Match Report vs Cross Keys 13 April 2025 @ Cross Keys (Skipper Steveo, report Pablo)

As I was picked up by ‘Mr Big Smoke’ Goffy in Cardiff to go to Cross Keys I thought to myself “oh, the wind has picked up a bit” but the sun was out and all was well, I didn’t even pack a jumper! This of course for someone who has been playing for 40 plus years was a rookie mistake. We rocked up 20 minutes before kick-off, the sun was out but God it was cold. Captain Dan turned up at 1.29pm for a 1.30 start and something happened toss wise and we ended up batting, before Dan turned up they were desperate to play a 30 over a side game but Dan got 35 out of them and Dave White and Liam Forster strode out to open the innings.

My brother and I went out to umpire, then the unspeakable happened, the sun went in. Cross Keys is at the bottom of a valley and flanked to the East and West by hills or mountains, but the wind was coming from the North. This turned the conditions from bad to hellish. Their opening bowlers were fit and good, Dave was first to go on the 5th ball of the day for 4 bowled by a cut backer, Will joined Liam and Liam was next to go, chopping down late to a yorker playing on for 8 and Robbie joined Will at the crease. Robbie and Will put on 30 in 7 overs before Robbie missed one and got bowled for 17 (3 fours).

Next in was Ed Stagg who lasted about an over, bowled for 1, we were in a bit of trouble now at 46 for 4 in the 12th over with two rather short square boundaries for those of you that don’t know the Keys ground and Sanay joined Will in the middle,

Will and Sanay added 112 for the 6th wicket, helped no doubt partly by the 2 opening bowlers bowling their 7 overs out and the change bowlers coming on, Sanay playing in his wristy fashion for an excellent 43, falling in the 30th over after hitting 5 fours, out caught I believe.

My brother was in next having been yanked in from umpiring after about 3 overs due to the collapse. Will was next to go for a patient and well made 68 also caught having hit 9 fours. Big smoke was in next and hit a four before being bowled for 8, Dan skied a catch for a duck and Mark was bowled for 7 with 1 four leaving Pat and Myself to get to the end of our innings. Pat hit 13 in 5 balls, two dots, two fours and a five, I got a run off my only faced delivery and Pat hit the backward point boundary off the last ball to leave us on 190 for 9 off our 35 overs.

We thought this was a defendable total and we settled down to eat our packed tea before their innings.

Their opening bowler opened the innings with the guy that kept wicket for the start of our innings. Mayhem ensued, Dan opened going for 1 off his first over before my brother bowled the second, the first ball was slogged for 6 to mid-wicket, going for 12 off his first, there were a few near misses punctuated by massive sloggs and good shots, Dan got the first wicket in the 8th over with the score on 44, the more sloggy batter going for his usual shot and missing it with the off stump being knocked back, next ball, next wicket, the same shot from a different batter also bowled. The hat-trick ball? Well, that was a knee-high leg side full toss, not the greatest.

I forgot to mention that a few catches were put down, most of them traveling at approximately the speed of light off Mark mostly. Dan ended his spell going for 23 off his 7 overs with 2 wickets, Mark went for 37 off his 5 overs.

They put on 44 for the next wicket, Mr White and Mr Goff were the next tandem bowling at this stage, Dave bowled well and was a little unlucky, Goffy was a bit off his game consistency wise I am sure he would agree with some wide stuff and some good deliveries one of which took the next wicket, caught at a retreating deep slip by Will off a top edge.

Their captain was next to go caught behind for 6 by myself off Dave off of one that bounced a bit. I was keeping wicket by the way, I did ask to do so as I now have 2 decent eyes for the first time in a while but it has been ages since I had a go and the results were at best mixed, not a surprise that I failed to reach quite a few leg side balls and I can only apologise to all that I missed. Nine byes in total and one howler still to come.
Dave bowled 5 overs 1 for 39 and Goff 7 overs 1 for 59.

Next to get a wicket was Pat who had come onto bowl from the changing room end, the number 6 caught at mid-wicket for 18 by Goff, he wasn’t in for long but smashed it until his mistake.

Then it was my horrible dropped catch off Pat, the next batter chipping a leading edge about 4 yards behind me on the 45, I lost sight of it for a second and I could only get the back of my hand to it before it dropped, sorry Pat.

The guy I dropped then smashed everything ending 30 not out with the opener ending on 65 not out, playing much better after a start where he gave a few hard chances, they reached our total in the 27th over. Sanay bowled 1 over for 6 and Pat 2.4 overs, 1 for 20.

Our innings Their Innings
Dave White 4 / 5 overs 1 for 39
Liam Forster 8
Will Mason-Wilkes 68 ; 1 catch
Robbie Sayer 17
Ed Stagg 1
Sanay Goyal 43 / 1 over for 6
Mark Stephens 7 / 5 overs 0 for 37
Goff Day 8 / 7 overs 1 for 59
Pat Dean 13 not out / 2.4 overs 1 for 20
Dan Lewis 0 / 7 overs 2 for 23
Paul Stephens 1 not out / 1 catch loads of byes and a howling drop.

Conclusions/Summary

If was fucking cold when the sun went in.
Their Captain enjoyed moving people 3 inches every other ball in the field.
Great ton partnership between Will and Sanay
Decent total by us concluded by Pat the finisher.
Dan bowled well, the rest of us were a bit inconsistent.
They batted well on their home ground pouncing on our inconsistencies.
The new shirts are nice.

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