Match Report vs Rogerstone 03 May 2009

After the defeat to the Wanderers the Casuals were looking to be more positive against a Rogerstone side that contained a bunch of athletic looking kids and a few adults.

The ground, though soft, looked good and with the sun shining skipper muff won the toss and elected to have a bat. Easy and (fag) Ash opened up and to be honest I thought the game was up immediately. Easy was bowled 2nd ball but then reprieved by a no-ball, a mix up in the middle (yes,no,yes,no,maybe,no!) should have seen Ash run-out by half the pitch but a wild throw and gather saw Ash into his ground and then after several wides easy was bowled again this time off a legitimate ball and gone for 0.

This brought Tesh to the crease and against some straight but often erratic bowling he and Ash started building an innings. Both played some lovely shots picking up the boundaries when they could and even running well until with 12 overs gone and the score on 60 Tesh offered up a catch that was taken easily for a nice 29.

Steve’O up next smashed his first ball for 4. A positive knock saw him flying along until the leggie came on. He got his line right after a couple of overs and did for Steve’O caught and bowled to a delivery that we all would have struggled with, Steve ending on a quick fire 22. 88 for 3 became 88 for 4 the next ball when Muff had to give Mo out first ball lbw to one that would have hit all 3.(sorry Mo! Welcome to the club!!!!!) . The other debutant Ed (Crackerjack) Stewart came in and looked good from the off he and Ash going well till Ash became the leggies third victim again caught and bowled for the worlds slowest but solid 17. 94-5 off 20 and in good shape to get a decent total.

Doc and Ed tried to see off the leg spinner but Matt was undone and gone for 4.
With the spinner gone we hoped to up the rate and Ed went after everything that came his way unfortunately losing Foxy for 0 bringing Andy H to the crease. With Ed going well the pair put on 43 before Ed was out with 1 and a bit overs to go for a classy 31 and Muff and Winkie saw out the remainder of the innings leaving the Casuals on 160 for 9 off the 40, Andy f collecting a DNB.

Tea was ok, so off we went to defend what I thought was a stiff total on a rapidly slowing wicket. The two Andy’s opened up and gave nothing away both bowling well but with no reward and after 8 overs they had only scored 15. With Winkie rested Mo came onto bowl and made up for his duck with a 4 over spell that only yielded 4 runs pegging the batsmen down and with Andy F picking up 2 deserved wickets in the 10th and 14th overs one stumped and one caught behind by wicket keeper Steve’O the oppo were behind the eight ball on 27-2 off 14.

Matt replaced Mo and again kept it tight as the batsmen needing to up the rate tried to force the ball away to little effect, Matt picking up a dangerous looking bloke bowled giving him 1 for 26 off 7. Foxy on for Andy bowled two tidy overs before having to withdraw with a groin strain which didn’t effect his fielding, stopping almost everything at short cover. The fielding generally was much, much better with only Muff and his attempt to burrow his way rabbit like into the outfield missing the ball.
Crackerjack came on for The Fox and got what I thought was the crucial wicket of a strapping lad nicely caught by Ash at mid-on. 95 for 4 off 29.

Ed finished with 1-33 off 6 the batsmen again trying to force the pace so with the game to be won Winkie came back into the attack joined by Muff at the other end.
Andy once again unlucky with Steve’O putting a sharp chance behind down and an obvious lbw turned down (how many times Andy!!!!)

Muff on the other hand had the luck to pick up some cheep wickets as the batsmen tried in vain to get close picking 4 for 19 with 2 good catches from The Doc and 2 bowled, the oppo finishing on 127 for 8 off there 40.

A good win against some talented kids and a more than useful leggie, played in the right spirit on a lovely day. Ahhhh………
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