Match Report vs Sudbrook
28th July 2024 @ Wenvoe (Skipper and Report Jim)
“Seduction in Sudbrook”
On one of the hottest days of 2024 so far, the Casuals were
to make the journey east to take on Sudbrook. Disaster had
already struck, however, as news broke that Sudbrook would
not be providing their wonderful tea due to miscommunication
in the week! The need to visit Tesco, or Greggs, or another
proprietor of food en-route, plus heavy traffic on the M4,
meant the Casuals arrived even more tardily than usual, but
also meant that they were able to have a bat following negotiations
with Sudbrook’s non-playing skipper.
Due to a ‘family fun day’ in support of LATCH
Welsh Children’s Cancer Charity (more on this later),
the boundary had been brought in significantly. With the dry
conditions, this looked to be a good opportunity for the Cazh
to set a big total. As such, having opened the batting, skipper
James decided it was best for the team (through general incompetency)
that he edge behind for just 1 in the 4th over, allowing Will
to come and partner Rob. What followed would be an excellent
partnership that took full advantage of the great batting
conditions and varied Sudbrook bowling, with Rob initially
scoring at a quicker rate with his usual nudges into gaps
and using the pace to play behind square, before Will took
over as the spinners entered the attack by coming down the
track to send the ball over their heads.
As both passed their 50s, the family fun day had started,
with lots of families gathering in the sun to eat, drink and
socialise, with the vast majority completely oblivious to
the cricket game going on, resulting in multiple instances
of children running onto the field (despite there being a
whole football pitch available for use) and, more worryingly,
multiple loud shouts of ‘heads!’ being ignored
when the ball was hit that way…although, luckily, nobody
got hit! Safety concerns didn’t deter Will, however,
as he continued to motor along, reaching his century with
the score close to 200. In rather unusual fashion, however,
he took the decision to retire, due to feeling dehydrated/hungry/knackered,
or a combination of the three! Liam F came in next and had
a quick cameo, before departing for 10 with the score on 208.
Having been stuck on the M5 for days, Cheese had finally
arrived and was next to arrive at the crease, looking to continue
the positive run rate and support Rob in seeking his century.
However, Cheese was caught for a quick 17, meaning another
latecomer in Josh had an opportunity for some runs. Rob had
slowed down temporarily but got back into the swing of things
and the pair built a partnership of 34, before Josh was bowled
for 10. Rob, however, was on 99 at the start of the final
over, having turned down a couple of opportunities for the
magic single already. Sudbrook, in true Sunday fashion, decided
they would bring back their quick left-arm opener, so could
Rob do it and reach his first ever century? He could indeed,
flicking the first ball off his hip to fine leg, reaching
100 for the first time and retiring, which gave the Steveo
the opportunity to have a late flourish and ensure the Cazh
finished their 40 overs on 267-4.
Tea was taken and the Cazh tucked into their assortment of
(presumably) disappointing, panic-bought meal deals, although
some did choose to go to the burger van that was on site.
Meanwhile, the Subrook scorer, who was also the dad of their
on-field skipper, decided to make arrangements for the second
innings to be played Wenvoe-style (i.e. bowl from one end),
which James begrudgingly agreed to, with the intention being
to avoid having the ball being whacked into the families that
had gathered outside to have a friendly mingle…although,
as we would find out later, some of the mingling may have
been a little too friendly…
Anyway, Dan and Liam the Nylon Pylon were the opening pair
of bowlers, with both keeping things relatively tight and
picking up a wicket, with Dan bowling one of the openers and
Pylon bowling the number three. This was followed by a solid
partnership of 70 from the Sudbrook captain and his experienced
number four, with the captain in particular showing why he
had been playing in their 1st XI, hitting a lot of comfortable
boundaries. Having reached his 50, however, he got a bit too
excited by Steveo’s bowling and was caught by Cheese
at deep long-on, who just about held on having mis-read the
trajectory of the ball. Sanay would pick up the next wicket,
caught by Steveo at mid-wicket following the usual panic as
the ball looped in the air, with the usual massive celebration
afterwards which prompted the non-striker to state he’d
‘love to see him after he’s had a shag’…a
rather appropriate comment given the antics that would occur
in the clubhouse after the game! Anyway, Sudbrook were 117-4
at this stage, the Cazh poised for a big win.
It was at this stage that Sudbrook decided the friendly spirit
of Sunday cricket need not apply, as a blatant caught behind
wasn’t given, due to the standing umpire being annoyed
that he’d had a wide given against his bowling during
the Cazh innings – seems fair. To be fair, the batter
at the non-striker’s end did apologies on the behalf
of the team for the decision and told the batter he should’ve
walked and the umpire that he should’ve given it out,
but hey-ho. Cheese would get the next wicket, taking a sharp
caught and bowled chance, meaning Sudbrook now had a pair
of juniors at the crease. The new batter, despite being 14,
batted very well for his age and sent the ball to different
parts the ground, including a couple of big 6s, dragging Sudbrook
into a position that they could win from, with Cheese and
debutant Dave unable to break this partnership.
Entering the final 10 overs, Dan returned and had the second
blatant caught behind not given, against the same batter as
the previous incident. On this occasion, the umpire didn’t
think the batter had hit it and had nothing to do with the
fact the batter was his younger brother, so on we go. However,
third time lucky was soon the case, as the batter was run
out with the score on 217, Sanay with a good throw from cover
for James to take the bails off. Sudbrook weren’t done,
though, with the other youngster continuing to blunder some
big shots that took them to within touching distance of a
win, helped by some Casuals being distracted by the announcement
that the burger van only had 10 burgers left – heartbreak
for some! However, Josh and Sanay held their nerve in the
final two overs, and some tight fielding from the Casuals
meant that the innings concluded with Sudbrook on 252-6, securing
a 15 run win for the Cazh!
Full scorecard: https://cardiffcasuals.play-cricket.com ...
ts/6496517
Now, as the team settled for their post-game drinks and buffet
in the sun, an incident was occurring inside, with lots of
banging on a door and a shout of ‘if you don’t
open the door, the police will be called’. As it turned
out, some family members had been having too much fun…specifically,
a gentleman had walked into the toilets to discover his wife/fiancé/girlfriend/mother
of his children enjoying the company of another gentleman!
Much shouting occurred with other attendees trying to calm
the situation down and drag the appropriately angry man outside
to calm down, with some golden phrases chucked out, including
a response of ‘she’s fucked off the fucking slag’
when asked where said partner was. All part of the ‘fun’
at a family fun day in support of a children’s charity…
back
|
