Match Report vs Cavaliers
01 July 2018 @ Wenvoe (Skipper and report Dan)
For the first time in years we had a match at Pontcanna fields.
The weather was slightly cloudy, but hot and the forecast
was for heavy though disparate showers. The match was to start
at 12.45 due to the changing rooms only being available from
12.30 to 5 (which was extended to 6). The hosts (Cavaliers)
were already in attendance and had erected a gazebo. Capt’n
Dan lost the toss (again) and the Cazh were fielding.
Dan opened from the changing room end and Dave from the Taff
end. The pitch looked good, but looks can be deceiving and
it was apparent very early that the batsmen would need to
watch their shots. First over Dan had one seaming and taking
off over middle. Dave also enticed some extreme bounce, and
in his first over was to be fortunate enough to get one to
pop against Steaders off the glove, up his arm and into the
hands of Jesus. Steaders walked, which was nice and Jesus
reached his first milestone of the day (50 career catches
for the Cazh). Dave had a wicket maiden (which I imagine may
also be a first!). Dan continued without luck, another going
through at the time a non-existent slip cordon, but in contrast,
Dave kept taking wickets. Another was picked up in his second
and 3rd – one excellently caught by Luvvers in slip
– the ball staying in the air for quite a while in a
slow loopy arch, but Luvvers had to dive forward to collect
it. The next stumped with Jesus (bringing up his 2nd Cazh
milestone – 40 career stumpings). In Dan’s fourth
and last over one rose sharply off a length at Jimmy, passing
his face on the rise. A few faces were etched with concern.
After 8 overs the score on 19-3.
Goffy replaced Dan and Dave kept going. Until his 4th over
Goffy bowled well only going for a boundary on over, to be
fair a glance at his glazed eyes suggested he probably shouldn’t
have been bowling at all. His fourth and last was pummelled
for 3 boundaries by new batsman Payne. In the previous over,
Dave’s last – last ball he picked up his 4th wicket
– one square cut to an un-moving Paul at point. Dave
was replaced by Foxy – first a ball one was carted back
to him and to everyone’s shock Foxy was able to move
his hand into the path of the ball. Probably wishes he hadn’t
as it was going far to fast to curl the wizened fingers around
and instead made a load slapping sound. However, 2 balls later
he picked up the wicket of Jimmy by bleary eyed Goff at backward
square 36-5 off 14.
Little Cheesy Baby Bell replaced Goffy and bowled a mixed
bag of spin, seam, beamers, double bouncers and a couple of
straight ones. He was unable to get a break through as the
batsmen tried their luck. Obee1 replaced Foxy, and similar
to Dave – the slow flighty deliveries were more effective
than speed. Pete got the wicket of Adi who top scored with
37, stumped once more by Will. The Cavs had now reached 100
– which was starting to look like a good total. Paul
replaced Ed and got a wicket both his first and second overs
– the first to remove Payne via a good running catch
by Ed at backward square, then a bowled. 113-8 off 29. It
looked as though the fightback was over, but the Cavs last
few batsman put on another 29 runs (mainly via skipper on
the day JT) before Paul got another – bowled and Richie
picked up an lbw in the 37th over. The Cavs finishing 143ao.
This was a good total.
Dan 4-0-11-0
Dave 6-1-14-4
Goff 4-0-24-0
Foxy 3-0-9-1
Cheese 5-0-32-0
Obee 7-2-20-1
Paul 6-1-22-3
Richie 2.2 -0-7-1
It had been arranged prior to the game that tea would be
taken after the match in the Halfway with a pint rather than
tea. So, it was a quick turn around, with Luvvers and Rob
opening up. The bowling attack at first returned similar results
with bounce variation, both batsmen being vary of getting
too far forward in case wearing one in the face. After 6 overs
the Cazh had moved onto 8 runs and Cavs bagging 4 maidens.
No real chances were given, the only talking point was one
raising sharply against Rob and a convincing appeal from the
Cavs. Rob looked unmoved and umpire Foxy turned his hearing
aid up a notch. Rob was first to fall in the 16th over –
with 2 balls remaining of the opener Shah’s spell, Rob
decided to let loose and played on (15). The score on 48.
Jesus came in and the bowling changed, and the score accelerated.
Another potentially contributing factor – for the first
time in weeks little droplets of water started to fall from
the sky. Not much, but stayed with us for 30 mins or so, and
the pitch appeared not to spit as much as it once had. The
next 50 came up in the next 10overs without loss of wicket
. Luvvers stayed on 49 for what seemed far too long before
reaching the target in the 24th over (very fitting as this
was Luvvers 50th Cazh appearance (milestone)). He then let
loose and scored more freely.
On the sidelines the spectators and scorers devised a new
game called Foxy Buckaroo – the point to balance as
many things as possible on the head of a sleeping Foxy without
him waking up – the empty coke can on top of the plastic
cup proved too much. Back on the pitch it looked like the
Cazh were going to stroll home. Until Jesus decided to take
on Grog – the Foxy of the Cavs, and instead of launching
down legside, missed it and was bowled through his legs with
14 required for the win. Ed, who had been padded up for a
long time hopped his way out the middle and 2 balls later
was hopping his way back. He’d leathered one to mid
off – and an excellent catch was taken. Suddenly thoughts
of the recent game between High Wycombe and Peterborough Town
came sharply into focus – they has lost 7 wickets in
2overs only requiring 3 to win. We had 7 wickets remaining
and we needed 14 to win (admittedly off 10 overs)…but
all the Cazh are aware of the infamous Cazh Collapse…fortunately
with Luvvers still at the crease he score most of the remaining
runs required and Goffy clubbed a 4 to win the game and quadruple
his season’s batting average. Luvvers finished on an
excellent 83no.
Luvvers 83 no (12x4)
Rob 15b (1x4)
Will MW 25b (5x4)
Ed 0ct (0x4)
Goffy 4no (1x4)
Dan, Paul, Foxy, Pete O, Dave, Rich DNB
We all then got changed and headed over the Halfway for pints,
sausages and chips and to watch Spain getting knocked out
of the world cup by Russia.
Another very enjoyable game against our old friendly foe.
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