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 Blaina 17 May 2015 @ Blaina (Skipper Jesus, report Ash)

So the Casuals rocked up to a rather chilly and overcast Blaina on Sunday 17th, with the pregame chat coming from Shakey enquiring whether this was a 4 or 5 layer game, and I believe he fell on the side of caution and went for 5 layers in the end.

With Vice captain Will stepping in again to captain, he took his undefeated tossing skills into action and preceded to win the toss and elect to field. With his only other game of the season as captain being a washed out morale victory at Usk, Will was keen to push forward and remain undefeated as Captain for the Casuals. With that in mind Goffy was thrown the ball to open, with Luke supporting from the other end. Both bowlers opened well with Goffy going for only 9 runs off his first 5 overs (2 maidens), bowling a sublime line and length and getting the ball to move about, with Luke supporting well but getting punished for the odd short ball on the short boundary going for 28 runs off 5 overs.

This brought the part time bowler Shakey and Pete Obee onto bowl, with both bowling a good line and speed for the wicket, with Shakey immediately getting turn from the wicket and being unlucky not to get a few wickets early on with some poor casual catching skills on display, with a couple of skiers being put down (one by Will at extra cover and one by Ash who was keeping, who had not one, two, three or four BUT five chances in his juggle to take the catch after it swirled in the air as he attempted to take it over his shoulder! Comments afterwards leaned towards the batsman being half way to the clubhouse when the catch was finally shelled, and the other end batsmen suggesting a clown medley would accompany that well). Never the less he did the hard work himself and cleaned bowled two with jaffa's (not the cake, but more on that later...) finishing with figures of 13 runs for 2 wickets off 8 overs 2 maidens. Pete supported well going for 13 runs off 4 overs.

With the casuals containing Blaina very well in the opening 10 overs (for just 39 runs) and by drinks at 20 overs (for just 70 runs), the opposition decided that it was time to open up and upped the rate in the next 15 overs putting on 100+ runs. Foxy replaced Pete bowling his usual enticing loopy deliveries which to him a wicket, finishing with 2 overs for 1 wicket for 18 runs. Ian and Richy then came on, with Ian struggling a little with his line and length in his opening over, but recovered in his next 2 overs going for 32 runs off 3 overs, with Richy getting a wicket and unlucky not to get more than one with some half chances not taken in the field, 4 overs 24 runs 1 wicket. Ed had a few quick fire overs, being very unlucky not to get an LBW decision which to all around seemed as plum as plum could be, alas not given.

Goffy and Luke came back on to finish their spells, with a few overs later Blaina had retired their number 4 on 50 runs in favour of letting a junior getting a chance to bat, and a couple of overs later another senior batsman retired so that another junior could come in. With this in mind the field came in, and the runs died up a little for Blaina but there was still time for Pete Obee to take a good reaction catch off Goffy's bowling at Silly point, and Luke picking up a wicket clean bowling the junior off the last ball of the innings. Luke commenting on the way in that he had not even tried to bowl that one straight, to which the rest of the team replied that maybe he should build that into his normal action :)

The Casuals also put down another 3 catches (but as no notes in the book I cannot remember who or how they were dropped), as well as a couple of harder chances dropping short or going to finger tips, leaving it to say that this was not the best of catching displays from the Casuals but the fielding effort being on par. Blaina finished with 190 runs off 40 overs figures below:

Goffy 8 overs - 14 runs - 1 wicket - 2 maidens, 1 wicket maiden
Luke 8 overs - 34 runs - 1 wicket - 1 wicket maiden
Shakey 8 overs - 13 runs - 2 wickets - 1 maiden - 1 wicket maiden
Pete 4 overs - 13 runs
Foxy 2 overs - 18 runs - 1 wicket
Ian 3 overs - 32 runs
Richy 4 overs - 29 runs - 1 wicket
Ed 3 overs - 30 runs

Extras (16 wides, 2 byes, 1 leg bye)


With the tea being taken (comments to follow the tea report), the discussion turned to who wanted to open with Ed. With no volunteers putting themselves forward in a hurry, Shakey put himself forward to open and only partook in a moderate size cake portion as part of his tea.

So with the weather turning more overcast, and as a result the temperature dropping a few degrees - bringing with it extra layers and jumpers, jackets and coats being added by the casuals on the boundary watching on as Ed and Shakey stroud out to open. The opening 10 overs began slowly but at a well judged pace, with the opening two bowlers bowling a good spell each, and having the odd ball zip and dart away causing a patient start from the openers, 31 runs scored. Ed offered up a regulation catch at 1st slip when on 8 runs which was put down, with Shakey being dropped on 28 runs by the bowler and then again 1 run later at cover both lucky escapes. Cheese then skied the ball to mid on and thought his innings was over, but to be dropped when on 37. This brought up the 18th over and a shout from the middle from Shakey asking was their any cake, preferably a jaffa cake available for him to have... With drinks and the 20th over, Ashley kinda took him a selection of chocolate swiss roll and battenburg, with the first being downed in one! After 20 overs 97 runs scored and both openers still out there in the bitterly cold field.

Ed and Shakey both pushed on, with Shakey first bringing up his 50, with Foxy letting out a gem of a line being 'Every dog has his day!', followed by Ed a few overs later with both looking to up the rate, playing more expansive shots. We did have one comical moment, which could have used the clown medley from earlier in the game with both batsman almost meeting in the middle before returning to their respective ends. Ed eventually fell for 58 runs being bowled on leg stump, bringing to end a well constructed innings. This brought Will to the crease with discussion changing to how many Shakey needed to get to his hundred, and the realisation being that Will would need to pass the strike to Shakey and score only a handful of runs for this to occur - a few overs later and with a Shrini like expertise at scoring in boundaries and claiming a single off the last ball of the over, hopes of a tonne for Shakey were all but put to bed. Shakey rode his luck again being dropped on 60 at mid on, and Will being dropped for 16 at square leg. With the end of the game in sight Will got bowled for 34 which took Richie to the crease needing only 5 runs to win the game, and with Ashley in at 5 not padded up, the pleas of some and the hopes of others saw Richie take guard 1st ball and have a bye, followed by a very loud shout of one to get off the mark. With only 1 run needed to finish the game, the field came in, and came in again some and Richie saw of the next over for 6 nervous dot balls, which was cheered from the boundary. Shake then finished the innings with a lovely 4 and the casuals winning the game with 7 overs to spare.

Ed 58 runs off 68 balls (6 4's 1 6) - Bowled
Mark 73 runs off 93 balls (9 4's) - Not out
Will 34 runs off 30 balls (5 4's 1 6) - Bowled
Rich 1 run off 9 balls - Not out

Ash, Dan G, Pete O, Foxy, Luke, Ian, Goffy - (DNB)

The Casuals then took to the bar for a well earned post match drink, and some left over cake and nibbles, and a mix of non comment-able discussion, with Will remaining undefeated as captain of the Casuals.

 

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