Midi Cricket Club celebrate first season at Pouzolles with a grand fete
Midi CC put on the biggest show in their 12-year history to celebrate the annual President’s Day on Sunday 27 August at their new ground in Pouzolles. The occasion was also another opportunity to thank the local Mayor, Guy Roucayrol, for providing them with a new home.
The club’s main fund-raiser attracted more than 100 people who feasted on fish and chips and hamburgers, bought raffle tickets, drank from the bar and played games as diverse as throwing the ‘welly’ and target golf
“It was great to see so much support, particularly from those at our old home in St Pons de Mauchiens, and the money raised ensures our survival, which means we can plan ahead for next season,” said President James Luckes, who took over the reins of the club late last year when its future existence was far from certain.
The sun appropriately shone on the day - in fact it was too hot for some - and Midi committee members, players and a last-minute volunteer in Pam Hall contributed to the event’s success. Cancer Support France and Languedoc Living both had stands, the former selling second-hand books, the latter promoting the region’s premier news and events English-language website.
The new President and former President Colin Trickett were the prime movers behind the staging of a fete and they can look back on a momentous season for the club - not only a new ground with a new playing strip and great facilities, but also a best-ever season in the Blevins Franks Regional League and a 100 per cent record at ‘fortress’ Pouzolles.
Playing membership is at a record high which bodes well for next season after a fourth-place finish with four wins from seven matches, three of them at home. "But we are still looking for new members, particularly from the Pouzolles area, both playing and social, and that will be our focus in the close season," said Mr Luckes.
Midi was forced to move from its home of nearly 10 years in St Pons de Mauchiens late last year when the Mairie gave the go-ahead to the local tambourin club to lay an 80mx20m rolled earth strip on the cricket oval. It made any cricket impossible and left the club homeless.
Midi was ready to fold when Vice-President Ken Miller, a cricket-mad American who lives in Pouzolles and has built up a thriving catering business, made an approach to the Mairie on the prospect of taking over a disused, overgrown football pitch on the outskirts of the village for its new home.
The Mayor was receptive and the result was the club’s long-term survival and an official opening in late April marked by a crowd of more than 100 who were on hand at the new ground to join in the celebrations and thank a rather bemused Mayor for his village’s generosity. ... See MoreSee Less
Eymet shatter Midi’s dream of second-place finish in league
Midi CC’s dream of a second-place finish in the Blevins Franks Regional League was brutally shattered by Eymet CC on Sunday 30 July with a nine-wicket mauling which gave them the title at the expense of Bordeaux-Giscours.
Midi CC came into the match on neutral territory in Toulouse in fourth position after a dramatic one-wicket win over Catus CC the previous Sunday.
Once again, after deciding to bat first, Midi’s lower order came to the rescue after their three leading run scorers failed to fire and half the side were out for only 47.
But this time the recovery led by Shajar Abbas who top scored with 35 and Tahir Mohammad, who was undefeated on 25, was not enough and Eymet, who had been sitting one above Midi in the league table, chased down the 156-run target with more than half of the allotted 40 overs remaining.
Midi had won the toss but the decision to bat backfired when both Captain Ankush Lal and Naeem Abbas fell for ducks and Harshesh Bhatt was bowled for 15. Only dogged opener Paul Rogers provided any resistance and it was his resolute defence of his wicket at one end which allowed Midi to post a reasonable score.
The Midi stalwart was finally out for 21, the eighth wicket to fall, having stayed at the crease for nearly two hours, caught at deep mid-wicket off spin bowler Tim Chancellor who returned Eymet’s best figures of five for 24.
It was Rogers who gave Midi some early hope when he had Eymet opener David Horlock caught by Shamraiz Arif Muhammad with the score on 19 but sadly that was all the opposition could offer Midi as wayward bowling provided them with a feast of runs.
Opener Ed Nicolson hit an unbeaten 70, which included four sixes and eight fours, supported by Ahmed Jewel who was not out 62.
Midi’s bowling figures do not make for pretty reading and your correspondent will not be sharing them with his readers.
The defeat however should not detract from a very successful Midi season, the first in the expanded eight-team league ended with Midi finishing in fourth position with four wins and three defeats – three wins coming at the new ‘fortress’ home in Pouzolles where Midi are now undefeated after also beating Andorra CC in a friendly in early May.
High points of Midi’s season were the one-wicket victory away to Catus where all seemed lost until the tail wagged and the incredible home win over Toulouse where Midi racked up a record 375 runs which included a record 232-run partnership between Naeem (119) and Harshesh (130). Sadly, the match was curtailed by rain with Midi eventually winning on superior run rate. ... See MoreSee Less
