M & M too sweet for Grampian!!

Mitch & Mo gun down League Leaders.

Week Three of the 2015 Aberdeen Grades Cricket season saw Portcullis come up against the joint League Leaders Grampian CC at their home ground of Duthie Park.

For the second week in a row Aberdeenshire Cricket went through the strong possibility of rain stopping play only to find that the weather on the Saturday would turn out fine again and what was all the fuss about!

Skipper Dave Mitchell and his Grampian counterpart went out to toss the coin. Alas Mitchell could not continue his recent hot streak with the coin and called wrongly.

The Grampian skipper did not make his mind up instantly but went to the rest of his team to discuss the best plan of action. After a few minutes deliberation which included looking at the skies for possible weather interventions, the Grampian side decided to bat first. This was a bold decision and one that Portcullis side welcomed as they welcomed fielding first anyway.

Grampian opened their batting with Sajt and Sebv (that’s what it says in the book!) whilst Mitchell and Farooq would open with the new cherry for the City Centre Greencaps. The initial opening exchanges slightly favoured the League Leaders Grampian although both Mitchell and Farooq had small moral victories of their own beating the Grampian bat on more than one occasion.

The score had rose steadily to 12 before Portcullis had struck with their first wicket. It went to a highly motivated Mo Farooq when he bowled Sebv with one that came back in from off stump to knock back the opener’s leg stick. Grampian 12-1.

12-1 became 14-2 as skipper Mitchell decided to get into the act when he trapped Sajt lbw. It was a lively and welcome start for the Portcullis side. Seven overs gone and both openers back to the trees.

The new batsmen, Davis and Johnson Varghese, settled in and began to rebuild for Grampian. Varghese, in particular, looked to fight fire with fire as he scored boundaries freely against both bowlers despite the potency of the Portcullis pair. Davis, for his part, held up an end whilst his free scoring partner took a more cavalier approach.

The score moved onto 33 before Portcullis struck again. Skipper Dave Mitchell, having got his out swinger going quite beautifully produced a screamer of a ball to bowl Davis. It started outside leg stump on a perfect length and swung back to hit the top of the off pole and breach the sturdy defence of the Grampian no3. Grampian 33-3. Mitchell with two wickets whilst his partner Farooq had taken one.

33-3 soon became 33-4 when Farooq removed the key wicket of Varghese. He stepped across his stumps once too often and Farooq, having varied his pace quite beautifully, got him to mistime his clip through the leg side. The resultant thud of leather against pad left the umpire with little choice but to give lbw. Mitchell 2 Farooq 2.

It was the turn of Vaismith and Noby to take the fight to the City Centre side. By now though both Mitchell and Farooq had their tails up and were looking for wickets.

They did not have to wait too long.

Mitchell was next to strike. With the pair having added just one run, Mitchell got one to rise at Noby from a good length. It brushed the top of the bat and went through to Winstanley who completed the wicket with a good sharp catch at his waist.

Grampian 34-5. Mitchell 3 wickets, Farooq 2 wickets.

The very next ball was to do for S. Matthew as Mitchell bowled the luckless Grampian batsman

Grampian 34-6. Mitchell 4 wickets. Farooq 2 wickets.

Having watched Mitchell complete a double wicket maiden whilst narrowly missing out on a hat-trick, Farooq decided to come back with a wicket maiden of his own. Farooq had been mixing his bowling up quite beautifully. Fast yorkers, good length in swingers, off spin and slower balls had all been part of Farooq’s repertoire and, with this arsenal at his disposal, he bowled Vaismith with a ripping fast Yorker that had bamboozled the Grampian batsman.

Grampian 34-7. Mitchell 4 wickets. Farooq 3 wickets.

It now appeared both Mitchell and Farooq had a challenge of their own. This was beneficial to the Portcullis team. Grampian were still to be respected and could not be taken lightly. If possible, Portcullis had to try and finish the innings quickly in order to give themselves the best chance to win the match.

Farooq captured his fourth wicket when he bowled Rojil for 3.

Grampian 39-8. Mitchell and Farooq with four wickets apiece. Who would be first to a five-fer?

Having seen how much Farooq was catching up on him, Mitchell took his fifth wicket in the very next over when he bowled Ginto for 1. Grampian 40 for 9.

Farooq then completed three wickets in three overs when he wrapped up the innings bowling Rohin for 2.

Amazingly Grampian all out for 42 in 18.5 overs. Farooq finished with figures of 8.5 overs, 3 maidens,

14 runs for 5 wickets whilst skipper Mitchell finished with 9 overs 3 maidens 23 runs for 5 wickets.

It really was a fantastic bowling display from Mitchell and Farooq and they were simply unstoppable! It was certainly the best partnership bowling display for the City Centre Green caps for many a year.

For Grampian, Johnson Varghese scored an impressive 18 that included 3 fours and a six!

The job was only half done though. Portcullis still had to bat.

Portcullis decided to open with Walmsley and Falconer whilst Grampian opened with the pairing of Noby and S. Matthews.

To stand any chance of winning this match Grampian had to strike and strike early.

They duly did

After bowling a leg stump full length followed by a full toss no-ball, Matthew struck with his next ball whern he trapped Falconer lbw for 0. Falconer did feather an inside edge but it was not loud enough or visible enough, leaving the umpire with little choice but to give it out. Alas the Duthie Park facilities do not extend to snicko or a review system and the opener had to go.

Portcullis 1-1.

This brought skipper Mitchell to the crease to join Walmsley at the crease.

Both Noby and Matthew bowled a maiden apiece before Grampian struck again. This time it was the turn of Mitchell to go. He too was given out lbw despite appearing to having inside edging it onto his pads.

Portcullis 2-2.

Walmsley was joined at the crease by Farooq. The pair steadied the ship and took the score to 18 before Grampian struck again. Farooq having played himself in struck a pair of beautiful sixes over square leg. He went for the same shot once again and was bowled heaving across the line.

Portcullis 18-3.

It was the turn of Dave Forbes to come to the crease next. He joined Walmsley at the crease and the pair quietly but efficiently took the match away from the League new boys. Forbes opened his innings with a cut through pint for 2 and quickly followed it with a boundary. Walmsley, having settled in himself, drove and pulled a couple of fours of his own as the nerves eased onm the Portcullis boundary. The score moved onto 41 before Forbes, for the second week in a row feathered one to the keeper and walked off, saving the umpire from making a decision for a well-timed 11. It was a timely knock by the bearded maestro which included a couple of sweet boundaries. The partnership of 23 between Forbes and Walmsley would prove to be the highest of this match.

It was the turn of Richard Collinson next to join Walmsley at the crease. He had little to do though as Walmsley crashed the second ball of the next over for four and victory for the City Centre Green Caps.

Portcullis won by six wickets in what was seen by many as a surprise victory. Do not be fooled by results though dear reader. This Grampian side showed enough quality in this match to show they will be major players when it comes to the destiny of the Grade Four title and are rightly among the favourites despite today’s setback.

For Portcullis their opening three matches were all toughies. To remain unbeaten after those three matches bodes well for the City Centre side.

PORTCULLIS MAN OF THE MATCH.

MO FAROOQ takes the honours narrowly edging out skipper Dave Mitchell. His 5 – 14 was followed by his knock of 12 which took Portcullis to victory.

PORTCULLIS MOMENT OF THE MATCH.

Dave Forbes and Jesse Walmsley’s fourth wicket partnership of 23. It was no coincidence it was the highest partnership of the match and steered Portcullis to victory. As the pair batted on the notable enthusiastic decibels from the visitors declined rapidly.

GRAMPIAN MAN OF THE MATCH.

A dead heat between Johnson Varghese and Saju Matthew. Johnson top scored with 18 whilst Matthews returned bowling figures of 3-20.

Monday, 11 May, 2015