FP’s 2nd XI faced their promotion partners of last season, Academy, at Duthie Park on a blustery but otherwise pleasant Saturday afternoon.
The team to face Academy was Magesh Devendran (C), Matt Barker, Bharath Manogna, Chris Clelland (Wkt), Guru Thangamani, John Eagles, John Lord, John Thomson, Kieran Whyte, Paul MacDonald and Rutwik Hegde.
FP’s were put in to bat on what was a damp, spongy wicket after the recent torrential rain. The combination of some decent bowling and a pitch which was near on impossible to read meant that FP’s lost early wickets and never really recovered.
A partnership between Captain and Vice Captain steadied the ship somewhat with 6 wickets down and the pair added 29 runs before Barker departed with the score on 61 for 7 in the 30th over.
A three figure score was looking unlikely but Whyte chose this moment to rediscover his batting form, adding 32 vital runs with the tail to take FP’s final total to 104 all out in the 37th. Whyte finished unbeaten, his runs coming at better than a run a ball and featuring 5 fours and a six.
With the pitch drying out and a low total to aim for, Academy overcame a couple of early wickets to cruise home in the 27th over. Despite the relative ease of their win, Academy opener Abinhor still felt it necessary not to walk after clearly nicking a ball behind to Clelland early on. The need to win evidently overcoming his sense of fair play.
The FP’s bowlers performed well but with such a low total to defend it was always going to be tricky. Whyte, Manogna and Devendran all claimed a scalp each to leave Academy with a 7 wicket victory.
The poor state of the wicket early on certainly didn’t help the FP cause, but they will want to find their batting form going into next week’s grudge match against Stonehaven.
Man of the Match – Kieran Whyte, for a strong performance with bat and ball.
