Match report 2018

Match Report Catus versus St. Aulaye, 6th May

 

Our friends from St. Aulaye travelled 3 hours from the Perigueux and were rewarded with a splendid day for playing cricket and what turned out to be an an entertaining, and competitive, very close match which went the distance.

Catus batted first and surpassed their initial expectations with a record opening partnership between Ken Sutton (57 not out, retired) and Farouk (42). Catus were thus able to post a competitve score of 212 assisted by copious wides with bowlers increasingly penalised for any delivery down leg.

Catus are increasingly less reliant on the traditional cricket tea with a splendid chicken biryani being produced alongside a pasta. Despite this Barbara's cheese and onion (made with real Cheddar) and Ken's curried egg sandwiches disappeared rapidly.

St.Aulaye responded slowly and, with the run rate increasing, former French under 19 Captain Nott holed out to a splendid catch from Shafik and a great first scalp for new bowler Nixon. Catus continued to make inroads with the pick of the bowlers Karim (2 for 17 off 7) and it looked like game over when St. Aulaye skipper Clulee was bowled for 1 and the score was 135 for 6. Mian had other ideas and, ably assited by the classy Alex (28), put Catus to the sword scoring 67 not out and managing to lose 6 balls in the process. The total was thus achieved with 8 balls to spare.

It is fair to say that today produced one of those exceptional games of cricket where the losers were disappointed but not dejected and one individual's determination changed the game. Congratulations to St.Aulaye and thanks for making a long journey to enjoy a day's friendly cricket.

 

Martin Kavanagh