Post by arf on Jan 3, 2010 10:17:03 GMT
Middlesex show their class!
Mx's season got right back on track with a comprehensive 10.5-5.5 defeat of Essex. Congratulations on a job well done!
Since the team recorded a comfortable victory rather than focus on how match unfolded, I would like to draw attention to the following two notables:
First, the team average was 200! Ok officially 199.88 but who cares about 0.12! This was the first time in who knows how many years a team has averaged 200. Certainly when you consider the ECF finalists over the last 10years or so only Yorkshire (1999-2000 (Ave. 196) and Cambridge (1998-1999 (210) and 2000-2001 (196) have exceeded 195. More locally Surrey and Kent average 190+ but neither have touched the holy grail of 200.
Second, in my tenure as captain the team recorded its first clean sheet: +5 =11 -0. Yes, Essex were unable to record a single victory over the board! Although one or two games were precarious, the players concerned held their nerve to ensure Mx pride was restored in glorious style.
www.sccu.ndo.co.uk/match1.htm
The win means Mx are in a better position after two games than in previous cycles:
07-08 0/2; 08-09 0.5/2; 09-10 1/2. If the trend continues it should mean that the 11-12 cycle should see Mx on 2/2!
The other results of Round 2 were:
Sussex 11.5-4.5 Herts
Surrey 7.5-8.5 Kent
meaning the league positions are:
1. Sussex 2/2
2. Kent 2/2
3. Middlesex 1/2
4. Herts 1/2
5. Surrey 0/2
6. Essex 0/2
Surrey are in a very delicate position as they will need to win their remaining three games in order to be in with a shout of qualifying for the ECF stage, where two of those games are against both Mx and highflying Sussex. Although it must be noted that both of these are home matches for Surrey, so if as predicted both Mx and Surrey do the business against Herts and Essex respectively on 9th January their match on 6th February will go a long way to determining who will grab the third qualifying spot. What is even more intriguing is that if Kent's captain continues his undefeated streak in the SCCU cycle - P7 W7 - combined with two successive Mx victories, it will mean that a SCCU title-decider is on the cards come March. Anyway there I go again running ahead of myself!
First things first next match on 9th January home to Herts. Do the business then and the dream lives on!
Finally, next post will provide news and an update on the Martin Blaine Best Performance Cup.
Congrats once again to the team for recording its first win in style.