“The Coin is Madder than the Ball”

Match: 26 / 678

Won by 9 runs

Team	Total
FFTMCC	101 - 8
G. Timms 34*, M. Rundle 22*
Appleton CC	92 - 8
D. Shorten 1 - 2, M. Stanbury 1 - 6

Let’s get The MAD Moment out of the way first. Bob fielded a ball with his feet that popped up to be juggled with each hand to fall back to the floor and be booted off for him to resume the chase. Russ was struck on the pad, he and Lucan began a leg bye, but Russ was given out LBW. Lucan asked whether he now was on strike as they had crossed. Lucan protested this was a fair question at the inquest, but his teammates insisted it was a silly question. Lastly a ball was glanced into a vacant square leg with the field spread. No one from The MAD reacted until the ball had come to a halt, each looking at the other. Finally hare footed Timms zipped in. The question before committee was who would be up for Mad moment if this was voted in? Gleefully it was agreed that the ball would win – and this being the first time a non-human would have won – it was readily voted in. Until it was recalled that the coin toss resulted in for the first time a coin that LANDED ON ITS SIDE. Yes, you read that right – see photo. So, a quick re-vote deposed the ball and instated the coin as the winner of MAD moment. Only those that look back will understand the times we live in.

As evidenced….

On to the game. Traffic delayed a few so upon a second toss Lego elected to bat. Wayne had agreed to play a very inclusive format of 30 retirement and 3 overs maximum per bowler. Speaking as the skipper I really appreciate the Apples for their approach to our T20s to spread the love amongst all the players in the teams.

The MAD did not get off to a great start. Things stuttered badly. A mixture of some poor luck, poor calling and poor shots left us 36-7. The usually upbeat skipper murmured it could be an early night. It was not an early night. A fantastic 58 run partnership from Timms (34*) and Rundle (22*), brought The MAD to a very respectable 101 after 20 overs. Rundle played as he always does – gets himself set from 10 or so balls and then accelerates away. Timms – a natural and fluent stroke maker – at one point hit three consecutive fours – a straight drive, a pull to square leg, and then in response to heckles for his trademark reverse hit swatted a high full toss reverse through third man. 34 of 19 balls I might add. Surely 58 is a record for T20 8th wicket partnership. And so, the game was firmly back on, on a strip that offered variable bounce and lateral movement.

Recent library footage of Timms being Timms with a bat.

On a chilly blowy evening, but without the sometimes trademark stench from the nearby sewage plant, The MAD took to the field to defend their total. Nickel opened and bowled two overs for a miserly single run. Shorten opening at the other and was comparatively 100% more expensive but did have Gilkes bowled to one that kept low leaving the Apples on 4-1 off 4 – a perfect start for The MAD. Rundle replaced Nickel and put in 2 overs at 3 an over and Stanbury showed his all-round quality flying in his left armers and having the young Tipler bowled just as he looked to get going. 8 over gone at 17-2. The pressure was starting to ramp up for the batters.

Next up were Roberts and Timms. After a wayward first over Bob returned in Angry Bob mode after the skipper insisted he continue, bowling a wicket maiden and having the ever-dangerous Bennett caught by Turner using his new cradling the ball to the stomach technique which is mighty effective. That was the first of two catches for Russ, the second was caught low at pace in the covers which earned the Champagne moment. After 13 from his first over only 6 more came from the next two and with Timms 3 overs going for a wicket and 13 runs the run rate was steadily climbing. Notable also were two run outs from Stanbury and Carter, the second from a great pick up in the deep and a sweeping left arm throw neatly collected and dispatched by Carter. This left Appleton on 47 for 5 off 14, 58 required from 6. R Landin was a lurking brooding threat, but with the field set back strategically The MAD were mainly able to limit him to singles and twos. Closing out the game expertly were Pearson and Turner a role not familiar to the latter. James does what he does conceding 14 from 3 and Turner bowled very well and closed out the last over for the win.

Carter strides out to face… one ball…

36-7. Remember that. Cricket is a funny game. You are never out of it. Except when you have lost. Thank you Wayne and the Apples for an enjoyable Friday evening embracing the best of friendly cricket.

Lastly a special mention goes to Midge’s successor. J Bennett has a 10-month-old ginger and white long-haired Jack Russell called Fennel. Hopefully he will become a new fixture mascot as Midge did for years. Fennel is very friendly and likes both humans and other dogs, and thus far doesn’t appear to want to disappear and hunt the local wildlife for 3 hours and appear happy and bloodstained at the end of the game. Welcome Fennel and thanks for the face wash, and thankyou Midge you mad crazy dog, gone 4 years this May.

Gone, but certainly not forgotten.

’Lego’

*

Statto Scorecards

Far From the MCC versus Appleton CC Played at Appleton, 5 June 2025 Far From the MCC won the toss and elected to bat Far From the MCC won by 9 runs Far from the MCC debuts: n/a

26 / 678 20 over match

Team	Fra From the MCC
#	Batsman	How Out	Total	Balls	4s	6s	FOW
1	D. Shorten *	b Jones	3	(3)	-		1-4
2	J. W. Pearson	lbw b Russ	7	(16)	1		2-20
3	R. J. T. Hadfield	run out	15	(25)	2		3-31
4	J. A. Cartwright	run out	4	(4)	-		4-34
5	R. P. Turner	b Geller	2	(7)	-		5-35
6	G. J. Timms	retired	34	(26)	7		6-35
7	C. D. Roberts	lbw b Geller	0	(2)	-		7-36
8	J. E. Nickel	c unknown b S. Foy	1	(5)	-		8-101
9	M. S. Rundle	not out	22	(28)	3
10	M. Stanbury	c unknown b Lamdin	4	(3)	1
11	G. Carter †	not out	0	(1)	-
	Extras	W8, LB1	9
	TOTAL	(for 8 wickets, 20 overs)	101

#	Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wkts	Econ
1	Jones	2	0	5	1	2.50
2	Bennett	2	0	9	0	4.50
3	Russ	3	0	9	1	3.00
4	Geller	3	0	12	2	4.00
5	S. Foy	2	0	13	1	6.50
6	F. Foy	2	0	15	0	7.50
7	Bushnell	2	0	11	0	5.50
8	Lamdin	3	0	17	1	5.67
9	Tkaczyk	1	0	9	0	9.00

Team	Appleton CC
#	Batsman	How Out	Total	Balls	4s	6s	FOW
1	E. Gilkes †	b Shorten	2		-	-
2	D. Tipler	b Stanbury	3		-	-
3	J. Bennett	c Turner b Roberts	17		1	-
4	F. Foy	run out (Stanbury/Carter)	6		-	-
5	S. Foy	c Turner b Timms	2		-	-
6	R. Lamdin	not out	32		3	1
7	W. Geller *	run out (Stanbury/Carter)	7		-	-
8	M. Tkaczyk	st Carter b Turner	0		-	-
9	J. Russ	b Pearson	1		-	-
10	P. Bushnell	not out	12		2	-
11	S. Jones
	Extras	W2, LB6, B2	10
	TOTAL	(for 8 wickets, 20 overs)	92

#	Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wkts	Econ
1	Nickel	2	1	1	0	0.50
2	Shorten	2	0	2	1	1.00
3	Rundle	2	0	6	0	3.00
4	Stanbury	2	0	6	1	3.00
5	Roberts	3	1	19	1	6.33
6	Timms	3	0	10	1	3.33
7	Pearson	3	0	14	1	4.67
8	Turner	3	0	31	1	10.33

MOTM: G. J. Timms Champagne Moment: R. P. Turner’s great catch low down to one given a proper whack! Buffet Award: R. P. Turner’s lard cake (cheap Aldi yoghurt side) MAD Moment: Bizarre coin toss as it lands and sticks on its side….

Opposition: V051 / 043 Ground: G042 / 029 Captain: C016 / 053 Match No: 20 / 206