Swinging Update

Natural Born Swinger

Swinging has fascinated certain cricketers for a long time now.

I'm sure those of you who habitually bend your balls will find this BBC article of interest.

How Swinging works

McOscar continues fine form

Parks Trophy Round 1 (Peffermill) (29th May)

Holy Cross 186 - 3 (S. McOscar 77*, K. Fraser 31)
Edin Uni Staff 68 - 7 (R. Bainbridge 3-1).

Another dominant Twenty:20 performance as the 1sts attempted to put the weekend's disappointment behind them.
Simon again leading the way with another classy knock- 77*-the highlight being a lovely straight 6 off their spinner..
KF, Tom and cje chipped in with useful runs as the EUSCC fielders felt the pressure.
Good early spells from Bonfire and Bimbo meant that the result was never in doubt.
As Bainbro reminds us, Andy G  put in a contender for catch of the season-at backward point.

A determined 8th wicket stand EUSCC meant they survived the 20 overs.
Broonster was unlucky not to get a wicket in his short spell. 

Match Preview Appears in The Times..??

It appears to be a business opinion piece...but the headline 'Lynch’s exit offers hope for next generation' suggests that it could equally be a preview of Sunday's match between HX 1st XI and the East Regional Academy...

wait...is the story at the foot of the page about Mr Biswas..?

Lager-Fuelled Fuds Felled by Forbes

[PVB reports on the 3rds trip to Dalgety Bay]

A fast and bouncy track at Dalgety Bay – many surprises – first being we were 40 minutes early [!!] and started on time. Just 10 of us, but a good 10. Inserted. Paul & Mike found it hard going - so after 2 blows to the thumb Paul decided to have a rest until he could hold the bat properly return to face the pies which were being delivered by the lesser bowlers. Mike did well to keep out the openers for 14 overs, Matt surprised us all by playing a defensive shot – after a string of brave ones including smashing the bouncy bowler [?] over his head; Richard’s straight drive was majestic – oft practised in the garden no doubt. But they all got bowled and at 45-3 entered former fast bowler turned wicketkeeper-batsman Andy G.

Now turning yourself into a batsman is all the rage – Calum MacLeod, two dogs, Coco (but read on) [I omit Gary T – we know he always was a batsman], Andy is the latest -  he then proceeded to pick out any overpitched ball and dispatch it  meatily through extra cover   to  midwicket time and again – he nearly killed Paul at the bowler’s end [the bowler's end is at midwicket?]. In return, Paul tried to run him out to get him on strike. Andy and Paul put on 85 as the bowling became 'varied'  and Andy reached his maiden 50 with probably no more than a single on the off side. It was magicnificent, and he has two magic weapons – no, three!:  1, his reach & eye – anything remotely a full toss even on middle is hoisted to midwicket.   2, his bat, the provenance of which we won’t discuss, and 3 the can of lager he had just quaffed before batting. The club 3^rd XI kit should now include plentiful cans of cool lager.

At about 130-3,  Paul departed for 30. Then a new bowler who had allegedly never bowled for the club in his many games had Andy well caught at longish-on, followed by Coco who  received a absolute jaffa missed a straight one first ball. Ken and Ted perished in the chase, and Dave & Keith got us over the 150 mark.

So that wasn’t bad. But we knew Murray Forbes could tonk a bit – a century last week. Someone said it was a bit like facing a team with  Chris Gayle in – if you don’t get him out, you lose. So Murray went at a hell of a pace – a straight six off Matt’s first over was a pointer, and he had no respect for seniors either, dispatching Ellis snr over his head for another. Ok, it wasn’t chanceless  [name the guilty men Paul] but you just have to admire it; he probably reached his 91 in about the same number of balls that Ken took v Morton to get off the mark! He was even out before the drinks break. It was over 100 before Keith came on and was given the same treatment in his first over; then he bowled well, conceding only 28 in 7 overs. Andy pouched his first catch behind the stumps.

Dalgety Bay were fabulous hosts, provided a sumptuous tea.

Dunfermline Knights v Holy Cross - Division 1, Saturday 26th May

Holy Cross 211-7 (50 overs).

Dunfermline Knights 212-4 (48.4 overs).

It's a hard knock life we live

Like a cricket team going to an away match, the 1st XI travelled to McKane Park in Dunfy on Saturday to challenge former National League side Dunfermline Knights in East League Division 1. The sky was blue, the sun was hot and the pitch was flat with a bit of grass that looked like it might give the bowlers some grip. A brisk easterly kept a lid on the true heat for most of the day blowing directly across the pitch and proceedings were overseen by two neutral umpires.

McOscar driving

Heated discussions took place pre-toss in the visitors dressing room as the Skipper insisted on batting, whilst his VC preferred putting the oppo in, skittling them, knocking off the runs and getting back on the road quicksharp.

McOscar defending

However the umpires coin awarded the decision to our hosts and the gentlemen with the local knowledge asked us to bat!!! A strange innings then ensued. Mahzer & Fraser led the Cross assault screaming to 24-0 after 3 overs on a pitch of little bounce. Pretty soon the Knights bowlers adjusted their radars and a period of bowling at the stumps contained a spell of 43-6 from the next 17 overs taking the visitors to 67-6 after 20. Then the recovery totalled 144-1 in the last 30 overs.

Probably the source of Shifty's finger injury

Fraser (11) was first to exit missing a straight one. Ellis (6) was next oot to a mildly contentious LBW (aren't they all?). E.C. Smith (1) followed soon after misjudging and playing over a yorker. Bonfield (5) kept the collapse going by edging one onto his pads and swallowing another LBW. Archer (Golden) didn't hang about at all on his first league knock falling to the same fate as Smith, nonetheless it was lovely to see him take part in his first Cross Collapse. Somewhere in amongst all that Owais (10) tried to clobber one a bit too far away from his body and it was taken nicely at extra cover. So there we were at 67-6 and in deep doodoo.

That said, we've been talking up, if not actually utilising an unfathomably long batting order this season. McOscar was joined by the skipper (a couple of tons as an opening bat) while Trewartha (sane), Gaware (mad) and El Presidente (unpredictable) lurked in the hutch. After a mini recovery and some nice shots from both swordsmen, Russell (12) was deceived by a quicker ball and bowled off his pads with the score on 96 in the 27th over.

McOscar lofts one straight

When the wickets were tumbling, the fielders, as you'd expect, were chirping with some gusto, but things were quietening down somewhat and were soon to become quieter still. McOscar was compiling a magnificent innings using his feet with eloquence and his bat with panache. Pretty soon Trewartha got his eye in too and Crossers began to hope 150 would be possible, then 180, then maybe even 200. But this pair just kept going, Gary was finding the extra cover boundary in particular with some sweet lofted drives whilst Simon was skipping freely down the track to despatch the fading bowlers to the boundary of his choice. Both remained unbeaten, McOscar never looking in trouble for an inspiring 109 and 40 for Trewartha that says to the skipper he's ready to move up the order.

Trewartha through cover

Tea was taken and I'll take this opportunity to commend the fantastic hospitality. From the fridge in the changing room to the majesty of the guard dog to the jam on the scones, we were looked after as well as we have been anywhere.

Big dug!!!

So with full bellies and gladdened hearts we took to the field for Dunfermline's innings with no shortage of confidence. The hosts weren't holding back though and quickly reached 21 before Bonfield enticed their lefty opener to mis-time a drive that Ellis pouched low at mid-on. This caused some damage to the paw of Ellis and he had to leave the field for a few overs to seek a replacement digit. The hosts continued apace reaching 55 before the busy number 3 arrived, splatted a couple, then left again when the rebuilt Ellis accounted for his wicket. Next over McOscar (replacing Bonfield) trapped the other opener at the 'LBW end'. At 55-3 after 16 overs we were right back in it. Davidson & Wilkinson then began to bed in and stop the rot. At Drinks, the hosts lagged a little behind the required run rate at 90-3 but it was anybodies game.

More offside show-offery

In the first over after Drinks Dougie shelled a c&b chance and not long after Shifty had to relinquish the gloves due to a "crunchy" finger injury. He was subsequently hidden at backward square leg and, as sure as night follows day, one was hit right down his throat (as they say) but his 9 good fingers couldn't compensate for the crunchy one and another chance was carpeted. Elsewhere Vikram's legendary groin began to play up restricting him to just 4 miserly overs.

Centurion

The two Dunfermline batsmen kept things ticking along nicely, the Cross bowlers never quite being able to string together enough good balls without the odd loose one thrown in. Needing 12 from the last three overs the home side looked for the finish allowing Bonfield to bowl Wilkinson round his legs for 57. Then in the 49th over Davidson (89*) picked out McOscar at Cow but once again the the ball was spilled and any slim chance that remained was gone as the hosts thundered past our total with a maximum the very next ball.

Trewartha 0-47, Bonfield 2-44, McOscar 1-41, Ellis 1-36, Russell 0-27, Gaware 0-11.

Back in the Green Room some of our newer recruits were treated to some of the legendary tales from yesteryore as King Coco recounted shenanigans from a small hamlet just along the east coast from the days when he worked as a lifeguard and gave more than just the kiss of life to bathers. We were also treated to accounts of both times he's combusted on the field of play. Later, the newest club legend made an appearance in his finest Saturday night attire on a brief break from the end of season rugger club dinner being held next door.

Caption competition...?

Ziggy returns...

[match report by A. Cydzik]

Having resigned from skippering, banned from all websites n never discovered how to twitter....I'm back!!
The joys of a b.berry!!! :-) sorry!!!
Discovering on tuesday that the vice vice vice captain sometimes gets a shot (this is HX after all! - norrie playing pool, andy I'm a run machine quinn in the US, Smudger I'm cooler than groundsman willy Smith sipping sangria in barcelona) I decided to put the glass of wine and cigar down n tell the missus we were not going to the Loivre and that sunset over Paris was over rated! Arriving at arbo on saturday I was confronted with a text from andy q which looked nothing like the team picked that day earlier in the week in Paris - I can only assume that the wine n cigar were better than expected or remembered!
Thankfully the XI that took the pitch on saturday all stood up to the plate.
Oops, pizza has arrived....
Right, not sure I needed that, but was good, salami, peperoni, onion n sweetcorn, tasted good but the missus nicked two bits...what's all that about - get ur own! Hay ho, healthier than a kebab but not as tasty!
Right then, where was I, ah yes, the game.
The mighty HX team of 6 folk persuaded the skipper to go n toss. Thankfully skip looked at the site of those in the porta cabins n realised this wasn't a dodgy blue movie n went to the middle rather than elsewhere. Aving lost the toss we were stuck in. Thanfully the rest of the team decided to arrive - nawaz n usama being the last but living the closest!!! Brian n irfan getting us off to a good start of about 35 off the first 15 - not often we've not been 0 for a few this year. JB n ziggy then put on about 120. JB finishing on exactly 100no - lovely imperious knock as is so often. The rest swiped n smatterred, notably sandy, n took us to 222 for 7 by the end.
We took tea in good spirit then opened with amjid n usama. Good tight early overs were followed with some might swipes which meant they were 80 odd for 1 after 15. Gerry I'm too cool for school and Robin I'm too old to bowl worsnop then came on. Its wonderful being able to bowl the pair - the batsman must av been v confused in terms of the difference in pace between the two ends!!! Let's just say that by the end of their spells we were well on top with them 7 down and only on about 110 - Brian F taking 2 good catches behind the stumps. Abdul then came on and amjid too to finish his spell. Both kept it tight and amjid finally got reward. JB then came on and took a wicket with his first ball - it was meant to be!! We took the last wicket with a lovely run out when they took on nawaz's arm...mistake, game over, win by about 80, 3 out of 4 so far for the 2s - keep it going guys, all good so far this year :-)
Night night

Cross on the road to nowhere but Fortress Arbo lives up to its name

It was a mixed-bag for the Cross this weekend.  Here's a resume of events as reported via our Twitterati at the games (E&OE):

Only one of the three sides secured a win and it was the 2's at Fortress Arbo who beat Preston Village.

The 1sts lost the toss away to Dunfermline Knights and lost their way a little, crawling to 38-3 after 12 overs. It looked ominous at the end of the 18th, with the Cross stumbling to 94-6.

McOscar dug in deep and reached 50 in a mini-recovery which saw the 1sts go to 125-7 after 35.

A great knock in the end from McOscar who left holding his bat with an impressive 109 not out. Batting partner Trewertha made 40 not out - a stonking partnership of 115, which at times looked as if it may be the total score. Instead, Cross finished 211/7.

Unfortunately it wasn't to be and it went right down to the wire as the Knights finished with a handful of deliveries to spare to win by 6 wickets.

A fine bowling display from both Lohan and Worsnop at Fortress saw the 2's thump Preston Village at Fortress Arbo. Catches win matches and Ziggy and Fraser picked up a brace each to keep the 2's at the business end of the Division 5 table.

Meanwhile, it was bad news at Dalgety Bay. Despite a half century from Andy Graham the 3rds fell to their third consecutive defeat of the season.