Macklin played a vital innings
FPs claimed an improbable 5 run win at Huntly to remain top of Grade 1 managing to defend 88 on a challenging surface. They were indebted to a stoic 17 not out from Pete Macklin and then to bowlers Rob Swiergon and George Gill who shared 8 wickets between them, Gill also claiming a run out. It was a gallant victory which had seemed unlikely after the batting had faltered badly, however a fine bowling display which saw 8 bowled and 1 LBW ensured another win.
With rain around the game only just survived an inspection and started at 130. Agha Haider lost an important toss and FPs were put into bat missing big guns Alex Keith, Hamish Penman, Karan Anand, Mahesh Challa and Prash. Sean Harrower also missed out, but FPs are able to call on the all round skills of George Gill for the 1st time in a year and also brought in John Youles, Paul Norwood, Tom Murray and Pete Macklin. FPs lining up Nattrass, D’Costa, Swiergon, Haider (c), Gill, Morrison, Murray, Javaid, Macklin, Youles, Norwood.
FPs started cautiously but there was no sign of what was to come as they reached 14 with minimal alarms, until Nattrass found Ferguson at square leg who took a good catch, Nattrass gone for 6. It was clear that there was little pace or bounce and Huntly bowled smartly, regularly bowling short of a length and both D’Costa and Swiergon fell into the trap looking to pull half trackers only to be bowled for 4 and 13 respectively by Tandon. Haider ran himself either side of these wickets and when Gill was superbly caught by Ferguson from a full blooded drive, FPs were 39 for 5.
Morrison dug in and they added 14 but Murray miscued a pull and departed for 7 to Myron-Petrie. Javaid followed suit and went for 4 and FPs were 59 for 6. Morrison’s 36 ball stay then ended playing on to Myron-Petrie for 8 and Youles was the victim of the 3rd superb catch clubbing Henderson to Reid to fall for 2. It left FPs 74 for 9 and surely facing defeat. Pete Macklin had played the shot of the day with a cover drive for 4 and received good support from Norwood who used all his experience to hang in for 27 balls and help add a precious 14 which was to prove the difference. He eventually fell for 4 with Macklin unbeaten for 17 including 3 fine boundaries.
With only 4 frontline bowling options and little to defend, FPs had to go for it and the 2nd innings started in peculiar circumstances as the umpire decided in his wisdom to no ball Swiergon for not announcing his action. It perhaps had the unintended outcome to fire FPs out of their slumber and Swiergon suddenly found an extra yard of pace to knock back Dawar’s off stump 2nd ball. A quick rain shower calmed everyone down but FPs had a 2nd when an ambitious 2nd was attempted to Gill and despite his throw being to neither end, Morrison gathered well and had the superior pace over youngster Myron-Petrie to beat him to the stumps, Huntly 18 for 2.
Huntly were looking fairly secure and Haider had little option but to call for Gill to see if he could find his range. It was to prove a match winning move as Gill sent down 7 overs of good pace conceding 11 (including 7 extras) and taking 4 wickets. His 5th ball tore through Cameron’s defence to bowl him for 8 and in his next over a fine cutter out foxing Ferguson to bowl him for a duck. In his next over he had Kennedy plumb in front for 17 as FPs sensed a real opening, Huntly now 42 for 5 and when Gill got his 4th wicket, Huntly were 49 for 6, Gill castling Lentz for 3 as Gill moved on to 4 for 6.
With Gill out of puff after 7 overs for 11 and Huntly up to within 23 of victory, Swiergon was recalled and he cleaned up Reid for 9. Paterson and Henderson added a vital 10 but Javaid returned and bowled a sharp off break to clean bowl Paterson for 14. Tandon and Henderson were now trying to dig in and Gill returned to bowl his last over at the other end but Tandon was resolute in blocking out a maiden. Haider was now going for broke and Swiergon was summoned up for his last over with Huntly 6 shy of victory. His 1st ball narrowly missed off stump, but his 2nd was shorter and scuttled through to bowl Henderson for 6. Milne kept out the next 2 but had no answer to another shortish ball that seemed to keep low and knock back the off stump as FPs claimed a dramatic win.
FPs did drop 3 catches which could have been costly but overall it was a determined effort from all involved. Bowling wise Swiergon and Gill were the pick of the bowlers but Javaid and Haider supported well. Swiergon 7.5-0-27-4, Javaid 5-0-17-1, Gill 8-1-11-4, Haider 8-0-25-0.
Man of the Match
Superb in the field and a bowling display that broke open the game – George Gill. Special mentions to Swiergon and Macklin
Champagne Moment
Pete Macklin’s cover drive – picture perfect.
