g23_13jul06_rhiwbina

Another superb Blackwier pitch awaited the Casz as they came up against the Highways Hurricanes (I think this is the Council).

After WINNING the toss I got confused and nauseous then during a moment of weakness decided to field no bat no wait … too late we were fielding.

Matt ‘Dulux’ Davies opened the bowling at the Taff End and again, as is his way of late, bowled a tight three over spell dispelling 4 of the top 5 batsmen back to their ‘tree’ (all caught – Will Goad, Ed ‘Talking Horse’s’ Dain and two for Steve ‘not interested in stats’ O’Reilly – not sure what order they were in though)

Opening at the other end was James ‘JR Ewing’ Roach and whilst bowling a tight and controlled opening 2 overs he took the wicket of their 3rd batsmen (bowled). James may wish to forget about his third over.

Tesh took over from Matt and Smitty from James. Tesh continued on from where Matt left off and whilst wicket-less restricted the oppo with his nagging line and length. Smitty on the other hand threw caution to the wind and was rewarded with a wicket in his first over (caught Steve ‘still not interested in stats’ O’Reilly). However, another over from Smitty and that was enough for me to give Will the nod and take the twelfth over.

Will took wickets in his first and third overs (both bowled) and was unlucky to get punished on a couple of wayward deliveries. Taking over from Tesh at the other end Shakey provided some ‘stout’ control in tying the batsmen down in much the same way as Tesh had done.

I took the eighteenth and what turned out to be the last over with my guile and judgement (or luck) returning me 2 wickets (1 caught Steve ‘I think that may be my 49th chaps’ O’Reilly and the other bowled)

Final score 120 a/o off 18.4 overs

18 extras (13 w; 2 lb; 3b)

Bowling figures

MD 3 / - / 14 / 4
JR 3 / - / 25 / 1
TH 3 / 1 / 12 / -
Smitty 2 / - / 21 / 1
WG 3 / - / 19 / 2
Cllr MS 3 / 1 / 14 / -
RH 0.4 / - / 1 / 2

And so to bat …..

Easy opened with TH, and after amusing myself with advising the batsman of the bowler’s action .... right arm over Easy …. such larks!, the game began.

Ed was first to fall caught for nought (1 for 1 in the 1st over). Joining Easy was newly found statto convert Steve O’Reilly leaving the crease (bowled) after a short stay scoring 6 (10 for 2 off 3). This sounds familiar doesn’t it ?

Anyway enter Jamie ‘stupid boy’ Pike. Easy and Jamie added 10 before Easy was over (caught) for 7 (20 for 3 in the 7th over).

Smitty was next in and out (run out) troubling the scorers for 2 (26 for 4 in the 9th over) allowing Matt Davies the chance to ‘up the pace’ which was now needed.

After a 40 partnership in around 4½ overs, and after adding 7 to his personal season’s total Matt was caught leaving the Casz in a wobbly position (66 for 5 off 13 overs).

As Shakey joined Jamie in the middle things weren’t looking great with the asking rate over 8 per over.

A few overs later and things took a turn for the worse with the required rate up to around 10 per over Shakey’s departure (run out) caused further angst with the score on 71 for 6 in the 15th over.

Will joined the mainstay off the innings, Jamie, and the two of them set about the required rate but with the light fading and the bowling speeding up hopes all but ended with Jamie being run out for 37 (86 for 7 in the 18th).

Tesh came to the crease but with the required rate seemingly unobtainable the 2 not out batsmen (Will 9 and Tesh 4) endured the final balls in the dark (including a bouncer that put Will on his arse) to push the Casz to 99 for 7 off 20 overs. (Ext 25 [2 nb; 17 w; 3 lb; 2 b])

A loss by 21 runs.

Not our finest hour but we’ve played worse and won and played better and lost – it’s the way we play!

Well played Matt Davies for his 4 for and to Jamie for his 37 and to Steve for his 4 catches behind the stumps.

Steve O joins Paul & Simon on 49 career catches …… who’ll be first to 50 ......... I wonder?