Match Report vs Whitchurch
Heath 9 June 2013 @ Whitchurch (Skipper Cheese, report
Jesus)
On a warm but breezy Sunday afternoon the casuals arrived
at Whitchurch hospital to take on a Whitchurch side sprinkled
with a handful of first team talent. Most of the casuals appeared
un-phased by (or unaware of) this, Kim appearing especially
relaxed sun-bathing topless on the outfield as the skippers
approached the middle for the toss. He was brought back to
his sense by a quick dowsing from Darren’s water-bottle,
which was fortunate for the casuals as he was required to
open the batting after Cheese had, somewhat unexpectedly,
won the toss and chosen to bat.
After a short (and unexplained) delay Kim and Darren headed
out to the middle at around twenty past two. They were greeted
with slingy left-arm pace form one end and accurate right
arm off-spin from the other. Both batsmen were watchful during
the early overs, but managed to keep the scoreboard ticking
over until Darren played inside a ball from the off spinner
which refused to turn and clipped the top of his off-stump,
22-1 after 6.
Out to the wicket strode Will ‘Jesus’ Mason-Wilkes,
whose average of 140 so far this season was testament to the
rich vein of form he had found himself in. After a circumspect
start to his innings, scoring just 2 of his first 12 balls,
the pace of his innings quickened. At the other end, Kim went
about his business with all the calm assurance of a man who
had scored 102 the day before, knocking ones and twos, with
the occasionally 4 and maximum thrown in for good measure.
After a solid 50 partnership, 21 of which were contributed
by Will, he illustrated succinctly the truth of the phrase
‘form is temporary, class is permanent’; playing
a wild swipe across the line to a straight one – the
agricultural nature of his facial hair finally infecting his
game, 72-2 after 17.
Gaz/Lovers was next to join Kim for his first knock of the
season, and the two put on a useful 30, Gaz’s first
scoring shot a 6 from his second ball continuing a tradition
(I was informed) begun 2 seasons ago. He was then subject
to an lbw appeal when attempting a sweep and once again Darren
had the misfortune of giving one of his teammates out. 105-4.
JR, in at 5, was quite possibly the victim of circumstance.
The bowler, with his tail up, produced 2 good-full deliveries
before pulling his length back a fraction and beating the
bat, but unfortunately for JR, not the top of his off stump;
105-5. Next to the crease was Richie and he could add only
3 before being castled by the opening left-armer – now
in his second spell.
In came Shakes, and with consolidation firmly on the agenda,
he attempted to play a controlled innings, and did for an
over or two, adding 9 of his own runs in a partnership of
12 before being caught; 134-7 after 30. With Kim rapidly running
out of partners, Pablo entered the fray. Once again, an initially
staunch and studied innings was required and Pablo duly obliged,
allowing Kim, who at this point was well set, the lion’s
share of the strike. Kim duly passed 50 and set about increasing
his total, and the run rate. Hitting the ball to all parts
of the ground, but mostly mid-wicket, Kim quickly reached
his 100, his second of the weekend. He was then content to
allow Pablo more of the bowling, and he added an extremely
useful 29 of his own in the final overs, in a partnership
of 93 which saw the casual finish on 227, a very competitive
total on a reasonable pitch but a large and, in places, stodgy
outfield.
Casuals; 227-6 from 40 overs
Kim – 114* (9 x 4’s, 4 x 6’s)
Darren – 9
Will – 21
Lovers – 17
JR – 0
Richie – 3
Shakes – 9
Pablo – 29*
Tea was a fairly decent affair, with a good selection of
sweet and savoury – spicy fish finger wraps elicited
comment from a number of casuals
Due to the late start of the first innings, and the unhurried
consumption of tea, the two teams did not retake the field
until well after 5pm. Cheese took the ‘new’ ball
from one end with his skiddy swing and Pablo the other with
his tricky spin variations. The Whitchurch openers looked
to score from the off and made a good start, going at 5 an
over until Cheese made the breakthrough with his first, but
far from only, telling contribution to the match. After being
hit back firmly over his head for 4 earlier in the over, Cheese
sent down an ingenious slower ball which the batsmen failed
to time, sending back a waist high chance which cheese this
time managed to clasp just above his head; 34-1.
Pablo, now firmly in his rhythm, then removed the dangerous
looking other opener with a beautifully flighted wide delivery
which drew the batsmen out of crease and went past the edge,
Will whipping off the bails to send him back to the pavilion.
55-2 from 12. Pablo bowled his 8 straight through, containing
the batsmen with excellent variations, finishing with figures
of 8 – 1 – 30 – 1.
Into the attack came Shakes and Pete Obee. Shakes bowled
beautifully without reward, beating the outside edge on numerous
occasions and prompting a number of barely strangled appeals
from Will behind the stumps. Pete, though less consistent
than Shakes, proved to be more damaging to the Whitchurch
cause. Off his bowling, Cheese was once again able to produce
a moment of magic, running out the number 4 with a direct
hit from mid-on. This brought the imposing figure of the Whitchurch
number 5 to the crease, a powerful striker of the ball who
took a fancy to Shakies bowling immediately after drinks hitting
him for three boundaries in three balls. However, he was less
successful against Pete O’bee, managing only to pick
out Kim, reclining after his exertions in a chair on the mid-wicket
boundary, who plucked a knuckle-scraping catch off the turf
to curtail the big man’s innings 93 – 4 from 22.
Pete was replaced by Lovers who bowled quickly and, once
he’d found his line, threateningly, dismissing the dangerous
looking number 7, bowled of his pads for 19. This was not
before a brief spell from Richie had resulted in the dismissal
of the number six, who had played a number of handsome shots,
including a reverse sweep for 4. It was this shot however,
which proved his undoing, dancing down the wicket and attempting
a reverse flick, but only managing to play all around it and
get himself bowled, much to his, and Richie’s, surprise.
With 8 overs remaining the casuals looked well in control,
Whitchurch being 156-6, still needing 71 for victory. However,
the left-handed number 8 played, and scored, freely, batting
with the now well entrenched number 3 who nurdled his way
to 50, managing to keep their team in touch with the run rate.
Pete Obee returned to the attack and managed to dismiss the
number 3, stumped off a wide.
This left Whitchurch 201-7, with 4 overs to bat, the dangerous
left hand still at the crease. Tight bowling from Cheese and
Pete restricted them to 5 from the next 2 overs, leaving Lovers
to bowl the penultimate and allowing Cheese to produce another
champagne moment, taking a diving catch at full stretch at
a widish mid-on to dismiss the number 9. With 15 required
from the last over Cheese spread the field, and then preceded
to not involve any of them, first bowling the number 8 with
a low full toss to dispel any lingering hopes of a Whitchurch
victory and then, just to rub salt in the wounds, bowling
the last man with the very next ball. An excellent victory
for the casuals who batted, bowled and fielded extremely well.
Whitchurch 215 all out from 39.3 overs
E. Stewart – 7.3 – 0 – 3 – 34
P. Stephens – 8 – 1 – 1 – 30
M. Stephens 8 – 0 – 0 – 35
P. Obee – 8 – 0 – 2 – 46
G. Loveridge – 6 – 0 – 2 – 47
R. Holiday – 2 – 0 – 1 – 10
NB; apologies for the length of the report, Cheese told
me it doesn’t have to be War and Peace, so I though
Anna Karenina would probably be alright.
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