Against the will of the weather a game of cricket broke out at Merchant Taylors’ School which, having lost nearly 500 of its first 768 Championship overs, must rank as the most luckless county venue. Last season’s match between Middlesex and Sussex was completely washed out but, thanks to a lively pitch and some inventive captaincy from Middlesex’s James Franklin, 236.5 proved enough overs to take this game to the wire.
After a washed-out Monday and overnight rain, followed by an early-morning downpour and lunchtime drizzle (that gobbled up 22 more overs), a result – with 22 wickets standing – should have been beyond even the most willing captains and generous batsmen.
As it was, with an excellent Nick Compton catch off a skied Tim Groenewald drive and Eoin Morgan’s smart run out of Michael Bates, Middlesex docked Somerset’s tail quickly and the game was moving. That they then defied the pitch to rock along at a rate in excess of 4.5 an over either side of that stoppage (which was elongated by light and logistical issues – lunch was not ready) to set Somerset a target of 219 in 40 overs, said plenty for their enterprise.
A fluctuating final session followed, without the dreaded – and once near-inevitable – early handshake. Middlesex came up three wickets short but only when Jim Allenby – the sixth wicket – departed did Somerset look truly buried.
With a first-innings lead of 86, Middlesex bristled with intent. Both openers fell to beauties; Sam Robson feathered an inside edge off Groenewald and Joe Burns nicked Peter Trego to second slip.
Then the rain came and hope abated before Jamie Overton chopped Dawid Malan in half with a wondrous yorker and forced Nick Compton – immediately after taking 13 from a Trego over – to edge to slip. Bowling with fearsome pace down the hill, Overton softened up Morgan, who nicked Trego to slip for a sorry pair.
Franklin’s own heave-ho preceded his declaration, which dangled just enough before Somerset to tempt a chase. And as Marcus Trescothick compiled a second 50 and James Hildreth sent the otherwise excellent Tim Murtagh for four fours in an over, it looked possible. Such was their belief, Somerset sent Overton in to pinch-hit.
Wickets continued to fall but not quite regularly enough for Middlesex. When Overton skied to James Harris, they needed five in 10 overs; when Jim Allenby was caught brilliantly by Morgan at deep point, four from 7.5; when Robson snaffled Trego as the third of six slips, three from three. Alas Bates and Groenewald, the pair who had started the day 19 wickets earlier, were there at the end, stoically raging against the dying light, with more rain falling. How apt.
