Holy Cross progress to Parks Trophy final

Holy X vs MDAFS 16^th July @ Roseburn

Firstly a big thank you to Elmondt, who stepped in to help us out at the 11^th hour, after yet another last minute call off. He played a big part in this win, covering a lot of ground in the field and I’m sure had we only had 10 men, the result would have been different!

After the heavens opened at 4:30pm, it looked unlikely that the game would take place. The MDAFS lads had the super-sopper out, in an attempt to suck as much moisture out of the astro. After a quick inspection it was deemed playable.

Yet another toss won, by stand in skipper S.McOscar who chose to bat first, despite Raja and Saturday’s centurion Bimbo having not arrived yet.

Yet another virgin opening partnership of J.McOscar and Mr Hockey ‘J.Newman’ trudged to the middle, with McOscar facing a maiden first over from the MDAFS skipper Muhammed. A slow start saw some pressure starting to build and Newman looking to accelerate the scoring was well caught on the boundary for 3, the Cross now 7-1.

Raja never settled after his late arrival and hurry to pad up and was soon caught in the deep for just 6. He was quickly followed by J.McOscar, who in an attempt to play a wide ball with a leg glance, had the ball ricochet off his foot and cannon in to the stumps, some would say unluckily, others would say he just should have hit the ball! The Cross now struggling at 20-3 and Skippers choice to bat first was not looking a good one.

Dougie was next to go, out for a 2 ball quacker, which brought to the wicket our other Mr Hockey aka Andy G. Who upon facing his 3^rd ball oddly tried to play one straight down the ground and got clean bowled for 1, you should have tried to smash it to cow corner my son!

The Cross in dire straits now at 34-5 in the 9^th over.

The departure of Andy G bought in the Baconator to join Skipper McOscar who’d witnessed the majority of the carnage beforehand from the other end. The 2 set about resurrecting the innings and trying to get the Cross through to the 20 over mark and build some form of total.

With a very damp outfield, good shots were largely unrewarded unless they went over the boundary or close to it. Plenty of singles kept the scoreboard ticking over with both putting away the odd bad ball, with Bacon hitting one huge 6 into Murrayfield stadium and McOscar almost taking out a cyclist, a lady walking her dog and a couple of football lads wandering past the pitch.

The pair took 12 runs off the 19^th over, moving the score to 106 and leaving McOscar to face the start of the last over.

The first ball of the 20^th was dispatched high towards long-off towards Fergusson, who had a chance to catch the Holy Cross Skipper, but saw the ball dropped and bouncing over the boundary for 4. The next delivery was deposited well over the head of long-on for 6, bringing up the Skippers second consecutive 50 in Parks Trophy innings.

A single was taken off the 3^rd ball, leaving Bacon now on 38 to try and repeat his last scoring stroke an almighty 6. Unfortunately he was clean bowled by Muhammed, a fine innings and a valuable contribution towards a 6^th wicket partnership of 83, with the Cross having progressed to 117-6.

2 balls remaining saw Bonfield come and Bonfield go first ball, out to a sharp caught and bowled.

The weekends centurion Bimbo strode confidently to the crease and just a quickly walked off for another golden duck, kindly completing a hat-trick for the MDAFS Skipper Muhhamed.

Holy Cross all out for 117, leaving S.McOscar 51*.

After a quick change of innings, Bonfield and Newman set us off on the right foot in an attempt to defend 117. Both bowlers coming in of shortened run-up in an attempt to handle the still slippery astro wicket.

Newman bowled a particularly good line and had the dangerous Hayes caught out for 9 a mid-on by J.McOscar, who finally managed to hold a catch for the Cross this season! Not wanting Newman to have all the fun, Bonfield took wickets with the last 2 balls of his 3^rd over, both well delivered slow balls that cut back and took the top of off stump. I should mention he tried a slow ball at the start of the over that was dispatched to the boundary for 4, so it was a brave move to try again.

MDAFS now 20-3 off 5 and Bonfield having to wait for an opportunity snare a potential hat-trick, could he take the second during this match?

With the first ball of the 6^th over, Newman trapped Jaffrey LBW to complete a team hat-trick and at the end of his over had figures of 3 overs, 2 wickets for just 8 runs.

A number of men were brought in to catching positions for Bonfield’s hat-trick delivery. He charged in and sent down an absolute peach of a ball that pitched on off stump, cut away and had the batsman just barely missing the ball. Which no doubt would have provided a regulation edge and catch. Yet again, a ball that was just too good to get a wicket!

At the end of the first 8 overs MDAFS had been reduced to 29-5, with Bonfield taking 3-15 and Newman 2-13.

Javed and Marsh took over with the ball, Marshy unlucky not to pick up a wicket after gloving the batsman and the ball fell just short of a forward diving S.McOscar at keeper.

Bacon was the next man to step up, bowling his usual mix of flight and skidders. MDAFS had started to get a partnership going with Batman and Hawkins batting very well and picking up the run rate. In the 15^th over Hawkins drove a Bacon delivery hard and straight, Bacon fielding then dropping the ball on to the wickets, leaving the non-striker who had been backing up too far short of his ground, Venkatesh run out for a fine 23.

MDAFS were now 76-7 off 15 overs, with Hawkins well set and still a lot of work to do for the Cross to secure a place in the final.

Bacon delivered an absolute gem of an arm ball in his next over, to clean bowl Chengapra for 4. With his next ball to the new man Zarkoob, he managed to hit the poor lad right in the supds, sending him crashing to the floor in a lot of pain. In his next over, he also bowled possibly the quickest ball of the day that bounced sharply off a length, flicked the batsman in the arm and then crashed into the helmet of keeper S.McOscar, some would say lucky he was wearing a helmet, others wouldn’t!

Dougie was also in the action, bowling the last 2 overs from the Murrayfield end and was involved in a run out in the 19^th over, which saw MDAFS reduced to 98-9 and effectively killed off nay chance they had of reaching 118 and victory.

Dougie taking the final wicket with the last ball of the 20^th over, leaving MDAFS all out for 103 and a fine win for Holy Cross!

I’m still waiting on confirmation, but the final of the Parks Trophy looks to be on Wednesday 23^rd of July v 'ye old foe' Marchmont, venue TBC.