vs Murrayfield DAFs 2nd XI 14th July 2018
Records tumbled last Saturday at Neilson Park as the bottom two teams in Division 3 put on a show which no one expected. The previous encounter saw 87 all out play 88-8, and both sides have struggled with the bat all season long. However, a belting wicket and lightning fast outfield played witness to more than 530 runs, almost unheard of in 40 over aside fixtures.
Winning the toss, Haddington elected to bat and veteran Alan Cruickshank made use of the short boundaries with his elegant touch strokeplay. At the other end, Tom Dalrymple started slower but began to punish a Murrayfield bowling attack lacking in pace on an unforgiving surface. Cruickshank & Dalrymple put on 130 in 25 overs before the former, struggling with cramp, was stumped for 46. This brought Tim Blades to the crease who had license; making 27 in a partnership of 52 in just 6 overs. Dalrymple reached a brilliant & virtually chanceless 100 and kicked on, favouring midwicket in the latter stages but keeping his shape when driving to the offside. He was reprieved once, bowled off a no-ball, before finally being dismissed for a brilliant 163 in the 39th over - a club record highest score in its 140 year history - hitting 22 fours and 3 sixes.
In reply, Murrayfield DAFS had the improbable target of 274 for victory. Ash Kumar opened the bowling with his mystery spin but was regularly hit off his length by Tahir - who survived a sharp chance at short cover off Fergus Syme. He went on to a belligerent 56 before offering a simple caught & bowled off a hostile Dalrymple delivery. Dave Arbuthnott burst through Smith’s defences to leave the chase at 107-2 after 22 overs - the required rate climbing towards ten an over. Visiting Captain Carl Barton struggled for timing early and was troubled by Shaw, but cut loose to pass fifty with a string of boundaries through his favoured backward-point arc. Beretta joined proceedings & accelerated to a fifty of his own. Suddenly, at 205-2 off 35, the visitors had a sniff. Tight death bowling by Blades & Dalrymple kept Haddington just out of reach and, despite Barton reaching a brilliant unbeaten 101 & some lusty blows from Raman, the home side prevailed by 13 runs and closed the gap at the bottom of the table.