KF on the Cross - Cup Final report.

Bimbo fires one down.

After much pleading, KF has contributed this report on Sunday's cup final.

A lengthy warm-up, a huddle and even a pre-match sing song couldn’t give Musselburgh the impetus required to defeat Holy Cross who were having their second crack of the year at the Presidents Trophy. Winning the toss, Holy Cross opted to bat first on a cup final standard Myreside pitch (with just a few low spots). A pity the groundsman couldn’t do anything about the strong wind but this just made it feel a bit more like Arbo.

Ellis (4) was out lb to the 4th ball of the game, so Bonfield arrived to play the anchor role while Pickering flashily set about the bowling at the other end; their partnership was worth 48. When Bonfire (6) was bowled, CA Smith (39) joined the free hitting Spickering taking the score to 131 before the fall of the 3rd wicket. At one point Calum was dropped by the keeper before smacking the next ball for our only 6 of the innings. Si also cashed in on his luck, dropped 3 times and bowled off a no ball but posting what was effectively a match winning score of 73. The Musselburgh fielding had begun poorly and hardly improved, with countless dropped catches as well as a few extra runs from overthrows. I think this was the difference between two evenly matched batting and bowling sides. There certainly isn’t a two division gulf between the clubs, illustrated by Musselburgh’s previous defeats of Division 1 pace-setters Fauldhouse & trophy holders Watsonians 2’s. With such a good platform (131-2 off 30), the Cross hoped to post 200+, this was then revised to 180, but some good spin bowling by Bhardwaj (5-32) and a trademark collapse by Cross batsmen (E Smith 4, J Bates 13, K Fraser 6, R Bainbridge 0, V Gaware 0) kept the Division 1 side to 172, Astley (4) being run out on the very last ball leaving Nawaz on 5 not out. I refuse to have a go at neutral umpires so shall not make any mention of my own (ct behind, lbw/ stumped) dismissal.

Like HX, Musselburgh lost their top league run scorer in the 1st over: an over ambitious pull against Bonfield (1-29). Musselburgh then set about the opening quicks. The left-handed Tucker (30) in particular caught the eye but he chipped one up in Charlie’s first over and was well held by the skipper. Despite a solid and impressive 49 by A Tufail, the Cross bowlers, particularly with a great spell -though hampered by his now traditional hand injury-either side of drinks by Ellis (2-16) & Gaware (0-30) reined in the run rate and with some uncharacteristically good fielding, the pressure began to mount on the seasiders. From 113-4, they tumbled to 126-9 as veteran Astley (2-30) joined in the fun. Bainbro (4-36) also found his form with 2 lbs in two balls (including the key wicket of Tufail-a tight decision-the 2nd totally plum) and the dismissal of the 7-foot tall opening bowler (Collins) who was bowled by a slower full toss and felt the ball had passed him above waist height causing much mirth (very, very unlikely). The final wicket, after a very decent last wicket stand of 19, came via a run-out-mix-up and the Cup was finally in green and gold ribbons.

Video (courtesy A. Graham) depicts: Dilly ct E. C. Smith bowled Astley 17 (Musselburgh 126-9)