Match Report vs NOW 20th
May 2025 @ LLandaff fields (Skipper Steveo, report
Rhys)
The usual overcast Wednesday in Llandaff was the setting
for The Casuals’ first cup game of the season. A Last
16 tie versus National Orchestra of Wales. Having lost the
last two midweek games on the penultimate ball, the Cazh were
keen to get this one done and dusted before the last over!
A quick start would have been appreciated, however NOW were
late and captain Steve-O was generous to let them get away
with an 18:18 start (fitting perhaps for an 18 over game?!)
When we did finally get underway, Jack & Robbie strode
out to the crease and found runs off the bat difficult to
come by. Luckily for us 12 extras kept the run rate decent
before Robbie was bowled by one that kept low without treble-ing
the scorers. 12-1 still no runs off the bat.
Joel was next in and started to pick up the run rate with
Jack. Helped by our captain’s conducting of the innings
from the sidelines with helpful hints about running quickly.
A quick 11 from Joel was abruptly ended when he expertly found
square leg off the worst ball that bowler bowled all day!
In came Hasnat who was keen to crash the ball to the boundary
and score some quick runs. A tight no-ball shout caused a
chorus of boos on the sidelines, as a pull shot heading for
six was plucked out of the air just before crossing the line.
A great catch, but one that would have been reviewed by our
Captain if such an option was available! See WhatsApp for
the vid!
Extras proving NOW’s downfall at this point, with more
than half our score made up from them by the time we got to
50. Enter Liam who had a few decent strokes to get off the
mark but was done by another inconsistent bounce. 60-4 off
8.
In came Steve-O. Some quick running, upping the tempo and
taking us to 91-4 from 12 overs. The gloves were off from
our captain. Quite literally. So was his cap as he used it
to fan a sweaty brow. In the end, quick runs were to be Steve’s
downfall, as he was Run Out for 11 bringing Maxi to the crease.
Having seen all his partners fall before him, Jack was still
in and hitting all the right notes. He got to 26* with a decent
cut to backward point. This brought in Rhys to hopefully see
out the innings with Maxi. NOW however had kept their best
two bowlers ‘til the end and one managed to claim the
wicket of Maxi with an inswinger that took out leg stick.
Syed next man in and may regret telling Rhys that he could
run fast enough – as he made sure that no runs were
left out on the pitch. The good news was that Rhys & Syed
picked up plenty of quick runs, including running a 4. The
bad news is that Rhys now needs new spikes as they disintegrated
mid innings. Syed eventually given out LBW for 5. Dan came
in and managed a quick 4 from 4 balls before being bowled
by their captain. In came Shakes at #11.
With 2 overs left Cazh were 115-8 and had Jack in the shed
if needed. Only 3 off the penultimate over with Rhys to face
the final six balls. A single was pushed to mid on and a risky
second to retain the strike was attempted. Shakey just short
meaning Jack came back in. A four from Rhys (definitely off
the glove!) was followed by a single then a dot to end the
innings on a respectable 128-9.
J. BEAUMONT 26* N.O.
R.SAYER 0 BOWLED
J. LEWIS 11 CAUGHT
H. AHMED 1 CAUGHT
L. FORSTER 3 BOWLED
S. O’REILLY 11 RUN OUT
M. CULLEN 6 BOWLED
JR. DAVIES 18*. N.O.
S. SAFFIULAH 5 LBW
D. LEWIS 4 BOWLED
M. STEPHENS 1? RUN OUT
X. TRAS 42 (7 LB | 35 WIDES)
----------------------------------------------------------
After a late start and some slow overs, the Cazh set out
after the interval at about 19:40. In decreasing light, it
was left to Steve-O to orchestrate the field and ensure NOW
didn’t make it close.
An excellent start from Hasnat and Shakes limited them to
18 from the first 4. Hasnat finding some early swing. Both
bowlers picking up one wicket a piece, including Shakes’
plumb LBW of their opener who was not best pleased.
Maxi and Joel first change, and again both bowling a great
length, limiting the batsmen to singles and the odd two. After
8 overs NOW were struggling at 27-3 following a pitch-perfect
delivery from Joel which cut back and clipped the bails.
Only two overs each in the cup remember, so Robbie and Steve-O
took over for overs 9-12. A loosener a piece, before both
quickly found their rhythm and picked up a wicket in their
first over. Robbie bowling out their #5 with a great delivery
that came back in, before Rhys saved 4 runs (and his head)
with a well-taken catch that got Steve-O his first of two
wickets. The other being their captain for a golden duck and
an even more plumb LBW than before.
Syed and Liam bowled overs 13-16 and went for a few boundaries
as NOW’s #9 proved himself to be a decent batter. This
included 4 overthrows in one of the only lapses in the field
this week to be fair!
Rhys and Dan had one over each to finish the job with a not
so dramatic finale, and with two run outs on Rhys’ over
(for Joel and Dan), NOW were 8 down with far too much to do.
Not even a couple of boundaries in Dan’s last over were
enough to make it close. 92-8
HASNAT 2-0-6-1
SHAKES 2-0-12-1
MAXI 2-0-6-0
JOEL 2-0-3-1
ROBBIE 2-0-8-1
STEVE-O 2-0-12-2
SYED 2-0-12-0
LIAM 2-0-19-0
RHYS 1-0-4-0
DAN 1-0-10-0
EXTRAS 5 WIDES ONLY!
Runs off the bat: Casuals = 83 ; NOW = 87. Well done to us
for keeping those extras low!
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