Golden Arm Ace has the Foxes on the Run

What a Day!!!
By Seaxe Man
August 17 2009

Seaxe Man reports from Lord's for Middlesex first home game of the final Pro40 season as they take on Leicestershire. And what a day it turned out for Owais Shah with bat and ball. Read Seaxe Man's detail report of the days events, as well as his thoughts on what next seasons One Day competition might look like. As ever a cracking read.

After some excitement with various replacement buses and truncated LUL lines. Arrived at Lord's circa 1.35. Weather breezy but fine.

Given the honour of reporting the 1st of our last P40 home games: the obit may be premature, as we wait the county CEO's decision on next season's programme. Rumour has it: that the 20/20/20/20 with 12 players idea has been dumped. The PCA wish to replace the P40 with a P50 on Sunday's. To be split into two halves: at start and end of season with a Lord's Final. Guesstimate would be that, 3 groups of 7 with Holland, Ireland, Scotland joining the 18 counties. Home and away, so 12 games in group stages. Top two in each group, plus best two thirds to make up QF knockout stage and so no.

This will not be ideal on Sunday's with 10.45 starts: from previous experience crowds have been lower than P40 matches, due to early starts. So start-time needs to be moved back to say 12.00/1215.

Milestones.

Umpire Holder, umpired his last match at Lord's: retiring at season's end. He received a generous ovation from the crowd (est. circa 3000+) and at the close, the players clapped him off.

Player stats: Tyron Henderson reached 1500 List a runs when he reached 22. Owais reached 8500 List A runs when he reached 26. Shaggy moved up to 446 wickets.

So to the cricket. I will split the report into:- 1. Powerplay overs 1 to 15. 2. Build on Powerplay 15 to 30. 3. The Big Bash 31 to 40.

Wicket was that used for the recent Essex game, so it was into day 5. It was slowish and as later events were to prove, spin friendly, especially at the Pavilion end, as it was during the Essex match. Middlesex won the toss and elected to bat.

Powerplay. Middlesex. At the end of 15 overs The Middle had progressed to 72 for the loss of Malan's wicket, caught at slip in the second over for 4. Comp and Shah progressed us to the 72 total. Reviewing the overs, the best were number 4 which produced 9 runs, and 15 which produced 10 runs. Progress was dictated by a slowish wicket though the oppo did contribute a number of wides, totalling 12 in the match. There were a couple of excellent off drives by both Compton and Ace, plus a superb hit over the top by Ace for a straight 4 during this period. By and large Leics did not let The Middle run away with it though, and their field, made a number of good stops on the 30 yard ring. So the scoring rate which had been 5.2 at the 10 over mark, was at touch under 5 at the end of the powerplay. Compo after a quickish start, slowed in the later stages as the shine went off the ball.

Build on the Powerplay overs 15 to 30. We lost 3 wickets during this period, as attempts to up the scoring rate with the ball not coming on, led to wicket loss. The wickets fell at 99, when Compo was caught on the crease, on the back foot, and was lbw to the Surrey loanee Benning. Compo had become bogged down and departed for 46. The next wicket went at 115, when Ace played at a wide ball without getting close to it, and skied to deep cover. Ace a grafting 43. Not it has to be said, on a par with his Canterbury effort last Sunday, but there, the ball came onto the bat a bit quicker. Given his recent batting form, Gareth was promoted to number 5, sadly, he was next to go, at 122, yorked by Claude Henderson for 2. Dexter replaced him and joined Morgan. They were still together at the 30 over mark where we had progressed to 136 for 4. Total runs added, 64. As I mentioned earlier, attempts to up the rate had led to the dismissals. The batters were taking the right attitude for the team.

Reviewing the 15 overs. The best were over 17/18 which added 16 runs. The Big Bash overs 31 to 40. At this point, with 136 on the board, The Middle were not exactly in the comfort zone. The 5th wicket fell in the 31st over Morgan being taken on the deep mid on boundary from a straight hit over the top. He departed for 22, caught by Cobb off Naik. Score 137 for 5. Simpson playing as a batter joined Dexter. We then progressed to 162 before the next wicket fell, Simpson going for 13, same score as at Canters, and dismissed in similar fashion, going for a big hit and being taken by Thompson on the wide mid wicket boundary off Naik. He had as at Canters, played one or two pleasing drives and his time will come. Has scored heavily for the seconds in recent matches. Going to Vine Lane tomorrow to see the SET 50/50 v Northants where I assume he will play.

Hendo replaced him, and the next to go was Dex also going for acceleration. Dex 24, score 176. Scott joined Hendo and these two stayed until the close. Hendo 23no, Scott 7no. The last 5 overs took the score from 164 to 201, so in the context of the match, not too bad. Hendo was more measured and less frenetic than his 1st ball run out at Canterbury. Overall, one of his better games this season, IMHO.

So we closed at 201 for for 7 off 40 overs. Will it be enough?

Powerplay - Leics overs 1 to 15. Things started well with our opening bowlers being Hendo from the PE and Burton from the NE. A wicket fell at 4, when Surrey loanee Benning was taken at slip by Morgan off Hendo for 4, which was his lone crashing off drive. Next to go was the dangerous Cobb, lbw to Berg who replaced Hendo at the PE, in his 1st over, he trapped Cobb on the crease for 16. Score 37 for 2. A further wicket fell at 60. Dave Burton deservedly clean bowling Boyce for 23. A big fillip for him.

At the close of the powerplay overs, Leics were on 70 for 3. Run wise they were on a par, but had lost two extra wickets.

Reviewing the Leics powerplay. No really spectacular overs and Bergie bowled a maiden for over 13. Credit to Hendo/Burton and Bergie for that. Our fielding was a curate's egg, with some good stops on the 30 yard circle, being followed by some wild throws at the stumps which led to a couple of overthrown runs.

Build on the Powerplay - overs 15 to 30. During this period, Leics advanced their score to 139 for 5. So at this juncture, it was even Stevens. The next Leics wicket to fall went at 108 after a vigorous 48 run stand between Taylor and Dippenaar. Dippenaar was the man to go, lbw to Udal who trapped him lbw for 19 in his second over. Unsurprisingly, this wicket fell at the P.E, after he spelled Dex who had a couple of overs. This brought in New to partner the dangerous Taylor, our nemesis at Southers back in April. He and New added 31 for the next wicket, before Taylor after completing a handy 50, was bowled by Shah in his first over, after replacing Udal at the N.E.

Score 139. Malan was operating from the P.E. and Middlesex were using all 3 of their spinners since over 18. The use of Shah in his spinning role proved to be a masterstroke. Leics added 69 during this period but lost the dangerous pair of Taylor/Dippenaar to the Middlesex spin twins during this spell. They thumped 9 off the 16th and 8 off the 21st being their best overs.

The Big Bash overs 31 to 40. And so to the match conclusion. The 6th wicket went at 146 when White was caught at mid wicket off Dawid. White 1. Then at 149 Ace had New stumped by Scott for 20. The team plus Ace were ecstatic. A lull then ensued to 165 when Claude Henderson fell for 6 to his namesake Tyron, caught by Udal at extra cover. 165 for 8 and the end was nigh when our spinning all rounder Ace had Naik stumped for 12 and bowled Gurney for 0, to complete the proceedings and 27 run win. Leics ao 174.

Summation The Middlesex spin trio must take credit for this victory on a wicket offering help. They were well supported by Hendo/Burts/Bergie. Ace recorded career best figures of 3.2-0-11-4. Truly amazing for him and he left the field to a standing ovation.

This win has lifted The Middle to second in the P40. I note that from inside the programme cover, that it states ' that whoever wins the Div 2 trophy will keep it in their trophy cabinet forever'.

Bit of incentive there. Should we win our last away game at Glammy on Wed, and follow that up with three home wins. The last of which is Northants at Uxbridge, and also features Nashy's retirement party at the close.

Would be fitting to put the the P40 Trophy in out cabinet to mark the occasion. Plenty of room in there at present.

Golden Arm Ace has the Foxes on the Run

Posted by: Middlesex till we die (IP Logged)

Date: 17/08/2009 13:25

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009:08:20:23:47:34 by Ged.