Buckie CC v Fochabers CC |
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Macallan League |
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Close win for team Buckie
On Saturday Buckie Cricket club travelled to Inverness to take on Northern Counties in a match sponsored by Buckie United F.C. It was a game which most players believed would not be played due to the heavy rain the day before all through the night, however Northern Counties assured Buckie that the pitch was playable, and upon inspection it was, but only just... any more rain and the game would be of. However for once the weather remained favourable, and there was little or no extra rain, however the damp overcast conditions added to a sodden wicket meant that there was little in the pitch for the bowlers after the first few overs had settled the pitch. It also meant that batting first was going to be a disadvantage, and it was into this disadvantage that Buckie were placed, being asked to bat first by the Northern Counties captain.
True to the conditions batting was very difficult first up, and this was shown by the first two wickets going down for just 19 runs. Walls getting out to a particularly odd delivery, with a quick ball banged in half way down the wicket, Walls going back (properly so) to play a back foot shot, only to find the ball shoot along ankle height and take out his middle wicket. Nothing he could do about it, but simply shake his head and accept that on such a wet day there was nothing he could do.
Wilson however decided to take the adversity of lack of form and lousy batting conditions to show what a class batsman he is. Wilson was the only one of the top six batsmen who got himself settled and built a score, hitting a meritable 72 before finally falling to Metcalf, caught Ford. However the entertainment for the was not over, McDonald the bowling hero of last week decided to have a go with the bat. After taking 4 practise shots at the Counties spin bowler he finally made contact to see the ball go sailing for a well hit 6. A few balls later and the treatment was repeated, again a well hit 6 which saw Callanan taken out of the attack.
At the other end Curran was batting sensibly, taken some good runs and allowing McDonald his fun,a nd when McDonald finally fell for an entertaining 24, he worked with the tail to bring the innings to a end with a competitive 173 runs, with Curran being unbeaten on 23. 173 is not a hugh total, but one which gives the bowlers something to bowl at and the batsmen something to think about, and how the Northern Counties batsmen approach that score would give a good indication to their temperament for the rest of the season.
With the weather at least staying dry Buckie set about the defence of their target, and an early break through by Wilson bowling Lackie for 6 gave Buckie hope. However a great batting display by Hillstead and Stott threatened to take the game firmly away from Buckie, and their 103 run partnership including some well hit 6’s by Stott, including one lost ball, showed their intent. However McDonald is always difficult to score runs from, and when Baker and Corsie slowed the Counties run rate it meant that in the last ten overs Counties needed about 50 runs, hence 5 runs an over to win.
This chase was hampered by the quick loss of Hillstead for 35 and Stott for 71, Metcalf then holed out for 2, Ford was run out by Baker for 5, Amour dismissed by Corsie for 12 and Chalmers was run out by Plant for 3. The nerves in the Counties team was certainly jangling, and when McDonald and Wilson were brought back to bowl the last two overs Counties still needed 12 runs to win. A great over by McDonald, which only conceded 2 runs, left Wilson the opportunity to close out the innings, Counties needing 9 to draw or 10 to win off that last over. Wilson duly oblidged, again only conceding 2 runs of the final over, and giving Buckie CC a win by 7 runs.
There is a phrase often used around Buckie CC and of course in other team sports, that phrase being you win as a team and you lose as a team. This was never more evident than on Saturday, there was no one individual performance which won the game for Buckie, instead everyone chipped in, there was runs scored by lower order, to support the top order, the fielding was sharp even in terrible cricketing conditions, the catching was mainly good and the bowling accurate. The team won the game for Buckie, by simply strangling the Counties batting attack, making it hard to score runs and 2 runs outs shows the effect such pressure has on a team. On Saturday Buckie truly played as a team and on this occasion won as a team.
Next week Buckie CC are home at the Linzee Gordon Park, to take on Ross County and it would be good to see you there.
Buckie CC 173 all out
Northern Counties 166 - 7
