Ninety-nine is the new hundred!

It seems like an age since the last championship game. I’m sure it’s probably been a matter of weeks but somehow it feels longer than that. Today saw the start of a four day knock against Derbyshire at Chesterfield. I would just like to start the entry in this blog by saying that fate, so often a first class meddler in the game of cricket, needs a good old fashioned kick in the knee caps.

I gathered three things from my surreptitious glances at the BBC card during the day. Firstly, Usman Afzaal was back in the squad, something I was quite glad about. His form has been all over the place this year but the bottom line is he’s far too good a batsman to be left out the team, and his experience is sorely missed. Secondly, still no sign of Jade Dernbach. I fear his side strain may well keep him out for a little while yet. And thirdly, Ramps was not out on 40 something!

I caught some of the game as I managed to sneak home from work slightly earlier than usual (it can be a blessing to have too much flexi time). Earlier in the day we lost RHB for 24 and Harinath for 16. Not the most auspicious of starts, but at least they took the shine off the ball! From there on in, Younus Khan and Ramps set about steadying the ship and managed to hang on together for a while, which left me trying to count on my fingers working out how much flexi I had to play with.

You see, I was convinced this game was going to bring another century for Mr R. I could feel it in my fingers...feel it in my toes, as The Troggs once sang. And so I headed home, not at all surprised to find the man himself still in and going well on 81, this time with Usman Afzaal batting with him (Younus having gone for 45) at the crease and going equally well. As it turned out, Afzaal went for a well made 73, totally justifying his inclusion in the squad. It would be nice to think he will have taken a lot of heart from this innings. He and Mr Ramprakash always seem to bat well together. Walters came in, settled down and looked positive from the beginning. And then...

Do you ever get this terrible sense of foreboding? One that tells you that because it’s the most unlikely thing to happen, it almost certainly will? Because as the score ticked around from 93, then upwards to 99, I couldn’t help but cross my fingers...

Note to self: crossing fingers doesn’t work with cricket.

The fact that Mr R was bowled one short of his 112th century when the scoreboard at the ground had erroneously indicated that the landmark had already been reached – even although the man himself and most of the spectators would have realised this was not the case – was certainly ironic. It so upset poor Jean that she declared that she was “going off for a sulk, and maybe do something irrational - like hoovering or somesuch!”

You can always tell an upset Rampant if they have a Hoover in their hands.

Celebrating 99 is unusual, although if it’s any consolation, it sounds as if it was a very good one! And an important one in the context of the game, where a familiar semi-collapse occurred when Ramps got out. Wilson, deputising with the gloves for Steven Davies who was on Lions duty, made 6 with the willow whilst Batty was bowled for 4. Nel went for a third ball duck with Walters showing a certain authority at the crease until departing for 53. At stumps, Tremlett had managed 15 not out and Linley 2 not out. I should however mention the rather smart fivefer that Groenewald took today which, along with the three from Jones, was extremely impressive.

If Linley can work the strike and get Tremlett to face as many balls as possible we may yet manage to garner some runs before the whole team is out, but I suppose this moves the game along apace. The main fear is that Rogers will once again inflict a lot of damage on Surrey’s bowling attack. The south London outfit will be hoping that Nel and Tremlett get him out early tomorrow morning, or else their target of 364 may soon be swallowed up.

As for Mr R, he currently leads the chase to be the first to 1000 runs this season, five ahead of Adam Lyth in Division One. At the time of typing the pack looks like this:

Ramps: 959
Lyth: 953
Peters: 883
Rodgers: 865
Rudolph: 739

Best of luck, sir! Only 41 required in the next innings!

Now. Where did I put that hoover...