“MAD Drop Their Balls”
Match: 25
/ 665
Lost
by 47 runs
|
Team |
Total |
|
Astons CC |
267 - 3 |
|
J. Hoskins 1 - 30 |
|
|
|
|
|
FFTMCC |
220 |
|
I. Howarth 73, J. Hoskins
46 |
|
|
After the previous week’s
post-Tour mauling, it was with a certain cheer to return to territory
familiar at Aston Tirrold. Nestled away in the sleepy Berkshire Downs, this
would be The MAD’s seventeenth visit to the ground and first since 2023 when
Skipper Turner used to win the odd coin toss. Nowadays, Russ never wins the
toss, and his team are invited to chase leather all afternoon in 30 degrees
heat.
This would also be the
first time in five years that Smith Jr would be playing, opening up in his
accustomed role and being pinned for a platinum first ball. However, this
ball was clearly missing both the off and leg, and only just hitting the one
in the middle halfway up, so not out according to Umpire Smith Snr. A good
decision, eh Nickel? Ralph would eventually
retire on 71, helped in no small measure by three or four drops from a total
of eleven or so encompassing the entire Astons innings. Kilcoyne (14) can
count himself extremely unlucky during this period of malaise, somehow finding
the maligned hands of Howarth holding on to one at deepest cow (poor
bastard). Swainton (104 retired)
gave it some thump as the innings came to an end, as did anyone who fancied
giving it some thump to be honest, the total maxing out on 267-3 after 35
exhausting overs in a sweaty field. Pick of the bowling was Vermaak, who
despite going wicketless, returned economy in going for a paltry 15 runs off
his 7 overs. Gary also had a bowl.
Timms would later receive the ball of the century
to bowl him (apparently). Tea was a subdued
affair with MAD players picking apart going for 595 runs in just 8 days,
sweating out ample enthusiasm whilst picking up a derisory 6 wickets. We’ve
had better times, much better. An unrealistic target
became slightly more realistic in the first hour of the reply, with Howarth
(73) and Williams (30) throwing the bat and the innings propelled along at 10
an over. In stark contrast to much of this afternoon, the spectacle of happy
MAD faces was a blessed relief. All good things come to
a juddering, shit encrusted turd of an ending of course. Ian ran out of
steam, Chris clothed one, Paul Turner ran himself out, Russ chipped up a
dolly and the one guy left who could really change the course of this match
(Shorten) decided to kick a wide one onto his stumps (as you do). A brief
cameo from Hoskins (46) versus some pie at the death mattered little, The MAD
finishing 47 runs short and slumping to a seventh consecutive defeat.
JMO flays some flan. Following
the game the teams retreated to the Red Lion in Blewbury, a quintessential
pub with an extremely relaxing beer garden where you can eat raw hanging
fruit and play cornhole. The place also has an interesting and varied
assortment of artwork inside, complemented with a landlady with a decent
sharpness of wit. It was at this venue The MAD decided cricket can be a bit
rubbish, so here’s to the next time when it hopefully isn’t as rubbish.
’A. Catcher’
|
*
Statto Scorecards
|
Far From the MCC versus Astons CC Played at Aston Tirrold, 17 August
2025 Astons CC the toss and elected to bat Astons CC won by 47 runs Far from the MCC debuts: n/a |
25 / 665 35 over match |
|
Team |
Astons CC |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
# |
Batsman |
How Out |
Total |
Balls |
4s |
6s |
FOW |
|
1 |
R. A.
Smith † |
retired |
71 |
(86) |
12 |
1 |
1-55 |
|
2 |
D.
Kilcoyne |
c Howarth b Hoskins |
14 |
(46) |
2 |
- |
2-65 |
|
3 |
N. Isaac |
b Shorten |
0 |
(3) |
- |
- |
3-246 |
|
4 |
T.
Swainston * |
retired |
104 |
(47) |
15 |
5 |
|
|
5 |
J.
Johnson |
b Roberts |
19 |
(18) |
2 |
- |
|
|
6 |
T.
Johnson |
not out |
22 |
(10) |
- |
2 |
|
|
7 |
W.
Rayner |
not out |
6 |
(3) |
1 |
- |
|
|
8 |
M.
Blewitt |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
9 |
A.
Skates |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
10 |
S. Smith |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
11 |
J.
Imbush |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Extras |
NB7, W4, LB2, B18 |
31 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOTAL |
(for 3 wickets, 35 overs) |
267 |
|
|
|
|
|
# |
Bowler |
Overs |
Maidens |
Runs |
Wkts |
Econ |
|
|
1 |
Nickel |
7 |
1 |
52 |
0 |
7.43 |
|
|
2 |
Vermaak |
7 |
2 |
15 |
0 |
2.14 |
|
|
3 |
Hoskins |
7 |
0 |
30 |
1 |
4.29 |
|
|
4 |
Shorten |
5 |
0 |
45 |
1 |
9.00 |
|
|
5 |
Timms |
4 |
0 |
66 |
0 |
16.50 |
|
|
6 |
Roberts |
5 |
0 |
33 |
1 |
6.60 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Team |
Far From
the MCC |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
# |
Batsman |
How Out |
Total |
Balls |
4s |
6s |
FOW |
|
1 |
I.
Howarth |
c Swainston b Isaac |
73 |
(50) |
9 |
2 |
1-80 |
|
2 |
C. T. J.
Williams |
c Skates b Imbush |
30 |
(23) |
6 |
- |
2-118 |
|
3 |
R. P.
Turner * |
c R. Smith b Isaac |
9 |
(20) |
1 |
- |
3-128 |
|
4 |
P. J.
Turner |
run out (Skates) |
9 |
(13) |
1 |
- |
4-140 |
|
5 |
D.
Shorten |
b Isaac |
5 |
(12) |
1 |
- |
5-141 |
|
6 |
C. D.
Roberts |
b Isaac |
0 |
(4) |
- |
- |
6-141 |
|
7 |
J. E.
Nickel |
c unknown b Isaac |
9 |
(6) |
2 |
- |
7-152 |
|
8 |
G. J.
Timms |
b Rayner |
2 |
(6) |
- |
- |
8-157 |
|
9 |
J. D.
Hoskins |
b Skates |
46 |
(39) |
8 |
1 |
9-204 |
|
10 |
G.
Carter † |
b Rayner |
2 |
(13) |
- |
- |
10-220 |
|
11 |
C. J.
Vermaak |
not out |
4 |
(9) |
1 |
- |
|
|
|
Extras |
NB6, W23, B2 |
31 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOTAL |
(all out, 31.3 overs) |
220 |
|
|
|
|
|
# |
Bowler |
Overs |
Maidens |
Runs |
Wkts |
Econ |
|
|
1 |
Kilcoyne |
4 |
0 |
42 |
0 |
10.50 |
|
|
2 |
Imbush |
4 |
0 |
39 |
1 |
9.75 |
|
|
3 |
S. Smith |
7 |
1 |
28 |
0 |
4.00 |
|
|
4 |
Isaac |
7 |
0 |
47 |
5 |
6.71 |
|
|
5 |
Rayner |
4 |
0 |
15 |
1 |
3.75 |
|
|
6 |
Blewitt |
3 |
0 |
32 |
0 |
10.67 |
|
|
7 |
Skates |
1.3 |
0 |
13 |
1 |
8.67 |
|
|
8 |
J.
Johnson |
1 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
2.00 |
|
|
MOTM: J. D. Hoskins Champagne Moment: J. D. Hoskins’ maximum
over cow corner Buffet Award: G. J. Timms’ burger deluxe (extra cheese and sides) MAD
Moment: C. J. Vermaak’s half volley
on the boundary using his ankle to prevent the ball potentially going for
six! Insane…. |
Opposition:
V046 / 026 Ground: G035 / 016 Captain: C024 / 113 Match No: 35 / 254 |