Match Reports 2010

League match 20 June 2010 Noe Gascogne (Home)

Following a mixed bag of league results this season (strong win against Toulouse & narrow defeat to Armagnac) Midi were set on a return to winning ways. Having defeated Noe Gasconge in the same fixture in 2009 there was confidence among the players and on a bright if somewhat breezy day Dom won the toss and decided to bat. Noe had only able to muster 9 players and Midi hoped to run them ragged in the field and post upwards of 200.

The reliable pair of Rogers and Allison opened the batting, feeling their way into the game against a pacey opening attack, a few half chances were put down as Noe searched for a wicket. Finally the breakthrough came, Allison caught in the deep when a lofted drive was held up in the breeze. In came the skipper and the total passed 50 without further incident. Rogers began to free his arms and the scoring accelerated, then some questionable calling between the wickets led to Dom’s dismissal just before the drinks break, Rogers departing immediately after the restart with an edge to slip. Frost and Morgan took little time settling in and kept the scoreboard ticking. After a lively partnership of 40 the pair were separated when Morgan was bowled, bring in Bowyer at number 6. More confusion, another run out and Bowyer was on his way back in short time. Frost was out 5 runs later & Dalling hit an imperious straight drive before being bowled by Stephan. Gupwell and Lalljee tried to push on at the close but the runs didn’t flow and Midi finished on 166 – 7 (Rogers 42). Pick of the bowlers were Stephan (8 overs 22 -2) and Tamiz (8 overs 21-0).

Realising they’d have to bowl Noe out Midi began with an aggressive field. Noe started briskly but when Bowyer removed Vithu for 13 with one that skidded on and Gupwell cleaned up Anbu for 16 Noe were left reeling on 35–2. Noe’s middle order continued to go for their shots and ride their luck a little with the score racing to 80 until Midi broke through again, Abid well caught by Gupwell at point. With just over 12 overs bowled and already half way to their target Noe took a more tactical approach. Pete shutting out everything at one end and Stephan scoring off the loose deliveries at the other. A partnership of 53 almost saw them home but a late flurry from Gupwell, removing Pete for 8 and Stephan for 60 gave Midi a glimmer of hope. No further chances were forthcoming and Noe crossed the line without incident (Gupwell 7 overs 3-48)

The disappointment was apparent as Midi just couldn’t manage to get going with bat or ball, though the opportunity for positive response in the upcoming away fixture is only a short wait.

League Match 30 May 2010 Armagnac (Home)

Midi hosted the new-look Armagnac side at St Pons and the visitors elected to bat having won the toss. Although Midi got a couple of early wickets, Armagnac’s new strength in depth was evident, and a couple of their players took to the Midi attack. However, Midi worked well in the field and tightened up their bowling, finally allowing ABCC to reach 234, when 300 had looked likely at one stage.

Midi started slowly and were soon behind the run rate. A couple of wickets went down, and Midi needed to do something quickly. ABCC also had a young, quick bowler who was bowling a great line and length, and his 8 overs went for very little. Having seen him off, skipper Dom had a go at the bowling, and Midi got the run rate down to 7 an over. When Dom was out for 46 the new batsmen had no time to play themselves in and consequently the run rate went up. Midi finished with a creditable 205 against a very good Armagnac side.

Despite defeat, there were positives, not least the improvement in the Midi fielding, no doubt thanks to the extra fielding practices run brilliantly this year by Dave Mickleborough.

League match 23 May 2010 Toulouse (Home)

Midi opened their league campaign with a convincing win over Toulouse at St Pons. The visitors batted first, and some impressive and hostile Midi bowling kept the run rate down and eventually wickets started to tumble. All the bowlers chipped in with wickets, and Rob Bowyer was particularly accurate as usual, with John and Tim providing the chin music for the Toulouse batsmen. Toulouse were skittled for 123 in the 27th over.

Midi started well, but the openers went in quick succession. John and Dom took Midi to within 40 of the target before they went quickly. Two more wickets fell, and Toulouse had their tail up, but Rob and Dave saw Midi home with 6 wickets to spare.

All in all, a good performance although a couple of catches were put down again.

Easter Monday 2010 - Friendly vs No Hope XI

Midi kicked off the 2010 season with under sunny skies on Easter Monday, with a match against the oddly-named “No Hope XI”. They arrived at Midi having soundly thrashed the strong Entrecastaux club the day before in a 20/20 match.
The day began with a well-attended pétanque competition and a Great Ken Miller BBQ, both of which, along with the bar helped to raise valuable funds for the club.
The visitors opted to bat and Midi soon had them in trouble at 20 for 2. But then in came Luke Gunn, and despite giving one of the 15 catching chances that Midi dropped, went on to give the best  display of clean, straight hitting that has been witnessed at the St Pons ground. He hit some gigantic straight sixes, and none of the bowlers were spared, although in their defence, they were all lacking training and match practice. The real problem was the catching though, and it is no exaggeration to say that instead of the 322 that the Visitors posted, had Midi held only half of their chances, they would have restricted them to 200.
The No Hope XI’s bowling had less teeth than their batting, and although initially rather slow, Paul Rogers and Nick Allison were just starting to look comfortable and hit some boundaries when they were both out in quick succession. Wickets tumbled thereafter, and although skipper Dom George hit a quickfire 66, Midi were never going to reach the target, and were bowled out for a respectable 201. Given that the team had not yet played a competitive match and that two practices had been washed out, Midi didn’t actually perform that badly, apart from the catching.
Plenty of improvement will be needed before the first league match on May 9th.

Match Reports 2009

Match Reports 2008