Stressful Build Up. 

I targeted attending this game at beginning of week.  I asked permission from my boss in advance for permission to leave early Friday and was agreed providing things weren’t too busy. I work in a Call Centre and things were relative quiet and a 4pm exit was more or less agreed.   At 3:30 another department had a last minute emergency meeting and was told it would last ½ hour and would I take messages for them? Thought, it would be good idea all round, except taking messages was not good enough for a number of callers and this meeting dragged on until after 4:30.   I was fed up to say the least and as was adding no value to calls I walked out 4:40 shouting I'm off now.  The weather was fine and if everything in my favour anticipated arriving at Becks just after 6. 

 Got to Charing Cross 5:20 to see on indicator board next Becks train 5:40, not ideal but would probably arrive at ground 6:15. Had leisurely 15 minutes to shop for match and with about 7 mins to spare swiped my Oyster Card through barriers, it did not accept it. This line does not accept Oyster Card although I was travelling within London Metropolitan Borough.   Feck, I needed to get a ticket, with long queues at ticket office and “fast” ticket machine.  I realise no chance if I queued so I just ran straight to ticket office counter when someone finished hoping not noticed, but was sent back by ticket woman.  Then went to front of “ fast “ ticket machine and asked if I could push in as had an emergency, Luckily was allowed, this machine only accepted Credit Cards and its amazing how under pressure you nearly forget pin number.  Then the card was swallowed as waiting for authorisation.   Luckily a ticket man passed by, rescued my credit cards and tickets printed. Now I had 1 minute to catch train. I knocked a few people over on route, but though excellent running between wickets made train by seconds and even remembered to slide bat in. 

While all this going on, it was chucking it down.   I texted Barmy Paul with my ETA, and reply was chucking it at Becks too and covers on. When I arrived at Becks rain hadn’t eased and couldn’t see any prospect of play.  Did not want to waste £15, so just hung around outside and wait and see.  At 6:45, prospects even gloomier and took a deliberately long walk back to station.  As closing in on station it was still raining, Barmy Paul rang to say rain stopped and they are looking at having a game. 

I turned back to ground, with Paul texting that they are looking at 8/8 match.  Still nothing definite and the stewards were clueless, so was outside entrance till I has definite call game on 7:35 start.

 Keeping up with Wine Rate. 

Outside entrance a large sign stating, “ due to ECB regulations no alcohol allowed to be bought in ground".  I had a bottle of red in bag and there were three members of Green Team waiting to pounce. My tactic was to chat with all staff as walking in explain there was a definite 8/8 game starting 7:35 as a favour to them, which proved to be a distraction as I was walking in.  My next challenge was to manage a whole a bottle in 16 overs. Thanks to some excellent pinch hitting, made it with an over to spare.

I hate 8/8

 The first bit of news, I heard in ground Hendo had a niggle and was not playing. This major bowl given context.  The Kent team was full of big hitters from United Nations and were always going to be favourites in slog fest. Good start two dots first two balls, then bish bash bosh.  Nearly every shot was an attempted six.   Most paid off and when batsman caught in deep the next batsman followed suit. Kemp was particularly severe hitting 24 off an over that included a wicket. 

With 11 an over needed, we managed 11 off first, struggled after and once Morgan out game over.  With run rate required increasing at a great rate and an over where we lost 3 wickets, it was a case of damage limitation.  As Malan was content to play a Benningesque innings, this never a contest and as a spectacle not much fun.  

S*it Ground S*it fans

At a cost of almost £1 per over tried to make most of proceedings.  The view from pavilion awful. There were lots of people standing up in front, which the stewards controlled and then proceeded to block our views. 

They had the worst scoreboards in world. Difficult to see and work out which column was what. Luckily my neighbour was keeping over by over score to keep me posted. Not that it mattered in this obvious defeat. 

I queued for toilet between innings. There was a massive queue but none for ladies who were well represented in ground. My only conclusion was the finer sex weren’t to bothered about p-ing during game. I nearly as wearing Pink ventured into their area, but behaved and consequently missed our first over for 11 runs.

As game meandering on, a typical 20/20 fan was shouting how rubbish and boring Middlesex were. I did remind him to look at table but was wasted on this Muppet. 

Was it worth it?

 In trouble at work, appalling journey, appalling weather, appalling ground, appallling cricket, appalling result, appalling fans, answer YES.   I will appreciate better days all the more through this and maybe this goes some way to losing my tag as part time fair weathered supporter.   

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