Turriff recorded their second win of the season on Saturday at the tricky Sheddocksley venue in Aberdeen, beating Grampian by 38 runs. Winning the toss in overcast, humid conditions Turriff skipper Steve Lings opted to bat first on damp, muddy pitch. Turra had turned up with 10 men, including Ian Smart and Barry Donald both playing their first game of 2016. Smart opened the batting with Lings, and both players made a strong start against the new ball, taking the total to 31 without loss after 10 overs. Lings went on the offensive, driving two big straight sixes down the ground before bottom edging a short ball off Agidh onto his stumps for 27 in the 13th over to make the score 45-1.
The in-form Frazer Smart joined his Father at the crease and played positive cricket from the off, finding the fence twice and striking a quick fire 11. Like Lings, he also fell attempting to pull a short of a length Agidh delivery. This one just clipped his bail, reducing his 2016 batting average from 125 to a more realistic, but still exceptional 68. Smart senior pressed on in partnership with Donald before being caught for 29. He became the third batsman to get out attempting a pull shot, top edging Vinod to the keeper. With the score at 71-3 off 19 overs, Michael Soper made a welcome return, batting in the pivotal number 5 position.
Donald was next to go, adjudged lbw for 9, having helped bring the 100 up. Blair Balment joined Soper in the middle and looked to press the total onto the team target of one hundred and fifty. Both batsmen played fluently, Soper scoring 28 and Balment 24. Craig Peters made runs and supported Balment in a vital partnership of 28 after Soper departed. Phil Wrigglesworth played aggressively in the lower order, recording his first double figure score of 11 not out to see his side to 153 all out off 43 overs. With less than 4 an over needed Turra would be looking for wickets with the new ball.
Blair Balment opened the bowling with Lings, looking to make us of what swing would be available before the ball inevitably became wet. Lings struck in his first over when Mridul fell to an ambitious pull shot, skying a catch that was snaffled by Donald running from behind the stumps to backward square leg. Balment stuck again in his second over, knocking over Vinod's middle stump. Lings removed opener Naji for 12, bowing the dumbfounded batsman around his legs with a big out swinger. Balment made it two each and reduced the home side to 21-4 off 8 overs when he bowled Grampian number 5 Ashin for a duck.
Turriff were now racing against the impending rain to take 6 more wickets, while Grampian still saw a glimmer of hope as the ball got wet and there was no more swing for Turriff's bowlers to exploit. Sajan and Sachin dug in for the home side. They rotated the strike and struck the occasional boundary. Noah Balment and Michael Soper came on in the 13th and 14th over and Turriff were reduced to 9 men as one player had to make an early departure. Balment junior nearly made the breakthrough when his skipper shelled a difficult chance running back from extra cover.
By over 26, when Ian Smart came onto bowl the total had crept to 82-4, despite 6 tight overs each by Balment junior and Soper. With 20 overs to go, the home team needed 72 for victory, at just 3.6 runs an over. But Smart delivered on his fifth delivery, having Sachin caught and bowled for 30. Victory looked on again and the skipper brought himself back into the attack. The field came right up in an attempt to stop any singles and leave the batsmen no choice but to lash out. Lings and Smart bowled tight lines and lengths, aiming for the blockhole and trying their best to restrict any runs whatsoever.
The plan worked as the barrage of well-aimed yorkers saw the pressure for runs get too much for the batsmen. The final four wickets fell in close succession leaving Lings with 4-30 and Smart with 3-22. Soper bowled 7 overs for only 9 runs. Balment senior took 2-27 off 7 overs and Balment junior - who the batsmen targeted the most - bowled exceptionally well, his 6 overs going for only 23 runs. A direct hit run out by Lings throwing from a short midwicket made the 10th wicket.
Next Saturday sees a local derby when Turra travel down the road to take on Methlick 2nd team in what is probably the most pleasant fixture of the season, at the idillic Lairds cricket ground.
Showing posts with label match report. Show all posts
Showing posts with label match report. Show all posts
Monday, 1 August 2016
Sunday, 12 June 2016
Turriff CC v Methlick CC 2nd XI - match report...
Turriff’s cricketers recorded their first win of 2016, defeating Methlick 2nd XI at the Haughs by 68 runs. Winning the toss and choosing to bat first, Turriff skipper Steven Lings resumed his opening partnership with Malcolm Evans. Lings made a positive start, attacking the Methlick opening bowlers and striking four sixes and two fours. He was dismissed for 33 when opposing captain Rob Fryer bowled him out in the 10th over with a leg stump yorker. This brought new player Chris Barclay to the crease in the 10th over. In a partnership of 32 with Evans he struck a boundary of his own before being bowled for 10 by Rice in the 22nd over. This brought Frazer Smart to the crease for his first outing of 2016.
Evans was dismissed for 34 in the 32nd over, stumped off the bowling of Gordon, to leave the home side 123-3. Callum Duncan joined Smart at the crease and looked to make use of the remaining overs. By now Smart was playing his shots, finding the boundary and had amassed a decent tally next to his name. Stepping up a gear, he flayed the respectable Methlick attack, finding the rope 15 times in a personal best knock of 82 not out. Duncan made 19 runs of his own before being dismissed in the last over. Byron Woolley, promoted to bat at number 6 after an impressive cameo in his last match, never even got to a face a delivery. Smart had guided Turriff to 197-4.
Laing and Lings opened the bowling for Turriff. Methlick all rounder Choudry opened the batting with Barrack. Lings had Barrack caught and bowled in the second over to bring Fryer to the crease. With their two best batsmen at the wicket, Methlick looked to overturn an imposing total. Choudry attacked both bowlers and got the better of them, regularly finding the rope. After 12 overs the score was 56-1 and Methlick were looking on course to make their run chase. A double bowling change saw Callum Duncan and 15 year old Noah Balment come into the attack.
Balment almost struck immediately, inducing a mistake from the aggressive Choudry, who drove a ball straight up the in the air, but unfortunately the catch was not taken. Then three balls later, he clean bowled him for a brilliant 41 off 35 balls to take his first wicket for Turriff. Five overs later, Duncan was next to strike, getting the price scalp of the Methlick skipper caught and bowled when another attempted drive went straight up. Next over Balment struck again, inducing a leading edge from Methlick number 4 Colley-Davies, which Lings took running and diving at midwicket. It wasn’t long before Duncan stuck the fatal blow, as Craig Peters took an excellent catch at mid on looking into the late afternoon sun. At 83-5 it looked all over for Methlick.
Pinch hitter Rice, coming in at number 6 had different ideas and proceeded to dispatch both bowlers to the boundaries. Lings brought himself and Laing back onto bowl to Rice, hoping someone would bowl a delivery that was just too good for him sooner or later. It wasn’t long before Laing obliged, bowling his out for 27 off just 18 deliveries. Both bowlers struck once more each, leaving all four bowlers on 2 wickets. Playing with just 10 men, Methlick only had more wicket to lose, Lings brought Evans on to try and finish the inning and he obliged first ball, bowling Hyde for one run.
Monday, 23 May 2016
Turriff CC v Grampian CC 2nd XI match report...
Turriff’s cricketers made a belated start to their season on Saturday, narrowly losing to Grampian Cricket Club’s 2nd XI in a home game at the Haughs. Both teams benefitted from a full turn out, fielding 11 players each. This in itself was a positive, as so far this year grade 4 of the Aberdeenshire competition has been marred by player shortages. Rules changes this season mean there are no longer any draws. League games are now a straight 45 overs a side, win, lose or tie contest. Other than this, the Turriff squad remained largely unchanged from last year, but with Steven Lings taking over the reins from Ian Smart for a stint as captain.
Grampian won the toss and asked Turriff to bat in bright, warm, but humid conditions that perhaps looked as if they might be favourable to Turriff’s swing bowlers. Turriff’s one new signing, right-hander Malcolm Evans, opened the batting with Lings. The pair made a solid but circumspect start, looking to safely navigate the sometimes tricky new ball period. Both batsmen looked to rotate the strike, defend the danger balls and hit the freebies. Grampian rotated their bowlers regularly, mainly making use of a bewildering array of slower bowlers and spinners, looking to catch their hosts openers out and induce a mistake. At the 20 over mark the score was 47 for no loss and the Turra batsmen looked to kick up a gear.
But momentum shifted toward Grampian and Evans was the first to depart, caught off the bowling of Joseph for 15, including one six. Lings followed soon after, bowled by Jose as he attempted to straight drive a yorker-length delivery, having made 31 including 3 sixes. Turriff stalwarts Neil Smith and Immanuel Doss looked to build on solid foundations, continuing the left-hand, right-hand combination in the middle. Both players navigated the middle overs, scoring regularly and taking the home side to 121-2 by the 35th over. Sensing the chance to get a stranglehold on the game and impose an improbable total on the visitors, Lings signalled to his batsman to go on the attack.
Again, fortune did not favour the brave. Smith was next to depart, caught off Viskrambaran and equalling his skipper’s 31 runs. Doss was run out for 30 soon after. Dod Duncan came in at five and looked to hit big but was also caught off Viskrambaran to give the bowler 2-17. Michael Soper plundered some quick runs before being bowled by Raveendran. Phil Wrigglesworth at 7 and Byron Woolley at 8 both struck out and scampered quick singles before Wrigglesworth was stumped by the visiting skipper off Raveendran who ended with 2-17 also. Woolley was joined by Craig Peters, who struck a magnificent lofted on drive for four, to end 7 not out, with Woolley also unbeaten having ably supported his partners with some athletic running and added two useful runs from well placed shots himself. Turriff’s lower order had taken the score to a par 150, leaving the game perfectly balanced.
After a typically pleasant tea, Grampian openers Valsan and R. Joseph strode out to the crease seeking 151 runs for victory. David Laing opened the bowling as usual, looking to deceive the visitors with his trademark late-inswingers. Lings took the new ball at the other end, seeking to swing the ball away from Grampians two right-handed openers. Laing made the first breakthrough, when Evans took a stunning reaction catch at short cover, diving low to his right to dismiss Valsan for 4. Lings rotated himself with the quicker Doss after three tight overs. Nandan joined his skipper Joseph at the crease, steadying the ship.
After a superb opening spell from Laing, a double bowling change saw junior Noah Balment bowl his first overs in a league match on his 15th birthday. Soper took the ball at the other end, sending down off-breaks as his skipper tried the tactic of taking pace off the ball. Balment bowled his first two overs for only four runs, and was unlucky not to claim his first wicket from a peach of a delivery that hit the seam and moved away from a befuddled Nandan. But it was Soper who made the next breakthrough, clean bowling Nandan when he a well-aimed Yorker deceived the batsman in the flight to bring S. Joseph into the middle. Lings tried some more bowling rotations, first with Evans bowling two tight overs for only 7 runs on debut. Smith hit the mark from the other end and was unfortunate not to find himself a victim.
Then Laing was brought back into the attack. As per usual he quickly delivered, bowling S. Joseph for 9, and bringing Raj to the crease to join his skipper with the visitors 67-3 and the end a long way out of sight. But not through lack of trying, Turriff could not break the partnership. Lings rotated himself with Doss at one end and Laing with Smith at the other, but the batsmen stood firm, slowly chipping away at the total. The best chance came when Raj drove at Doss, getting a leading edge into the cover region and Lings ran and dived attempting a one-handed catch with his non-throwing arm. But the ball didn’t stick and the Turra skippers spilled a hard chance. At the other end, Laing had both batsmen playing and missing regularly. When he did find leading edges, the ball landing safely between fielders.
Smith eventually picked up the wicket of the opposition skipper, with Doss taking a skied catch at point. With 11 needed, in a last hurrah, Doss and Lings tried their hand at some spin bowling, Lings eventually bowling Raj for 45 with the perfect off-break. The batsman attempting an ill-advised sweep shot to bring up his half century. But it was now too late. Grampian made their runs with four overs to spare and five wickets in hand to take a maximum 30 points. Turriff salvaged 13 points for batting and bowling.
Grampian won the toss and asked Turriff to bat in bright, warm, but humid conditions that perhaps looked as if they might be favourable to Turriff’s swing bowlers. Turriff’s one new signing, right-hander Malcolm Evans, opened the batting with Lings. The pair made a solid but circumspect start, looking to safely navigate the sometimes tricky new ball period. Both batsmen looked to rotate the strike, defend the danger balls and hit the freebies. Grampian rotated their bowlers regularly, mainly making use of a bewildering array of slower bowlers and spinners, looking to catch their hosts openers out and induce a mistake. At the 20 over mark the score was 47 for no loss and the Turra batsmen looked to kick up a gear.
But momentum shifted toward Grampian and Evans was the first to depart, caught off the bowling of Joseph for 15, including one six. Lings followed soon after, bowled by Jose as he attempted to straight drive a yorker-length delivery, having made 31 including 3 sixes. Turriff stalwarts Neil Smith and Immanuel Doss looked to build on solid foundations, continuing the left-hand, right-hand combination in the middle. Both players navigated the middle overs, scoring regularly and taking the home side to 121-2 by the 35th over. Sensing the chance to get a stranglehold on the game and impose an improbable total on the visitors, Lings signalled to his batsman to go on the attack.
Again, fortune did not favour the brave. Smith was next to depart, caught off Viskrambaran and equalling his skipper’s 31 runs. Doss was run out for 30 soon after. Dod Duncan came in at five and looked to hit big but was also caught off Viskrambaran to give the bowler 2-17. Michael Soper plundered some quick runs before being bowled by Raveendran. Phil Wrigglesworth at 7 and Byron Woolley at 8 both struck out and scampered quick singles before Wrigglesworth was stumped by the visiting skipper off Raveendran who ended with 2-17 also. Woolley was joined by Craig Peters, who struck a magnificent lofted on drive for four, to end 7 not out, with Woolley also unbeaten having ably supported his partners with some athletic running and added two useful runs from well placed shots himself. Turriff’s lower order had taken the score to a par 150, leaving the game perfectly balanced.
After a typically pleasant tea, Grampian openers Valsan and R. Joseph strode out to the crease seeking 151 runs for victory. David Laing opened the bowling as usual, looking to deceive the visitors with his trademark late-inswingers. Lings took the new ball at the other end, seeking to swing the ball away from Grampians two right-handed openers. Laing made the first breakthrough, when Evans took a stunning reaction catch at short cover, diving low to his right to dismiss Valsan for 4. Lings rotated himself with the quicker Doss after three tight overs. Nandan joined his skipper Joseph at the crease, steadying the ship.
After a superb opening spell from Laing, a double bowling change saw junior Noah Balment bowl his first overs in a league match on his 15th birthday. Soper took the ball at the other end, sending down off-breaks as his skipper tried the tactic of taking pace off the ball. Balment bowled his first two overs for only four runs, and was unlucky not to claim his first wicket from a peach of a delivery that hit the seam and moved away from a befuddled Nandan. But it was Soper who made the next breakthrough, clean bowling Nandan when he a well-aimed Yorker deceived the batsman in the flight to bring S. Joseph into the middle. Lings tried some more bowling rotations, first with Evans bowling two tight overs for only 7 runs on debut. Smith hit the mark from the other end and was unfortunate not to find himself a victim.
Then Laing was brought back into the attack. As per usual he quickly delivered, bowling S. Joseph for 9, and bringing Raj to the crease to join his skipper with the visitors 67-3 and the end a long way out of sight. But not through lack of trying, Turriff could not break the partnership. Lings rotated himself with Doss at one end and Laing with Smith at the other, but the batsmen stood firm, slowly chipping away at the total. The best chance came when Raj drove at Doss, getting a leading edge into the cover region and Lings ran and dived attempting a one-handed catch with his non-throwing arm. But the ball didn’t stick and the Turra skippers spilled a hard chance. At the other end, Laing had both batsmen playing and missing regularly. When he did find leading edges, the ball landing safely between fielders.
Smith eventually picked up the wicket of the opposition skipper, with Doss taking a skied catch at point. With 11 needed, in a last hurrah, Doss and Lings tried their hand at some spin bowling, Lings eventually bowling Raj for 45 with the perfect off-break. The batsman attempting an ill-advised sweep shot to bring up his half century. But it was now too late. Grampian made their runs with four overs to spare and five wickets in hand to take a maximum 30 points. Turriff salvaged 13 points for batting and bowling.
Monday, 24 August 2015
Siyapa CC v Turriff CC match report...
Turriff played away on Saturday at the controversial Sheddocksley ground in Aberdeen, losing to Siyapa who secured their promotion to grade 3 as a result. David Laing captained a depleted side of 9 men, and opted to bat when he won the toss. Hoping to get the Turriff innings off to a good start, David Chalmers and Steven Lings opened up, looking to play cautiously and make the most of all the overs. Like Turriff, Siyapa had also had a fortnight off and new ball bowlers Nisar and Shahid started with a few looseners before settling into a rhythm and bowling an attacking line targeting the stumps just full of a good length. Turriff rotated the strike a little until after a close lbw shout in the fifth over, Lings adopted a policy of stonewalling Nisar, taking a big stride forward and showing the full face of the bat. This resulted in two maidens for Nisar, but it was Shahid who struck first in the 8th over, beating left-hander Chalmers with a good delivery from around the wicket to bowl him for 3.
This brought Neil Smith to the crease, who watched from the non-strikers end as Nisar got fed up of bowling dot balls and presented Lings with first an off-break, and then a leg-break which he worked fine on the leg side for an easy single. Pleased with the way his wrist spinner had come out, Nisar then gave Smith a similar delivery, which was mis-timed to mid-on to bring the score to 14-2. Dodd Duncan came to the crease and looked in good touch, striking a quickfire 9 before he was beaten by the tricky Sheddocksley park pitch by one that stayed low to become Nisar's second victim, leaving Turriff on 18-3. David Laing joined Lings in the middle and Siyapa made a double bowling change. Taveer Khan, a talented wrist spinner with a genuine 'wrongun', struggled at firs to bowl a full enough length as Lings cashed in with a boundry behind square leg. He quickly changed to around the wicket and immediately found the right nagging length slow amateur spin bowlers need to hit, pitching the ball just a foot or two beyond then reach of the batsman taking his biggest stride forward.
Hasnan, a medium pacer, found his rhythm immediately at the other end and got himself the wicket of Laing, to reduce Turriff to 31-4. The next over Lings blunded trying to smother a hard spun leg break, spooning a catch to the short exta cover fielder for 11, Turriff were 37-5. Fraser Smart, William Wechsler, Byron Woolley and Noah Balment put up some late resistance, before Turra were dismiseed for just 45 runs. Wechsler finished the not out batsman with two runs. There was little hope for Turra with only seven fielders against the talented Siyapa batting line up. Lings fluked the wicket of opener Khassam, who rather comically hit his own stumps sweeping a wide attempted slower off-break. The batsman struck the ball the rope, but the momentum of his shot led to him letting go of his bat with one hand, and following through the stroke into his stumps. Fazal, and his skipper Abdullah Khan hit the remaing runs off with ease on their home ground, both hitting maximums as they slogged their way to a win within 7 overs. Turriff play their last game of the season against Portcullis at Duthie Park, Aberdeen on 29th August.
This brought Neil Smith to the crease, who watched from the non-strikers end as Nisar got fed up of bowling dot balls and presented Lings with first an off-break, and then a leg-break which he worked fine on the leg side for an easy single. Pleased with the way his wrist spinner had come out, Nisar then gave Smith a similar delivery, which was mis-timed to mid-on to bring the score to 14-2. Dodd Duncan came to the crease and looked in good touch, striking a quickfire 9 before he was beaten by the tricky Sheddocksley park pitch by one that stayed low to become Nisar's second victim, leaving Turriff on 18-3. David Laing joined Lings in the middle and Siyapa made a double bowling change. Taveer Khan, a talented wrist spinner with a genuine 'wrongun', struggled at firs to bowl a full enough length as Lings cashed in with a boundry behind square leg. He quickly changed to around the wicket and immediately found the right nagging length slow amateur spin bowlers need to hit, pitching the ball just a foot or two beyond then reach of the batsman taking his biggest stride forward.
Hasnan, a medium pacer, found his rhythm immediately at the other end and got himself the wicket of Laing, to reduce Turriff to 31-4. The next over Lings blunded trying to smother a hard spun leg break, spooning a catch to the short exta cover fielder for 11, Turriff were 37-5. Fraser Smart, William Wechsler, Byron Woolley and Noah Balment put up some late resistance, before Turra were dismiseed for just 45 runs. Wechsler finished the not out batsman with two runs. There was little hope for Turra with only seven fielders against the talented Siyapa batting line up. Lings fluked the wicket of opener Khassam, who rather comically hit his own stumps sweeping a wide attempted slower off-break. The batsman struck the ball the rope, but the momentum of his shot led to him letting go of his bat with one hand, and following through the stroke into his stumps. Fazal, and his skipper Abdullah Khan hit the remaing runs off with ease on their home ground, both hitting maximums as they slogged their way to a win within 7 overs. Turriff play their last game of the season against Portcullis at Duthie Park, Aberdeen on 29th August.
Monday, 3 August 2015
Match report - Johnston Rose Bowl Final...
Turriff travelled to the neutral venue of Lairds, kindly catered for by Methlick CC, to play grades newcomer Grampian CC for the Johnston Rose Bowl on Saturday. With the brighter weather forecast for the first innings, with possible showers then overcast conditions in store for whoever batted second, Turriff opted to bat upon winning the toss. Without in form skipper Ian Smart, the Turriff batsmen would have their work cut out for them to post a competitive total. Turriff's left-handers David Chalmers and Steven Lings opened the innings, looking to see off Grampians hostile new ball attack and build a good first wicket stand. Noby and Seby, two nippy right arm medium pacers, opened the bowling. Both were immediately unsettled by the independent umpires who called both bowlers wide twice in their opening overs and warned Seby for running on the wicket on his follow through. With five runs on the board, four wides and leg bye, disaster struck for Turriff in the third over. Noby managed to move one back into Lings, hitting his pad and winning a lbw shout to remove him for nought.
This brought Immanuel Doss to the crease, who got off the mark from his first delivery and looked to play positively. For the next 15 overs, ably supported by Chalmers, Doss gave Turriff plenty to cheer about as he scored fluently and all around the wicket. In the 17th over Chalmers was bowled by Gibson for a hard fought seven off 48 balls. Unfortunately the old adage 'one brings two' was to prove true as a Grampian attack reinvigorated by the wicket steamed through Turra's middle order. Having found the boundary four times Doss was finally caught and bowled attempting a straight drive off change bowler Bigil. In the same over Blair Balment was bowled by Bigil, leaving the score at 53 for 4.
Dod Duncan and David Laing sought to rebuild the innings and get Turriff to some kind of total. Duncan took a liking to the bowling of Gibson, striking a six and a four in the same over to push the scoreboard onto 64. Grampian were quick to remove him from the attack in the face of this onslaught and bring back opening bowler Noby. In the 21st over Noby won his second lbw shout of the day, this time against David Laing to bring Christian Swan to the crease with the score on 64 for 5. Swan built a useful partnership with Duncan of 9 valuable runs before falling victim Grampian's other opener Seby, who got one to nip back into the right hander, striking him in the pads for an lbw. Duncan made 14 before becoming Seby's second victim, having guided the score to 75 for 7 to give Turra just a sniff of victory. Turriff's tail managed another three runs between them. Notably junior Noah Balment mad two runs in 8 balls,and had looked comfortable, before being run out as he tried to push the score ever higher. Turriff were all out for 83, knowing it would probably not be enough at Methlick with it covered wicket, fast outfield and short boundaries.
After the fantastic lunch put on by Methlick CC, Turriff set about trying to restrict Grampian to an improbable 82 runs. David Laing made the perfect start when he removed aggressive opening pinch hitter Jeby for just 4 runs, pinning him lbw off just the third ball of the match. This left Romin at the crease with number three Vaishak. Steven Lings opened at the other end and bowled a tidy first over, repeatedly finding the block hole and going for just one run. After another tight over from Laing, with just one run conceded from a wide, the batsmen pounced on a moment of weakness as Lings erred in his length from plenty of yorkers to plenty of low full tosses, giving away 9 runs. The batsmen then attacked both bowlers, taking the score to 37 after 9 overs. On the last ball of another expensive over from Lings, the bowler drew some inspiration and rapped Vaishak on the pads with an accurate away swinger and was awarded the fifth lbw of the day.
Balment replaced Lings, and bowled with gusto while Laing continued from the pavilion end. Romin and Bigil made no mistakes for Grampian and guided them over the line in the 17th over to complete a convincing win. Grampian player Bigil was awarded man of the match for his 2 top order wickets for 7 runs and 26 not out with the bat. Turriff made it into this cup final and despite the short notice fielded eleven players, albeit a mixed age and mixed ability team including two promising juniors. This in itself was an achievement as the club, which lost a lot of core players between 2013 and 2014, was almost in crisis last year. Turriff still have three league games, and next week go back to Lairds to play Methlick CC, so will be pleased to have had sight of their pitch this year which is a typical low and slow, but true, wicket. Victory on 8th August should keep Turra in 4th place behind Grampian.
This brought Immanuel Doss to the crease, who got off the mark from his first delivery and looked to play positively. For the next 15 overs, ably supported by Chalmers, Doss gave Turriff plenty to cheer about as he scored fluently and all around the wicket. In the 17th over Chalmers was bowled by Gibson for a hard fought seven off 48 balls. Unfortunately the old adage 'one brings two' was to prove true as a Grampian attack reinvigorated by the wicket steamed through Turra's middle order. Having found the boundary four times Doss was finally caught and bowled attempting a straight drive off change bowler Bigil. In the same over Blair Balment was bowled by Bigil, leaving the score at 53 for 4.
Dod Duncan and David Laing sought to rebuild the innings and get Turriff to some kind of total. Duncan took a liking to the bowling of Gibson, striking a six and a four in the same over to push the scoreboard onto 64. Grampian were quick to remove him from the attack in the face of this onslaught and bring back opening bowler Noby. In the 21st over Noby won his second lbw shout of the day, this time against David Laing to bring Christian Swan to the crease with the score on 64 for 5. Swan built a useful partnership with Duncan of 9 valuable runs before falling victim Grampian's other opener Seby, who got one to nip back into the right hander, striking him in the pads for an lbw. Duncan made 14 before becoming Seby's second victim, having guided the score to 75 for 7 to give Turra just a sniff of victory. Turriff's tail managed another three runs between them. Notably junior Noah Balment mad two runs in 8 balls,and had looked comfortable, before being run out as he tried to push the score ever higher. Turriff were all out for 83, knowing it would probably not be enough at Methlick with it covered wicket, fast outfield and short boundaries.
After the fantastic lunch put on by Methlick CC, Turriff set about trying to restrict Grampian to an improbable 82 runs. David Laing made the perfect start when he removed aggressive opening pinch hitter Jeby for just 4 runs, pinning him lbw off just the third ball of the match. This left Romin at the crease with number three Vaishak. Steven Lings opened at the other end and bowled a tidy first over, repeatedly finding the block hole and going for just one run. After another tight over from Laing, with just one run conceded from a wide, the batsmen pounced on a moment of weakness as Lings erred in his length from plenty of yorkers to plenty of low full tosses, giving away 9 runs. The batsmen then attacked both bowlers, taking the score to 37 after 9 overs. On the last ball of another expensive over from Lings, the bowler drew some inspiration and rapped Vaishak on the pads with an accurate away swinger and was awarded the fifth lbw of the day.
Balment replaced Lings, and bowled with gusto while Laing continued from the pavilion end. Romin and Bigil made no mistakes for Grampian and guided them over the line in the 17th over to complete a convincing win. Grampian player Bigil was awarded man of the match for his 2 top order wickets for 7 runs and 26 not out with the bat. Turriff made it into this cup final and despite the short notice fielded eleven players, albeit a mixed age and mixed ability team including two promising juniors. This in itself was an achievement as the club, which lost a lot of core players between 2013 and 2014, was almost in crisis last year. Turriff still have three league games, and next week go back to Lairds to play Methlick CC, so will be pleased to have had sight of their pitch this year which is a typical low and slow, but true, wicket. Victory on 8th August should keep Turra in 4th place behind Grampian.
Monday, 13 July 2015
Turriff CC v Methlick CC match report...
Scorecards here.
Turriff clinched a close game against Methlick on Saturday to secure a spot in the Johnson Rose Bowl final. After being re-instated to the competition following the withdrawal of an under-achieving Kemnay-Kintore from grade 4, Turriff had to win a home fixture against a Methlick side that had chased 205 against impressive grades newcomers Siyapa three weeks previous. In that game, Methlick batsmen Scott and Smith made 79 not out and 40, whilst their star seam bowler Choudry took 3-39. Turriff held onto the fact they had prevailed against Methlick in a league game just three weeks beforehand, and were playing at home with a strong side out. As such they went into the game brimming with enough confidence to ask Methlick to make first use of a wet wicket.
David Laing, after performances of 4-37 and 5-7 in his last two games, and probably on target for this years grade 4 bowling award, struck in just the third over of the game, clean bowling Fryer for just 3 runs. At the other end, Lings, was struggling to find his rhythm and length after two weeks of no cricket, and conceded an uncharacteristic 6 runs off his first over including two no balls. Capable all-rounder Grant Cordiner came to the crease and looked to navigate the tricky batting conditions and push the total along. After two singles and a two he fell to the last ball of the tenth over. Given just a bit of width to the off side, and attempting a Jayasuria-esque carve over point, he was caught by Dodd Duncan taking a stunning one handed catch above his head that Paul Collingwood or Jonty Rhodes would have been proud of. Lings was now finding his rhythm, regularly hitting a good length and this wicket, to peg the visitors to 17-2, encouraged his skipper to let him bowl his ten overs back to back. At the other end, strike bowler Blair Balment replaced David Laing who had bowled yet another outstanding, miserly, opening spell for Turra, taking 1-5 in five overs.
Methlick sent the in-form Scott in at number 4, who looked to be aggressive almost from the off, whilst Smith also began to open his shoulders and take on Balment, hitting the first boundary of the innings from his first over. Lings was now finding his line and length, but undeterred from playing and missing the impressive Scott soon connected the middle of his bat with an away swinger sending it over cow corner for six in the 14th over. Smart, showing its not just a name, immediately moved to a defensive leg side field, sending square leg, midwicket and mid-on into the deep. Lings responded first with with a well disguised slow off-break, which Smith refused to try and hit over the rope. Next up came the quicker, straighter full of length off-cutter which drew the desired response. Smith flashed his bat, missed, and the ball clipped his leg stump. This brought Rice to the crease, who struggle to cope Balment's extra pace and bounce, soon holing out to Dodd Duncan at midwicket for 3. Another 'Scott' replaced Rice in the middle and was dispatched in the 19th over for one when he failed to offer a shot at one of Lings's outswingers and was bowled around his legs, the ball clipping the leg-stump bail. All-rounder Choudry joined the dangerous-looking Smith at the crease and the Methlick counter-attack started. Smith hit sixes from Balment and Lings before Balment produced a ripsnorter of a length ball, beating him for pace and removing his off stump for 32 before he could take the game from Turriff.
Lings bowled his ten overs, taking 3-33 and Methlick might have hoped for some respite. Unfortunately, Turriff's fastest bowler, Immanuel Doss was about to produce a Glen McGrath-like display of accurate fast bowling in the channel outside off stump. The Methlick batsmen weren't good enough to even find the edge of the bat, and when number 8 Jones finally did, Chalmers uncharacteristically shelled the chance for a caught behind. Doss's breakthough came when Chalmers made up for things, managing to stump Jones, who was left standing a couple of inches out of his crease after a futile attempt to take Doss for runs. David Laing mopped up another two Methlick batsmen, at the other end. First removing Choudry for 12, caught at mid off by the ultra-safe hands of Callum Duncan, then Allan for 1, caught brilliantly by Fraser Smart at square leg. Laing finished his ten overs with a haul of 3-19 to top the home side's bowling sheet yet again. Smart turned to Callum Duncan to finish Methlick off and he delivered for his skipper in just 3 balls, removing Day for 3, caught at mid off by David Laing to wrap Methlick's innings up for just 89 runs. Balment finished with 2-24, removing two key batsmen, while Doss, most his deliveries being almost unplayable at this level and on this pitch, went for just nine runs from eight overs. Turriff's seamers had given the home side a chance of making the final and now as many players as possible would need to contribute with the bat on a wet pitch offering a lot of assistance to the bowlers.
Smart decided to re-jig the batting order for this win or lose 40 overs a side game, and open the batting with Lings, looking to try and score aggressively from the start and build a strong platform to the run chase before the pitch inevitably claimed ten victims. Methlick made the surprise, and some would say attacking move, of opening the bowling with promising junior Kennedy. With the field set back a bit catching, slow, accurate bowling can be a real handful to actually score off on such pitches. Choudry opened at the other end, a quicker orthadox away swing bowler who would look to capitalise on the humid conditions, especially against left-hander Lings where he could attack the stumps with late inswing in the humid conditions. In the first over the batsmen rotated the strike, hitting a single each before Smart flayed a leg side delivery for six. Four singles off the second over meant Turriff had got the start they wanted, 13 runs off two overs. Smart capitalised on another leg side delivery in the third over, hitting a second six over deep backward square leg. Lings ended up facing Choudry in the fourth over, and with no scoreboard pressure, blocked and left a maiden aiming to hone his eye, get to know the bowler and think about the best way to find the rope. Kennedy bowled one more over, finding a good line and length, full and on or just outside off stump for most of it and only conceding three runs to a defensive field. He was replaced by Day, who's first ball Smart punched over the leg side rope for four. In the 8th over, after watching Choudry a bit more, Lings launched into a full delivery with a straight drive back over the bowlers head for four, to move into double figures. The breakthrough came in the ninth over. Smart took a single off the first ball to give Lings the strike, Day then blundered with a leg side wide to the left-hander which Lings foolishly chased and tried to sweep fine, only to chip a wide ball to Kennedy at fine leg and give his wicket away for 10. Nevertheless, with the score on 37-1, and Smart looking in good touch Turriff were on target for a win.
Dodd Duncan, promoted to three to try and keep the run rate up, joined Smart at the crease and played well, playing some fine strokes in a stand of 17 for the next wicket, before being caught off the bowling of Grant Cordiner. At 54-2, Turriff needed just 36 with 8 wickets in hand to book a place in the final. Blair Balment batted at number 4 and took a circumspect approach, playing immaculate front foot defence and getting to know the pitch and the bowling. But as Smart looked to push onto his half century, Turriff suffered a setback as Grant Cordiner landed a major blow for the away team, bowling him for 39. Usual opener, David Chalmers now joined Balment with the score on 55-3. Cordiner and Rice bowled in tandem, giving little away. Balment and Chalmers took their time to get set and steady the ship before trying any risky shots on the sticky wicket, before Rice found a way through Chalmers defenses to bowl the keeper-batsman for one. With the score on 60-4, and Smart gone, Methlick were looking a lot chirpier in the field as Doss joined the watchful, but well batted-in Balment at the crease. Then disaster struck for Turriff. Guiding his first delivery straight to the man at deep gully, Doss took off, calling Balment through for a suicide single. The fielder made no mistake and Balment was run out for 2. More importantly for Methlick, they had two new batsmen at the crease as Callum Duncan strode out the middle. Duncan, looking to get off the mark then glanced the last ball of the over to the man in an unorthadox kind of leg slip position. With the score on 60-6, Methlick thought they had it in the bag as David Laing walked to the crease. Turriff knew that both men, both with grade 3 half centuries to their names, were capable of seeing them home. But on this soaking wet pitch, with some accurate and experienced seam bowling to contend with, it would not be easy.
Several nervy overs followed, where the scoreboard hardly moved and the twenty something runs Turriff needed, or just half a dozen good shots, seemed too far out of reach. Luckily for Turriff they had two experienced cricketers at the crease, who took their time to get set, consolidated, then went for the kill quickly and cleanly. Both players launched at the Methlick bowlers, running ones and twos, before Doss, arguably Turriff's most talented player, struck a flat six over long on off the bowling of Rice in an over yielding 12 runs. With Turriff now 10 away from victory, they pressed onto 86-7, when Rice bowled David Laing for six. Given the playing conditions and context of the game, it will probably turn out to be the most important and memorable six runs he will ever make. Club veteran Craig Peters joined Doss in the middle and immediately stuck a single to move the score to 87 and keep the strike. Doss responded, striking another single to give Peters the strike and the chance to hit the winning runs. But Rice bowled a wide to level the scores and Peters left a dot ball to give Doss the well-deserved honours. Doss duly dispatched the recalled Choudry's first delivery into the midwicket region to make a matching-winning 18 not out and see Turriff into the Johnston Rose Bowl final. This will be a tough game, to be played against grade newcomers Grampian, who have beaten Turriff twice in the league this season, on 1st August at a venue to be announced. But if Turriff field their strongest team, and play their best cricket, they could yet see some silverware this season.
Turriff clinched a close game against Methlick on Saturday to secure a spot in the Johnson Rose Bowl final. After being re-instated to the competition following the withdrawal of an under-achieving Kemnay-Kintore from grade 4, Turriff had to win a home fixture against a Methlick side that had chased 205 against impressive grades newcomers Siyapa three weeks previous. In that game, Methlick batsmen Scott and Smith made 79 not out and 40, whilst their star seam bowler Choudry took 3-39. Turriff held onto the fact they had prevailed against Methlick in a league game just three weeks beforehand, and were playing at home with a strong side out. As such they went into the game brimming with enough confidence to ask Methlick to make first use of a wet wicket.
David Laing, after performances of 4-37 and 5-7 in his last two games, and probably on target for this years grade 4 bowling award, struck in just the third over of the game, clean bowling Fryer for just 3 runs. At the other end, Lings, was struggling to find his rhythm and length after two weeks of no cricket, and conceded an uncharacteristic 6 runs off his first over including two no balls. Capable all-rounder Grant Cordiner came to the crease and looked to navigate the tricky batting conditions and push the total along. After two singles and a two he fell to the last ball of the tenth over. Given just a bit of width to the off side, and attempting a Jayasuria-esque carve over point, he was caught by Dodd Duncan taking a stunning one handed catch above his head that Paul Collingwood or Jonty Rhodes would have been proud of. Lings was now finding his rhythm, regularly hitting a good length and this wicket, to peg the visitors to 17-2, encouraged his skipper to let him bowl his ten overs back to back. At the other end, strike bowler Blair Balment replaced David Laing who had bowled yet another outstanding, miserly, opening spell for Turra, taking 1-5 in five overs.
Methlick sent the in-form Scott in at number 4, who looked to be aggressive almost from the off, whilst Smith also began to open his shoulders and take on Balment, hitting the first boundary of the innings from his first over. Lings was now finding his line and length, but undeterred from playing and missing the impressive Scott soon connected the middle of his bat with an away swinger sending it over cow corner for six in the 14th over. Smart, showing its not just a name, immediately moved to a defensive leg side field, sending square leg, midwicket and mid-on into the deep. Lings responded first with with a well disguised slow off-break, which Smith refused to try and hit over the rope. Next up came the quicker, straighter full of length off-cutter which drew the desired response. Smith flashed his bat, missed, and the ball clipped his leg stump. This brought Rice to the crease, who struggle to cope Balment's extra pace and bounce, soon holing out to Dodd Duncan at midwicket for 3. Another 'Scott' replaced Rice in the middle and was dispatched in the 19th over for one when he failed to offer a shot at one of Lings's outswingers and was bowled around his legs, the ball clipping the leg-stump bail. All-rounder Choudry joined the dangerous-looking Smith at the crease and the Methlick counter-attack started. Smith hit sixes from Balment and Lings before Balment produced a ripsnorter of a length ball, beating him for pace and removing his off stump for 32 before he could take the game from Turriff.
Lings bowled his ten overs, taking 3-33 and Methlick might have hoped for some respite. Unfortunately, Turriff's fastest bowler, Immanuel Doss was about to produce a Glen McGrath-like display of accurate fast bowling in the channel outside off stump. The Methlick batsmen weren't good enough to even find the edge of the bat, and when number 8 Jones finally did, Chalmers uncharacteristically shelled the chance for a caught behind. Doss's breakthough came when Chalmers made up for things, managing to stump Jones, who was left standing a couple of inches out of his crease after a futile attempt to take Doss for runs. David Laing mopped up another two Methlick batsmen, at the other end. First removing Choudry for 12, caught at mid off by the ultra-safe hands of Callum Duncan, then Allan for 1, caught brilliantly by Fraser Smart at square leg. Laing finished his ten overs with a haul of 3-19 to top the home side's bowling sheet yet again. Smart turned to Callum Duncan to finish Methlick off and he delivered for his skipper in just 3 balls, removing Day for 3, caught at mid off by David Laing to wrap Methlick's innings up for just 89 runs. Balment finished with 2-24, removing two key batsmen, while Doss, most his deliveries being almost unplayable at this level and on this pitch, went for just nine runs from eight overs. Turriff's seamers had given the home side a chance of making the final and now as many players as possible would need to contribute with the bat on a wet pitch offering a lot of assistance to the bowlers.
Smart decided to re-jig the batting order for this win or lose 40 overs a side game, and open the batting with Lings, looking to try and score aggressively from the start and build a strong platform to the run chase before the pitch inevitably claimed ten victims. Methlick made the surprise, and some would say attacking move, of opening the bowling with promising junior Kennedy. With the field set back a bit catching, slow, accurate bowling can be a real handful to actually score off on such pitches. Choudry opened at the other end, a quicker orthadox away swing bowler who would look to capitalise on the humid conditions, especially against left-hander Lings where he could attack the stumps with late inswing in the humid conditions. In the first over the batsmen rotated the strike, hitting a single each before Smart flayed a leg side delivery for six. Four singles off the second over meant Turriff had got the start they wanted, 13 runs off two overs. Smart capitalised on another leg side delivery in the third over, hitting a second six over deep backward square leg. Lings ended up facing Choudry in the fourth over, and with no scoreboard pressure, blocked and left a maiden aiming to hone his eye, get to know the bowler and think about the best way to find the rope. Kennedy bowled one more over, finding a good line and length, full and on or just outside off stump for most of it and only conceding three runs to a defensive field. He was replaced by Day, who's first ball Smart punched over the leg side rope for four. In the 8th over, after watching Choudry a bit more, Lings launched into a full delivery with a straight drive back over the bowlers head for four, to move into double figures. The breakthrough came in the ninth over. Smart took a single off the first ball to give Lings the strike, Day then blundered with a leg side wide to the left-hander which Lings foolishly chased and tried to sweep fine, only to chip a wide ball to Kennedy at fine leg and give his wicket away for 10. Nevertheless, with the score on 37-1, and Smart looking in good touch Turriff were on target for a win.
Dodd Duncan, promoted to three to try and keep the run rate up, joined Smart at the crease and played well, playing some fine strokes in a stand of 17 for the next wicket, before being caught off the bowling of Grant Cordiner. At 54-2, Turriff needed just 36 with 8 wickets in hand to book a place in the final. Blair Balment batted at number 4 and took a circumspect approach, playing immaculate front foot defence and getting to know the pitch and the bowling. But as Smart looked to push onto his half century, Turriff suffered a setback as Grant Cordiner landed a major blow for the away team, bowling him for 39. Usual opener, David Chalmers now joined Balment with the score on 55-3. Cordiner and Rice bowled in tandem, giving little away. Balment and Chalmers took their time to get set and steady the ship before trying any risky shots on the sticky wicket, before Rice found a way through Chalmers defenses to bowl the keeper-batsman for one. With the score on 60-4, and Smart gone, Methlick were looking a lot chirpier in the field as Doss joined the watchful, but well batted-in Balment at the crease. Then disaster struck for Turriff. Guiding his first delivery straight to the man at deep gully, Doss took off, calling Balment through for a suicide single. The fielder made no mistake and Balment was run out for 2. More importantly for Methlick, they had two new batsmen at the crease as Callum Duncan strode out the middle. Duncan, looking to get off the mark then glanced the last ball of the over to the man in an unorthadox kind of leg slip position. With the score on 60-6, Methlick thought they had it in the bag as David Laing walked to the crease. Turriff knew that both men, both with grade 3 half centuries to their names, were capable of seeing them home. But on this soaking wet pitch, with some accurate and experienced seam bowling to contend with, it would not be easy.
Several nervy overs followed, where the scoreboard hardly moved and the twenty something runs Turriff needed, or just half a dozen good shots, seemed too far out of reach. Luckily for Turriff they had two experienced cricketers at the crease, who took their time to get set, consolidated, then went for the kill quickly and cleanly. Both players launched at the Methlick bowlers, running ones and twos, before Doss, arguably Turriff's most talented player, struck a flat six over long on off the bowling of Rice in an over yielding 12 runs. With Turriff now 10 away from victory, they pressed onto 86-7, when Rice bowled David Laing for six. Given the playing conditions and context of the game, it will probably turn out to be the most important and memorable six runs he will ever make. Club veteran Craig Peters joined Doss in the middle and immediately stuck a single to move the score to 87 and keep the strike. Doss responded, striking another single to give Peters the strike and the chance to hit the winning runs. But Rice bowled a wide to level the scores and Peters left a dot ball to give Doss the well-deserved honours. Doss duly dispatched the recalled Choudry's first delivery into the midwicket region to make a matching-winning 18 not out and see Turriff into the Johnston Rose Bowl final. This will be a tough game, to be played against grade newcomers Grampian, who have beaten Turriff twice in the league this season, on 1st August at a venue to be announced. But if Turriff field their strongest team, and play their best cricket, they could yet see some silverware this season.
Sunday, 7 June 2015
Turriff CC v Siyapa CC match report...
For scorecards click here.
On Sunday, Turriff held their annual Single Wicket
competition securing an impressive turnout of 14 players. This fun
competition takes the form of a knockout tournament, where each pair of players
take turns to bowl 4 overs at each other. The winner - the one with the
most runs - goes through to the next stage. There were two first round
upsets. William Welchler held David Laing to a tie then won a sudden
death bowl out, hitting the stumps on his second attempt. While Kerry
Balment, playing her first match for Turriff, knocked out wicket keeper batsman
Fraser Smart. In the second round, Steve Lings went out to Dodd Duncan,
falling for the senior players carefully constructed trap and holing out to Ian
Smart at deep backward square leg in the first over for four runs. Duncan
then lost a close semi-final game to semi-retired player Neil Smith, who had
seen off Blair Balment, to set up a final with Ian Smart. Smith reminded
everyone of his all round ability, only narrowly losing to the Turriff skipper,
who just managed to dismiss the left hander for a plausible total, before he
really got going with his dangerous strokeplay and took the game too far out of
Smart’s grasp.
After a fortnight off, Turriff continued their grade 4
campaign at home to league leaders Siyapa Cricket Club. The pitch had
taken a lot of water on board over the two weeks, but JMS had kindly loaned
Turriff their heavy roller, improving matters immeasurably. Siyapa are a
new club to the grades, who describe themselves as "an Aberdeen based team
comprising Pakistani oil and gas professionals". With one win by
default, and three more out of three games played, they came to the Haughs
looking to defend a one hundred percent record this season. Batting
first, Siyapa had chalked up previous scores of 248 and 251, made in early
season bowler-friendly weather on the tricky Sheddocksley pitch. Their
skipper, Abdullah Khan, arrived with the outstanding average of 192, having
been dismissed only once. So when skipper Ian Smart lost the toss, it was
no surprise to Turriff's bowlers that he asked them to loosen up.
As usual David Laing and Steven Lings opened for
Turriff. After two maidens, Laing bowled Haroon for four from the last
ball of the third over, bringing left hander Siddique to join the right handed
Zafar Khan at the crease. At the twelve over mark, Laing and Lings had
conceded only 18 runs between them and Turriff were starting to wonder if the
Siyapa batting line up would actually live up to its reputation. Smart
made a double bowling change to bring Michael Soper and Blair Balment into the
attack. The Siyapa batsmen immediately changed gear, ditching their
forward defensives and suddenly looking to attack the change bowlers from the
word go. With some aggressive strokeplay, and a fair bit of luck as
mistimed shots landed annoying just short of fielders, they plundered another
53 runs by the start of over 22. Zafar Khan attempted to drive the second
ball of Soper's fifth over, only to smack a thick leading edge straight into
the hands of Lings at cover point.
Siyapa captain Abdullah Khan strode out to the crease, and
Smart had hatched a cunning plan to try and reduce his average to double figures.
Bringing a refreshed Lings back to replace Soper, hoping to starve the runs at
one end, Dodd Duncan was given a licence at the other end to bowl some slower
deliveries into the wind with men catching on the fence both sides.
Duncan struck first, but against left hander Amir as Blair Balment took a
magnificent skied catch. This brought another right handed strokeplayer,
and centurion against Methlick seconds, Shahram Memon to the middle to join his
skipper. Lings adopted a policy of mixing up quicker straight deliveries
with slower ball off-breaks, whilst having Smart move the field around in an
attempt confuse the batsmen. This provoked the batsmen to attack the
Turriff opener, as they took 21 off his last 4 overs, his previous 8 having
gone for only 10 runs.
But these runs came at a price as first Memon and then
Abdullah Khan were dismissed driving hard at full length balls. Memon
missing and losing his leg stump for 18 and Khan skying a leading edge, taken
brilliantly by Laing in the covers for 26, and reducing the away team skipper's
batting average to only 109. Balment came back into the attack and had
Raza caught for 30 off the last ball of the 41st over. Siyapa then
declared with the scoreboard reading 201-6. No Siyapa batsman had scored over
34, and Turriff checked their progress with regular wickets, but had still been
put to the sword somewhat by some classy strokeplay. Scoring over 200
against a quality opposition, that had taken 10 wickets in all three of their
games, was going to be a tall ask for the home side.
Smart and Lings opened the batting, facing Haroon and Nisar,
both right arm seamers. After three maiden overs, Smart opened his
account with a single of each bowler in overs four and five. Lings then
looked to score at the short leg side boundary by pulling a shorter delivery
from Nisar, missing as the ball stayed lower than he expected and losing his
off stump bail for a duck. Soper came to the crease at number 3 but soon
became Nisar's second victim when he took a return catch. Hard-hitting
middle order batsman Dodd Duncan came the the crease to face the new ball at 6
for 2, and looked to start the Turriff counter attack. Smart made it to 8
runs before the first change bowler, left arm swing bowler Hassan, surprised
the Turriff skipper with a ball kiwi ace Trent Boult would have been proud of,
pinning him lbw in front of middle stump. Blair Balment joined Duncan at
the crease. Duncan struck a four and two sixes for a quickfire 22 before
being caught. Balment was more circumspect, seeing off the seamers,
before becoming the first of three victims for wrist spinner Tanweer Khan for a
hard fought 12.
New signing Christian Swan was unlucky to become Khan's
second victim as Memon took a professional standard one-handed catch six inches
off the floor at square leg. Turriff's juniors looked to hold out for the
draw against quality spin bowling from both ends, and surrounded by short
fielders. Finlay Gowan played some nice strokes to pick up four singles,
but one by one the Turriff tail succumbed and the impressive Sipaya CC, who
would have given any grade 3 team Turriff played last season a run for their
money, won by 135 runs. Turriff play three more home games in June, and
will look to secure their first win of the season against the struggling Kemnay
Kintore second team on 13th June.
Tuesday, 12 May 2015
Stonehaven Thistle CC v Turriff CC match report...
Turriff played their third consecutive match with only ten
men on Saturday, losing a low scoring game away to a full strength Stonehaven
Thistle side. Turriff were on one hand
bolstered by the return of Blair Balment, Dodd Duncan, Craig Peters and new registration
Phil Wrigglesworth. On the other,
regulars Ian and Fraser Smart, David Chalmers, Immanuel Doss and Michael Soper
were unable to play, leaving Turriff without first choice opening batsman,
first choice wicketkeeper, both reserve keepers and two very much in form
all-rounders.
Turriff had been put into bat on a rolled, covered,
Mineralwell Park pitch that looked pretty good, but Turriff's stand in openers
were about to find out how deceptive appearances can be. For although the visiting sides home ground,
the Haughs, is a grassy pitch that does assist the seamers with sideways
movement, it generally offers decent pace and bounce. When the weather is fine and the wicket dry,
the ball actually comes onto the bat nicely, allowing the batsman to drive
anything too full of a good length without too much risk of being bowled out. This is true of most of the uncovered and
artificial wickets that Turriff play their matches on when they are not wet. Of the teams Turriff played last season, only
Huntley have the facilities to produce rolled and covered pitches, and recent
experience there has been of a good wicket with no nasty surprises. While wet, uncovered pitches will challenge
the batsman with variable pace and bounce, low, slow, dry but 'dead' wickets -
where the ball can sometimes quite literally not bounce and just roll along the
deck after pitching - are not something most of Turriff's players have much
experience of.
Steve Lings opened the batting with skipper David Laing in
overcast conditions, hoping to find batting easy against the Stonehaven new
ball pair of Prothero and Gows. Both
right arm medium pacers, Prothero bowled orthadox outswingers while Gows
sported a bit of extra pace, cranking it up to about as quick as one would ever
see in grade four. The demons in the
pitch became apparent in the second over of the match when one of Gows
deliveries stayed freakishly low, bowling David Laing before he could get his
eye in and trouble the scorers. Blair
Balment survived a couple of overs before falling to another Gow
mollygrubber. Dodd Duncan joined Lings
at the crease, and they managed to see the new ball pair off, rotating the
strike, both players picking up a few singles.
First change bowler Wilson, a junior slow right arm bowler,
then came on and exploited the soft wicket, to produce a devastating spell of
bowling to remove three of the Turriff middle order, in three overs, for five
runs. Including one bowled out with a
ball that bounced twice before hitting middle stump. As Stonehaven made numerous bowling changes
to keep turriff guessing, Lings made good use of his experience of similar
English early season wickets. He batted
patiently with the tail to end unbeaten on 58, helping Turriff to 90 all
out. Juniors Noah Balment and William
Wechsler played innings of particular note, showing maturity far beyond their
years as they stonewalled and frustrated the Stonehaven bowlers, allowing the
more experienced - and in form - Lings to reach his fifty against the odds by
simply defending anything straight and only attacking wider deliveries. Although it was never going to be an easy
score to defend without Doss and Soper, and playing away, 90 all out turned out
to be the highest grade 4 first innings score of the week after a lot of damp
weather.
Turriff opened the bowling with the usual combination of
David Laing and Steven Lings. It became
immediately apparent that the Stonehaven batsmen were far more experienced of
their home conditions, as they reacted quickly to anything slightly short of a
full length, being ready with their weight on the back foot to pull two boundaries
to midwicket in Laings first over as soon as they saw the ball get up. Lings opened up against Law, and after firing
two down the leg side, got the third ball right on target, swinging it back
into the left handers pads and sending him back adjudged lbw. After some tight new ball bowling, in the
tenth over, Lings produced a rip-snorter of a swinging yorker that struck
dangerous looking opener Bonds on his back foot, removing him lbw for 25 and
Stonehaven were 30-2.
As Lings tired, Laing brought the taller, quicker Blair
Balment into the attack for the first time this season, and he delivered in his
first over, uprooting Prothero's middle stump for 5. But Stonehaven fought back, and looked to
press home towards the total by picking off anything short of a full length on
the slow wicket. Laing struck once more
for Turriff, when Wechsler took a steepler at mid-off that must have been hit
well over 50 meters in the air. It was a
stunning catch that a lot of adult players would have dropped, or even refused,
at this level of cricket. Handy-looking
middle order pair Long and Devlin ended 21 and 15 not out to see the home team
home after they had survived the new ball and worn down Turriff's three
bowlers. Turriff are away next week
again to Aberdeen Grammar School Former Pupils before a run of home games at
the Haughs that lasts well into June, where they will hope to start picking up
more points.
Saturday, 25 April 2015
Grampian CC v Turriff CC match report ...
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Turriff, now playing in grade 4, began their season away to Aberdeenshire grades cricket newcomer Grampian CC. Two weeks of warm air and glorious sunshine had given way to a rather winter-like weather front or two. Heavy rain moving in from the west coast overnight had turned Sheddocksley's grassy park pitch into a muddy, sticky wicket. While the exposed location provided no respite from the nasty north winds sweeping into the north east from Iceland. Turriff managed to field 10 men, including three juniors, against a full strength Grampian side that looked to have another half dozen keen cricketers in reserve. With Turriff put into bat, the game was delayed for a few minutes as a brief shower of hail stones paid a visit to the proceedings.
Play got underway with Skipper Ian Smart opening the batting with Steven Lings, facing the Grampian new ball pair of Noby and John Varghese. Noby, a young, tall, quick and skiddy medium pacer, could swing the ball away from the right handed Smart and into the left handed Lings. Bowling a tight line and length on a pitch with variable pace and bounce he gave little away. John Varghese was an older bowler sporting a sort of medium pace off-cutter that spat, turned at least a foot and reared up from a good length. In fact no Turriff player could remember seeing a bowler turn it as much. It wasn't easy going and after the first 11 overs Turriff had crept to just 11 runs for no loss.
Change bowlers Davis Varghese and Saju Matthews were next up, as Smart and Lings looked to change gear and get some runs on the board. Davis Varghese immediately removed Lings, catching him off his own bowling for just one run as he mis-timed his stroke and an attempted drive was skied straight up in the air. This brought classy right-hander Immanuel Doss to the crease, who looked in good touch, getting off the mark with a boundary off Matthews in his first over. Smart sought to step up the run rate, and hit two fours before Matthews bowled him for 14, which ended the day as the third best score on either team.
As the weather got worse and showers set in, Davis Varghese took full advantage, producing an inspired spell of bowling to remove three of Turriff's middle order without them troubling the scorers. Immanuel Doss, left batting with the tail, farmed the strike superbly to reach a fluent and quickfire 35 before being caught off the bowling of Davis Varghese as he looked to attack the Grampian strike bowler, who had just completed his five-for. Grampian decided to let their spinners have a go. Turriff's increasingly impressive junior, Findlay Gowan, found the leg side rope and struck two more singles from sweetly timed pull shots. A frustrated Grampian decided to go for the kill and brought back opening bowler John. Startled by a cutter that gripped and spun into his hips from nearly two feet wide of his off stump, Gowan fended to the well placed short midwicket fielder and Turriff were all out for 85, probably 40 or so short of a winning total on this pitch.
Conditions cleared up a bit after lunch and the sun was out. assisting the batsmen. But the wind had picked up, making one end rather tricky to bowl from. Senior new ball bowler David Laing draw the short straw and Grampian opener Saji found the fence with a pull shot in the first over. Lings bowled with the wind behind him from the other end to left-hander Seby, who got a jaffer first ball, and played onto his stumps bringing Johnson to the crease. Johnson made 8 before being bowled as one of Lings' outswingers took his off stump bail. In his next over Lings bowled Saji for 8 with a similar delivery and an unlikely Turriff win was looking possible. Grampian veteren number 4 batsman, and demon off cut bowler, John Varghese had different ideas. As he started freeing up his arms, attacking the Turriff bowlers he scored freely and generally looked in a different class to anyone else on the field.
Turriff quicky Immanuel Doss had replaced Laing, but was bowling wrist spin as the wind was making bowling seam up just too tricky for the bowlers and far too easy for the batsman. Grampian middle order batsmen Davis Varghese and Noby both perished hitting hard spun leg breaks straight to new recruit Callum Duncan at backward point for scores of two and five. But the bowlers were struggling to contain John Varghese's strokeplay, and struggling to keep him off strike. He struck a brilliant 54 not out, including four sixes and six fours, to see Grampian home with a lot of overs to spare. His talent and experience proved to be the difference between the two grade 4 teams. In 2014, the average winning score in grade 4 was 127, and with another 40-odd runs on the board Turriff might have had a competitive total on a tricky Sheddockley wicket. Turriff also shelled two difficult catches and can take a lot of positives into their first home game against Portcullis on 2nd May.
Turriff, now playing in grade 4, began their season away to Aberdeenshire grades cricket newcomer Grampian CC. Two weeks of warm air and glorious sunshine had given way to a rather winter-like weather front or two. Heavy rain moving in from the west coast overnight had turned Sheddocksley's grassy park pitch into a muddy, sticky wicket. While the exposed location provided no respite from the nasty north winds sweeping into the north east from Iceland. Turriff managed to field 10 men, including three juniors, against a full strength Grampian side that looked to have another half dozen keen cricketers in reserve. With Turriff put into bat, the game was delayed for a few minutes as a brief shower of hail stones paid a visit to the proceedings.
Play got underway with Skipper Ian Smart opening the batting with Steven Lings, facing the Grampian new ball pair of Noby and John Varghese. Noby, a young, tall, quick and skiddy medium pacer, could swing the ball away from the right handed Smart and into the left handed Lings. Bowling a tight line and length on a pitch with variable pace and bounce he gave little away. John Varghese was an older bowler sporting a sort of medium pace off-cutter that spat, turned at least a foot and reared up from a good length. In fact no Turriff player could remember seeing a bowler turn it as much. It wasn't easy going and after the first 11 overs Turriff had crept to just 11 runs for no loss.
Change bowlers Davis Varghese and Saju Matthews were next up, as Smart and Lings looked to change gear and get some runs on the board. Davis Varghese immediately removed Lings, catching him off his own bowling for just one run as he mis-timed his stroke and an attempted drive was skied straight up in the air. This brought classy right-hander Immanuel Doss to the crease, who looked in good touch, getting off the mark with a boundary off Matthews in his first over. Smart sought to step up the run rate, and hit two fours before Matthews bowled him for 14, which ended the day as the third best score on either team.
As the weather got worse and showers set in, Davis Varghese took full advantage, producing an inspired spell of bowling to remove three of Turriff's middle order without them troubling the scorers. Immanuel Doss, left batting with the tail, farmed the strike superbly to reach a fluent and quickfire 35 before being caught off the bowling of Davis Varghese as he looked to attack the Grampian strike bowler, who had just completed his five-for. Grampian decided to let their spinners have a go. Turriff's increasingly impressive junior, Findlay Gowan, found the leg side rope and struck two more singles from sweetly timed pull shots. A frustrated Grampian decided to go for the kill and brought back opening bowler John. Startled by a cutter that gripped and spun into his hips from nearly two feet wide of his off stump, Gowan fended to the well placed short midwicket fielder and Turriff were all out for 85, probably 40 or so short of a winning total on this pitch.
Conditions cleared up a bit after lunch and the sun was out. assisting the batsmen. But the wind had picked up, making one end rather tricky to bowl from. Senior new ball bowler David Laing draw the short straw and Grampian opener Saji found the fence with a pull shot in the first over. Lings bowled with the wind behind him from the other end to left-hander Seby, who got a jaffer first ball, and played onto his stumps bringing Johnson to the crease. Johnson made 8 before being bowled as one of Lings' outswingers took his off stump bail. In his next over Lings bowled Saji for 8 with a similar delivery and an unlikely Turriff win was looking possible. Grampian veteren number 4 batsman, and demon off cut bowler, John Varghese had different ideas. As he started freeing up his arms, attacking the Turriff bowlers he scored freely and generally looked in a different class to anyone else on the field.
Turriff quicky Immanuel Doss had replaced Laing, but was bowling wrist spin as the wind was making bowling seam up just too tricky for the bowlers and far too easy for the batsman. Grampian middle order batsmen Davis Varghese and Noby both perished hitting hard spun leg breaks straight to new recruit Callum Duncan at backward point for scores of two and five. But the bowlers were struggling to contain John Varghese's strokeplay, and struggling to keep him off strike. He struck a brilliant 54 not out, including four sixes and six fours, to see Grampian home with a lot of overs to spare. His talent and experience proved to be the difference between the two grade 4 teams. In 2014, the average winning score in grade 4 was 127, and with another 40-odd runs on the board Turriff might have had a competitive total on a tricky Sheddockley wicket. Turriff also shelled two difficult catches and can take a lot of positives into their first home game against Portcullis on 2nd May.
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