Match Report vs Rogerstone
08 May 2023 @ Rogerstone (Skipper Luvvers, report Will
MW)
After the rain curtailed opening to the season the previous
Thursday (we would have got 12 overs in if we'd started on
time, but I digress) the Casuals arrived at Rogerstone to
try again. Things looked more promising, with watery sunlight
and temperatures in the teens, but the preceding 6 weeks of
rain meant we were on the artificial wicket.
New skipper Luvvers began his tenure in true Casuals style
- injured (though very unCasually the injury was exercise
related) and losing the toss. Rogerstone stuck us in, and
Alex and Brynn opened up. A quiet start against some accurate
seam from either end before Alex got a good one and nicked
off to first slip, 8-1 from 3. Will in next, watchful for
the most part and putting away the occasional bad ball - with
the aerial route most effective on a lush and moist outfield.
First change bowlers were swingy and tall from one end, short
and accurate from the other. Brynn rotated the strike before
having a bit of a go at one and popping up a catch off swingy
and tall. 38-2 from 12. Handsome Steve in next. An over later
swingy and tall struck again, a half volley that Will couldn't
get over, drilling it straight to mid-off who took it at knee
height very comfortably (more on him later). 44-3 from 14
and a bit wobbly...Talented Steve was joined by his noisy
namesake, and the Steves set about rebuilding the Casuals
innings. A solid partnership of 43 steadied the ship before
Senior Steve was caught for a 'well-made' 17. Jim in to partner
Popular Steve, and after a steady start Hands really picked
up the pace in the last 10. Good Steve eventually fell for
19 (another wicket out caught) but this brought our one-legged
Skipper to the crease, who despite his injury still managed
to make it look easier than most of the other Casuals, hitting
a big six on to the community centre roof and running at least
as well as his two-legged teammates. With Jim playing his
part at the other end with some meaty and lofted swipes to
leg the Casuals motored towards 150, before Luvvers fell in
the 37th, bowled for a useful 26. Jim didn't let off the gas
(steady on), and with Rob happy to rotate the strike, the
pair eventually took the Casuals to a competitive looking
170-6 from their 40, Hands with a very handy 40 not out.
Casuals Batting
A Heath, caught, 3
B Wilkes, caught, 9
W Mason-Wilkes, caught, 23
S Biggs, caught, 19
S O’Reilly, caught, 17
J Hodkinson, NOT OUT, 40
G Loveridge, bowled, 26
R Owens, NOT OUT 6
D White, DNB
D Lewis, DNB
P Stephens, DNB
BYOT – I had leftover moussaka followed by orange and
polenta cake, staking an early claim for most middle-class
tea of the season (MMCTOTS(?))
Dan and Dave W took the new cherry. One of the openers –
the one who’d caught me out – we learned had just
been called up to the Wales squad, and was only playing the
likes of us because the weather had been so crap and he hadn’t
had a run out yet this year. Dan had a pretty close looking
LBW shout against him early on, but given the circumstances
it wasn’t that surprising he was given not out, and
apart from that he looked pretty solid for the opening spells,
though, initially at least, he did struggle to time it off
the artificial. At the other end, however, things were a different
story, Dave W knocking over the other, more prototypical Sunday
opener, who chipped a catch to Will at square leg in the 4th
over. The number 3 also looked quite tidy, but after blasting
a 4 and a 6, Dan knocked him over with a classic in-ducker.
22-2 at the end of the 7th. After 10 Rogerstone were struggling
a little at 32-2, but in Dave W’s last over, the 12th,
things took an ominous turn, with the opener throwing off
the shackles and hitting a big 6 into the car park, doing
some vehicular damage on the way. This continued in the next
over from that end, the 14th, with Rob the victim. The over
went for 22, with 3 6s, 2 huge, one which almost killed a
toddler, and one which wiped out Dave White’s rear windscreen.
The third 6 only just cleared Will at long leg, but shortly
after this the opener decided he’d had enough and wandered
off for 56 retired, so in some ways Rob had done his job.
This had put Rogerstone right back in it, less than a hundred
required with 25 overs to go. Rob did find some redemption
in his next over however (after Luvvers had convinced him
to say on) having the number 4 caught, again at square leg
and again by Will – much to Steve O’s annoyance.
Pabs at the other end kept things tight and at drinks Rogerstone
were 93-3.
The over after drinks, Pabs made the breakthrough, Jim (as
surprised as anyone no doubt) doing the work behind the sticks
to stump the number 5. 97-4 became 102-5 in the 25th, Alex
replacing Pabs and bowling the number 7. Things seemed to
be turning in the Casuals favour at this point, but the number
8, it transpired, was actually their other first team opener,
so could hold a bat. Luvvers rotated his bowlers, with Better
Steve, Other Steve and Will all having a go to no avail, as
a steady partnership took Rogerstone to 139 from 32, only
32 required from 48 balls, with the winning line well in sight.
Skipper Luvvers though, had an ace up his sleeve, tossing
the ball to Dan who he’d held back for a couple at the
end. This proved a masterstroke, with the big ‘quick’
knocking over the number 8 with the second ball of his second
spell. He then picked up the number 9 in his next and last
over, again bowled, turning the game well in the Casuals’
favour. Pabs and Rob came back to bowl the final four, but
with the run rate climbing above a run a ball, and Rogerstone’s
fire power depleted, the Casuals were able to see the game
out, limiting Rogerstone 163-7, and sealing a 7 run victory!
Casuals Bowling
D Lewis 8-4-16-3
D White 6-0-38-1
P Stephens 8-0-24-1
R Owens 6-0-37-1
A Heath 3-0-9-1
S O’Reilly 2-0-9-0
S Biggs 3-0-15-0
W Mason-Wilkes 2-0-6-0
B Wilkes 2-0-6-0
An enjoyable first encounter of the season for the Cazh,
who got off to a winning start – a relatively rare occurrence,
at least in my experience of playing at the Recreation Ground.
We decamped to a very busy pub in Bassaleg, while Dave W awaited
the arrival of Autoglass…
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