Buckie CC v RAF Lossiemouth CC |
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Macallan League |
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Airmen Fail To Take Off
On Saturday, Buckie, sponsored by A M McLeod, Portknockie tackled RAF Lossiemouth in their latest challenge to regain the Macallan championship title. A very hot day greeted the players as Buckie took to the LGP wicket having been asked to bat by the airmen.
Findlay and Corsie opened once more and made a steady if somewhat cautious start. Walten was bowling at some pace, but his lack of accuracy meant he posed little threat other than odd bouncer clipping your ear perhaps. 28 runs were added before Findlay was adjudged LBW to Boardman in the 10 th over. Corsie and Daniel Walls then laid the foundation of the innings with a stand of 62 runs to take the score to 90 at the half way point in the innings.
At this juncture Corsie was dismissed LBW this time Murphy was the bowler. The skipper had scored 41 this time round. The score moved to 118 at when Walls on 43 was caught behind off Ouldfield. Lindsay was unlucky when a Murphy delivery rattled between his bat and body before falling onto the stumps.
Wilson was cruising on 28, but became the third LBW victim of the day when Boardman struck his pads. Shakeel went a wandering and was duly stumped. Hepburn started to see the ball well and along with Eadie Walls saw off the return of the opening bowlers before starting to cut loose.
However, a straight hit back over the bowler Murphy’s head spelled the end for Hepburn as mid off moved round to take the catch. Plant made a brief dent before being bowled by Woodward who then bowled Creamer next ball.
McDonald partnered Walls to the close with Eadie unbeaten on 19 runs as the Buckie innings stood at 188 for 9.
Boardman and Murphy each had 3 wickets with Woodward 2 and Ouldfield the other.
Buckie started eagerly in the humid conditions and McDonald struck in his first over to find the edge of Woodward’s bat which carried through to Corsie at first slip. In his next three overs Wilson struck to bowl Walten and Kerr, whilst Ouldfield was caught at first slip by that man Corsie again. Lossie were on 13 for 4 with hopes of an upset disappearing fast.
Coe hit back and surprisingly Shakeel allowed 2 sixes to escape in his opening over before Wilson struck again to bowl Murphy. Coe was going well, but was undone by Shakeel who once again produced that unexpected touch of genius with the ball. Similar to Murali’s ‘doosra’, Tahir’s version, which he calls the ‘oopsa’, is released late from the hand and delivered one third down the pitch and the spin causes the batsman, just as the ball is about to take it’s second bounce, to scoop it up in the square leg direction where, on this occasion Wilson was waiting hands poised for the catch.
Plaudits for the bowler. The batsman, dumb struck, could not believe it.
With a conventional delivery, Shakeel then bowled Boardman and without further sore being added, Eadie Walls put in a drifter that beat Griggs and allowed Findlay a stumping. Shakeel found Dickson’s edge to give Corsie his third catch of the day at slip and Wilson was returned to the attack to wrap things up by bowling Smith round his legs with a leg break a la Warne and Gatting.
The Lossie reply stood at 83 runs and well short of the Buckie tally thanks to the tight and accurate bowling of all bowlers. Wilson finished with a five haul, Shakeel three and Walls and McDonald 1 each.
Another win to stay ahead of Northern Counties in the title race. Huntly’s defeat at the hands of Fochabers turns this clearly into a two horse race between Buckie and the Invernessians with the two teams still to meet on the last day of the season.
Thanks to A M McLeod, Portknockie for sponsoring this match. Next weekend Buckie have no first XI game on the Saturday as they prepare for the Cup Final against Huntly on Sunday. This game starts at 2.00pm and will be played at Castle Park, Fochabers. See you there.
