Second Loss of the Season for 2s.
The second half of the 2010 season began exactly as the first started for the 2s, with a disappointing loss to Holy Cross.
Following eight straight wins, the 2s lined up at Craiglockhart confident of more success despite the absences of pace trio Zan Sevak, Raj Routray and Fraser Sands, the fluent Euan Robertson, spinning prodigy Chris Cash and the promoted Ali Fleming and Andy Learmonth. Holy Cross also lined up with notable absences –the opening pace duo of Rob Worsnop and Shannon Bonfield joined spinner Manan Patel in absence.
Having won the toss and chosen to bat, Watsonians reached the half way point at 64-2 with the loss of evergreen Keith Flannigan and Ben Fox – the opposition Rob Bainbridge stifling scoring opportunities with figures of 10-2-16-1 supported by keen ground fielding.
However, the score caused little concern; the previous week the 2s had reached 226 despite being only 54-1 at the half way point. And with the skipper making the most of only his third innings of the season and the in-form Rich Crosby looking in good nick there were high hopes for competitive target.
That this didn’t occur was down to Charlie Ellis who celebrated his first ever adult 5-fer with figures of 7.4-1-20-5. Although a number of batsman got starts – Crosby, Vijay and Nick Boorman all comfortably reaching double figures – Ellis’s bowling in tandem with Holy Cross’s fielding continued to halt any innings momentum.
Breach tried his best to break from the shackles – an uncharacteristic 12 boundaries and a maximum came off his bat – but he became another of Ellis’s victims when stumped for 85 with the score on 164-7.
Despite the lusty hitting of debutant Michael Bunker, the innings finished for a disappointing 174 all out after 45.1 overs, the innings breaking two cardinal sins – finishing one short of a bonus point and failing to bat out the full 50 overs.
Taking precedence from the previous week’s encouragement of the Craiglockhart pitch to fast bowlers, the skipper rotated Rich Crosby and Tim Boorman throughout the innings to initiate wickets.
Despite the early loss of the normally reliable Ellis to Yellowlees, Pickering (23), Fraser (46) and EC Smith (28) set the platform for a solid chase by Holy Cross and they comfortably remained unpanicked despite the frugality of Vijay (10 overs for 17) and the skipper (who at one time was 5 overs for 6).
A slight wobble saw two Holy Cross wickets fall for 118 and then another at 150, but hopes that the 2s could spark a collapse were dashed by Russell (19*) and Bates (25*) – the latter being particularly aggressive to end the innings in the 47th over.
So a five wicket loss for the 2s who picked up 7 bonus points – although a loss by second placed Fauldhouse ensured that the side remained in top spot. However, wins by third placed Carlton and fourth placed Accies means that the title race has been blown wide open with all four sides fancying their chances with eight games remaining.
A well-deserved victory by Holy Cross left the skipper with plenty to think about, not least his own rotation of bowlers – would the introduction of Bunker, Brooks or Harding have initiated the collapse that he so craved? With hindsight, perhaps he should at least have tried.
