CRAIGCLOWAN CUT IT FINE, AS UNDIES FALL DOWN AT THE LAST MOMENT
The Under Elevens made a bright, if unsuccessful start to the new cricket season yesterday afternoon, with a promising display against a decent Craigclowan side.
Put in to bat on an early-season wicket, the going was never going to be easy, but both openers looked positive early on. Sadly for Jamie Farr, a ball popped up off a length, and there was little he could do but spoon it in the air for a simple catch.
Ollie followed not long after, run out by a direct hit from straight mid-off, before a defiant stand from Tom Wright and Geordie Younger added ten. When Tom was smartly caught on the boundary, and Angus Harley and Geordie followed soon afterwards we were definitely more than wobbling at 27 for 5 and in need of some determined resistance.
Enter debutants Charlie Riley and the only other form four, Hughie Brooks. Charlie was positive from the start and a couple of boundaries saw the score move on a little and into the realms of respectability. At 44 for 5 we were eyeing up a defendable target, and from past experience we knew that 75 would certainly be challenging for the opposition.
The next 13 (yes 13) overs were quite unusual. From 44 for 5 after 13.5 the score limped (with plenty of rests) to 56 after 27 overs. Hughie Brooks was excellent in resisting the Craigclowan bowling attack, and is now a fully fledged under eleven player, while at the other end Jamie Willoughby stuck at his task admirably.
56 did not look like a large score, but neither did it look like a simple target, and we began brightly in the field. At 1 for 1, 19 for 4 and then 27 for 5 Craigclowan were wobbling, not yet half way and with half of their team back in the pavilion. It was only likely to take one or two more wickets to put us firmly in the driving seat.
In a low scoring game, however, there is always the risk that the opposition find a partnership to finish you off. A partnership of twenty or thirty is enormous in the context of a close game, and this is exactly what Craigclowan found at the critical moment. A hard-hitting eighteen from one of their middle order took them to the edge of victory and by the time Angus Harley dismissed him the scores were level.
A defeat, then, but much to be positive about. The fielding on the whole was smart and tidy, and the bowling largely accurate, and on a day when batting was extremely tough, Hughie Brooks, Charlie Riley and Jamie Willoughby showed great determination.
Belhaven 56 all out
Craigclowan 60 for 6
Craigclowan won by 4 wickets
Man of the match: Hughie Brooks
| 
