Far From The MCC

~ Est. in 1998 ~

 

“Oxford University Wayfarers

Humbled By A Resurgent

Far From The Marlbough Offices”

 

 

Friday 4th June 2010

Result:  Won by 50 Runs

Venue:  Jesus College

20 overs

FFTMCC

159 - 6

D. Shorten  32*,  J. Pearson  31*

OU Offices

109 ao

D. Edwards  3 – 11,  I. Leggate  3 - 38

 

 

 

Unlike the Ukranian Klitchko brothers who own portions of heavyweight boxing’s world crowns, the OU Offices and the Far From The MCC are prepared to duel against each other. But very similar to those towering East European behemoths, the Offices and the Mad enjoy an almost brotherly relationship. During the off season, many of their number will drink and play poker together, and at the turn of each year, both sets of players will be found netting together.

 

 

D. Edwards weighs up the merits of the Goose

 

When the Office Sunday Bandwagon folded in 2007, many of their number were plucked from the seas and hauled onto the Goodship Mad. They are intertwined; two very similar sets of players, with very similar sets of ideals on cricket and life. It’s not that they don’t bicker, on the contrary, the guys from both teams will happily spout eulogies about each other’s mothers and fathers, and goad each other into doing something rather ridiculous - they’re still rivals after all. But what makes these evening encounters so very different to many a game of cricket, is that you’re usually, quite genuinely, happy when your opponent does well. He’s your brother after all.

 

 

A right bunch of Mad watch the action.

 

Since young Daniel Westmoreland’s strange disappearance at Jordan Hill a few weeks ago, his father couldn’t win a coin toss against Jonah. Happily for the Mad, a rather generous Office skipper, A. Darley, invited his regular Sunday outfit to have first crack on a lovingly prepared Jesus College pitch. It was perhaps the wrong call, as opening Mad batsmen I. Howarth (26) and D. Shorten enjoyed a bright and breezy start as they propelled the score to 44 in less than 6 overs, before Howarth fell to a top-edged catch at fine leg.

 

A 30 run retirement rule put paid to Shorten’s (31*) ambitions of notching his first Mad fifty, but it played no part in T. Smith’s (4) groggy quadrupling of his highest score of the season, or J. Hoskin’s (10) dot-filled Goosathon. Nor did it prevent D. Emerson (26) from putting the sword to his former bankrollers. Though it did wrench glory from J. Pearson (31*), whose enterprising gorging of pie may have done enough to impress the Mad selectors that this guy can actually bat. Well, he can bash, even if he can’t bat; but we think that he can bat, and bash - so that’s a pretty good combination. It’s a far superior combination than missing with a bash and being bowled (I. Leggate – 1), or bashing and running like a dick (J. Hotson run out 1).

 

 

J. Hotson was inspired until he started running between the wickets.

 

The Mad total finally realised an imposing 159-6 off their allotted 20 overs, with M. Westmoreland (10*) and M. Reeves (0*) protecting their averages, and former Marlborough Housite, D. Edwards, sat with his pads on having not been required (nor did he mind). Time for tea, if there were tea, but since it was just a Twenty20, there were no teas; so players just faffed about drinking booze and utilising the toilet facilities.

 

In reply, Wayfarers import, C. Williams (31*), retired after a timely and elegant knock, whilst J. Pearson (3-0-25-1) did for M. Rundle (15) with an excellent catch off his own bowling - skidding on his kneecaps as he clung on at mid off. Ex-Marlborough boy, M. Reeves (3-1-11-1), kept it tight, whilst J. Hoskins (2-0-10-0) did less so. None of this wetted the appetite of course, until the Mad wheeled out their exquisitely cooked and prepared buffet surprise. I. Leggate (4-0-38-3) ripped through the Office middle order with his egg flan and cheese canapés, with only N. Bailes (19) and A. Hallsworth (27) resisting the treats. They were far more enticed by D. Edwards’ (4-0-21-3) assorted chips and dips however, as he finished his spell with 2 wickets in 2 balls, making a hat-trick with his next bowl an enticing possibility.

 

 

A right bunch of Office Wayfaring Madsters.

 

Any lingering Office hopes of victory were finally curtailed when an addled T. Smith was handed the ball. With Stella Artois tripping a wire in his mainframe, Thornton (0.5-0-2-2) threw down 5 unplayable deliveries – two of which ripped out opposition batsmen, and none of which were legal. Alas, friendly cricket being what it is, the umpiring is often less than clueless at times, and so a dejected A. Darley (3) was left to rue being bowled to a ball which had been thrown, and slowly trudge off the field. It was fine though, because Mr. Smith was quick to apologise after the game, and Mr. Darley was even quicker to tell him he wouldn’t knock his front teeth out - not yet anyway.

 

 

Skippers Westmoreland and Darley argue about who nicked who for the game….

 

So, the Mad had triumphed in the season’s first Twenty20 to the tune of 50 runs, but cricket was real winner here; twenty plus friends enjoying a sunny evening’s fare at the end of a tiring working week. Tiring if you work for a living that is….

 

 

‘Spam’

 

 

 

 

 

*

 

 

Statto's Scorecard

No Fines on this Day

 

 

MOTM:  J. Pearson’s runs, wicket and catch

Champagne Moment:  M. Reeve’s catch at mid-wicket

Buffet Award:  I. Leggate’s Irish hotput

 

 

 

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