Ok, so we lost two matches out of three yesterday (19th) but at least the two defeats were nail-biters!!
So, at Morriston, the sole victory was secured by our promotion-seeking ‘A’ XI as they trounced their hosts by 8 wickets!
Choosing to field first, Eurig Morgan’s Lads bowled Morriston out for 132, and that total included 32 extras!! Eurig (1-19), Dave Martin (2-28), Sam Martin (2-13) & Stuart Seaton (2-34) took the bowling wickets whilst Mandar Khash claimed a hat trick of runouts! And, although wicketless, Gethin Morgan was very economical from his allotted 6 overs – 0-26.
In reply, MCC knocked the runs off inside 31 overs. Opener Seats finished 49no (2 fours & a lot of running!), whilst James Harris (16, 1 four), James Slack (30) & Mandar (19no, 1 four) also chipped in along the way.
Lying in 2nd spot now, our guys take on leaders Llandarcy at Murton next Saturday for promotion to Division 4 of the SWCA! Basically, we must win and Llandarcy earn less than 7 bonus points to see us up!
Anyway, at Marespool, Joe Phillips’ 2nd XI lost a close one to Ynystawe!
Electing to bat first, our visitors totalled 191-7 in their 45 overs, with 42 extras in there somewhere. “Ynys” had scored 50 before the first wicket fell, only to collapse to 99-5!
A stand of 69 then saved the day! Vinnie Sabharwal (4-38), Phil Rochey (1-31) & Geraint Hodges (2-38) took the wickets to fall.
After tea, Joe (17, 2 fours) & Jaden Patel (46, 3 fours & a six) put on 64 for the first wicket. Batting at 3, Jon Brearley scored a mature 51 (7 fours) but things got tense further down the order! With the board reading 155-4, batters came & went – 163-7! But, hey..relax, plenty of time left!
Uh oh..182-7 became 182-8, became 184-9, became 186 all out in the 40th! Ynystawe ran out winners by 5 runs!
Finally, at Penarth, our 1st XI’s match was a late starter coz of rain, with a max 40 overs per side.
That Aneurin Norman’s Men mustered 163-9, competitive in the conditions, was almost entirely down to Max Phillips (44, 4 fours) & Greg Thomas (65no, 7 fours) who turned 38-3 to 136-4 when Max was out.
In reply, the home side were reduced to 55-5 in the 19th over!! 109 still required from 21 overs!
There followed a crucial partnership of 45..103-6, soon to be 119-7 with 5 overs left to score 45 runs! Game on!!
It was “game over” however, with just two balls remaining, as No. 6 batter Nick Morgan (53no) and Syed Bukhari (28no, 1 six, from 17 balls faced) kept their heads and struck out, including belting the 18 require from the final two overs to take the tape! Aneurin (2-34), Jack Straw (1-18), Max (3-25) & Siraj Salim (1-41) shared the wickets. Great finish!
Apart from the afore-mentioned Match of the Day at Murton, our 1st XI’s final match this year (sponsored by East Side Insurance) is against Chepstow at Marespool next Saturday (26th). Also welcome that day at HQ are our Club sponsors, advertisers, former players and many regular supporters.
Meanwhile, up the road, our 2nd XI’s last fixture takes place at Cowbridge.
All this to be followed by the Club’s End-of-Term Social at the Club, with the Annual Hog Roast occurrin’ on Sunday! (See separate ‘News’ item for details!)
As there will be no report next weekend, this seems the right time to extend our annual immense gratitude to all our volunteers for the time, energy and immeasurable effort put into the running of Mumbles Cricket Club during the last twelve months.
Record rains have not dampened the enthusiasm and, whilst there have been “challenges” along the way, there has also been a huge amount of fun of course, and even more to be proud of!! A special “very well done” goes to each of our Junior cricketers – it was not just the wind that “flew the flag” this year!
Finally, thank you so much too to our super-duper loyal Members – what a team we have at Marespool!