Goats Go Pro at Roseburn
HCC vs Murrayfield DAFs 2s, Saturday 18th June 2022
Match Partners: GSB Properties
Under the watchful eye of Dave Arbuthnott’s cap mounted camera, with a full highlights package to follow, Haddington CC travelled to Roseburn Park to take on regular opponents - and perennial tricky customers - Murrayfield DAFs 2nd XI. The home side must be commended on the work they’ve done to the square following serious flooding by the Water of Leith some years ago, though the pandemic has meant a step back from the consistent surfaces they were able to produce. That said, it was hard and even, but with a covering of dry grass which rewarded the seam bowlers all afternoon.
DAFs (or “Muffs” as the locals bellow) won the toss and elected to have a stick, and from there the game developed like a carbon copy of last week’s Broomhall fixture. That said, Syme and Proctor were impressive when sticking to a good length with very few poor balls. Proctor deserved more fortune and picked up Pickard clean bowled attempting (one of many) ambitious drives. Saurabh Raman played and missed too, but struck powerfully down the ground too and threatened a big score. Vital then that Rob Hiley found movement from a good length, and the resulting miscue was pouched by skipper James Shaw at point. 45-2 still represented a solid platform and the outfield provided full value for shots, as Finlay Ross looked to unsettle Macdonald’s length with crisp use of the feet.
From there though, it was one way traffic. Hiley lured Ross into a drive and bowled him neck & crop. Just three balls later, Ferg took a sharp grab at midwicket and it was 51-4. Macca made it 52-5 as a poor leave was plumb LBW. A recovery began as Tarun Kumar martially his side through to drinks, and began to open up with a couple of stunning drives over extra cover. Were Haddington going to let the opposition off the hook? Not on this occasion. Leading wicket taker Ash Kumar entered the fray and found two wickets in his first over. The second was an astounding catch at point as Arbuthnott, close to the wicket, flung himself to snatch a full blooded cut one handed. For those who missed it, the grab made it onto the Go Pro footage, and just to make sure he repeated the feat at gully off Macdonald just a few balls later.
As Tarun stood alone on the burning deck, a real pea shooter from Ash thundered into the stumps from a good length, an undeserving end to a good innings. The same happened to Graeme Mitchell, to give Kumar 4 wickets for bugger all (21 in 8 games) and Murrayfield just 89 runs to defend. Hiley 3fer, Macca 2fer, some brilliant catching and every bowling change working out for The Goats. Jonny Mitch was magnificent behind the stumps again, with the number of extras he prevented a real difference in a low scoring game.
Any thoughts of an easy win were dashed early in the reply. Roseburn is a place to win ugly. Arbuthnott, promoted to open in the absence of JCM, fell LBW to the accurate and miserly Anand Singh. A fair decision. Blades joined Cruickshank and the pair attempted to see off the new ball, putting the drive away which had been the downfall of so many opposition batters. The wind ripped across the North Stand of the BT sponsored stadium, and a scoreline of 7 from 7 overs chilled Haddington further.
Anand got Cruickshank too, through the gate, and there was real work to do. Blades set his stall out for an uncharacteristically dour stay, allowing Hiley to take the attack to the change bowlers, with military mediums offering little threat. At 45-2 from 16 overs, looking comfortable, Haddington began an act of self flagellation only club cricketers would know. Blades was given out LBW for a gritty 10 some way down the pitch to the off spinner. Hiley went back to pull Choudhury and was triggered too for a stroke filled 28, and skipper Shaw sawn off to Mitchell too by one which struck him on the thigh… hmm… Suddenly it was 61-5. Plenty of overs left, but runs harder to come by.
Thankful the visitors were for Scott Logan. Maintaining his positive mindset he crashed Choudhury over cover - which carried almost for six - and again over long-off. With some drag downs put away off Tarun as DAFs shuffled the pack, and Jonny Mitch resolutely holding up one end after his midweek 50, the homegrown heroes saw Haddington home for a third win in three. Logan found time to be out caught cover with four to win of course, nobly letting Ash Kumar plunder the winning boundary.
Player of the Match was, once again, Rob Hiley for his 3fer and crucial knock. But this was another solid team performance with players chipping in across all disciplines.