Match Report vs Eclipse 3 August 2010

With the weather looking ominous during the day, it was with relief that the game was still on. The Cazh turned up, Captain lost the toss again, and we were asked to field first. Shag and Lovers opened the bowling. The Eclipse opener Williams looked at home straight away and first ball played a cover drive for four over the fast outfield, another one followed and the rest of the deliveries were dots. Lovers started with a wide and a streaky 4 through the slips. Shag brought it back for his next 2 overs, with JR unable to hold on to diving catch in the slips. Lovers bowled a mixed bag going for a couple of boundaries an over. However, he did take the first wicket of the dangerous Williams in his last over caught by Kim behind the stumps. 56-1-6overs.

DB and Goughy (Chesney) were next to bowl, and did excellently to stem the flow of runs. Dave encouraging the batsman to hit to cow, got his reward with Shag taking a catch at midwicket. Chesney finished wicketless but deserved more. 83-2-12overs. At this point the Cazh were in a good position. With 6 overs to go, the brother Stephens took over the bowling responsibility. Shakey’s first two overs were excellent just going for 11. Paul’s first over was not so rewarding, struggling to find the strip or his line the attacking batsman, Coles, carted a boundary for all legal deliveries bar one. BA was replaced by JR who also bowled a mixed bag, the full deliveries going to the boundary, the others kept the batsman guessing, so much so that JR got his trade mark double bouncer straight one that bowled the number 5. Shakey’s last over went for 4 boundaries a dot and a single. Eclipse managed to double their score in the last 6 overs finishing on 163-4. A daunting total.

Lewis – 3-0-20-0
Gazza – 3-0-30-1
Dave – 3-0-17-1
Simon – 3-0-13-0
Mark – 3-0-32-0
Paul – 1-0-23-0
JR – 2-0-32-1

The Cazh had a number of batsmen who could push for this score, with Cheese and Britpop opening up. The pair started cautiously against 2 good bowlers, one being the opener Williams. Britpop fell first ball of Williams’ over bowled (2). Kim joined Cheese and began with a single and five dots before clubbing a 6. Ed scored just 2 singles in his first 12 balls faced but then started to unleash with boundaries. After 9 overs the cazh were on 63 just behind the rate that Eclipse were at the same point. Unfortunately, Cheese fell in the next over, caught for 35 (including 2 6’s). Gazza strode to the middle, but second ball got hold of one and was caught at long off (0). The Cazh were suddenly 66-3 off 10.

Tesh was next in and straight away started middling the ball, especially off his legs. Kim was still going well at the other end and took a liking to the 5th Eclipse bowler carting 2 6’s, one off a no ball. On the adjacent pitch South Glam were playing Hockey and they were in fear of being hit, as Kim’s 6’s were landing almost on their wicket, one of which actually cleared their far boundary. Things were looking promising having reached 104 after 13overs. Disaster struck in the next with Kim getting caught on the boundary by Williams for a well made 59. 120-4-14overs, Chesney joined Tesh and running the running increased.

Requiring 44 off 4 overs it was going to be a tough ask, but the pair ran everything. With 2 overs left, the Cazh required 25 runs. First ball was a no ball that was hit for 4. Only singles could be managed off the remainder of the over. 14 required off the last over. First ball, Chesney danced down the track to a loose one, but missed it and was stumped (25). Paul was next in and had no time to play himself in, connected sweetly, too sweetly and the ball carried to mid on (0). Shag next in with 4 balls remaining, only boundaries would do. He could only manage a single, bringing Tesh back on strike, the pair run 2 2’s leaving only a no ball or wide to enable them to score the required runs, the last ball was missed, but Shag was running regardless and unfortunately Tesh was run out at the bowlers end (19). The Cazh finished a tantalising 6 runs short of victory. 158-7.

A fantastic effort to get anywhere close. A good game, just frustrating that we were unable to restrict the runs and take our chances in the field.

Ed – 35 ct
Darren – 2b
Kim – 59ct
Tesh – 19ro
Simon – 25 st
Paul – 0ct
Dan – 1no
DNB – Mark, JR and Dave

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