Match Report vs Rogerstone
8 May 2011@ Rogerstone (Skipper Ed, report Dan)
After months of sunshine, the rain showers from the previous
couple of days seemed to have disappeared as Cardiff was again
basking in the warm stuff, that is until we got close to Rogerstone
that harboured a large black rain cloud above it. The rain
finally stopped prior to the game and both teams debated,
pondered, and then decided to go for it reducing the game
to 35overs each. Unfortunately, Gwion’s new jumper seemed
to shrink drastically in the rain – ‘small’
it said on the label – never before seen on a casual...though
I don't think it'll stay small for long.. Ed, skipper for
the day won the toss and decided to field...as it turned out
there was only a splattering of rain during the opening overs
and then it completely cleared and the game finished in the
warm sun that that we have become accustomed to.
Winkie and Shag opened the bowling, against two young classy
looking batsmen. Andy had obviously paid the umpire as none
of his wide leg side deliveries were called.., Dan came close
to an early breakthrough with a delivery that crept through
the batsman guard and trickled past the leg stump. The pair
battled away and bowled very well, but the batsmen were at
ease defending and putting away any deliveries slightly off
target over the surprisingly quick outfield. Committed fielding
by the Cazh helped stop some certain boundaries, after 10overs
Rogerstone were 48 for no loss.
Winkie bowled through his allotted overs with only one difficult
chance going to Steveo in the covers, whilst Shag was replaced
by Dion after 5overs. It took a couple of overs for Dion to
find his line and length, but once in his swing, bowled well.
Shakey took over from Winkie and the batsmen’s eyes
lit up like a Cazh in a pie shop. With Rogerstone on 95 from
16 overs with opener Holdaway on 49 and M Lazaar on 41, Holdaway
decided to take a large chunk of the pie delivered and hit
straight over the head of bowler Councillor Shakey, this was
the first wicket as Dan took the catch running in from the
boundary. The very next ball Lazaar also went large, mistimed
it and Andy took a brilliant catch over his shoulder running
back towards the boundary. Suddenly Rogerstone were 2 down,
two new batsman at the crease, and Shakey somehow on a hat-trick.
Shakey was unable to let go of the next pie and dragged down
the subsequent delivery which was easily left by the incoming
batsman.
Following on from this Dion was the next to take a wicket
soon after – bowled. 112-3off 20overs. Shakey took his
3rd wicket again taken by Shag in the deep and can you believe
it, bagged another in his next over – a skier caught
well by Gareth at mid-on. 122-5 off 24over went to 125-6 two
overs later with Gwion taking his first cazh wicket –
bowled.
Suddenly, the runs had dried up from Rogerstone mainly down
to good bowling and very good fielding – the newbies
Martin, Gareth and Gwion flung themselves the field, as well
as the old boys – JF stopping anything coming his way
and Shakey doing a ‘JF’ dive trying to trap the
ball between ground and belly, not to take away everyone’s
effort in the field – eg, Ed scampering from mid-wicket
to fine leg on many occasions. Gwion took his second in the
30th, Dion came back after Shakey and got his next wicket
caught by Steveo and Dan finished off and got his wicket in
the last over. Rogerstone finishing on 165-9 when the total
had promised to be much higher.
Winkie – 7 overs - 0 maidens – 41 runs –
0 wickets
Shag – 7-1-23-1
Dion – 7-1-34-2
Shakey – 7-0-27-4
Gwion – 7-1-38-2
Catches – 2xDan; 1xSteveo; 1xGareth; 1xWinkie
Following a fantastic fielding display, including only a
single bye let through by Ash behind the stumps and thank
god we could catch, the Cazh were treated to a piece of cake
and cup of tea as the tea lady had failed to turn up - there
was close to mutiny. The Cazh batsmen threatened to strike
– claiming they couldn’t perform without a full
belly – which looking at some of them is a hard task
to manage without an army of tea ladies....this may explain
what happened next....
Master tea man JF and polar opposite newbie Martin Rogers
made their way to the middle. JF facing the 1st team spinner
managed just 2 balls before tickling one to the keeper. Steveo
next in with new fresh faced bat was able to tickle the next
ball to 2nd slip careful not to mark the new bat...2 for 2
rattled on to 4 for 3 when Martin got a leading edge against
the spinner from the other end. Gareth had upped the rate
somewhat with a boundary before he was stumped for a massive
11.
With tour roomies Cheese and Ash coming together again (...)
once again the Cazh were looking to rebuild or should I say
build....not to be – Cheese was evicted - bowled by
spinner number 2. 19 for 5 off 8 overs became 27 for 6 with
Shakey pushing one back to the bowler. Thoughts of MacDonalds
was obviously on the minds of some of the Cazh, Ash looked
to confirm this by playing some right royal ugly slogs to
mid wicket. At least we had passed our worst ever score. Gwion
joined Bubbles and gave him much of the strike. Gwion came
a cropper given out abw (arse before wicket) by league umpire
JF and Winkie went in to watch Ash continue with his leg side
attack. 42-7 off 16overs.
Rogerstone brought on some very slow bowlers, one of which
rivalled the Chris Durnall bowling style – launching
it high in the air, collecting a spot of snow before returning
to earth. Whoever was batting was on a hiding to nothing –
if you didn’t score boundaries you were rubbish and
if you were bowled you’re rubbish. Andy took the latter
route and was deceived by the flight trying to play a proper
cricket shot...unlike Ash !! Although Winkie hadn’t
scored many runs, he aided Ash to somehow get close to his
50 and some respectability in the score 85-8 off 24overs.
Had the Rogerstone skipper moved all his fielders to the legside
between square leg and mid on Ash would have still been on
single figures...
Anyway, fellow slogger Shag came to the crease. Once Ash
got to his 50, Shag stopped doing what comes completely unnaturally
to him – leaving the ball and defending and replaced
that with going large. Unfortunately, as the Casuals score
started to get closer to the target score, the 1st team spinner
was reintroduced who took Ash’s wicket in his first
returning over. An ugly but effective 63 bringing respectability
to the Cazh score. 119-9 off 28overs.
To try and ensure victory the oppo brought on their Welsh
under 15’s fast bowler to finish off the Cazh. First
ball he dug one in short and was dispatched over square leg
by Shag, the next 2 deliveries were just as short just quicker.
A single was taken towards the end over leaving Dion to defend
against the quick youngster. Realising that the spinner was
more to Dan’s liking, 14 was smacked off the next over,
leaving Dion to defend (himself) again against the quickie.
A seemingly body line attack ensued until the 4th ball that
Dion hit a beautiful mid-on drive for 4.
Another 9 was taken off the spinner and suddenly the Cazh
were in the with a sniff of victory needing 14 off the last
2 overs....Unsportingly the quickie put in a straight round
the wicket slower delivery first ball of his last over and
castled Shag’s middle stump!! The Cazh all out on 151.
A thoroughly enjoyable game for all – the Cazh fielding
was the best all team performance I’ve witnesses in
a long while (though last year’s game vs Barry Wanderers
will take some beating). A pint and chat in the pavilion followed
– with an array of cricket sporting questions being
asked by one of Rogerstone’s elder statesmen - usually
involving the year 2006 for some reason!
John F – 0 – ct
Martin Rogers – 1 – ct
Steveo – 0 – ct
Gareth Thomas – 11- st
Ed – 2-b
Ash – 63- ct
Shakey – 0-ct&b
Gwion – 4-lbw
Andy H – 9-b
Dan – 30-b
Dion – 7no
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