Match Report vs Barry West End 07 July 2019 @ The Island (Skipper Will MW, report Cheese)

The day started gloriously arriving at the ground with an hour to spare; I decided to have a look around and walk to the end of the point with an ice cream and then gently sauntered back to the ground. Upon my return I was greeted by Luuvers at which point the day start its downward trajectory, Luuvers villainously informed me that the team looked strong on the batting side but maybe a little light on the bowling. I graciously said without looking at the team that if the captain, from now on known as the co-conspirator, needs an extra bowler I could fulfil the role for the team.

Then the rest of the team turned up Goffy, Shakey, Dave W, Richie, Martin, and Obee wan all who knew where the seam on a ball was. At which point the co-con turned up and thanked me for the offer to bowl and then set about winning the toss and sort the batting line-up. I was then informed that my services with the willow would not be required until later and an umpire’s clicker was thrust into my hand.

Luuvers and Rob opened out for the cazh on a relatively central wicket but with the square stretching out to near the boundary on both sides as usual beat the infield and there would be no hauling it back. The first 10 over were somewhat of a batting cliché with the good balls being missed sometimes on purpose and the bad balls being edged for 4. On other days the cazh could have been 110-4 at the first set of drinks (15 overs) but as it was we had doggedly fought to 68-0 with Rob mainly scoring down to third man with the oppo having no answer to his def touch and Luuvers finding all parts on the ground and bat.

After watching the 18th over from square leg and seeing 11 runs scored from inside edges, I decided that the batsmen need a pep talk and stop using the outer portion of the bat and starting using the middle this was meet be a certain amount of derision at first. Though after a couple more edgy overs the penny dropped and the ball started hitting the rope more often.

To be fair once Rob had found his feet through a tricky opening spell there were two text book cover drivers that would have found the fence on any ground and he used behind square to rotate the strike well. Luuvers was well and truly settled and the ball started finding boundary with alarming regularity for those would had parked their cars at square leg. This pushed back the field allowing ones to become twos and twos to be become all run fours!

At the 22 over mark the score had raced on to 128 – 0 and focused changed to Rob getting his 50 and Luuvers reaching another 100. Also on the cards was the highest opening causal stand that had been unrivalled for 8 years, as a non interested bystander pointed out the conditions for the two events where completely different and maybe difficulty multiplies should be added depending on the conditions in which runs are scored, over to you Shakey!

Whilst this conversation rambled on, Rob and Luuvers were destroying the attack and had their sights firmly set on highest partnership. Rob secured his 50 first well deserved not least for his concentration as the balls faced was a stat that was heavily against him. A short time afterwards Luuvers celebrated his 100 by hitting 3 consecutive four and in so doing set a new cazh record for an opening standard batting first of 194, congratulations you two.

At this point the oppo decided they had given us enough runs and brought on seamer who liked mixing it up between waist high full tosses and yorkers. This was the downfall of Rob, trying to maintain the ridiculously high current run the ball sneaked beneath his bat and was bowled for 66.

Now we have all been in the field when finally you make a breakthrough and you think this will bring another wicket and things will calm down. I can only assume this is what the strollers thought and to be fair this prevailed for 4 balls until Will started to hammer the ball around the park. Luuvers now well into his 32nd over of batting was wilting and even singles were becoming a struggle, mainly because of Will it has to be said. A tired shot from Luuvers saw him get a massive inside edge and was castled for a faultless 134, well played Rieback.

Martin joined the fray with the idea of just giving Will as much of the strike as possible, the idea seemed lost in translation at first with 5 dots after which Will took over. Their partnership was worth 71 runs in 42 ball, Martin faced just 9 balls. Will destroyed the Strollers in the last 7 overs and to rub the salt in brought out a reverse sweep 3 times; 2 fours and a hit wicket keeper. Keep it in the locker for when we face a complete bunch of tossers!

This all accumulated into the cazh finishing on a season high of 304, well played.

Now as we entered the field, the day’s weather had completely changed and had a couple of casual wondering if a jumper might be in order, as it turned out they need one.

Quite frankly this was the most boring first 20 overs that I have ever played. Goff and Dave W bowled brilliantly with an old nut and a pitch that had been baked out. That said the batsmen were generally in position for a forward defence before the ball had left the hand.

With nothing coming off the bat the energy in the field was good with Martin having a couple shy’s at the stumps that were inches and feet wide and the some of the more energetic Cazh covering great swathes of the Island none more so than Rob who must have done a 10K.

With this lack of attacking endeavour from the opposition Goff, Dave W and Shakey managed to winkle out a batsman each with the catches by Richie, James and Martin.
At drinks the oppo had reached 61-3 off 20overs and 18:00.

Richie made a breakthrough straight after drinks with an LBW that the umpire seemed to go through all the possible avenues as why not to give until finally the batsmen just walked off. This brought their captain to the crease would was actually interested in trying to reach target.

Even with the captain trying as best he could, even running out a slow minded team member the game meandered towards the finish with the opposition 9 down and 150 runs short.

Casuals win with plenty to spare.

Just one thing, I would like to say it’s out of character but unfortunately we all know it is not. Sorry for shouting at you, Rob when a chance fell to the ground no excuse, Sorry.

back