Grange 2nd XI beat Penicuik 2nd XI by 3 wickets

Penicuik 194 /9 – Powell 3 for 26
Grange 195 /7 – Pollok 33, Powell 32, Banks 28, DuBoulay 27

We lost the toss and had to bowl for the first time. The world’s gone mad. And the insanity continued when they were 63 for 1 off 9 overs.  With three interruptions for rain, an early tea and a soaking ball, it was tough. But the debutant opening attack of James Davenport and Krishna Agasthyaraju did well although Blaine took the plaudits, in less than ideal conditions for the black art of leg spin.  Finally we started our reply at 6.10pm. It seemed likely rain would return (it didn’t) so we had to keep ahead of the run rate.  The returning Max Banks made timing look easy on a damp pitch although, equipped with a runner, he was given out wrongly after a strident and confident appeal was upheld on a wrong interpretation of the Law.  I had to look it up later. Anoraks can see me for details.  We all chipped in, until at 9.20pm, Lachlan Young got bored and scored 16 in 5 balls to secure the win with 4 overs to spare.  A gutsy performance showing the club’s strength in depth.

Grange 2nd XI lost to Stirling County 2nd XI by 61 runs

Stirling Co 183 all out – Kaczynski 3 for 35
Grange 122 all out (10 men) – Bray 27, Young 27, Oates 27

The bitter taste of defeat.  We only had 6 players at the 1pm start time ; this is unacceptable.  To use the media parlance, there were positives. A great opening spell of 1 for 8 from the under 13 George Hairs, a second spell of 2 for 9 from the under 16 Wilf Whitby and a miraculous 2 for 16 off 8 overs from the pale and obviously drunk Johnny Metcalfe, always at his best when the brain is not working.  Kaz cleaned up the tail. 184 was gettable but with 28 the best partnership, it was all too much for the old timers, the young timers and those still too drunk to tell the time.  In true cliché, we can now concentrate on the League. Ouch !

Saturday 27th June

Portgower Place

No play

TheMighty3s ™ vs Kismet - Match Abandoned Due To Rain

Duloch Park, Dunfermline
 
Grange 3rd XI vs Kismet [no result]

20/20 Friendly
Grange 2/153 (20 overs W. Whitby 55*)
Kistmet 6/154 (18.4 overs)

After initially calling the game off early due to bad weather, Grange and Kismet agreed a quick friendly 20-20 to avoid going home to the wags early. Youth featured in the Grange innings with an impressive 55 from Wilf Whitby accompanied by Peter Scot-Reid to post 153. Tight bowling by Charles Curry / James Davenport and a sharp stumping (Red), was not enough to contain the Kistmet boys. Cricket was the winner.

Sunday 28th June

Grange 2nd XI beat Striling County 2nd XI by 46 runs

Portgower Place

Grange 246 for 8 – (Hairs 60, Powell 55, DuBoulay 53 not out)
Stirling Co. 200 for 8 – (Powell 3 for 38, Enos 2 for 19)

Revenge. With only two of the same team from the Cup defeat the week before, normal League service was restored against another undefeated team. On a murky damp day, the game was reduced to 40 overs. 133 runs from the first 20 overs was down to the speedy aggression of the top 5. But by 20 overs they were gone.  What next ? Step up Blaine Powell and Ed DuBoulay to steady the captain’s nerves with a beautifully paced partnership of 105. You would hope 246 off 40 would be enough but in the gathering gloom could we bowl 32 overs to ensure a result. 2 for 19 from Mark Enos’s 8 over spell and bustling in-duckers from Duncan Hodge and his first two wickets for the Grange, including the key wicket of the legendary Albert Simpson, left them 67 for 4. Blaine plundered the middle order to take his season’s wickets to 13, one ahead of Tom Vila.  7 from 7, we proudly head Division 2 at the half way stage.

Just reflecting on a weekend of tremendous ups and (one) down.
 
To summarise a magnificent effort by all involved on and off the pitch, the type of stuff that bonds teams and clubs together.
 
The tour squad and assessment
 
Kaz (Saturday only)
 
Fine effort by a man with one leg, co-ordinated transport, hung around long enough on Saturday to see off most of the opening attack. Would have played on Sunday too if not for Fathers day, good job he didn't (with one leg)
 
Chumba
 
Batting didn't go so well, forgot to bring a pair of shoes and was outplayed both days on the football warm up, lots of chat, mostly unintelligible. Great tourist.
 
Coles
 
Mr Coles hasn't found much form with the bat since he returned to these shores early last year, but he's driven Edinburgh to Ayr, Ayr to Aberdeen, Aberdeen to Edinburgh, kept wicket 2 days, got out for a duck on Saturday but managed to come back and score 98 to nearly win us the game on Sunday, made sure Hearn got to bed on Saturday night and he had a cold, you could give him the annual allrounder trophy on that basis alone.

Macca
 
The good thing about the weekend was that Macca starting scoring runs for us again, he took responsibility for the warm ups and recognised the need for him (and other senior team members) to step up and take control. 2 good spells of bowling too.
 
Patel
 
Well done captain, driven the same mileage as Coles and nearly won 2 games of cricket when we thought we were going to get smashed both days, fine selection policy, and kept to the spirit of the tour. Good support to Macca on Saturday, unlucky on Sunday. Good catching both days and didn't look like a complete geriatric in the field.
 
Heathcote
 
A quiet lad, fielded well both days. Had a pretty tough outing batting wise making his 1st XI debut on Sunday, but stuck at it.
 
Wise
 
Good bowling Saturday, could have done with nicking one out on Sunday to carry the lads home to Edinburgh on a high. Good supply of pain killers
 
Hearn
 
Good energy in the field both days, fantastic (1st) spell on Sunday, good use of the slower ball and bowled some genuine wicket taking deliveries. Did his part batting whilst Coles wheeled away at the other end. Chat & focus needs to improve, but he's young and he'll get plenty of advice.......

Thomas

Fantasic effort off the pitch, hedonistic is a word that comes to mind. Tidy fielding, but couldn't put it together with the ball. Hedonistic is a word that comes to mind.
 
Wilson

Tried not to be grumpy and generally succeeded, felt that cricket got in the way of a good road trip.
 
Enos
 
The find of the tour, he was genuinely thrilled to be part of it all, and the Ayr reunion stuff (and the wicket) really got him buzzing, kept it going through to Sunday, a great effort, if some of the 'proper' first teamers had his desire and energy they'd be playing something better than SNCL cricket now. As MacRae said, there was definitely an 'Enos effect' on the game.
 
Collister (Sunday only)
 
Took a good catch and filled in with the ball, smart kid (knew his way out of Aberdeen, which we didn't), and came all the way up to play the game.

The Games

Saturday 20th June

Cambusdoon New Ground

Ayr 120 all out (33 overs, M Papps 36, BMW Patterson 44, AB Wise 5-22, NFI McCallum 3-22)
Grange 122-3 (35.3 overs, NFI McCallum 58*, M Papps 3-10)

Link to full scorecard

Sunday 21st June

Grange 2nd XI lost to Aberdeenshire 1st XI by 1 wicket

Mannofield, Aberdeen

Grange 191 for 7 (C Coles 95, N McCallum 34)
Aberdeen 192 for 9 (J Hearn 4-38, A Wilson 3-25)

Link to full scorecard