Saturday, 13th May 2006
'We were lucky' was the verdict of Neil
Watters the wicketkeeper, finishing his pint in the clubhouse bar. Most of
the players still ruminating on the game, an hour after the last wicket had
fallen, agreed with him.
The fact is, though, that Crieff won an
exhilarating game of cricket through their sustained discipline in the
field; defending a modest total of one hundred and thirteen runs from thirty
seven overs. The pressure of trying to win a game from this position is made
doubly difficult given that the team batting second accrues any unused overs
left by the team batting first. Thus Northern CC required one hundred and
fourteen runs to win from a total of fifty three overs; a rate of
fractionally more than two runs an over. That they failed to do so speaks
volumes for the potential of this Crieff side in their first league game of
the season.
Watters and Cooper opened the batting after
Crieff, having lost the toss, were sent in by Northern. They saw off the
visitors attack of Houston and Hussain, albeit without scoring very much.
Northern introduced their change bowlers in the eleventh over and reaped
immediate reward. On a green wicket and with a light breeze in sunny
conditions, only four Crieff batsmen made double figures. The biggest
contribution to the Crieff total came from the twentynine extras conceded by
Northern.
After the traditional interval barbeque,
Crieff applied themselves to the challenge. They did to Northern what had
been done to them. Only four Northern batsmen made double figures, Crieff
conceded eighteen extras and, the final irony, the last Northern wicket fell
in the thirtyseventh over of their innings.
Mention must be made of a well balanced and
potent bowling attack. The pace and accuracy of P Mestecky and M Anjum was
married to the guile and variation of A Brown. Spells from these three
bowlers were broken up by the promise and flair of D Mestecky and C Gauld;
both returning startling figures in the context of the match situation. If
luck had anything to do with it, then let it be said that Crieff made their
own luck.Match Ball sponsored by
ROB ROY HOMES
