Fielding Frenzy Gives Portcullis A Semi.

Fielding Frenzy Gives Portcullis A Semi.

Sunday 24th June saw the second match of the weekend. Portcullis at home in their Reid Cup T20 Quarter Final against Methlick 2nds.

As cricket was not allowed on Duthie Park, Portcullis were happy enough to switch their home tie to Sheddocksley. Thankfully the weather was pleasant, so no windbreakers were required.

It was to be Secretary Ronnie Falconer’s second day of Captaincy to boot as he went out onto the square to toss the coin with Methlick skipper Rob Fryer. It was to be Falconer’s third coin toss loss in a row. This was not a great loss however as both Captain’s were not sure how to approach this T20 Cup Tie. After some deliberation Rob Fryer plumped for the batting option.

At the pre-match huddle skipper Falconer expressed the importance of fielding and how this would be key to the destination of this match.

Fresh from the win at Turriff, Portcullis once again went with the opening combination of left arm seam in the shape of Ross McKenzie and Brian Harper. For Methlick 2nds, the batting would be led by the pairing of A. Smith and B. Anderson.

After a fine tight maiden over from McKenzie, Harper nearly struck gold with his first delivery. A faint edge just dropping agonisingly short of keeper Richard Collinson.

With Harper keeping things tight as well, Methlick 2nds were 2-0 after 2 overs. Bearing in mind this was a T20, the opening pair began taking risky singles. This passage of play saw the fall of the first wicket. Smith drove McKenzie for a four and a risky single. McKenzie was to have his revenge though, bowling Anderson with a beauty of an inswinger. Methlick 2nds 7-1.

Next man in was S. Boughey. The bowlers, McKenzie and Harper ably backed up by some excellent fielding kept things tight as Methlick found runs hard to come by. With pressure building, this brought about the second Methlick wicket and it came about due to some fielding brilliance from Jake Dawson.

When the pair of Anderson and Boughey went for another single it was to be their undoing. Boughey smashed a delivery straight back at McKenzie who made a heroic effort to get a hand to it. Seeing the ball spill the Methlick batsmen took to their heels in pursuit of a cheeky run. The ball however was parried to Jake Dawson in the covers. They took on the gifted arm of Jake Dawson and it was to be no contest. Jake throwing some 30 yards to the keeper’s end, a direct hit leaving the dangerous Smith out by a good few feet. Methlick 10-2.

This brought M. Bremenson to the crease to join Boughey.

10-2 soon became 17-3 after another unfortunate misfield led to a cracking run-out. Bremenson swept a leg side delivery from McKenzie straight at Bob Adie at square leg. Taking the sting out of the ferocious hit, Adie had a brief juggling act that alas saw him spill the catch. Fair play to Adie as he showed tremendous game awareness to continue picking the ball up and throwing it perfectly over the bails to give Collinson the easiest of completed run-outs, this time Boughey being the unfortunate batsmen to be run out.

It was Harper’s fourth over and Methlick’s eighth that brought about Harper’s well deserved first wicket of the day. Bremenson pulled at a short of a length delivery that got big on him. As a result he top-edged it well over the wicketkeeper’s head. Dave Forbes, hidden at fine leg as he was still suitably refreshed from an evening of beer, Kraken Rum and tomfoolery, shrugged off his hungover/still drunk (delete as applicable) haze to make cracking ground to hang onto a fantastic catch. Methlick 2nds 18-4.

This turn of events brought the dangerous pairing of Rob Fryer and Grant Cordiner to the crease. Portcullis got off to a cracking start, but this Cup Tie was by no means over.

The pair saw off McKenzie and Harper and showed they were not to be easily turned over. Cordiner opened his innings with a massive four bouncing just short of what would have been a well deserved six.

With the departure of McKenzie and Harper, the cherry now went to the experienced pairing of Kannan Vijayakrishnan and Gary Steward.

Cordiner and Fryer pushed the score on, but Portcullis stuck to their task gamely. The pair put on a stand of 29 in six overs, dragging Methlick 2nds back into the match. Cordiner, once too often walked down the wicket to Steward. This time he saw Cordiner coming and adjusted his delivery to bowl the dangerous Methlick batsman. Methlick 2nds 47-5.

Two wickets fell in the next over, Vijayakrishnan’s third. First out was Morgan as he fell to a run out thanks to some quick thinking from Steward and keeper Collinson. Vijayakrishnan then captured his first wicket and it was the prize one of Rob Fryer. Rob swung at a lifter outside off stump which saw him crash it high into the air towards Jayaraj Raj at point. Raj, always humble about his cricket skills, made light on what was a tremendous catch of a high swirling ball. 47-5 had become 53-7 and the match was swinging back in Portcullis’s favour.

The innings ended soon after. Vijayakrishnan trapping Sarafinwinski lbw. The unfortunate Sarafinwinski obviously losing sight of the ball initially and then dragging back his back leg to stop the ball hitting the stumps.

The final two wickets were run-outs four and five. First up was Colley – Davis who smashed a drive towards mid-off and then set off on the strength of the shot. Bowler Steward however got down sharply to stop the ball and hold onto it. With Colley- Davis committed to the run there was no contest as Steward kept the ball and presence of mind to simply jog up to the stumps and tap the bails off with ball in hand.

The unfortunate Hyde, carrying an injury was the last run-out. An edge through slips saw Falconer in pursuit from gully. A quick pick up and throw saw Hyde stranded in the middle of the pitch going for two. Keeper Collinson on receiving the throw from Falconer, lobbed the ball to Steward at the bowler’s end who completed the run out and the innings.

Methlick 2nds 63 out from 18 overs.

For Methlick Rob Fryer top scored with 17 whilst Grant Cordiner supported with fifteen. Pick of the Portcullis bowling figures was Kannan Vijajyakrishnan with 2-21 from 4 overs. Each of the other bowlers got a wicket each – Ross McKenzie (1-12 from 5 overs), Gary Steward (1-14 from 4 overs) and Brian Harper (1-15 from five overs). Th other five wickets of course being run outs.

Being a T20 there was no tea to be taken, only cold drinks on such a warm day. After a quick turnaround, skipper Ronnie Falconer chose to open the batting with himself and Gary Steward. For Methlick 2nds the new ball would be shared by Grant Cordiner and A. Green.

The bowling from Methlick was threatening and tight. Cordiner mixing his deliveries well, changing the pace of his deliveries as well as the swing. Green at the other end was producing away swing and lift.

It was the sixth over when Methlick struck, grabbing the prize wicket of Gary Steward. Steward, having survived a cracking away swinger from Green, began to go through the gears peppering three quick twos in Green’s third over. The last ball was to do for him though. A Green away swinger also got lift clipping the top of Steward’s bat. Wicketkeeper Colley-Davis on hand to take a simple catch. Portcullis 12-1 after 6 overs.

Next man in was the mercurial Kannan Vijayakrishnan. Early doors he looked to be in good touch. With Methlick 2nds still in the match, their skipper Rob Fryer began mixing his bowling attack bringing himself and M. Bremenson on.

It would be Bremenson who would capture Methlick 2nds second wicket. Vijayakrishnan would be the player to go.

It was a shame as Vijayakrishnan was looking dangerous. He had crunched two boundaries in his knock of 11 before he fell. He played all around a Bremenson delivery and was bowled by the experienced spinner.

With Falconer still out in the middle, Vice Captain Richard Collinson took the bold decision to put Ross McKenzie up the order to bat next. McKenzie’s powerful hitting would be equally complimented wit his quick running between the wickets.

It proved to be an inspired decision!

Although chasing 64 to win, Methlick 2nds brought themselves back into the match. With six overs remaining Portcullis were needing 24 – four an over. It was squeaky bum time in the Portcullis ‘dressing room’.

The fifteenth over turned the match.

A looping first delivery smacked into the gloves and flew over the head over wicketkeeper Colley-Davies allowing a very cheeky single to give McKenzie the strike. A couple of wides and a four and a three from the blade of McKenzie took the pressure off the home team.

With Falconer now playing tip and run, McKenzie was getting plenty of the strike and took the match away from Methlick 2nds.

The run chase was completed in style by the bold McKenzie. The second ball of Bremenson’s fourth over was when McKenzie hit the winning runs. McKenzie chose to go down on one knee and play the Tillakaratne Dilshan scoop shot, lobbing it over his left shoulder and the wicketkeeper’s head for the winning runs.

Portcullis won the match by eight wickets, but it was much tighter than that. They now face the winners of Grampian 2nds v Stonehaven 2nds in the semi-final.

For Portcullis Ross McKenzie finished on 24 not out whilst Ronnie Falconer, unusual in a T20 match carried his bat finishing on 14 not out in 17.2 overs. The other double digit scorer being Kannan Vijayakrishnan with 11. For Methlick the wicket takers were Green (1-10 from 5 overs) and Bremenson (1-14 from 3.2 overs).

PORTCULLIS MAN OF THE MATCH.

All the bowlers bowled well. Falconer carried his bat, but ROSS MCKENZIE takes the plaudits today. His timely knock of 24 not out along with his bowling figures of 1-12 from 5 overs makes him a well-deserved winner.

METHLICK 2nds MAN OF THE MATCH.

Skipper ROB FRYER edges it from Grant Cordiner. A fine Captain’s innings of 17 led Methlick to a score they could try and defend.

PORTCULLIS CATCH OF THE MATCH.

This went to JAYARAJ RAJ. His catch removed the dangerous Rob Fryer and it was a difficult one. Many a time those high swirlers at Sheddocksley have made a fool of many a cricketer (myself included). He never looked in doubt and it changed the match.

PORTCULLIS RUN OUT OF THE MATCH.

With five run outs this was a difficult choice. It had to go to JAKE DAWSON for his 30 yard plus run out of A. Smith. It set the tone for the Portcullis fielding and was simply brilliant and inspirational!

Saturday, 30 June, 2018