Match Report vs Blaina
19 May 2013 @ Blaina (Skipper Cheese, report Steveo)
As the happy band of casuals meandered their various ways
up the valley to Blaina (thanks for the lift Dave!) they were
met with ominous clouds and a cold chill … fear not
though, for the clouds lifted as we gathered upon this chipper
little ground to await the locals, who took their time appearing
but to great relief they did indeed turn out with the usual
welcome. This is a very nice club on a sunny day, as it so
turned out to be, and the obvious good cheer with which the
Blaina team is led by skipper Mr A. lane ( aka pete) makes
it worth the drive.
So to business. I believe Skipper won the toss and elected
to bat, although sportingly offered the choice once he realized
Blaina were short. They demurred and carried on regardless,
and so openers Stewart and Britton entered the fray. Lane
opened the bowling and tossed up some good firm deliveries
with a little pace. His testing line elicited a number of
maidens early on whilst Palmer the other end was similarly
successful. No runs off the first three overs as the lads
eased themselves in. It wasn’t too long before Ed eased
himself out again having fended off 16 balls and lasted just
as many minutes. He was caught off Lane’s good bowling
but the catch seemed to surprise the catcher and the team
( I think it was a sharp chance to mid off). 5overs, 6 runs
1 wkt.
Mr Mason-Wilkes bestrode the turf to join the fun as Britton
began at last to find scoring chances, taking some 2’s
and 4’s. Will sensibly took his time to get used to
the conditions ( was that sunshine?) but steadily the run
rate improved and it wasn’t until the 88th minute since
the start of play that Snapper Britton finally tired of the
game and fell to an LBW decision. It was the 21st over as
Mr Gear, their 3rd bowler struck and Daz stood down on 32,
including five 4’s, in a partnership of 80. The effort
had brought on quite a heat in the portly paparazzo, as evidenced
by the sweaty tide mark in the borrowed cap (don’t worry
Darren, its nearly dry now).
Bowes the Youth then took up the cudgel, and in his 30 minutes
managed a handy 19, nearly all fours, before being caught.
Richie in next and in only 19 minutes scored 13 of 16 balls
with no intention of running (atta boy Rich) as three of them
were fours. By now of course Mr Will.I.?.Yes.Please.Thank.You.Very.Much
was having a grand old time slapping away (I know that’s
not the technical term) taking a goodly number of fours and
the odd 6 that went way over the road. It would be nearly
two hours before he was cruelly undone by an LBW whilst on
90! I won’t mention the umpires name, but I think it
was Darren. He took ten 4’s and three 6’s to get
there so there was a fair bit of running as well. But before
he had made way the luckless (okay, gormless) O’Reilly
came and went without troubling the scorer but he did put
the jinx on Will who soon thereafter fell with the score on
175 in the 34th.
Mr Gof DayGlo faffed about for 6 runs before getting caught
whilst Bagpuss held up the end for a gallant 13, chuckles
stephens did his part with a quick six runs, Adam did sod
all and Dave … well you know.
E Stewart 0
D Britton 32
W Mason-Wilkes 90
P Bowes 19
R Holliday 13
S O’Reilly 0
G Day 6
M Stephens 13
P Stephens 6
A Maria 1?
D T DNB
Casuals total of 208 ( 6wides, 1 nb, 12 byes, 9leg byes)
Tea was simple but plentiful, with a variety of well filled
and moist rolls, chocolate fingers, and a general balance
of savoury and sweet.
We knew we’d posted 20 too few to be honest but the
bowling attack got on with it. Maria did a fine job ( particularly
at amusing the spectators who took a shine to him and started
singing his name). The book is hard to read but I think he
took a wicket in his first over with Wall ( No 2) getting
a duck. He bowled a tight line (mostly, despite 2 wides in
the 2nd over that cost us the game icon_rolleyes )and also
took the big wicket of Lane in his 3rd (for 2 runs). Things
were looking good. Day at the other end also bowled well,
although runs were accruing.
Paul and Mark joined in and kept up the attrition –
followed by Dave who claimed he couldn’t bowl and Steve
o – who every one else claimed couldn’t bowl.
Despite this Bill and Ben managed to get a couple of wickets
– Ed taking a fantastic catch well above his head (
must have been at least 5 ft off the ground) that had appeared
to have gone past him off O’Reilly’s beautifully
pitched delivery (!) to see off Selway ( on 32). Dave then
skittled out the no. 6 & 7.
Maria returned to put paid to Lewis (on 51) with a rubbish
ball (probably) that nevertheless resulted in a quiet little
catch from O’Reilly… who without further ado returned
the ball modestly and with our further word went back to his
fielding position. 'icon_razz'
Ed also bowled and moved the attack around trying to outfox
the oppo and did well for the most part – getting an
LBW himself – but sadly there were a couple of 3rd umpire
moments that Will found hard to take – he eventually
got reward for all his hard work behind the timbers with a
stumping, but should have had more probably. Maria also felt
he had a good shout for LBW but to no avail.
Despite all this it all came down to the last ball by some
miracle ( or miscounting) and thanks to the tight bowling
of Paul I think we had a chance … however, by some other
miracle ( of ineptitude) the batsman/youth needing 1 run off
the last almost succumbed to pressure – a mis hit, straight
to our tight field, a bit of argy bargy, pass the parcel,
hows your father and somehow we managed to take longer to
get the ball up to the stumps than Gof takes to shut up in
any given argument. Forever. So there we were, lost by a run
( you will now recall the two wides of Maria’s!).
Ah well. the bowling figures are impossible to read so maybe
statto can sort that out later.
Well done all, a kindly spirit and a fair ol game in the end,
even though we maybe should have won. and probably did win
the moral high ground. just not the cricket.
Sorry Will.
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