ACADEMY GIVE PORTCULLIS AN EDUCATION.

Sunday April 24th saw the first game of Portcullis’s 2016 season against last year’s Grade 2 Champions Academy.

The match, played at the neutral venue of Groats Road, would be excellent preparation for both sides as both prepare for a step up in Grades Cricket. Academy of course in Grade One whilst Portcullis would be in Grade Three.

This friendly was unique in a few ways. It would be the first time that Portcullis played with 15 players (four players would change places every ten overs) as well as playing “rolling wickets”. Rolling wickets - simply put – just means that if you lose your ten wickets your batsmen go in to bat again. By achieving thus it means this 30 over a side friendly would play out its full sixty overs.

The 15 players included five debutants for Portcullis. Mansoor Hussein, Jake Dawson, Ross McKenzie, Toby Williams and Owen Philip.

Drawing on the fresh idea from the English County Championship of doing away with the toss, Academy and Portcullis discussed that the game would be best served if Academy were to bat first. Both teams agreed that this would be the best course of action so it was Academy who would open the innings.

Portcullis skipper of the day, Ronnie Falconer, wanted to open the bowling with his trusted deadly duo of Bob Adie and Richard Collinson. However a mix-up on stumps saw Bob have to hurry home and miss the start of the match- his ten over stint on the sidelines. Instead Falconer turned to the wily spinner Chris Poolman partner Collinson. For Academy it was the pairing of Abhinav and Sri who would take to the crease for Academy.

Collinson struggled with his opening spell and took himself off after 2 overs. At this point Academy were 17-0. At the other end Poolman, despite bowling on an artificial wicket, was troubling the Academy pairing with his variety of flight and turn.

It was Poolman’s next partner, Mansoor Hussein, who would be bestowed with the honour of taking Portcullis’s first wicket of the season. Sri would be his victim. In Mannie’s second over Sri had moved on serenely to 16 without fuss. He was trapped lbw however as Hussein’s nagging accuracy was to do for him. Academy 27-1 after 7 overs.

Next man in was Pehjaj. Along with Abhinav, the Academy pair took it upon themselves to entertain the watching masses, calling on their vast array of batting skills to liven up the match and keep their audience enthralled. Academy had decided to retire each batsman once they had reached 30 in order to give more batsmen a run-out.

Abhinav would be the first ‘victim’. He got to 24 with a splendid four through the covers and a towering six over mid-off. To sign off he replayed those shots to carry him to 34 not out and retired. The cavalier style in which he completed his innings was much appreciated by the friendly crowd and he went off to congratulations and well wishes from players and supporters alike.

In the meantime with Falconer subbing himself off for overs 10-20, the Captain’s armband was hurled towards Portcullis Firsts Skipper Dave Mitchell. He replaced Poolman and Hussein with an initial two over salvo by Shovon Mostofa and himself. After two overs it was the turn of debutant Ross McKenzie to join skipper Mitchell with the cherry. For Academy it was Sharaih who joined Pehjaj at the crease.

The score moved to 90-1 when Portcullis grabbed their second wicket. Mitchell trapping Pehjaj for a solid 22 which had included two solid boundaries.

Next man in was Praful and, along with Shariah took the score onto 114. The score of 114 three away from a Sheppy Nelson, seemed to have a diverse effect on Academy. This also produced the comedy gold of the match.

This came in the form of a run-out. Praful struck a low lusty blow towards the covers and set off, urging his partner Shariah for a quick single. The drive was in the general direction of Poolman and his hasty yet ungainly attempt at a long barrier saw said lusty blow career off his right heel, taking much of the velocity off the ball. The ball ballooned up towards extra cover where Bob Adie was alert enough to catch the ball and whip it back towards Wicketkeeper Vijayakrishnan to have poor Shariah run-out by yards. Academy 114-3.

Bizarrely it was Poolman again who was involved in Academy’s next run-out. This time his fielding was more of the Stokes variety as a clinical stop, pick up and throw was to do for the unlucky Naveem who was back to the pavilion for 2.

Academy 116-4.

Coming back for a second spell, Mostofa bowled Praful for a 9 with a corking Yorker! Academy 117-5.

This saw Uday at the crease with Amith. Amith went without troubling the scorers when he became Mostofa’s second victim again bowling his poor victim with a good full length ball.

Amith (16), with the support of Ashin (10) and others took Academy’s final total onto 169-9. For Portcullis, Mostofa bowled Amith with another off stump Yorker whilst debutants Toby Williams and Owen Thorpe got to take wickets as well.

The pairing of Williams and Collinson took on the feel of Lillie and Marsh as the pair, in their roles of keeper and bowler, combined to strike for Portcullis. On each occasion Williams’s deliveries proved to have hypnotising drift. This encouraged each batsman to wildly swish at each delivery, misjudge them and produce edges through to Keeper Collinson (replacing Vijayakrishnan) who was on hand to take two good catches with the gloves.

Owen Thorpe, on for a lively over, produced good lift and bounce and thoroughly deserved his wicket, bowling Uday for his solid 16.

Academy completed their 30 overs posting a healthy 169-9. Abhinav top scored with 34. Other batsmen of note were Pehjaj (22), Shahraih (21), Abhinav and Uday (both 16).

The bowling plaudits for Portcullis went to Shovon Mostofa. He finished with 2-12, both wickets coming from inch perfect off-stump yorkers. Debutant Toby Williams (2-13) also took two wickets, each time beating the Academy batsmen in flight with balls that followed them. The other wickets fell to another debutant Mannie Hussein (1-20) Dave Mitchell (1-12) and another debutant Owen Thorpe (1-6).

After a quick tea, it was the turn of Portcullis to bat. Opening the batting for them would be Andy Philip and Dave Mitchell. For Academy the bowling would be opened by Safeer and Jamilth.

Portcullis had prior experience of Safeer. In 2014 Portcullis managed to bowl out Academy at Duthie Park for 134. Thoughts of an upset were quickly quashed when Safeer with a beautiful spell of inswing and seam bowling took 5-10 from 6 overs. His contribution meant that Portcullis were soon all out for 45, some 89 runs adrift.

It appeared he was on that form again as his four over spell sent both Philip and Mitchell back to the pavilion for single figures.

His partner Jamilth although pacey, sprayed the ball about somewhat. He got one quick one to stay straight enough and breach the defences of debutant Jake Dawson batting at 3.

At this point Portcullis were 11-3, confirming that this match was only going one way. Shovon Mostafa, Andrew Blackwell and Bob Adie fell to the bowling of Sharaih, again all for single figures.

It was not all doom and gloom though. Comeback star Kannan Vijayakrishnan pitched in with a useful 13, Owen Thorpe, donning the Portcullis colours for the first time, top scored with 19 that included the shot of day, a glorious cover drive that simply shot away to the boundary for four. The Portcullis Australian Professional* Hamish Mitchell finished on 11 not out. This rise to glory meant he demanded to be carried off shoulder high, demands that were quite frankly and rightly ignored. Mannie Hussein finished on 5 not out to complement a fine debut from the ex- Gordonian starlet.

All in all this meant that Portcullis finished on 93-9. Bearing in mind the quality of the opposition, Portcullis can be reasonably pleased with their performance. This match was a learning curve too many of their players and all in all it was a valuable workout.

Academy bowled well and shared their wickets around. Shariah lead the way with 3-11 from his four overs. The impressive Safeer took 2-3 from four very challenging overs. Abhinav took 2-5 in three overs. Jamilth took the other wicket (1-19).

PORTCULLIS MAN OF THE MATCH – Owen Thorpe.

A top score of 19 and a wicket from his only over meant that Owen took the award deservedly.

PORTCULLIS MOMENT OF THE MATCH.

Owen’s cover drive for four was the moment of the match for Portcullis.

PORTCULLIS COMEDY GOLD OF THE MATCH.

Chris Poolman’s involvement for the second run out for Portcullis. A solid drive by the unfortunate Academy batsman saw the ball go towards young Chris. The ball shot one way whilst Chris went another. In his haste he left his left heel out, the ball careered into his heel, took the full impact of the drive thus causing the ball to loft gently in the air. The ball went towards Bob Adie whose speed of thought combined with fleetness of foot meant a sharp throw to Vijayakrishnan saw the poor Academy batsman out by yards.

ACADEMY MAN OF THE MATCH.

Abhinav takes the honours. His well-timed 34 not out with the bat was complemented with his 2-5 with the ball.

In truth Academy had a lot of good performers on the day.

OUR TAKE ON TODAYS OPPONENTS.

Academy were an impressive side when we last met in 2014. They seem to have improved since then and it was easy to see why they won Grade Two last year. They should not be daunted with their step up to Grade One as they are there on merit. Safeer should have another good season in Grade One and will cause all of the batsmen problems. Abhinav impressed with his all-round skills. I expect Academy to finish no worse than mid-table in Grade One. They could cause upsets in the Cup as well.

Monday, 16 May, 2016