“28 Days 318 Matches Later”

Match: 25 / 647

Lost by 5 runs

Team	Total
Harwell International CC	228 - 4
J. Nickel 2 - 33
FFTMCC	223 - 8
C. Williams 54*, G. Timms 54*

Following the unfortunate withdrawal of Long Compton due to player unavailability, a chance encounter whilst on the piss a few weeks previous enabled secretary Howarth to agree to resuscitate the Harwell fixture (last visited upon back in August 2022). So, many thanks to Boagy and Cordy for their enthusiasm on that day.

With the Harwell Campus thriving and billions being spent on new plant pots and iconic statues in the vicinity of the playing field, it was a familiar yet unfamiliar surround when The MAD decamped on Sunday. Towering cranes sit in the background whilst gleaming new offices try to hide behind trees and building apparatus. The ground itself is largely the same, and thankfully the croquet area is as we remember with that weird boundary line that draws around it.

Losing the toss, Captain Turner was quick to argue the case of having a 50-retirement rule enacted for the day, a design the Harwellians generously agreed to. The idea certainly didn’t help the skipper himself (more on that later), but it did influence the match in transforming it into a great game and one that will or at least should be remembered in time.

Williams gets the team off to a great start and then later sat with his pads on.

On a flat deck encircled by an expansive, sandy outfield, most of everyone who picked up a bat flogged a few for the home team. There would be three retirees out of a final total of 229-4, all of whom feasted on some pedestrian nothingness and less than average flan chucking by Team MAD. Nickel was perhaps the pick of the humdrum with 2-33, with Shorten winning the buffet contest with the final dish (8.5 per over). It is fair to say most of those busy in the kitchen produced some delicacy the batters could chomp into. Champagne went to Hotson who once again kept tidily with a superb, one-handed catch as he sprawled around in a cloud of dust.

Talking of people busying themselves in kitchens, Harwell served up a lovely tea at half-time with a smorgasbord of pastries, sandwiches and desserts. It really was a fine effort and totally in keeping with a very harmonious day in general. The lemon drizzle cake was a particular delight, although this hand sadly never tried it.

In reply, the home team’s total was made to look slightly less than imposing by a fine MAD opening stanza from Williams and Shorten. Putting the bad balls away of which there were many, Chris (54) retired at the end of the 11th over with the score on 91-0. This total was then pushed on nicely until the wheels fell off, the engine overheated and the rear axle collapsed under the weight of misguided optimism. Shorten (26) slapped one to mid-wicket, Harris got himself bowled (15), and Messrs Turner and Howarth were completely shit. 122-4.

Here the narrative is worsened by Nickel slapping one straight to some fielders.

If tradition was now to be adhered to, the FFTMCC would lose their remaining wickets and see Williams return at the death to hole out somewhere behind the bowler’s head. There would then be mass grumblings, swearing, bat throwing and it would be all Geoff's fault. Thankfully, this was not the case and something very warming and lovely happened on this day.

After 317 MAD matches, Mr Timms had never recorded a MAD fifty, and in fact, his high score of 45 was recorded back to when the dinosaurs walked the earth. His efforts this season hardly convinced this day would be any better, being that they were scores of 0*, 0, 0 and 0. Yet, as he clipped and picked a few singles here and there and added a sprinkling of 2s with the odd boundary, Gary looked like a player transformed. Indeed, was it actually him? The faces on the boundary were quite puzzled.

Partnerships with Cartwright (12), Nickel and Rundle (15) brought the run-chase and match to a tantalising conclusion, with Geoff and Jake wasting nobody’s time to leave 12 needed for victory off the final over. This, Timms failed to negotiate as he fluffed his lines, but he did however reach his fifty. A heartwarming moment for anyone with a soul who knows their MAD history and one that will definitely be remembered in time (particularly for Gary). Throughout this late melodrama, Williams simply sat with his pads on, fiddled with his gloves and didn’t return to the crease.

Finally.

So, a 5-run defeat in a match that threw up over 450 runs and plenty of cheer. We congratulate Harwell on playing the game as a friendly game should be played and look forward to playing them again later in the year.

As a footnote, Team MAD then repaired to the Packhorse pub where they drank a bit, moaned a bit and made the occasional positive comment about each other. Subsequently they all climbed into different automobiles and disappeared. Then there was none.

’Jules Millichamp’

*

Statto Scorecards

Far From the MCC versus Harwell International CC Played at Harwell, 1 June 2025 Harwell International CC won the toss and elected to bat Harwell International CC won by 5 runs Far from the MCC debuts: n/a

25 / 647 35 over match

Team	Harwell International CC
#	Batsman	How Out	Total	Balls	4s	6s	FOW
1	D. Strangward †	c Hotson b Nickel	13		3	-	1-51
2	J. Manwani	retired	53		9	-	2-184
3	J. Ross	retired	67		6	4	3-199
4	R. Banerjee	retired	52		6	1	4-209
5	P. Harland	b Harris	1		-	-
6	C. Perera	b Nickel	7		1	-
7	D. Sanghera	c Shorten b Rundle	2		-	-
8	B. Richmond	not out	12		1	-
9	D. Sengupta	not out	3		-	-
10	W. Nichols
11	C. Williams *
	Extras	NB2, W12, B4	18
	TOTAL	(for 4 wickets, 35 overs)	228

#	Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wkts	Econ
1	Nickel	7	1	33	2	4.71
2	Howarth	4	0	28	0	7.00
3	Timms	4	0	23	0	5.75
4	Shorten	4	0	34	0	8.50
5	Cartwright	3	0	24	0	8.00
6	Rundle	7	1	42	1	6.00
7	Harris	4	1	28	1	7.00
8	Williams	2	0	12	0	6.00

Team	Far From the MCC
#	Batsman	How Out	Total	Balls	4s	6s	FOW
1	C. T. J. Williams	retired	54	(37)	11	-	1-105
2	D. Shorten	c Williams b Harland	26	(32)	4	-	2-105
3	J. Harris	b Richmond	15	(20)	1	-	3-109
4	R. P. Turner *	c Manwani b Harland	0	(3)	-	-	4-122
5	I. Howarth	b Richmond	2	(4)	-	-	5-141
6	J. A. Cartwright	c Manwani b Ross	12	(27)	-	-	6-152
7	G. J. Timms	not out	54	(53)	5	-	7-217
8	J. E. Nickel	c Ross b Manwani	4	(13)	-	-	8-217
9	M. S. Rundle	b Richmond	15	(21)	1	-
10	G. Carter	b Richmond	0	(2)	-	-
11	J. C. W. Hotson †	not out	0	(1)	-	-
	Extras	NB3, W22, LB5, B11	41
	TOTAL	(for 8 wickets, 35 overs)	223

#	Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wkts	Econ
1	Banerjee	5	0	37	0	7.40
2	Sanghera	7	0	36	0	5.14
3	Sengupta	3	0	40	0	13.33
4	Harland	4	0	30	2	7.50
5	Richmond	7	0	28	4	4.00
6	Nichols	4	0	14	0	3.50
7	Ross	2	0	5	1	2.50
8	Manwani	3	0	20	1	6.67

MOTM: G. J. Timms Champagne Moment: J. C. W. Hotson’s diving one-handed catch (as keeper) Buffet Award: D. Shorten’s burnt sausage casserole (no gravy) MAD Moment: G. J. Timms trying to steal a simple catch to Turner only to bungle it against the skipper’s chest….

Opposition: V069 / 014 Ground: G056 / 011 Captain: C024 / 105 Match No: 35 / 246