Match Report vs Hawks
13 May 2025 @ St Fagans (Skipper Rob, report Will)
Thunder and lightning preceded the second of our 2025 Willow
League fixtures, but despite the usual WhatsApp updates of
the relative humidity levels across South Wales, St Fagans
was spared a terminal downpour.
Heavy cloud and the threat of a deluge lingered, however,
so sensibly skipper Rob agreed with the Hawks to a reduced
match of 15 overs a side. Presumably the toss was won as we
were batting with Liam F opening up with Will. The first 3
balls beat the bat, but then Will was under way with a 4 through
cover and a single to bring Liam on strike. Alas this was
to be his downfall, the bowler squeezing one through bat and
pad before catching Liam's boot and on to the stumps for a
first baller. Rupert in next, and he and Will got things going
in the next couple of overs, some decent bowling at pace interspersed
with some chest high freebies saw the score race along at
10 an over before Robbie was caught toeing one to mid-off
for 8. Next in Hasnat after his debut to remember last time
out. He continued in a similar vein, hitting some nice drives
and pulls off the back foot. At the other end, with the help
of some curious field positioning (one fielder between extra
cover and the keeper on the offside), errant bowling and in
fairness some quite good shots (even if I say so myself) Will
raced up to his 50, retiring in the 6th over with the score
approaching 70.
Skipper Rob in at 5 kept things moving initially with Hasnat,
who looking increasingly assured was undone by a full one
from the Hawks spinner that bowled him for a well made 22,
bringing Rhys to the crease. Despite Rob and Rhys' efforts,
the runs dried up a bit here, with the Hawks bowling well
and fielding athletically. Around this time DT, whilst ostensibly
scoring, remarked that their seemed to be an extra ball in
an over, but continued 'oh well, I must have missed a wide,
but never mind, one run's not going to make a difference is
it?'...Their death bowler was a quickie who eventually did
for Rob, bowled for 4 in the 12th with the score at 98. Dan
in next, and a late flurry from he and Rhys took the Casuals
to a very competitive looking 134-4 from their 15.
Casuals Batting
Will M-W, not out, 50 (9x4s)
Liam F, bowled, 0
Robbie S, caught, 8 (2x4s)
Hasnat, bowled, 22 (4x4s)
Rob O, bowled, 4
Rhys, not out, 24 (2x4s)
Dan L, not out, 16 (2x4s)
Liam W, DNB
Matt C DNB
Shakes, DNB
DT, DNB
B-4 LB-1 W-2 NB-4
After his shock demotion on Sunday (to bowling the second
over) Dan was back in his natural habitat opening up, and
he struck in the first over, knocking over their number 2
with a leg stump yorker for a first baller (I hope he and
Liam shared a pint afterwards). Maxi followed this up with
one of his own in the second, getting the number 3 bowled
off his pads. In between the other opener had hit a few lusty
blows, so though wickets were falling the score was ticking
along at the required rate of 9. This was the story of the
early part of the innings, with the Casuals taking regular
wickets, but Hawks continuing to push the run rate and punish
any lose bowling. Maxi had the other opener chop on in the
4th, before Shakes repeated the trick in the 7th, removing
the well set number 4 for 28 with one that kept a low and
caught the bottom edge. Once DT had snagged one of his own
in the 8th, this time the number 5 tempted down the wicket
only to connect with fresh air leaving Will to remove the
bails, Hawks found themselves 71-5, needing 64 from 42 balls
with just 5 wickets in hand. A couple of tight overs from
the Pylon and DT left Hawks needing 52 from the last 5, Casuals
seemingly in control. Even more so after Pylon very uncasually
ran out the number 6 off his own bowling with an under arm
flick the ladies on the bowls green would have been proud
of.
Unfortunately, at this point, whether it was the fading light,
the match situation or just that we're a bit rubbish, errors
started creeping in, with mis-fields, no-balls and wides occurring
with greater frequency, meaning we never quite put the Hawks
out of touch. With 2 overs to go they needed 24, and Rob turned
back to Dan, who, it turns out had been nursing a bit of a
side strain since before the start of the match after lugging
his bag from the car, and which hadn't been helped much by
the 2 overs at the top of the innings and intervening 10 overs
of fielding. Not that we knew this from the first ball, which
brought the 7th wicket, well caught by Rob at deep cover.
The rest of the over wasn't so good however, Dan clearly struggling
to turn his arm over resulting in a no-ball or two and a couple
of boundaries, with the over eventually costing 14. Hasnat
to bowl the last, with 10 to defend, and after he almost managed
to defend 1 last week we still had hope! First ball, full
in-swinger, single. Second ball, same result. 3rd ball, calamity
- slapped to Robbie S at the mid wicket fence who got his
body in the way - for many other Casuals this would result
in an immediate deadening of the ball's momentum, but Robbie's
Forces honed physique meant it ricocheted away for 4. 4 required
from 3. 4th ball, into the offside, a scrambled two resulting
in a dive and minor delay for onfield HIA for the nonstriker
who'd hit himself in the head with his own bat. 2 from 2 required.
5th ball, smeared though point and beyond the Pylon's despairing
tumble! Casuals lose again on the penultimate ball of the
innings.
Another agonising defeat to a very decent team, which is
more than can often be said - and more to the point, maybe
if our scorer had paid attention, who knows what the result
might of been, hey Dave?
Casuals Bowling
D Lewis 3-0-35-2
M Cullen 3-0-28-2
M Stephens 3-0-21-1
L Warren 3-0-31-0
D Thomas 2-0-12-1
Hasnat 0.5-0-12-0
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