Solid performance sees Methlick remain unbeaten
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Methlick 1st XI vs Stonehaven
Understandably, confidence was running high as Methlick took on Stonehaven at Lairds last Saturday writes Mark Woodhouse after the season’s earlier confrontation where MCC ran out winners by 220 runs.
The dependable Addison was away, sunning himself on honeymoon on distant beaches, and Reeve had been called offshore, but otherwise a strong Methlick line-up was expected to notch up the runs again as they were put into bat.
On a hard track Woodhouse and Smith set out at 5 an over and looked as though they would be there all afternoon until Woodhouse edged a low ball to the keeper, but the two had another decent opening stand of 45.
After this the weakness in the Stonehaven attack was evident as Smith and Veersema started to plunder runs moving the score past 100, and taking advantage of several dropped catches in the outfield. Smith was the first to reach another half century and Veersema hit a boundary to bring up his own milestone.
The 150 mark came after 29 overs and with no wicket seemingly in sight Smith was finally caught off King for 65. That brought Mike Hordley to the middle, a century maker in the previous encounter, and he helped Veersema push the score along nicely until being caught on 25 off Sangerson.
The score had reached 209 and the last 5 overs were all about maximising the total with Acton helping Veersema steer the ship home. The Aussie just fell short of his century, unbeaten on 89 as Methlick registered a huge 247 for 3 off their 40 overs.
A big total looked even further away as Acton removed the main threat, Macauley Dicks, for a duck with Anderson taking the catch. Duffy then struck, bowling the fellow opener, Koesman for 1. Lynch was the only batsman to reach double figures until Jones took a caught and bowled, effectively ripping out the Stonehaven threat.
After that it was then a procession of wickets as skipper Duffy filled his boots taking 5 for 18 off his 8 over spell. Jamie Jones had 3 wickets and Cordiner bowled a tight spell taking 1 for 3 off 4 overs, his wicket closing down the innings for Stonehaven as they ended all out for 56 and another ruthless victory for MCC by 191 runs.
Still unbeaten in the league Methlick travel to Balmoral to further solidify their standing at the top
