Match Report vs Llanarth
28 April 2013 @ Llanarth (Skipper and report Cheese)
On a pleasant but windy day the brain trust met on the Llanarth
wicket to decide what to do, though most of the conversation
proved to be academic, bar the hope we would not be met by
a ploughman’s at tea with green stuff on it, as the
captain cheese lost the toss and we were thrown the newest
ball they had.
Winkie coming down the slope and Shakey coming up were given
opening honours and though the first 5 overs went past with
no adventure it was clear the outfield was lightening with
a couple toe ends and mis-hits flying to the boundary.
In the 9th over, Winkie got us a breakthrough inducing an
edge with Will taking a smart catch behind the stumps. Shakey
had kept the brakes on his end, but with no award, in no small
part to Steve-o’s fielding, who chased down certain
boundaries that no else was getting near. In fairness to the
old lad he managed to continue this through the game, after
the fifth stop I did think all this would either cause him
injury or he would roll over the rope but to the spectator’s
relief neither happened as either would have started a tirade
of swearing.
Steve-o had a five over break from his fielding work; the
first couple of balls were short and got slapped, after that
bowled tightly and was unlucky not to get a wicket with both
Bowesy (he did say either is throwing or catching would be
good and let’s just say his throwing was impeccable)
and cheese dropped catches they will feel they should have
taken.
Drinks were taken with the opposition on 98-1 with the cazh
staring down the barrel of 200+ chase. Winkie had finished
a good opening spell and had replaced by another debutant
for the season Pete. After having a chat with cheese at drinks
saying the field settings were too attacking for his first
two overs, a more sensible field was set. The field changes
allowed Pete to relax, who then sent down a peach of a ball
to remove the remaining opener clipping the top of off.
Pablo had started coming up the slope and bowled dealing
with the short cover boundary quite the ball tight to the
off stump enticing a couple edges and false strokes but the
ball either evades and drop short of the waiting fielder.
Pablo finally got his reward bowling the captain just as he
was about to start their charge to the end
Pete after no more joy was replaced by Goff who started on
the money bowling wicket to wicket with Richie and Pete T
closing down on side and with no width from Goff the runs
started to dry out. Once Goff had created the pressure the
batsmen tried to start forcing the ball away through the off
side. Goff exploited this with aplomb darting the ball back
in and castling all his three victims in exactly the same
way. Really great spell of bowling from Goff put the brakes
on their innings just as it looked like it was getting away
from us.
Tickle took the penultimate over with Goff having a blow
though it did not quite work out for him with the oppo looking
to hit out.
Bowesy had a short burst up the slope for 3 overs trying
to knock over the tail, a couple of lucky edges to the short
third man boundary could the gloss of his figures but Mr Tickle
prowling at mid-wicket made a couple great stops which started
some suicidal running which Tesh and Bowesy could advantage
of to claim two late run outs.
Great effort from all to keep going with the constant buffeting
of the wind and quick out field to keep the target under 200
was testament to that.
A Hood – 8 overs; 0 maidens; 15 Runs; 1wicket
M Stephens – 5; 1; 23; 0
S O’Reilly – 5; 0; 37; 0
P Tangney – 4;0;28;1
P Stephens - 7; 0; 39; 1
G Day – 7; 1; 17; 3
P Bowes – 3; 0; 19; 0
M Hirani – 1; 0; 8; 0
Tea was ok but I can’t say it will live long in the
memory.
On with the batting though I am not going to draw this out.
Only one of the top 6 and allowed himself to get settled.
Cheese was plumb lbw for a duck; Tesh was bowled by one that
kept while looking to pull; Bowesy sliced a full toss to cover
and was caught after a couple of lusty blows; Richie was finally
caught after getting a reprieve after he was dropped first
ball; Pete can feel aggrieved after getting a good ball slightly
too early in his innings and being castled.
This left the cazh reeling on 55 for 5 looking for a bit
of stability to get the innings back on track, now there might
be many cazh suited to the job but I do not think that Steve-o
would be top on anybody’s list.
Will on batting debut (after taking 3 wickets last week)
had been surveying the destruction from the other end and
wondering what he had got himself in for.
Will & Steve-o put on 51 together with Will smashing the
left arm over high over the midwicket boundary and Steve-o
punching the quicker coming down the slope back over his head
for 6. Although the pair were not content with hitting boundaries
and even took on the most risky run in the cazh locker, the
quick single. This was in fact negotiated without a loss of
a wicket but left steve-o dealing with the slower left arm
which he never really got to grips with and was castled trying
to give himself room to slash into the off side.
Winkie strode to the crease confident in his job for the
team and that was to feed Will the strike and stay in. A partnership
of 84 insued between them with Will taking the senior role,
mainly dealing with boundaries but with a deliberate jogged
single off the fifth or sixth ball to retain the strike.
As the over went by the runs coming off the first four balls
started to increase with Will playing some great shots one
in particular cover drive raced up the hill with the covering
boundary rider only starting 10 yards away did not get within
5.
With both batsmen getting increasingly comfortable against
pace the attack changed to spin and Will rather than going
for it straight away ala most cazh batsmen played himself
in again.
The target quickly came within sight, Will & Winkie exchanged
singles at start of 34th over until Will launched his biggest
6 of the day into the car park to bring us home.
Really cracking knock by Will with no chances that I can
remember, waited for the ball to hit and invariable sent to
the boundary.
Cazh won by 4 wickets
E Stewart; lbw 0
M Hirani: bowled; 5
W Mason-Wilkes; not out; 116 (5x6)
P Bowes; caught; 16
R Holliday; caught; 0
P Tangey; 0
S O’reilly; bowled; 23
A Hood; not out; 8
P Stephens; DNB
G Day; DNB
M Stephens; DNB
Well done Will great ton and off to a winning start
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