Buckie CC v Highland |
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Macallan League |
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McDonald finally gets a LBW
This week saw Buckie Cricket club take on Highland Cricket Club at Fraser Park , Inverness, in a match sponsored by Louis Fish and Chips.
Buckie won the toss and elected to bat first on a wicket which was to prove be both very firm and unpredictable. A lot of short bowling was in attendance with most of the batsmen ducking and weaving away from some well bowled short deliveries. It was to prove to be a wicket in which no batsman was every truly in, and chances were given by everyone.
Buckie opened in a steady manner with J Corsie and E Walls putting on 35 runs for the first wicket. Unfortunatly the batting frailties which were in evidence last week reared their head again and Buckie were soon reeling when 35 – 1 became 58 – 6 in just the 27 th over, with only J Corsie putting on a significant score before being caught out hooking of a short ball for 28. However F Clarence and M Baker started to steady the ship with Clarence scoring a quick fire 14, before being deceived by a ball which kept low and removed his middle stump. D Creamer came to the crease and along with Baker guided Buckie past the 100 mark. Baker was finally out in the 42 nd over after scoring 21, with the score on 101. D Creamer guided the tail to the close of innings in the 45 th over scoring 9 not out, with the score on 110 – 9.
A special note for the highland bowling, and especially to R Nixon who bolwed to a plan and was rewarded for a quality spell of hostile bowling with figures of 2 -27 of his 12 overs. J Crabtree also grabbed two wickets, as well as T Sommy getting 3 -36 of his 12 overs.
Highland got off to a good reply in their innings scoring 12 runs of the first two overs, but in the 6 th over S McDonald was rewarded for his good line and length trapping Flett LBW for 3 runs. This was followed up by the dismissal of the very talented J Crabtree for 14 also LBW by McDonald. Before today’s game McDonald had never had a dismissal LBW but just like buses two came along at once. This rocked Highland and left them on 27 -2 and gave Buckie belief that the 110 was defendable. This brought Choukse to the crease, and he was to prove a difficult man to get out, although he did give some chances but nothing was to be held on to. However wickets continued to fall at the other end, and McDonald accounted for Nixon, Francis and Catto on the way to a five wicket haul. Creamer and Newlands also took a wicket and with Wilson removing the steady influence of A Park-Elliot it left Highland on 104 – 8, needing just 7 runs to win, but with only 2 wickets left. The cool head of Choukse prevailed and in the face of some hostile bowling from Wilson and accurate bowling from McDonald he got the necessary 7 runs in the following 5 overs. Leaving Highland with a two wicket victory, scoring 113 – 8
Over all a highly enjoyable game, played in great spirit. The pick of the batsman for Buckie has to be J Corsie and the pick of the bowlers must be S McDonald for returning with a five wicket haul with figures of 5 – 32 off his 12 overs. Next week Buckie are away to their local rivals Fochabers, in a match sponsored by the Ardach Health Centre, we hope to see you there.
Mike Baker
