MCC makes hay while Southern sun shines

MCC ventured considerably further into the Buenos Aires outback than the Belgrano HQ for the club’s second game (over an hour in the tour bus) but were generally unaffected by the journey and the excruciating heat, recording a second healthy win, this time against the South.

Team selection was hampered by the indisposition of opening bowler Richard McCarthy who had either ventured beyond the recommended food guidelines or spent too long in the sun. He was not a well man on the road to Corimayo and was forced to spend the entire match loitering within tent, the temporary pavilion that graced the boundary of the Saint Alban’s Club ground. Andy Flower had by now joined the party and replaced the previous day’s half-centurion Mark Everett, while Andrew Bairstow came in as a batsman, the gloves having been entrusted to David Pashley. At least half a bowler light, captain Gatting took the wise decision to insert, which also enabled MCC to field when it was merely sweltering. The entire day was a good five degrees up on the North match temperature, and that had been no picnic.

Green fields and woodlands adorned the ground, in contrast to the Belgrano cityscape. The clubhouse was barely visible from the field of play although a swimming pool mercifully was. Gatting led his troops out at 1100 hrs precisely and Jonny Wightman was soon steaming in, supported manfully by Henry Watkinson.

After the briefest of looks at the attack, the South set off with great gusto and Gibson (who must have moved house overnight as he had represented the North the day before) and Paterlini took their chances well, not treating Wightman with the respect his stretch against the North had warranted. Rattling along at five an over, they looked to have seen off the opening attack when Paterlini nibbled once too often against Wightman. This slowed things up a bit but wickets continued to be in short supply as the score and heat climbed towards the 100 mark (Fahrenheit). The captain turned his arm for four neat overs.

Gibson, who had made a duck for the North, had by now retreated into his shell while Francis and his successors adopted a more aggressive approach. No-one was able to do much about Richard Dawson’s fine looping off-spin, nor Hillman’s, but once again it was Austin who hit paydirt, this time to the fantastic tune of 6 for 11 in eight overs. The leggie from East Anglia had now taken 11 wickets in two matches, or nearly 20% of the wickets available to MCC bowlers in the entire tour. Once again, accuracy and a little bite and turn was enough, the pitch being a little more responsive than at Belgrano.

The South had folded from 113 for 1 to 153 all out, having at one point seemed well set for 200-plus. MCC, by dismissing the opposition with time to spare earned themselves an extended luncheon interval in which the pool as well as the dining room was gratefully visited.

Paul Bedford and Rob Hillman were the all-new opening combo but it was neither’s day, although senior pro Bedford middled a few with style. Anthony McGrath boldy prospered in the extreme conditions and once joined by an equally authoritative Andy Flower, it was clear that the South’s total was more modest than it looked. McGrath plundered 10 fours and one large six over what appeared to be long boundaries; Flower assembled with care and elegance (four fours). As the end approached, both men slowed down somewhat, understandable in the burning climate. With just a couple of boundaries needed, McGrath propelled one straight to cover, ending the highest knock of the tour to date at 77. Considerably fewer pounds of McGrath than had begun the day returned to the tent to great acclaim, leaving the next man in little chance of personal glory. He was however the captain himself and Gatt did nothing wrong once he got out there. The seven-wicket win was accomplished with more than 20 overs to spare.