g35_10aug06

Blackwier and it seemed quite late in the season for our first go at SW Echo but with the return fixture to follow inside 7 days there was no time to waste and the toss was duly lost by yours truly.

With only about 7 players available to them at the time they decided to bat.

Winky opened from the Taff End with Dr Horse at the other end and a breakthrough was made with the 2nd ball (bit of a turnaround from Tuesday evening!) of the game (caught Matt Davies) and Winky revelled in his 250th game for the Casz by taking a further 2 wickets in his 3rd and last over (bowled and caught [O’Reilly – his 50th catch for the Casz])

Ed bowled through his allotted 4 overs without reward but was unlucky on several occasions including a close caught and bowled.

Winky 3 – 0 – 4 – 3
Dr Horse 4 – 0 – 10 – 0

Matt Davies took over from Winky at the Taff End and Scooby from TH at the other.

I think it was during THs last over that Monty produced a moment of magic (some might call it divine intervention) as he ran out batsmen #3

20 for 4 off 7

Both bowlers finishing wicketless from their 3 overs with one batsman seeming to find the middle of the bat.

Matt D 3 – 0 – 23 – 0
Dewbs 3 – 0 – 16 – 0

53 for 4 off 12

Mark finished the 3 overs off at the Taff End and I took the last 2 at the other.

Monty took a wicket in his first over ( bowled – 54 for 5 off 13 ) and then did an excellent Monty impression in my first over dropping a ‘true’ dolly. Then going back and dabbing the outfield with his foot shaking his head and generally blaming everyone else. It could have been a 'tit for tat' drop for my drop off his bowling at gully during his 2nd over …..

Monty 3 – 0 – 20 – 1
Rich 2 – 0 – 19 – 0

95 for 5 off 18 overs (Extras 8 [5w; 1lb; 2b])

On the whole an excellent all round fielding display with special note to Matt, Scooby and Andy F in the field.

And so to bat …….

James and Easy opened with James returning to the hutch after 3 balls (bowled for 0)

Manish replaced James and fell to the same bowler in the 3rd over (also bowled) for 3 ( 6 for 2 in the 3rd )

Steve’O was in next and again defying the sideline betting put on a rapid 43 partnership outscoring Manish before falling to the obligatory straight one (bowled) for 22 [ off 17 balls including 2 x 4s and a 6 ] – 49 for 3 in the ninth over

I was next in and then run out without scoring – 60 for 4 in the eleventh over

Matt D came in and added another useful 25 run partnership with Manish in quick time before being bowled for 6 – 85 for 5 in the fifteenth over

That soon became 85 for 6 with Ed falling 2nd ball (bowled) going for a big one.

Monty joined Manish in the middle with Manish needing just 8 from the remaining 11 required to get his 2nd fifty for the Casz in a week.

Alas 4 runs later and Manish was out stumped for an excellent 46 (including 5 x 4s) – 89 for 7 in the sixteenth

Winky came in adding a 5 not out to Monty’s 4 not out (23 behind Goughy in the individual season run chase) to guide the Casz to a three wicket victory.

98 for 7 off 15.5 overs (Extras 12 [2nb; 6w; 2lb; 2b])

Win #22 for the season to go with the 12 losses and 1 abandonment – there have also been 9 fixtures cancelled, 1 Sunday with no fixture and 1 bye (cup preliminary round)