2nd Grampian vs Methlick 1st X1 29.07.2023
Acton unable to power Methlick to victory.
Holidays and work absences once more took their toll upon Methlick as a combined 1st and 2nd team travelled to Inverdee, the new cricket facility alongside the River Dee in Aberdeen, to take on 2nd Grampian. The home side had transformed from a very weak side at the start of the season to one of Grade 2’s strongest teams and Methlick’s main priority was to maximise batting and bowling points.
Grampian batted first with Moore and Crutchfield opening the bowling, both struggling for a decent line and length in a very strong cross-wind. It was a credit to the opening attack that the score was kept to a decent level at the 10 over mark with only 31 runs being posted. From this point the Grampian batters decided to hit out, and despite Cordiner and Fowlie taking a couple of cheaper wickets opener Paul and Khan in the middle order were pretty explosive, Paul adding 37 runs until bowled by Fowlie and Khan 42, bowled by Crutchfield on his return spell.
With wickets to play with Grampian were then able to hit out and a final flurry of 32 in the last 4 overs took the score to 215 with the bearded Crutchfield taking bowling honours with 3 for 30 off his 8 overs.
Disaster struck at the start of the Methlick innings as the first 3 wickets fell for only 18 runs. Captain Smith came in down the order and steadied the ship but found scoring hard to come by. He was joined by an injured Tom Acton who was suffering from a pulled calf muscle and found running difficult. As he loosened up so did his batting which went from circumspect to explosive in the blink of an eye. Seeing the ball like a beach ball, all the bowling was blasted to the boundary. He was supported by the pedestrian Bremanesen but the total was too great and in the end was bowled by Paul for a magnificent 83.
Methlick could only post 141 but managed to secure a valuable 15 bowling and batting points to keep their mid-table position to take into next week’s crucial derby match against Ellon at Lairds.
By Mark Woodhouse