Consistent batting proves an issue for Methlick
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Methlick 2nds hosted Stoneywood Dyce at Lairds on Saturday.
With a good looking pitch, batting first and with confidence high after last week, skipper Deni was looking for a strong batting performance - writes correspondent Mark Woodhouse.
Dod Duncan and David Chalmers opened again and the score ticked along steadily as they looked to see off the opening bowlers and set a platform like the previous week.
With 14 on the board in the 10th over, the game changed as Chalmers was clean bowled, that set off a steady progression of batsmen and Methlick were all out for only 57 in the 22nd over.
Only Duncan and Alan Hill made it to double figures, both making 15 runs.
The bowling was excellent, nine wickets were clean bowled, which demonstrates how accurate it was, but it was a poor performance from the Methlick side.
J Slater was the pick of the bowlers, taking 4 for 16 as he bowled his allocation of 10 overs straight through.
In mitigation the pitch changed dramatically as the rain softened it and the bounce became uneven and several balls kept very low.
The Dyce openers started cautiously as Liam Davis and Alan Hill opened the bowling for Methlick, starting with a couple of maidens.
The score started to move on as the batsmen got to grips with the bowling and the surface.
Fraser Grant replaced Hill from the scoring hut end, bowling tidily but unthreateningly,
John Morgan did the same at the other end as Deni looked for a spark, a wicket, to try and wrench the momentum from Dyce.
The next pairing of bowlers Deni opted for were Charlie Davis and Graham Fowlie.
Finally Methlick looked more threatening, Charlie's height is a serious advantage and bowling a superb line and length he is a real threat, at the other end Fowlie bowls with pace and skiddy accuracy.
Methlick gained some control as five consecutive maidens gave some hope.
Fowlie made the breakthrough as he breached Madigan's defence, an inside edge onto pad, then middle stump.
Unfortunately by then, the result was a forgone conclusion.
David Low and Gavin Hunter were given a run out with limited impact, Reid hit the winning runs in the 24th over.
This was a chastening game for the 2nds, they need to find a way to bat more consistently.
The absolute minimum requirement is to bat through the 40 overs, even at Saturdays scoring rate, a score of around 120 would have been competitive.
A strong bowling attack is developing and the fielding is improving.
On Saturday, the Queen's cricket team Crathie visit Lairds, how appropriate for this weekend.
Lets hope the cricket can rise to the occasion.
