The Primary Club Casuals

2006 Season Review

The Primary Club Casuals, a social cricket team representing the Primary Club, entered their third season with a 100% increase in the number of fixtures on 2005.

Now with four games, the Casuals were keen to build on a successful season last year in terms of both results and fundraising.

The Casuals epitomise what the Primary Club is about - enjoying playing cricket whilst raising money to enable others to do the same.

"We've had another great season, having fun, raising money, and generally building awareness of the work of the Primary Club," said Euan Spence, Captain of the Primary Club Casuals.

The Casuals' first fixture of the season was against the world's only all gay cricket club, Graces, playing the Casuals for the first time. On a warm day, faced with a good pitch, and with the game following the wicket keeper's rather exuberant birthday party, Casuals' skipper Euan Spence thought the decision to bat after winning the toss was a sensible one. Or did until the Casuals were reduced to 3-3 after 3 overs, without a run off the bat… A patient 30 amongst the clatter of wickets from opener Ross Williamson and an aggressive rear-guard of 32 not out from debutant Phil Baker did, however, enable the Casuals to post a semi-respectable total of 126. This was never likely to be enough, however, and despite a tight opening spell by Baker and Jivaka Jayasundera, Graces waltzed to a 9 wicket win, the main talking point being the respective scoring rates of the Graces opener Henderson, with 19 off nearly 30 overs, and their number 3 Mendes, with 89 off 25 or so. After the game, a well supported raffle and the kind donation of their match fees by the hosts enabled over £300 to be raised for the Primary Club - so at least it had been a worthwhile trip from the fundraising perspective!

A few weeks later and the roadshow moved to West One, the team who were the first to be beaten by the Casuals last season. The Casuals were inserted and again struggled with the bat, collapsing to 69-7. However, a fantastic eighth wicket partnership of 106 by the two Toms, Hanson (95) and Harries (44*), allowed the Casuals to set a competitive target of 183 in 40 overs. West One lost a couple of early wickets, but a mixture of plucky shot-making and frankly diabolical fielding put them in the healthy position of 155-2 with 6 overs remaining. Finally however the Casuals managed to hold on to a catch, to take the vital wicket of Pacey for a fine 98, and with a couple more wickets following, West One required 5 to win from the last over. Dan Coote was given the responsibility to bowl, and started superbly with one that caught the edge… and ran away for 4. With 1 required off 5 balls the Casuals needed something special, and Coote responded by bowling skipper Fahey with his next ball, and then bowling 3 successive dot balls to take it to the very last delivery. With the last ball of the match the batsmen tried to scamper a single, but sharp work by keeper Neil Sebba ensured the run out required to secure a memorable tie.

The third game of the season was another new fixture, against the Epsom Methodists. Once more the Casuals batted first, and the pitch proved to be something of a minefield. Only two players managed to reach double figures, Spence with 36 and Simon Hunter with 28, and the Casuals were only able to muster 106 all out, their lowest-ever total. The Methodists started well, with 10 runs coming off the first over. However a fine opening spell at the other end from Hunter, with no runs scored off his first 5.1 overs, helped to build pressure, while the Casuals left behind their shoddy West One fielding to help sneak some wickets, with two fine catches by Spence and Harries particularly impressive. Nevertheless, sensible batting by the home team took them to the strong position of 91-4 with 15 overs remaining, until Spence and Baker combined to take two wickets in two balls to keep things interesting, especially as the Methodists had been reduced to 10 batsmen following a fielding injury. At 102-6 Coote was once more asked to come on to bowl with only 5 runs to play with. His first ball was a dot but the second broke through Pennock's defences to bowl him, and his third produced the second golden duck of Casuals' cricket as Lloyd chipped to cover. Suddenly victory seemed a possibility, and two balls later was a reality as Coote bowled Yelland round his legs, to finish with figures of 5-24, the Casuals' first five-wicket hall.

The season finale was the Casuals' traditional fixture against Newport Inn in Braishfield, Hants. After last year's exciting draw (with the scores level), both sides were looking forward to the contest, and in slightly damp weather the Casuals elected to bowl. The combination of a damp pitch and fine Casuals' bowling and fielding proved to be irresistible, and Newport Inn were bundled out for just 37. The Casuals knocked these off in just 5.3 overs for the loss of 1 wicket, with Williamson ensuring a speedy conclusion with a brisk 27. After an excellent tea, sold to spectators to raise money for the Primary Club, the teams returned to the field for a twenty over "beer match". The Casuals continued where they left off with the bat in scoring 154-4, with the highlight being Fixtures Secretary Luke Living's maiden 50 in all forms of cricket, and Newport Inn were never quite able to keep up with the required rate, finishing on 114-5.

Once more the Casuals have had a thoroughly enjoyable season, raising several hundred pounds for the Primary Club in the process. Many thanks to all the teams who hosted us in 2006, and we look forward to seeing them and others in 2007. If your club would be interested in playing the Casuals, please contact us at fixtures@primaryclub.org.

	The Primary Club Casuals and Graces

We've had another great season, having fun, raising money, and generally building awareness of the work of the Primary Club Euan Spence, Captain of the Primary Club Casuals