At Marespool yesterday (17th), 1st XI Skipper Aneurin Norman won the toss and decided to field first in a match reduced to 46 overs, after a shower had upset the umpires.
And, in only the second over, 15 year old seamer Eoghan McKeegan (1-31) clean bowled Clydach Captain Sam Davies for 0: 1-1! This was Eoghan’s maiden wicket for the 1st XI and it certainly won’t be his last! Probably unknown to the young man but Sam has played first class cricket, several games for Wales and is one of the finest batters in the Premier League!
Anyway, 1-1 became 4-2 as Aneurin (1-17) got in on the act! A brief recovery before wicket 3 fell at 60 when the dangerous Jonathan Hubschmid (35) was just getting going! Tight bowling by spinners Jack Straw (2-15 from 10 overs) and Greg Thomas (3-38) further reduced Clydach to 87-7. However, good application by our visitors took the total to 143 when the 8th wicket fell – final score was 151-8.
Upon the resumption, Aneurin was soon into his stride. Fellow opener Luke Smith (5) was dismissed in the 11th over: 40-1. Wickets then fell regularly when, at 118-6, the excitement (or tension, depending which team you were supporting!) was building! No probs with time but who could now support Aneurin, who was still struttin’ his stuff at the other end?
In strode “Home Grown” Harri (Turner!) with a bit more purpose about his stride to the wicket than sometimes! He was positive from the off, and was the perfect partner for his skipper!
Harri ended up on 22no (2 fours & 1 superb shot for 6!) to help see his team home by 4 wickets in the 43rd over.
Our skipper? Well, Aneurin finished having compiled 82no, with 9 fours & a six..not bad👍😎!!
At the soon to be disappearing historic cricket ground known as St Helen’s, fondly remembered by genuine lovers of our game, our 2nd XI came second against Swansea Seconds..well second!
In a nutshell, our hosts raced to 256-6 in their 45 overs, whilst our reply was 99 runs short, closing on 155 all out in the 39th over. Elliott Oates (62, 5 fours) was the top scorer.
At Murton, our ‘A’ XI also finished runners-up, to league leaders Aberdare.
Taking first strike, Kaps’ Charges amassed 147 all out in the final over. Comfortably the best knock came from 14 year old Wales player Tom Ludman, who scored an excellent 54 (6 fours & 2 sixes!).
Our visitors’ reply was emphatic, as they strolled to a well-deserved 6 wicket victory with 8 overs remaining..fair play!
Next Saturday (24th), our 1st XI travel to Dafen, our 2nd XI welcome Ynystawe to Marespool and our ‘A’ XI make their way to Llandysul.