Magnificent Mitch Stuns Siyapa.

Match Six of Portcullis’s 2015 Grade Four season saw them on their travels to Sheddocksley 2 as came up against League Leaders Siyapa CC.

Although Siyapa were new to Saturday Grades Cricket, many of their players were not. Many of their players were no strangers to Portcullis either as no more than five of them had played at least once for Portcullis in the past.

With that in mind, both teams were knowledgeable of each other’s ability and knew they were both going to be in for a very tough match. It kind of gave the match a derby feel to it.

And so it proved!

Skipper Dave Mitchell went to do the toss with ex-Portcullisian Abdullah Khan. Mitch called correctly and invited the Siyapa side to bat first.

Siyapa opened their batting with Zafaar and Usman Naseem whilst Portcullis opened their bowling attack with Dave Mitchell and Aaron Mundin. This was an unusual tactic as Mitchell often opened the bowling with Muhammad Farooq. On this occasion it was felt Portcullis’s bowling attack would be better served by holding Farooq back.

It was Portcullis who struck first. Mitchell managed to trap Zafeer lbw for 0. Mundin soon made a contribution of his own in the wickets taken department when he encouraged Amir to flash at an outswinger. Farooq completing the catch after a spot of impressive impromptu juggling at first slip.

This brought Shahram Memon to the crease and, along with Naseem, the pair brought Siyapa back into the match.

Memon used the tactic to go walkabout from the crease, sometimes to an alarming rate. An unusual tactic, it initially proved effective as the Portcullis bowling attack were not used to this type of tactic.

In the meantime Mundin managed to get through the dogged defence of Naseem, getting enough movement off the seam to bowl the Siyapa opener for 7.

Siyapa 12-3.

This brought Siyapa skipper Abdullah Khan to the crease to join Shahram Memon. This was seen as Siyapa’s most dangerous partnership and they were good reasons why. The pair had scored a century apiece for Siyapa this season, Abdullah Khan opening the season with a rather splendid 131 not out against AGSFP 3rds whilst Shahram Memon had made 109 against Methlick 2nds.

As expected the pairing took the fight to Portcullis with some fantastic stroke play. Memon opened his boundary account with a marvellous six over square leg. In the meantime Khan played his normal classical stroke play, peppering the boundary with ease.

Mitchell was soon relieved by Farooq and this was maybe the reason he was held back. Farooq, along with Mundin, produced some very testing deliveries but the class of Khan and Memon proved difficult to breach as Siyapa muscled their way back into the game. Farooq produced many a telling delivery but this partnership were going to prove difficult to budge.

It took until Farooq’s sixth over before he got a breakthrough. He produced a snorter of a delivery that rose from short of a length. Khan managed to get the handle of the bat in front of his face to defend the ball. He could not keep the ball down however and the ball ballooned over wicketkeeper Winstanley. Fortunately Falconer had his wits about him to make the ground to be on hand to take a simple catch.

Abdullah Khan gone for 24. It looked as if it was going to take something special to dislodge him and, through Farooq, the delivery of Portcullis’s season was to do for him.

Memon fell soon after for an entertaining 35. After being tied down by Mundin, he lost patience and mistimed a drive and was bowled.

This had put Siyapa on 77-5. Now would be a test of their middle and lower batting order.

During all this Shovon Mostofa had been introduced into the Portcullis attack. Alas it was one of those days when Mostofa’s bowling was not up to his usual high standards. After four fruitless overs Mostofa was relieved of his bowling duties.

Mitchell took to mixing his attack with himself, Farooq and Mundin in the hope that between them they would finish off the Siyapa innings.

They did but not without a fight from the league new boys. Naveed made a usual 21 before being bowled by Mitchell. Salman Bedaar made 22 before being trapped by Mitchell lbw. Khuram, batting at eight also scored 22 and was the first player to hit Farooq over his head for six. It was a fine duel between the pair which Farooq eventually overcome by bowling the excellent right hander. Honours even in that one though.

Mitchell took the last two wickets bowling Nisar and trapping Raza lbw.

Siyapa 145 all out. It had been the first time that Siyapa had failed to make 200 when batting first, a fantastic achievement. The 145 score they made on this pitch was, in my opinion, above par and the total would be extremely difficult to chase down.

In achieving this Memon had top scored with 35 whilst Khan had made a useful 24. Encouraging for Siyapa was the middle to lower order chipped in with three scores of over 20.

For Portcullis skipper Dave Mitchell lead the way with figures of 5-27 from his 12 overs. He was ably backed up by Aaron Mundin (3-40) and Muhammad Farooq finished with rather unkind figures of 2-50 from his eleven overs.

On a damp pitch and outfield, the Portcullis bowling attack did well to keep the score down and control with the ball as they did.

It had been a valiant effort.

After a splendid tea put on by the Siyapa side, the two teams went out to contest the second half of this fascinating match.

Portcullis would open their batting with the “42 stone of brute strength” partnership of Dave Forbes and Ronnie Falconer. For Siyapa the new cherry attack would be shared by Arshad Nisar and Shahid.

If Siyapa had got off to a stuttering start in their innings then Portcullis got off to a brutal one. Arshad, in his first over, induced Forbes into playing a leading edge off the front foot. The ball pooped up and was agonisingly long enough in the air for the ever alert Naveed to throw himself forward of short mid-off to get his left hand under the ball to take a super catch! Portcullis 1-1.

Falconer did not last long either. He went down the wrong line to a probing length ball from Shahid and was duly bowled. Portcullis 5-2.

This quick fall of wickets saw Dave Mitchell and Muhammad Farooq arrive at the crease. The pair took the score onto 33 before Farooq went next. A pair of rather splendid boundaries was all he would have to his name as Shahid got one to stay low and smash down his leg pole.

Next up was Shovon Mostofa. It was a deserved promotion up the order as Mostofa had impressed with the willow in recent weeks. It was hoped he would continue his good form.

Alas it was not to be as Mostofa. He was Portcullis’s fourth victim as he was out lbw for 3 as he became Arshad’s second victim.

Portcullis were 36-4 and in deep trouble. Mitchell was still there but he would need help and something very special to turn this one around.

Next up was Andy Philip. Andy, a debutant to the Grades this season, had impressed with the bat already. His previous match for the City Centre Green Caps saw him share a partnership of 86 with Jesse Walmsley. Although Philip could not bring the same sizable partnership to this match, he did hang around with Mitchell to give Portcullis hope.

In the meantime, Siyapa relieved the pairing of Nisar and Shahid with Naveed and Khuram. The Sheddocksley 2 pitch had a strip cut at the very end of the square. This created a very lop-sided width to the field. One side was possibly 70 yards to the boundary, the other about 30. Mitchell, facing the left arm over seam of Naveed, filled his boots as Naveed’s first four deliveries were ably dispatched for boundaries. Portcullis may go down but they were going to go down fighting – or at least Mitchell was. In four balls 36-4 became 52-4.

In Khuram’s first over, Mitchell dispatched the Siyapa fourth seamer for a six as the skipper’s controlled aggression was beginning to swing the match back towards Portcullis’s favour. Mitchell’s partnership with Philip took the score onto 76, within which the Green Cap’s skipper had reached a well-deserved fifty, a risk free drive through extra cover taking him to that particular milestone.

Philip was the man to leave the partnership as he was bowled by Naveed.

Richard Collinson was next man in. It appeared to be a case of finding partners to keep Mitchell company as he took the game to the Siyapa attack. The pair shared a partnership of 30 and the score passed 100 for Portcullis before Siyapa struck again.

In the meantime Khuran continued to struggle and he was replaced by Memon. Memon showed excellent control with his variation of spin and seam and made things tough for the Portcullis pairing. It was Memon who made the breakthrough.

It was a case of Mitchell losing another batting partner as this time Collinson went as he cut one from the spin bowling of Memon into the safe hands of Khuram at cover.

Portcullis 106-6. Game on!

The previous two partnerships had yielded 70 runs and had brought Portcullis back into this game. Mitchell was on fire and it was a case of could the Portcullis team hang on with him.

Next man in was Simon Winstanley. Realising the severity of the situation, Winstanley dug in and curbed his normal attacking style. Seeing the form that Mitchell he played the anchor role quite majestically. The score went onto 125 before Siyapa struck once more. The impressive Memon capturing his second wicket as he trapped Winstanley lbw.

For Siyapa it was a case of three wickets. For Portcullis it was a case of 21 runs.

It was still anyone’s game.

Aaron Mundin was next in. It showed that although Portcullis’s batting had struggled, it did have depth. Mundin kept a cool head and dug in for Portcullis, giving Mitchell the perfect foil to take the Green Caps over the finishing line. A final push for two took Portcullis towards the magical and, at one time, unlikely total of 146 and victory.

It was poignant that a Mitchell pull for two took him to his first century for Portcullis and a wonderful victory for Portcullis!

The victory meant that Siyapa were pulled back to the pack for the chase for the Grade Four Title. For Portcullis it meant they were top of Grade Four for the first time this season with nearly half the season gone.

With only 7% separating the top three teams in Grade Four and with eight fixtures remaining, it is a case of anybody’s Title. Only a fool would predict the outcome now.

Although suffering their first loss of the season, Siyapa should not lose heart. They are a team blessed with many gifted players. If they continue to play in the way that they have already this season, silverware is a distinct possibility for them this season.

PORTCULLIS MAN OF THE MATCH.

Why insult your intelligence dear reader! It can only be Portcullis Skipper DAVE MITCHELL. He is the first player since 2013 to take five wickets and score a century in the same match in the Aberdeen Grades.

In my many years of playing cricket I have never seen a more determined player like Mitch. He is a wonderfully gifted all-rounder but he also has the guts and spirit of street fighter with a never say die attitude.

I have also never witnessed one player have such a bearing of any team game I can remember. I honestly feel privileged to bear witness to such a performance!!

As I said in a club email, the rest of the squad owe Mitch a performance (or more) after that.

SIYAPA MAN OF THE MATCH.

SHAHRAM MEMON takes the honours for the Grade Four new boys. His top score of 35 for the home team was followed by an excellent controlled bowling spell of 2-27.

PORTCULLIS MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Believe it or not… It did not go to Mitch! It goes to MUHAMMAD BILAL FAROOQ for the ball he produced to dismiss Siyapa’s star batsman, Abdullah Khan. He got a brute of a ball to rise up to Khan. Although Khan blocked it, he could not keep it down as the ball ballooned behind the slip area where first slip took a comfortable catch. It produced the breakthrough that Portcullis needed at that time. Currently the delivery of the season for Portcullis!

Thursday, 18 June, 2015