Cardiff Cavaliers Cricket Club

Match Report

Barry Wanderers, Saturday 17 April 2010

BW 163ao (36ovs, Twaits 2/2, Fraser 2/15, McVeigh 2/16, Graveson 2/17). Cav 96ao (23.4ovs, Steadman 23, McVeigh 16, Pritpal 16, Graveson 16). Lost by 67 runs.

Scorecard

The very first game of the 2010 outdoor season for the Cavaliers also happened to bring some glorious weather to the ground at Hayes Point in Sully. The skipper was caught in traffic, thus it was left to the vice captain to win the Cavs the toss and put Barry Wanderers into bat. On inspecting the wicket, it was very green, so it looked like the ball would hold up, and would no doubt with some uneven bounce.

The skipper, JT and Gog finally turned up for the start, and Fraser opened up the bowling, going from his preferred end, with the slope (which seems to look steeper than last year!). Fraser opened well, beating the bat on several occasions, the swing going with the slope. New boy Pritpal opened from the other end. Fraser bowled an initial 4 over spell, bowling opener Thomas for 0 in his second over. Barry were 8/1. Barry started to put some runs on the board, with Pritpal getting knocked about in his 3^rd over. No. 3 bat Hughes however, was dolly dropped by Dawkins in Fraser’s 3^rd over on 0. Hughes went on to make 72, he was also dropped by Twaits at mid on, though a tricky chance.

Prit was replaced by the angry McVeigh, seemingly intent on taking wickets and making a score today. Mike struck immediately, taking Denning. Barry 43/2. 2^nd debutant Graveson replaced Fraser and took Edwards and McVeigh took Bowen, Barry now 47/4. Looking good for the Cavaliers. Hill and the clubber Hughes made a stand until Dawkins bowled Hill (103/5), McVeigh made more angry by getting clubbed out of the ground for 6 by Hughes, and a lost new ball.

The reinvigorated Twaits came on and took 2 in 2 overs, with Fraser, Graveson and Gog taking the tail to leave Barry on an attainable 163 all out [Ed: perhaps it was co-incidence, but the arrival of Messrs Brown and Sparkes at the ground seemed to pressage the Barry Wanderers' collapse so it seems that their powers remain undiminished, especially as the Oracle foretold the wicket that would fall to Gog, which happened with the very next delivery, and he duly apologised to the incoming batsman for putting the hex on him].

Yet again, Barry put on a great spread, and after learning that Man U had another late escape, Cavaliers went into bat. A good start was made by McVeigh and Steadman, putting on 41 for the 1^st wicket until Steadman was caught in gully for 23. Prit came in at 3 to make 16 [Ed: it will be an entertaining season if Prit continues to score all his runs in boundaries], just as McVeigh was bowled for 16 himself.

The middle order 3, including skipper and vice skipper, went for just 3 runs, then the tail went, with only new boy Graveson in double figures (16) out of 8 remaining Cavaliers batsmen. Cavs all out for 96. Barry slow bowler Ashton came out with figures of 11/5, with all the batsmen saying ‘patience’, or ‘take your time’ only for most to attempt to whack Ashton out of the ground and being caught!

In summary, a lovely day and a great opener to the season. We need to hold onto the catches and keep our middle order wickets when there are overs in hand, to achieve what was an attainable score.

Champagne Moment:

Not too much to choose from, but it was going to be Jimmy Marchant’s outstanding ‘one for the cameras’ boundary save in the field, fully demonstrating the skippers commitment to the cause, only for it to be totally taken away by dropping a dolly at mid off and trying to catch it with his codger again…!

Therefore, it goes to Mike Dawkins for being caught in the very manly act of moisturising his legs back in the changing rooms (sorry, Mike – Had to get you back for that dolly drop!)

Team: Jimmy Marchant (capt), Jason Duffy (vice capt), Jonathan Thomas (wkt), Andrew Steadman, Michael McVeigh, Pritpal Singh*, Steve Davis, Michael Dawkins, Andrew Graveson*, Alisdair Fraser, Mark Twaits * denotes debutant