Cardiff Casuals Cricket Club
 
Home
Club Notices
Fixtures/Results/Reports
Pen Pics
Gallery
Casual Tea Watch
Cazh Celebrities
Cazh Around the World
Glossary
Milestones
Stat Porn
Archive Results
Archive Milestones
Cazh Online Club Shop
Message Forum

Match Report vs Clytha - 16th August 2009@ The Moat (Skipper and Report Jam)

Why do we bother coming here? or You should have used your bat!

After meeting at the Clytha Arms, the Casz formed a convoy to The Moat via a grassy field (with no cows), a muddy bog and another field with even longer grass. How the cars made it, we’ll never know, especially Muff’s Beetle, but made it we did, most of us wondering, why do we come here?

The changing room, sorry garden shed, was full of shit as usual, the pitch looked rough as fuck as usual, the outfield was full of holes as usual and the boundary was ‘marked’ (not!) by even longer grass than usual. Why do we come here?

The pitch was only going to get worse so it was no surprise that Clytha elected to bat. “What are we playing?” asked JF, “40 overs, maximum of 8?”
“God no, you might have a bit of opposition to that. Maybe 35 overs. Do you really want to bowl eight overs? Er … hang on, I’ll ask the captain”
They seemed to be making up the rules as they went along, but they eventually settled on 35 overs, maximum of six, meaning I’d have to find an extra bowler from somewhere ... Why do we come here?

Muff & Pablo opened pretty well with a 4 over spell each, but with a slow pitch and very short boundaries, there was absolutely no margin for error: you could bowl 4 or 5 dots and still go for 4 or 5 an over which is exactly what happened. The pair were unlucky not to take any wickets as there were a lot of uppish shots which didn’t carry or went between fielders etc (and keeper Goughy did mention that one of the batsmen was using his pad a lot!).

Shandy & Mojam took over and it was more of the same, Clytha going well at 57-0 after 11 overs until Mo made the breakthrough in the 12th over, getting the other opener bowled. 2 overs later he had a double wicket maiden, one bowled and one caught by Cracker running round from point. Mo’s next 3 overs cost a single run, so his final analysis was an amazing 6 overs, 4 maidens, 3 wickets for 5 runs – excellent bowling which pegged the innings right back. Goughy also chipped in with a direct run out (in between continuing to tell the opener he should use his bat instead of his pad – a theme later taken up by Ed).

Needing to find a few overs, the skipper brought himself on. In his first over he reached out one handed to try and take a c&b opportunity, but only managed to deflect the ball into the bollocks of the said opener at the non-striker’s end. As he doubled over, grabbing his groin, I couldn’t resist shouting, ‘You should’ve used your bat!’ - I’m glad to say he saw the funny side of it.

Cracker took over from JF and again bowled pretty well apart from the odd loose one that was punished. Once Muff & Pablo had bowled out, JF switched ends and bowled a wicket maiden, finally getting the opener bowled playing round a straight one for 49. At the time we thought that was a good wicket, but it brought in a young kid sporting a Cheltenham College shirt, who proceeded to smack everything as the final overs approached, scoring 26 off about 9 balls and denting Jam’s figures in the process – it was a bit like a Dan innings, only with more class! [ED: That was a bit uncalled for...but probably true!!] He eventually top edged JF to midwicket where Paul took a safe catch and that brought a bit of a cricket spaz to the wicket for the final over which Cracker bowled beautifully, taking his wicket and only conceding 1 run.

Clytha 151-6 off 35 overs.

Muff 6-1-20-0
Pablo 6-0-28-0
Shandy 6-0-24-0
Mojam 6-4-5-3
Jam 6-1-40-2
Cracker 5-0-27-1

No drinks during the innings. Why do we come here?

No tea in between innings. Why do we come here?

As envisaged, the pitch had got gradually worse throughout the Clytha innings, so at just under 4½ an over, 152 was an intriguing target. There was always the chance of wickets with the ball popping or staying low, but then anything short would just sit up and beg to be hit and anything loose could be dispatched to the short boundaries.

Smitty & Easy opened and in the face of some steady line & length bowling, neither really came to terms with the wicket. Ironically, Chris was out from the first loose ball that he faced as it cut back and hit him in the chest and then went on to the stumps - very unlucky.

This brought Paul to the crease and he looked very assured from ball one, but could only look on from the other end as Smitty, Goughy and Richie were all bowled in pretty quick succession, leaving us reeling at 16-4 after 11 overs. Why do we come here?

Mojam came in next and the Casz were hoping his bowling form could be transferred to the bat. After a steady start, his 7th ball was a head high full toss which was smacked nonchalantly to the long leg boundary for 6 and anything loose thereafter was put away in similar fashion. Paul sized up the situation perfectly and pretty much dropped anchor, keeping out the good ones, dispatching the odd bad one and taking lots of singles to give Mo the strike. The pair had put on 54 when Paul was caught at point off one that stopped in the pitch for a very good 24.

Nevertheless, the rebuilding had been done and at 70-5 after 21 overs, the Casz had recovered from the dreadful start and were back in the game, requiring 82 to win off 84 balls. Jam joined Mojam and played a few shots from the start, including one rather large straight six off Goughy’s mate, their opening bat – I refrained from saying “That’s how you use your bat” but I did have a chuckle to myself! Mo looked to be set for a well deserved 50 but his run-a-ball innings was ended on 41 when he came down the track and was bowled by a rank long hop that hit the stumps on the way down – had he stayed in his ground it would have sat up nicely and been heading towards the next field in a hurry, but them’s the breaks, I guess. 102-6 off 26, 50 needed off 9, with Shandy joining the skipper in the middle.

Unfortunately for Clytha, Shandy continued where Mojam left off, playing some exquisite shots all round the park, including a couple of off drives that were pure class. I have to say that this was the best I’ve ever seen Shandy play and it was a real pleasure to watch from the other end. The running between the wickets was also good and as the pair continued to play their shots, the bowling got more ragged and you could see the fielders losing heart as 45 runs were added in 6 overs.

With only 5 required off 3 overs, their opening bowler came back. Shandy took a single from the first delivery and a couple of balls later, the skipper stepped down the track to finish it with a straight four back past the bowler.

Casuals 152-6 off 32.4 overs

Smitty bowled 4 (18 balls)
Easy bowled 0 (11)
Pablo caught 24 (48) 3x4s
Goughy bowled 2 (4)
Richie bowled 1 (11)
Mojam bowled 41 (41) 5x4s, 1x6
Johnny F not out 38 (32) 6x4s, 1x6
Shandy not out 32 (21) 4x4s

Muff, Cracker & Porno dnb

Casuals won by 4 wickets.

No showers after the game. Why do we come here?

Back to the pub through the forest, the bog and cowless but extremely bumpy field. Why do we come here?

As we were supping our drinks, then came the stupid question – “Will you boys be wanting food?”

About 10 minutes and £25 later, out came the most unbelievable roast dinner: a mountain of soft Yorkshire puddings, a tray of succulent beef in shades running from well done to pink, another tray of huge mouth-watering cuts of pork with crackling to die for and bowls of potatoes, peas, large roasties and delicious gravy. On the same night that Usain Bolt set a new world record for the 100m, Paul set another world record for the amount of roast potatoes that could be heaped upon one plate (fortunately, they brought out another bowl, so we did leave some for the opposition this time!). After demolishing one plateful each, we then all proceeded to grab a second helping and even though all our plates were licked clean, there was still beef left over! Why do we come here? – That’s why!! It’s the best food ever after a game of cricket!!

To be fair, the cricket was also a good game, ebbing & flowing, played in a good spirit (in spite of Goughy making new friends!) and although we made it quite convincingly in the end, an extra wicket or two at crucial times could have put us right under pressure again. All in all, a good job well done.

Why do we come here? ... Well, there are already 11 players available for next year’s fixture.

 

back

5 day forecast
Streetmap - directions
Useful Links
WCA - Cricket Wales
E&WCB
Cricketinfo.com
BBC
Cricket
Wales Online
Channel 5
Willow League
Casual Friends




| Home
 
Copyright © 2004-2017 Cardiff Casuals