Match Report vs Dinas
Powys 28 August 2011@ Dinas Powys (Skipper Muff, report
Shakey)
Much as in the previous year the Dinas attack had youth on
its side against the grizzled experience of the Casuals machine
(confusion with the absent CD meant we lowered our average
age but Dinas also had 10 to even things up). Our tactics
should also have been the same as 2010 – watch the ball
and wait for the loose delivery from an inexperienced attack,
particularly with a shortish boundary on the road side.
Stevo and Muff started our innings as we had hoped, with
one particularly resplendent back-foot punch through the covers
from Stevo being the highlight. Alas Stevo fell to his nemesis
soon after – bowled by a full-pitched straight delivery
for 11. Muff didn’t hang around long either, caught
patting up a ball to short cover and leaving us 13-2 off 2
overs.
Ash and Lovers were tasked with building a more solid platform
for the Cazh assault but early doors it seemed a frenetic
Ash was bound to get out soon. Even Mrs Ash told him to calm
down from the boundary edge! But get out he did for 4, caught
at mid-on with the score on 19. JR looked to occupy the crease
and Lovers increasingly found his stride with three crisp
boundaries and a hefty six before disaster struck when Lovers
failed to get on top of an extra cover drive and he was caught
for 23 leaving us on 47-4 at the end of the 8th. We were scoring
well but losing wickets.
Posting good totals is usually about partnerships and two
people can bat very differently. JR and Kim certainly did.
For the next few overs the Cazh approach was cautious, picking
up a few singles as JR on occasion rode his luck while Kim
seemed intent on building his innings slowly as we had plenty
of time. The partnership began to mount and by drinks we had
reached 92-4 off 20 overs.
The tempo was upped after drinks before JR finally fell,
caught for 18 to end a vital partnership of 66 with the score
on 113 in the 25th over. With a solid base to build upon carnage
ensued for the next 15 overs as the Dinas bowlers wilted under
the onslaught from Kim and Cheese. Cheese finally fell for
48 in the last over and Paul followed chasing quick runs soon
after but the damage was already done. In 15 overs they had
put on a record 135 runs with Cheese hitting six boundaries
and two sixes while Kim finally secured his deserved first
ton of the season and went on to get a ‘daddy hundred’.
Kim’s undefeated 127 was his highest score for the Cazh
and featured 13 boundaries and five sixes with two particularly
huge efforts. One clattered into the roof of the clubhouse
and another scattered the drinkers at the clubhouse benches
as the ball disappeared through the car park and down the
hill to Sully never to be seen again. It was brutal stuff!
The Casuals finished on 255-7.
After an excellent tea (pasta, pizza, sandwiches and dessert
to the usual high Dinas standard) the Cazh knew that they
needed to get three of the four experienced players out to
get in to the young middle order. Winkie and Paul opened up
and kept things tight as Dinas reached 15 at the end of the
6th, losing one of their openers for nought bowled by Pabs.
The Dinas batsmen settled down and the run rate started to
climb such that when our opening attack rested after 12 overs
they had moved on to 58-1. Just two more wickets and we can
bowl at the youngsters.
Muff and Shakes came on but nothing seemed to upset the steady
march of the Dinas batsmen. Muff was the steadier of the two
but Shakes finally got the breakthrough, bowling the Dinas
number 3 middle stump for 42. With the score at 86-2 off 18
we needed just one more wicket!
The more experienced Cazh knew we had a problem in getting
opening bat Andy Ford out as he had smacked us around in the
Willow league in bygone days. The surprise came with the number
4 batsman Wilton who took a liking to Lovers when he pitched
it anywhere near short. Shakes also took some stick and after
25 overs Dinas were 151-2. At the start we just needed those
three wickets but the search for the third looked increasingly
forlorn. It was clear Dinas were up with the rate and we did
get a little rattled but they still had a mountain to climb
- surely we couldn’t lose defending 255?
A returning Pabs and Winkie calmed things down and the coup
de grace was supplied with the bowling of Ford for an excellent
92 (nice one Lovers) and Wilton for 51 (Winkie). The chase
was all but over and Muff rounded things off with two wickets
before getting clouted for six by the last ball of the innings.
Dinas finished on a creditable 218-6 as the run rate slowed
markedly at the end. A relieved Casuals side planned the trip
to Winchester over a pint after the game with 20 wins and
16 defeats
Extra [Kim] - Don't forget the champange moment...
Muff bowl to the batsman (think it could have been Andy Ford)
who edged it to keeper Ash who dropped the ball. This was
followed up by the usual banter (sorry meant support) by the
Casuals which was interrupted by a voice on the boundary.
The voice belonged to Mrs Ash who on cue said, 'Nevermind
my darling, better luck next time' (ok it wasn't exactly those
words but I can't remember what was said and I'm sure you
get the gist! Whereby play stopped for everyone to pick themselves
off the floor from laughing...
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