Not the MCC v Not the MCC

Not the MCC played the self-styled “Not the MCC Antiquities” in a high-spirited encounter on a fine July afternoon.

The video from this game can be found here.

T Muttukumaru (Junior) took to the field with C Muttukumaru (Senior) to contest the toss. And to the delight of the travelling away support gathering in force on the boundary, it was the older man who called correctly. Seizing the initiative on what looked a lively surface, Chris decided to bowl.

After a delay of some 35 minutes while H Boot made his way through the traffic (he was bringing the stumps), the game commenced. Openers Williams and Jobling (aggregate height, 12’8 and a bit) quickly stamped their authority on the game, Williams cutting and driving stylishly and Jobling producing some fine dabs (one directly to first slip, though the fielder didn’t take the catch). In the sixth over, Jobling looked to have really hit form as he bashed a 4 straight back past opening bowler Desai. Unfortunately, the next ball lasered in on the middle stump and Jobling rather foolishly swished too early. 45-1.

Hamer Boot to bat. Quite how The Man Who Was Late And Delayed The Start By More Than Half An Hour was allowed to bat so high is a mystery, not least to your correspondent. Anyway, he began to redeem himself with some of his customary flashy strokeplay. While Williams’ scoring began to stagnate against first change bowlers Ramamurthy and Hoare, Boot opened his shoulders to good effect on a number of occasions, passing the 50 mark off a mere 30 deliveries. One over from the unfortunate Revill went for 20, Boot tucking into the bowling with the same relish he usually reserves for a smoked ham quiche (more of that at lunchtime).

As the lunch break approached, Williams too reached his half century. His booming six straight back over leg spinner Heath’s head was especially well-received in the nearby children’s playground. However, he fell in a rather curious pre-lunch period of play which featured three runouts. While both batsmen were at fault for Williams’ demise, Boot was fairly clearly to blame for the dismissals of both Brown and Joe “Menace” Harris. Straight back into the bad books, though credit must be given to the fielding side for taking their chances when they came. Tariq Desai’s runout of Brown was a particular highlight.

Anyway, it was decided over lunch that Boot was so immensely culpable for the innocent Harris’ wicket that he, not the Menace, should be terminated. And so a reincarnated Menace and a rather chirpy Beacham returned to the crease after an excellent lunch courtesy of S Watson (aided by W Jobling). Menace’s cameo was extraordinarily entertaining, featuring as it did a full array of hockey shots to all parts and some daring running between the wickets. After initially struggling with batsman’s vertigo, Beacham joined in the fun, hitting several boundaries (including, *shock*, a six!).

Harris was finally dismissed for 17, caught sharply by wicketkeeper James Grant off the canny bowling of Heath. Muttukumaru Junior came and went for a quickfire 20, the obvious highlight of which was a slow handclap as his father careered down the hill, ball in hand, from the Wandsworth End. A more frightening sight in cricket is rarely seen (though as Piyush can testify, the Laser is pretty damn scary too).

The captain having retired himself, Mahapatra came in for a brief 7 not out, Beacham ending up unbeaten for a most composed 32, his best score of the season. 253-5 was the final total.

The Youthful NTMCC took to the field fresh and enthusiastic, having put on a fine show with the bat and with the hope that the opposition might crumble in the face of their mountainous total. However, the Elder Statesmen are made of sterner stuff than that, and the NTMCC bubble was quickly burst by a belligerent opening partnership of 45 by Heath and Grant. Heath was especially quick to punish anything loose and Tomlinson, uncharacteristically wayward, endured a few tough overs from the Wandsworth End. New recruit Stephen Harrison was steaming in from the Putney End with rather greater control over line and length and it was he who struck in the 8th over, Heath lbw for 34.

Alex Ramamurthy batted out the remaining pre-tea overs with Grant, both batsmen showing good application in the face of some very disciplined bowling from Harrison and some pacey swing bowling from Bartle. Tea was taken at 4:30pm and thanks must go to A Muttukumaru, E Cannell and G Higson-Smith for providing a wonderful spread.

Charged up and ready to go, Not the MCC Juniors emerged like a pack of starving wolves, even though some of them could barely move for over-consumption of confectionery. Beacham was looking especially portly/guilty and was sent to the boundary to get some exercise. Tomlinson, looking rather more svelte, resumed from the Putney End and after an inauspicious start, found a better line of attack than he had at the start of the innings. However, it was the skipper who provided the breakthrough, Ramamurthy marauding down the track, only to be stumped by a very alert Mahapatra for 15.

Nick Muttukumaru was in next but after smashing the ball at his brother in the covers one ball, he was bowled by Tomlinson next up. The Linklaters man jumped about 6 feet in the air in a moment of unrestrained triumph, finishing strongly with a wicket maiden.

Desai Junior came to the crease and lapped up some juicy offerings from Mahapatra, who was taking ‘flight’ to unprecedented levels. New wicketkeeper Beacham looked a little perplexed as Piyush’s first over went for 9. However, the wicket of Grant in the next over, getting a leading edge to Boot at short cover, gave Not the MCC Juniors the opening they wanted. A very fine innings of 38 from Grant was the clear highlight of the innings, bringing back fond memories for many of the fans on the boundary. A guard of honour was formed for the incoming Chris Muttukumaru and his defiance was a key feature of the innings hereon.

As the overs ticked by, a draw seemed increasingly likely, but the “spinners” Mahapatra and Muttukumaru kept picking up wickets. Tariq Desai was caught brilliantly by that man Boot (again in the thick of things), one handed above his head… off a quite atrocious full toss from Mahapatra. Ramamurthy Senior was snaffled by Beacham behind the stumps off a deceptive ‘quicker one’. Revill was well caught by Menace at mid-off. In between these wickets, Hoare was trapped lbw on his crease by the strangely effective off-‘spin’ of T Muttukumaru.

Founder member John Hough put up stout resistance to the returning Harrison and his partnership with Muttukumaru Senior looked like taking the game to a draw. James Brown bowled an over, Harrison tried manfully to find the edge of the bat with three eager slips waiting, but all to no avail. Eventually it was left to Menace/Harris to finish off the innings, Hough skying a catch to Tim Muttukumaru at deep mid-on and Chris Muttukumaru making an ill-advised foray down the wicket, stumped by the irrepressible Beacham for 8.

And so the innings closed on 127 all out. A thoroughly enjoyable occasion and a well-contested game. Particularly solid performances from Boot, Grant, Heath and Williams with the bat; especially good bowling from the luckless Harrison and the also-fairly-luckless Bartle. With regret, Boot gets man of the match for his innings and 2 catches (one especially valuable as it was off my bowling). We hope for a similar fixture next year if the “Seniors” are up for it again; thanks to all for turning out but particularly to our tea-providers as mentioned above.

Fantasy Cricket Points

J Williams: 57 (92)

W Jobling: 17 (46)

H Boot: 84 (170)

J Brown: -10 (-10)

J Harris: 62 (69)

D Beacham: 47 (422)

T Muttukumaru: 85 (398)

P Mahapatra: 77 (278)

S Harrison: 20 (20)

B Tomlinson: 20 (89)

S Bartle: 0 (28)

C Azarmgin: 0 (37)

J Beckman: 0 (187)

C Bevan: 0 (-10)

S Farrington: 0 (-10)

N Heslop: 0 (16)

O Malcolm: 0 (72)

A Marsh: 0 (-3)

A Mostofi Jnr: 0 (18)

A Mostofi Snr: 0 (80)

C Penny: 0 (12)

E Perks: 0 (56)

T Regis: 0 (124)

O Sharp: 0 (85)

B Singanayagam: 0 (0)

J Standage: 0 (105)

M Stanton: 0 (-1)

I Thoroughgood: 0 (28)

W Watson: 0 (41)

Club Man Points

J Williams: 1 (umpiring)

W Jobling: 3 (making/bringing/organising teas)

H Boot: 1 (on the plus side, taking/bringing the kit, on the negative side, arriving late and running out his team-mates!)

J Brown: 1 (victim of Boot running)

J Harris: 0

D Beacham: 3 (scoring, bringing teas - thanks again to Ellie for actually making these!)

P Mahapatra: 1 (umpiring)

S Harrison: 1 (scoring)

B Tomlinson: 1 (bringing supporters)

S Bartle: 1 (scoring)

Supporters Points

L Caldicott: 2 (two innings attendance)

R Desai: 4 (full match umpiring)

H de Silva: 2 (both innings attended)

G Higson-Smith: 2 (teas, attending one innings)

A Muttukumaru: 4 (teas, attending both innings)

S Watson: 5 (teas, bringing kit, full match attendance)

+ a number of others (J Goring, J Hough to name but two), thanks to all for coming.