Portcullis maintain winning run in Methlick.

Match Eight of the 2015 Grade Four season saw Portcullis on their travels to the picturesque village of Methlick to take on Methlick 2nds.

In their previous meeting Portcullis grabbed a solid eight wicket victory. Although it looked a sizeable margin, it was a tight victory with only 2-3 overs to spare.

Methlick could not be taken lightly though. They provided the shock of the quarter-finals when they marched to a six-wicket victory against cup favourites Siyapa. What was more impressive was Siyapa had batted first and set a daunting total of 205 in 40 overs. Methlick chased down that total and now face Turriff in the semi-finals.

Skippers Rob Fryer and Dave Mitchell marched to the middle for the toss. The Portcullis skipper called correct and invited their opponents to bat first. A wise move as the weather forecast suggested intermittent showers for the early part of the afternoon.

It was the usual M & M partnership for Portcullis to open the bowling – Mitch and Mo. For Methlick 2nds, it would be Fryar and Colley-Davies.

Portcullis struck first. The pace and movement of Farooq doing for Fryar. The result being the unusual sight of Fryar’s middle stump cartwheeling out of the ground. Methlick 4-1.

This brought Jamie Jones to the crease. Jamie, an ex – Gordonians player, had a reputation for being a quality all-rounder and a dangerous player at any level of the Grades. He is very much a match-winner and his performance could dictate the outcome of this match.

Jones, along with Colley-Davies, started cautiously and gave little away as Mitchell and Farooq’s tails were up. The pair dug in, edging the score upwards, as Methlick looked to take control of the match.

The score moved onto 20 before Portcullis struck again. Two balls prior to the fall of the second wicket, Colley-Davies skied one deep towards mid-on. Falconer covered a lot of ground but a mistimed leap saw the ball spill out his hands.

Thankfully Mitchell spared Falconer’s blushes when he bowled Colley-Davies for a useful 14 with one that pitched back in. Methlick 20-2.

It was the turn of Jake Allan to enter the Lairds arena. Along with Jones the pair took the score onto 26 before Mitchell struck again, bowling Allan for 1. Methlick 26-3.

26-3 soon became 27-4 as new batsman S. Gordon became Farooq’s second victim, bowled without troubling the scorers.

This brought Methlick 2nds Captain Grant Cordiner to the crease. Cordiner, in the last match between the pair, showed he was very handy with the bat. Although Portcullis had made inroads into the Methlick batting line-up, there was plenty of work to be done.

Jones began to grow in confidence. He initially took the attack to Portcullis, pulling Mitchell for a couple of fours as his timing began to flourish.

Farooq too was having difficulty also in acquiring a third wicket to his name as the impressive Cordiner and Jones battled through.

The Methlick pair eventually saw off the Portcullis opening pair and it was the turn of Aaron Mundin and Shovon Mostofa to take the attack to the Lairders.

The new Portcullis pairing had contrasting starts to their bowling spells. Mundin opened up with a maiden whilst Mostofa, initially bowling too short, was taken for 7 in his opening over as Methlick began to climb into the Portcullis bowling.

Jamie Jones, in particular, was going through the gears and taking a shine to Mundin’s line and length. This passage of play was a contrasting two-parter. The first part saw the Methlick score accelerate at an alarming rate of knots. The second part- in sync with the first part- brought about the downfall of Methlick’s most dangerous batsman – Jones himself.

THE FIRST PART.

In his second over, Mundin saw his first two balls disappear over the leg-side fence for super sixes from the swashbuckling willow of Jones. Many a Portcullis player was forced to enter the nearby field to engage in the search for the offending cherry that was causing the City Centre Green Caps so much pain!

Mundin’s third delivery of the over – a no-ball – saw Jones dispatch it with even more power and disdain over deep-deep mid-on. The ball cleared the boundary and the uninviting nettles and was duly given a watery grave as it nestled at the bottom of the nearby river.

A truly monstrous hit! And a match ball lost forever!

Just don’t tell our Treasurer – Bob “The Iron Chancellor” Adie. Otherwise he’ll throw me in after it!

THE SECOND PART.

A combination of the delay in obtaining another used match ball, the challenge of going for seven sixes in an over and Mundin holding his nerve and bowling a more accurate fuller ball eventually did for Jones. With his adrenalin pumping through his veins, he swung wildly at Mundin’s next delivery. He was unlucky as the ball caught his inside edge and went on to smash his stumps as he fell for a spectacular 42.

It had been a hell of an innings and he was a little unfortunate to be heading back to The Laird’s benches.

Methlick 64-5.

This brought Chalmers to the crease and he joined Cordiner. Inevitably, Jones exit brought about a rapid slowing down of the scoring rate as well as a rapid rise in the Portcullis’s camp’s morale.

Mostofa, after his shaky first over began to settle down. Whether it was down to the demise of Jones, the wise words from his skipper Mitchell extolling the values and virtues of pitching the ball up or a combination of both, Mostofa began to look formidable with the ball.

His second over could not have been more contrasting than his first – a double wicket maiden! Chalmers was the first victim as Mostofa got him to edge one skywards, the ever alert Winstanley on hand to take a good catch. Jay Allan was out next ball trapped lbw. Choudry did well to survive the hat-trick ball.

This passage of play saw 64-4 become 65-7 as the match swung back in Portcullis’s favour.

Mostofa got another wicket in his next over as he bowled the dangerous Cordiner as the eighth wicket fell on 71. This was Mostofa’s ball of the match his good length delivery inswung late to topple a bemused Cordiner’s off-pole.

At this juncture Mitchell brought himself back into the bowling attack and he and Mostofa shared the last two wickets.

Mitchell took his third and Portcullis’s ninth wicket when he bowled Day for 2. Methlick 77-9.

It was fitting that Portcullis’s two most potent players fielding – Dave Mitchell and Shovon Mostofa – combined to finish the Methlick innings. Mostofa induced Choudry to lift one deep into first slip area. The ever alert and supple Mitchell on hand to leap high to take a spectacular catch at slip.

Methlick all out for 77. For The Lairders Jamie Jones spectacular 42 at one point promised to be much, much more whilst Colley-Davies contributed a solid 14.

In the bowling department it was encouraging to see Shovon Mostofa take 4-11. Skipper Dave Mitchell weighed in with 3-22. Mo Farooq took 2-17 whilst Aaron Mundin took 1-26 – but what a one!

It was decided that with Methlick having many players having to leave early, an opening innings of 23 overs and perhaps troubled weather ahead that tea would be delayed till the end of the match.

For Portcullis it would be the usual opening partnership of Forbes and Falconer. For Methlick it too would be the familiar pairing of Choudry and Day.

First blood went to Methlick when Choudry captured the wicket of Forbes, bowling him without troubling the scorers.

This brought Mitchell to the crease. With Falconer, the pair took the score onto 19. Falconer, latched onto a wide long hop and smashed it towards deep mid-on. The ball was carelessly hit, had too much air and was taken well at deep mid-off by Methlick skipper Fryar. It was an excellent catch.

Farooq was next man in. The pair took the score onto 34 before Farooq swung at a good delivery by Choudry and was duly bowled for 8.

This brought Mostofa to the crease to join Mitchell. The score moved onto 38 before Choudry took his third wicket of the match.

It was also his best one.

Mostofa tried to cut at one which pitched about 15 inches outside off-stump, he missed but was duly unperturbed as he expected the ball to carry on towards the keeper safely. Instead the ball spat like an off-breaker and cut in to knock out Mostofa’s off-pole. Mostofa look dismayed to lose his wicket so cheaply but he shouldn’t have. It really was a cracker of a ball and the best ball I have seen delivered by an opponent this season!

Portcullis 38-4. The game was finely balanced.

Andy Phillip was next man in. Whilst batting in the middle order, Philip had developed the positive habit of enjoying healthy partnerships – in particular with Skipper Dave Mitchell. Portcullis were hoping he would continue this habit especially the way this match was shaping.

Philip duly did. Along with super skipper Mitchell, the pair once again built a solid partnership. During this spell Cordiner and Jones replaced Choudry and Day. The new pairing bowled tightly and impressively making the Portcullis target all the more tougher to achieve. Cordiner bowled with impressive flight, guile and control whilst his counterpart Jones bowled impressive short of a length away swingers with enthusiastic pace, bristle and bustle.

The pairing of Mitchell and Philip stood firm. They took the score to 67 before Philip fell to an innovative ball from Jones.

Having bowled pacey balls with away swing, Jones threw in a slower ball. It may not be as executed as he wished but it had the desired effect. The ball came out a lot slower than he intended but this did for Philip. The fact the ball took an age to reach him and was a full toss broke Phillip’s concentration. He swished early at the ball which in turn popped it up in the air for the Methlick fielder to run in to take a good catch.

Portcullis 67-5.

It was the turn of Aaron Mundin to join Mitchell at the crease. The pair dug in and took Portcullis to their winning total with no further scares.

A good win for the City Centre side as they managed to hang onto the top of the table. For Methlick the ball in the river was the turning point of the match. With another 30-40 runs on their total they could have easily won this match.

PORTCULLIS MAN OF THE MATCH

Skipper DAVE MITCHELL once again. He is enjoying a wonderful season with bat and ball and, match by match, continues to embellish his reputation in the Grades as a superb all-rounder! Today his 46 not out and 3-22 were fantastic contributions to the Portcullis posse. He really is worth his weight in gold!

PORTCULLIS MAN OF THE MATCH (Betting Without Mitch)

SHOVON MOSTOFA showed the potential he has with the ball. When he eliminated the short pitched ball from his armoury he became a totally different proposition with the cherry. He finished with figures with 4-11 which included the prize wicket of Cordiner with a super inswinger of a delivery!

METHLICK MAN OF THE MATCH

JAMIE JONES takes it for his swashbuckling 42, his sharp fielding and his clever bowling. The three sixes he dispatched were top quality and his type of batting is the type that bars get cleared for!

PORTCULLIS MOMENT OF THE MATCH.

AARON MUNDIN capturing the wicket of Jones. Despite being hit for three sixes in the previous three balls, Mundin held his nerve to bowl the ball fuller and more accurate to do for Jones. It was the key wicket at the key moment.

Shovon Mostofa deserves a mention for the delivery that disposed of Cordiner. It really was a super ball!

METHLICK MOMENT OF THE MATCH

SHAHID CHOUDRY’S delivery to dispose of Shovon Mostofa. The ball pitched at reasonable pace 15-20 inches outside Mostofa’s off-stump. It then dug into the turf and spat towards off-stump leaving Mostofa bemused and bewildered. This was the ball of the season in this reporter’s humble opinion and would have done for many a batsman.

Tuesday, 30 June, 2015