BARRY West End CC faced Barry West End Invitation XI on Sunday, September 14. The West End played a joint 30th year anniversary and memorial match in memory of Andy O'Callaghan, a late team player. His family were in attendance to watch an invitation XI made up of old and new West End players play a current West End XI at the Barry Oval.

Henry Dawson, the current captain of the West End led his team, against Glanmor Williams' side. Dawson won the toss and elected to field first.

Glan opened the batting with Mark Williams facing the regular bowling attack of Tommy Miller and Allen Mansfield. A positive start was made with Glan reaching the boundary on a couple of occasions, however tight accurate bowling from both Miller and Mansfield created the pressure leading the fall of the first wicket, when Miller trapped Mark Williams LBW for three.

Dafydd Frost came to the crease as number three and he and Glan both played some superb cover drives to continue the scoring rate. Miller however got a ball to nip back nicely beat Frost to bowl him for a short lived eight. Both Miller and Mansfield bowled economically to leave the Glan's Invitation XI 27-2 after ten overs.

Ben Collins came to the crease as number four. A change in bowling saw Mark Ewington and Rhys Hatton come into the bowling attack for the West End. An excellent flighted ball from Ewington spun, and saw Glan nick behind to the keeper Henry Dawson, departing for 12. Chris Lane joined Collins at the crease at number five, and both played some excellent shots to put on a fourth wicket partnership of 26. Another tempting delivery from Ewington however saw Lane come down the crease and be stumped by Dawson. Lane departed for a quick-fire 14.

After twenty overs, the Invitation XI were faltering at 61-4. After the drinks break, Dave Williams joined Collins at the crease at number six, and a change in bowling from the West End saw Steve Oram and Neil Holmes continue the trend of slower bowling. Oram made a quick impact when he coaxed Collins to play across the line and offer a simple catch to Mark Ellis at mid-wicket, Collins departing for 24. Barry Malpas joined Williams at the crease at number seven, but Oram picked up a second wicket, when Williams was caught behind by Dawson for nine. Both Oram and Holmes bowled well to slow the scoring rate, with just twenty runs from their combined ten overs. Glan's XI were now just 81-6 with ten overs remaining of the innings.

Neil Davies joined Malpas at the crease as number eight, and the final change saw Nye Lane and Richard Eastman come on to bowl for the West End. Lane made the first impact when he got Malpas to chip a catch to Mark Ellis at mid-wicket to depart for eight. David Miller joined Davies at the crease as number nine. Davies was the next man out when he was run-out by Mark Ellis for nine. Neil Eggar joined Miller at the crease as number ten. Miller was the next to go shortly after; he was judged LBW to Richard Eastman for nine. Neil Holmes batted eleven for the Fub XI as they were a player short. He and Eggar put on a tenth wicket partnership of 17 to finish nine and eight not out respectively.

After the tea break, the West End got there innings under way with Henry Dawson and Rhys Howell, as the opposition opened their bowling attack with Neil Davies and Dave Williams. Dawson got off to a bright start picking up a couple of boundaries, but playing one shot to many was caught by Mark Williams off the bowling of Neil Davies, departing for 20. Mark Ellis joined Howell at the crease as number three, a change of bowling soon followed when Dave Miller and Neil Eggar were brought into the attack. A good second wicket partnership of 27 was broken when Eggar trapped Ellis LBW for 17. The West End were 64-2 after fifteen overs.

Mark Ewington joined Howell at the crease as number four. This pairing put on 19 before being broken by another change in bowling, Chris Lane when he trapped Howell LBW for 19. The inform Steve Oram next joined Ewington at the crease at number five. However, Lane bowled Oram first ball with a great delivery. Rhys Hatton joined Ewington at the crease at number six. With both Lane and Jason Thomas bowled tightly to restrict the Westies scoring, Lane took his third wicket when Ewington was judged LBW departing for 14. West End were now 83-5 after 23 overs.

Richard Eastman joined Hatton as number seven for the Westies, and the steadied things with a 6th wicket partnership of 17. Barry Malpas and Dafydd Frost both came into the attack and a breakthrough was made when Hatton, already lucky, was eventually run-out for four. Tommy Miller was number eight for the West End. He and Eastman needed 25 to win from the final ten overs.

This final pairing chased down the target with overs to spare as they finished 23 and 7 not out respectively.

A great day’s cricket was had by all associated with The West End. Both sets of players returned to the West End club along with Andy’s family. Steve and Debs Dite kindly layed on food for all, a great day to celebrate the life of Andy and the 30th Anniversary of the West End Cricket Club.

BWECC Invitation XI 120-9 (B Collins 24, C Lane 14; S Oram 2-12, T Miller 2-13) West End 121-6 (R Eastman 23*, H Dawson 20; C Lane 3-9, N Davies 1-10) West End won by 4 wickets.