MCC v DJK Goggigen 30th June 2018 (Played at The Hirsch).
“The history of watches began in 16th century Europe, where watches evolved from portable spring-driven clocks, which first appeared in the 15th century. … Although mechanical watches still sell at the high end of the market, the vast majority of watches now have quartz movements.” Wikipedia.
It rained miserably all Thursday and grumbling messages were posted on the club FB page. Friday began gloomy as hell and autumnal temperatures, but gently things began to lift. By lunchtime there was an occasional golden ray that pushed up another degree C at every attempt. Come 4:30pm the gates to The Hirsch were opened for business and a clutch of optimists were rolling out the flicx under puffy white clouds, brightly lit against a background of ocean blue.
Scroll forward to Saturday and (ignoring the events of the night preceding… (You know who you are!)) the clouds had entirely vaporised and positivity, rewarded. The hallowed turf was softer than Grannies bed, in total odds with the sky.
Years of mid-day tossing paid off as the coin dropped in the MCC skippers’ favour and he had no hesitation in inserting the opposition.
I should say now that the scorebook, although accurate, is missing some handy information. Like the score at fall of wicket and in which over? In fact this would not be a problem, had the overs been filled in? So from memory, it went something like this:
Goggigen opening bat #1. Ct Sumeet (One handed full stretched dive, snaffling the ball in front of the open hands of Craig at first slip. Excellent take!) Bowled Waqas for 8.
#3 was next to go, Ct Deverill @ mid-off, bowled Waqas for 0.
#4 Ct Deverill @ silly mid-off, bowled Macca for 1.
#5 Ct Sumeet, bowled Waqas for 0.
#6 Ct Deverill (I don’t remember this one?), bowled Macca for 7.
#7 (I enjoyed this one. It was Sharifi, the opposition captain (My opposite number). Nice bloke, and it was the interplay that I liked. By now we were very much on top. I felt he was really under pressure to do something dynamic so I took Macca out from leg gully and put him at midwicket, dropping Varun in to the deep on the leg. I was firmly positioned at silly-mid-off under a wide-brimmed hat, complete with reflective glasses. I was there to intimidate the batsmen in to playing aggressively before they had got in. He looked directly at me. I showed no emotion back. He looked away and then looked back at me again. I smiled a little crocodile smile and he gave half laugh back and shook his head a little). Ct Macca, bowled Waqas that very ball for 2.
#2 This was ridiculous. The guy had been the only one to play with the temperament to bat the whole innings. He’d hardly played a forcing shot and I wanted to coax him in to more aggression. The opportunity came when, mid-innings, he changed his bat. “We’re expecting big things from you now” I told him. “I hope that bat’s better than the last one?” chirped Craig. “Watch out! He’s got a new bat lads!” – Sumeet. After a couple of overs of goading he unleashed a perfectly timed cover drive. Stop the watch and scroll back 20 years.
Twenty years ago I was positioned at silly mid-off, starring down an opponent. He unleashed a perfectly timed cover drive. In a flash, I saw it hit the middle of the bat and the ball head directly between my eyes. The next thing I saw was the back of my hand and a red ball planted firmly in it. At 28, you have the reflexes of a starving cat.
Scroll forwards twenty years again. Same scenario. I don’t see a damn thing really. The ball hits me in the upper thigh and as I crumple my beer belly traps the ball. Ct Deverill, bowled Macca for 5.
When my wife saw the bruise, she said “You could have been out of action for years!!!?”
#8 Plumb LBW, bowled Macca for 7.
#9 Bowled Macca for 0 (Macca on a hatrick).
Hatrick ball, the field in, bullet straight, ball pops up back to bowler, Macca tumbles but can’t cover the ground. Ball falls short. So close!
Last ball of Macca’s spell:
#11 Ct Varun, bowled Macca.
Goggigen bowled out in 15 overs for 45. No catches dropped. Top opening spells from both ends.
In reply MCC made 46 in 8.3 overs without loss. Varun Deshpande 26 N.O. Craig Barrett 5 N.O. The rest in extras.
Is this MCC’s most conclusive win, ever? I don’t know, you’ll have to consult the oracles. It must be among them?
It was a day where everything aligned and special things happened. After a friendly T20 which saw them beaten again, Goggigen left promising that they would have their revenge when they have home advantage. Who knows? The cricketing gods have a nasty sense of humour, but for now we’ll take the win!
Stats:
Mahmoud Khan, 8 overs, 3 Maidens, 15 Runs, 6 Wickets.
Waqas Khan, 7 overs, 1 Maiden, 28 Runs, 4 Wickets.
Catches. Jonathan Deverill 4 (Although I cannot recall one of them, so if you took it you’d better say now!) Sumeet 2, Varun 1, Macca 1.
Runs Craig 5* Varun 25*
MCC win by 10 wickets.
MOM: Macca, without doubt.
JD
