Before travelling to Lord's on Monday morning I decided to make a short detour to the ground of Hampstead cricket club a quiet backwater just off the busy Finchley Road.
The club were celebrating their 150th anniversary with a match against MCC and yesterday Andrew Strauss had paid them a visit to unveil a small statue of their most famous son, A.E. Stoddart, who not only captained England at cricket in the late 1880s but also played Rugby Union for England. Stoddart was born in South Shields, County Durham so might have had mixed feelings about today's game at Lord's.
I only stayed to watch the cricket for a short time in what was a rather low key atmosphere. I think I was the only spectator there for the start! The upstairs pavilion bar was full of memorabilia and very interesting it is too. MCC batted, as is the custom, and seemed to be scoring runs freely when I left. A very pleasant spot which I first heard of years ago when Peter Snape and Tony Woodhouse would visit after a day at Lord's.
Hampstead cricket club
Arrived at Lord's not long before lunch and to my surprise nothing much had happened. Jennings had moved slowly into the eighties and nightwatchman Rushworth was making batting look easy moving on to 40, before falling lbw to off spinner Rayner when trying to sweep. Just before the interval skipper Voges tried his own left arm spin which proved the undoing of Jennings who attempted a cut and was caught behind for 98. He deserved a century for his application but fell just short. So 239-6 and Durham still well short of avoiding the follow on.
Perhaps the man for a crisis - W.G. Grace bats on
After lunch Mustard fell cheaply, bowled by Voges and Arshad joined Collingwood to put on a stand of 27. After that the tail subsided dramatically and the captain was left high and dry on 38 not out, perhaps still regretting his decision to field first. Durham all out for 294 but Middlesex did not enforce the follow on, perhaps concerned about the loss of opening bowler Murtagh.
The pundits were sure that Middlesex would now pile on the runs and set Durham a daunting target tomorrow, but the game now took an extraordinary turn. Chris Rushworth, perhaps inspired by his batting display, bowled an incredible spell from the pavilion end to leave the Middlesex innings in tatters. He removed the top four batsman Gubbins, Voges and Robson all leg before and Compton brilliantly caught by MacLeod in the gully. Middlesex 34-4 and soon 34-5 when Hastings had Franklin caught behind off a lifter in the next over.
Rushworth's opening spell
The excitement continued, with the large Bank Holiday crowd unable to believe their eyes. Simpson had a stump removed by a Hastings no ball but then was well caught in the slips by Richardson for 0. In the same over Rayner had his off stump removed by Hastings and Middlesex were amazingly 37-7. Some slight resistance took the score to 50 before Dexter was caught at slip by Collingwood off Hastings and MacLeod took another great catch to dismiss Harris. Five wickets for Rushworth and Middlesex 50-9.
Then some last wicket heroics as the injured Murtagh appeared with Simpson as his runner. Despite one or two run out scares, Murtagh and Finn put on 39 valuable runs before Hastings completed his five wicket haul by dismissing Finn lbw. Murtagh top scored with 22 not out and Middlesex were all out for 89, leaving Durham a target of 259 with four sessions remaining. Surely within their reach, but Middlesex fought back strongly with two late wickets before bad light stopped play. Durham 24-2 and perhaps the match swinging back towards the home side. Good day in prospect tomorrow.
Durham bowling figures
Rushworth and Hastings applauded off.
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