3rds Start Season in Fine Style

Heriots 3rd XI 167 all out
(D Caldwell 3-30, R Farmer 2-23, T Palin 2-38)

Falkland 3rd XI 169 for 6
(K Westland 35, D Caldwell 30no, L Farrell 20)

Falkland Won by 4 Wkts

The 3rd XI opened their league campaign with a home fixture against Heriots 3rd XI, our first of 7 home games in the first 9, which basically means we are going to hire a couple of camper vans as we are away to Tranent, Prestonpans and Peebles in the second half of the season.

I had taken up the captaincy again after missing most of last season when I took up residency in Perth Royal getting my bionic hip. Gregor ‘Two Brain‘ Lawson and Liam ‘Habib’ Farrell had done a great job keeping us in Division 5

The toss took place outside the changing rooms as neither myself nor the visiting captain could be bothered walking over to the park. It was won by myself or lost by their captain’s call , whichever way you want to put it. Now I’m confused - did I win it or did he lose it, anyway I invited Heriots to bat,

The bowling was opened by 3rd XI debutant Tony ‘my name is Michael’ Palin and Ash ‘I drive a min bus now’ Anson. Tony was first up and I think the young batsman got a shock as the ball was into my gloves before he had played his shot. There was a small brown patch appearing. It was a good start as only one run came off the first over. Ash tested the batsman next - he was only coming of a couple of steps, which is only about 6 inches shorter than his normal run up by the way, after going over on his ankle that morning, yea whatever, excuses at this time of the season!

Tony took the first wicket in his next over when he trapped the batsman LBW. Their number 3 batsman had a short stay as in the next over Ash took his middle stump, I would have said out of the ground, but well it just didn’t have the pace to do that. Tony took the next wicket in his fourth over courtesy of a brilliant catch from Atholl ‘Bed Head’ Grieve - the rumours which say he tripped over his boot lace whilst trying to avoid the ball are said to be untrue. Tony finished his first spell of 4 overs with 2 for 19 and Ash with 1 for 9 from 4.

Our young guns were up next as we brought on the dynamic duo of Grant ‘The Wee Man’ Langlands and Lyall ‘I’m just good at all sports’ Robertson. Wickets were getting hard to come by, not that the kids had bowled badly, but we were getting no luck with the ball going in the air and landing in gaps, but we had managed to keep the score down.

Brought into the attack next was Danny ‘The Chat’ Caldwell and another 3rd XI debutant in Ryan ‘I Can Talk All Day’ Farmer, both so called spinners to slow it down. There should have been a stumping as Danny beat the batsman with his top spin and giving him the eyes, but I think the umpire must have been enjoying the view of the East Lomond at the time as he shook his head towards our appeal - well the batsman was still making his way back when he said not out. We did however get a stumping in the next over from Ryan’s bowling as the batsman again went wandering, but this time the umpire had to say yes. We eventually got their other opener run out after some fine fielding from Tony and Ryan picked up another.

Grant was brought back into the attack and picked up a wicket up with a fine ball taking the stumps. A bit of reverse psychology was next as I told Danny he was being replaced after his next over with Tony to see if we could finish them off. Yes it worked - he took 2 wickets with a fine caught and bowled and a bowled. He was on a hat-trick, however, it was not to be as the next ball was pants and he got pumped for 4. Danny picked up wicket number 10 with an LBW that he was so confident about that he didn’t even appeal. Their number 11 batsman had been hitting the ball about quite a bit, but he did have a cricketing name in Asim Butt. Heriots had reached a total of 167 all out. Tony 2 for 38, Ash 1 for 15, Grant 1 for 24, Lyall 0 for 32, Danny 3 for 30 and Ryan 2 for 23.

Tea was taken and Scott ‘I Work in St Andrews University’ Robertson managed to get his teas there just in time for us all before leaving, but he did the gentlemanly thing, yes he blamed the wife.

We opened the batting with Scott and myself, I didn’t trouble the scorers much - all they had to write was bowled as I admired my cover drive before I played it and turned round to see my off stump gone. Kieran ‘I’m A Batsman Now’ Westland joined Scott at the crease and together they put on a stand of 42 before Scott was bowled for 9. Habib was Kieran’s next partner and with some patient batting took us up to the score of 95 for 3 before Habib went for 20, another good partnership of 53. We were getting close to their total with plenty overs and wickets to spare, although the abundance of wides was helping. Ash helped the cause with a quickfire 19 and Kieran was eventually caught for 35, a great innings as between him and man of the match Danny we were almost at their total. Danny finished the game with 2 big sixes in a row and he finished with 30 not out. We were 169 for 6, an excellent win.

A fine all round team performance - let’s hope we get the same this Saturday as Peebles are the visitors.

Mel Low