Match Report vs Dinas Powys 28 August 2011

Much as in the previous year the Dinas attack had youth on its side against the grizzled experience of the Casuals machine (confusion with the absent CD meant we lowered our average age but Dinas also had 10 to even things up). Our tactics should also have been the same as 2010 – watch the ball and wait for the loose delivery from an inexperienced attack, particularly with a shortish boundary on the road side.

Stevo and Muff started our innings as we had hoped, with one particularly resplendent back-foot punch through the covers from Stevo being the highlight. Alas Stevo fell to his nemesis soon after – bowled by a full-pitched straight delivery for 11. Muff didn’t hang around long either, caught patting up a ball to short cover and leaving us 13-2 off 2 overs.

Ash and Lovers were tasked with building a more solid platform for the Cazh assault but early doors it seemed a frenetic Ash was bound to get out soon. Even Mrs Ash told him to calm down from the boundary edge! But get out he did for 4, caught at mid-on with the score on 19. JR looked to occupy the crease and Lovers increasingly found his stride with three crisp boundaries and a hefty six before disaster struck when Lovers failed to get on top of an extra cover drive and he was caught for 23 leaving us on 47-4 at the end of the 8th. We were scoring well but losing wickets.

Posting good totals is usually about partnerships and two people can bat very differently. JR and Kim certainly did. For the next few overs the Cazh approach was cautious, picking up a few singles as JR on occasion rode his luck while Kim seemed intent on building his innings slowly as we had plenty of time. The partnership began to mount and by drinks we had reached 92-4 off 20 overs.

The tempo was upped after drinks before JR finally fell, caught for 18 to end a vital partnership of 66 with the score on 113 in the 25th over. With a solid base to build upon carnage ensued for the next 15 overs as the Dinas bowlers wilted under the onslaught from Kim and Cheese. Cheese finally fell for 48 in the last over and Paul followed chasing quick runs soon after but the damage was already done. In 15 overs they had put on a record 135 runs with Cheese hitting six boundaries and two sixes while Kim finally secured his deserved first ton of the season and went on to get a ‘daddy hundred’. Kim’s undefeated 127 was his highest score for the Cazh and featured 13 boundaries and five sixes with two particularly huge efforts. One clattered into the roof of the clubhouse and another scattered the drinkers at the clubhouse benches as the ball disappeared through the car park and down the hill to Sully never to be seen again. It was brutal stuff! The Casuals finished on 255-7.

After an excellent tea (pasta, pizza, sandwiches and dessert to the usual high Dinas standard) the Cazh knew that they needed to get three of the four experienced players out to get in to the young middle order. Winkie and Paul opened up and kept things tight as Dinas reached 15 at the end of the 6th, losing one of their openers for nought bowled by Pabs. The Dinas batsmen settled down and the run rate started to climb such that when our opening attack rested after 12 overs they had moved on to 58-1. Just two more wickets and we can bowl at the youngsters.

Muff and Shakes came on but nothing seemed to upset the steady march of the Dinas batsmen. Muff was the steadier of the two but Shakes finally got the breakthrough, bowling the Dinas number 3 middle stump for 42. With the score at 86-2 off 18 we needed just one more wicket!

The more experienced Cazh knew we had a problem in getting opening bat Andy Ford out as he had smacked us around in the Willow league in bygone days. The surprise came with the number 4 batsman Wilton who took a liking to Lovers when he pitched it anywhere near short. Shakes also took some stick and after 25 overs Dinas were 151-2. At the start we just needed those three wickets but the search for the third looked increasingly forlorn. It was clear Dinas were up with the rate and we did get a little rattled but they still had a mountain to climb - surely we couldn’t lose defending 255?

A returning Pabs and Winkie calmed things down and the coup de grace was supplied with the bowling of Ford for an excellent 92 (nice one Lovers) and Wilton for 51 (Winkie). The chase was all but over and Muff rounded things off with two wickets before getting clouted for six by the last ball of the innings. Dinas finished on a creditable 218-6 as the run rate slowed markedly at the end. A relieved Casuals side planned the trip to Winchester over a pint after the game with 20 wins and 16 defeats

Extra [Kim] - Don't forget the champange moment...
Muff bowl to the batsman (think it could have been Andy Ford) who edged it to keeper Ash who dropped the ball. This was followed up by the usual banter (sorry meant support) by the Casuals which was interrupted by a voice on the boundary. The voice belonged to Mrs Ash who on cue said, 'Nevermind my darling, better luck next time' (ok it wasn't exactly those words but I can't remember what was said and I'm sure you get the gist! Whereby play stopped for everyone to pick themselves off the floor from laughing...

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