Buckie CC v Elgin |
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Macallan League |
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FIRST GAME OF THE SEASON
On a dry, overcast day the cricket season started for real. The twenty 20 weekends a memory and the season proper starts. Last year saw Buckie CC fall behind their usual high standards finishing fifth in the league, and now was the time to put these things right. This saw Buckie CC travel to Elgin to play Elgin CC at the Copper park in a match sponsored Buckie Inshore Fish Selling. Buckie won the toss and elected to Bat, a decision which was to have far reaching consequencies in the game.
Walls and Creamer opened the innings, but neither troubled the scorers for long with Buckie slumping to 11 for 2 wickets. This brought the ever reliable pairing of Wilson and Corsie to the crease, who attempted to establish some order to the batting, and they took the score to 43 before one aggressive shot to many accounted for Wilsons wicket. This led to a flurry of quick wickets, with the score going from 43 for 3 to 57 all out, with only Wilson and Corsie achieving double figures. Congratulations must go to Hinds and Dethick of Elgin who bowled excellently in the conditions, and gained the maximum reward for their labours.
So Elgin went into bat with a minimal demand on their batsman, however with both Wilson and McDonald opening the bowling anything can happen. It was to be McDonald who really troubled the Elgin batsman, grabbing two quick wickets, leaving Elgin on 20 for 2. With Wilson nursing an injury, Creamer stepped up and bowled accurately, but was unable to get a wicket, and with him tiring a new player for Buckie was brought into the attack. Brian Hall started his Buckie career in style with a wicket with his first ball, however he was having problems with his line and length, and proved to be expensive. After two overs he was replaced with McDonald again in the hope that he would get a much needed break through. However it was at the other end with Clarence bowling, and Curran standing up to the wickets where the gaps in the Elgin batting attack were exposed. Clarence took a much deserved wicket, but by then it was to late, and Elgin reached their target with six wickets in hand.
Buckie CC seriously failed with the bat on Saturday, however the bowling was excellent and challenging. Assuming Buckie sort out their batting attack, they are going to be a serious force this season, for their bowling will challenge most teams. A bad day at the office, but there were signs of hope for the future. However there is always next weekend which sees Buckie take on Narin at the Linzee Gordon Park in a match sponsored by Louis Fish and Chips.
