The famed blackweir oval for the next Director Darren tour match. I was a bit bemuzed at first. Was this is a touring team who weren't going for a dip in the dock? Where were the cans of larger? Was

this a touring team here to actually play cricket? They were!

We agreed to bat first. Sadly due to excitement in the semi final FT Cupand lack of scorebook actual details of the game escape Reporter Rees. They had a menacing opening fast bowler who really was whizzing it through with great bounce and there fielding was excellent. There were a few highlights to our innings. I went into bat at number five. I had a discussion on tactics with Francois, and I advised him that the reverse sweep would be played tonight, a perfect opportunity. I went into the middle at number 5 swooshing practicing at the non strikers end. One brummy shouted "are you going to play that mate?". "Naturally" my response. Next over I played it beautifully....cheers from the crowds, congratulations from Alun,

disgust from Darren. The cheeky pests had put a fielder in for it and it gained me

precisely one run.

Another moment that I remember was the comical running between Izzy and Francois. Francois run out by Izzy! Its ok Francois would get his own back later. Everyone got to bat except darren who had placed him at number 11. The opening bowler was back on and steamed in a ripper to Phil. He managed to get some bat

on it but it was rolling towards the stumps. In comical style he then appeared to be sweeping behind the ball with his bat in the style of curling on the ice like on of those brushes. Darren was in stitches! An approx target of 120 to win.

I don't remember much of Bodnants innings as I was busy chatting to Clarky who come to watch the match. If you remember I advised Francois would get his own back on Izzy. Izzy bowled a real beauty and the batter under great pressure popped it up in the air to point. Francois decided he was so annoyed with being run out that he'd dropped the catch. Ed. Francois is now on cleaning and cooking duty for a month!

Nimesh managed two brilliant stumpings. I rushed up for hat trick ball in a catch position but none came. I was later informed that Darren had already got a Hat Trick before I came in close. Well done! Id missed it!

Bodnant were running out of time and wickets and they started running quick singles. A Gwyn esk

block and go was had and their Captain sprinted down the pitch, dived into the crease and fell on the floor not to get up again. The poor chap had done his hamstring. He was carried off on the stretcher poor fellow.

It was ok however, as a rather tall fellow in jeans had come into bat. It was Captain Clarke as 11th man!

He was blocking for Britain. I tempted him by shouting that the averages don't count

when you are batting for the other team. Block, Block Block. The game was over.Clarkie not out.

Another CBBS Win.

When I arrived it became apparent that Cardiff Council in their infinite wisdom had decided to double book us. After some meandering we found ourselves on the overflow artificial pitch. A disappointment to say the least

Glamorgan Centurions went into bat. KP opened the bowling and the first over went for 22. The boundaries were incredibly short and fielding and at mid on menacing. There were no twos scored in the centurions innings which shows the shortness of the boundaries. It was four or one. However it wasn't all Centurions as the bowlers found the correct length to bowl on the artificial surface, and Dileep caught a sharp catch off Mullins. Half Captain Craig also managed to run out one of the opening batters after giving everyone a chance by throwing the ball miles away from the stumps to KP at cover, who calmly threw the ball back to Nim who did the rest. The pressure didn't get to us and there was no silly fielding. Craig was marshalling the troops excellently.

The Centurions put on what I thought to be an extremely competitive total of 145. Fours were smashed all around and I felt it was going to be difficult to win.

Half Captain Craig opened the batting with Rob Sherrington. Craig had opined that we all needed to get on with it in this innings. However calm Craig decided to ignore his advise and play the slow game. A mistake surely! He should hurry up. Rob was out for 11 and Shearer seen off, phew. In to bat was Nimesh. I shouted to Craig "get on with it". I was ignored. We were a little behind the rate, and my blood pressure was rising. Rob Sherrington later advised he has never seen me so spirited I was certain we were going to lose.

Nimesh was swinging and going nowhere and and Craig was blocking. Get on with it Craig! The next over the pressure valve opened. Craig and Nimesh smashed for 31 from one over. Up the score went from 43, to 74. Plenty still to do mind. Nimesh retired shortly and Anji and Craig knocked it about patiently. Craig retired. Mr Wides was playing his part extremely well, and the ball shot off to the boundary a few times. Most humorous. Mr wides approx 20 not out. Dileep and Anji then started smashing it with confidence that batters still to come gives. Dileep smashed a 6 and all of a sudden we needed 4 to win. Where did that come from? And then we'd done it, one in plenty of time. Half Captain Craig advised he was perfectly aware of how to bat to a target. Mark and Reported Rees were in disbelief. Happy Days

CBBs into the final...

Willows League, at Cathedral School.

Last year was my first as a CBB and I didn’t really understand why there was so much competition between us and another team.  Then I played my first game against the Cavaliers at Wenvoe, something of a spicy affair when compared to our other fixtures.  Turning up at Cathedral School this year I didn’t really know what to expect, but felt confident that we had a strong team available and would be able to compete.

Somebody won the toss, I don’t know who, I was still trying to find the changing rooms and enjoying the sit down facilities, but Pete and I found ourselves opening the batting.  The wicket was unlike anything I’ve seen at Blackweir, it was flat to start but also hard as a rock making every ball seem fast and bouncy, something exploited by the Cavs opening bowler Graverson who bowled a great spell, much quicker and more hostile than anything I’d faced so far this season.  With a good slice of luck Pete and I survived his opening spell and then tried to up the scoring rate.  It was hard to know what a good total would be with tales of high scoring games preceding us, but we managed to accumulate runs at a reasonable rate thanks primarily to Pete who scored quickly, aided by some unselfish batting at the end as we closed our innings on 142 for 6 of which Pete scored an impressive and composed 61.

Coming out to field we knew a good start was going to be vital, everyone was on their toes in the field and for once I didn’t see a single CBB fielder with their hands in their pockets!  Rakesh and Dileep were asked to open the bowling, a partnership that seems to be serving us well this season as their contrasting styles of pace, Rakesh bowling from height with inward drift to the right hander and Dileep with his fast and skiddy deliveries, are able make life difficult for batsmen on most surfaces.  After the customary early wides Rakesh adjusted his line and was on fire as he found his line and length!  He seemed unplayable and the Cavaliers just couldn’t cope with him as a procession of batsmen came and went leaving Rakesh with an impressive haul of 5 wickets, not bad from four overs.  Dileep got in on the act as well and the Cavaliers found themselves reeling at 23 for 6 after the opening spell was finished.  Matt and Neil followed up their spell with some tight bowling preventing the remaining Cavaliers from scoring freely so that they became frustrated as the pressure to score runs increased.  This helped us to get two superb run outs from direct hits as the Cavs looked to steal the extra run, if only Imran could capture that on his camera instead of the post-match shuffling around!

 The game finished with the Cavs all out for 63 within 14 overs.  It was a great bowling and fielding performance from the CBBs to keep them down to this score.  There were notable performances from Pete and Rakesh although everyone played their part.  The way things are going we may well find ourselves competing for something other than the plate if we’re not careful!  The CBBs crowd, (Darren and Imran) seemed to enjoy themselves as they walked together, hand in hand around the boundary. 

In conclusion this was a result that many of the CBBs will savour as a highlight of the season so far which in itself is a compliment to our opponents who we know will be back and determined to provide a much sterner test next time around.  Next up – Cardiff Uni Staff...

Craig

Blood, Sweat and Jeers

 Rob Sherrington reports

Before I start my first match report in three years, I’d like say it’s good to be back with everyone. Now with all the soppy stuff done: the match report.

Before even getting the pitch, questions raised over where we we’re playing, I’m sure I’d driven passed the oval, Edgebaston, Old Trafford and the Wakka before finally parking my car following the 16^th email outside the Llandaff fields.

With the squad nailed down, we arrived awaiting the skipper (myself, Clark, Isabelle and Francois), and when he arrived we hung on his every word, awaiting the inspirational chat that really gets a team going. He paused. Then the rising orator uttered those elusive words, those fighting words, those rising words; simply “Clarky, as you’re here you can be captain”.

With the toss not even a formality due to the Blood Service’s late comers (apparently one of their batsmen Jason Orange was playing in some sort of arena beforehand), the Barbars were fielding. I did the one thing I’ve not done since 2009 (bar kiss a girl) and that was don the wicket keepers pads.

I’d been told of the recent development of all the cricket pitches, that they run truer, that they’re flatter. The came the first ball from opening bowler Purav. He came running in, bowled a good length and killed the ball dead, a pea dribbler, daisy cutter – whatever you call it, it was a very slow and uneven pitch.

Purav had a mixed over, a mix of on the money and warm up balls. Coming from the Tennis Court end was Dev, who seemed to really have huge amounts of control over his spin, making the batsmen double guess, and getting genuine spin and varying bounce. So after two overs the Blood Service were 11-0. This was still the case with Purav’s second over, a peach of an over causing Curtin quite a lot of bother.

After our openers had done a job, each of them giving 100%, let down by a few byes (which only totted up to 5 in the end – thought it was worse while I was on the pitch, on came the second change of Andy Rees (our former skipper) and Isabelle. A mixture of flight and accuracy and something I’d never seen at these standards before – a LBW decision, CBBs knocked 2 wickets down for just 4 runs.

Andy’s second over did get another wicket, bringing in T.Cole who was in one mood, and one mood only – he wanted to hit the ball – and hard. Despite getting the wicket Rees went for 16  runs, more good shots than bad bowling.

Isabel’s second over was again tight and accurate cause Miller to edge the ball high in the air, which made him look silly, but was managed to be outdone by a scrambling wicketkeeper with a helmet on who had no idea where the ball was – welcome back Rob indeed. After apologising profusely, Isabel actually did get that wicket in the enxt over – and luckily for me the batsmen had not added to the score.

Cole stormed on to get his 30 and had to retire (which was thankful – as he looked a class act out there).

The last bowling partnership of Mogh and Clark, although starting a bit wayward, did tighten the ship, in the last 4 overs going for 8 runs and 2 wickets falling. With Clark especially unlucky on a number of occasions either getting the inside edge, shading the stumps, and unlucky not to get the outside edge more than once, getting movement in both directions which asked questions of the batsmen.  The innings ended on 107-6 (effectively 7 due to the forced retirement at 30).

We opened the batting with Craig (the man who seems to sledge his own team more than other teams!) and our fallen skipper Andy Rees. The first over going for 6, and Craig was off to a good stat. The second over started in controversial matters, a HUGE shout for LBW was called away by the umpire against Andy Rees who later confessed “if you can walk for LBW, I probably would have” – the Blood Service having used their review, that unfortunately for them just kept playing the first 3 minutes of an episode of Emmerdale from 1997 when Viv Windsor and Paddy are having a row – decision remained not out.

Andy was out the following over for 6 rune bringing Darren to the crease. Craig meanwhile was storming along, on 21 off 8 or 9 overs – then he fell off the planet. Darren scored 6 “well-constructed and valuable runs” (his words). The Amoug came in and scored 24 in very quick time putting the CBBs right on track for the win, needing 70 odd off 10.

Then came what can only be described as a collapse, with Purav going for a duck, Craig waking up and scoring his last 7 runs and retiring (despite trying to hit the moon on a couple of occasions and the Blood Service missing the catches/not getting there in time). Kamal went for it getting 19 before being run out by Dev. Francois was unlucky with a ball that stayed very low without troubling the scorers. Captain Clark came in to steady the ship with his criss-cross© batting stance. Scoring a quick 4, he then tried to hit the ball into the time space continuum – getting bowled. CBBs requiring 14 from the last over.

Dev and myself were at the crease Dev hitting the ball well into the leg side calling 2 runs then only ran one and a half – run out for 2. Isabelle and I were at the crease, Izzy trying to drive two balls, them missing both the bat and the stumps by fractions. She was then bowled on the fourth ball. 12 needed off 1 ball – I was well aware that my only contribution with the bat was running someone out. In came our retired batsmen, taking his time, rumours of playing for light, gamesmanship – trying to out psyche the bowler into bowling the no-ball we needed. The ball came in, hit for a single. Blood Service win by 10 runs.

Very nice set of lads the Blood Service, played in a good atmosphere. My m.o.m was for BTS Cole, for the barbars Isabelle (who finished on 3-0-2-7), and t*t of the day undoubtedly went to that lid wearing keeper from the BBs for his Stevie Wonder esq attempt at a catch off Isabelle.

This has taken me ages to write, so I’m going to do some work now.

Darren Wright reports.

The CBBs came agonisingly close to a long overdue win against Highway Hurricanes, but missed out by the narrowest of margins with a 1 run defeat at Llandaff Fields.

On a gloriously sunny Thursday evening, CCBs stand-in captain Craig Payne lost the toss and set his men out in the field. Pete Clegg bowled the first over and got the CBBs off to the perfect start, clean bowling the incumbent batsmen with his first ball. Fellow opening bowler Mark Mullins removed the second opening batsmen for 12, caught at mid-on by Pete.

With their openers dismissed, the Hurricanes middle order went on the counter-attack, with nos. 3, 4 and 5 all hitting 30 runs and retiring. The CBBs were made to work hard in the field, but with Dileep and Nimesh bowling at the death, the latter taking a late wicket, the Hurricanes finished their 18 overs with a competitive but chaseable 138-3.

The CBBs innings got off to a bright start, with Nimesh, supported by Darren (2) and François (4), hitting a breezy 30 n.o. including 7 fours. Pete, coming in for the retiring Nimesh, picked up from where he’d left off in the previous match, looking composed and assured at the crease, as he quickly moved to the 30 run mark before retiring himself. Mark anchored the CBBs innings, rotating the strike and then accelerating until he also reached 30 and retired.

After 10 overs the CBBs were ahead of the asking rate, having scored 80 runs. With experienced batsmen still to come, the team would’ve been confident of a securing a victory and with two overs remaining the team required 16 runs to wrap up the victory. Captain Craig Payne replaced Mark at the crease and quickly got going, scoring 9 of the second to last over leaving 7 required of the final over. Unfortunately, the batsmen (and woman) couldn’t find the boundary needed to get them over the line, and with 3 runs required off the final ball, only a single was managed and Hurricanes went home victorious.

Cardiff Bay Barbarians vs Media Wales

3^rd May 2011 – South Wales Full Toss League

Craig Payne writes:-

The opening game of the season was played at Blackweir which looked surprisingly good with a great looking pitch a trimmed outfield.  Somebody won the toss and the CBBs were in to bat.

Pete and Craig opened the batting and provided a great start with both batsmen retiring when they reached 30 not out.  Pete looked in good form and carried on from where he left off last season and was only surprised by one ball which reared up at him from a full length.  Darren W. and Nathan H. came in and found Media Wales with their tales up and fielding well which made life difficult as the CBBs looked to push on.  Captain Clark also had a bat, briefly, until he was lured into playing a shot to a straight one while Dev was out lbw to one which moved in the air.  Jay and Krishna batted on to the end and took the final score to 112 against accurate bowling and the famous ‘Blackweir Bounce’ or lack of it in some cases.

With 112 to defend we needed to bowl and field well as the outfield was hard, fast and particularly short on the one side.  Dileep and Matt opened the bowling and set the tone for the innings with pace and accuracy backed up with alert fielding which increased the pressure on the opposition batsmen.  Three wickets were gone at the end of the opening spell and the CBBs were off to a great start.  Jay and Dev took over the bowling and both bowled some really great deliveries.  Jay took 3 wickets for just 4 runs while Dev managed to get some good turn and bounce when the ball landed in the right spot.  Then Krishna and Andy (who had popped along to see what was happening) took over for the final overs.  Krishna kept it tight and built pressure for Andy to take the rewards, 4 wickets for 17 runs for Mr Rees in the first competitive match of the season!

At the end the CBBs had won by 28 runs.  All of the CBBs played well and in a good spirit.  The fielding was sharp and our catching seems to be improving with more sticking than were dropped.  This was a good start to the season and a standard that we’ll need to work hard to maintain.