Cardiff Cavaliers Cricket Club

Match Report

Chartered Trust (Willow League), Thursday 10 June 2010

Cavs 145/7 (20ovs, McVeigh 42, A Steadman jnr 24, Chapman 15, J Thomas 12). Ch Trust 94ao (16.1ovs, McVeigh 4/10, Marchant 3/22, Graveson 2/21). Cavaliers won by 54 runs. Cavaliers 15pts, Ch Trust 0pts. Cavaliers also take a 1-0 lead in “The Ashes” series

Scorecard

Weather: ditto. Result: ditto – but enough of that Aussie Cavaliers’ style …

The captain won the toss and, having earlier inspected the pitch with Messrs Chapman and Sparkes who all agreed that it would probably get worse as the game went on, belied his usual disposition to chase and opted to bat first. Despite Trust having a strong bowling attack on paper, Andrew Steadman and Michael McVeigh exhibited a display of controlled aggression, bringing up the 50 in just 6 overs – and this with Andrew somewhat incapacitated yet again and using not one, not two but three runners. This time it was a hamstring [Ed: he seems to be working his way through Grey’s Anatomy, 5^th Edition].

Michael, though, was the first wicket to fall when, espying the gentle off-tweakers coming his way, he slogged at the ball – his first agricultural shot of the game – and it narrowly missed the stumps. “Oh, no,” sighed his colleagues on the boundary, “he reckons it’s Christmas, Birthday, Passover, Ramadan and a stag do all rolled into one!” His second attempt at agrarianism, to the next ball, saw him clean bowled for a rapid 42 off just 26 balls including a huge six and 5 fours, with the score on 64 in the 8^th over.

Jonathan Thomas went in at No3 and, having judiciously inspected his first ball then pulled the next off his stumps for a sumptuous boundary – he was underway and, with Andrew, took the score on to 90 (in the 11^th over) before Andrew was bowled by Owen, the pick of the Trust bowlers (who finished with 3/16 from his 4 overs). Three runners had been employed by Andrew – the skipper (cos he is quick between the wickets), Grizz (owing to a mix up when the skip needed to come back and marshall his thoughts on the rest of the batting line-up, but the message should’ve been for Mike McVeigh to go out) and then Prit (replacing Grizz, who was due to bat next and we didn’t want him too tired) [Ed: no-one could fault Prit in his enthusiasm for the task – once diving full length to make his/Andrew’s ground, and willing to take on the fielder in the pursuit of quick runs.]

As new batsmen tried to keep the score speeding along so the wickets were tumbling – JT out for 12, Glenn Chapman for 15 (off 11 balls), Nigel Adams (5), James Marchant (7) and Andrew Graveson (2). There was even time for a cry of “Run ‘em up, lads” but, to everyone’s surprise it came not from the usual source but from the spectating JD [Ed: perhaps feeling that if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em].

However, the introduction of a certain Pritpal Sagoo to the wicket, joining David Parsons, drove the Trust bowlers at the death to despair. Prit has clearly been adding exotica to his repertoire and he essayed all manner of improvisations – reverse sweeps, scoops and switch hits – all beautifully displayed, with 16 runs scored off the last over, but, sadly, none of his efforts saw any contact between willow and leather [Ed: the runs came from wides, byes and leg byes but they all count].

We had mustered a highly competitive 145/7 from our 20 overs and everyone was commenting that the one delivery to avoid bowling was anything short as these just sat up and asked to be spanked. Of course, as every amateur psychologist knows, when you’re told not to do something it preys on the mind and then you find yourself quite unable to do anything else but … so the next candidate for the analyst’s couch must be Andrew Graveson.

The first ball was short and pulled away for a boundary, the second was short and was only just stopped inside the rope for 3, and by the end of the over Trust had 11 on the board and were feeling in the groove [Ed: dangerous place that, the groove, seen many a wheel buckled by those …]

Michael McVeigh opened from the far end and he probably hasn’t bowled a better spell in the League in Cavaliers colours. His second ball was destined to be a leg-side wide – batsman covered it, keeper went across to take it, umpire got his arms ready for a stretch and the scorers licked their pencils prior to making the appropriate mark … except that the ball then spun sharply and bowled the batsman round the back of his legs to his – and to everyone else’s – astonishment.

Mike continued in similar vein next over, with a double-wicket maiden that accounted for the dangerous Mohring brothers [Ed: Steve had scored two unbeaten 90s already in the Willow this year] and could easily have had more than 4 wickets, finishing with tremendous figures of 4-1-10-4. His last wicket saw an excellent catch at slip by Andrew Steadman who took it low, diving forward.

He was also inspiring Andrew G who showed courage and skill in asking the skipper if he could stay on and bowl through, and then proceeded to get his line and length spot on – being likened by the oppo to Steve Harmison – and was rewarded with 2 wickets for only a further 10 runs in his final 3 overs.

When they finished their 8 over spell in tandem Trust were 36/6 and it was never going to be likely that they would recover from there. The tail tried to wag a little, a combination of having a bit of fun and also trying to get to 110 and so ‘steal’ a bonus point. This ‘target’ had been drawn to the skipper’s attention by Secretary Chapman leading to speculation about how long it may be before we see Jez put out to grass [Ed: what with JD stealing his lines and the Candyman showing deft knowledge of the rules, ol’ Sparky may be one of the Coalition efficiency savings being touted around …]

Our two field marshalls – skip and vice skip – took on the challenge and Jimmy snared three wickets, including one to an excellent catch by JT on the deep square leg boundary that looked destined for a six.

The coup de grace was applied by the entertainer, Prit, who bowled 4 deliveries, only one of which was legal but it got the last wicket, caught by Andrew G at short mid-on. With The Consmen providing an upset on the pitch alongside us, beating Cardiff Hockey, the mid-point of the Willow League season sees us at the top of the table with a 100% record [Ed: but facing several stiff games in the remainder of June]. Click for Willow League table (as at 10 June).

Champagne moment: spoiled for choice so the biscuit-taking goes to the one thing that the opposition were all talking about – Mike McVeigh’s 2^nd ball that defeated their opener; shades of Warne

Team: Jimmy Marchant (capt), Jason Duffy (vice capt), Dave Parsons (wkt), Andrew Steadman, Mike McVeigh, Jonathan Thomas, Glenn Chapman, Nigel Adams, Pritpal Sagoo, Gareth Payne, Andrew Graveson