Match Report vs Malpas 13 May 2012

After last years thrashing the team turned up to the ground with a certain amount concern that this was going to be long day at the office. The captains walked out to the wicket with the general conversion about lost games to the weather and the like, though the conversion ended abruptly with the oppo captain mentioning they scored 250 plus the day before. With a gulp the coin was tossed and I lost only to find us inserted into bat. Their captain then confessed that they had been struggling for players and had a very scratch side out.

JF and Tesh took responsible for the new ball, the wicket was pretty good but slow with a tennis ball bounce, JF started by whipping one off the leg stump to the fine leg boundary. The next 6 overs carried on smoothly with neither batsmen looking trouble with the mix seam and swing. After a couple of terrible balls from the lad bowling out swingers from the pavilion end, he started one on leg and shaped it to middle and off castling JF for a confident 17. Adam O on debut was in at 3 had one whistle pass his outside edge, played a lovely off drive for no run and then had a wild swish, top edged and was back in the hutch to continue his scoring duties.

Luvers marched out to the wicket with girlfriend paying more attention to the Manchester clubs scores than the cricket. After a couple overs watching and waiting, Luvers hit two fours in succession both back foot punches that were the shots of the day.

A change in the bowling brought on a pupil from the school that Tesh teaches at. Now I know we always talk about positive encouragement rather negative reinforcement but I did think this mantra would demonstrated by Tesh, with the first ball down leg I though Tesh would nudge and take the one but no he smashed it down to the boundary, well fair enough it was down leg. Next ball straight though a bit short which Tesh pumped over mid on for another four, hope I never have Tesh as a teacher!!

A mini-me JB had taken over at the nets end, who was bowling leg spin with the occasional wrong ‘un, the bowler started well but by the time Luvers had taken him for couple of 4’s and 6’s he lost any rhythm.

Tesh had still been slowly accumulating runs through Luvers initial attack on the bowling though the leg spin had settled back down into a rhythm now and after a couple of stock balls sent down the wroung’un which Tesh did not pick and was hit on the knee roll in front of middle and the dreaded finger was raised.

This brought Bowesy out to the middle and after a slowish start to this innings his first scoring shot was a massive 6 over the road at the pavilion end, which started a bit of tit for tat between Luvers and Bowesy which saw them put on 60 runs in 6 overs, which propelled us to 136 - 3 off 21 overs with Luvers getting his fifty as well. Once Luvers had reached fifty he started paying the buffet bowlers a bit more respect maybe eyeing up a maiden ton or after the 5th lost ball the captain mentioned that we would have to bowl with what was ever left. Either way Luvers played his first defensive shot in awhile but practise makes perfect and was bowled for a quick but classy 57 off 42 balls.

This left the cazh in unfamiliar territory of having a competitive total with 18 overs to go 6 wickets in hand. Paul strode out at 6, looking to pass the strike to Bowesy who was still putting the ball where he wanted to occasionally finding the fielders but general working in 4’s and 6’s.

Pablo got the only good ball of the day which kept a little low and was castled for 8, bring Goff to the wicket, who got rapped on the pad but had seemed to have survived his first ball only for the dreaded finger to raised after we had all looked away.

Trev (Bambi) was walking out for his cazh innings with the score at 174-6 a more comfortable position than many cas batsmen have walked out to. Bowesy had worn down the oppo this time and the fielding was very ragged which calumniated in the Bowesy and Bambi enjoying a century partnership which included 21 extras.

Unfortunately for Bowesy he left himself stranded on 91 but great knock though maybe more for concentration rather than the threat of the bowling. Equally most of the batsmen can feel themselves lucky as I think 4 of the top 5 were dropped at least once.

JF – 14 (1x4), bowled
Tesh – 36 (6x4), lbw
Adam O – 0, caught
Luvers - 57 (6x4, 3x6), bowled
Pete B – 91 (9x4, 4x6), not out
P Stephens – 8, bowled
G Day – 0, lbw
T Bamber – 30 (3x4)
DNB – cheese, Shakey, DT

Cazh finishing on 277-6.

Now for the much talked about tea, not the delicious pastries we were spoilt with last year though even so a good array of sandwiches and cakes. I would say though 30% of the table was taken up by some green stuff part of which was celery. Quick food fact it takes more calories to digest celery than it gives you back. Some of the casuals could not keep themselves away this devil food; I can not even say they covered it in mayonnaise. I have to say this is Adam’s second warning about this type of behaviour and feel that any more of this might need more serious sanctions.

After listening to Man city’s two goals in extra time the casuals took the field to defend a massive total.

DT and Shakes took the opening overs with the wicket that had dried out, was slow and had started to turn. Shakes started nicely with two maidens thought the opposition made their intentions clear with the opener attempting two reserve sweeps.

DT took the first three wickets bring the innings to life, the first was a terrific stumping by Goff with the reserve sweeper going for what looked like the “Dilshan” and over balancing out of his crease; second was bowled with the batsmen playing all around to a straight one, the last was a ball that beat the batsmen in flight who pushed the ball out to Bowesy in the covers. Shakey then joined the party with two wickets, getting an lbw decision with the batsmen playing back and then ripping one through the gate.

Adam had taken over from DT at the pavilion end and half way through Adam’s second over Goff commented on something that I for one had failed to notice, I think my mind had drifted to the nights TV and takeaway, Adam was using a grunt to help him propel the ball down the 22 yards that bit harder. Which moved my thoughts to grunting tennis players and in turn grunting female tennis players which was where the monica for Adam was born, Maria (Sharapova).

Cheese was on for Shakey and was whipped for 4 off leg stump a couple of times before their captain decide to smash one through cover only to find the safe hands of Bambi at extra cover and off he went plodding back to the hutch.

Adam, grunts and all had hit his straps and was bowling with good pace and line which found him beating the batsmen defensive push and clattering into the off stump.

The 9, 10 & jack batsmen started a procession of Russian dolls with each one coming out smaller than the last. Cheese bowled the first with kept slow and nicked the outside of off.

Maria had the next with a slower ball pegging back the top of middle
Trevor rounded things up taking the last wicket with surprising an inswinger where the height difference between bowler and batsmen was about 2 foot!

Shakey – 6 overs; 2 maidens; 20 runs; 2 wickets
DT – 6; 0; 14; 3
Cheese – 4; 0; 16; 2
Maria – 5; 0; 10; 2
Bambi – 1.4; 0; 3; 1

No real excitement in the fielding we bowled straight and caught the ones that counted.
Back to the clubhouse to discuss debuts made on the day; glories and ignominies of the past and if it was possible to buy cheese a saddle to ride the Great Dane back home with the oppo nowhere to be seen.

Won by 206 runs but will be harder next year.

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