For the second week in succession, the sun shone down on the players and officials of the MCC. Visitors Green Moor arrived in convoy from high above Sheffield, marvelling at how thick the air was after being used to the rarefied thin air of them there hills. The flat and dry wicket combined with the unusual high temperatures caused skipper Neal to ponder his choice should he win the toss, but he was persuaded by senior members of the team to insert and chase, a tactic that had proved successful against Edgerton in the previous home game.

Usual opening bowlers Car 10 and Regain took up the attack against the Green Moor openers, Bates and Howlett. Regain was soon into his stride, bowling Howlett and trapping Bates LBW. All was looking rosy in the Mirf garden when J "didn't this bloke used to play for Staincliffe? If it's not him he's got a double" Hardy was bowled Car 10. Ricky Ponting look-alike Sykes played a couple of lovely shots off Car 10, including one Pontingesque on-drive, but got a little overexcited and tried to repeat the shot, only to loose his middle stump as Car 10 steered one through the gaping gate. Regain was unlucky towards the end of his spell when he got Howe to edge one to the slip cordon, whereupon first and second slips Kaye and Carrington decided to try to catch half the ball each, and ended up holding hands instead as the ball whistled for 4 down to third man. Carrington replaced Regain at the Scoreboard end, as the opener retired to put some more sun tan cream on his bald patch and stand under a tree. Car 10 went for a service and was replaced by Allen, who after his somewhat profligate display the week before surprised all and sundry by actually pitching 6 balls in an over, prompting Kaye to bet he couldn't repeat the dose in return for a pint. Allen accepted the bet and was delighted to be successful again, leaving Kaye muttering at gully. Carrington finally found the right line to bowl Howe, on his way to miserly figures of 1-9 off 8.

Dowles then hoisted Allen to a running Captain Neal, who took a good catch before Allen turned one past P Simpson's outside edge and fast hands from Danny Martin did the rest. His father, who was doing a passable impersonation of Kevin Pietersen in an England vest on the boundary edge, looked on with pride, and then burst into a big grin as Fast Hands Martin repeated the feat with another stumping off Allen, who was looking dangerous and bowling tightly. Bramall had come out to bat at number 8, but along with number 10 Rodgers had to field accusations of the batting order having been swapped round as both players looked comfortable. Allen appeared to have found the outside edge of Bramall's bat to be well caught by the collapsing Wild at slip, but the number one member of the Iqbal Khan fan club - "I used to come here every week to watch him - where's he playing now?" - umpire gave not out - one that would had been interesting to watch on replay, but the decision was accepted by all concerned. Kaye had bowled 4 hugely ineffective overs and was replaced by the now lotioned up Regain, but to no effect as the batsmen looked in control, albeit with few risks being taken.

Eventually, with overs running out captain Neal turned to Chicken Balti to offer some variety as the pitch had now flattened, and the youngster was rewarded by bowling the top scorer Bramall for a well made 26, and then having Rodgers caught by Kaye at Silly Mid Off. All out 95 looked a very gettable score, but the extras total of 22 was too high for a low scoring game.

Tea was taken in and openers Bolt and Wild were sent out with the usual "knock em off" cries ringing in their ears. Unfortunately Wild flicked at a legside delivery and was excellently caught by wicketkeeper Bates. Eddie Izzard was given a berth at 3, and watched as Bolt took the attack to the Green Moor openers Rodgers and Bramall. Sadly, as is too often the case for a lad with his talent, patience was not a virtue as he played across one in the first over from first change Howe and was bowled. Neal and Izzard ticked it over until Howlett took the first chance offered by Izzard, and the wheels began to look a bit wobbly on the Mirfield Wagon. Dixon senior replaced his son, and looked to play his signature hip flick to good effect, but the accuracy of the bowlers, supported by the tight fielding of the Green Moor fielders slowed the run rate down to a trickle, and pressure began to build on the boundary edge. Dixon was LBW for 4 to Howe, and 95 was looking a long long way away. Carrington joined Neal and for a while steadied the ship until Neal became the first stumping for the impressive Bates off away swinger Howe. Kaye and Carrington hung around, but the runs weren't coming despite the target being small. Kaye perished to an ill advised swipe across the returning Bramall, and the game looked to be drifting out of Mirfield's grasp. Allen didn't last long against the off spin of Bart Simpson, and when Carrington was tempted down and neatly stumped off the same bowler, the fat lady was in the wings coughing her way to full voice. Zarif was curiously LB, attempting to play what resembled a French Cricket shot, and the coup de grace was applied when Martin was harshly adjudged LB - but it had looked inevitable that the target would not be reached.

Handshakes and pleasantries were exchanged, and make no mistake Green Moor were worthy winners, having played better than Mirfield in all three disciplines. So, the unbeaten run of 5 six pointers stretching back to September the previous season was over - now's the time for the fight back.

This weeks questions - Why is the report late? (answer - if you had the choice of playing golf on a sunny day or writing a report on a defeat - what would you do?) Has there ever been a more abject batting display in pursuit of a smallish target? Can the side lift themselves for next weeks double header? Why are all these questions serious?

Fielding Point:
Next Match: Azaad - Away - 17th May 2008

Green Moor A Innings						Mirfield A Bowling
No.	Batsman	How Out	Bowler	Runs		No.	Bowler	Overs	Mdns	Runs	Wkts	Avge
1	J. Bates	LBW	N. Saudagar	3		1	A. Zarif	9	4	16	2	8.00
2	H. Howlett	Bowled	N. Saudagar	1		2	N. Saudagar	9	3	22	2	11.00
3	J. Hardy	Bowled	A. Zarif	2		3	J. Carrington	8	4	9	1	9.00
4	M. Sykes	Bowled	A. Zarif	11		4	B. Allen	12	3	17	3	5.67
5	A. Howe	Bowled	J. Carrington	11		5	A. Kaye	4	0	16	0	-
6	N. Dowkes	Ct. P. Neal	B. Allen	8		6	D. Bolt	2.3	1	2	2	1.00
7	P. Simpson	St. D. Martin (w/k)	B. Allen	1
8	N. Bramall	Bowled	D. Bolt	26
9	B. Simpson	St. D. Martin (w/k)	B. Allen	2
10	J. Rodgers	Ct. A. Kaye	D. Bolt	8
11	A.Matthewman	Not Out		0
			Extras	22			Extras			13
	Total	All Out		95			Totals	44.3	15	95	10	9.50
Mirfield A Innings						Green Moor A Bowling
No.	Batsman	How Out	Bowler	Runs		No.	Bowler	Overs	Mdns	Runs	Wkts	Avge
1	D. Bolt	Bowled	A. Howe	23		1	J. Rodgers	7	3	12	1	12.00
2	P. Wild	Ct. J. Bates (w/k)	N. Bramall	0		2	N. Bramall	7	2	20	3	6.67
3	E. Dixon	Ct. H. Howlett	J. Rodgers	3		3	A. Howe	12	4	15	3	5.00
4	P. Neal	St. J. Bates (w/k)	A. Howe	19		4	A.Matthewman	7	1	13	0	-
5	T. Dixon	LBW	A. Howe	4		5	B. Simpson	5.1	1	5	3	1.67
6	J. Carrington	St. J. Bates (w/k)	B. Simpson	6
7	A. Kaye	Bowled	N. Bramall	3
8	B. Allen	LBW	B. Simpson	0
9	A. Zarif	LBW	N. Bramall	2
10	D. Martin	LBW	B. Simpson	1
11	N. Saudagar	Not Out		0
			Extras	8			Extras			4
	Total	All Out		69			Totals	38.1	11	69	10	6.90