Match Report vs Cardiff CC XI 27th August 2023 @ Diamond Ground (Skipper Luvvers, report Nishchay)

Casuals succumb to defeat at the picturesque Diamond Ground

Match Report: Cardiff CC vs. Cardiff Casuals, 27th August 2023, Diamond Ground

Cardiff CC defeated the Casuals in the final game of August by 7 wickets at the beautiful Diamond Ground. The two sides locked horns on a blustery Sunday afternoon. Cardiff CC won the toss and decided to put the Casuals in to bat. The temperature was about 14 degrees C when the Casuals first came out to bat. There was great anticipation to see young George White bowl to his father and Casuals' opener Dave White. Unfortunately, we'd only see a couple of balls in that matchup as Cardiff CC got an early breakthrough dismissing the solid Dave White for 1.

Stewart and Mason-Wilkes batted admirably helping the Casuals rebuild after the early loss of the wicket. The 2nd wicket partnership was worth 76 runs which helped setup a good platform for the Casuals to accelerate in the second half of their innings. Cardiff CC bowled very tight lines and lengths which was crucial to keeping the Casuals run rate in check.

The Casuals very own Bryn Wilkes who was playing for Cardiff CC got an important partnership breaking wicket. Cardiff CC would get a huge momentum boost in the middle of the innings when they picked up two wickets in quick succession and had the Casuals in a spot of bother at 105-4. Jack Beaumont, who was in fantastic form coming off a score of 96 in his previous innings, and the skipper, Gareth Loveridge, would then have to help the Casuals rebuild. The two of them would have to mix aggression with some caution as the Casuals desperately needed boundaries late in the innings but also couldn't afford to lose a wicket. They would put together a 71 run partnership as the Casuals ended up with a respectable score of 209 in 40 overs. The two top scorers were half-centurions Loveridge and Mason-Wilkes with scores of 61* and 55 respectively. The Casuals can also take some pride in seeing their very own, Bryn Wilkes, bowl terrifically for Cardiff CC. He claimed two wickets for just 18 runs in his six-over spell.

Both sides were then able to enjoy some tea during the innings break. A special thank you goes out to all the wives of Cardiff CC, including Mrs Owens for putting together a terrific tea! The Diamond Ground is an idyllic setting to enjoy afternoon tea. Both teams enjoyed an array of scrumptious snacks. Bathed in sunlight, the impeccably maintained green outfield contrasted beautifully with the surrounding lush trees. The ground, maintained beautifully, sported a pristine cricket pitch. The Diamond Ground is a cricketing gem.

The chase for Cardiff CC started very tentatively. Both openers struggled to score runs thanks to some very tight bowling. Although the opening partnership was worth 64 runs, the run rate was simply far too slow from Cardiff CC's perspective. The Casuals were desperately unlucky not to get a wicket. Their opportunities included a point blank run out they missed. There were plenty of moments where they beat the bat but the ball simply wouldn't find the edge or hit the stumps. Thomas would get the first wicket for Cardiff CC as Dourrani would lose his patience and attempt an audacious shot. This event, however, was a precursor to the fireworks that were about to light up the Diamond Ground.

Zain Khan would step out and turn the game on its head. He batted terrifically, smashing the ball all over the leg side. Any bit of length offered to him would disappear to the boundary as he got underneath the ball impeccably well. The left-hander's appearance at the crease marked the turning point of the match. Few were able to prevent him from dispatching the ball as the boundary riders became the most active members on the field. The run rate would balloon up and Cardiff CC would find themselves well ahead in the game. The Casuals' own, Rob Owens, would come out to bat late in the game with a chance to play a match-sealing knock. Plenty of banter was abound and he poked fun at some of his usual teammates' by sporting a "Cardiff Casuals" sticker right on his helmet (was that a target to aim at?). Rob Owens would ably assist Zain Khan and help Cardiff CC secure a 7 wicket victory with 11 balls to spare. The elation was evident for Cardiff CC as was the disappointment among the Casuals. This was a hard fought match between two sides who played this game with a fair, but competitive spirit.

The Diamond Ground, with its outstanding facilities and heritage-rich pavilion, provided a fitting location for match that will long be remembered by the players involved. Both sides were impeccable in the way they carried themselves. It was a great showcase for the beautiful game. As the sun set on a windy evening, the Casuals had a chance to sit back with a drink in hand and reflect on what a wonderful time they'd had. Thank you very much to Rob Owens and all of Cardiff CC for being splendid hosts. It was a fantastic way to end a wonderful month of August.

Scorecard available: https://cardiff.play-cricket.com/websit ... ts/6050200

BATTING 1st Innings

D White
c Mohamed Dourrani b Alfie Bates 1 0 0 0
E Stewart
b Bryn Wilkes 35 0 5 0
W Mason-Wilkes
c Zain Khan b Moine Dourrani 55 0 8 1
Riaz Durani
lbw b Bryn Wilkes 4 0 0 0
Jack Beaumont
b Saqleine Dourrani 24 0 1 0
Gareth Loveridge
not out 61 0 8 1
James Hodkinson
lbw b Rob Owens 2 0 0 0
D Lewis
not out 0 0 0 0
Nishchay Bhatt
did not bat
P Stephens
did not bat
D Thomas
did not bat

BOWLING 2nd Innings

D Lewis 7.1 1 26 0 0 0 3.63
Gareth Loveridge 6 0 31 0 0 0 5.17
P Stephens 6 0 36 0 0 0 6.00
D Thomas 6 1 29 2 0 0 4.83
Nishchay Bhatt 5 0 20 0 0 0 4.00
D White 4 0 24 1 0 0 6.00
Jack Beaumont 2 0 20 0 0 0 10.00
E Stewart 2 0 21 0 0 0 10.50
FIELDING EXTRA RUNS: 3 NON-BOWLER WICKETS: 0 TOTALS: Overs: 38.1, Maidens: 2, Runs: 210, Wickets: 3, Wides: 0, No Balls: 0

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