Saturday 11th July found me driving down the M40 from my base at Banbury to the game between Middlesex and Somerset at Merchant Taylor's School at Northwood, not far from the M25 north of London. Having thought I had completed my visits to all current first class grounds earlier in the season at Beckenham, I realised that I still had one to go and this was it.
A very pleasant spot with extensive playing fields stretching almost for miles in front of the school buildings. I counted at least ten cricket squares and there may have been more. Ample parking facilities and plenty of individual seats all around the ground, with what must be said a fairly modest crowd. However the atmosphere was pleasant and reminiscent of my early memories of county outgrounds.
Somerset emerge from the pavilion
Middlesex batted after a noon start as both teams had been involved in T20 games on the previous evening. Sam Robson, who always gets runs when I see him, was soon into his stride and looked set for a century hitting eleven fours before being caught off Groenewald for 67. The Australian Burns had gone early, caught behind off Gregory. The big talking point however was when Nick Compton was hit a severe blow on the helmet by a bouncer from Jamie Overton and had to retire hurt.
Fortunately he was able to return much later at the fall of the seventh wicket and scored a useful 32 before being dismissed just before the close. Other than that it was rather slow going, with Dawid Malan playing the sheet anchor role after Robson's dismissal. He scored 69 in almost four hours. So not really entertaining fare for the shirt sleeved crowd basking in the hot sunshine.
Merchant Taylor's School
Just before lunch another game started on an adjoining pitch and of course I had to go and find out what it was. I was informed by one of the players that they were rather a long way below the standard I had been watching and were in fact Old Merchant Taylor's second eleven taking on the might of Tring Park thirds! One or two others drifted across as the county men went for lunch but the the batting was not up to much and OMT's were soon dismissed for 88.
OMT Second XI in action
However another photo opportunity as this game was directly in front of the school buildings. The whole area was certainly impressive with a large athletics track as well as all the cricket grounds and no doubt rugby grounds in the winter. The OMT's first team had their own ground and pavilion, not in use today except to provide lunch facilities for the gentlemen, and ladies, of the press.
Back to the county game and wickets began to fall and Eoin Morgan was out for a duck when he was caught at slip again of Groenewald and it was soon 154-4 when Franklin departed lbw to Gregory. The Somerset bowlers pegged away all day in the heat and probably were reasonably satisfied with their day's work when the home side were all out for 283 just before the close.
Spectators relaxing in the sun
So another day in the sun in excellent surroundings and a quick burst back up the motorway ready for something completely different tomorrow.
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