match abandoned

Portcullis Cricket Club Match Report

R & D League – Sunday 9th June 2019

Sunday 9th June saw the Portcullis team eagerly assemble at Harlaw Academy playing fields at Groats Road for the R & D fixture against Gordonians. Unfortunately, Gordonians and the Portcullis guest players were assembling at Harlaw Road playing fields about two miles away. After a frantic exchange of texts, phone calls, WhatsApp messages and smoke signals, the team made its way to Harlaw Road around 12.45 for a slightly delayed start. The upside was former captain Dave Mitchell arrived at the same time as the rest of the team – albeit without his cricket trousers.

Captain for the day, Richard Collinson (having failed to un-volunteer for the role), was invited by his opposite number to call the toss and confidently applied the old adage of ‘tails never fails’, proved that it was a load of bunkum, and was promptly asked to bat. Academic, as given the lack of games and practice sessions over recent weeks and with an eye on the gathering clouds, having a bat would have been the choice anyway.

Opening for Portcullis would be Jake Dawson and Andy Philip, with the left arm pairing of K. Desai (from the Union Grove end) and E. Powell (from the Pavilion End) taking the new cherry for Gordonians.

Honours were fairly even during the opening overs – both bowlers probing the Portcullis pairs’ defences with good line, length and pace but with the occasional loose delivery allowing the opportunity to pick up runs with the first 8 overs giving a return of 20 runs for no loss of wickets (including a beautiful cover drive for 4 with what is quickly becoming Jake’s trademark shot).

The first bowling changes - S. Seenivasan and L. Mohan - replacing Desai and Powell at their respective ends also producing the first wicket in the 9th over – Andy Philip falling for 3 – ending a solid opening partnership of 28 runs. L. Mohan, bowling a subtle looping delivery style (not unlike Andy himself) inducing him to pop a catch up to the fielder in the covers with only his second delivery. This brought Andrew Blackwell to the crease to join Jake who had moved onto to 18.

Andrew and Jake continue to accumulate runs at a steady rate of around 4 an over with a well-judged mixture of singles, twos and Andrew’s bludgeoning 4’s to cow corner. After 16 overs, and as the dark clouds gathered, Gordonians brought Kumarasamt and Vallatharassy into the attack, and as drizzle turned to heavier rain, Vallatharasay trapped Andrew with a delivery that straightened which the umpire adjudged would have gone on to hit middle and leg (or maybe the rain impaired his vision) – and at this point the players retreated to the pavilion for shelter – Andrew departing for 14, Jake on 32, 60 for 2 after 17.4 overs.

The rain eased enough for play to continue allowing PCC guest Alan Burnett to join Jake at the crease briefly – being comprehensively bowled by the enigmatically named ‘No. 7’ (on the balance of probability, M. Sahota) having chalked up a single. This brought our next guest, Nathan Thangaraj, to the middle and after a tentative opening, exchanging singles with Jake, Nathan unleashed a barrage of shots, rapidly accelerating his score to 32 before retiring as the drizzle became steadier and heavier. Guessing what the frantic pings from the WhatsApp group to his phone indicated, your correspondent and umpire allowed play to continue with David Mitchell now coming out to bat, resplendent in his PCC jumper and jeans. This allowed Jake to push on to a well deserved and overdue maiden 50 for Portcullis – surely the first of many. With the rain now coming down heavily the sides again left the field for an early tea – and as the weather continued to worsen it was decided to call a halt to proceedings with Jake finishing on 54 not out and Dave 5 not out, with the Portcullis total standing at 137 for 3 off 31 overs.

Man of the match – simple choice – Jake Dawson – scoring fifty and carrying his bat. A great performance given the conditions and quality of the young Gordonians bowling attack.

Thursday, 04 July, 2019