Methlick 2nds held to a drawn match at Counteswells
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Methlick 2nds travelled to Counteswells on G3 business at the weekend to take on Gordonians 3rds.
Correspondent Mark Woodhouse writes - Batting first on the artificial pitch and with an immaculate outfield, it was a day to score big runs. Chalmers and Duncan, previously Turriff stalwarts, opened the batting. Initially the bowling was tight, so scoring restricted.
Dod started to take on anything short to hit boundaries and the score ticked along to 36 before the first wicket fell, Chalmers out LBW in the 10th over.
Young loan player Nair was next in and played very correctly but not looking to score so retired allowing Fraser Grant in who scored a quick 14 before being clean bowled.
The skipper Demi was next in, hit two fours, before being contentiously given out, caught behind.
Dod was in aggressive mode now, looking to push on, and chancing his arm once too often was caught at fly slip for 45, a great knock which gave the innings real impetus.
Alan Hill joined the fun, and scored a quick-fire 20, off 8 balls, before being clean bowled.
Liam Davis was out for a duck, his time would come later, but brother Charlie made a solid 6, but was also clean bowled, forward defensive coaching is required at nets for this promising pair.
John Morgan strode out and immediately hit fours, with Ross Moir joining in, the score was moving along quickly, both fell bowled by Nair who ended on 3 for 27 off his ten overs.
John made 31, Ross 14 crucial runs.
The innings ended with loanee Naradev run out on a creditable 151 ao off 37 overs.
Methlick would have taken the total at the start of the innings, but knew it would be hard to defend.
Liam Davis bowled opened the bowling, taking the first wicket, caught behind, in the first over, having seen a previous ball nicked through the vacant slip region for four.
He was threatening with every ball as he came over the wicket.
Hill opened at the other end and kept a good line and length to restrict scoring options, it was into his eighth over before conceding a boundary.
He took the 2nd wicket to fall, Liam taking a catch at mid off to remove the dangerous Mukhopadhya on 18.
Charlie then took a good catch at long off Fraser Grant’s first over, removing opener P Patel for only 4.
Charlie then took his first wicket for the club, knocking over off stump, well coached, of Shaikh, also for four.
John Morgan bowled four tight overs, conceding only 17 runs.
At the 20 over mark, Gordos were on 75 for 4, and the game was heading to a tight finish.
M Patel now started to find the boundary and alongside Lakesh looked to be taking the game away from Methlick.
The game changed with two quick wickets.
First Grant had Lakesh caught as he mistimed a hook to fine leg where Moir took a clean catch.
Next Charlie Davis had Patel caught at short mid-on by loanee, with the score on 144 for 6 off 37 overs, the game was tightly poised.
Gordos then controversially retired youngster Naveen to allow skipper Nair in without request to Demi in an attempt to get over the line.
With the young bowling pair Liam and Charlie in tandem bowling superbly to take the game into the 40th over which Liam bowled.
Desperate to get Nair on strike, Gordos lost two wickets to great, calm fielding by Hill as he run two batsmen out.
With the scores level on 151, Liam bowled the last ball of the game just short of a good length.
Nair could only top edge in the air, three Methlick men converged to attempt the catch, Fraser emerged with the ball in hand and the game was drawn.
This was a fantastic game to be part of, spoiled only by the ease wides were given by the Gordos umpires.
Methlick were harshly adjudged to have conceded 47 wides, which cost them a win.
It was however an excellent team performance, led calmly by Demi, it is developing into a competitive team, with a mix of experience and a young tyro of bowlers who are becoming serious cricketers very quickly. Methlick 2nds can look forward to the rest of the season.
The next game sees them at home to Stoneywood Dyce at Lairds on Saturday.
Methlick 1st XI vs Crathie -
Methlick continued with their 100 per cent record intact following the visit to Lairds from Crathie.
Chasing a below par score of 128 from the Crathie innings, with Grant Cordiner the pick of the bowlers taking 4 wickets for 27 runs, Methlick had some hiccups with big scoring Acton, Murphy and Jones all going cheaply.
Alasdair Smith scored 67 supported by Mike Hordley (28) and that man again, Cordiner not out on 26, steadied the ship to see Methlick home with three overs to spare.
On Saturday Methlick 1st travel to Huntly with both teams unbeaten and looking as rivals this season for the title and promotion.
