Post by arf on Jun 9, 2013 8:54:39 GMT
Cambridge Blues!
The headline for the Open team’s QF match against Warwickshire was both poetical and apt as the Shakespearian quote from his play All’s Well that Ends Well was used to highlight the futility of Warwickshire’s task. Unfortunately for Warwickshire the 1pt penalty applied for fielding an ineligible player was not overturned so in attaining a 14-1victory the Open team attained the 3rd highest margin of victory in County Championship history. A peculiarity of the QF round was the number of penalties that were applied despite (!!!) the fact that county captains were advised a good 6weeks earlier to take relevant steps to ensure there was no need to have them enforced and yet six matches fell foul of the rules!
With Middlesex facing Cambridgeshire in the SF the u180 team could empathise with the Open as based on relative strengths of teams fielded to date they were also seen as overwhelming favourites to win their match – allowing for the fact that EACU do not have a discrete u180 competition when ignoring the over-graded players in their 1st team Cambridgeshire effectively field an u160 team in an u180 competition. However, just like their Open counterparts the 2nd/u175/u180 team have been known to be turned over despite having the advantage. For example, in the inaugural Minor/2nd team final (1972-73) Lancashire were outclassed but Middlesex somehow contrived to lose – point proven. What is odd about Middlesex’s defeat is that they didn’t lose match once but twice! Twice you say?! Yes, firstly over the board (L8.5-9.5) but when it transpires Lancashire field an ineligible player a penalty is applied and scores adjusted Middlesex is declared winner on board count. However that is not the end of the story as it then transpires that Middlesex also fielded an ineligible player so another penalty is applied resulting in Lancashire ‘regaining’ trophy! 3 results for one match! [Ed.: Research is yet to establish the following: 1) Which Lancashire player was declared ineligible? 2) Which Middlesex player was declared ineligible? 3) What was final result i.e. did original stand or was it adjusted so Middlesex lost 7.5-8.5 or 6.5-8.5? Any insight appreciated.] So far the current cycle has not had a match decided by penalties but the inaugural Minor/2nd Team Final should serve as a warning why it is important to ensure the fielded team is above board (no pun intended!). 40years on from that debacle and having experienced others since, the current squad does not want to see Middlesex repeat the feat of losing to a side on paper they outclass, especially as they want to be the first defending Champions since Devon to reach the final and since Warwickshire to successfully defend the title. History shows that retaining a title (well all but the Minor where retaining title is commonplace occurrence!) is a tough ask in a limited graded competition where player churn ensures that the make-up of the squad is liable to change from cycle to cycle so it would be nice to be an exception to rather than be the rule.
Like the Devon match when a few members of the u180 squad are unavailable the fragility of the squad is noticeable – an inevitable effect of player churn from cycle to cycle, one cycle you can have a plethora of players, another a dearth. The smaller pool of 160+ players to call upon coupled with the unusual reticence of the u160 squad meant at one stage it was looking as though Middlesex would be fielding a team with a sub-160 average, not ideal for the section where 168 is the target average for a county aspiring to be Champions. An observation: It has been noticed that when the u160’s have qualified for the National Stage there has been difficulty in getting team together. It is hoped that it is due to clash of timetables rather than reluctance which prevents u160 squad players from playing in the knock-out stage even if they haven’t qualified of right and have an opportunity to play non-SCCU opponents for another team. If it is reluctance their prospects of lifting the National title in near future will be wrecked. It would be nice if Middlesex could both emulate and eclipse Yorkshire’s triple achievement in 2008-09 where they won the Open, u175 (u180) and u150 (u160) titles. Anyway, notwithstanding a competitive team was put together with the season average of 160+ being maintained (team average 162). When compared to the Cambridgeshire line-up they mustered a team with average of 160 so instead of outclassing them a close match was on the cards – Par Score 8-8.
In short there is not much to write home about as it was a bad day in the office! Bob, Roger and George were the sole victors of the day, Bob benefitting from his opponent’s blunder which sees him pick up a R for free; George who seems to have penchant for playing games with early odd Queen exchanges, in the Devon match he has Q vs. R+B+N, in this match his opponent gives up his Q for George’s 2R’s unfortunately though his Q-side is undeveloped allowing George to demonstrate his Q+B is better than 2R+B+N and once again Roger who demonstrates how to play closed positions.
Of the other positive games David having given a lot of thought over how to execute his R sacrifice misplays move order and is perhaps fortunate to get draw after having clear win and Kayode who applauds his opponent’s defensive skills to eke out a draw. Apologies to Leon who for the sake of the team pushes for a win from dead level position, positions which Ian, Andrew and John Woolley were all able to agree as drawn. Bill likewise secured a draw but this was not before trying to achieve a win from a worse position.
Little is to be said about the others but let’s do Cambridgeshire justice as in expecting to face a stronger outfit they got a fillip in facing a team of equal strength and this told: Mike Tasker was fortunate that his opponent misplayed his attack, analysis clearly shows that had he played Bxf6 Mike had to decide between loss of game or loss of piece with ongoing attack against exposed K and no compensation. Lucky for Mike it was overlooked and he achieved a draw. That is the last of the points attained by Middlesex – 6.5. John Tobisch who faced a seemingly irrepressible onslaught but hung in there for dear life until all hope was lost; Jonathan who overlooked a defensive resource which negated his attack leading to him being a piece down; Michael Price who inexplicably gave up Q+B for 2R’s his opponent demonstrated that Q+2B’s are more devastating that 2R’s+B especially when position closed! Debutant Raj who had played well and it was one tactical oversight that sees him go from drawn to loss. Finally Peter who also seemed to have the better of the opening but his opponent persisted in playing for short term tactical gain which prevented Peter from consolidating as he finally succumbed to a tactic which his opponent was quickly able to convert to victory. All in all a bad day at the office as Middlesex lose 6.5-9.5.
At time of writing the result of the other SF (Kent vs. Lancashire) is unknown but it is academic as Middlesex will not meet either winner. The u180 defeat coupled with the Open defeat means that the following prospects are lost:
Open and u180 - cannot achieve Double Double;
u180: cannot be the first defending Champions since Devon (2004-05 & 2005-06) to reach final in failing to make final they lose opportunity to be the first defending Champions since Warwickshire (1999-2000 & 2000-01) to retain title.
The squad now has an enforced break after a long and tough cycle one which sees Middlesex cede both SCCU and National titles – an unsatisfying cycle all round. The break though will mean we can recharge our batteries to launch a concerted effort to both regain both in 2013-14.
With the 2013-14 cycle in mind the SCCU u180 fixtures will be circulated sometime in August once the Grading List has been published and the County Match Controller is informed as to which counties will be entering teams.
Please note: Over the past cycle Middlesex’s home matches have been played at either The Pilot in Chiswick or the Willesden Working Mens’ Club in Willesden. The intention is to continue having our home matches at the Pilot unless:
1) There is preference for matches to be played at Working Mens’ Club
2) The u180 and u140 or u100 teams both have matches on same day and are drawn at home if so Working Mens’ Club will be home venue.
Well that’s it for now. Irrespective of what your plans are chess-wise do enjoy your break and come back refreshed ready to launch a successful bid for the 2013-14 cycle.
Go on the Middlesex!