Hail The Young Centurion

Walls’ are perhaps better known for their 99’s, but on Saturday in the Macallan League match sponsored by J Robertson, Pozzi’s this particular Walls went four better for 103 as Buckie rolled over the airmen of Kinloss.

On winning the toss, Buckie chose to bat on the wicket livened by a light shower prior to the start. Buckie made a positive start with Findlay and Eadie Walls striking the ball well and getting the scoreboard moving. However, Kinloss seemed to be using a helium filled ball as everything went up. Findlay started by cutting a short and wide from Sargent into the hands of gully to leave the field with the score on 15.

Daniel Walls joined uncle Eadie in the middle and they resolutely saw off the opening bowlers after 18 overs. Runs were spares though and still the ball favoured the aerial route giving several scares. With the score on 55, the luck of Eadie ran out and he was caught in the covers from Hastie.

Corsie joined Daniel Walls at the crease and this pair injected a massive boost into the run rate. Overs became expensive items with some going for 10 or 12 runs a time and the Buckie score took off quicker than a Nimrod down the runway. Walls reached his half century first with Corsie following on in the next over. Then the 17 year old left the skipper behind with a string of runs generated by excellent stroke play to all corners of the field.

In the 42 nd over the Buckie score reached 200 and by the end of the innings 27 more runs were added. Also during that three over period, Walls took advantage of the strike to gather the runs needed for his ton. A straight four back over the bowler’s head brought up his century and put him into the record books as certainly the youngest Buckie player to achieve that feat. At the close he remained undefeated on 103 runs with Corsie also still standing at 86.

After the Barclay Tea Interval, Kinloss took to the crease facing a mountain to climb that became steeper when McDonald bowled Westley with a cracking in-ducker with the score on 5.

Wilson was bowling well and beating the bat to no avail so he used the age old tactic of bowling a bad one to gain reward and have Thomas well caught at gully by the diving Baker.

Pearmain was batting correctly and putting up stiff resistance, but a peach of a delivery from Wilson went through the gate and knocked back middle stump. Sargent lasted two balls before the same bowler uprooted his leg stump with one that did keep low. Wilson struck again when Plant ran in from short cover to take a catch on the strip after Bland popped one up.

Shakeel got in on the act when Shackleton failed to get his leg out of the way and stopped the ball hitting middle stump.

Wilson completed his fivefor when Marshall gave Baker his second catch this one being more straightforward than his first.

Thomson replaced Wilson and wasted little time in wrapping things up as McDonald fielding at extra cover caught batsman Stuart off Tommo’s first ball. Cheeseman was next to go a couple of overs later as he left Findlay an easy stumping from the master of ‘FnG’ and Kinloss were on their way home bowled out for 63.

Wilson had a bag of 5 scalps, Thomson 2 and McDonald and Wilson 1 each. Plant had ‘pFbnG’.

An easy victory on reflection, but one set up by a 172 run partnership from Corsie and Walls with the youngster taking the lead role and stealing the plaudits. Well Done Dan.

Thanks to J Roberston, Pozzi’s for sponsoring this match. Next weekend Buckie are away to Keith on Saturday for the match sponsored by Ian Stephen. On Sunday the Scottish Cup journey begins on the Speyside Way with Fochabers waiting at Castle Park. This match is sponsored by Eddie Corsie MBE and both begin at 1.00pm. See you there.