Match Report vs Whitchurch
Heath 12 June 2022 @ Whitchurch Hospital (Skipper Richie,
report Cheese)
Second time at the Hospital for the season though Whitchurch
didn't remember. Steve B was keen to listen TMS without the
chatter of the family in the background so had told them it
was a 12:30 start. What this really meant is that he had longer
salivating over the footballers BBQ than the rest of us.
On to the cricket Richie won the toss and decided to bat,
then spent the next 10 minutes conceiving someone to partner
Steve B to open. After a couple than less than positive responses,
Shakey gave the Captain salve to his first headache of the
day and set out to open the innings.
The wicket looked like rolled straw and the out field like
a billiard table; after the first over maiden, Shakey received
to long hops outside the off, the first was watched and the
second was dabbed though with timing and the pace of the outfield
the ball flew to the rope and thus set the story of the day
that anything remotely hitting the centre of the bat was a
boundary.
Unfortunately Shakey tried to emulate his first shot with
the fourth ball of the over and was well caught at point.
In came WMW and with Steve started to build a partnership
with singles and two's were taken though runs were scored
predominately in boundaries.
The next 15 overs were a welcome distraction from the smells
of the bbq with the partnership reaching 50 and closing in
on 100. Though with drinks arriving at 20 overs, suggestions
started to gather pace that either the heat was getting to
WMW or the recent addition to the cazh glossary of the term
"Wilked" was. Either way in four of the next five
overs something strange happen, WMW took two off the last
ball or called Steve through for a single from the non striker
ends. This in turn started the discussion on the side-lines
as to the name for this action the final two suggestions were
reserve srining or to Wilk ones self, either way drinks were
taken with the cazh on a very health 96 with Steve plundering
a consecutive 4 then 6 just before.
After drinks are always a difficult time for a cazh batsmen
and the run rate dropped though the 100 partnership was reached
but with Steve eyeing up his 50 he tried to break free of
the shackles and was caught at mid off by the 1st captain
who had smashed his Lunch to make up the numbers.
Cheese joined WMW who had achieved yet another half century
for the cazh and conversation was about getting as many as
they could with a target of 220 in mind. With the outfield
seemingly getting faster and faster 5 an over was a bare minimum.
Cheese struggled getting the ball away early doors so the
scoring was down WMW who finally holed out keeping the scoring
going. This left the cazh on 146 after 31 overs with the target
of 220 looking out of reach.
Steve-O came and went for a golden leaving Richie to pick
up the pieces of the innings. The last 8 overs was very much
a scramble for runs with Richie, Cheese and Jim losing their
wickets trying to hit the ball out of the park. To be fair
Richie was unlucky to be given out lbw, though from the non
strikers end I though it was out but on a less friendly day
he may have survived. Jim played some lovely on drives but
didn't really have time to get his innings going.
The cazh innings closed on 209 for 7 slightly below par but
still a competitive total.
S. Biggs - caught; 45 (1x6)
M. Stephens - caught; 4
W. Mason-Wilkes - caught; 69
E. Stewart - caught: 41
S. O'reilly - bowled; 0
R. Holliday- lbw; 5
J. Hodkinson - bowled; 13
P. Dean - not out; 1
R. Owens - not out; 1
Tea was a bring your own, enjoyed by the team and Britpop
& Foxy who came along to support.
With many cazh heaving themselves to the feet to begin the
second innings, it was no real surprise to see the 1st captain
to open up the innings.
Wickets were the aim of the game for the cazh as defending
5.2 an over with the glass outfield was unrealistic. Though
keeping it tight a climbing run rate would give us more opportunities
To that end Richie opened up with Goff & Obee, after two
overs of tight bowling with no boundary the openers already
looked itchy. Goffy took the first wicket with one cutting
back through the gate and taking the leg stump. With the score
9-1 off 5 overs, Obee took some tap in the 6 over and was
unlucky for the aerial shots to go to hand. This over took
the handbrake off some what with Whitchurch trying to regain
some of the ground they lost at the start of the innings.
Although the partnership was only 3 overs old, it felt like
it was a partnership the needed to be broken. Up step Goffy
to remove the 1st captain for 3, at this point he taken away
the 'thanks for coming award' from Steve-o but there was still
time.
The 1st change came on as a partnership of Rob & Patrick,
with new pair getting to grips with the unforgiving nature
of the track the runs started to flow easily. After 14 overs
the score was 62-2 with the feeling again that we needed a
wicket to get on top. Rob had now found line and length and
strung 4 dot balls together and the oppo no.3 looking for
a release shot creamed an off wide drive but straight at Steve
B would took a great catch at a difficult height. Another
wicket just when we needed it leaving the oppo just before
tea 104-3 ahead of us on runs but two wickets more down.
Patrick had taken some tap in his overs but had kept plunging
away with a length that was drawing the oppo out of their
crease. Then with penultimate ball of his spell he floated
one past the flaying no.4 and Jim taking the bails off in
one smooth motion. Now with all friendly games lbw and stumpings
are as rare as rocking horse shit but the oppo umpire gave
it and fair play to him. (Britpop who was watching from deep
point gave it out but it was close.)
So 104-3 went to 104-4 and I think the cazh was just in the
lead but 106 off 20 with 6 wickets in the hutch and a glass
outfield it was by no means a given. Cheese & Steve-o
were the next pair up both praising Patrick for the wicket
just both tea. Steve-o bowled well and kept his end tight
with a nagging line and varying the length as to not allow
the batsmen to settle culminating in not conceeding a boundary
in his spell which was no mean feat. Cheese did a similar
job but with a different technique which was to chuck down
a chest high full toss every now and again to keep the batsmen
hoping. Although the required run rate had climbed during
these overs not wickets were taken and the calculation had
move on 76 off 12 with 6 wickets in hand.
Richie looking for wickets brought on his premier pair in
tandem to break the partnership Goffy and Shakey were given
the task of taking wickets. The plan only need 13 balls to
work with Goffy castling another Whitchurch batsmen. At this
stage with the required run rate had risen 10 an over although
not over the cazh felt in control. 4 overs later this feeling
had dissipated some what with the oppo keeping up with the
run rate. With two overs to go we needed something to change
the course of the game, up stepped the Captain, charging in
from mid-on an one-handed pick up and throw with Steve B gathering
and removing the bails, a badly needed wicket. 11 balls remaining
23 to get.
With WMW bowling the last over and looking for 15 runs, Steve
had a charge to only concede 8 runs from the remaining 5 balls.
The target was achieved with aplomb, bowling the new batsmen
and only conceding 3 runs.
WMW started the last over with 20 runs to play with but the
old gnarled batsmen on strike who had kept Whitchurch in the
game. WMW took a wicket on his third ball with the in batsmen
skiing one straight up. Now in normal circumstances the catch
would have been regulation for the keeper and had Steve-o
had the gloves he might not have ceded but Jim graciously
gave up the chance when he saw the stampeding WMW come down
the track to claim the catch to win the game.
Cazh win by 20 runs with contributions from all. Well Done
Richie.
Off to the pub for limited buffet and Goff to palm off some
crown paints polo shirts on us.
G Day 8-1-22-3
P Obee 5-0-20-0
R Owens 5-0-19-1
P Dean 5-0-38-1
E Stewart 4-0-14-0
S O'reilly 4-0-16-0
M Stephens 4-0-30-0
S Biggs 3-0-21-1
W Mason-Wilkes 2-0-14-1
back
|
