FPs search for a victory goes on as dropped catches cost them a chance of victory against Cults. In a fairly ill natured game, some impressive hitting by Abid Ali (78) was the difference with a number of FP batsmen making starts but no one reaching 50. Agha Haider did make 49 and bowled well with very little luck, the most mild mannered of bowlers nearly exploding after a string of close LBW shouts were rejected. He may have also expected rather better from his fielders as a numbers of chances were shelled.
FPs lined up Keith, Nattrass, Penman, Haider, Anand, Swiergon (c), Morrison (w), Sood, Sharma, Satish and Prash. FPs won the toss and batted. Keith fell early bowled by a good ball by S Ali for a duck, but Nattrass and Penman combined well in a stand of 53, Nattrass in fine form hitting 7 fours in his 37 before edging a near wide from A Ali. Haider playing with a fractured hand arrived at 4 and he and Penman batted carefully to lift FPs to 82, Penman then departing walking after edging to the keeper.
Karan Anand hit some lusty blows as he attempted to lift the rate but holed out for 34, chipping Raje to Tahir for 34. Skipper Swiergon made 24 untroubled and when looking set was superbly caught by Abassi for 24. Haider had battled to 49 but could not reach 50 as he fell to Ali. A late clatter of wickets as FPs looked for late runs, left FPs on 205 for 8. Aman Sood out for 1 and Sharma LBW for a 1st ball duck. Morrison 10 not out and Satish 9no adding some late runs.
The total looked about 30 light but FPs were buoyed by an early wicket, Morrison taking a fine diving one handed catch behind the stumps, Anand removing Tahir for 4. Ali at 3 was in no mood to hang about and swung hard from ball one but was missed by Sood at square leg and then a tough chance behind the stumps off Haider. There were a number of LBW shouts with a number of players losing their cool about the decisions when everyone would have been best advised to get on with it
Ali continued on his merry way with Tahir offering good support, FPs eventually removing Ali for 78, Prash claiming a good catch on the boundary off Haider – 104 for 2. Raje was yorked by Anand after drinks as FPs hoped to pressure Cults, but some good batting, more missed chances and close calls allowed Cults to reach 149 when Abassi was bowled by a fired up Prash.
Cults though settled in and despite two late Swiergon wickets, one a diving catch by Morrison who by now was in the outfield and another, a routine catch by Sood, Cults closed out victory with 14 balls to spare.
So FPs search for a win goes on, but it is important that the players continue to battle for the cause as they did on Saturday.
Man of the Match
Agha Haider, shows exactly the spirit that is needed with 49 with the bat and 8 overs for 33 with 1 wicket. It was a fine effort and more remarkable given he has a fractured hand. Probably best not to mention it to his doctor.
Champagne Moment
Morrison’s diving catch behind the sticks was a good effort.
