Match Report vs Uni Staff
29th July 2025 @ Bryn Y Don (Skipper Jim, report Rhys
(Uni Staff))
I wonder if a match report has ever been written by the “opposition”?!
Long standing forumites may be able to verify!
Bad driving can normally be associated with Casual games
in one way or the other. Be it the batsmen giving away their
wickets cheaply, or on this occasion someone crashing into
the back of another vehicle on the A4232 roundabout.
After an update from Dan in the group, many of us rerouted
thru the Bay and arrived slightly delayed, agreeing on an
18 over game to ensure a second ‘twilight’ finish
in as many weeks was avoided! Since I was keeping wicket for
UniStaff, I delegated captain duties to “young Tony
Blair” Dai. He strolled out with Jim and the pair of
tossers determined it was UniStaff to bat (aka Jim lost).
The opening pair for the Cazh were the usual Dan (from the
Dinas End) and DT (from the Football End).
DT’s first over went for 19, as opener Dai hit back-to-back
sixes into the area the girls were playing football. Seemingly
not as big a fan of ladies’ football as Goff is.
One of the sixes required the coach to throw the ball back
to Maxi. Somehow the coach managed to injure his arm whilst
throwing the ball in (could he be a casual in disguise?!),
and Maxi assisted with some first aid in the form of encouraging
words.
Game back on and Dan was first to strike in his second over,
dismissing Dai off the glove to a catch taken on the second
attempt by Jim. 30-1 at the end of three overs. A decent start
for UniStaff.
The scoring slowed up with both batters unable to score more
than a boundary an over. Dan being incredibly economical and
even sneaking in a rare midweek Maiden over to keep the score
45-1 after 6 overs. A second wicket for Dan, with the last
ball of his spell meant an excellent spell of 2 for 16.
Muhammad and Ahmad (another “splitter” as Jim
would say) were first change and were difficult to score off,
their five combined overs going at only a run a ball. 91-2
off 13 overs was looking a bit on the low side after a quick
start.
Shakey replaced Ahmad, and only managed to bowl four balls,
before a well struck straight drive clattered him just above
the wrist. Not for the first time, Shakey was forced to leave
the pitch mid-over. I luckily managed to find some ice –
in the form of a soft drink which had frozen solid in the
fridge-that-longs-to-be-a-freezer. Liam F on the sidelines
called upon to be 12th man!
After claiming that it should go down as a dropped catch,
Steve-O bowled the remaining two balls, and consequently his
cheapest over ever(?!). He later claimed the third wicket
when Ben missed a slog and was stumped by Jim for a decent
knock of 42. Maxi was the final bowler and was very economical
at 4 an over even at the death.
With only a few overs left, I replaced injured batsman Sushanth
who had cramp or something, which allowed me to enact some
revenge on Steve-O, who - Jim kindly reminded me - got me
out last year.
Revenge somewhat with 15 from the last over, but UniStaff
a bit short we felt at 124-3 from 18 overs.
D. Lewis 4-1-16-2
D. Thomas 4-0-45-0
Muhammad 3-0-16-0
Ahmad 2-0-13-0
M. Stephens 0.4-0-2-0
Steve-O 2.2-0-22-1
M. Cullen 2-0-8-0
--------------------------------
Jack and Jim (Insert Nursery Rhyme reference here) strolled
out to bat with just under 7 an over required.
Taking their time to get their eye in, some tight bowling
from the Football End meant only one boundary off the first
5 overs. Cazh 19-0 and creeping below the run rate.
An expensive few overs followed, with some shorter bowling,
well dispatched by both batters for boundaries galore. Jim
was dropped on the boundary and at this point it became clear
that it wasn’t Unistaff’s day! A few more boundaries
including a six from Jim pushed the Cazh above the required
run rate. But getting out just before 50 against Unistaff
a few years back must have been playing on Jim’s mind
– holing out to Long On in the 40s for a solid knock.
No surprise to see WMW in at #3, exploiting gaps in the field
well and taking advantage of the short boundary. Casuals racing
to 118 with 3 overs left.
Some suspect LBW shouts were made from myself behind the
sticks, and bowler Simon; but to be fair, this was only because
we knew the umpire (Steve-O) has form...! Sadly for us, Steve
has brushed up on the rules since last year! His shouts for
a replacement umpire, or even a jacket were quite rightly
turned down by the onlooking Casuals.
At this point the batters were offered to end the game then
and there, with fading light and a beckoning pub. But they
declined, with Washington, sorry, Jack trying to make his
50 before close of play…!
It wasn’t to be, as Will stole the glory with a few
more boundaries in the 17th over. UniStaff needing probably
20 more runs or so to have made it a close finish.
A good game, and an even better post-match pint in the Cross
Keys . Well played Cazh, in a game where not only did both
teams get an injury, but someone on the sidelines did too!.
J. Hodkinson 40 c. Evans b. Mullins
J. Beaumont 43*
W. Mason-Wilkes 34*
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