The 1st XI eased to a comfortable 8 wicket win over Crathie in their opening Grade 2 fixture of the season. The Grammar bowling took wickets at regular intervals as they restricted the visitors to just 95 runs. Despite losing an early wicket this never looked like enough as the target was overhauled for the loss of 2 wickets in just 19 overs.
Skipper Knudson started the season in fine style by winning the toss and invited the visitors to bat first on a bright and breezy afternoon at Rubislaw. With a newly shortened boundary to protect, Moir opened the bowling from the Harlaw Road end for the first time in many years. Helped by the stiff cross-breeze his away movement was giving the batsmen all sorts of problems and runs were proving difficult to come by. Opener McEwan was the first to succomb when Moir induced an edge which was gratefully accepted by Clelland behind the sticks. At the other end the batsmen were showing more ambition against James Lord. The youngster was not put off his stride and was rewarded with two good wickets in his 6 over spell.
The Crathie batsmen continued to play some attacking strokes but wickets were falling at regular intervals with no-one really looking likely to stay at the crease for long. Change bowlers Macdonald and Youles were happy to take 5 wickets between them with Youles taking a wicket with the first ball of his season. A run out and one wicket for the skipper accounted for the Crathie batting lineup for a total of 95.
After an excellent al fresco tea John Lord and Budd opened the batting for the home side. With only 10 runs on the board Grammar suffered a setback when Lord departed, playing back and become an lbw victim of the famous Rubislaw shooter. Clelland joined Budd at the crease and together they began to get on top of the bowling. Having seen off Thomas and Bestwick they plundered runs from the change bowlers and kept the scoreboard ticking over. With the total on 74 Clelland contrived to toe end a ball to mid-wicket which brought Moir to the middle. This did not affect the scoring rate as the required runs were quickly acquired. Moir scored the winning runs with a flourish by despatching a six into the pavilion enclosure.
