A Capital Disappointment

It was somewhat unfortunate that 4 of the 5 Premiership fixtures on Saturday 27th June were scheduled in Edinburgh on a day when the capital was the wettest place in the country. Full credit then to six of the eight sides for wanting to play cricket and waiting till the rains relented mid afternoon, allowing three shortened matches to be completed – and each one a last over thriller. The exceptions to the “play the game” spirit were the “raining” champions, Grange and Clydesdale FCC (Former Cricket Club) who elected to preserve their percentages. This was to pay off for Grange who, by dint of their inactivity, leapfrogged the mighty McCrea FS West into 2nd place as our First  XI just failed to defend 177 in 30 overs at Carlton.

After an early tea, play started at 4pm with West choosing to bat. Dougie L was in electrifying form from the start but gradually Gregg Watson got into his stride and the opening partnership was worth 81 in 14 overs before Carlton’s best bowler on the day, Ross Lyons removed Gregg. With damp ground conditions but an excellent track, everything favoured the batsmen and Dougie and the Pro added a brisk 50 before both fell in quick succession. Elly found Fraggle on the wide long on boundary and in the next over the erstwhile West star Stevie G took a blinding catch at ground level at backward point off Dougie’s full blooded square cut. The main man gone for 67!  With two new batsmen at the crease West lost some impetus for a spell before a final acceleration took them to 177 for 5, a very defendable total if they could bowl and field to their abilities.

Unfortunately, only Cranny and Dutch bowled with any great control, with the Pirate leaking runs in his opening (and only) spell and the Pro looking strangely out of sorts. An early run out removed Barrett but Fraggle and Cedric English then added over 100 and built the platform that enabled Carlton to launch their winning charge. Both batted beautifully (if we ignore Cedric’s “Dilshan” attempt which he uppercut smack into his helmet) and a neutral would have thoroughly enjoyed watching this pair, and earlier Dougie, stroke and maneouvre the ball around the field. Surely still three of the best bats in the country. West’s fighting spirit is never in doubt these days and a little luck and a piece of brilliance finally removed the Carlton danger men. First Fraggle, having raced to 71, smacked Dutch’s cunning full toss straight to Gregg Watson on the boundary and shortly after, Cedric was run out at the bowler’s end as Dutch made a brilliant stop off his own bowling and threw himself into the stumps before the batsman could get back. Bulldog Drummond was promptly removed thanks to an astonishing diving catch by Gregg Watson skipping in from the mid wicket boundary, and suddenly the game was swinging back in West’s favour. The required run rate was increasing but instead of this phasing the home batsmen it was West who went to pieces as the ground fielding crumbled. Though boundaries were becoming scarce, scampering batsmen were turning ones into twos as West fumbled and groped around the damp outfield. It was certainly not easy fielding conditions but we should have done much better. 10 an over from the last 3 overs was the Carlton target and with the Pro to bowl two of those overs, West would have fancied their chances. However, with the assistance of some panicky fielding, Messrs Kerr and Gilmour took 10 off over 28. Despite Cranny removing Gilmour in his last over 12 runs were scored off the other 5 balls, leaving 8 required off the last over and new batsman Ross Lyons to face the Pro. The reinstated Saltire wasn’t going to hang about. Bang – 6, bang – 2. Game over.   A terrific match to watch but a disappointing outcome for West as we have now lost three league matches, all of them close, where we’ve been in the game until almost the last and it’s  been us that has folded, rather than the opposition.

Finally, from your temporary blogger, it’s goodbye to Nik. Sorry you couldn’t pick up a wicket or a win in your last game and even more sorry to see you go. You’ve been an important part of the West “family” and will be sadly missed, though I hear for the rest of the season, we’re just going to put a cardboard cut out at mid on and hope no one notices. Don’t forget the boys next year when the Bangalore IPL contracts go on offer.