NZ Over 70’s v Wales ODI 11/8/2026 Match Report

The match was played at Sudbrook Cricket Club in Caldicot Wales. Adjacent to the Prince of Wales Bridge, the newest across the Severn estuary. The place with the second highest tidal range (14-15 metres) in the world. Sadly the green green grass of home was more a brown and barren one with Wales having gone 8 weeks with only about 1 hour of rain. The same rain that curtailed our match against Gloucestershire last week.

The 2024 over 70’s World Cup hosted by England featured a controversial day when NZ game with Wales was called off due to a wet outfield while Canada played there’s not too far away and gained a points advantage over NZ on the ladder. One side wanted to play the other was not too keen. So for NZ’s captain from that day and a few others today’s match was a bit of a grudge one. A score to be settled. 

The Captain was sent out to do the toss and achieved the same result he consistently has. But the Welsh, for some misguided reason, sent us in to bat first. In their season so far they had lost every game they batted first and won every game batting second. Therefore we bat second they said and who were we to complain about getting first use of the wicket.

Tony Penny and Paul Facoory put on 41 runs before Tony was caught by one of the only 2 catches they held onto all day. By the time the innings ended they had shelled about 7 and missed a few other close ones plus some possible run outs and a missed stumping. By their own admission their fielding had been a bit poor. 

If you’ve been following the reports you know what comes next. Hamish Cochran enters the arena and pretty soon every fielder that’s allowed to be outside the circle parks themselves on the boundary rope. Probably some them hoping he didn’t hit it cleanly their way. In 25 overs this pair manage to add about 170 runs until Hamish reaches his second century and retires 100 not out and then shuffles his weary body off the park. 

Hamish’s 100 coming off only 75 balls including 16 4’s and one 6. In his tour so far he’s amassed 407 runs and averages nearly 102. Not a bad No.3 to have coming to the crease. 

Bevin Guthrie was next in and with only 8 overs left he and Paul upped the tempo until Paul too reached his 100. His coming off 116 balls and troubling the scorer, Ann McLeod, into running out of room on his columns with his 63 dot balls. Paul was going to retire too at the end of that over but advanced down the track and took a swing at his next ball and was stumped. The middle order added another 28 runs and we finished at a very good score on that wicket of 273 for 3. 

After another terrific lunch and with the temperature into the 30’s Wales set about chasing down their target. They got off to a slow start with the opening bowling pair of Dawson and East pegging them back to 58 for 1 off the first 15 overs. Their required run rate was already over 9 by then and more trouble was coming when Johnny Renshaw held a screamer of a catch to take out their top batsman off the bowling of Stan Wooliscroft. 

That was Stan’s first wicket but he went on to take 4 more in a player of the match winning effort of 5 for 52 off his 9 overs. When Stan finished his spell there was only the tail left to mop up and they were all out shortly after in the 34th over for 161 runs.

He was supported during his spell at the other end by the international debutant, Frank Walsh, and then by John Durning who took 2 for 29 from his 7 overs. The flying Frank distinguished himself in the outfield with a magnificent 9.5 diving attempt to save another of the many 4’s hit his way. 

The fielding effort was very good again on another hard, dry, and rough outfield that was not easy to field on. We even managed to get the run out we had been threatening all tour with Chris East making a diving save in the covers and finding the batter well short of his ground.

The umpires were pretty tough on the wides with all of us coping at least 2 each and a few of us a handful or more. We conceded 31 extras which was the home teams second top score. We also got a telling off from our scorer for making her run out of room in the wides column. Some room for improvement there shall we say.

The hosts put on a magnificent meal and their hospitality was every bit what you might expect from a Welsh home team. We may have stayed a little long for their liking however, not leaving the ground until after 10:30, but it was a great win in the principality of Wales, the score having been settled, and a fun evening all around.

Chris East