Silverware returns to Arbo!

Holy Cross v Marchmont 23^rd July 2014 Parks Trophy final

On a warm sunny Edinburgh evening, Newfield hosted the 2014 Parks Trophy final between Holy Cross and Marchmont.

Yet another toss won by the Holy Cross skippa, saw McOscar elect to bat first in the hope of setting a good total on a wicket that looked hard and fast, with a lopsided boundary.  In typical Holy Cross fashion, tardy timekeeping meant a slightly different opening duo strode to the wicket than I had planned.




Parks Trophy winners - Standing: Julius Newman, Dougie Russell, Kevin Marsh, John Bacon, Simon Pickering. Kneeling: Simon McOscar, Charlie Ellis, Saideep Kachodi, Rob Bainbridge, Raja Javed, Shannon Bonfield. Photo: Broon.

 

Some tight early bowling from Rees and Sheikh, saw Holy Cross get off to a measured start. McOscar broke the shackles with a big 6 over wide mid-wicket off Rees in the 3^rd over, which was comically signalled 4 by the umpire. However the next 2 overs only conceded 2 runs and the Cross were 0-17 after 5 overs.

The openers continued to work the ball around and set a platform, with Javed clubbing 14 runs off Sheikh’s 4^th over that took us to 0-42 off 8. After frustratingly finding the fielder with regularity, McOscar decided to ‘hit out or get out’ at the start of the 10^th over and provided a high but regulation catch to Rees, off the bowling of the Marchmont skipper Maksimcyzk. McOscar departing for 15 and leaving the Cross 1-49 off 9.1 overs, slightly behind what you’d expect as a par score on this ground.

Vijay was next at the bowling crease for Marchmont, conceded 10 off his first over, with Saideep quickly moving to 7 runs off 7 balls. Maksimcyzk repeating his first ball of the over theatrics, bowling Saideep, which brought Newman out to bat. Given a free licence, Mr Hockey aka Jules, plundered a big 4, but then missed the last ball of Maksimcyzk’s 2^nd over, out for 5 off 4 balls. The Marchmont skipper now with figure of 3-8 off 2 overs!

Javed continued his dominant display, smashing 34 runs in boundaries on his way to an impressive 50 that was greeted with rapturous applause by the magnificent Holy Cross supporters. Trying to chase another boundary in the 16^th over, Raja mistimed a straight drive and was well caught at deep long-off. A superb innings that laid a good platform for Holy Cross, which picked up the run rate to just under 6 an over.

A now settled Ellis and new man at the crease Bacon built a solid 21 run 5^th wicket partnership, before Ellis was called through for what turned out to be a suicidal run, out for 11, the Cross now 5-99.

Bacon who had also scored 11 then tried to pick up the pace, but was bowled by Vijay at the start of the 17^th over, leaving the Cross 6-112 and in need of a couple of good final overs to set a decent total. Dougie 4* and Shan 9* put on 13 runs off the last 13 balls to take us through to a total of 6-120. Marchmont captain Maksimcyzk  returning figures of 3-24 off his 4 overs.

A solid total to defend, but one that would leave plenty of work to do in the second half of the game for Holy Cross.

A close run thing - Navan scrambles home. Photo: Broon.

Marchmont got off to a flyer with the first ball of their innings getting dispatched high over the short square-leg boundary by Vijay for 6 off Bonfield. A tight first over for Newman, saw only 3 runs and Marchmont keeping slightly ahead of the pace at 0-13 off 2.

With both Vijay and Ahmed throwing the willow at the ball and seeing rewards for their shots, they moved steadily to 24 off 4 overs. A solid start with neither batsman looking in any real trouble, saw Ahmed dispatching a Bonfield slower ball in the 5^th over for a huge 6 straight down the ground. Marchmont now slightly ahead of the required run rate at 32 off 5.

Newman continued his fine season, coming in off a shortened run-up that also saw success v MDAFS in the semi-final. Off the second ball of Newman’s 3^rd over, Bainbridge misjudged a pull shot from Ahmed and shelled what could have been a critical chance. Finally some reward, Newman taking the vital first wicket off the last ball of his 3^rd over. A caught and bowled, seeing him with figures of 1-11 of 3 overs. Marchmont were now 1-38 off 6 and keeping their noses just in front of the required run rate.

Time for a change in bowling and McOscar opted to take some pace off and introduced Bacon at the Ferry Rd end, which paid immediate dividends. A sharp stumping taken by a somewhat slimmer and trimmer Spickers, seeing Vijay depart for 16, leaving Marchmont 2-40 off 7 overs.

A double change, with Charlie ‘the glory hunter’ Ellis taking over from Newman and taking a wicket maiden in his second over, keeping the pressure on Marchmont and slowing turning the ledger back in the Corss’ favour, as Bainbridge was offered an opportunity at redemption and took a fine catch.

It must be said that all 11 men were performing well in the field, with some excellent and most unlike Holy Cross fielding. Of note, Spickers was seen diving to horizontal to save what could easily have been 4 byes and Dougie racing around the boundary like a spring chicken, diving to save 2 runs and surprisingly leaping up uninjured!

The large Holy Cross crowd were now starting to believe that the tide was turning in our favour and the screws were tightening on Marchmont, as some tight bowling saw the pressure mounting.

In Ellis’s final over, Newman bobbled but held on to a catch that was hit straight down his throat at long-off to dispatch Rees, who had moved to a run a ball 16. Reducing Marchmont to 4-68 at the start of 14^th over.

Both Bacon and Ellis bowled extremely well and pulled the game slightly back in our favour, with figures of 1-18 and 2-19 respectively off their 4 overs and left Marchmont needing 35 off the last 30 deliveries.

Cometh the hour, cometh the man!

After his fine knock with the bat, Javed was introduced in to the attack to bowl the 15^th over. He quickly settled in to a good line and length and took the critical wicket of Collier in his first over and conceded only 2 runs. The task now starting to look more challenging for Marchmont, 42 required of 30 balls, but more importantly for Holy Cross they now had the opposition 5 down.

After an absolute pie of a loosener from Marsh that was dutifully smashed behind square for 4 by the Marchmont skipper Maksimcyzk, he then proceeded to hit the very next ball straight to Newman at deep mid-off, who easily took his 3^rd catch of the day.

Marchmont now reduced to 6-82 and by the end of the over, needing 35 off the last 24 balls. Still some work to do for Holy Cross, but the vocal crowd now starting to believe a win might be on the cards.

Javed took his second wicket in his 2^nd over, a tidy catch taken by Kachodi and conceded 6 runs. The task looking a tough one, as Marchmont were now 7-91 at the end of the 17^th over.

Javed then singlehandedly accounted for the final 3 wickets of the Marchmont innings in the next 5 deliveries of the 19^th over. As well as skittling Chetty and Sheikh, he also completed a tidy run out, after fielding a straight drive and taking the bails off, leaving Wilson high and dry after backing up too far. Javed finished with the figures of the day and probably the best of the tournament, taking 4-8 off 3.5 overs!

The final wicket with the 5^th ball of the 19^th over sparked jubilant celebrations for the crowd and the men on the field.

Raja celebrates the final wicket. Photo: Broon.

In the end, our total of 119 was just too much for a valiant Marchmont to obtain. Despite Raja deservingly picking up the ‘man of the match’ award; this was really a win for the whole team. A superb victory for Holy Cross, which returns the Parks Trophy to Arboretum Rd after an absence of 2 years.

Raja and Si - Man of the Match and Captain. Photo: Broon.

As Skip of the 1’s, I would sincerely like to thank everyone that played in the early rounds of the Parks Trophy. As I mentioned in my speech, this win was not just to the credit to the 11 men on the field last night. If my memory serves me right we had 15 or 16 guys play in the 3 games that it took to win the Trophy.

Many thanks for PVB and McGill for doing the book yesterday as well and it was also great to see so many supporters down at Newfield cheering us on.

A number of hardy punters partied on long in to the wee hours, with the Parks Trophy taking in some of Edinburgh’s err ‘finest’ drinking establishments.

Next in line is the Presidents Plate semi-final for the 2’s and 3’s and the Activcity quarter-final for the 1’s.