Phew! Key (Flukey?) Freuchie Victory for 2nds

On a sunny/freezing day that was far nicer than Friday's forecast had suggested, the 2s kicked off their Div 4 campaign with a squeaky bum win over visiting Freuchie 2nds.

After being put in by Smudge, Freuchie's openers started well enough against Dom (6-0-16-1) and Gerry (9-2-20-2), until Coastal Ken pulled off a fantastic diving catch in the gully to get rid of Horsburgh. Two further wickets fell soon after to leave 10-man Freuchie 33-3 and we seemed well on top.

A mere fourteen months after first turning up for nets, Matty Tantum bowled his first overs for the Cross and took his first wicket, our fourth. Dom then contrived an extraordinary one-handed catch off the bowling of former flatmate Dan for the fifth, although it's only proper to mention that it was a rebound from a perfectly straightforward two-hander. There were a couple of other early season drops, but Ziggy naturally pouched both the chances that came his way.

But, even as wickets fell at the other end, former Scotland player Scott Gourlay (50*), driving elegantly and pulling productively, was playing a fine innings and found some stout support from Russell. Freuchie reached 106-6 with 15 overs remaining and the game seemed to have swung back towards the Fifers until a generous lbw decision against Russell in JB's second over precipitated a mini collapse to 122 all out in 32 overs with JB taking the last three wickets for just four runs.

Our own innings was a bit of a grind. Gourlay (9-1-22-1), Wilkinson (9-2-13-1) and Russell (9-4-12-0) bowled very tight spells and are probably still wondering how none of them managed to get Coastal out. Meanwhile young Bridgeford took a couple of wickets at the other end and so at the half-way point we were struggling at 44 for 4.

The game turned, though, with a splendid partnership between Coastal and Shifty. Ken was all inside edges and gloves at first, but later the drive, cut and sweep all came out. 32 may well be his highest score for the 2nds, but with just a little more luck (Freuchie will say that "a little" should be "even") it could have been a maiden 50. At the other end Shifty was in vintage form, defending stoutly and blootering anything overpitched or legside-ish to the boundary (seven 4s in his 37). At 104-4 in the 40th over and with the first four bowlers all bowled out we seemed well on top again. But we are the Cross and so there was bound to be some late comedy - we lost a further five wickets, three to run-outs and two with the scores tied, before the 30th wide of the day finally pushed us over the line with 8 balls to spare.

Thanks to Freuchie for a game played in great spirits and with plenty of good chat - we look forward to the return fixture. Thanks too to their charming scoring team. Thanks finally to Erskine Stewarts Melville Schools - the renovated changing rooms are fantastic. (In fact they look so good that the local Greens have been using them in their propaganda.) It is a great joy finally to be able to offer visiting teams proper facilities. Just one tiny gripe, firmly in the #firstworldproblems category - my shower was a tad on the hot side .......