1st XI v Merchiston Castle
Jings, this limited overs malarkey can be exciting stuff!
The 1st XI journeyed to Merchiston Castle to play their penultimate (competitive) match of the season. This match proved to be a very different one to the first time the two teams met – Belhaven Hill won that encounter by nine wickets.
Merchiston went in to bat first on a very good wicket with a fast outfield, and got off to a cracking start. After three overs they had eighteen runs which was not what we had hoped for. They seemed very comfortable facing the faster bowlers, and it was Will in this opening spell who tested them the most – he would have had excellent figures had they not managed two fours off his final over.
Things continued in the same vein at the change with most runs coming from Tom D’s quicker bowling while Fred had them tied up. Fred bowled brilliantly and his spell of four overs went for only six runs. He collected one wicket when the movement in the air beat their batsman, who was bowled. It was this spell, frustrating for the batsmen, which ensured that we stayed in the match.
Next up was Gik and he bowled well enough without ever really testing the batsmen. Casper was on at the other end and he did cause some discomfort, eventually getting his man out stumped (good work Stods). This left Merchi on 87 for 2 after 24 overs.
Their next man came and went very quickly when he was bowled by Fred who had returned to the attack along with Tom G (who had a much better spell). Fred then trapped their number five, L.B.W. which seemed like a good thing, but wasn’t. I wasn’t, because it brought ‘Mr. T’ to the wicket. A baseball player from Japan, Mr T hit the ball, and hit it hard. He faced about 15 balls, hit five fours and scored twenty seven runs. Ouch.
Merchi ended their thirty overs on 130 for four; a defendable total, but also a reachable one.
Tom D and Gik started us off. Tom D made sure that it was a super start by pulling the first ball for four. Their opening bowler was quick but was erratic early on. After five overs we were on 25 for no loss and appeared to be right on track. Two silly wickets followed however, and that certainly knocked us back a bit. First of all Gik reached forward to a fast ball, missed it and stood gazing at the horizon. In the meanwhile the ‘keeper caught the ball and rolled it at the stumps. It hit, and as Gik’s foot had dragged out of his crease, he was given out stumped – daft. Then, the new man at the crease, Tom G, didn’t want to run and sent Tom D back; too late and Tom D was run out. Daft. Peter came and went, swiping at a ball that would have hit middle had it not hit his leg, and suddenly we found ourselves on 43 for 3 after 17 overs...
The next ten overs went for about 35 runs but at least no more wickets fell. With ten overs remaining, we needed 55 runs. Some good bowling piled on the pressure and eventually both Stods and Tom G were bowled after a good, solid partnership of 62 runs.
With five over remaining, we needed 27 runs. The stage was set for Will who hates fast bowling but loves the excitement and challenges of having to score quickly. He got a few with Lochy, many of them byes run to the ‘keeper but then Lochy took a nasty blow to the hand which rattled him a bit. He bravely chose to bat on but was eventually run out when Will called for yet another run to the ‘keeper. We had to take those kind of chances.
Rory came to the crease and with two overs remaining we needed 14 runs. Seven an over. Some insane running caused panic in the field and Rory and Will got away with it time and time again. One one occasion they ran two runs after Will hit the ball straight to a fielder who was only standing about thirty yards from the bat; he froze, then unfroze, then threw it in wildly and the batsmen got in safely. Incredible.
Seven were needed off the final over, for a tie; eight for a win. Will hit two off the first ball. Then came a wide. Two off the next. Dot ball. Then a nice glancing shot – surely two? No, BARNES RAN ONE SHORT!!!! Two balls left, two runs needed for a win. Will hit it and they scampered for one. Scores tied. One ball left. Barnes facing. Could it get any more nerve-wracking? He hit it, they ran, they made it and victory was ours. Excellent.
Whew!
Merchiston Castle: 131 for 4 (30 overs)
Belhaven Hill: 132 for 6 (30 overs)
Result Match won by 4 wickets.
MOTM: a tough one with so many crucial moments... shared by Fred, whose bowling kept us in it, and Will whose bowling was solid and whose audacity at the end won it.
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