Dollar Cricket Club vs Crickockers CC

Date: 26/06/22 | Location: Dollar | Overs: 35 | Conditions: Showers, sometimes heavy

On Sunday we were privileged to welcome a touring party all the way from Goa, India. The wicket looked as good as it has looked all summer as we embarked to build upon our 4-game winning run. Both hosts and visitors arrived in high spirits despite the ever threatening weather and after a brief introduction our guests won the toss and elected to have a bat. 

A. Mishra and P. Teli got the Indian’s innings underway and were tasked with facing regular opener Tim Dillion from the Ochil End, and Charlie Dunn from Mylne Avenue. The wait for the first breakthrough lasted just a little longer than an over as Dunn immediately found his feet to send his first down on a 5th stump line as Teli attempted to cut him away to safety but failed to find his radar and the ball fizzed straight to Rob Passe, bending his knees at backwards-point, to take a fine between the legs catch. 

Dillion too placed an early “W” in his column as in the third over Mishra desperately tried to play a backwards defence, but only found minimal contact and after a couple of slow motion hops the ball rolled into the base of middle stump and off went the bails. Fantastic start as both men, in particularly Dillion, were getting troublesome movement from the pill.  

With Dunn continuing to build early pressure, Dillion doubled up and once again displayed his undeniable skill as he raced one down the hills that left Mehta powerless as the ball was pulled into the orbit of off-stump, gone for a quick fire 11. As the clouds began following through on their threat, Tom Hall unfortunately took a hit in the line of duty as he coughed up a slippery bouncing ball into his teeth- but he still managed to get the ball back to the keeper. We all wish him the best in his recovery, here’s hoping he owns a soup blender. Bobb Turner stepped in as 12th man. *Update – Tom is doing well

At the other end, Dunn was left on the floor in anguish at one point as Cunningham (keeper) deflected the ball into the face of Douglas at first-slip and it ricocheted away. A few more found the outside edge, but unfortunately evaded capture in the cordon. The skies started to cry for the near misses and the covers were hastily rolled across the outfield. Score, 33/3 after 8 overs. 

The rain reverted back to mizzle, off came the covers, and the two Ds did not miss a beat during the break. After a few more half chances and some great pressure bowling, Captain Sandy Cunningham replaced Dillion, who was losing his footing on the slick surface, with Phil Rourke. Rourke showed that skill is eternal as he immediately found his line and length. Halfway through Dunn’s final over play was once again halted as the showers mimicked a monsoon. After 15 minutes, we wandered backed on and Dunn rounded off his spell and the score was at 55/3 after 13. Solid start. 

With the first ball of Rourke’s second he cannoned one into the skilful Falari’s pads, and despite the audible appeals the batsman remained at the crease. Unmoved by the rejection, Rourke swung one in a good length and again struck Falari’s lower-limb protection, this time plummer than a plum tree in an Indian plum garden, up went the finger and Rourke let out a roar, gone for a well played 24. This seasons’ leading wicket taker, Bruce Harper, replaced last seasons. Our villages’ soon-to-be newest speakeasy proprietor quickly added to his tally by firing one to Borker who looked to block the ball away but was flummoxed by Harper’s talent and inside edged the pill into the sticks, out for 1. 

After another heavy downpour the ball started to soak up the June precipitation and both Rourke and Harper were having to bowl with lifeless leather. Both bowlers kept up the fight throughout the rest of the spell, but our visitors skipper, A. Borkar, who filled his innings full of classical shots, and the powerful Virginkar who became well acquainted with the spaces on the leg side started to build a fine partnership. Some great fielding helped prevent boundaries, in particular from Passe who built a solid wall from point to third-man and Dunn who threw caution to the wind as he dived all over the surface and came off looking like he had played 80 minutes of rugby. 

The final bowling change of the afternoon was made as the skipper gave his gloves to Harper and took over from the Ochil End. It would be a dose of double Cunningham, as the skipper’s younger brother, Robbie, who is briefly back from Australia, took over from Harper. By this stage the ball was in need of a dry after every delivery and Dunn with towel in tow assumed the duty of Chief Ball Drier. As both bats arrived at the precipice of their half centuries, the fielders started playing musical chairs as we tweaked the positioning in a desperate bid to goad our visitors to send the ball a Scotsman’s way. A few yelps of catch echoed around the village, but the plan failed to deliver and first Borkar, and then Virginkar deservedly raised their bats. Score, 156/4 from 28.

Cunningham Jnr was displaying some great fizzing pace from his easy on the eye action, and had he been given anything to work with from the ball he would have surely picked up multiple scalps. His older brother kept the bats guessing through his spell as he emptied his bag of tricks and sent down a mix of pace, swing, and even a bit of spin, but both bats kept their eyes on the ball and kept plugging the gaps. A moment of magic was required…

Cunningham (junior) fired off another into Borkar who drove the ball past the bowler and set off for a quick single. The skipper, who was positioned at a wide mid-off, raced round from his mark and in the blink of an eye picked the cherry from the turf, set himself, readied his wand of a right arm and cast the ball towards the bowlers end. The field fell into a moment of hushed silence, only to be followed by an eruption of a ‘HOWZAT!?!’ as S. Cunningham put the ball on a rope and skittled the stumps before Borker made his ground. Scenes, as the kids say. Moment of magic: delivered. The first contender for this years Moment of the Season DWAA. Borkar gone for an excellent 80. What a throw!! What a piece of cricket!

A few more later runs were added by Lotliker and Virginkar, with the latter finishing his innings intact for a brilliant 84 not out. Given the conditions and the skill of the batsmen, it had been hard graft in the field, but the match was still all to play for. 

Crickockers CC: 229/6 from 35 overs

Best figures:

Dillion: 2 for 20 from 6 | Rourke: 1 for 31 from 6 | Dunn: 1 for 35 from 7

A plentiful tea was taken that included a host of Scottish delights and it was well received by both hosts and guests. Thanks goes to the sister act of Kirsty Cunningham and Fiona Duncan for setting out the spread.

The skipper, who sits a top this season leading run scorer table, was joined by Phil Rourke to get the innings underway. Faced with a bit of sub-continent swing and a packed slip cordon, both men had to keep their composure and they did exactly that as the innings got off to an assured start with confident calls of yes, wait and no. Cunningham started finding the gaps, and had it not been for the saturated field he would have got the umpires arm flowing. Quick sprints got early runs on the board, but sadly Cunningham could not deliver on a captains knock as Abhija found a thick outside edge and the ball was acquainted with 2nd-slip. Jubilant elation from the visitors as they sent the skip on his way for 9. 

Bruce Harper entered at 3, and in trademark fashion did not care for blocking and clubbed an early 4 towards the electronic scoreboard at Mylne Road cow. Rourke held his end with some Boycott-esque safely calculated shot making while Harper started to motor his way all over the leg side and kept everything in multiples of two as he sprinkled a barrage of doubles with a few 4s. The run rate was matching that of the visitors’ early efforts and despite a couple of atmospheric yelps, the partnership kept building. Score, 27/1 after 6. 

As Harper looked set to glide through the 20s, he chased a wide one from Mishra and the ball took a high slice into the hands of the man backtracking from gully, a good knock ended all too soon, out for 18. Jack Smart walked out next and looked to build on his excellent 49* against Comrie last time out. 

Unlike the field, the runs started to dry up and sadly Smart would be left looking for partners as Rourke would become Abhija’s second victim as he was given out leg-before by his old pal, Chairman Mike Donaldson, despite meeting the ball well down the track, a frustrating end to a knock that was just about to take off, out for 6. The fourth DCC wicket would come along in a hurry as Rob Passe managed to get off the mark, but would not trouble the scorer again as Mishra found an inside edge and the ball clipped the stumps, out for 1. Score, a worrying 38/4 after 11.

Alan Douglas then joined Smart and the pair began to inject a nice bit of impetus back into the DCC innings. Smart whacked a high full toss past deep-square (no comment on what happened on the free hit), and Douglas started to take the hammer to the spinner who was bowling a touch too full. With the addition of some great tight running between the sticks the odds of a comeback DCC victory started to shorten.

The duo played to the flow of the game and took some risks that needed to be taken. Both were carrying on from their good form from previous weeks, and just as the partnership started to give our visitors headaches, Smart with the bit between his teeth went full bore as he looked to drive Prayan, but mis-calculated his timing and sliced one to gully, out for a commendable 19. Especially when you consider he was batting through the pain barrier of a broken finger that he sustained in the 3rd over of the match. Built strong.

Robbie Cunningham entered and with the blink of an eye Douglas departed as he too looked to put pedal to the metal but was caught as he smashed one to from Devidas straight to the man at mid-off, out for a well battled 13 against Indian spin. In the same over R. Cunningham would also fall as he failed to prevent the spin from dismantling his stumps, quack. Score 74/7 after 19, can someone get Jonny Bairstow a flight from Headingley? 

Rob Morris and Charlie Dunn would be tasked with salvaging the wreckage. Morris got the ball moving early, but Dunn’s overt aggression would be his downfall as he looked to charge Mehta, but missed the ball and was stumped a mile out of his crease, quack. Tim Dillion joined Morris and they got the score heading towards a ton, but Morris too would return to the clubhouse as he was bowled by Falari for a decent 10. Paul Fensom wandered out last and tried to play some shots but he also let out a quack as he was bowled by Falari. Dillion unbeaten on 2. Not our day. 

Thanks go to 13th man Simon Wilton for doing a little bit of everything, and Chairman Mike Donaldson and Gregg Dunsire for umpiring every ball.

DCC: 87 all out

Top scorers:

Smart, 19 | Harper, 18 | Douglas, 13

RESULT

Crickockers CC victory but no comment… (142 if you must)

DCC MOTM

Nicholas Schellenberg and his son Daniel

Despite not dawning their whites, the Schellenberg’s did an exceptional job at scoring all afternoon through the tricky conditions, in addition to operating the technical electronic scoreboard. 

After the match we celebrated with our visitors by all taking a healthy nip of whisky from a ceremonial quaich.

As a token of goodwill they presented Captain Cunningham with his very own Crickockers tour shirt. The festivities carried on into the evening as both sides headed to the Inn at Dollar for some food and well deserved (at least on the Goan’s part) post match refreshments.

The day will go down in DCC history as we were all enamoured with our newest friends. A top bunch of guys. We wish them the best of luck with the rest of their tour, and hopefully we can welcome them back sometime in the future. Or even visit them?

Deu borem korum miochay, 

ÊK – DÔN – TIM – GOA!

“Thank you and goodbye,

ONE – TWO – THREE – GOA!”

We are back in action next Sunday against a slightly more familiar foe as we travel to banks of Loch Levan to take on Kinross, start time 1pm.

Season Record

Played 7 | Won 5 | Lost 2

OHH DCC