“Geoff Gets Run Out, But Doesn’t,

But Then it Doesn’t Matter Anyway”

Match: 25 / 658

Won by 7 wkts

Team	Total
Enstone CC	150 - 8
G. Timms 3 - 25, M. Reeves 2 - 34
FFTMCC	151 - 3
I. Howarth 86*, J. Pearson 35

With the Met Office warning the planet is going to burn in a few years’ time and the UK now breaking heat and rainfall records increasingly frequently, The MAD decamped to Brasenose to lose a few stone in weight whilst running after a silly red ball.

Library footage of Russ (left) successfully losing the toss just a fortnight ago.

Captain Turner quickly lost the toss (again), and the visitors rather predictably chose to slump in deckchairs, top up suntans and watch their batsmen flog it about the surrounding greeneries for the next few hours. It was an innings that never really got into gear to be honest, having the odd flourish, getting interrupted by drinks breaks and of course the occasional jogging of a fielder to the boundary to retrieve that ball. The Darley’s were tidy up front, with Snr going for a paltry 1.5 an over, but the real brakes were applied by Hoskins (1-26) and Reeves (2-34) who bowled beautifully in tandem (as is their want). Mike bowled a few dudes through the French doors whilst JMO scooped the Dom Pérignon with one that did for Enstone dangerman, Ahmed. Russ was exemplary with the gloves throughout and laterally claimed to have lost half his bodyweight in sweat.

Despite an incurable hangover that rendered him unconscious, Timms (3-25) still managed to entice a few errors with his sick bag. His notable uncoordinated success was mirrored by the alcoholic wreck of Howarth, who briefly awoke from his stupor to affect a direct run out whilst aiming at a minimum of nine stumps. Who says the drinks don’t work?

Brasenose. Our home.

With things seemingly just going The MAD’s way throughout, even the clouds played a part by blotting out the intense sun for periods. Time enough for some legside dross from Vermaak at the death and that was it. 150-8 and time to flee from the field to the shade and shadows of the pavilion, to better slake thirst and indulge in another consummate Nottinghamshire Teas.

On resumption, Williams (8) hit a few then got inexplicably done by a straight one playing a forward defensive. This is now the fourth time this season our misfiring, run machine has been done in this manner and he’s more than likely taken advice from Geoff. Here’s some more advice: get back on the drink as soon as possible.

Howarth now joined Mr Pearson at the crease, and in a typically skittish beginning attempted to whack and clatter most things, before finding himself mellowed by his partner’s catatonic ambience. James can simply bat all day without a care in world, and he does it seemingly without actually doing anything, other than compiling large 50s for the team to bat around that is. He is a model of serenity. If the world went to war, you would want Pearson in your trench, just casually loading his gun and finding something whimsical to muse about before his imminent death.

Pearson plodding through the gears.

It would be some twenty overs later, excessive ambling between the wickets, the odd waft into the outfield and two drink breaks later that this MAD pairing (116) would eventually be separated – and – most unusually, it would be Corporal Pearson (35) to go, stepping to leg to do something only he can probably fathom. It thus allowed an impromptu MAD Moment whereby Geoff marched out, got run out, walked off again, was retrieved back by the keeper having fumbled the ball, and then out lbw to the subsequent ball. A true legend only adding to his remarkable immortality and blindingly funny.

With a notional twenty or so still needed for a MAD win, Darley Snr (5*) resisted the big hits to accompany Spam (86*) to the finishing line with a little under 3 overs left. With all the injuries and absentees in MAD ranks, this represented a very solid win and a bloody good effort by all considering. Well done, lads.

Back at the pub it was time to sate thirst, discuss climate change, Gary v Spam’s hangover, Andrew Darley’s secret middle-name, where the hell has Emerson been (?), Gonzo’s incoming reappearance after nearly a decade abroad, playing cricket when pissed, exploring options to sell pizzas from barges on the Thames, upcoming Tour, Russ’ inexorable ten year relocation to Cumnor, and why his lovely missus (Jac) didn’t know who “Ian” was?

All as it should be then.

’Cider Pundit’

*

Statto Scorecards

Far From the MCC versus Enstone CC Played at Brasenose, 13 July 2025 Enstone CC the toss and elected to bat Far From the MCC won by 7 wkts Far from the MCC debuts: n/a

25 / 658 35 over match

Team	Enstone CC
#	Batsman	How Out	Total	Balls	4s	6s	FOW
1	D. Stevens	run out (Howarth)	35		3	-	1-37
2	M. Numan	b Reeves	8		1	-	2-50
3	H. Ahmed †	b Hoskins	9		2	-	3-77
4	A. Bosch	b Reeves	17		3	-	4-111
5	S. Ashraf	c Turner b Timms	21		3	-	5-120
6	D. Branch	c A. Darley b Timms	20		2	-	6-143
7	S. Brown	c Williams b Vermaak	8		1	-	7-147
8	T. Peterson *	not out	1		-	-	8-147
9	D. Stewart	b Timms	0		-	-
10	F. Peterson	not out	1		-	-
11	A. Inskip
	Extras	NB2, W20, B8	30
	TOTAL	(for 8 wickets, 35 overs)	150

#	Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wkts	Econ
1	A. Darley	4	1	6	0	1.50
2	M. Darley	5	0	26	0	5.20
3	Reeves	7	2	34	2	4.86
4	Hoskins	7	1	26	1	3.71
5	Timms	7	0	25	3	3.57
6	Vermaak	5	1	24	1	4.80

Team	Far From the MCC
#	Batsman	How Out	Total	Balls	4s	6s	FOW
1	J. W. Pearson	b Bosch	35	(80)	2	-	1-14
2	C. T. J. Williams	b Bosch	8	(16)	1	-	2-120
3	I. Howarth	not out	86	(82)	11	-	3-128
4	G. Carter	lbw b Bosch	0	(5)	-	-
5	A. J. Darley	not out	5	(15)	-	-
6	M. F. Darley
7	J. D. Hoskins
8	R. P. Turner *†
9	M. K. Reeves
10	G. J. Timms
11	C. J. Vermaak
	Extras	NB5, W8, B4	17
	TOTAL	(for 8 wickets, 32.1 overs)	151

#	Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wkts	Econ
1	Bosch	7	0	21	3	3.00
2	Inskip	4	0	28	0	7.00
3	Numan	3	0	14	0	4.67
4	T. Peterson	7	0	22	0	3.14
5	Stewart	5	0	30	0	6.00
6	Branch	3	0	17	0	5.67
7	F. Peterson	2.1	0	10	0	4.62
8	Brown	1	1	0	0	0.00

MOTM: I. Howarth Champagne Moment: A. J. Darley’s fine overhead catch at mid off Buffet Award: M. F. Darley’s junior packets of half decent crisps MAD Moment: G. Carter’s run out, non-run out, being retrieved and then subsequently lbw the next ball….

Opposition: V073 / 014 Ground: G040 / 116 Captain: C024 / 111 Match No: 35 / 252