Fantastic start to the season

 Match Reports from Saturday 29th April, 2023. 

From the keyboard of 1s skipper Ben:

As the alarmingly youthful first team (including debutants Alex, Jack and Fraser) gathered in the freezing drizzle on the Meadows, there was much grumbling about the prospect of playing in such miserable conditions, which only increased when Ben lost the toss and the Morton skipper, after a theatrical pause, opted to bowl. New-look opening partnership Scott and Dan wandered out into the murk, aiming hopefully for the cricket pitch cleverly camouflaged as a very damp public park, with everyone on the sidelines speculating that at least we might be done in time to get back to Arbo for a proper tea with the 2s. However, a combination of calm batting and very tricky bowling/fielding conditions meant the openers progressed slowly but relatively serenely to 35 after 10 overs, at which point Dan departed for a well-made 20.

 

Nipun (31) and Scott then put on an excellent second wicket partnership of 86 in 20 overs, highlights including the first boundary of the day in the 22nd over (no mean feat given the volume of spray and grass clippings that erupted every time the ball hit the outfield), and Scott bringing up his 50 on his way to an excellent 59.  A bit of a stumble followed Nipun’s dismissal, as we slipped from 121-1 to 139-5, but some energetic running and 20* from Ben ensured we made it up to a more than respectable 170-9.

After a hasty tea, Parvath and Fraser opened up the bowling, with Parvath’s in-duckers proving a tricky prospect on his way to figures of 8-1-2-20, as he trapped both openers plumb LBW. Matt M (5-1-0-13) replaced Fraser and kept things very tight, ensuring along with Euan (4-0-0-18) and Nipun (4-1-0-20) that the run-rate started to climb.  However, at 100-2 with 10 overs to go, Morton were by no means out of the chase and the game remained finely poised.

Finally though, the increasing scoreboard pressure started to tell, and Morton’s #3 thumped Ben (8-1-2-26) straight to Euan in the covers, where he took a good, low catch. The immediate introduction of Jack ‘On The’ Atack’s rockets (4-1-3-11) at the other end hastened a remarkable collapse of five wickets for just nine runs in the space of five overs, with Parvath also swooping to snare a direct-hit runout. At 111-7 from 34 overs, and needing exactly 10 an over, Morton’s goose looked cooked, only for their #4 to keep them just about in the hunt with a fine 56. He eventually holed out to another good catch off Ben (this time to Dan at long-on, doing well to cling on as his feet disappeared from under him), before Fraser (who bowled much better than figures of 7-0-1-39 suggest) finally got the wicket he deserved to a screamer of a catch by Parvath, sprinting full tilt and on the stretch at long-on.

The eventual victory margin of 20 runs, with Morton claiming almost full bonus points, reflected a competitive, hard-fought game, played in good spirits against a friendly  Morton team. To take 20 points from what is likely to be one of the season’s tougher assignments is a great start, and entirely down to an excellent collective effort (especially in the very tricky fielding conditions) from the whole team.

From the keyboard of 2s skipper Robin:

In Arctic conditions Holy Cross 2s got their 2023 season underway at Arbo. The skipper proceeded to lose the toss to Livingston 3’s and we were put in, which made both sides happy as the skipper had been informed that all his new players were batsmen foremost and ended up creating a batting order with a specialist batsman going in at number 9.

Livingston's opening bowlers kept it pretty tight on a stodgy early season wicket and Bradley’s return from down under was met with frustration at not being in a position to go about building his innings with lots of flowing back foot shots, being undone by the slow low bounce and dragging one on from his pads and trickling on to the stumps. Where were the heavy bails he moaned! Newbie Ashish P came out at number 3, only to get a Jaffa very early on and promptly marched back to the pavilion. Keith F came out to join the skipper and together they enjoyed some slightly looser bowling and brought up a 50 run partnership, before the skipper rashly slogged across the line off a straight one for 36. Keith followed shortly after for 18, before Jon B played a good knock for 27 whilst wickets gradually fell away at the other end. A creditable 10th wicket partnership took the 2s score to 124 all out in 37.1 overs.

A Crosstastic tea gave all the players some respite from the Arctic conditions before we headed out to defend what the skipper had assessed was a par score on the day.  Newbie Ashish V (5 overs, 1 maiden 0 for 8) and Matt B (5 overs 1 maiden 1 for 7) opened up with a very tight spell of opening bowling. Matt B set the standards for a very fine fielding performance (skipper excepted duffing a catch in the slips) when the Livi opener melted the ball straight back at his midriff and Matt pick himself up off the deck having caught a magnificent caught and bowled.  

Time to introduce the mystery spinner Keith F in to the attack and whilst the skipper kept it tight at the other end (8 overs 2 maidens 1 for 13) Keith started making inroads into the wickets column with a couple of wickets off his fourth over before being ruthlessly taken off. He was needed at the other end. Jon B entered the attack and continued the spin twins excellent day out aided by 2 spectacular catches at mid wicket by our Edinburgh south loan player Sajad Ali, making further inroads into the Livi line up (6 overs 3 for 22). The skipper, having finished his 8 over spell, brought back Keith F and the spin twins continued to wreak havoc on the Livi batting line up as Keith mopped up the tail to secure his first ever 5 for and Livingston 3’s succumbed for 88 in 31 overs. Keith Fraser (7 overs 5 for 30)

Always a pleasure to play Livingston and despite the freezing conditions the game was played in great spirits. Wonderful enthusiasm from all the new members of the Cross and a great fielding display. Did I mention that Keith Fraser had the skipper in total shock at the start of the day as he arrived 45 minutes before the match started. A whole 45 minutes before. Was that the secret of his bowling success? Well done Keith.