1st XI v Merchiston Castle
During the worst periods of rain yesterday, it seemed unlikely that we would manage to play our match, here at Belhaven, against Merchiston Castle today. Fortunately the rain stayed at bay (mostly) and allowed the Belhaven Hill 1st XI to extend their unbeaten run and record their third convincing win of the season.
Merchiston batted first on a Jekyll and Hyde wicket – one half was rather soggy while the other was firm and dry. (That the pitch was in any fit state was, in large, due to the hard and wet work done yesterday in getting the covers on and weighted down, and then off again early this morning. Thanks to those boys involved.) We used the pitch to our advantage, bowling the quicker bowlers up the hill onto the hard surface while allowing the spinners (yes, that includes you Fred) to use the spongy end to facilitate a lot of turn. Tom D got us off to a fine start and although he didn’t pick up a wicket in his first spell, he bowled accurate and only had four scoring shots played off his 24 balls. Will too was accurate and he did collect a wicket. With his third ball!
Guinness and Fred were next to bowl. I was delighted that Guinness found his stride today and bowled a consistent line and length. Fred’s bowling was faultless. He hit the spot time and time again without bowling a single short ball that I can recall. He richly deserved his two wickets, one when Guinness took a good catch at fine leg, and the second a beauty of a ball that clean bowled the batsman. At the end of 16 overs Merchi were on 28 for 3 and certainly on the back foot.
Fred and Guinness were replaced by Cappy and Peter. Cappy got a good amount of spin bowling into the soft part of the pitch and had his man caught behind by Tom S (one of three catches by the diminutive ‘keeper). Peter hasn’t bowled much this year but certainly took his chance today. He bowled five overs and collected three wickets. Apart from a few loose balls in his fourth over that were hit for four, he kept things tidy. A fourth wicket fell in this spell when Dougal – once again – showed what a good fielder he is and ran a man out.
That left only two wickets to get and Tom D and Will returned to the attack to try and finish things off. It only took seven balls for them to do so, Will bowling his man and Tom D producing a somewhat better ball to bowl his man. That left Merchi on 57 all out.
This made the task for our batsmen fairly straightforward. Tom D and Guinness opened the batting and produced another solid batting performance for the team. They faced some fierce and some accurate bowling, and dealt with both very well indeed, playing some very stylish shots and leaving balls that they didn’t need, or want, to play, well alone. It took just thirteen overs to get within one run of the target and then a wide in the fourteenth tied the scores. A second ball should perhaps have been called a wide but sportingly wasn’t, as their coach wanted to allow the batsmen to hit the winning runs. Unfortunately the batsman allowed himself to be influenced by the baying mob on the boundary and instead of winning the match in a blaze of glory (Kevin Pieterson has a lot to answer for. Perhaps the real glory lay in a ten wicket victory for the team.), he was caught behind. That allowed Will to face one ball which beat both Will and the ‘keeper, meaning that the match was won by a bye.
I was very proud of this performance. The team looked sharp and fielded well. The bowlers were very impressive, their accuracy allowing Tom G to set a 6-3, offside field for much of Merchi’s innings. And once again the batsmen delivered. I know that some of the boys lower down the order are itching for a chance to bat, you’ll get your chance but until then, remember that it is the team that you are all playing for, and you are all making an important contribution.
Well done Boys.
Batting Bowling
|
Tom D
|
16
|
Caught
|
|
George
|
26
|
Not Out
|
|
Will
|
0
|
Not Out
|
|
Peter
|
-
|
DNB
|
|
Tom G
|
-
|
DNB
|
|
Tom S
|
-
|
DNB
|
|
Rory
|
-
|
DNB
|
|
Freddie
|
-
|
DNB
|
|
Dougal
|
-
|
DNB
|
|
Caspar
|
-
|
DNB
|
|
Lochy
|
-
|
DNB
|
|
Extras
|
16
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Overs
|
Maidens
|
Wides
|
NBs
|
Runs
|
Wkts
|
|
Tom
|
4.1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
7
|
1
|
|
Will
|
5
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
12
|
t2
|
|
George
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
7
|
0
|
|
Fred
|
4
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
6
|
2
|
|
Peter
|
5
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
15
|
3
|
|
Caspar
|
4
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
10
|
1
|
Merchiston: 57 all out (26.1 overs).
Total: 58 for 1 (13.3 overs)
Result
Match won by 9 wickets.
| 
