Match Report vs Wick
31st May 2026 @ Wick(Skipper Steveo, report Ned)
The match started in typically casual fashion, with the casuals
a man down come 1:30pm. Some quick thinking by captain Steve
O, making the most of the lack of social life experienced
by many of the casuals outside of cricket and the huge squad
depth this season, ensured the Cazh were up to their full
quota.
Cazh won the toss and decided to bat first – which
turned out to be an excellent decision (as we waited for Sanay
to arrive).
Veteran James and new opener Hasnat opened the batting and
after 3 deliveries, James was walking back after dollying
one up somewhere on the off-side. Will entered the fray at
no.3 and boasted an impressive batting record at Wick (although
this was much exaggerated by the man in question on the day).
The runs started flowing with Hasnat and Will building an
impressive partnership, Hasnat taking the game to Wick with
several boundaries and Will starting slower with a number
of singles. A partnership of 90 runs saw the Cazh reach 107
as Hasnat lost his wicket having made 75. Just before tea,
a slower ball from Wade which turned inwards caught out Hasnat
who in fairness was having far too much fun out there. Greg
in at number 4 didn’t last long, bowled by Saurav after
a couple of dot balls and a single. The umpiring at this point
of the game was of a mixed standard, a 5-ball over raising
some eyebrows among spectators. At tea, the Cazh were 108-3.
After the break, it didn’t take losing for the first
breakthrough to arrive – Iwan unable to get the best
of Wade, facing 6 balls in total and scoring 1 run. I can’t
really remember this part of the game to be honest.
Will carried the Casuals with the bat after tea, putting
on around 60 runs with numerous 4s and some good running with
Matt in at number 6. A partnership of 44 brought the end of
Matts’ spell with the bat in the 30th over, having made
6 runs and providing the perfect foil for Wills’ escapades.
Collins took the key wicket of Will in the 32nd over, caught
behind after a tentative stab at a slower ball. 74 runs in
total for Will who will be disappointed to fall short of his
average (“about 150”).
The lower order was perhaps unsurprisingly relatively short-lived,
with Ed making 17 off 14 deliveries and Andy Munn hitting
a couple of boundaries, making 9 off a similar number of balls.
Unfortunately for Andy, captain Steve and Goffy, the Dixon
brothers made light work of them and closed the final few
overs with 3 wickets between them.
Sanay also batted in this match.
Cazh 207-10 at Tea.
With a tidy score for Wick to chase, Goff and Sanay opened
the bowling. Some very efficient bowling from Goff kept scoring
low in the first few overs, and at the other end Sanay providing
a real wicket threat. A number of catching opportunities were
squandered off Sanay’s bowling by our star wicketkeeper
(one of the Casuals* later joked that the only thing that
James caught all afternoon was the sun). Goff made the breakthrough
in the 9th over and in the 5th over of his spell (23-1, 9
overs). Sanay kept plugging away and really deserved at least
one wicket for his efforts but it wasn’t to be.
*identity removed to uphold team cohesion
The turning point of the match came after an inspired decision
by captain Steve to switch up the bowling attack. Andy and
Iwan were brought into the attack before tea with some unplayable
bowling, causing a collapse of the Wick batting higher order.
3 wickets fell in quick succession. Andy took the key wicket
of batsman no.3 who made 23 runs with an accurate ball which
hit the stumps and in successive overs, Iwan taking the key
wicket of batsman no.1 who was caught by any one of the casuals
on 34 runs. Spencer was no match for Iwan who was removed
in the 18th over – leaning on some fine Casual handling
to make it 69-4 (Yes I have forgotten who took any/all of
the catches). Skipper Steve O dropped a catch before the break
and normal service was resumed for a bit. Iwan recorded figures
of 5-3 in 3 overs before tea and truthfully, it could’ve
been more.
72-4 at 20 overs (Wick)
More of the same after the break, with Iwan and Andy causing
real trouble for the Wick middle order. Wickets number 5 and
6 fell after good work from Iwan in the first over after the
break – trapping Amal LBW and removing batsmen no.5.
for just 1 run with Andy finishing his work for the day by
bowling out Saurabh. A fine cameo.
With just the one working arm, Steve O brought himself into
the attack in over 23 and almost immediately took the wicket
of batsmen number 6 after a couple of singles and a few dot
balls – a lot owed to the excellent work of Ed on the
boundary to pick this one out of the air. Wick were sinking
without a trace with the score now 82-7.
With the match all but won, the casuals already had one eye
on the warm down and post-game nourishment. Iwan rounded off
his afternoon removing batmen 9 for a duck and hitting the
top of off stump in the process. 83-8 from 24 overs.
Greg Kavanagh and Matt Davies finished off the bowling from
over 25. Will M-H denying Matt’s first wicket for the
Cazh with a dropped catch and dots galore for the next few
overs. In Matt’s final over, Will made up for his previous
misdemeanour with a fantastic run-out of batsmen no.8 from
mid-on. (92-9 from 30). Batsmen 11 came in and formed a late
partnership of 17 with the only remaining batsman for Wick
– but proceedings were brought to an end in the 33rd
over when batsmen Sam dollied one up to Will M-H off the bowling
of Greg – his first wicket in Casuals colours.
Final score: 109-10. Casuals win by 98 runs
Man of the Match: Iwan Jones
Fifa peace prize: Will M-H
back
|
