Match Report: NTMCC v Spectre CC, 20 June 2009

The June series of matches ended with a win for NTMCC against Spectre CC.

Things started well as the skipper, fresh from 4 successive lost coin tosses, scored his first victory of the season in the pure luck department. Deciding to bat first, NTMCC started steadily against a lively Spectre attack. Watson made 4 off his first 31 balls to justify the decision to make it a declaration game while Heslop gathered runs rather more speedily at the other end. Particular highlights of the opening partnership of 37 were:

(a) Heslop crunching a few classy boundaries through the offside;

(b) Watson playing a great forward defensive off the second ball of the 7th over; and

(c) Watson being hit on the forehead by a vicious beamer.

Anyway, all good things come to an end and Heslop was caught and bowled for 21 - a more generous square leg umpire might have given a no ball for height. Mahapatra came to the crease and the immediate result was a rather comic 4 overthrows as the Strike Parrot (aka “Bramen”) fizzed the ball wildly to the boundary. Cue uncontrolled cackling from both the African Grey and, rather less appropriately, the captain who had so helpfully provided the opposition with a booby-trapped fielder.

Mahapatra started in the Watson style with 8 off his first 27 balls (4 of which had been gifted by Captain Squawk) but Watson stroked a couple of nice boundaries to keep the score ticking. Eventually Watson got himself out, edging Roome to the wicketkeeper for 18. Enter Regis, yet to hit form with an average of 2.33 going into the match. From the start though, Regis played with composure and put on an excellent 105 with Mahapatra to take the score to 166. Batting until well after lunch, Tim scored 40 off 57 balls in what was comfortably his best innings for NTMCC thus far - from the look of things there will be many more runs to come. Piyush got 57 and looked comfortable throughout, only getting out when given the order to hit out late in the innings.

The last 4 overs saw a quickfire 19 from Muttukumaru and a dashing 12 from Joe Harris, three mighty boundaries demonstrating what the Menace can do when the mood takes him. Charlie Bevan, making his NTMCC debit, had no time to play himself in and was out cheaply. Bramen also came in and entertained the gathering crowd by running briskly between the wickets with Harris, club kit flying in all directions as he ran. The innings was declared at 202 for 7, a good total on a pitch offering bounce to all the bowlers.

The period before tea saw NTMCC open up with Beacham and debutant Sharp. Beacham bowled at a lively pace and Sharp found some good lift off the pitch. Meanwhile Spectre’s batsmen had two modes of attack: near-suicidal singles and belting the cover off the ball. Beacham was the first to take advantage of this adventurous approach, trapping Frasier for 2. The fast-improving Sharp followed this up next over, bowling Wille for 10. Beacham bowled both Hannon and Danchie before tea, leaving Spectre 45-4 at the break. In fact it could have been 5 wickets as Charlie Bevan made a great attempt diving forwards to take a catch off Beacham, but having clutched the ball, he lost it as he fell.

At this stage, NTMCC looked on course for a resounding victory. However, Macaulay and the adventurous Stevens scored freely after the break and it was left to Beckman to break the stand, opposition captain Macaulay skying the ball high to Muttukumaru at mid on. A spot of midsummer rain had given the pitch a little extra zip and Ed Perks came on to uproot Roome’s off stump. The incoming Elwood started to play out of his crease and Beckman got hit around a bit, but recovered (sort of) to take another wicket. Muttukumaru was again in the thick of things at mid on, Elwood cuffing a Beckman long hop straight to the fielder.

At 80-7 it looked all over, but credit must go to Firth and Stevens for getting to grips with the pitch and our bowlers. With most of the fielders on the boundary, Beacham went for 17 in one over. The decision was taken to bring on Mahapatra and when the leg-side was dissected twice, things looked grim. With the score on 141-7, our total was looking considerably less formidable than it had not long before. Beacham even contrived to drop a high catch, though in mitigation it was coming out of the sun. Anyhow, Beacham responded magnificently, bowling Firth for 29 with a fullish delivery.

Stevens was obviously slightly spooked by the arrival of the uncertain-looking Daniels and holed out at deep midwicket to Piyush, Olly Sharp capping a fine debut with a great catch. Perks briefly joined the other side (as he had played for them the previous year) to get them up to a full XI, but didn’t face a ball. Daniels smacked one leg side delivery for 4 but succumbed next ball, dollying a fairly simple catch for Regis to take at extra cover.

Overall, it was our best batting performance of the season. We were 166-2 at one point and the last 3 wickets were lost in the search for quick runs in the last three overs. A superb stand of 105 for the third wicket was the highlight, but the openers also performed very well, setting a very sound platform against consistently good bowling. In the field, we started brightly, falling away a little after the rain break but basically very good. Nico was sprightly in the covers (especially when fielding for the opposition!) and Charlie was very tidy behind the stumps. Particular mention to Beacham for picking up 4 wickets and Olly Sharp, who looked capable of picking up a lot of wickets.

Well done also to Poosh, who used all of his guile to dismiss two batsman. I’m not sure when his luck is going to run out, but it’s working at the moment; let’s hope it continues.

On the club front more generally, thanks to Perksy for travelling all day to make it - much appreciated. Also thanks to Claire and Tim for making the teas, which were generally acknowledged to be much better than mine. Those people will be fined accordingly.

Fantasy League Points (cumulative totals for all players in brackets - feel free to check your own, I’ve probably messed up the addition)

W Watson: 18 (41)

N Heslop: 21 (21)

P Mahapatra: 97 (201)

T Regis: 45 (43)

T Muttukumaru: 29 (259)

C Bevan: -10 (-10)

J Harris: 12 (2)

B Singanayagam: 0 (0)

J Beckman: 40 (186)

O Sharp: 25 (25)

D Beacham: 80 (258)

E Perks: 20 (20)

C Azarmgin: 0 (37)

S Bartle: 0 (28)

H Boot: 0 (68)

S Farrington: -10 (-10)

W Jobling: 0 (29)

O Malcolm: 0 (72)

A Marsh: 0 (7)

A Mostofi Jnr: 0 (18)

A Mostofi Snr: 0 (80)

C Penny: 0 (12)

J Standage: 0 (92)

M Stanton: 0 (-1)

B Tomlinson: 0 (69)

J Williams: 0 (45)

Club Man Points

W Watson: 1 (umpiring)

N Heslop: 2 (fielding for opposition, scoring)

P Mahapatra: 0 (especially for saying that the teas were better than mine)

T Regis: 5 (umpiring, making teas, taking/bringing kitbag)

C Bevan: 1 (scoring)

J Harris: 0

B Singanayagam: 2 (umpiring, fielding for opposition)

J Beckman: 1 (umpiring)

O Sharp: 2 (umpiring, scoring)

D Beacham: 1 (fielding for opposition)

Supporters Points

C Hemings: 4 (attending one innings, making teas)

C Ortleib: 2 (only attended one innings, but it was raining so bonus point awarded for perseverance)

N Wiseman: 2 (only attended one innings, but it was raining so bonus point awarded for perseverance)