g31_01aug06_cardiffunistaff.htm

Cardiff Uni Staff batted first on a fairly miserable evening - dark, gusty and wet. Dan opened the bowling down the hill and was economical throughout - his first over going for just the one run and a miserly total of 6 runs coming from his three. Kim began at the other end and struggled bowling into the wind and uphill. Still, his three for 17 was by no means the worst analysis of the night; John Prior - who surely deserves an award for consenting twice to being lowered by the ankles head first into the stream to retrieve the ball - took over from Dan and, though going for 20, made the first breakthrough of the evening in the form of a sharp stumping by the ever reliable Goughy. I (TH) replaced Kim at the other end as the rain got worse and was duly punished for 25 runs off three, salvaging a little dignity by bowling the no.3 bat off his pads with my last ball.

Then it was the turn of the Stephens brothers, Mark from the pavilion end taking two wickets - one bowled and one well held by Kim being square on the 45. Shaky went for 21 and Paul for 15 - a worthy bit of economy when the Unistaffers had the wickets in hand to push for more.

At some point the unlikely duo of Shaky and Andy Furnham contrived to run out the no.2 bat for 42 and this was no doubt a key factor in restricting the opposition to 108 for 5.

With the Casuals requiring exactly 6 an over for a draw, and one more for a victory, Goughy set about the total in the way perhaps only he can - some delightful drives off his pads evoking expansive descriptions from the appreciative Casuals audience. Smitty provided some solid support before departing for 8 and Tesh was undoubtedly unlucky to be run out for 3 when looking in good form. Things were beginning to look a little tight for the Casuals, however, when Goughy was caught behind for 27 - perhaps unluckily, as the bowler was delivering the ball from exceptionally wide of the stumps. TH the chopped one onto his stumps for 6, Richie was caught for 10 trying to push things along, and Paul came and went caught and bowled for 0 - something the changing room doors will not forget in a hurry.

Still, as many a team have learnt to their disadvantage, the Casuals bat a long way down and, with the aid 16 wides and more than a few leg byes, Kim and Dan took the game to the opposition - Kim finishing unbeaten on 20, and Dan on 9. A classic Casuals victory.

And, for those who weren't there, Smitts took over the mantle from me of winding up the opposition in an amusingly accidental fashion, when, after having a polite word with the bowler about putting off the batsmen with his excessive grunting after releasing the ball, Brabham - normally such a temperate, polite fellow - lost his cool and, staring Smitty straight in the chest (Smitts being rather taller than him) berated him in a most vociferous fashion. Fisticuffs looked to be on the cards for a moment or two, before Brabham was calmed down by his teammates and possibly also the sight of Richie in his underpants on the boundary.

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