Match Report vs Medics
19 May 2021 @ Pontcanna (Skipper Rob, report Tim)
For this report you need to cast your mind back to 19th May.
Now if, like me, you struggle to remember what happened yesterday
then I could probably make most of this up and you’d
probably be none the wiser, but as fabricated reports don’t
go down well with editor in chief Dan then I will try and
piece together what might have actually happened with the
aid of some sparse information from the score book in the
hope that he doesn’t remember it better than me.
I can’t really jog your memory about 19th May 2021.
It won’t go down as a particularly memorable day - unless
of course you’re Naomi Campbell who gave birth aged
50, you’re the Queen whose Corgi puppy died, you’re
Swiss – as Switzerland won the second Eurovision semi
final or you’re Francis Gimblett who was holding an
event in Covent Garden to mark the publication of his book
‘Gimblett’s Guide to the Best of British Cheeses
– British Artisan Cheese and Their Producers’
(£10 entry including a glass of wine or a soft drink
and cheese ‘samples’), but as the Casuals assembled
at Pontcanna they were hoping for a first win of the season
having suffered a loss, a cancellation and an abandonment
in their three previous outings.
Whereas the Cazh XI had in fact managed to muster just about
in time for the scheduled 6pm start time (bar Martin who in
fairness was a last minute call up?) the same could not be
said for the Medics who were decidedly short on numbers and,
as the minutes ticked by amidst increasing impatience from
SteveO (who else?), the captains agreed that the Medics would
bat first in the hope that their still sparse ranks would
fill up as their allotted 18 overs ticked by.
Dan got the Cazh off to the perfect start with a wicket from
the first ball of the innings, but some quick scoring saw
the Medics reach 17 off the first two overs. Dan kept the
third over tight, conceding just a single before Dave White,
pulling off a brilliant caught and bowled, and inexplicably
Tim with a run out, reduced Medics to 18-3. The Cazh had their
tails up and wickets continued to fall with almost metronomic
regularity, Dave taking four from his four overs and Dan two.
First change saw Rob come on and immediately make an impact,
and by the midpoint of the innings the ten men of the Medics
were 34-8.
Normally you’d back the Casuals to be chasing a sub
50 score, but given the confusion around the start of the
Medics’ innings it was entirely probable that the last
pair would put on a stand of some sort. They could clearly
bat, and their position in the order was obviously a result
of their late arrival (or late call up…?) and in scenes
reminiscent of something out of Billy’s Boots from 70s
comic Tiger and Scorcher the two lads pedalling with all their
might across the fields to get to the match in time to bat,
duly helped save Medics blushes and get them to 92.
Dan 4-1-13-2
Dave 4-0-14-4
Rob 2-0-15-1
Shakes 4-0-18-0
Goff 4-0-27-0
Martin and Richie opened steadily for the Casuals before
the latter fell for 6, heralding a mini collapse as Jared,
George, Tim and Martin fell quickly with only 17 on the board.
This brought SteveO and captain Rob to the crease with a job
to do. They set about their task admirably putting on 43 in
the space of 6 overs, nudging the ball around to keep things
ticking over as opposed to trying to strike the hefty blows.
There were still 33 runs required though when both fell in
successive overs bringing Goff and Dan to the crease. Any
thoughts of a repeat of their heroics from the Lisvane game
a few seasons ago quickly disappeared when Goff fell, caught
and bowled for three. Shakes was next in and a partnership
of 11 briefly gave the Casuals hope, especially when they
saw Shakey run a four – a miracle of biblical proportions.
Alas that was to be the highlight of Shakey’s stay at
the crease, and with 16 required from the final over and Dan
out for 8, Dave was left stranded on 1.
Casuals all out 80.
Martin 6
Richie 6
Jared 1
George 2
Tim 0
SteveO 24
Rob 11
Goff 3
Dan 8
Shakes 4
Dave Not Out 1
Extras 13
An outcome that few would have expected an hour or so earlier,
but (in the week where we have celebrated the 30th anniversary
of the famous Johnners and Aggers ‘leg over’ comment)
the result - coupled with SteveO top scoring, Tim doing anything
remotely noteworthy and Shakey running a four go to show that
it can be, and often is, a funny old game.
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