Match Report vs Cardiff Uni Staff 09 May 2011

I’ve been a member of the Casuals for 9 years now, 150 plus matches, and i’ve never seen a better example of a game turning moment than the one the Casuals witnessed on Monday at The Voe (I thought that sounded Australian and dramatic).

Cruising to a comfortable win the mighty Uni Staff, who needed just 16 runs from 24 balls, looked to have it sewn up when, taking a quick single, the Uni’s best batsmen fell to the Jontyesque fielding of D.T! YES I WILL SAY THAT AGAIN, D.T!

Dave swooped on the ball at backward point like an osprey clutching a salmon (or a fat casual on a pie, your choice but i’m sticking with the osprey) in one fluid movement picked up the ball and threw to score a direct hit on the only stump he could see to effect the run-out. Cue ecstasy from the Casuals and the Uni staff to lose their nerve, the last 4 overs going for 9 with the loss of 5 wickets due to some inspired (by The Osprey) bowling from Dan and Dion and some committed fielding in the dark by everyone to win the game by 7 runs.

Champagne moment done and dusted.
I suppose I should now recant the tale of the rest of the game.

Muff won the toss by default and elected to bat on what was obviously a good wicket to bowl on. But then I’m obtuse. The earlier rain and hail had turned the wicket to mud at the stumps which made for tricky batting and the opening partnership of JF and Will made a valiant effort to score against straight, accurate bowling. John first out in the 4th for 9 bowled by the Lord followed in quick succession by Darren and Kim both for 1 and aptly both out to Monday.

The Roachy, Goad partnership up next was more productive and with will indulging in a bit of lady spanking they accrued 34 before will fell caught behind. James hit a couple of good ones and Dan gave it the ubiquitous slap but the innings fell away with Muff being last man out, run-out off the last ball in an unusual way which John can explain. Casuals all out 113.

Jam bowled 9
Big Willy caught 23
Brit pop bowled 1
Skippy bowled 1
J.R bowled 18
Shag caught 11
Winkie 5
Dion 7 not out
The osprey 0 (some things never change)
Nadders 1
Muff run-out 9.

Dan and Andy opened the bowling and bowled well against two good batsmen but for no reward, Nads and DT up next and although Nads couldn’t make the breakthrough Dave did a skyer caught by Kim who had a very tidy game behind the stumps (no byes) followed by the other opener bowled. The oppos best bat then looked to up the scoring and after a good over and a half Muff picked up the next wicket (the not so good batsmen) caught smartly by John then got spanked for 8 off 3 balls and the game was theirs to win.

Then, the moment of genius, the moment when honed athletes like Dave take the chance they have been training for, to that mythical place, the zone. As Sean Connery in ‘the rock’ said, “winners go home and fuck the prom queen”, well Dave fucked the prom queen.

Dan came back and got one bowled, Dion got two one bowled one caught by Muff and Andy (being completely lost in the dark at long off) and Dion combined for 2 run-outs and the game was ours. Casuals win by 7.

Lewis 4-0-19-1
Hood 2-0-8-1
Afzal 4-0-24-0
Thomas 4-0-22-2
Foote 2-0-10-1
Warwick 4-0-23-2

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