Mannofield Near-Miss
May 4, 2011From your North of Scotland correspondent
On a sunny and warmish day in Aberdeen Ian Young won the toss and decided to bat. The wicket was slow and low but McCrea FS West lost the skipper and debutant pro, Colin de Grandhomme early to be 27 for 2. A great stand of 135 between Dougie (brilliantly run out for a hard working 68 by a direct throw to the bowlers end) and Andrew Umeed (78no) rallied the troops. Andrew’s innings was immense and mature and he was joined by Dave McNulty (25no). Between them they raised the score to 218 for 3 in 50 overs – perhaps a few runs light, especially as Aberdeenshire bowled 15 wides and 3 “free hit” no balls.
In reply Aberdeenshire replied apace with Ian Brand (23) despatching some loose balls with power. Neil Macrae (40) batted in his usual steady accumulating manner but there was a mid innings flurry of wickets with Aberdeenshire reaching 163 for 7. Stewart Leggat bowled especially well, getting some turn, taking 4 for 30. Gordon Thomson bowled 10 overs for 34 – a really good performance with no wides in a game when both sides bowled a total of 28 wides. GT is West’s Fernando Torres – waiting for that crucial wicket , but it will come – definitely!! Ask Fernando!
Reid (64no) and new skipper Tyler Buchan (28no) batted really well maintaining the run rate required at that stage of around 7 per over. This was beginning to be as good as the IPL for a tight contest and after 2 chinese cuts which went to the boundary the pressure was on McCrea FS West to take the final wickets. Unfortunately it was not to be and the 8th wicket stand of 59 proved to be decisive. A great game of cricket. Well done, the home side. For McCrea FS West, a disappointment to start the 150th Anniversary Season, but lots of promise for the challenges ahead.
The consensus of supporters of both sides around Mannofield at the end of the game was amazement that West will not get the chance of revenge at Hamilton Crescent later in the summer because of the new League set up. Let’s hope that all matches this summer are as competitive for the players and as enjoyable for the spectators – but I doubt it.
Never mind, we all might have to travel back to Mannofield for a second visit if the league places pan out in such a way mid August.
