Grammar won the toss for the third time this season, and Crescent were asked to bat first.

Knudson opened from the Pavillion end, with Karthik bowling from the Cromwell Road end. Both bowlers beat the bat and had edges land in no mans land as Crescent scored at a steady 4 runs an over. Knudson’s opening spell of 6-1-21-0, and Karthik’s 7-0-32-0 deserved at least a couple of wickets. Magesh and Phillips replaced Knudson and Karthik, but the Crescent openers were well set, and a fast outfield meant the brisk scoring continued, and Crescent brought up the hundred in the 27th over.

But FPs finally had a piece of luck when Skedge was run out following a mix up with skipper Millar. It also took a great piece of fielding by Karthik and a good take by keeper Naeem to complete the run out. New man Faiz was soon bowled by a straight one from Phillips. Millar’s stroke play got better as his innings progressed, and he hit a straight six into the builders yard in front of the pavilion off Magesh meaning a limbo under the fence for the FPs fielders.

Rizwan was given his debut bowl, and with his first ball almost took a wicket when Potts edged past slip. However four balls later Millar was finally out caught by Rob Fryer at fine leg and an inspired bowling change had paid off. Crescent were looking for a large total, and Padmaraj was well caught by Phillips at wide mid on off Karthik for 9.

Meanwhile Potts was scoring quickly with some powerful shots all round the wicket backed up by some good running between the wickets.

Knudson came back for a second spell and bowled Link for 3, Karthik bowled Nicholson for a duck as Crescent pushed on past 200. Another smart piece of fielding by Knudson and Naeem ran out Birch. Potts ended 68 not out as Crescent declared on 229 – 7 off 43 overs.

Grammar bowling was inconsistent. There were 30 wides bowled as all the bowlers struggled to maintain line and length in a strong cross wind. Windy or not, still too many free runs and 5 extra overs. The five fielders playing their first match fielded well and maintained their concentration throughout, there were no catches dropped, and only 2 byes conceded by Naeem.

Knudson 11-2-51-1, Karthik 9-0-46-2, Magesh 11-0-57-0, Phillips 7-0-36-1, Rizwan 5-0-28-1

Grammar started well and the openers put on 34, including a cracking straight drive by Knudson for six followed by a couple of good drives for four, but Johnston was bowled for 5 by a good inswinger from Gibson who was bowling well. Unfortunately for Fryer, Gibsons next ball was even better and Rob was LBW for a golden duck.

From a promising position FPs were now up against it as more bad luck meant that Frizzel was unable to bat up the order due to a knee injury. Last week’s hero Karthik again looked up for a long innings before he tried to turn a straight ball from Kalai and was given out LBW for 9. Naeem played on to the consistant Gibson for 8, and Knudson was bowled by the best ball Kalai bowled.

Kalai had found his line and Magesh was also bowled by a good ball for 4. Murray was bowled by off break bowler Padmaraj for 2, and next ball Rizwan played back and was also bowled by a good off break. Frizzel came in to bat with a runner, hit a single and was half way up the wicket when he remembered about knee injury. He did manage to stroke a classic cover drive for four before he was bowled by Padmaraj.

Mike Phillips went for his shots and smashed 3 fours and then the captains bat. Not a great career move, but very amusing for the fielders once the bottom half of the bat landed safely. Mike Ashton came in ended a comfortable 4 not out when Phillips was bowled for an entertaining 17.

Grammar FPs all out for 100 off 28 overs.

Overall not a great day for the FPs. We were unable to get an early wicket, and could not keep the scoring rate down below five runs an over. We had 8 batsmen bowled and 2 LBW which proves the value of bowling straight.

Bowlers take note, batsmen take nets.

Man of the Match – Sam Knudson – bowled well without much luck, great throw for the run out and top scored with 25 runs.

Champagne Moment – Sam’s straight six to the longest boundary.

Sam left Aberdeen last Saturday and came down past Rubislaw on his way to the airport to say cheerio, and was generous enough to donate his kit bag and contents, including pads, helmet, rarely used bat, box, trainers and an Australian top!   

Skipper Knudson, won the toss and had no hesitation in asking Academy to bat first. With Clelland unavailable, it was Fraser who kept wicket and a new opening attack of Sam Knudson and Youles who took the new ball. There was early excitement in Sam Knudson’s opening over as Kessell’s flashing drive flew quickly to John Lord at slip but he could not hang on to what would have been a stunning catch. However, Kessell failed to take advantage of the reprieve, playing all round a Youles delivery to be bowled for 3.

Academy’s centurion of last week Sunny came to the crease and unleashed some fine shots, particularly severe on anything remotely short. Liptrott and Sunny were adding quick runs and Knudson elected to replace Youles at the start of the 10th over with Stuart as the score had already reached 48 for 1. Initially the change made little difference as Academy stormed on to 63 for 1 until Stuart got one to lift from a good length which Sunny (32) could only edge through to the gleeful Fraser behind the stumps.

With this wicket, the brakes were firmly applied to Academy and Roland Knudson brought himself into the attack to bowl his off spin. He struck in only his second over with a high full toss which Liptrott could only help out to Morrison on the deep mid-wicket boundary and he made no mistake running in 10 yards to gather. Knudson struck again in his next over with Roshan playing on. Stuart then quickly added to Academy’s woes knocking back Afai’s leg stump for a duck leaving Academy on 81 for 5.

Davinder then blasted Knudson for his second six, but Knudson soon had his man as Davinder, trying for another maximum, could only top edge a delivery out to Sam Knudson at mid off who took a composed catch. Things were going from bad to worse for Academy by this stage and Stuart soon had Sintec gloving a lifting delivery to the keeper for 1. Stuart then struck again two balls later, pinning Derrett plumb LBW for 2, leaving Academy on 93 for 8. Knudson then struck once again in the next over, clean bowling Singh before Stuart picked up a well deserved 5 wicket haul, bowling Clark.

This left Academy all out for 97 off only 25.5 overs, having at one point been 63 for 1. Stuart was superb, controlling the swing well and ended up with 8.5-1-27-5. He was ably assisted by Roland Knudson 7-1-15-4 and it was their bowling which transformed the contest. Sam Knudson ended wicketless 6-0-31-0 and Youles finished with figures of 4-0-18-1.

Lord and Fryer opening the innings for FPs and were initially watchful, taking the score to 7 for 0 in 5 overs. However, Fryer soon fell bowled by Singh for 3. This brought Youles to the crease and he look to mix quick singles with lusty hitting. When beginning to look well set, however, he was bowled by Derrett for 15 leaving FPs on 32 for 2. The newly slimline Govil came to the crease and after being dropped a sitter on 1 by Roshan, he added some real impetous striking some fine cover drives and hitting a big six over long off. Govil dominated a stand of 32 with Lord but was well caught by Liptrott at cover off the bowling of Sintel, departing for a well made 23 from 24 balls.

This brought Fraser to the crease and he was unlucky when the 5th ball he faced kept low and he was correctly adjudged LBW for a duck. FPs were beginning to struggle now and were really up against it when first Lord was bowled by Sintel for 19 after a stay of 64 balls and then Roland Knudson edged a good ball from Singh to Sunny for a 5th ball duck.

This left FPs on 75 for 6 still requiring 22 for victory and both batsman Morrison and Sam Knudson were yet to score. They seemed to have things in hand as both Morrison and Knudson recorded boundaries, but the game was soon back in the balance as Morrison was bowled for 7 by the impressive Sintel. Sam Gill came out at number 9 and Academy were by now sensing an unlikely victory. However, there hopes were quickly snuffed out as young Knudson stamped his mark on the game taking 11 off Sid Singh’s next over to record a victory by 3 wickets. It was a highly composed effort from the 16 year old and his teammates were certainly indebted to his mature and composed innings of 16 not out.

For Academy, Derrett and Sintel were the pick of the bowlers with Derrett unfortunate to end up with only one wicket in an impressive spell of 12 overs for 23. Sintel ended up with 4 for 12 in just 6 overs and if he had been introduced earlier the result could have been very different.

FPs hope to have a number of senior players available next week for the tricky trip to Kemnay, but Govil and Sam Knudson have showed they are both more than able to stand in as needed and are sure to be pushing to keep their first team places.

FPs opening bowlers Jim Bramald and Sam Knudson bowled with great accuracy for their first spell of the season, and after 12 overs Ellon’s experienced openers were only 22-0. Knudson’s opening spell of 6 overs, 0-14 into a very strong wind was a great effort. The fielding was also very tight and was well backed up by last minute stand in keeper Naeem. Sam Gill bowled one over into the wind but was blown off course, and Junaid took over and made a much needed double break through just as the openers were beginning to look for runs. Both wickets were to good catches by Sam Gill making an early claim to the fielding trophy. Jim Bramald bowled a tidy 9 overs 0-18, including 3 maidens, his best spell for a couple of seasons, and was unlucky not to get an early wicket.

Sam Gill then bowled with the wind behind him and soon had Owen caught magnificently by Junaid, a one handed reaction catch, his first ever catch for the club leaving the batsman stunned. Fiona Bramald took over from Junaid (2-31) and in her first over bamboozled the Ellon batsman who was bowled. Meanwhile Gill was tying down the other end with some fast accurate bowling. Rob Fryer then got in on the catching act, claiming an awkward shoulder height beauty, opener Montgomery the victim leaving Ellon 89-5 off 29 overs.

The FP fielding was still faultless, and the next contender for catch of the season was by the ever reliable Rory Annand, holding on to a sharp chance above his head. Sam Knudson came back on for a second spell, collecting 2 wickets, both bowled. Sam Gill picked up a plumb LBW and to round off a near faultless fielding display by the FPs, Jim Bramald reacted quickly, and “deliberately” deflected a firm drive onto the stumps to run out Ellon’s last man, leaving skipper Duncan 37 not out.

Ellon all out156, with extras totally a mere 26, wides total was 16, mostly due to bowling in to a gale force wind. It was a big improvement compared to last seasons match vs Ellon where FPs conceded an astonishing 51 (fifty-one) wides.

Jim Bramald 10.4 – 3 - 26 – 1, Sam Knudson 10 – 1 – 32- 2, Sam Gill  12 – 1 – 38 – 3, Junaid 6 – 1 – 31- 2, Fiona Bramald 4 – 0 – 23 – 1.

Ian Johnston opening the batting fell 4th ball of the innings for a duck to Owen to give Ellon the ideal start. Sam Knudson quickly followed, bowled for a duck. Annand then drove straight to the fielder and was out for 1. At 10 – 3, and only 9 batsmen, even one batting point looked a long way off and when Sam Gill was bowled for 3, FPs were in deeper trouble at 19-4. Jim Bramald got off the mark first ball with a glorious pull for four, then another pull for two, before playing on to leave FPs reeling at 29-5. Naeem and Fryer then added a face saving 69 runs in contrasting styles, Fryer the MCC coaching manual and Naeem the B&Q manual. Naeem scored a priceless 27 runs, with four boundaries and without their partnership, FPs would have been embarrassed.

The impossible was just beginning to enter FP minds as Fryer and Naeem scored quickly without too many problems, but new bowler Duncan’s extra pace and accuracy finally beat Naeem’s defence.  Junaid scored 5 before being bowled; including a 4, but Fryer reached his 50 with a great drive for four. Fiona Bramald came in and battled long enough for Fryer to force another batting point with some powerful driving, hitting four great fours in six balls off Ellon’s best bowler, before being caught going for another boundary.

FPs all out 118, mainly thanks to Naeem and Rob Fryer. As defeats go, this was a great effort, two out of the three disciplines were as good as anything FPs had shown in the last few years, keen fielding throughout by only 7 outfielders, three chances, five catches! All that FPs need is a couple more batsmen to click and FPs should be a hard team to beat. That and eleven players on the field!

Man of the Match - Rob Fryer

Champagne Moment – Junaid’s catch.