For the Reid Cup Semi Final at Counteswells, Grammar FP’s 2nd XI had seven enforced changes to the team which beat Gordonians 2nd XI the previous day’s Grade 3 encounter. Having received byes to the semi final, this was the first cup match of the season for FP’s.
Out of the Saturday line up went Rob Fryer, Muthu, Tom Booth, John Davey, Kieran Whyte, Rizwan, and Harry Houghton, who were replaced by Roland Knudson, Sam Knudson, Karthik, Geoff Morrison, Hozefa, 2nd XI debutant schoolboy Andy Milne. The eleven was completed at 11:30am when John Lord agreed to step in for another desperate English football fan. Gordonians had also struggled to find eleven players and were forced to bring in several cricketers from a league only read about by most of the FP’s team.
The toss was won by Grammar who asked Gordonians to bat on a hard, straw coloured wicket.
FP’s opened the bowling with Sam Knudson, a ‘schoolboy’ player for the last time, bowling his opening overs. acccurately. Rubesh opened from the other end and soon found out the difference between Grade 3 and the fabled league batting levels, with every loose ball being hit to the boundary. Opening batsmen Stark and Watt put on 70 in only 10 overs playing some great shots, but new bowler Magesh struck in his first over when Stark sliced a drive over point, but Karthik pulled off a great over the shoulder catch while running away from the wicket, Gordonians 72 – 1.
This brought to the crease Gordonians overseas amateur Mouli, a player in a fine run of form with several centuries already this season. He took his time to play himself in and his first scoring shot was a huge six off his second ball.
The second wicket partnership was worth 144 as Watt and Mouli struck boundaries to all corners of the superb outfield with some great batting, although Mouli did occasionally hit the ball in the air, narrowly avoiding the fielders. FP’s 2nd XI bowlers Magesh and Karthik stuck manfully to the task of trying to keep the batsmen under some control, but it was Sam Knudson who made the much needed breakthrough in his second spell when he comprehensively bowled Mouli for 85 (3 x 6, 9 x 4) Gordonians 2nd XI score 216 – 2 off 29 overs.
As often happens after a big stand is broken the second batsman is dismissed soon after, on this occasion Mouli’s partner in crime, Watt, was the man out in Knudson’s next over when the ever alert Geoff Morrison reacted quickly to stump the batsman for an excellent 82 (12 x 4), Gordonians 221 – 3, a mini collapse, but sadly no declaration.
The Knudson’s were now bowling in tandem with old man Roland using all his experience and young gun fast bowler Sam using his rugby fitness to maintain his pace, and both bowlers managed to slow the scoring rate for a time.
Batsmen Brown and Ballal were now looking to end the allotted overs with a flourish. Ballal was fortunate to be dropped at cover off Karthik, and took full advantage of his luck by smashing a string of boundaries. Magesh came back on and bowled Ballal who had scored a rapid 35 (7 x 4), Gordonians now 271 – 4.
Roland Knudson then took a well deserved wicket after a good spell when R. Brown was bowled middle stump for 14 (2 x 4). Batsmen R. Watt finished 5 n.o. and A. Shah 9 n.o. as Gordonians ended on 285 for 5 off the allocated 40 overs.
Pick of the FP’s bowlers were Sam Knudson 10 – 1 – 56 – 2, Magesh 9 – 0 – 57 – 2, Roland Knudson 10 – 1 – 59 – 1. The regular FP’s 2nd XI bowlers did not let the fast scoring 2nd XI Gordonians batsmen get them down, but looked upon it as good experience having to face such quality batsmen in a Grade 3 cup competition. Fielding wise Morrison, Hozefa and Goodenough were the busiest and fielded well.
Following a good tea watching Engerland being thrashed by Germany, at least their suffering lasted only ninety minutes, openers Lord and Johnston went out to face the daunting total set by Gordonians.
The first wicket to fall was that of Johnston who gave bowler R. Watt an easy caught and bowled in only the second over, FP’s score 0-1. John Lord’s first three scoring shots were all boundaries, and Sam Knudson’s first scoring shot was also a boundary as FP’s vainly attempted to keep up with the required scoring rate. But having added 22 runs, John Lord was out caught at fly first slip by Jones off the bowling of Thompson. Karthik was unfortunate to get a first baller, bowled by Thompson, FP’s now 22 -3.
Roland Knudson soon got into double figures hitting two powerful drives square through point off bowler Watt. Knudson saw off bowler Watt in unconventional manner when he middled a ball from Thompson to Watt at point who did well to get a hand to, but unfortunately deflected it onto his shin and had to retire hurt with a painful seam mark on his leg.
The Knutson’s were batting well, scoring boundaries and taking well judges ones and twos in an attempt to keep FP’s within sight of the run rate. But in Thompson’s 9th over Sam Knudson, having just hit Thompson for a lovely four through the covers, was bowled for an attractive 26 (4 x 4) in an excellent partnership of 48.
Geoff Morrison came in looking for boundaries, but new bowler R. Brown was bowling accurate off breaks and FP’s could only score in singles. A frustrated Morrison was next out for 6 trying to hit over the top, FP’s 87 – 5. Depressed England supporter Ian Goodenough was cheered up when he drove Brown through mid off for four, and then a single (or 4-1 as they say in Germany)
Roland Knudson was out playing an attacking shot to Brown, bowled for FP’s top score of 32 (3 x 4) and FP’s were now so far behind the asking rate not even the blind linesman in South Africa could save them.
Goodenough and Magesh added a quick 19 runs, Magesh stroking three good fours in his 15 runs before advancing down the wicket to Brown and being stumped by stand in keeper Mouli. Goodenough was enjoying his batting practice before he was caught by B. Watt for 23, hitting three powerful boundaries during his innings. Hozefa and debutant Andy Milne batted without problem adding 18 runs as the game petered out, Hozefa scoring one nice boundary, and Milne hitting two good drives for four. But with the last ball of the game, Hozefa left Milne stranded going for a single, and Milne was run out for 10. FP’s score final 155 – 9 after 40 overs, Gordonians 2nd XI winning by a mere 131 runs.
Grammar appreciated Gordonians agreeing to switch the match from Rubislaw to Countesswells, giving most of the FP’s 2nd XI the rare opportunity to play on a wicket hard enough that tapping down the wicket made a knocking noise rather than the usual soft, soggy noise.
FP’s were chasing the game from the opening overs and struggled to keep the scoring under control, but lessons were learned by the seven regular FP’s 2nd XI players, so it was not a completely wasted afternoon. In hindsight, had the Gordonians 2nd XI batting line up had been recognised before the match started, it would have been better for FP’s to have chosen to bat first. The game was played in a good friendly atmosphere throughout.
Man of the Match – Sam Knudson, his two wickets being the top two scorers in Gordonians 2nd XI line up, and was FP’s second top scorer with 26 runs.
Champagne Moment – Not the football over the line miss, but Karthik’s cricket ball over the shoulder take.
