Scorecard

Breadalbane v Forfarshire Cricket Club 3rd XI on Sat 06 Jul 2013 at 1pm
Forfarshire Cricket Club Won 39 runs

Match report Forthill 2nd XI gathered at dawn for the long trip north to the Highland town of Aberfeldy.

Cars were at a premium and all 11 players crammed into the combined space of Clark’s beat up Vectra and Skipper Sim’s luxury camper van. With every square inch of the Vectra’s capacity rammed full of kit and five people including the driver – the camper van custodian was dishing out bottled water and snacks to his five travelling companions as they lounged on the reclining seats. The Vectra stopped at the wee bakers shop on the way for a 2 for 1 sausage roll bargain; whilst the camper van’s fridge was already stocked with assorted finger rolls and various chocolate treats. The Vectra’s windows were rolled down to generate some fresh air and brows were mopped with tissues– the Chief Inspector hit the climate control button and perfect cooling temperatures were automatically dispensed. The Vectra had The Fratelli’s belting out on the cassette player – whilst the camper van had the driver’s own favourite - Susan Boyle - on the multi disc changer.......

That explained the scramble to get in to the Vectra then......

Once en route, the Vectra mob settled in and enjoyed the A9 scenery on this most splendid of days.
Once at the ground we changed in the rather quaint - if slightly cramped - confines of the tennis pavilion and made the short hop over to the cricket pitch.

On a baking hot day and with the wicket in decent nick, skipper Sim won the toss and batted first and it soon became apparent that the home side were a couple of men short at the appointed start time. This was when the home skipper was overheard bribing two young tennis players with the offer of a ham roll if they played for an hour until the other players arrived. Once a crate of Pimms was added to the deal - they agreed to stand in. With no less than seven under 15 players in the visitor’s line up; it was no surprise that it was a youthful opening combo and Christian and Callum started things off. Both looked comfortable against the home attack when suddenly a spectator strolled on to the pitch behind the bowlers arm just as the bowler was coming into bowl. This clearly distracted Callum who played his only false shot of his innings and was caught behind.

Craig came in and was not too happy to be given out LBW by Adees. Unfortunately the hot spot recorder was being used to view the earlier encroaching spectator and the decision was help up after appeal. Hogey joined Christian at the wicket. Hogey survived some early scares before starting to strike the ball well when he was unlucky to get a double ricochet which dislodged his bails. Clark joined Christian and they kept the board ticking along nicely before the elder statesman lost his off stump, much to the delight of the home team it seemed.....! The middle order had a bit of a collapse and Conor provided good support as Christian continued to thwart the Breadlabane bowlers with a great display of batting technique and played numerous fine shots in an excellent 69 runs.

The innings closed on a competitive total of 184 and credit goes to the home bowlers and fielders for sticking to their task in warm conditions.

A fine tea was enjoyed in the tennis pavilion and the discovery of bottles of “Carrot and Orange juice” proved of particular interest to our youngsters. Suitably refreshed we set about defending the total and Craig and Hogey got some early movement. Craig suffered a back spasm (perhaps caused by being squeezed up in a Vectra earlier in the day) and only bowled two overs before being replaced by Christian. Good bowling and batting followed and the visitors were somewhat fortunate to dismiss the clearly capable Bax via run out mode. This brought Wimberley to the crease and fresh from a century last week he looked a player of great ability. Having seen off the openers he set about the bowling vigorously and the ball was being despatched to all quarters of the ground. It was clear that Forthill needed to see the back of Wimberley and the skipper threw the ball to Fraser. He quickly grabbed the prize scalp of Wimberley caught and bowled and from there proceeded to tear through the heart of the home batting and returned the brilliant figures of 5 for 24.

Bridgeman provided stout resistance at the end but succumbed to a catch in the deep and this left the home team all out for 145 and a fine 25 points were secured for the visitors. Their cause was helped somewhat by the absence of the tennis players (who had disappeared mid innings to be replaced by cricketers) and then the disappearance of cricketers who failed to come out to bat having headed into the distance earlier in the game for some unknown reason!

Thanks go to Breadalbane for their hospitality throughout the day and for a fine tea.
Both teams gathered at a fine hostelry post match where the skipper treated his young charges to a round of coke and lemonade. Our thanks go to his financial advisor for arranging the funds to pay for this transaction.
Not content with being watered, the whole team decided that food was also in order and a stop off was held at the Perth McDonalds where various options were ordered and devoured. It is unlikely in the history of senior cricket teams that so many Happy Meals have been eaten....

So the third team have reached the dizzy heights of 70 odd percent and third spot in the table. In a league in which it appears every team is capable of beating each other and exciting second half to the season is in prospect.

The skipper declared that he was going home to an empty house as his better half was at the Susan Boyle concert in the Caird Hall. The liking of Mrs Sim for Susan Boyle perhaps explains the skipper’s new haircut which is clearly modelled on the SuBo look...

Next week sees a week off from league duty before battle resumes once again with the visit of St Modans to Forthill a week on Sunday.



Forfarshire Cricket Club 3rd XI Batting
Player Name RunsMB4s6sSRCtStRo
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 10 wickets
0
184		        
Callum Garden ct Thom b Bax 17
Christian Robertson ct Wimberley b Bowler 69
Craig McConnachie lbw Douthwaite 0
Jack Hogarth b Bridgeman 16
Clark McConnachie b Bruce 35 1
Fraser Ross ct Thom b Delph 1 1
Cameron Walker b Brace 1
David Sim Run out  1 1
Connor Wilson Run out  14
Adees Ahmed Run out  6 1
Blair Walker Not Out  5

Breadalbane Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
M Bax7.0222122.003.14
N Wimberley4.01800.002.00
Douthwaite7.0029129.004.14
M Bridgeman7.0026126.003.71
J Ferguson2.002300.0011.50
D Delph8.0038138.004.75
D Brace4.001728.504.25
M Bowler4.0017117.004.25

Breadalbane Batting
Player name RMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 8 wickets
0
145 (34.5 overs)		     
M Bax Run out  6
M Bowler hit wicket Ross 12
N Wimberley ct & b Ross 68
F Thom b Ross 13
G Douthwaite ct & b Ahmed 9
A Downie b Ross 0
J Ferguson st Sim b Ross 0
M Bridgeman ct C McConnachie snr b B Walker 22
D Grace Not Out  3
D Delph  
   

Forfarshire Cricket Club 3rd XI Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Craig McConnachie2.00900.004.50
Jack Hogarth8.013200.004.00
Christian Robertson7.012300.003.29
Adees Ahmed9.0245145.005.00
Fraser Ross7.012454.803.43
Blair Walker1.50919.004.91