20th August 2023
Wick welcomed Bridgend to the village green for a 4O over epic.
The grounds crew faced another challenging week; this time failed lawnmowers and the VoG dead grass stockpiling policy. Big thanks to Kenny, Guv, Gareth from Vale CC and Rob Ball for resolving.
Wick CC - 102 (28.0): Harry Withers 27, Andy Ellis 21 Bridgend CC - 100 for 8 (40.0): J.Bunston 33*, G.Dixon 2-8, L.Knowles 2-6
Wick debut for Harry (Styles or Hill depending on Kenny’s latest view) and the welcome return to the fold for international man of fired up mystery, Lee Knowles.
1:30 start, Amal sauntered up, stunned to be only third latest. Tbf to Neal he warned us he would be late as he was watching football not coming home. Of course he beat Gutsy, who despite punching 1:15 into his quantum leap machine, skulked up chapel road at 1:45 wearing a Wick CC 2005 vintage top, black shorts and black football socks rolled down to the ankle like a poor woman’s Jack Grealish.
Wayne won the toss and elected to bowl.
Harry, with Vale pedigree, opened with Steve who got a good ball early. The outfield was slow meaning runs were hard to come by and Andy (21), Dicky (10) and Harry (27) were all caught by the same fielder, Rinsu. Wick reached 79-4 at the 20 over drinks break.
There was talk of 130 being defendable even 120, would the tail wag?
Leo and Amal had a steady few overs before Amal was bowled and a 🦈 could smell 🩸 in the 💧. Wayne picked up a remarkable 4 wickets in 3 overs for only 4 runs including the scalp he’d dreamed of the night before; Kenny.
Wick ended on 102 all out with Neal on an average boosting 1 not out.
Mid innings break greatly enhanced by the windmill bakery offering. Could Wick defend 102…
Gutsy (2-8) and Amal (1-17) reignited their opening partnership and got off to a flier with Guts striking on ball two. The tardy twosome restricted Bridgend to 25-3 off 8 overs. Harry and Leo continued the tight bowling but inevitably setting off the two human hand-grenades of Kenny and Knowlesy was the game changer.
Both love an appeal, especially from fine leg and even more off their own bowling. Knowlesy with a run up longer than the Mekong river. Kenny’s with a run up like a game of buckaroo. Scene set and they delivered. Knowlesy (2-6) teamed up with Harry for a pair of catches. Kenny (1-3) chucks one down short and wide, the batsman cuts the ball through backward point where Andy leaps off his dodgy knee and takes an awesome catch. The team run to him to celebrate, Kenny remained at the crease, arms outstretched like Christ the redeemer, awaiting the plaudits.
Brilliant death bowling from Steve (1-10), Owen “village cricket.Co.uk” Thomas (1-13) and Andy left Bridgend with 6 runs to get off the last over and two wickets remaining…it was a low scoring thriller and Wick managed to hold on for victory winning by two runs!
Back to the Lamb for a beer that tasted that much better and where we relived the highlights. Knowlesy demanded an international player payment for his performance (2 wickets plus 1 catch minus a🦆 = 🤔)
Thanks to Wayne and team for the match as arranged at quite short notice. Next and final fixture for the season is the 10th September on Barry Island 🏝️ vs Barry West End.
-Rob Dixon
