Match Report vs Lisvane
31st August 2025 @ Bryn-y-Don (Skipper Jim, Report
Pat)
The Casuals’ penultimate (or possibly final) game on
Welsh soil for the 2025 season was scheduled for the last
day of August against a Lisvane XI at Bryn y Don. Heavy rain
the previous day and a mixed forecast necessitated a willing
volunteer/someone with nothing better to do (Stevo) to carry
out a thorough pitch inspection at Bryn y Don – checks
completed and with the oppo confirming (after an hour of fretting
and ringing around), the game was ON…and even more importantly,
tea was available!
A lost toss saw the 10 players of the Cazh take to the field
first. As was to be expected there was some moisture underfoot
and some unpredictability in the pitch, with Dan the first
to exploit it for the first wicket, a rising length ball that
surprised the batsman and caught the glove, 10-1. There followed
some generosity from the fielding side both from the bowling
crease (Goff) and the slips (Will) as Lisvane built a steady
second wicket partnership, before a heavy shower hit in the
13th over. Covers on, kettle on and each innings reduced from
40 to 35 overs.
On resumption of play, the Lisvane batsmen both reached their
half century retirement marks, and with Cheese taking a subsequent
quick wicket, the innings was evenly balanced at 118-2 (plus
2 retired not out) in the 20th over. Unfortunately for the
Cazh bowlers, the Lisvane middle order counted two players
of the stature of the second row of the scrum or basketball
power forwards. They were both keen to take on the attack,
and the bowling figures of DT, Cheese, Mo and Sanay suffered
accordingly – a cause not aided by several balls chipped
into the area between the 'athletic' trio of DT, Jim and Stevo,
and another uncharacteristic drop from Will on the boundary.
Eventually the carnage came to an end with a well judged
catch by Stevo from a skied chance, and the retirement of
bat 6 after hitting the fifty mark, 216-2 after 28 overs.
With Patrick into the attack, and Dan and Goff returning from
the other end, the wide variety of pace slowed the scoring
rate somewhat, as only 19 runs came from the remaining 7 overs.
Dan and Patrick claimed a wicket a piece, and DT took two
in the final overs, both from ‘lightning’ stumpings
from Jim.
Lisvane 235-6
Dan 7-0-18-2
Goff 7-0-24-0
DT 6-0-50-2
Sanay 4-0-31-0
Cheese 3-0-33-1
Mo 3-0-30-0
Patrick 5-0-37-1
Catches: Stevo, Jim, Will
Stumpings: Jim x 2
Tea was served in the Cazh ‘clubhouse’ –
an excellent spread of sandwiches, pastries, crisps and cakes,
carefully kept away from the marauding clouds of flies that
had taken up residence in the changing rooms.
Jim and Cheese opened the batting innings, setting a strong
platform at a solid rate, until Jim was snared by a good catch
at 40-1 in the 7th over. There was a vociferous appeal for
caught behind against Cheese, possibly adding extra motivation
as he powered his way to 61 before falling bowled at 74-2.
Steveo’s short stay at the crease ended in a catch lobbed
to slip (taken by the batsman who Steveo had caught) and subdued
celebrations, Mo made a breezy 9 before being bowled and at
the drinks break the Casuals were 103-4, needing a further
133 from 18 overs.
Sanay and Will took the score on to 126, then Will was pouched
on the extremities of the boundary line to leave the target
looking a far distance away. Sanay fell shortly after chipping
one in the air, leaving the responsibility to the lower order
to attempt an unlikely victory.
Dan and Goff added a well paced 48 for the seventh wicket
until Goff ran past a straight one and was bowled –
180-7 needing 55 from 4 and a bit overs. Dan continued the
assault, bringing up a half century in the penultimate over,
an over that went for 20 and left the Cazh needing 24 from
the last. Unfortunately, the Lisvane player who had taken
centre stage throughout (44 with the bat, three wickets and
two catches) returned, bowling Dan and tying down DT to prevent
the sixes that would have taken the Casuals to victory.
215-8 in a closely contested game, the Cazh left possibly
ruing the absence of another middle order player, but contented
with the provision of tea at least.
Jim caught 7
Cheese bowled 61
Will caught 32
Stevo caught 0
Mo bowled 9
Sanay caught 20
Dan bowled 53
Goff bowled 6
Patrick not out 2
DT not out 0
215-8
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