Match Report vs Glenwood
06 July 2023 - CUP SEMI @ Wenvoe (Skipper Luvvers,
report Alex H)
A breezy but pleasant June evening at Wenvoe International
Cricket Ground. The setting for the Casual's biggest game
of the season to date, a cup semi-final versus Glenwood. We
were once again treated to a lopsided Wenvoe pitch, with the
far side boundary barely outside "the circle". For
a change Luvvers lost the toss, with Glenwood opting to have
a bowl first.
Having been put into bat Alex and Captain Luvvers were first
to take to the crease for the Casuals. The innings got off
to the worst possible start with Alex succumbing to the first
ball of the innings for a platinum duck! The ball nipped in
a little with Alex playing onto his pads and the ball agognisingly
trickling onto the stumps despite Alex's best efforts to kick
it away.
Alex's departure brought Will to the crease who set up about
putting some quick runs on the board alongside Luvvers. Luvvers
utilising the short boundary to his advantage struck a couple
of 6s as he quickly reached 25, becoming the first Casuals'
retiree of the innings. Rhys was next in to join Will, who
after a few dots and singles to get himself off the mark was
starting to find his flow striking 3 fours to bring up his
25 and join Luvvers as the second Casuals' retiree of the
evening.
Rhys wasted no time in his innings, getting off the mark
on his first ball with a boundary following on his second
as he pressed on the scoring recognising the good position
the Casuals found themselves in with 2 batters already retired.
Rob joined Rhys at the crease again looking to continue the
Casuals attacking approach. Rhys raced along to 25 joining
Will and Luvvers on a growing list of retirees before. Rob
was the second casual batter to fall on the evening smartly
caught as he was looking to press on, leaving the casuals
in a good position on 103 for 2.
What followed was the loss of 6 quick wickets for 24 runs
in a classic Casual batting collapse. Steve-O came in at number
6, joined at the crease by Jim at number 7. Their arrival
at the crease coincided with the introduction of pick of the
opposition bowlers on the evening, who bowled a tight line
with the ball swinging into the right handers on the wind.
Jim was first to fall, bowled by an in-swinging delivery as
he looked to get on the attack. That bought Robbie to the
crease who enjoyed a brief but productive innings, the highlight
being a lovely six to the short boundary, prior to being caught
for 7. Steve-O, outlasting both Jim and Robbie, was next to
fall in similar fashion to Jim bowled for 1 having faced 3
balls.
Maxi was next to the crease continued to take the attack
to the opposition bowlers, making a quick fire 16 off just
7 balls including a 6 and 4 prior to be caught. Paul was next
to bat, with the game entering a strange phase where the opposition,
realising that the retired batters were only a couple of wickets
away from returning, no longer seemed intent on claiming wickets.
Paul got off the mark with a couple of singles, prior to wondering
down the pitch and opposition keeper turning down the opportunity
to take the easiest of stampings with Paul stranded well out
of his crease. Paul's innings did not last much longer, run
out on the following ball, brining Luvvers back to the crease
to join DT. The next ball with DT down at the non-strikers
end, a run was attempted that can only be described as a suicidal
single, with DT "run/ambled" out by the opposition
several metres short of his ground for a diamond duck.
That meant Will joined Luvvers back out in the middle as
the Casuals looked to finish their innings strongly. Luvvers,
leading by example, was quickly back into the swing of things
as he continued to regularly pick up boundaries as he motored
along towards his fifty. Will also picked up a couple of extra
boundaries before being stumped 36 looking to come down the
pitch. That brought Rhys back out to the middle who added
a few more runs before slicing one to point on 32 bringing
the Casuals innings to the end with Luvvers 56 not out.
A superb batting performance with the Casuals 185 for 10
of 17.3 overs, helped along the way by 32 extras. A tough
chase ahead for Glenwood.
A Heath 0
G Loveridge 56no
W Mason Wilkes 36
JR Davies 32
R Owens 7
S O'Reilly 1
J Hodkinson 1
R Sayers 7
M Cullen 16
P Stephens 2
D Thomas 0
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Rob was first up to bowl for the Casuals, tasked with the
difficult job of bowling to the minuscule leg-side boundary.
A lively first over was played out with the opposition opener
racking up two 4s before falling to the last ball of the over
looking to target the short boundary with Robbie taking a
good catch a couple of metres inside the boundary.
DT opened up the bowling from the other end, who as previously
with Rob went for two 4s at the start of his over, picked
up a crucial wicket with his 5th ball of the over removing
their number 3 with Rhys taking another good catch for the
casuals. Rob followed up DT's effort with a very tidy over
just going for the 3 singles with DT picking up the Casuals
3rd wicket with the first ball of his 2nd over bowling the
other opener with an excellent delivery leaving the Casuals
in a commanding position with opposition reduced to 25-3.
Maxi was third up to bowl for the Casuals, coming up against
the pick of the oppositions batters. Maxi went for a couple
of boundaries to start his first over before tightening it
up a limiting the batters to singles from the last 4 deliveries
of the over. Paul assumed the bowling from the other end bowling
an excellent over, picking up the wicket their No.5 bowled
for 11 with a lovely delivery. During Maxi's 2nd over the
opposition No. 4 reached 25 and retired with Paul picking
up his 2nd wicket of the evening in the following over, bowling
their No.6, and finishing and excellent spell taking 2 wickets
for just 9 runs, leaving the opposition 65 for 5 after 8 overs.
Alex was next up to bowl, starting his spell with a couple
of very marginal wides followed by a knee-height no-ball!
3 boundaries followed in an eventful over with Rhys putting
down a very tough chance trying take a ball running backwards
over his shoulder. Steve-O was next onto bowl, who started
with a couple of loose deliveries that drifted down the leg
side followed by a boundary, picked up the wicket of the No.
8 for duck. Alex, back on for his second over, bowled a more
economical over albeit going for 6 that very nearly cleared
the fence, seeing off the opposition No.7 who retired having
reached 25. Steve'O finished his spell with a very tidy over,
taking an excellent caught and bowled low to his left, a catch
which left many of the Casuals wondering if he'd have taken
it off someone else's bowling!
Robbie and Rhys were the next two bowlers for the Casuals,
each bowling an over a piece. Robbie went for a couple of
boundaries to start his over before a throw from Alex ran
out the opposition No.11 in a dismissal that rivalled DT's
in its intentionality. That bought the No.4 batsman back to
the crease to face Rhys over, who kept it tight going for
7 runs.
Looking to round up the game Luvvers put himself on to bowl,
picking up the wicket of the No.10 with an LBW with his first
delivery of the over. That bought the other retiree back to
the crease with Luvver's remaining balls going for several
singles and a single 4. Will was the last Casuals bowler of
the innings, embarking on potentially the most eventful over
of the evening. 2 wides, 3 fours and lot of chasing around
later, Will picked up the decisive last wicket of the opposition
trapping the batsmen LBW, bringing the Glenwood innings to
an end on 147 runs after 16 overs.
A Casuals win by 38 runs and place in the final to look forward
to. A superb batting performance backed up by some tidy bowling
got the job done!
R Owens 2-1-11
D Thomas 2-2-20
M Cullen 2-0-25
P Stephens 2-2-9
A Heath 2-0-24
S O'Reilly 2-2-11
R Sayer 1-0-13
R Davies 1-0-7
G Loveridge 1-8-1
W Mason Wilkes 1-17-1
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