Ton Not Enough

By Seaxe Man
May 22 2011

Seaxe Man reports on Middlesex's fightback after two poor days, that was not quite enough.  Little trivia or amusng accounts , but we have is a comprehensive cricketing perspective on a fascinating day.

Match Scenario.

Overnight: Glamorgan 1st innings 517 for 8. Middlesex 1st innings 150. So a massive deficit 0f 367. A rather daunting task for the Middle's batsmen to overcome on Day 3.

Travel/Weather: unsurprisingly, 'planning engineering work' meant the Met terminated at Harrow-on-the-Hill and the Jubilee was closed completely.

So had to travel via the Chiltern Line to Marylebone. Bernie and I were a couple of sardines in the Chiltern tin.

Weather was sunny, breezy and white cumulus. When cloud cover departed, factor 20 was advised.


1st session.

As I suspected, Glamorgan continued batting, asking us to bowl them out. This we accomplished thanks to two wickets to Collymore.

He had in the second over, Cosker caught for 2 at first slip by Strauss. A good catch as AJS had to stretch a distance. His first catching opportunity in the match. Wicket 519 for 9.

In over four, Colly had Croft taken at the wicket for 33. 522ao. So a deficit of 372 on first innings. This has to be one of the largest deficit's in Middlesex history.


Glamorgan inning's closed to 11.15 leaving Middesex pretty much two days to bat to save the match. Wickets were spread around. Murts 3, Colly 2, R-J 2, Dex 2, JD 1.

Harris from the NE started with a wide to Strauss. Wagg at PE. Over 3, a pleasant drive from Strauss through mid-wicket for 4 got the innings underway with the bat. Bowling was as in the first innings, teasingly directed just outside off stump inviting the edge.

Wagg struck Strauss on the body with a rising delivery. He persisted with short balls throughout the day.

Finally in the 5th over, Newman fenced at a delivery from Harris, and was taken at slip by Powell for 1. 6 for 1, so not a good start.

Chris Rogers came in at 3. He got off the mark with a steer to fine leg for 2. He was then struck on the arm guard from a shortish Wagg delivery. Appeal for a catch turned down.

The next few overs included a sumptuous off-drive by AJS for 4 and a further short pitched delivery from Wagg struck Rogers and went for 4 leg byes. His short pitched attack on Rogers continued.

The next couple of overs, included a powerful off driven 3 by AJS, and a couple of of leg glanced 4's. Owen replaced Harris at NE, Harris switched to PE.

An on driven 3 by Strauss moved the score to 42 for 1 after a fallow period. A quick single saw Strauss in, with the stumps broken from a direct hit.

The 50 came up in over 18 with a single to AJS. the 50 partnership followed in the next over. A luscious straight drive bt AJS hit the boundary ropes of the Edrich Stand. This persuaded the Glamorgan captain Alviro Petersen  to swith to an all spin attack 10 mins before lunch. Cosker at NE, Croft at PE. Rogers offered a difficult chance to mid wicket in this period.

Straussey rocked back to cut Croft to the Tavern ropes. So lunch taken at 79 for 2. Strauss 37, Rogers 35. Overs 25. Deficit reduced to 293.


2nd session

Owen from the PE to Strauss. 4 singles taken from the over. Harris from NE. Rogers promptly cut him for 4 but had a narrow escape next ball.

Rogers then had to have a change of box after being hit in the nether region. This stoppage was followed by a sumptious off drive for 4, then a square cut for 4 in retaliation by the stocky Australian. A miss-field for 2 brought up the 100. Strauss had meanwhile reached 50, in 81 balls with 7 4's.

The 100 came when Rogers made a full length goalkeeping dive with the bat at a wide ball. The subsequent drive for 4, brought up Rogers 50, 89 balls and five fours. A flurry of boundaries and two's followed from both batsmen.

34 overs. Cosker resumed at NE. A miss-field gave Strauss a swept four to square leg. He then lofted Cosker over his head for a straight four. Croft then bowled a maiden. A nudge around the corner brought up 151., followed by a brutal straight drive for the 150 partnership. A glided 4 took AJS to 94 and in sight of centuries in consecutive games.

Over 49. Wagg returned to PE. A two took Strauss to 99. A clipped 3 took him to the century mark. Well batted mate. 151 balls and 13 fours.

Disaster. A yes/no call to a ball played to mid wicket led to Strauss backing up, being caught in mid pitch and subsequently run out for 103.

179 for 2. This opened the door a touch for the oppo. Stand 173. Next man in Dawid Malan. He was unable to follow his fine innings of Tuesday night and soon departed before being taken by Wallace off Cosker for 5. Score 190 for 3. The optimism of the Middlesex aficionados in the Edrich Stand was dampened somewhat.

Things were'nt looking too good. Enter Captain Dexter. A ridiculous short ball from Owen was called as a no ball after calls from the Edrich Stand.

A crushing lofted on drive from Rogers brought up the 200 in the 57th over. Rogers glided a 4. Tea was then taken at 208 for 3. Rogers 84, Dex 5.


3rd session.

Cosker at NE resumed to Dex. 3 off the over. Owen continued at the PE. A couple of streakies by Chris R followed, before a square cut for 4, taking his core to 93, which he then repeated.

Dex as in 1st over after tea, fished at one from Owen. Gone. Caught Wallace. 223 for 4. Dex 7. JD entered. Rogers ran a fast 3 to 3rd man to bring up his hundred. 115 balls and 10 4's. He celebrated with gusto. Acknowledging the applause. Another short ball  to JD went for 4 byes, keeper Wallace having no chance.

JD 's shot then evaded a dive by the square leg fielder for a 4. Shout for LB against JD turned down. 246 for 4. A quick single brought up the 250 in the 74th over. 122 in arrears. At this point the game was meandering. This was broken by an ondrive for 4 from Rogers. 80 overs. The new ball was due and was taken at 264 for 4.

Harris from NE to JD. The first ball was nudged for 4 to 3rd man. Rogers then took two boundaries, an off drive and square cut. Wagg at PE got a repeat off drive for 4 by CR.

A spilled catch juggled by 3 fielders gave Rogers a life on 125. Two balls later, he gave another chance, this time taken by Petersen 283 for 5. Rogers 125. 249 balls and 14 4's. A fine knock for a a maiden ton for Middlesex at Lord's. Let us hope the first of many.

The new ball also accounted for JD lbw 286 for 6 to Harris. Roland-Jones won the nightwatchman's job and we closed on 293 for 6. Simpson and R-J both on 2no.


Epilogue.

A deficit of 79 remains with only 4 wickets left. Very much on the back foot. Still have Simpson and Berg remaining. Hopefully R-J can hang around for awhile.


A decent crowd, better than Friday's, mostly basked in sun to watch the Middle's struggles throughout the day. Some good some bad. The Strauss/Rogers partnership was by a distance the highlight of the day with a lot of entertaining shot play.

Retreated to Wetherspoons at Baker Street for the inquest. Was accosted by some Welsh fans, not at the game, who enquired as to the score. Had to admit that they were in the box seat.