Sunday 5th Sept 2021 
Wick welcomed, what turned out to be, a very good Gorseinon team to the village green on Sunday for the final cricket match of the season on the field of dreams. Big thanks to Kenny and Paul Guv Gilbert for the *blood, sweat and tears they have put into preparing the wicket this season – it’s massively appreciated by the players and not easy with the equipment available.
*I say blood but it’s actually oil splatters from the roller
You always know you’re in a game when the opposition turn up wearing one-day style black and red kit with names and numbers on the back, whilst you look down at your ill-fitting 2014 Wick CC vintage shirt that you are sure was roomy once. Kenny is negotiating with the Lamb & Flag about a rebrand (and a refit for some).
Gorseinon batted first and started with two boundaries which set the tempo to relentless for the next 30 overs. No complaints about the Wick bowling – everyone did a sterling job it’s not easy bowling to a batsman of a different standard. Tubsy did get one opener out with a caught behind by Colin but his partner Abdullah smacked the ball around and beyond the park and impressively reached 100 and retired (with us hurt – Tim fielded one with his nose and Tubs landing a dive on his shoulder).
It’s said, nothing is certain in this world except death and taxes but Benjamin Franklin ain’t been to Wick on a Sunday afternoon to see the guarantee that is a Kenny wicket – “Time to shine” he shouted as he was handed the ball. Four deliveries later, sweet like a chicken, the guarantee was issued. “Did him like a rattlesnake” was this week’s assessment. The details are a bit of a blur for the rest of the innings as the overcast conditions turned to glaring sunshine resulting in some hard yakka in the field, but there were wickets for Rob (1-49), Math (2-20), Steve (1-37) and Kenny ending with 2-34.
Unprecedentedly, by the 37th over the Gorseinon skipper had seen enough and we witnessed potentially the first ever declaration in a 40 over match as he mercifully called it a day with 282 runs on the board.
At the break Steve warned the team that Gorseinon had a bowler that “swung both ways”. “What about his bowling, Steve?” was Paul’s witty response – he quickly clarified that the bowler could move the ball both ways in the air just before some people got too excited. Despite sniping at each other most of the match, Rob and Math make a good partnership and got the Wick innings off to a nice start getting to 63 before Math (27) got out. Rob reached 39 before being caught so Wick looked to the Dixon bros to steer them to the 20 over mark. There were a few facts that indicated that perhaps Dicky (23) was to blame for the run out but there is one indisputable truth: you do not run out your older brother…
Amal (29) put on an nice exhibition of stroke play in the final throws of the Wick innings to compliment his good bowling but eventually the Wick resistance fell like Kabul, all out for 152.
Back to the Lamb & Flag who had kindly put on curry, rice and naan for the teams – well received and thanks to the crew. Nice beers had whilst trying to convince Andy to build a rooftop bar on top of the/his windmill.
Thanks to Gorseinon for travelling down and look forward to hosting you next year.
-Rob Dixon
