Wonder Walls

Due to the Inverness Meeting Park being under repair Buckie travelled to Forres on Saturday to tackle Northern Counties in the Macallan League match sponsored by the Ardach Health Centre. This promised to be a hard battle against two championship hopefuls.

Batting was the order of the day when skipper Corsie won the toss and with Duthie offshore Eadie Walls said he “felt good” and was duly called up to fill the breach left at No 2 in the line up. Any concern on the sidelines was soon overcome when Walls got off the mark off his first ball and never looked back. Runs came at 5 an over and a six over backward square by Findlay heralded a flurry of boundaries from both batsmen to bring up a fifty opening stand.

Ten overs later that stand was converted to a century partnership with both batsmen reaching their personal half centuries soon afterwards. Walls stretched a quad muscle and called for a runner, a fact that eased his breathing as well.

Another 7 overs saw another 50 runs added and 156 was reached before Counties got their first break. Amour, surprisingly a late change bowler, got Findlay to drive through midwicket and Gary Reid took a fine low catch diving to his right. Findlay had struck 8 fours and two sixes on his way to 77.

Only one more run was added before Eadie Walls was bowled by Callanan for a tremendous 62 runs which included 5 fours. Having enjoyed the test drive Eadie then went on to buy the bat!

Wilson inspected the crease before Corsie and Daniel Walls piled on the agony for Counties compiling a 70 run partnership in 9 overs before Corsie pulled Metcalfe into midwicket and was caught by Gary Reid with his second excellent diving catch of the day. The skipper hit 4 fours and a six out of his 46 runs.

Hepburn made a welcome return to the crease and joined young Walls to the finish when the Buckie score stood at 262 runs. Walls finished unbeaten on 32 not out.

Amour figures were two for 26 with Callanan and Metcalfe expensively splitting the other two.

Stott and Amour opened for the home side with the proverbial mountain to climb and reached 19 runs before Wilson made the significant breakthrough beating Stott for pace as the batsmen tried to pull but used the top of his bat to spoon a catch to Plant at mid on.

Wilson struck again to bowl Amour just clipping the top of the leg stump by the finest amount as the ball sliced through the batsman like a swordsman’s rapier.

First change Shakeel struck early and trapped George Reid LBW. Gary Reid was the next batsmen to be beaten for speed as Wilson demolished his stumps to leave Counties at 49 for 4.

Metcalfe was batting well, but couldn’t keep a partner for any length of time and although he managed to double the score with Callanan, the latter, who adopted a swashbuckling style, paid the price for his dangerous game when Shakeel got the measure of him and bowled him for 22 runs.

Chalmers kept an end up and the score moved to 126 before Flett (yes Bill) got the better of Counties top batsmen Metcalfe with a flighted delivery that was hit and caught by Wilson positioned long and straight. Metcalfe had scored 60 runs.

With Metcalfe gone and Chalmers playing a straight bat the openings came at the other end and Shakeel wrapped things up by bowling all three tail-enders to close the innings at 141 and win the game for Buckie. Chalmers was undefeated on 21 runs.

Shakeel finished with 5 wickets, Wilson 3 and Flett took the other for his 28th first class career wicket.

An excellent victory set up by a powerful batting performance.

Thanks to Ardach Health Centre for sponsoring this match. Next weekend play returns to the LGP when Nairn County are the visitors. This game will start at 1.00pm and is sponsored by Louis Fish and Chips. See you there.