Matty’s maiden ton seals big win in Bradfield

• v Bradfield
• Saturday 24^th July
• Bradfield College
• MCC won by 7 wickets

Glen Lowis reports

News came through earlier this month, with the promise of the best pitches and a hog roast that could break all Maladroit records for match teas. As we drove along the M4, knowing we’d only have 10 to take the field, it was fair to say that we were all focussed on the hog roast, not the cricket.

Arriving at Bradfield College, it was immediately evident that this school was both older and bigger than my native New Zealand, and rather awe-inspiring. The wireless, electronic scoreboard was an early nominee for MOM honours. This was a setting that some of the Maladroits were more used to than others, and the pressure was on for a first-class performance.

Although we couldn’t smell the hog roast, we took to the field with the determination to earn the best tea of the season. It was a two pronged Kiwi pace attack to open the bowling. Pace and venom from Blinky ‘The Fist’ Beale (0–20) at one end, swing and guile from Lowis (1-10) at the other, and loads of energy from all in the field set the scene early on. With the Bradfield openers trying just to survive and not overworking the scorers, the first wicket fell courtesy of a Lowis swinger that curved around the lefthanders bat and knocked over middle stump.

Beale was given a few tips from Boland and found renewed vigour to send down a couple more tight overs, and when the bowling change came after 10 overs, Bradfield had struggled to 1 for 30. Paddy (2-5) and Ash (1-10) took to the bowling crease and the run rate dipped even further, and once they’d picked up three between them, Bradfield were in trouble. More inspired bowling saw the hosts limp to the drinks break at 5 for 60-odd.

Back from the drinks break, and it was more of the same in the when the sixth wicket fell to Rick (1-15) with the score on 83. With the match turning somewhat farcical, Boozer brought on the big guns of Mark Bowden (0-23) and the newly reformed spin-bowler Matty Boland. Bowling a mix of leggies and big full toss pies, Matty’s first (10 ball) over went for about 15 but strangely wasn’t in the scorebook.

The Maladroits proceeded to provide the Bradfield 7 and 8 plenty of scoring opportunities to ensure that we’d still have a game on our hands. Blinky came back on as a ‘spinner’ and JC took up the ‘attack’ from the school end. Offering up a loopy full toss first ball, JC was smashed, through the gaping hands of Lowis at mid-off and to the boundary. When questioned later, Lowis said that “the bowling didn’t deserve a wicket” and was proven right as it only got worse. After putting on 103 for the 7^th wicket, the two batsmen were denied their 50’s in the final over, finishing on 48 and 49 respectively and lifting Bradfield’s total to 6 for 186.

Out came the tea, as Bradfield put on a fantastic spread of ham, sausages, salmon, salads, strawberries and cream – and finished it off with some fine locally brewed ale. It was a tea of the highest order, but without having seen a pig on a spit, there was a little bit of disappointment.

As light drizzle swept over the ground, Matty and Mark walked out to the middle, keen to make a positive start. The bowling was solid enough, but on a good track and with 40 overs to chase down an average score, the Maladroits were optimistic from the start. With positive intent they kept out the good balls and hit anything that was short. The outfield was still relatively slow, but with their weight behind the ball, the boundaries didn’t take too long to start flowing.

Mark was out cheaply (10) before Baino joined Matty at the crease and upped the tempo. Baino quickly collected a couple of boundaries as both batsmen were level on 11. Matty had had enough and started to let loose as he sensed that this would be his day. At drinks, the Maladroits were slightly behind the required run rate, but well ahead of where the hosts had been at the same stage in their innings. Matty passed 50, for the second time this season, with a boundary, while Baino continued to build his innings.

Having brought up a chanceless 50, Matty unleashed a flurry of boundaries and was well into the 60’s. Baino, keen to make 50 on his ‘droits debut, was cut short on 38 bringing Paddy to the crease in the 25th over, with the score 2 for 142 and a win looking inevitable. The question was, could Matty push on and bring up his first ever hundred.

Into the 80’s, Matty was like a man possessed - possessed by a demon who wanted nothing more than to get him out - as he was dropped/missed three balls in a row. He ticked through over into the nineties and, when on 95, was all but out.

Rapped on the back pad in front of leg stump, his heart sank as the bowler appealed wildly, supported by his field. His fate in the hands of Lowis, he couldn’t bear to look and by the time he raised his head he saw the umpire’s index finger signalling the ball would have missed leg (and maybe a little bit uppish too). He hadn’t heard the NOT OUT decision and on thinking he had been fired, started to trudge off. Lowis yelled to a distraught Boland, telling him to come back while the fielders all began to celebrate seeing him walk on a dubious LBW shout. Lowis was left with no option but to call over, run back to square leg and hide out.

Play settled down a bit, until on 96, Boland lobbed a sitter out to square leg – only to be dropped again. His innings rapidly deteriorating, Matty squared up and pulled one to the boundary, raised his bat in triumph and retired before his average could be ruined.

That brought Rick (7*) to the crease, and by the time Paddy (12) fell the damage was done and it was up to JC (11*) to knock off the last few runs for a Maladroit victory with 5 overs to spare.

• MOM: Matty Boland (101*)
• Fielder of the Day: JC
• Debut: Baino, Paddy, Rick
• DOD: Glen (for ‘firing’ Matty on 95 and having to call him back)