Cardiff get a semi · Issue 873, by Ben Walker

Raj Pal sends Cardiff Seconds through to the BUSA Shield Semi-Finals with a glorious 77 not out from 30 balls

CARDIFF SECONDS produced a breathtaking batting display to beat Bristol Firsts by 46 runs in the BUSA shield Quarter Final. Cardiff had reached this stage after defeating Nottingham Trent in a bowl-off last week.

Cardiff won the toss and chose to bat in, thankfully, sunny conditions. They started solidly and, despite losing stand-in captain John Stevens for two, reached 34 for 1 at the end of the first ten overs.

From there Greg Fury played positively while James Crooks played the anchor role at the other end. A particular highlight from Fury’s innings was sweeping the Bristol first change seamer for six.

This pair put on 92 in 16 overs and when Fury eventually fell for 68 off 54 balls Cardiff were in a strong position at 116 – 2 off 24 overs. Oli Tame soon followed for nine to leave Cardiff on 140 for 3 with 18 overs left.

Cardiff needed someone to push the innings along and Matt Crump was able to do this alongside Crooks who moved up a gear. They forged a partnership of 62 to take Cardiff over the 200 mark.

After Crump was run out for 31, Al Trevarthen fell for three and Crooks’ marathon knock of 68 eventually ended which left Cardiff on 216 for 6 and it looked like they would not reach the potentially massive score that had earlier looked to be very much on the cards.

Pratheesh Raj Pal had other ideas though, and his destructive innings of 77 off only 30 balls took the game away from Bristol. Raj Pal hit seven sixes and four fours in an innings that would not have been out of place in the IPL. Cardiff scored an incredible 95 runs in the last six overs to post a colossal score 316 for 7 from their 50 overs.

Once the euphoria of Raj Pal’s knock had subsided, Cardiff turned their focus to defending their total knowing that the match was still only half won. After a loose first couple of overs the Cardiff opening bowlers knuckled down with Peter Le Hegarat (43 – 2) the pick of the two. He hit a good length and line consistently and was rewarded with two wickets.

Trevarthen and Raj Pal came on to bowl and, despite the runs flowing a little too quickly for Cardiff’s liking, both managed to pick up a wicket each as Cardiff kept working their way through the Bristol batting line up. Despite this, Bristol still had a slim chance of making a decent challenge on the total and it took a great spell for Crump to effectively put the tie to bed. He bowled his ten overs straight through taking 3 – 38 to leave Bristol on 200 – 8 with ten overs to go and leave them with no chance to make the total.

Cardiff drifted through the last ten overs of the game and the bowling and fielding left something to be desired. Bristol finished on 270 – 8 to give Cardiff a 46 run win.

Cardiff are through to the semi-finals and will now face either Lancaster or Loughborough 3s.