Haddington Overcome Dunbar Sat 5th September 2020
Haddington CC Goats completed a comfortable win over rivals Dunbar over at Neilson Park. This was he final round of the ESCA organised round robin for 2020, which had previously seen a win, a loss & a possible win/loss/tie pending scorebook audit. And if it is to serve as a guide for what will hopefully be a full season in 2021, then HCC look in good shape for a run at promotion from Division Three.
Bowling first on the artificial wicket in a 35 Over contest after visitors Dunbar elected to have first use, Fergus Syme deployed his traditional heavy length - which finds much assistance on the plastic tracks of the midweek circuit - and conceded just 8 runs from the bat in his 5 over spell. Hamish White, the Australian gap student who has survived lockdown to be one of Haddington’s most accurate bowlers this autumn, picked up two deserved wickets. The second, pitched and straightened just enough to threaten the integrity of the spring metal stumps with a firm rattle.
Thomas Proctor, steaming in from the Skate Park Memorial End like an architect with planning permission and a sizeable brown envelope on the way to a council office, bowled full & straight as ever, and at one stage was on a hat trick. As is custom in these parts, the hat trick ball dribbled down the leg side, but it was a fine spell from the ever-improving young seamer. 2-11 his lot.
At 24-4 prospects were dim for the coastal men, but Vance & Anderson deployed every bit of nugget & grit available to them in a partnership of 41. Eyes may have lit up when Blades came on to bowl off the short run after a miserable outing a fortnight ago against Musselburgh. But this was vintage Blades; threatening the stumps, the groin, and the chest (on the full) of the batsmen. Both set batsmen were seen off, and from there it was down to Wanless & Callow to chip & thrash useful runs against the spin of Cruickshank and probing mediums of Fraser Mclean. Another handy partnership, this time of 38, lasted until the final ball, when Jamie Perriam did his finest Stuart Broad impression: dropping a simple catch off Mclean, then violently hurling the ball to claim a run out. 108 the final score, probably 30 short of par.
In reply, the familiar respectable straight bats of Cruickshank and Cardwell-Moore opened proceedings. The left handed James C-M biffed a few straight drives before succumbing to Humphrey, who recovered from a wayward start o threaten both edges, chopping on for an even 10. The skittish and sparky Borrowman joined the ‘Shank, and the two set about building the decisive partnership of the match. The curious lobs of Callow & Greene presented a challenge of courage, but once dismissed by some drives over extra cover, the returning medium pacers were dealt with in short time. Borrowman retired not out on 48 (!) after taking Upton for a four and a glorious straight 6 into the red foliage of the trees at the River Tyne End. 7 boundaries and two smitten sixes in all. Cruickshank followed soon after for a chanceless and well ordered 28.
With a manufactured wobble on the cards, skipper Scott Logan ensured no meringue was on Haddington faces (at least not before the Dalrymple Household served their famous Ile Flottante in the evening) and Robin Hiley popped a couple of balls into the rugby pitches. With eight overs and seven wickets to spare, it was a good result for the home side. Most importantly however, it was another completed game of cricket played in great spirit and with full participation.