27 April 2025
A rare April start to the 2025 season for Wick CC who welcomed Blaengarw to the village green for the first time since the resurrection of Wick. Blaengarw referred to it as warm up, so using that parlance, is every Wick CC game is a warm up?… Probably.
Great effort in preparing the village green by Kenny and, what he refers to as, ‘his grounds crew’ – thanks to Luke and the Vale team for the hard work in getting it ready. Usual shenanigans in selection, began the day with 13 players, by 1pm it was 11 and much to everyone’s consternation that included the speed sultans/tardy twins, Gutsy and Amal. You know you are late if Guts hollers from his umpiring spot “What time do you call this” as Amal sauntered down Cwrt-y-felin with the imaginary tardy trophy in hand.
Wick CC - 175 for 9 (40.0): Russ Milne 53, Owen Thomas 27, Matthew Williams 23
Blaengarw CC - 154 for 8 (40.0): Greg Sinnott 37*, Steve Collins 3-6, Matthew Williams 2-11
Scorecard Wick were batting first and the first two baby turtles to emerge from the sand, Dicky and Steve, were soon picked off by the awaiting seagulls and Wick were 19-2. Math and Colin steadied the innings putting on a 43 run partnership. These two were dismissed in successive overs which brought Owen and Andy to the crease. These two lads, who have more kit than an England international going on a three month Ashes tour , put one of their many bats so some sort of use and steered Wick to 96 for 5 after 26 overs.
During this sort of period the Blaengarw boys suggested to skipper Russ that the warm up wasn’t gonna be warm enough by saying Wick could bring back in batsmen if they got bowled out before the allotted 40 overs. Well, you if you want to motivate a Saffa doubt his braai skills and his sporting prowess. Russ came in down the order when Wick were 120 for 6 and trundling on under 4 runs an over. To add to the trepidation, he was quickly joined by the loosest of all cannons, King Kenny, the best number 10 since Barry John. Russ picked off the bowlers superbly, at one point he hit 3 consecutive sixes and got to another excellent fifty within 6 overs of coming out to bat. Him and Kenny put on a 51-run 9th wicket stand, and possibly because he hadn’t scored a run, Kenny ran Russ out on the last ball with Wick finishing 175-9.
Happy with the score Wick went out to field and Andy and Amal opened the bowling. The Blaengarw openers put on a strong partnership and not even Kenny and Ian could find a breakthrough. One opener retired not out and it looked like the other one would until, like a revitalised Pep Guardiola, Colin got the first Wick CC wicket of the season thanks to a catch from Russ. Who was going to find that breakthrough spell in the middle overs; Russ turned expectantly to Junior Great man Math and unexpectantly to Dicky. Math got the next wicket. When Dicky bowls, he walks up to the crease like Shane Warne but bowls like Shane Richie. The Blaengarw batsmen felt this anomaly, heard an ice-cream van coming down Church Road and used that as target practice. Chwarae teg, he almost hit it, a big 6, he lined up again, Dicky slung one down and the stumps rattled. Arms raised like Christ the Redeemer he celebrated like he’d got a 99 flake for 99p.
After 31 overs Blaengarw were at 126-4, 6 runs ahead of Wick at the same stage. Russ had held on to some of his aces and had the perfect combination death bowlers, Mr Economical, Gutsy, stemming the runs one end and, Mr Scalp, Steve getting the wickets the from the other end. They limited Blaengarw to 156 with Steve getting three wickets and thankfully, Gutsy got one. A victory to Wick!
Back to the Star Inn for awesome roasties and sarnies and the continued next merch debate, wide brim hats or baseball caps.
Thanks to Blaengarw for the game, hopefully first of many. And special thanks to Kenny for choosing new stumps and bails for Wick CC as his birthday treat to the club.
-Rob Dixon
