17/05/2025
Llanrwst 2s 164/5 (40 overs)
MIMCC 165/3 (23.4 overs)
MIMCC win by 7 wickets
Back at the Argoed on Saturday, MIMCC defeated Llanrwst 14-1 and extend our winning start to the season to 6 games.
On one of the best looking Argoed pitches in living memory, it was little surprise that the opposition, having won the toss (of course…) elected to bat. To be honest with only 8 men they probably would have elected to bat even if the pitch had had a river and a shoal of fish running down it; but stranger things have happened (see Halkyn game earlier this season…..).
Euan managed to knock the stumps in on the correct line, and all was in readiness for play.
Naseer and Jonathan took the new ball, and a fairly even contest between bat and ball ensured for a few overs before Jonty picked up the first wicket caught by Venkat at point. A significant partnership then followed between their skipper and opener. This should have been curtailed when Deepak had their opener caught behind with an edge so loud it was heard in Chester; but apparently the umpire had misplaced his ear trumpet, and the batter was reprieved. At drinks they were about 100/1, but their opener was now batting like a man with a guilty conscience. This eventually bore fruit as Aryaman had him caught and bowled.
With their main batter back in the pavilion, the runs started to dry up, and wickets started to fall. Aryaman finished as the pick of the bowlers with 4/22 off 8, as Llanrwst finished on 164/5. In previous years this would have been a very competitive score, but as par at the Argoed seems to be north of 200 this year, it felt like a gettable total, particularly against a short-handed opposition.
Abs and Aryaman began our response. The latter, having scored a ton on his last appearance at the Argoed, promptly followed this up with a golden duck to leave us at 5-1. No worries though as this just heralded the start of the Deepak show, who quickly started to cash in against a bowling attack which didn’t offer too much threat. Abs finished with 23 before being caught behind off a very sharp Venkat-esque take from their keeper. Deekpak had soon passed 50 at significantly better than a run a ball, and was joined by Apples who also started to free the arms and find the boundary. Deepak eventually departed 12 short of forcing me to carve another statue for the MIMCC Centurions hall (but it can surely only be a matter of time). Jay came to the wicket with only 17 needed for victory and made it his business to ensure we didn’t give away another point, channelling his inner Pete Ford for 6 off 32 to see us to a 7 wicket victory, alongside Apples who finished 40no.
A complete performance to ensure we took 29 out of a possible 30 points against Llanrwst over the course of a fortnight. Credit to the opposition for plugging away in the heat with only 8 men.