Mapplebeck was the hero
Grammar produced their best bowling performance and most determined batting effort of the season to see off Bon Accord in a bad tempered affair at Harlaw. Having restricted the hosts to 113 all out, some magnificent batting from Harry Mapplebeck who ran brilliantly to make 36, along with solid efforts from Bashir 17 and Bedaar (14no) saw Grammar home with 3 wickets and 6 balls to spare.
Bon Accord were put in by Grammar and their batting soon went the way of Labour in an Aberdeen South election as Hassaan bowled Ahmed for 0 and Mirza for 1. Grammar may have regretted dropping run machine Awan in the 2nd over as he made 53 albeit at a far slower pace than usual, hampered by the outfield. Nasseri replaced Hasaan and he bowled his 8 overs unchanged to claim 3 for 17, bowling Dhami was an apparent doosra for 9, bagging Indi LBW for just one sweeping across the line and Ali who was superbly caught on the boundary by D’Costa.
Mapplebeck joined the attack in the 27th over and found the edge of Aziz’s bat, the umpire sending him on his way for 4. Awan was still batting hard and it took the introduction of Bedaar to remove him, Prash claiming one of the calmest catches ever on the boundary as the opener fell for a well made 53. Bedaar struck again, Swiergon taking a good low catch to account for Ahmed (14), before Mapplebeck castled Malik for a duck and claimed Chattha caught and bowled for 1. Overall it was a fine bowling and fielding effort with all bowlers impressing. Prash 8-0-27-0, Hassaan 5-0-15-2, Bashir 5-1-17-0, Nasseri 8-0-17-3, Mapplebeck 5-0-18-3, Bedaar 4-0-12-2.
Grammar knew Bon Accord would come at them hard and lost opener Morrison early to a grubber from Mirza for 2. Keith struck a boundary but edged behind for 8, before Swiergon was bowled 2 balls later for a duck, leaving Grammar 21 for 3. Opener Desai had been watchful, but was outdone by a fine Mirza in swinger to be LBW for 7, when D’Costa then edged behind for 4, the game looked to be up.
However, Mapplebeck and Bashir held things together with some outrageous running claiming 1s and 2s where there they often had no right, picking their fielders carefully. Bashir did hammer a one bounce 4 and a straight 6 off successive balls to help Grammar and it did seem like Grammar had the upper hand until Bashir was clean bowled by Ahmed’s 1st ball for 14. Mapplebeck found another useful ally in Bedaar who smartly was batting outside off stump to open up the leg side and he and Mapplebeck maneuvered the ball cleverly as the target ticked down.
Sadly for Mapplebeck having beaten countless throws, he was finally defeated by one to be run out for a match winning 36. Any fears that Grammar may let it slip were quickly allayed as Nasseri arrived and hammered 2 fours to seal a great and deserved victory.
With results going Garmmar’s way, it does mean that the chance of avoiding the drop has increased but next up is the final game against Cults who are fighting to stay up and on a fine run of form.
Man of the Match
Harry Mapplebeck – it was a great team performance but his late bowling spell and then calm batting saw Grammar to victory.
Champagne Moment
The Nasseri delivery that flummoxxed everyone including batsmen Dhami
