Sunday 4th June 2023
Wick village green was the sunny setting for the match v Cardiff Casuals. Wicket well prepared by Kenny and Guv and I’d love to say the outfield was like a carpet, only as it’s a great segue (not Segway apparently) into our Match Sponsor – Steve Richmond Carpets. Thank you Steve!
Cardiff Casuals – 224 for 8 (40.0): J.Beaumont 38, Russ Milne 2-18, Steve Collins 2-26 Wick CC – 75 all out (19.4): Rob Dixon 21, Steve Collins 17
When you say Cardiff Casuals you half expect the team to turn up wearing stone Island with bluebirds tats and a Canton twang. This bunch seemed quite cordial and one chap even greeted us with salutations as he came in to bat.
Skipper Russ, who claims to be able to control the toss of a coin, lost the coin toss that he tossed and Wick were fielding. There was an audible cheer from the Casuals bench. It was 
Wick only had 9 players at the start of the day but thanks to Kenny ringing around like Harry Redknapp on transfer deadline day we got to 10 with the mercurial Oz stepping in. Thank you Oz!
Casuals batted well and batted deep.
Cricketing highlights; Colin with two sharp catches and a stumping; two wickets apiece for Steve and Russ; Carlos getting his first Wick wicket; Oz and Russ with some neat catching and Kenny with a wicket, a run out and a maiden over.
Real highlights; Amal with an epic stop in the field, commando rolled and slung the ball 90 degrees the wrong way. Paul with diving stop in the field saving a certain four, then spends 30 seconds on his arse padding at the floor like Mr Magoo looking for the ball. Dicky, after 3.3 overs of reasonable line and length pitched his next ball half a foot from his toes, which triggered the Barry Island yips flashback and his bowling derailed quicker than Holly and Phil’s friendship.
Cardiff Casuals ended on 224-8.
As for the Wick batting the only real damage that was inflicted was a dislocated thumb for one of the Casuals fielders trying to stop a Dicky cover drive. Wick got to fifty for one wicket and then managed to get skittled out for 75. I don’t think a Wick cricketer has been given out lbw twice in a season but Russ has fallen foul of his own teams generous umpiring in his first two outings as captain; this trigger finger was faster on the draw than Billy the Kid. As for the cameo from Oz, it was over quicker than Kenny saying yes to a pint of Inch’s. Duck of the golden variety – all part of that good old fashioned Wick batting collapse.
Back to the Lamb and Flag to stories of pedalos, puking and priorities- Kenny’s priorities on the fete weekend:
Cricket
Tug-o-war
Georgia Blues Band
…in that order
Thanks to Cardiff Casuals for the match, see you next season!
-Rob Dixon
