For the first time in many years, AGSFP’s 2nd XI had a Sunday Bon Accord 40 over Cup match to play. The opposition were Arrowdawn Gordonians and the venue was the artificial wicket at Countesswells. An artificial wicket with a proper fast outfield. Bliss.
The toss was won by Gordonians skipper Jones who invited FP’s to bat. FP’s team selection was made easy due to the fact there were only 11 bodies available to choose from, Johnston, Vijay, P. MacDonald, Davey, Arul, R. Knudson, I. Goodenough, Bhanu, James Lord, Magesh and making his debut was schoolboy David Blues. Pity Gordonians who had to find 88 players this weekend!
Due to the fact that three FP’s players were late arriving, free scoring stonewaller Johnston was promoted up the order to open with Vijay. This ploy worked well as after 2 overs the total was 2 – 0, but next over Johnston hit Suthanu for a straight 4. The hollow noise the bat made meant that Knudson take pity on the batsman and allowed Johnston to use his bat instead. Pity, as Suthanu then bowled an outswinging jaffa which beat Knudson’s useless bat and clipped the off stump, FP’s 17 – 1 off 4.2 overs.
Macdonald, almost recovered from his wedding reception the previous Friday evening, hit a breezy 10 (2 x 4) before being bowled by Harper, FP’s 28 – 2, 6 overs.
Out of form Vijay was joined by out of form Davey but both batsmen soon found their best form in a superb display of attacking strokeplay. The third wicket pair added 176 runs in 22 overs as the Gordonians bowlers bowled far too many loose deliveries.
Davey hit 2 x 6, 13 x 4 in a classy display of text book drives and cuts, including a couple of beautiful straight drives for 6, but was finally out for 89 when he was bowled by a straight delivery from Suthanu, FP’s 204 – 3 off 29.1 overs.
The fourth wicket partnership between latecomer Arul and Vijay added 48 runs in only 6 overs before Vijay was out bowled by Harper for 67 (1 x 6, 9 x 4). The six being an IPL scoop shot as he faced square leg, hit way over square leg, but a four he played off the back foot through cover was a proper shot, one for the purist.
Arul was determined to get one over his former teammates, but actually managed to get 4 over his old teammates, all great drives for 6. Arul and Knudson put on 34 runs in 5 overs before the innings ended on a daunting 286 – 4 off 40 overs, Arul 44 n.o. (4 x 6, 1 x 4) Knudson 14 n.o. (1 x 6, 1 x 4). The driving competition was won by Knudson who managed to drive one into a garden for 6.
Gordonians did not help their cause by conceding a huge number of extras. The wickets were shared by Suthanu and Harper with 2 each.
Gordonians began the run chase with Suthanu and Aggrawal, but soon lost Suthanu for a duck, bowled by Lord. The bowling was too accurate for the Gordonians batsmen with wickets falling at regular intervals. Lord was top wicket taker with 3 wickets for 33, Knudson took 2 – 6 in 3 overs for , Kiran 2 – 39, Magesh 1- 1 in a 2 over spell. Davey also took a wicket thanks to a sharp catch by wicketkeeper Goodenough who performed well behind the stumps. Vijay did all the hard work for the later bowlers in an opening spell of 7 – 1 – 19 – 0. Schoolboy Blues bowled an excellent spell of 6 – 0 – 34 – 1 taking a well deserved first wicket for FP’s.
Gordonians were all out for 146 with top scorer Jones who hit 28 (1x x6, 3 x 4).
Man of the Match – John Davey, 89 excellent runs and a wicket.
Champagne Moment – David Blues taking his first wicket for Grammar FP’s in his first match.