Forres help Lossie towards league title
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WITH Forres St Lawrence defeating Highland, it is almost guaranteed that RAF Lossiemouth have secured the Macallan League championship.
Having beaten Buckie at home last Saturday, they still have to play Nairn County, Highland and Fochabers; but, could almost afford to lose all three games.
On a bright but blustery day, very rarely will any match, lasting 85 overs, not produce a single four, far less a six. However, with the depth of grass in the outfield allied with a boundary of Test match proportions, that was what happened.
Finding themselves one player short, the home side enlisted the services of Dave Wolton’s girlfriend, Kathleen Ryan, who is normally the regular scorer.
On winning the toss, the visitors opted to bat first. In the fifth over, Hart nicked a catch to Bundock behind off the bowling of Wolton. D. Walls cut Boardman for two, and was perilously close to being run out in the process. When the score had reached 17, Wilson swung across the line to Boardman and lost his leg stump.
Enter Corsie, and even he found difficulty piercing the field, since the bowling was extremely tight. After facing 43 deliveries, D. Walls departed the scene for only nine, when he edged Langham straight into the gloves of Bundock.
The drinks break came after 23 overs, and you will have to excuse the literary analogy to ‘Wuthering Heights’. After quenching their thirst, Dave and Kathleen, much like Heathcliff and Cathy, strolled hand in hand back towards their fielding positions, interspersed with the odd peck on the cheek. This romantic gesture being thoroughly appreciated by the onlookers, including his sister.
Two overs onwards, Creamer came down the track to Langham, missed and was bowled off stump – 38 for 4.
Newlands adopted a more aggressive approach which included a three over mid off. The 50 didn’t arrive until the 31st over, courtesy of a Corsie leg glance for two. He then struck Langham to mid wicket for three, but, in the same over, Newlands was beaten by a delivery which moved away and dislodged the off peg.
Meanwhile, Corsie, ably supported by E. Walls, picked up several twos. Into the 42nd over, and Walls was run out at the bowler’s end, endeavouring to keep Corsie on strike. The 100 was posted in the penultimate over, and in the final one, Corsie reached his half-century, made in 1 hour 50 minutes. No sooner had he accomplished this feat, than he was run out going for a risky second. The last ball of the innings saw Plant wander up the pitch. He was readily stumped by Bundock; not as difficult as the keeper would like it to be described.
105 might not have appeared a very impressive total to surpass, but, taking into account all of the conditions, I had mentioned to the Buckie captain prior to the game, that 120 would be a reasonable tally.
The service team, knowing how difficult it was to reach the line, opted for quick ones and twos, and this proved very effective until over 11. An overthrow saw Downey and Wolton turn for a second run, but the latter then declined it, leaving his partner stranded and he was run out by half the length of the pitch.
Four overs onwards, Wolton walked immediately when faintly edging down the leg side to D. Walls behind. Apparently, the umpire at the bowler’s end heard nothing, and would have given the batsman not out, had Wolton not upheld the true spirit of the game.
Crabtree brought up the 50 with three wide of mid on off Creamer’s bowling. Then, he thought he had been caught at point by Creamer off Wilson, and started to head towards the pavilion. However, the fielder sportingly acknowledged he had spilled the ball when diving forwards.
Crabtree and Fisher began to look more settled, and twos were again the most popular way of securing runs. All was going well until the total had reached 83, and then Fisher spooned a dolly catch to Creamer at mid on. In the following over, Crabtree unnecessarily swung at Haugh and was bowled. Another wicket tumbled as Organ was well caught by Plant at point off Newlands.
This mini-collapse continued when Langham chose the wrong delivery from Haugh to pull and consequently over went the middle stump. Four wickets had now fallen for the addition of a mere 10 runs.
Fortunately, Bundock and Boardman managed to scrape together the required 13 runs, albeit not without the odd rather inappropriate shot, considering the precarious balance of the game at that stage.
Not a day for reliable umpire Gerry Cross to recall. On five occasions, he just permitted five-ball overs. Numbers were a feature of this game, because 48 runs scored by Buckie were via twos, while 42 came the same way for the RAF side.
Buckie 105 for 8 (J. Corsie 51) 5pt; N. Langham 3-34; D. Wolton 2-21. RAF Lossiemouth 106 for 6 (S. Crabtree 25; D. Wolton 23) 20pt; J. Haugh 2-10; B. Newlands 2-32.
