For the first time this season, FP’s were under strength for the trip to Ellon, when only ten bodies could be rounded up. Unavailable from the victory over Kintore were Kieran Whyte, Danny Marquart, Rizwan, John Davey and Rob Fryer, who was Munro bagging for charity, into the team came Ben Frizzel, Waji, Magesh and new dad Karthik.
The Ellon wicket looked in good condition, a bit soft from the rain, but Ellon skipper Hutcheson had been busy during the morning rolling the wicket, and his efforts had paid dividends.
The toss was won by FP’s who asked Ellon to bat first and a worried looking Hutcheson advised he was still waiting for a couple of players to arrive.
Karthik opened the bowling to opener Duncan, but in the first over play was interrupted when a friendly young spaniel invaded the field and skilfully avoided Mahesh’s best efforts to capture it. After several minutes interruption, Johnston got close enough to say “Sit, stay” and the dog did as instructed. If only his players were as obedient. The dog was then deposited in the fenced in kiddies playpark, the dog soon finding out the fence was to high to jump over, and play restarted.
Rubesh took only two balls of his opening over to take the first Ellon wicket when he bowled Murray with a beauty which pitched outside off and came in and pinged the top of off stump. Ellon 1 – 1.
Next over Karthik, bowled Duncan off his pads, Ellon 5 – 2. Things got even worse for Ellon next over as Rubesh struck again, Hutcheson edged to first slip where Houghton took an excellent low catch, Ellon 7 – 3.
Ellon batsman Middleton had turned his first ball for four through midwicket, and was looking to play his shots, driving Karthik next over through the covers for a boundary. But two balls later he tried to repeat the shot, hitting the ball in the air straight to Johnston at deep cover, Ellon 11 – 4 in 5 overs. Ellon had lost four wickets in four overs, and FP’s were in complete control.
It took until the ninth over before Karthik clean bowled Hede, leaving Ellon 19 – 5. Ellon batsmen Mackie and McCann staged something of a recovery and managed to take the score to 32. Mackie nearly had his hair parting widened by an accidental beamer from Karthik, but was looking the most comfortable batsman as Ellon tried to build a respectable total.
Rubesh was given a breather having bowled an excellent spell of 6 – 0 – 20 – 2. Magesh came on to bowl and took a wicket with his second ball when the ever alert Muthu stumped McCann for 5, Ellon 33 – 6. A moment of confusion followed when both batsmen and the umpires walked off. This was not a declaration by Ellon, unfortunately they only had seven players as the latecomers had failed to show up.
FP’s opening bowers Karthik and Rubesh both bowled excellently from the first ball and looked like taking wickets at any time in a devastating opening spell of pace and swing, backed by some tight fielding. Karthik bowled as fast as he has done for FP’s with keeper Muthu complaining of sore hands.
Tea was not taken and FP’s openers Johnston and Muthu walked out to score 34 runs against seven men with seventy eight overs in which to score them. Those of a nervous disposition, look away now.
Middleton opened the bowling for Ellon, and Johnston, keen to get off the mark, played a ball to the wide open space at cover, and set off for a single. Unfortunately for him, opposition skipper Hutcheson picked the ball up cleanly, took very deliberate aim, it was either a run out or four overthrows, threw and hit middle stump. Johnston’s Red Bull Run became a wine gum walk back to the pavilion, FP’s 0-1.
Muthu and Frizzell had put on seven runs when Muthu was adjudged LBW for 3 to Middleton, who was bowling the perfect line and length, and getting movement both ways off the wicket. FP’s lost another wicket in Middleton’s next over when Karthik was also out LBW for a duck, and two overs later Frizzel was bowled by Hede for 10 (1xcover drive, aka 4), FP’s 15 – 4. But only 19 runs required for victory.
Next over Middleton had Waji caught behind off an outside edge, and two balls later he bowled Magesh with a ball which was drifting down leg, pitched, changed direction and hit leg stump. Magesh was rooted to the spot in disbelief, the umpire looked on in disbelief, and suddenly Grammar were 15 – 5 after 9 overs. By now it seemed Ellon had seventeen fielders as the runs dried up.
Houghton played calmly and got off the mark with a straight drive for a single, but next over was bowled by Hede for 1, FP’s 15 – 6, still chasing 34, but now with only 68 overs remaining. And two wickets.
FP’s very experienced Mike Hart was joined in the middle by schoolboy Doug Russell, and second ball Russell played a great pull shot for four off a high no ball for a very rare, but very welcome boundary, and a no ball as a bonus, 5 runs off one ball, felt like fifty. FP’s total 22 – 7.
Next over, Hart scored a single, and then admitted to the umpire at the bowlers end to not seeing every ball bowled at him, if bowled at a certain line. Not great news for an umpire suffering near heart attacks every ball bowled, especially by the accurate Middleton. Russell survived a couple of close calls, but then drove at a ball just outside off stump and thick edged through the vacant gully area to the boundary for another boundary, FP’s now 27 – 7.
The match was settled next over when Hart played a text book on drive high over mid on to the boundary, tying the scores, and only then did FP’s look like winning. The suffering was ended first ball of the next over when Russell played a good on drive for a single, and the Grammar score staggered past the Ellon total. Hart finished on 6 n.o. and Russell 9 n.o.
At one stage the FP’s batting made the Ellon collapse of 4 for 11 look like a solid performance as we lost 6 wickets in 6 overs to a combination of excellent bowling and one or two poor shots. But Hart and Russell were calmness personified as they won the game for Grammar. A classic low scoring, and very exciting match, fortunately won by FP’s which takes us up to third place in Grade 3.
Man of the Match – Doug Russell, very cool under pressure.
Champagne Moment – Russell hitting the winning run thus avoiding having to explain losing to seven men while chasing 34 runs.
