Double Nightwatchman Sums
Yorkshire 296 all out
v Northamptonshire 204 all out
Yorkshire 85 for 1
County Championship Division 1
Close on Day Two
Friday 22 April 2022
Played at Northampton
I'll begin this Blog with an apology. It's written and published too long after the event. I've been "doing some maintenance" over the last week. On Day 2 at Northampton, I was asked by one of my companions (waves - hi Andy) whether he could subscribe to my Blog by email. Well he couldn't then. But, he fucking can now…
(Did I ever tell you I wrote my first computer program in 1977 & I often claim to have invented the digital age?)
So, while you'll be able to "enjoy" the Blog through all your usual & preferred outlets, you can also now subscribe to it by email (via Substack).
Incidentally, the discussion with my companion touched, at one point, on plane spotters. People who hang around airfields taking details & pics of planes flying up n down - and saving all the details in the precious folders. When he asked (later) -
"what is the Carrier Bag Firm, Phil?"
"For example, it's them fuckers doing the plane spotting…"
Aaahhh - he said. Anyway, been doing maintenance, Blog delayed, sorry, bear with.
We'd missed the death rattle on Day 1, but the suggestion was Northants had deployed our old friend - the Double Nightwatchman. Simon Kerrigan had gone first ball to Jordan Thommo. His Nightwatchman replacement, Matt Kelly didn't last much longer this morning - skying one off Thompson - who had taken all of the first three wickets. Leaving the Cricket Cobblers 26 for 3.
Of course, that meant that all day we had to trot out the tired cricket cliché.
"You have to take two wickets off remember"
So, when Zaib went at 85 for 5 - two Nightwatchman in that, it's only for 3 really. FFS.
Just before that, Revis had Young's off stump cartwheeling, cartwheeling I tell you. Love a cartwheeler do the Carrier Bag Firm. Lunch came at 116 for 6. Still bundles behind. Gay & Proctor put on 49. Rauf knocked Berg's off pole out for some minor cartwheeling. And Proctor was immortalised in Scorebook Red Ink on 38 when it all ended 92 runs short of the Yorkists. Thompson 4 for 54.
There now followed the usual period of Cricket Deal Or No Deal. Lead of 92. Still 24 overs left on Day 2. What would you settle for at Close. I ALWAYS say the same…
“Nought for Nought”
Natch, that gets shouted down. The consensus was 60 (lead around 150) for two. Although, there was a big - oooohhhh I like that - for the counterbid of…
“Doesn't matter so long as Malan & Brook are both still there.”
When Karunaratne went (for 36) at 73 for 1 - I think everybody was happy.
Happy enough that is to celebrate in
Albion Brewery Bar
54 Kingswell St, Northampton NN1 1PR
Home of Phipps NBC. Only open on Fridays & Saturdays. The bar area is a mismatching mish mash of pub stuff recovered from long defunct Phipps boozers. They had five of their own on Cask and one guest. The blackboard was a bit generic & didn't cross match with the clips.
Phipps NBC, Gold Star, Gold/Bitter on Cask at 5.2%
Phipps NBC, Steam Roller, English Bitter on Cask at 4.4%
And the Outstanding Beer Of The Day
Phipps NBC, Midsummer Meadow, Pale Ale on Cask at 3.9%
Amarillo hops. Layered flavours, aromatic & floral off the hops. Glorious.
But, to end on a sour note. I am afraid there was no plausible ale in the cricket ground. The becoming the norm Marston's 61 Deep being "the offering".
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