Scorecard

Fochabers v Gordonians Cricket Club Gordonians 2nd XI on Sat 15 Apr 2017 at 13.00
Gordonians Cricket Club Won by 60 runs

Match report It would be nice to term this match a 'warm up' game, but this fell comfortably in to the 'might as well have played in a big fridge' pre-season friendly category. The only thing warm about Fochabers was the welcome from the locals and the spicy vegetable soup at tea time, as provided and worn by Mike Fox on his previously white sweater.
An accident between Inverurie and Huntly added considerable time to the trip up as the cars were diverted to parts of Aberdeenshire generally only seen by those who live there, and ruined the plans for pre-match fast food. With 11 batsmen to try to involve, captain Perera graciously plumped for the number 11 spot and sent Dyson and Smith out to face the Fochabers bowling. Mehta opened from the Arctic end and Dyson took a single off the first ball. It soon became clear that pace and bounce on the artificial pitch was going to be a bit inconsistent but this didn't stop Smith trying to get his cut shot out, and come July or August he may actually middle one!
Young Sam Miller opened the bowling from the Antarctic end and struggled with line and length, 14 coming off his first over. After this dot balls started to dominate the scorebook as the lifeless outfield grabbed at any half decent shot and minimised any running around for the fielders.
Smith was first to fall, caught behind as Mehta produced what was to be the only maiden of the innings. Dyson fell next over, both having scored 13 off 26 balls. Arora and Himanshu gave up on lavish stroke play and settled for playing straight and accumulation of runs. Some very nice shots brought up singles and eventually Arora tickled a Davidson delivery from the Arctic end in to the gloves of young Campbell, gone for 14. O'Brien somewhat fortuitously got off the mark first ball, and then exhibited some solid defence before using his pad rather than his bat in front of the stumps, allowing Hamza to join Himanshu in the tundra zone. Himanshu launched Douglas over the ropes for a maximum but both batsmen were struggling to get value for their shots and showed admirable patience in relentlessly pushing singles. Both eventually retired on 30 bringing in Swapnil and Aayush. Swapnil gave it a big wind up and duly smashed Fox over the fence between the social club and the pavilion, allowing Mayank to display his hurdling skills as he chased the ball down in a prolonged sub-fielding spell. Aayush had been spanking the ball around all winter, but this wasn't the time or place for expansive shot play. Swapnil was another victim for the keeper, out for 17, allowing Praful and Mayank a chance to chase quick runs. Praful was run out selflessly for 7 and Mayank added a run a ball 14. The only ball Chamila faced went for a bye and Aayush hurried them through for a couple of 2's to take the total to 190 off the 40 overs, ending not out himself on 18.
Tea was gratefully taken, but the Gordonians athletes steered clear of the home made chocolate cake. Mehta and Douglas opened for Fochabers and Himanshu and Chamila regularly beat the bat as they conceded only 10 runs from the first 8 overs, Chamila only allowing one scoring shot. Aman and Hamza continued the tight bowling until Hamza made the mistake of getting Douglas out for 4 off 38 deliveries. Mehta senior wasn't for hanging around and showed everyone how to play shots, Praful and Swapnil being the only ones to avoid a boundary bashing. One of his 3 6's smashed an upstairs window of an adjacent house and will instigate an insurance claim. The ball was bravely retrieved and the onslaught continued until Himanshu took a very smart catch at slip off Mayank to remove Mehta senior for 70 off only 61 balls. His son has fallen earlier to Praful for a well made 27, but it was hard going for everyone else against some pretty tight bowling. If you take out the 5 4's off Aayush, then his spell of 8 overs, 3 for 30, becomes an excellent effort of leg spin in far from ideal conditions. The last 10 overs added only 11 runs as Mayank cranked up the pace and Campbell couldn't pierce the alert field. The innings closed on 130 and O'Brien rolled back the years to take the best dive in the field award, whilst Neil Smith easily claimed the award for most sliding in the field, and his mother will be delighted when he rocks up at her house with the dirtiest whites of the day, as soup down the front by Mike Fox doesn't really count. The man of the match award goes to the man who ventured in to the garden to fetch the ball that broke the window, closely followed by Mr Miller who heated up the soup and got the tea ready.

Gordonians Cricket Club Gordonians 2nd XI Batting
Player Name RunsMB4s6sSRCtStRo
extras
TOTAL :
2nb 18w 9b 4lb 
for 7 wickets
33
190		        
Adam Dyson ct Miller 13 33 26 1 50.0 1
Neil Smith ct Mehta 13 31 26 2 50.0
Aman Arora ct Davidson 14 28 25 1 56.00
Himanshu Saraswat Not Out  30 62 41 1 1 73.17 1
Gerry O'Brien lbw Davidson 2 16 14 14.29
Hamza Arshad Not Out  30 56 36 2 83.33 2
Swapnil Rane ct Miller 17 20 16 1 1 106.25
Aayush Das Not Out  18 39 32 1 56.25
Praful Pant Run out  6 5 6 100 1
Mayank S Bhandari b Davidson 14 14 14 1 100 1
Chamila N Perera Not Out  0 2 1 0

Fochabers Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
A Mehta10.0131131.003.10
S Miller10.0052226.005.20
D Davidson10.0040313.334.00
J Douglas7.004100.005.86
M Fox3.001300.004.33

Fochabers Batting
Player name RMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 6 wickets
0
130 (40.0 overs)		     
A Mehta ct Pant 27 88 61 1 44.26
J Douglas ct Arshad 4 49 38 10.53
A Mehta Snr ct Bhandari 70 75 61 8 3 114.75
C Corson ct Das 7 32 28 25.00
D Cox ct Das 0 11 9 0
T Campbell Not Out  3 25 28 10.71
D Davidson st Das 4 6 9 1 44.44
S Miller Not Out  3 10 5 60.0
M Fox  
   
   

Gordonians Cricket Club Gordonians 2nd XI Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Himanshu Saraswat4.01600.001.50
Chamila N Perera4.01400.001.00
Aman Arora4.002000.005.00
Hamza Arshad5.0027127.005.40
Swapnil Rane4.001400.003.50
Praful Pant4.01717.001.75
Aayush Das8.0230310.003.75
Mayank S Bhandari7.0218118.002.57