NEWS

1's vs Stoneywood-Dyce - 2nd June

On a muggy morning after trying to work the roller and trying to count out the 24 yards for the markers (!?!?!), latecomers S-D arrived by bus and the mighty RHC, buoyed by some decent weather and fighting Bokke talk from Botha and Stander in and around start time ensured this game was to be well fought by either side.

Lambie lost the toss and RHC in it's usual guise of Jayce and Bert strolled out looking for their 4th 50 run opening partnership and more.

Jas - The old fellas still got it!

Doing as only they do best, hitting the loose balls the boys progressed calmly to 44 off 16 overs before Luke nibbled at one on off stick and feathered it to 2nd slip. Rigg - keen as ever for runs, slapped his third ball at midwicket which left RHC for 45 for 2 off 18. Pallav and Mr McCarthy continued serenely until Gorgeous George(S-D's tubby James Schorn look-a-like) served up some sheep on leg stump

Pallav was joined by Captain Fantastic who had earlier served up a footie related warm up due to some late (NON TEA CARRYING) ones players who forgot the 11.15 curfew. Both continued on happily dealing with Both'a inswingers and Gorgeous George's twirlers. PK tucked in for 14 in one over alone.

Jan Stander had had enough and managed to get a half tracker above waist height on a decent slowish track and Pallav was out caught at mid-on, again for 38.

Stander was trying to illustrate to Paddy (who he coaches for the U15s) some of his wise words from the night before - he bunked down with the Saddlers on his way back from his Scotland A vs Durham heroism, no doubt thinking of his future 30 odd caps for the Saltires!

Arnie wandered in and followed Lambie's words to a tee, attempting to rotate the strike with almost suicidal intent, having circumvented Stander at silly point and scampering a one.... to the bowler!

Having survived, Lambie and Arnie proceeded to 135 odd off 35 overs before Lambie got stuck on his crease to a decent turner from Gorgeous George.

Out came Thom "70s throwback" Robertson with his Botham Beard (pictured right)and hit 6 off his first two... adding 14 and 11 in two overs with the Tamil. Arnie then played round a straight one in the 41st with the score on 165 or so. In came Webby who hung around before Tommo was out LBW. Webby and Paddy continued merrily to pinch ones and twos.

In our thoughts this was plenty and judging from some of the send-offs we got, so did S-D.

After tea Rigg blew his hip flexor on ball 4 of our second over and stumbled off in considerable pain (thanks to the man with a dog, once of moustache for, his medical attention) so fingers crossed Josh isn't out for long... We need his energy and banter in the middle. Thanks to Azhar for subbing on.

Paddy bowled 5-2-1-8 in a superb opening spell and Pallav continued from the other end with 7 overs going at three an over with barely a shot off the meat of the bat. S-D knew we weren't walkovers and after some swooshing, foul-stroke-fours, several misses Mr Lamb and Mr Botha all wandered off back into the hutch.

Consistent line and length from all involved soon told, coupled with some superb volleyball style fielding in the slips, a good catch from Az and some fine work from Thom ‘Son of Brierley’ Robertson. They nicked their way to 85 for 5 and a game was on.

Up stepped Luke "Doesnt Bowl Abroad" Reynolds who took 6-24 off 10 and Mallen, who again bowled superb areas for 3-32.

A great team performance from all was somewhat spoiled by an angry S-D side back at the gazebos, who appeared to give plenty of chat, but not necessarily want to take! Great win, gloriously runied by a move to Faith in the evening after some entertaining cake at the Wally. Roll on Falkland and Edinburgh this weekend!

Don't give away your wicket boys and look what happens...

2nd XI v Haddington

Having gambled on the Sunday being really wet like the forecast had suggested several of the 2’s players, including the captain, turned up with not only hangovers but great hope that we might squeeze in a game.

Winning the toss, The Lions skipper sent Haddington into bat on a bowler friendly wicket in damp conditions.

With the rain now drizzling down Az and Paddy opened the bowling and bowled some quality deliveries. Paddy again showed why he’s one of the best young players in the country and swiftly removed the Haddington opener and captain from the field after a cracking yorker sneaked through bat and pad. He went on to take 2 for 23 from his 10 overs.

Another brilliant display of fast bowling from Az but it would seem his luck wouldn’t be in this week. Chances going wide of fielders and several coats of varnish removed from the stumps saw Az take a very respectable 1 for 25 from his 10. In all honesty he deserved far more.

BP playing against his former team mates ensured a good bit of banter between the 2 sides and a few harsh ‘wides’ given against him where taken in good spirit.

Although he bowled another great spell of spin his former comrade’s never fell for his darts. His figures 0 for 14 from 8.

Giggsy bowled a few decent overs with a few of the fielders to blame for his 0 for 22 from his 5 overs and Tyson also produced another good spell which saw him take 2 for 14.

But it was new boy Arun Jay who stole the show as he took 4 for 28. In his bowling debut he showed that he’s a thinking mans bowler as a few of the batsmen tried to take him on and failed. A variation of pace and spin helped us reduce the home side to 132 all out in the 47th over.

Having taken an earlier tea because of a downpour in the 42nd over it was a quick change around but not quick enough it would seem as the rain now was the heaviest it had been all day and there was no way the eager opening Lions batsmen could take the field.

Rather then stick it out for a while the decision that the pitch was now dangerous for the bowlers and would be unplayable after a few overs, the game was abandoned and the Wally Dug beckoned.

However our performance there was well below par as we finished last in the pub quiz….

We have yet to allow the opposition to bat the full 50 bowling out all 4 sides we have faced.

We have and won 2 of our games because we have batted 50 overs. The lesson being that if we bat the overs boys, we’ll win games.

A bit of hard work this week on the fielding might be needed to help reduce Giggsy figures this week at HOME against Penicuik.

3rd XI v Largo

The 3’s gathered in confident mood for the trip to Largo on Sunday morning, a confident mood that wasn’t too damaged by the call off from Ali Oliver as Westy was able to “persuade” is brother Euan to plug the gap.

On arrival in Largo, on an overcast but dry afternoon, we discovered that Macca had disagreed with something he ate and was also now out of the side, so a second consecutive game with 10 men beckoned.

After our usual lacklustre “warmup”, Ally lost the toss and we were invited to bat by the currently unbeaten home side. Things got off to a steady start with Ally and Srikanth picking up the odd single, whilst the bowlers kept things reasonably tight. Srikanth was then unlucky to be caught driving to cover, one of Largo’s youngsters taking a superb catch above his head to bring JK to the crease. The serene pace of the innings continued as the score moved into the 30’s before Brown took the first of his four victims, his nagging straight line cleaning up the Kiwi for 9.

This brought Mooro to the crease, and he started in classic Munch style, a swish, a miss and two fours. Ally continued to rotate the strike well, whilst the Gunn show blazed until with the score on 70, Ally called for a quick single. Both bats made it safely but Al pulled up and was now on the deck, hamstrung. He bravely batted on, swatting a glorious one handed pull shot, but his lack of mobility was his undoing, and he succumbed tamely to a caught behind.

Cue the Spoony! Mixing some quality strokes with a number of streaky edges, earning himself the moniker “Bacon”, he and the skipper continued to push the total beyond 100, until Ally hung himself out to dry attempting a suicidal second run. Worse followed as late stand-in Euan West was called for a single by the Spoon-meister and found himself run out off his first ball for 0. Fraser Nicol entered the fray and played with the calm assurance of a veteran. Spoony was soon triggered lbw for 19, Fraser West played his usual knock for 7, before Ringles and Chappers were cleaned out by Brown trying to add a few quick runs towards the end. Fraser N finishing 11 not out from a total of 139.

During a superb tea a very light rain began to fall and after 20 minutes with it getting neither heavier nor completely stopping, the decision was made to try to finish the game off. Knowing that if it did get heavier there’d be an abandonment we wanted to get throught the minimum overs for a result quickly of we could keep the run rate tight, albeit taking the field with effectively 9 men. Mooro would field at slip all through the innings, but his lack of mobility was always going to be problematic. It also left the bowling attack stripped to the bare bones. However we bagan determined to make Largo fight for every run, and with Chappers and Ringles opening up runs were at a premium. JK had the first dismissal as Robertson feathered an edge off Chappers in the third over, it was two down in the fifth as the number three bat played all round one only to hear middle and leg stumps knocked back.

After the first eight overs it was 10 for 2, and we were in the game. The two Frasers were next into the attack, and both kept the batsmen relatively checked. Westy will however need to work on his glory hunting. Following a quick convo between he and Ally, Spoony was moved into the gully, first ball up and Spoony takes the catch for wicket three. Naively, young West admitted Ally had suggested the fielding change, a rookie mistake we hope he never repeats.

It was soon 5 down, Fraser Nicol inviting the charge from the batsman, JK completing the stumping. When Westy got his 2 nd and our 5 th wicket, we could sniff victory.

At this stage JK came out from behind the stumps to bowl, whilst Spoony took over the gloves. It was also the point where the big hitters came out, and started to find the gaps in the field with a bit more regularity. Dakin the remaining opener, and “Barney” began to push the ball into gaps picking up ones and twos with Barney punishing anything vaguely loose and taking it to the boundary. Fraser Nicol was beginning to struggle with the wet ball and was replaced by Westy who finally managed to remove Dakin. Largo were now 6 down needing 25 to win. It was make or break time, Chappers came back on and got the big wicket as Barney feathered an edge down leg, Spoony holding on. 7 down, still 15 required and as JK held a simple retunrn catch it became 8 down with 7 needed. Brown dug out a yorker for 1, then a 2 cleaved off middle was followed by a chinese cut for 4 to end the game.

It had been tight, but ultimately the 20 run swing one extra body would have provided was too much to overcome, the final bowling analysis read:

Chappers 6.4-2-18-3
Ringles 6-1-10-0
F West 8-0-35-3
F Nicol 7-1-35-1
JK 7-0-35-1

Post match drinks and fining session took place at the Largo clubs’ local, where the hosts provided sandwiches and banter for the vanquished. Look for Ringles unused bat, and barely used thighpad on e-bay this week.

We look forward to taking revenge in the return game later this year!

Thanks to Chappers for the report... Al you're sacked!