vs Glenrothes 2nd XI 13th August 2016
Goats Kill Off Glens’ Promotion Hopes
Haddington’s cricketers saw off promotion contenders Glenrothes 2nd XI on a windswept day at Dunbar’s Winterfield Park. Despite good weather (in August, who’d have thought?) the fixture was in doubt due to some magnificent incompetence on the part of the bookings team at an unnamed council pitch at another of the coastal towns in this county. Credit must go to Dunbar for being excellent sports and allowing Haddington to use Winterfield at such short notice - community sport is really nothing with collaboration and support between clubs.
The “home” side won the toss and batted on the artificial wicket. Seb Mann and young Jack Sale begun cautiously, until Mann launched into opening bowler Cos with some violent legside hitting, taking 14 from one over. He was out attempting the trick shortly after, caught well at midwicket by a diving Awais. Pete Borrowman was brought to the crease and passed 300 runs for the season, and briefly topped the league run scoring charts in making a typically busy and composed 31 (he was passed by Selkirk’s Rory Banks and bumped into 2nd place). The right arm slow stylings of Mearns, tossed up into the sea-gale like the cries of a stranded sailor, accounted for a promoted Ash Kumar on his home patch as Sale the Younger succumbed to the wiles of left armer Morris - every bit the salty old dog in a niggly 8 over spell. Sale the Elder was typical in taking his time to get going, while Peter Talbot enjoyed the flat conditions in sabotaging the spinners in a rapid 41 giving the innings much needed impetus. When he fell however, the rate was still just over 4 an over. With plenty in the hutch, C.Sale let loose and targeted the midwicket region, culminated in a savaging of visiting captain Lucas’ offbreaks. He ended 41 not out, a third consecutive score over 40 since joining the club.
Set 183 to win from 40 overs, Glenrothes begun positively. Blades’ radar was wayward but it went relatively unpunished before he broke down, doubtless suffering of a rotten hull. Hugo Meynell, so tricky to get away on damp wickets, was hammered by young Salt, the pick of his boundaries a fine strike over long-on. Recognising that pace on the ball was favouring the batsmen, and that the surface had gripped earlier in the day, Blades brought Kumar into the attack from the Atlantic end. Almost immediately, Salt was bowled through the gate and Kirkman, starved of his favoured cut and pull, was well held by Scott Logan at midwicket. James Shaw bowled with pace and venom, and found the edge of Lucas’ bat on a number of occasions but went wicketless. A number of half chances went down, and it looked as though The Glenrothes middle order would punish The Goats. Though Cruickshank, hamstrung by short boundary, strong breeze and hamstring, bowled the dangerous Talha before drinks, the Glens were well set on 87-3 after 21.
Straight away though, as it so often does in East of Scotland Division 3, the game turned on a cup of orange squash. Lucas was lured by Cruickshank’s siren song, and went back onto the rocks in an attempt to swipe to leg only to be bowled. His anger as he left the field was a sign he knew he has opened the door. From there the innings sunk quickly, as Cruickshank’s changes of pace and spin chipped out 4 more wickets - one stunningly caught by a running Shaw which looked destined for 6. Mann’s legspin plucked out two wickets too, the last caught wonderfully by Logan running back from fine leg to complete a 77 run victory.