When The Going Gets Tough at Turriff!!

Week nine of the Grades season saw Portcullis take the welcome long trip back to Turriff after an absence of three years – 2015 being the time the two teams met at The Haughs.

With an abundance of players on holiday, both Turriff and Portcullis could only muster 8 players each. Dunecht Cricket Club were kind enough to loan two players – Paul McMorris and Steve Derrett. This brought the numbers up to nine-a-side and meant the match would start after two tosses.

With the Portcullis Captain and Vice-Captain amongst the holidaymakers it was the turn of Secretary Ronnie Falconer to don the Captain’s armband. The first toss – whether to bat or field he lost. The second toss – which player from Dunecht to get – he also lost. Turriff Skipper Dod Duncan decided to have a bat and Paul McMorris in his side.

Turriff opened the batting with the partnership of Dave Chalmers and Craig Peters whilst Portcullis opened their bowling with their usual left arm combo of Ross McKenzie and Brian Harper.

The opening exchanges were tight. Turriff defended stoutly against some probing deliveries from the City Centre Green Baggies (nowadays). The score went onto 16 after 10 overs before McKenzie struck bowling the Turriff anchor-man Chalmers with a rasping inswinger.

This brought Paul McMorris to the crease to join the determined Peters. McMorris looked to be in touch with the willow, easily picking up a couple of singles as well as a scorching pull past square leg for four from the nagging seam of Harper.

The score moved onto 27 before the unfortunate McMorris was next to go. Harper saw one of his left arm over deliveries drift outside leg stump. McMorris saw it too and pounced on it smashing it towards square leg again. The ball went towards Bob Adie at a rapid pace but the Portcullis El Presidente showed fine agility and courage to hang onto a screamer of a catch. Turriff 27-2.

This brought the new (to Portcullis) and experienced face of Malcolm Evans to the crease. He immediately showed to all he was sound of technique and strokeplay, his first scoring shot a pull for six over mid wicket. Bob Adie would have needed a Jet Pack to get his impressive hands to that one!

Harper managed to take another wicket though. It was the other opener Peters who would perish in this instance. Peters feathering one into the gloves of Portcullis keeper Richard Collinson who held onto a fine catch. Peters sportingly walked without waiting for the umpire. Turriff finely poised at 41-3.

At this juncture Falconer rested his young quick McKenzie and brought on the guest player Steve Derrett into the attack. Harper was feeling fit and coming through nicely so it was felt best to bowl the experienced left armer through.

In the meantime Paul Bijl joined Evans at the crease. The pair batted well. Derrett was finding his line and also (by accident) was hitting a spot short of a length that was rearing up at the batsmen. It was synonymous with the dry start to the summer (thankfully!). The pitches have been firmer and helmets have been in far greater use as a result. Thankfully the focused Bijl had one on as a Derrett goodish length ball reared into his helmet damaging it as a result. Thankfully it did its job and Bijl got to continue his innings once more.

At the back of The Haughs there was a fair going on and at that fair there was a DJ knocking out all of the hits of yesteryear. As Evans hit his six we were subjected to “Shang-A-Lang” by The Bay City Rollers. It took a while for the music to get better (and younger) but the weather was nice and the setting, as always, fantastic.

Alas Bijl became Harper’s third victim of the match. A punch drive into the covers being well held by Ross McKenzie.

Turriff 59-4.

At the other end Derrett began settling down after uncharacteristically being hit for two successive boundaries. Turriff skipper Dod Duncan came in next to join Evans. Duncan, already renowned for being a big hitter, cemented his reputation as he too made his first scoring shot a six, smashing it to mid-on for a considerable distance.

Derrett then took his first wicket of the match by getting one to lift at the dangerous Evans, it was all he could do to glove it into the gloves of the waiting Collinson. Turriff 69-5. Evans back at the pavilion with a fine 22 to his name.

Brian Harper’s 12 over spell came to an end and it was the turn of Andy Philip to turn his arm over.

Philip opened with a fine first five balls of the over, each ball challenging both batsmen as he went for a meagre single.

It was the eccentricity of the sixth ball that would do for new batsman Grey.

As Philip ran in and as he was about to release the ball he slipped and stumbled. As he fell to his left he released the ball towards Grey. Due to the direction of the slip the ball went well wide of off-stump and a definite wide. Unfortunately Grey could not resist the temptation to go after it, seeking to grasp some easy runs. As a result he overstretched, cutting it towards point where Jake Dawson managed to finally shrug off his Midori and Prosecco hangover from Krakatoa the night before to hold onto a fine catch. Turriff 79-6.

Derrett managed to remove the daunting Duncan after some fine planning and work between himself and Ross McKenzie. McKenzie dropped to deep mid-on and Derrett bowled one that was too tempting for Duncan. He smashed it towards McKenzie who made no mistake with the fine catch. Turriff 73-7.

Last man in was, rather surprisingly, Dave Laing and, along with B. Donald, took the score up to 87 before Phillip grabbed his second wicket of the match. He managed to stay upright this time deliver one of his late inswinging Yorkers to defeat the impressive Laing. Turriff 87 all out.

Bearing in mind it was only Turriff’s second match of the season they batted well in their innings. Malcolm Evans top scored for Turriff with a fine 22 (3 x 4’s., 1 x 6). He was backed up by the hard hitting Dod Duncan 11 (1 x 6, 1 x 4). Dave Laing was the other double digit scorer (10) whilst Craig Peters just missed out (8) but whose innings was impressive nevertheless.

The bowling honours went to Brian Harper whose nagging seam bowling saw him return with figures of 3-39

After a splendid tea it was the turn of Portcullis to reply. With the absence of regulars it was back to the old faithful of Dave Forbes and Ronnie Falconer to open the batting for Portcullis. Turriff too would open with their old faithful bowling of Paul Bijl and Dave Laing, the predominate outswing of Paul Bijl complimenting the predominate inswing of Dave Laing.

Forbes opened the scoring to the tune of “Hey Baby” By DJ Otiz blaring in the background. The musical suffering continuing all around us as the cricket match progressed.

Things got better as both teams found Status Quo’s “Rockin All Over The World” reasonably acceptable. There was even some headbanging going on in the outfield.

Despite the best efforts of Bijl and Laing, Portcullis stood firm, Falconer and Forbes displaying good defensive technique. Forbes went berserk at one point. Not due to the cricket but at the DJ playing “Dancing In The Street”. Forbes took great offence that the duo murdered a Martha and The Vandellas classic. The rest of us – we were tapping our feet along!

The Portcullis pairing of Falconer and Forbes managed to stand firm from the multi faceted attack coming from the Turriff bowling attack and it’s surroundings. The accurate outswing of Bijl, the menacing inswing from Laing and the utter rank pop tunes from the 70’s 80’s 90’s and beyond from the fairground behind were all steadfastly repelled by the duo.

The pair managed to pass their best ever partnership of 30 in the 17th over to the tune of “When the Going Gets Tough” thus showing mental strength that even Mike Atherton would have been proud of. In their defence it was only slightly less daunting than facing Allan Donald bowling into the body around the wicket.

Only just.

The pair almost got to The Holy Grail of seeing off Bijl, Laing and DJ Muck. It was the 20th over and the score of 39 when the first wicket fell. It was to be the valiant Dave Forbes who would perish. Dave Laing would be his tormentor on this occasion bowling Forbes with a fine inswinger. Forbes, gone for a club best of 23. Portcullis 39-1.

This brought And Philip to the crease. As he potentially had to go away early back to Aberdeen, he was promoted up the order. This turned out to be another piece of luck that swung Falconer’s way. Joining the skipper at the crease he opened his scoring with a fine four with a shot that would surely banish any nerves.

This duo finally saw off the Turriff opening pair and it was the turn of Dod Duncan, with his variety of pace, and Malcolm Evans, with his variety of spin, that would take the challenge to Portcullis.

It was Duncan who would strike first. Falconer picked up a slower delivery but was still foxed by the Turriff quick and it was he could do to slap a cover drive practice catch to Paul Bijl in the covers, Bijl making no mistake with those steady hands. Falconer gone for a fine 21.

If experience left the field then experience came back onto the field in the shape of Richard Collinson. Richard showed a cool head and steady technique to thwart any further dangers away. Philip was having nothing to do with being cool. He was enjoying himself and was happy to express this through his swashbuckling batting. Waiting patiently for loose deliveries, he would pounce on each of them with glee. His timing and touch was there for all to see as the ball began to whizz to the boundary on a regular basis. The marquee shot being the pulls and sweeps through the leg side field as they towards the boundary and beyond.

Collinson did the right thing and sat back and enjoyed the Phillip show!

The match finished in the 33rd over with Andy Philip finishing things off with two fine twos to bring Portcullis a most welcome victory against a tricky opponent. Phillip finished on a career best of 38 not out whilst Richard Collinson finished on 4 not out. This was a most welcome win after a recent stutter and would bode well for the Sunday Reid Cup Fixture against Methlick 2nds.

PORTCULLIS MAN OF THE MATCH.

Brian Harper deserves a mention with figures of 3-39 with the cherry as does guest Steve Derrett with his figures of 2-18. Ross McKenzie also for his two fine catches as well as grabbing the prize wicket of Dave Chalmers. On the batting front Dave Forbes (23) and Ronnie Falconer (21) with their opening partnership of 39 laid the foundation for a welcome victory but there was only one man who could walk away with the champers. ANDY PHILLIP with his super knock of 38 not out combined with his bowling spell of 2-12 was the well deserved Portcullis Man of the Match.

TURRIFF MAN OF THE MATCH.

This was quite tricky. Craig Peters soldiered on well with the willow, holding a steady defence opening the batting. The pairing of Paul Bijl and Dave Laing bowled well, the latter also having a dash with the bat but the Turriff Man of the Match was MALCOLM EVANS. His knock of 22 was complimented by his entertaining off-spin.

PORTCULLIS CATCH OF THE MATCH.

BOB ADIE rightly wins this one. His catch at square leg from a rocket of a shot from Paul McMorris was probably the match winning catch, McMorris looking in fine touch at the time.

Friday, 29 June, 2018