respectable cricket pitch.

 

D. Edwards (11) and G. Littlechild (24) started brightly before both were given out LBW in relatively un-controversial fashion. M. Reeves (21) and D. Emerson (14) then continued to move things along nicely to reach 77 for 2 in the 13th over. It was then that things faltered somewhat as Reeves slashed at a high full toss to be caught at slip and Emerson followed to a more conventional slip catch. S. Dobner (8) looked in reasonable nick before becoming the third MAD man to be given out to the dreaded LBW. Steve was in reflective mood as he opined that the ball had maybe, just maybe hit his bat and not leg. One of our team pointed out rather harshly that things were not looking good, already 3 LBW decisions down and Hebbes still to bat.

 

 

In the interest of giving legitimate LBW decisions, crap glasses are introduced.

 

However, not for the first time this season, respectability was to come from an unlikely source. Having received a late call up, T. Smith (52) strode out to bat, looking for his first decent knock this season. From ball one he looked the business, bringing to bear his trademark spankings to all parts of the ground. J. Hoskins (the greatest coach the MAD has ever had) assured us that Thorn’s renaissance was due to the coaching he and I. Howarth had supplied in the last few weeks. Jamo’s continued telepathic instructions to lift the bat did the trick as Thorn raced to a well deserved 50.

 

N. Hebbes (2) managed to defy his critics and avoid an LBW, just long enough to be caught. The tail wagged slightly with M. Westmoreland (20), A. Darley (9) and J. Pearson (7 not out) adding what could be useful lower order runs, but when Hoskins (1) fell at the start of the 38th over, the feeling was that another 20 runs would have been be very useful.

 

 

T. Smith (left) celebrates his long overdue fifty.

 

After the now customary excellent tea, the MAD returned to the field hopeful of defending 192. The first twenty overs were miserable, the sky was heavy and the effects of the Zodiac and the OUP in consecutive days was taking its toll on several players. Despite the vociferous encourage from Gary behind the stumps, the MAD just couldn’t get the necessary break through as Cholsey moved smoothly to 96 without loss in the 20th over. The low point of this energy sapping period was captain Moo calling the team to an on field huddle to try and raise the spirits. Could his words inspire the MAD to the kind of turn around seen against the Marsh XI? Not if the next two balls were anything to go by as first Hoskins bowled some leg side dross that was witheringly swept for 4, then Dobner let one through his legs in comedic fashion. “It’s my first mistake today” fell on deaf ears and tired bodies. Finally Hoskins (7-0-37-1) got the break through. “One brings ten” was the optimistic cry. Edwards (8-0-32-3) stepped up and bowled with control and accuracy to limit the run rate and get the crucial second wicket.

 

 

“That’s where Leggate’s bowling is usually tonked – right over there!”

 

However, still well behind, could the MAD turn this around? Could anyone provide the bowling spark, as Thorn had done with the batting? Again inspiration came from an unlikely source. Step forward D. Emerson (8-0-33-4) who the previous night had been the drunken jam in a high visibility jacket wearing sandwich. A peach of an in-cutter bought a wicket, the next was just as good, gaining an LBW. Oh, we’ve been here so many times before, in for the hat-trick everyone. Let’s wait for the usual one that goes a foot outside off, then we can all move back to our positions (dark thoughts). Never in the history of the MAD has a hat-trick been taken in a single game. But records are there to be broken; history is there to be made. Emerson delivered peach number three, a truly unplayable delivery, the stumps clattered and Dave “Diamond” Emerson would enter the http://www.farfromthemcc.co.uk/ halls of immortality.

 

 

D. Emerson (centre) is floored during his hat-trick celebrations.

 

Next over Dan continued the excellent work taking two further wickets. When in the very next over Emerson bought his tally to four and Cholsey to 163 for 8, the MAD were suddenly in the driving seat.

 

But cricket is a fickle mistress, raising hopes one minute only to dash them the next. First she cut down S. Dobner as he raced to save a boundary (although I. Leggate, his 12th man replacement did sterling work in the outfield), then she took Cholsey’s P. Sargent to her bosom as he smashed 8 an over to keep the Cheese Boys on course. The tense mood was only lifted momentarily as a returning Cholsey batsman demonstrated the fine art of cobbing. Not the over elaborate, ostentatious Howarth or Parkinson, cricket bat as javelin style cob, but the quiet, one glove, two glove, kick first glove, I’ve just thrown this away for my team style cob.

 

 

James (bowling) opens the patisserie to try and ensnare a Cholsey rabbit.

 

Finally with only one wicket remaining the boys from the ploughed field needed nine off the last over. Four, four, one is unfortunately more than just Holland’s world cup line-up. Cholsey pulled victory from the jaws of defeat, which had itself just been pulled from the jaws of another bigger defeat eating victory.

 

Shoulda, woulda, coulda.

 

 

‘Reevsie’

 

 

 

 

 

*

 

ne

Statto's Scorecard

Match Fines

 

 

MOTM:  T. Smith’s long overdue fifty

Champagne Moment:  D. Emerson’s hat-trick ball

Buffet Award:  M. Westmoreland’s black pudding (with scrambled egg side dish)

 

 

 

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