Match Report vs Consmen 08 August 2011

As usual 6pm rolls around and the skies darken and rain looked immanent. Both teams in attendance and the toss is taken and won by skipper Muff. The Consmen are put into bat.Winkie and Dion are asked to open. Andy starts with 2 wides (allegedly due to excessive swing) and then began to push it through. Dion, bowled a good line and length a little fuller than normal and stopped the batsmen getting away. Winkie got his reward in his 3rd over bowling the older Skirrow. Dion lost his line a tad in his 3rd but bowled well in the main. The returning soldier Lovers was next to bowl taking over from Andy and pushed it down with pace, the batsmen often playing and missing. Pablo took over from Dion and mixed it up. It was Paul who got the next wicket bowling the number 3 with either a slower delivery or one that didn’t bounce as it pitched and hit the base of middle.

The Consmen were finding it very difficult to get anything away, thanks to steady bowling and excellent fielding – hardly anything got through and boundaries were at a premium. There was a simple run out chance that would have been out had it not been for Steveo throwing his glove at the stumps instead of the ball. Shag took over from Lovers and Jam from Pablo. Shag kept it tight and with the batsman looking to increase pace and having a swing, was unlucky for some rare bounce on the Wenvoe wicket, twice bouncing over middle. Jonny F thought he had his first wicket caught well by Gaz T at deep mid wicket, but it was an above the waist full toss (no ball). Shag got the next wicket – a momentous wicket as it was a caught (yes caught) and bowled – fortunately he would have been hard pushed to drop this one as it looped slowly back to him (this ends the run of 8 consecutive drops – thank f**k). He got the next wicket caught by Winkie at mid-off. John got his reward in the last over caught by Muff out of rare appearance of the sun at mid off. The innings ended with Winkie getting a run out with Steveo this time betting on himself to beat the batsman in a foot race to the stumps. The Consmen finishing on 91-6 – which was larger than expected.

Andy H – 3-1-8-1
Dion – 3-0-16-0
Lovers – 3-0-14-0
Pablo – 3-0-15-1
Shag – 3-0-7-2
JF – 3-0-18-1
Extras – 21

As Tesh and Adam walked out to the wicket, the clouds blackened and rain looked close, until now we had been fortunate as all the dark cloud has passed us by. Tesh looked to continue his fine vane of form and looked to hit aggressively. He did, but found in most part the fielders and eventually lofted one which was caught (4). Adam favoured the on side attack and hit mostly to square picking up plenty of runs. Gaz Thomas joined Adam and although they work together it would seem they rarely speak to each other as their calling was hilarious. They could have probably run 5 or 6 given the amount of actual running they did – usually to the middle of the wicket had a tenative look at each othert before returning to their original starting positions. Gaz was finally undone by a straight one (1). 19-2-5overs. Enter Muff. Muff decided to bring back the art of indoor running – which was very effective - he and Adam ran everything, from blocking for the quick single or finding the gaps and running 2s and 3s. During this stint the black clouds finally opened and the rain began to fall.

The run rate as a result accelerated as did Muff’s heart beat and after 10 overs he looked shagged. 60-2-10overs. It was however Adam who was next to fall being adjudged lbw (31). Steveo joined Muff and after 4 2s and a 3 in one over the oxygen tent was beckoning for Muff, the first ball of the 13th over the ball clipped either the pad or the thin edge of the bat, and before the keeper could catch the ball (which he did) Muff’s bat was under his arm and off he walked (20). 80-4. The rain stopped. Lovers went to the middle and rotated the strike with Steveo. With 3 required for victory, the first ball of the 14th over, Steveo smashed a boundary for the win. 93-4-13.1 overs. Steveo finishing on 21 no and Lovers 3 no.

Tesh - 4 ct
Adam - 31 lbw
Gaz T - 1b
Muff - 20 ct
Steveo - 21 no
Lovers - 3 no
JF, Paul,Dion, Shag & Winkie DNB

A fine win, played in fine spirits by both team and in most part in ‘fine’ weather or whilst batting fine rain (occasionally heavy…) This was the last game for the Cazh in the Willow Plate competition and now dependant on other results, but as it stands leading the way with 3 wins and 1 loss.

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