Proud turned in a fine all round showing
Fraser Proud took 5 for 15 and made an important unbeaten 20 as FPs eased to a 5 wicket win at league leaders Cults on an extremely challenging surface. Having taken the bold decision to bat, Cults lost regular wickets and were all out 91 thanks to Proud’s 5 for and 2 wickets each for Mapplebeck (2/23), Anand (2/20) and 1 from Mahesh Challa. FPs were in some trouble at 54 for 4 when Keith was out for an excellent 34, but a determined stand of 45 between Proud and Mapplebeck (12) took FPs within 4 of victory leaving it to Geoff Morrison to crack his 1st delivery to the boundary to seal the win. In an extremely tight title race, FPs now sit top of the table by the smallest of margins.
With no Swiergon available, Prash captained and Penman, Proud, Mapplebeck, and Thomson came into the side. FPs had a wicket in the 3rd over as Proud had a ball keep low to clean bowl Mahajan for 2. Syed and Bashir raised Cults to 30 for 1, when Proud deceived Bashir who chipped it high in the air for the bowler to claim the catch himself. His next ball castled Watson for a golden duck and the hat trick was only narrowly avoided. Change bowlers Anand and Mapplebeck got in on the wicket-taking act next to reduce Cults to 45 for 5, Anand having Nawaz adjudged LBW for 1 and Mapplebeck producing a perfect swinging delivery to castle Syed for a gritty 21.
Anand kept it tight regularly beating the bat and it took Mapplebeck to find the edge, Morrison clinging on to a sharp chance behind the stumps as Ajazi fell for 8. Mapplebeck’s bowling replacement Challa took just 1 ball to strike a rather wide loosener flying to the right of Anand at 1st slip who took a stunning 1 handed catch which may not be bettered this season. Anand grabbed his 2nd with his final ball, Shehman LBW for 14 as Cults slipped to 82 for 8. They had reached 91 when Proud returned to have Nawaz plumb LBW for 11 and then he castled Durrani to complete his 5 wicket haul.
In the field FPs were much improved from last time out and bowled with real purpose and did well to restrict Cults to less than 100. On the wicket though, FPs knew the chase could be tricky.
It started badly as Nattrass fell for a 2nd ball duck in the opening over to Shehman which brought Penman to the crease. While he could only make 3 edging Shehman to Ajazi at slip for he did at least stick in with Keith in a 25 run stand. Keith was the key wicket and was playing the only way possible on the wicket, dead batting leaving or swining hard. He had made 34 including 8 boundaries when he left a fine Ajazi delivery that cut back considerably to bowl him. When Anand came and went LBW for just 1, Cults sensed an opening but some clever batting and very keen running from Proud and Mapplebeck was to kill off the home team’s hopes. Their 45 run stand was with minimal alarm and Mapplebeck was happy to play 2nd fiddle as Proud thumped 3 boundaries. They looked like they would see FPs home when Mapplebeck was bowled for Azazi for 2, but Morrison finished things next ball with a boundary as FPs claimed a hard-fought win.
It was a good away win for FPs in tough conditions with the game played in a good spirit throughout. FPs face Grampian in the cup on Sunday at Rubislaw.
Man of the Match
Fraser Proud, 5 wickets, and an important 20 not out.
Champagne Moment
The ridiculous one-handed catch by Karan Anand.
