Still On Course

The Macallan league resumed on Saturday after a break for short game competitions and table toppers Buckie, sponsored by Peter Cowie, travelled to Castle Park, Fochabers for the start of the title run in.

With the pitch in its ususal excellent condition and the sun on the backs batting was the order of the day and Corsie won the right to do that with the toss of the coin. He donned the pads himself and partnered Findlay for the opening stand. A steady start was made and 56 runs were added before Findlay was trapped LBW by Bijl.

ijl struck again to have Walls caught in the slips and at 64 for 2 Wilson strode purposefully to the crease. Determined strokes were played and Wilson’s lucky charms won at Peter Fair the night before were all cashed in during his innings.

Corsie took another half century and stopped at 74 when he holed out to extra cover from A Stockwell’s bowling. The score was now 155 with the partnership worth 91 valuable runs.

Lindsay was bowled by Stockwell before Wilson went on to complete his half century and proceeded to dance down the wicket and missed a Mehta delivery leaving a simple stumping for the keeper. A chancefull 56 scored nevertheless.

Shakeel and Curran opened up in the closing overs and with a sparkling display of running and powerful hitting saw the score past 200. Shakeel went before the close caught at mid off after a very high hit from Stockwell.

Thomson stood in as Curran continued and the Buckie effort closed at 215 for 6. Corsie and Wilson provided the backbone with useful cameos from Shakeel (21), Curran (18) and Findlay (18).

Adam Stockwell claimed three of the wickets to fall with Bijl and Mehta sharing the others.

Fochabers were certainly capable of chasing the score so Buckie had to be on top form with the ball and sharp in the field.

With the score on 12 a short delivery from Wilson took Constable’s gloves and carried through to Shakeel at second slip to give Buckie the breakthrough. At 14 a well flighted delivery from McDonald deceived Mark Stockwell from the word go and the leather on ash clunk was the result.

Mehta went cheaply caught by Walls at cover off Wilson and Goldsborough departed after a quick 25 runs thanks to a Thomson catch from Shakeel’s bowling. Shakeel struck almost immediately to uproot McPhee’s stumps and Fochabers stood at 49 for 5. 20 overs had gone and the game was beyond the Speysiders.

Fox and A Stockwell enjoyed a 60 run partnership, but never at a pace that posed problems for Buckie. Creamer broke this pairing with a fine delivery to bowl Stockwell for 36 runs.

Fox hung around a while longer and was also dismissed by Creamer for 36 runs when he edged to the keeper.

Wilson was brought back into the attack and wrapped things up fairly quickly. Saunders was caught by Plant from Creamer, Gibb was caught by Lindsay from Wilson and Bijl was caught at first slip by Corsie after a screaming edge off Wilson to win the game for Buckie.

Wilson took four wicket, Creamer bowled a great line and was rewarded with 3 wickets, Shakeel had a brace and McDonald a lonely but a welcome one. Buckie’s fielding at times was out of the top drawer with Curran and Shakeel epitomising the effort with reaction stops in the slip quarters.

Only four games remain with Northern Counties chasing close behind Buckie.

Thanks to Peter Cowie for sponsoring this match,. Next Saturday, Buckie entertain RAF Lossie at the LGP in the fixture sponsored by A M McLeod, Portknockie. See you there.