MCC v Argentina - match report

by Paul Bedford (Tour Manager)

An exciting opening match in the inaugural Baimax International Cup took place at Corimayo, South of Buenos Aires.

Winning by the narrow margin of 16 runs in a high scoring contest MCC scored 260 with Richard King (Loughborough) top scoring with 93.

In reply Argentina made a spirited response with Barton scoring an aggressive 71 and a host victory continually vacillated between probable and possible until the last moment.

Changes to the opening partnership brought King and Wigley (Barnes) together. Achieving more than 26 in the first 10 over Power Play was the first objective.

King took to the task well despite having a severely bruised toe, damaged in net practice.

The well balanced all-rounder hit cleanly and straight for the majority of his innings. One blemish on his innings appeared to be a misjudgement of length. The ball when high in the air drifted in the wind and avoided the fielder at mid off who was scrambling backwards to take the catch.

Wigley and Laidler departed quickly with the scores on 52 and 61. Trego took the attack to Argentina and in partnership with King scored a rapid 82 in 13 overs.

This time a blemish on King appeared on the inside of his knee when he failed to avoid a fierce on drive from Trego. King will have to be carried off on a stretcher if he continues with the current rate of injuries per day!

Having reached 175–3 a big score was possible but a mini collapse within 19 runs caused the Club to reconsider targets and only judicious batting by Woods (29 not out) enabled MCC to post a competitive score.

Argentina start quickly

Man of the Match, Brooksbank, enjoys the innings break Matias Paterlini, having returned from scoring a century against Namibia, played well at the top of the Argentina order scoring many runs in his 41 with shots through midwicket.

Tomas Francis, chipped in with 40 and Hamish Barton 71 with a positive display of batting.

MCC were stretched and the Argentina side reached a position where only 20 were required from the last two overs with Paul Ferguson on 41.

Fortunately the experience of MCC won the day and the final two wickets were taken to close out the match.

George Brooksbank had less early joy than the previous day but bowled tight lines and again took three top order wickets. Remarkably he ended with the exact same match figures 10-0-26-3.

Rob Walker and Guy Bulpitt were the brakemen. Bulpitt with three wickets for a miserly 29 runs, Walker four wickets for 44.

MCC's Martin O'Reilly brought up a century of matches for the Club

Martin O’Reilly played his 100th match for the Club and made his entrance via a guard of honour provided by his team mates.

A great shot through extra cover accentuated the occasion which was cut short too soon afterwards.

Some fairly ordinary fielding needs to be addressed and a repeat of the 2006 victory at Belgrano is a distinct possibility.