Scorecard

Strathmore XI v Forfarshire Cricket Club 3rd XI on Sat 13 Jun 2015 at 1pm
Forfarshire Cricket Club Lost 93 runs

Match report Forfarshire third team made the short trip north to Forfar on Saturday to meet Strathmore on SPCU League One duty. Not so long ago, it would have been our first team who would have been playing against “Strathy” on league duty; but unfortunately the Forfar side have sadly slipped down the leagues in recent times.

It was a messy pre match set up for the Forfs with the Dundee Beer Festival taking place at Forthill along with a high class corporate cricket lunch meaning that various players were a bit pre-occupied. Beer Festival organisation duties meant that skipper Sim Junior was unavailable altogether, with beer pouring and other delights having to take priority on the day. Clark played in the fixture but arrived rather later than the appointed start due to having to assist with buttering rolls and peeling tatties.

Sim Senior took the skippering duties on and we found ourselves in the field. The home team began well and Winker and Samir strived hard for the breakthrough. The home side have some good players – including young South African Le Roux who looked a player of some class – and they made steady progress against some decent bowling. Ted in particular bowled a miserly spell on a spinner friendly wicket. Wickets fell at regular intervals and the visitors had a sniff when we got the home side four down for 120ish; but it was two young Forfar lads in the shape of Morgan and Kennedy who both played very sensibly and well to take the game away from us. This was a good sign for the future for Strathmore.

When tea arrived there was some doubt about the final tally – but it was settled on 209 for 5 which was a very handy home total. Bowling plaudits went to Ted and we also saw another good spell from Samir. In the field the acting skipper (Sim Senior) drew blood from the end of his finger when parrying a howitzer round the post at mid wicket, but he returned with a plaster on the wound and bravely continued before clanking another at mid wicket a few overs later. Fraser pulled off a couple of great catches behind the stumps including a full length diving effort off Samir; and after his fielding problems so far this season - including the notable header for six last week when trying to catch one on the boundary, Clark finally managed to pouch a couple this week which was reassuring. Thanks go to his new fielding coach Jonty Rhodes who has replaced Stevie Wonder. Gregg (or is it Gavin) pulled off the stop of the day with his left boot - and limped for the rest of the match as a result.

So to tea. It has been some years since the adjudicator has enjoyed a competitive tea at Strathmore but from years gone by he remembered fondly things like heavily laden plates of salad with exotic contents such as beetroot. One time there was bridie (what else), beans and chips and on one occasion no less a dish than macaroni cheese and boiled potatoes was produced. It was anticipated that they would be strong contenders for the 2015 Golden Urn Award for the best tea of the season. There was however great disappointment when what was unveiled was clearly a pre-packed catering job of standard sandwich quarters with your everyday tuna, cheese and egg fillings. There was also a tray of admittedly nice cakes including a tasty (but rather small) meringue. The tea was cheerily poured which was nice; although the youngsters advised that the orange squash had been heavily under diluted. It is interesting to note the detail with which our younger players are now viewing tea tables across the country. This year’s mystery marker settled on a middle of the road five out of ten and Strathmore will clearly not be a new name on the trophy this year. The club food critic suggested that Strathmore CC need to have some more home prepared sandwiches in future, perhaps some rolls to offer variety, potentially a warm food option and definitely some more sponge based cakes. The addition of a local delicacy such as the bridie would also be nice; along with a lady or two to pour the tea and offer a friendly smile.

With tea taken, the visitors debated their batting line up and it was Gregg (or is it Gavin) and Glenn who went in first. The score was going along nicely before Gavin (or is it Gregg) got out and was closely followed by Glenn. Adam and Clark were in now, and Adam hit some nice blows before falling to a good catch by the overseas amateur. By now Milne was on for the home side and the fine exponent of the art of spin bowling that he is; he was proving tricky on the low, turning surface. Clark chopped on and Milne finished with four wickets in what was a miserly match winning spell.
Wickets fell regularly and Le Roux also finished with four wickets including as good a caught and bowled as you are likely to see anywhere to dismiss James. This was a flying, diving leap of Salmonesque quality and a catch that was pouched at full length only an inch from terra firma. The innings subsided and it was left to Ted to provide some entertainment when he swatted the first ball he faced with some aplomb and vigour towards the deep mid wicket boundary. He was so sure it would cross the rope he simply stood and admired the blow; but unfortunately it was around 15 meters short of the line and by the time he realised this - it was too late to run and a dot was entered into the scorebook.

Strathmore wrapped things up for a comfortable win and on this display they are surely heading back to the SPCU Premier League where they belong (as a minimum). Hopefully this fine club can continue to build from there and ultimately find their way back into the very upper echelons of Scottish cricket.
For the Forfarshire third team it was a gubbing. We didn’t play all that badly, but were simply outplayed by a better team. When batting, no fewer than seven players made double figures; but no one got to twenty. There lies the tale of the game, whatever that may be...... So it was back to Dundee and the Beer Festival where various ales, ciders and wines were consumed whilst the day’s cricket was discussed.

The Man of the Match Award went to Ted for his bowling spell and batting antics and he was awarded a three foot single divan courtesy of Gillies; which he is going to use in the new overnight accommodation he is constructing adjacent to the main gates of the Forthill cricket ground. It is rumoured that this is going to be the first of the new Tedlodge chain and will be available for booking on a night by night basis with reduced rates for club members and ladies that go to The Fort on a Saturday. Club members looking to book the accommodation should go to www.tedlodge.com and to receive a discount please enter the promo code PFFF.

Next week sees the third team heading North to Dyce Stoneywood to meet a high flying home team - which is very apt given their ground location next to Aberdeen airport. They are unbeaten so far and with a professional and an overseas amateur in their ranks this is bound to a tough match. We have already had 27 call offs for this game so can Dave Thomson, Jim Inglis and Andrew McMeeking please look out their kit and report to training on Thursday....


Strathmore XI Batting
Player name RunsMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 6 wickets
0
205 (45.0 overs)		     
Michael Gourlay ct  Ross b Carnegie 42
Ed Taylor lbw  Watson 3
Thiart Le Roux ct  McConnachie b Carnegie 26
Mark Stewart ct  McConnachie b Walker 10
Chris Milne ct  A Hill b J Sim 6
M. Evans ct  Ross b S Hill 34
Kennedy Gibb Not Out  38
David Sneddon Not Out  8
Norman Milton  
Drew Orr  
Imran Saim  

Forfarshire Cricket Club 3rd XI Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Samir Hill9.0230130.003.33
Michael Watson9.0030130.003.33
Gordon Walker9.0027127.003.00
Glenn Carnegie9.0060230.006.67
James Sim5.0022122.004.40
Christopher Hayes4.003600.009.00

Forfarshire Cricket Club 3rd XI Batting
Player Name RMB4s6sSRCatchesStumpingsRun outs
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 10 wickets
0
112		        
Greig Gemmell ct  ? b Milne 11
Glenn Carnegie ct  ? b Stewart 12
Adam Hill ct  ? b Milne 16 1
Clark McConnachie b  Milne 12 2
Fraser Ross b  Saim 18 2
Michael Watson b  Saim 3
Samir Hill ct  ? b Le Roux 10
David Sim b  Le Roux 17
James Sim ct  ? b Le Roux 3
Christopher Hayes b  Le Roux 0
Gordon Walker Not Out  1

Strathmore XI Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Kennedy Gibb3.002100.007.00
Mark Stewart5.002100.004.20
Christopher Milne9.021644.001.78
Imran Saim9.0024212.002.67
Thiart Le Roux5.501844.503.09
Norman Milton3.00700.002.33