FPs will need to improve if they are to survive in Grade 1 after a lacklustre performance in the field and then a middle order collapse forced them to battle hard to claim a draw. An excellent 86 not out from Gareth Prosser and a typically aggresive 44 from Colin Laird set up Kintore’s total of 195 for 5 dec and a battling effort from the FPs lower order salvaged the draw ending on 142 for 7. FPs were however their own worst enemies putting down at least 7 catches and conceeding a staggering 29 wides.
FPs handed a debut to new recruit Tabrez Malik, and he was joined in the team by Budd, skipper Roland Knudson, Miller, Moir, Eagles, MacDonald, Morrison, Clelland, James Lord and Stuart. FPs won the toss and had no hesitation in asking Kintore to bat.
Lord and Miller took the new ball and kept things tight for the first 12 overs as Kintore moved cautiously to 27 for no wicket. The only chance a fairly routine catch at slip being shelled by Malik off Miller’s bowling. Moir and Stuart then took up the attack with Moir as accurate as ever, but Stuart a bit wayward, although a tough chance shelled by Budd denied him a wicket.
With the score having mounted to 81 in the 26th over, Malik eventually got the breakthrough, bowling Satyamurthy. This brought Sudhakhav to the crease but he was quickly dismissed by Eagles, Clelland completing a simple stumping. However, the arrival of Laird changed the pace of the game as he went after the bowling, hitting some fine straight drives off Eagles as Kintore’s run rate accelerated. FPs continued to drop catches, Laird being dropped three times on his way to a quickfire 44 before Moir trapped him LBW as the 3rd wicket fell at 178.
At the other end Prosser’s faultless innings had taken him past 50 and some big blows had a century in sight, however two quickfire wickets from Moir first knocking out Namlam’s offstump for 7 and then having Davidson LBW for a duck, brought a declaration at 195 for 5 from 43 overs, Prosser unbeaten on an excellent 86.
The FP bowling figures were variable to say the least, Moir was the pick with 10 overs, 3 wickets for 33 with 3 maidens. Lord and Miller were accurate 6-1-15-0 and 6-1-8-0, but the rest were expensivce with Malik claiming 1/36 in 7, Eagles 1/34 in 6, Stuart 0/25 in 4 and MacDonald 0/37 in 4.
With a large total to chase it was important FPs started well, but they lost Knudson in the second over LBW for 1 to Jones, this brought Miller to the crease and he was unlucky to fall for a duck as he was superbly caught by Namlam in the gully off Laird as FPs slipped to 17 for 2.
Moir joined Budd and they started about rebuilding the innings and shared a good stand of 37 from 14 overs before Moir was caught by Namlam off Laird in the gully for 23. FPs then collapsed alarmingly to 59 for 6 as first Nalam bowled Eagles with a beauty for a duck before Maxfield struck twice in his opening over bowling Malik for a duck and repeating to the dose to MacDonald two balls later.
With 22 overs to bat out with only 4 wickets standing things looked grim for FPs but Morrison joined the resolute Budd to combine in a stand of 54 in 15 overs, playing a good rear guard action to keep Laird, Nalam, Maxfield and Walker at bay while managing to get after off spinner Satyamurthy, Morrison particularly keen on the sweep shot, which brought 3 boundaries.
In a pivotal moment Budd was dropped a sitter at cover and although he contributed only 27 his 40 over stay was pivotal to FPs saving the game. Clelland joined Morrison to try and survive the last 7 overs and they did this with few alarms, Morrison finishing unbeaten on 37 and Clelland unbeaten on 6. Interestingly extras ended up top scorer with 46.
FPs face a tough test next week at a strong Stonehaven and will need to up their game in the field if they are going to have any chance of a victory.
