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1st
XI
The enforced absence of several key players, due to the extended rugby season and other events, meant that the 1st XI took on a strong Cardiff III team with a blend of experience and youth. On the first real summer day of the new season, and with the grassless strip set up at the Diamond Ground looking more reminiscent of a Caribbean wicket than one from the Cardiff suburbs, it was no surprise that Cardiff opted to bat when given the choice.
After a steady first over from Jordan Sienawski, the openers began to attack the bowling and after 10 overs had rattled up 54 with the loss of 1 wicket. Controlled bowling from Geraint Lewis and Gareth Jones pegged back the rate but opener J Cale continued to punish everything loose and reached is 100 out of 150 off 25 overs. The introduction of Chris Garwood for the 32nd over brought immediate rewards with a wicket first ball and that of Cale shortly after for a total of 111. The Cardiff innings closed at 237 with Chris Garwood taking the final wicket to finish with excellent figures of 6 for 35. Geraint Lewis was the pick of the other bowlers with 3-57.
The Llantwit reply commenced well with Geraint Lewis picking up boundaries in the first 3 overs but after Mike Cannon departed early, Lewis and Stuart Clarke began to find the runs hard to come by. The partnership took the score to 124 before Clarke was out in the 27th over for 27. With the rate falling behind the clock, the necessary acceleration was halted by the loss of a further 4 wickets, including Geraint Lewis for a patient 76, before Chris Garwood joined Scott Yoxall in the middle.
Runs started to flow in typical attacking style and with Matthew Walsh and Johnny Ball continuing to push for runs when they came to the wicket, the target was becoming within reach. The loss of the 9th wicket with the total at 202 and 5 overs left was a challenge that Jordan Sienawski and Steve Smith set about meeting and, with 11 needed off the last over, any result was still possible. This was the case on the last ball, with 2 needed to tie the scores. A solid drive gave the opportunity for 2 runs but good fielding and a loss of focus between the wickets meant that the 2nd run was not completed, handing victory to Cardiff III by 1 run.
Overall, it was an excellent day’s cricket with the makeshift 1st XI achieving a creditable outcome against a strong team sitting at the top of the league.
2nd
XI
Another poor batting display by the home team once more cost them the match and - on this occasion - some dignity too, as Llanarth only fielded 9 players. That this proved enough to take victory owed more to Llantwit’s frailties than to the visitors’ strengths.
On putting Llanarth in to bat in pleasant conditions, Llantwit failed to press home any great advantage in the field. Scott Williams bowled tidily without being incisive, and it was Huw Thomas’s 3-38 that was the most impressive spell. Llanarth reached 185 for 4 from 45 overs, with Tom O’Neil top scorer on 57*.
Llantwit’s reply never really got going. Wickets fell at regular intervals, mostly to unnecessary air-borne shots almost unerringly providing catching practice for the reduced number of fielders. Mike Maguire (20) made it look easy for a while, but again only Huw Thomas, last out for 46, showed the right mix of composure and aggression, by which time he had too few batting partners to see the task through. 115 all out (N Woodward 4-38) meant a mere 3 match points for Llantwit.
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